Shabbat Shalom beloved.
In this Thoughts and Reflections of Torah Reading 61, we will examine a number of themes and concepts that fall within the realm of loving Yah and loving one’s neighbor as one would love themselves.
I’ve taken the liberty of breaking this content-rich reading into three posts with a fourth post sort of tying everything up in a nice bow with some halachic encouragement.
This is the 61st reading of our 3-year Reading cycle and is contained in Exodus/Shemot 22:25-23:33. Our focus passage, however, will be Exodus/Shemot 22-28. And I’ve entitled this post “God Prohibits His People from Badmouthing Government leaders”.
A Commandment for God’s People to Respect Government Leaders or Him?
In verse 22:28, we come across an interesting mitzvah (i.e., commandment). Yah commands us to not revile (i.e., te’qa’leyl which means to be trifling towards or belittle another) God (Elohiym), nor curse a ruler of our people. However, there appears to be some disagreement amongst the English translations as it relates to the use of the title “Elohiym” in the original Hebrew text.
The LXX renders this passage: “Thou shalt not revile the gods…” while every other English translation consistently renders the passage something akin to “Thou shalt not revile or curse or blaspheme God…”
The Targum Onkelos (i.e., the official interpretation of Torah as received by Rabbis Eliezer ben Hyrcanus and Joshua ben Hananiah), however, appears to be the one translation that renders a proper contextual translation:
“Thou shalt not revile the judges…” This wording is consistent with the remainder of the passage that instructs us to not curse (i.e., ta’or, or spit upon) our captains or rulers or leaders (i.e., we’na’si).
What are the halachic ramifications of this mitzvah?
Respect our Leaders—Even the Bad Ones
The writer of Ecclesiastes addressed this issue:
Do not curse a king even in your thoughts, and do not curse the rich while in your bedroom; for a bird might report what you are thinking, or some winged creature might repeat your words. (10:20; NET)
It was while standing before the Jewish High Council that the Apostle Paul/Shaul openly challenged the authority and morality of the High Priest Ananias (Acts 23:5). When Ananias’ identity as High Priest was made known to him, Shaul declared that he was out of line by what he said in opposition to him. And his self-correction was in reference to Exodus/Shemot 22:28.
Be Subject to the Governing Authorities Yah has Placed Over Us
We find in Romans 13:1-7 that the Apostle Shaul took Exodus/Shemot 22:28 very seriously and literally, even to the extent of teaching the principle to his charges in the Roman Messianic Assembly and to his mentee Titus. For he not only taught it as a requirement of the true faith once delivered, but he also spent 7-verses explaining why it was important that Netsari respect world leaders. He wrote:
1 Let every person be subject (i.e., “hupotasso”, which means to be brought under firm control or subordinated) to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except by God’s appointment, and the authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 So the person who resists such authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will incur judgment 3 (for rulers cause no fear for good conduct but for bad). Do you desire not to fear authority? Do good and you will receive its commendation, 4 for it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be in fear, for it does not bear the sword in vain. It is God’s servant to administer retribution on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of the wrath of the authorities but also because of your conscience. 6 For this reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants devoted to governing. 7 Pay everyone what is owed: taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. (NET)
Behave Before the Leaders of this World in a Godly Manner
We find in Titus 3:1-2 where Shaul asks Titus to remind his charges to:
“…be subject to rulers and authorities…be obedient…and be ready for every good work…slander no one, but be peaceable, gentle, showing courtesy to all people.” (NET)
Then we find in 1 Peter 2:11-17 the Apostle Kefa/Peter piping in on this subject. And we find him to be in lockstep with his apostolic colleague Shaul:
11 Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, 12 and maintain good conduct among the non-Christians, so that though they now malign you as wrongdoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. 13 Be subject to every human institution for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as supreme 14 or to governors as those he commissions to punish wrongdoers and praise those who do good. 15 For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Live as free people, not using your freedom as a pretext for evil, but as God’s slaves. 17 Honor all people, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the king. (NET)
Reconciling the Requirement to Respect Even Bad World Leaders
As Kefa saw it, world leaders maintain a semblance of law and order over their jurisdictions.
Granted, the manner in which most of them maintain that law and order may not appear proper and just to us as a Godly people or as a person of Faith. But that’s beside the point. Because it doesn’t matter what we think. How Yah views and sees this thing is all that should matter to His elect ones.
