Imagine a pilot who takes off from whichever runway he fancies, follows a route based solely on his own preference, and upon arrival, lands on any strip that strikes his whim. We do not need to be prophets or clairvoyants to foresee a tragedy.
An experienced pilot knows he must carefully obey the instructions provided by the control towers to reach his destination, protecting both his life and the lives of his passengers. In other words, the pilot’s obedience is an essential part of his profession, even if the word is not explicitly used. Furthermore, the lives of everyone else on that craft depend on the actions of that one man.
Obedience has been essential to the success of those who have left their mark on history. But the question is: Obedience to whom? Or to what?
Yehováh: The Supreme Authority
The book of Exodus shows us how the leader of the people, Moshe, had to be trained for 80 years before being ready to carry out the mission of his life—a mission that would not only lead the People of Israel to freedom but would also lay the foundation of our civilization.
A powerful example is found in the final two chapters of the book of Exodus; at least 18 times the expression appears: “just as Yehováh had commanded Moshe,” showing us the quality of this man’s obedience.
Throughout the entire Old Testament, we encounter countless stories of people who were disobedient and suffered the consequences of such behavior. Yet, we also find men of principle and faith who were obedient to the commands of Yehováh, becoming key instruments in fulfilling His purposes.
In the New Testament, we find Shaul (Paul), who had his own dramatic experience to learn how to obey the Word of Yehováh and dedicated himself to teaching his disciples the importance of faithfully following that Word.
Shaul was shown the sad and shameful condition of men in the last days:
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Witnesses to the Fulfillment
Today, the word obedience is highly discredited. This is largely because Hollywood sells us the image of rebel heroes who achieve their goals by defying and despising their superiors, while portraying respectful and obedient people as weak and faint-hearted.
However, Yehováh will always give us the freedom to make decisions. This is clear when we read His Word, which motivates us to choose the right path: to obey His Instructions.
While Yehováh, as the absolute Sovereign, could certainly impose His decrees without leaving us an alternative, He not only gives us the power to decide but also provides us with motivations to obey. He shows us the benefits of doing so and, naturally, the terrible consequences of making the wrong choice.
In fact, His Creation is organized according to His Laws and Decrees. By informing us of these laws, He is giving us the privilege of benefiting from them. Observe this passage of the Book of Deuteronomy, and detail the blessings that result from obedience:
Therefore, take care to follow the commands, decrees and laws I give you today. If you pay attention to these laws and are careful to follow them, then Yehováh your God will keep his covenant of love with you, as he swore to your ancestors. He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land—your grain, new wine and olive oil—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you. You will be blessed more than any other people; none of your men or women will be childless, nor will any of your livestock be without young. Yehováh will keep you free from every disease. He will not inflict on you the horrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will impose them on all who hate you.
Deuteronomy 7:11-15
For Reflection:
If some of these blessings are absent in our lives, could it be that the quality of our obedience is compromised?
OBEDIENCE is not merely an external matter. Yeshúa clearly showed us what our attitude should be when obeying, seeking not only to fulfill the letter of the Torah externally but discovering its spirit so that our obedience may be perfect.
At the beginning, there was no fixed order for the public reading of the Torah. Over time, the systematic reading of the Torah each Shabbat and on the Festivals grew in importance, exerting a profound influence upon the people. The Torah was not only to be read, but also explained and interpreted to facilitate its application. This is attested in the following passage from the book of Nehemiah:
“And the Levites — Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah — helped the people understand the Torah, while the people remained in their places. They read from the scroll of the Torah of God, clearly explaining the meaning so that the people understood the reading.”
— Nehemiah 8:7–8
When the Hebrew people returned from exile in Babylon, as recorded in Ezra and Nehemiah, they had largely ceased speaking Hebrew, since Aramaic was the common language of that empire. Therefore, it became necessary for someone to translate aloud each phrase as it was read.
Later, the Talmud records the rabbinic practice of extensively explaining the meaning of the text. Rabbis used parables to present truth and facilitate its application to daily life. Thus emerged the “sermon,” a long-standing Jewish tradition whose purpose was both to explain the Torah and to teach Judaism to the assembled community — a practice that continues to this day.
Because Monday and Thursday were market days, when farmers came into the towns to sell produce and purchase supplies, these days became ideal opportunities to gather the people for several hours of Torah instruction. However, urban merchants were occupied serving the visiting farmers and could not attend such gatherings. For their benefit, an additional Torah reading was established on Shabbat afternoon.
The weekly Torah portion is called in Hebrew Parashat ha-Shavua, though it is more commonly known simply as the Parashah (or Parshah), and is also referred to as the Sidra (or Sedra).
Each Parashah takes its name from one of the opening words of the Hebrew text, often from the first verse.
When this practice began, the Torah was divided into 155 portions, requiring three years to complete the cycle. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, Reform synagogues and some Conservative communities maintained this triennial cycle; however, it was gradually replaced by the annual cycle followed by most congregations today.
Are these divisions mandatory?
It is important to recognize that neither the annual nor the triennial divisions for reading the Torah were commanded by our Father Yehovah. Therefore, following either cycle is not mandatory. Nevertheless, for the purpose of becoming familiar with the Torah and deepening our understanding of its role as the foundation of the rest of Scripture, it is highly beneficial to read it continually.
When should one begin?
There is likewise no command regarding when to begin reading the Torah. It may be started at any time, and if someone wished and were able to read it all at once, that would be wonderful. However, since we live in a society with limited time, establishing an orderly pattern is wise. By committing ourselves before our Father, we can determine when and how to engage in this reading and study. Then, when we gather with others who seek to live by the Torah, we will have fresh insights to share as we discover the treasures within it — treasures that are surely transforming our lives.
If we are to affirm our identity as the people of Yehovah, we must remain immersed in His Word. Otherwise, we will be unable to discern truth amid the multitude of voices and messages that reach our ears each day. The path is narrow, and remaining upon it requires our full attention to the Instructions — the Torah — that our Father has given us.
Hollywood sells us the image of rebel heroes who achieve their goals by defying and despising their own superiors, while on the other hand, it portrays respectful and obedient people as weak and faint-hearted.