This teaching series is based on the tradition of “Shabbat Shuva,” or the “Shabbat of Return,” which falls between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur (the Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement). The text for this tradition is Hoshea (Hosea) chapter 14, which begins, “O Yisra’el, return to Yahweh your Elohim…”
After having gone through the Spring Feasts – Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Shavuot, which are types and shadows of the Hebrews’ exodus from Egypt and journey to Mt. Sinai, have you maintained a faithful, straight walk in Torah? Or have you gotten “off the path” a little or a lot? Do you sense a call to return to the path, to Yahweh?
• What is meant by “crookedness”? What does crookedness cause you to do?
• Regarding the call to return – return to what?
From there, Rabbi Berkson takes us into Leviticus 26 to examine the reasons for returning to the Covenant. In Leviticus chapter 26, the blessings and curses associated with Yahweh’s Covenant with His people are listed.
• How will you be able to walk in Covenant with the Creator?
From Leviticus, we go to Deuteronomy 4:25, where we see that Yahweh has an issue with His people and their idol worship. How can we relate to them today regarding ‘idol worship’? Rabbi Berkson then takes us to Deuteronomy chapter 30 to show us one of Moses’ final exhortations to the people as they are about to cross over into the Promised Land. Interestingly, Yahweh, through Moses, told the people that in their future they would stray from the path they were supposed to walk and be taken from the Land by their enemies, but as they were living in a foreign land, their hearts would turn back to Yahweh, and they would return once again to possess and live in their Promised Land.
• In this chapter, we see the phrase, “circumcise your heart” – what does that mean? Isn’t that just a “New Testament” concept? What is it doing left of Matthew?
And then we are taken to Romans chapter 10, where Rabbi Berkson points out that the apostle Paul is clearly writing about Torah observance and, indeed, substitutes the word ‘Messiah’ for the word ‘Torah’ as he quotes Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 30.
• What does Romans 10:4 really mean?
• What is “the righteousness of belief”?
• What is “the good news of the good”?
• Was there “Good News” before the New Testament?
Verse-by-verse and step-by-step, Rabbi Steve Berkson takes us on a journey of discovery and learning how to covenant with our Creator and Father, which, from time to time, requires us to turn around and return to His Word so that we can have a sure entrance into His Kingdom.
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