Yah put into place each leader to fulfill his purpose and will in the world. To disrespect, badmouth, threaten, or physically come against those He has put in leadership roles throughout the world is to come against Him. It’s not our role as Yah’s people to correct or challenge those He put into power. All world leaders ultimately will have to answer to Him. Evil and corrupt leaders will be held accountable.
What’s a Netsari to do Then?
The Netsari must always do good. And in so doing, he or she will remain blameless before the ones who would seek our demise and the destruction of our faith. We are to be blameless, effective witnesses of Yah. Imagers of Yehovah in the earth, in all our ways. Disciplined, despite the evildoer’s efforts to malign us as wrongdoers. We are to give them no ammunition to use against us and our beloved faith.
This is all in alignment with that which our Master taught. He encouraged us to:
“Let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
So, It’s all about imaging Father and the Kingdom in a dark and dying world. And that’s not always an easy thing to do.
The Apostolic and Gospel Record Confirm the Applicability of Torah for Yah’s People
As challenging as these passages may seem to our western sensibilities, especially in the troublesome times we’re presently living, they all:
(1) Confirm the efficacy and authority of this mitzvah to respect our leaders.
(2) They strongly suggest and even enforce a level of righteousness that defies the conventional wisdom of our day. For it has become fashionable and even expected for people of faith to speak out against world leaders that are UnGodly in their deportment and in their leadership.
I must confess beloved, I am guilty of transgressing this mitzvah. For I used to believe this instruction applied to just our faith community leaders. that we were to respect the pastors, teachers, elders, and other leaders of our faith community. I now realize that this mitzvah applies to any leader, be he or she of the judicial, legislative, or executive branches of government. Be they believers or heathens. Yah placed them in power and it falls to me to respect that.
Master, when confronted by the Pharisees disciples and Herodians regarding the paying of taxes to the Roman Empire, unequivocally stated that Yah’s people must pay any taxes to the government that they owe (Matthew 22:15-21).
Walking that Fine Line
There’s a fine line between speaking/calling out the evil of government leaders and disrespecting the offices and the people who hold those offices. Yah is requiring us to be subject to the governing authorities of the land in which we live, as long as those who are governing are not forcing us to transgress/violate Yah’s Torah and the teachings of our Master Yeshua. When they cross that line, we must not comply with their anti-Biblical, anti-Torah policies and laws. Our non-compliance must be conducted in such a way that we do not disrespect those government leaders and the offices they hold. We are to follow the example of our Master and His apostles such that those evil leaders will have before them true and effective witnesses that testify to the holiness, goodness, and truth of Yehovah and His Ways.
Centuries before Yeshua walked this earth the Prophet Isaiah/Yeshi’yahu foretold of Master Yeshua’s Passion. Yet He would not oppose or criticize His accusers (53:7). And history confirms that He indeed held His peace throughout the time of His Passion (Mark 1:61; John 19:9).
Called to Respect and Suffer
History records how Netsarim who refused to obey the government’s edicts to not practice their faith, met their end with dignity and obedience to Yah’s instructions (see Foxe’s Book of Martyrs). These did not wage verbal and physical wars against the evil governments and leaders of their day. They simply walked in their faith (Habakkuk 2:4). And when the government leaders would come against them, they stood firm, while respecting the authority of that government. These suffered and died for the sake of the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Many of us will suffer and die for the sake of the Gospel of the Kingdom. This means that we remain subject to the authority and edicts of the governments and leaders that Yah has placed over us; as long as these do not require us to disobey Yehovah and His instructions in righteousness. We must resist and remain true to our calling and covenant relationship with Yehovah. Regardless of what may then befall us as Yah’s set-part people, we do not possess the license to come against the governments and leaders who Yah has placed in power: Be it verbally or through physical action. For us to come against these would be for us to challenge Yehovah. And we do not want to ever be found guilty of challenging the Will, Sovereignty, and Purpose of Yehovah our Elohim. We instead uphold Yehovah’s Ways and Purpose and Will, despite the costs of our doing so. Yah has everything under control. And it will be Him who will hold these governments and their leaders to account at a time and place of His choosing.
I would encourage and invite you to read any one or all three of the remaining Torah Reading 61 post if you are so led. You need not follow any particular order.
I pray that you were blessed and edified by this discussion.
Shabbat Shalom. Shavu’atov. Until next time beloved.