In this teaching, Dr Hollisa Alewine shares some very basic yet important hermeneutic principles, which will encourage us on how to dig deeper into His WORD and not misinterpret the true meaning of the text.

This week we’ll cover the Torah portion Kedoshim, or “Holies” and we’ll tease apart some profound details in the account of the woman caught in adultery.

Leviticus 19:1-20:27

Amos 9:7-9:15

Psalm 15

John 8:2-11

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Le 19:18)

Kedoshim, the “holies,” is nestled in the very heart of the Torah. This commandment stitches itself to heaven and earth. Heaven and earth are two witnesses.

If we love Adonai, then we will love His people. Loving His people on earth pleases Him above, for He is “glorified through his people.” Heaven should be glorified on and through the earth.

“Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. (Is 60:21)

“Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” (Jn 14:13)

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Le 19:18)

In the explanation of the holy commandment to love one’s neighbor, the Torah student is told it’s the most obvious thing:

“This is a great principle in the Torah. Many commandments in the Torah depend on it: Thus, a person who loves another as himself will not steal from him, will not commit adultery with his wife, will not cheat him of goods or oppress him with words, will not move his boundary and will not harm him in any way. So are many other religious duties bound up with it; the matter is evident to every understanding person.” (Sefer HaChinnukh #243)

Yeshua wasn’t kidding. All the commandments really do hang on two!

“…Whoever derives honor through the disgrace of his fellow-man, has no share in the world-to-come. On the other hand, when a man behaves toward his fellow in a way of love and peace, and friendship, seeking his advantage and rejoicing in his good fortune, Scripture refers to him in the verse, ‘Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’ (Is 49:3)” (Sefer HaChinnukh §243)

In the Gospel of John, Yeshua elaborates on how the holy commandment will work on earth to glorify Heaven:

“A new [chadasha-refreshed] commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (Jn 13:34-35)

The KJV translates Strong’s H2318 in the following manner: renew (7x), repair (3x).

Outline of Biblical Usage:
to be new, renew, repair
to renew, make anew
to repair
(Hithpael) to renew oneself

Strong’s Definitions ?????? châdash, to be new; causatively, to rebuild:—renew, repair.

The KJV translates Strong’s H2319 in the following manner:

new (48x), new thing (4x), fresh (1x).

Outline of Biblical Usage: new, new thing, fresh

?????? châdâsh; from H2318; new:—fresh, new thing.

Yeshua wasn’t teaching a brand-new commandment; he was teaching how to refresh and repair the commandment they already had by explaining its function. By loving one another, the greatest commandment, to love Adonai with all one’s heart, soul, and strength, would be fulfilled in such a way that the whole world could see it!

Loving one’s neighbor as one’s self is impossible if the Torah is not written on the tablets of the heart. If we love our neighbor, we will not disgrace him or her. It is a commandment that has a “refresh” button! Each day, we must remind ourselves to hit “refresh and repair” on our hearts where Adonai has written love.

This explanation is found in context. A person who embarrasses another believer is behaving disgracefully toward ADONAI!

A person who behaves peacefully with other believers and honors them glorifies ADONAI, not the person. It honors the Father through the person. It also sets apart in holiness the one who honors others as a disciple of Yeshua in the eyes of all men. This is ONE HEART.

“You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.” (2 Co 3:2-3)

“Love your neighbor as yourself” is embedded in Leviticus among many statutes of holiness. If you love your neighbor, and you are holy, you will not perform those transgressions. If you love Adonai, you will not perform those transgressions; therefore, all the holy Torah hangs on those two.

“Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.” (Ga 3:19)

Yeshua is the Promised Seed. In him, we have, are, and will be made perfect in love. A day is coming…if we will continually and faithfully “refresh” with the Father’s mercy and His Ruach…when Yeshua will need only two tablets of our hearts to hold 613 commandments. We will be the perfect testimony and witness of Heaven through the earth.