DEUT464 See [[EXOD647]] Exodus 22:20 strangers AMEMEI 282

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DEUT494 See [[DEUT252]] Deuteronomy 6:7 children AMEMEI 142-3

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DEUT495 See [[LEV261]] Leviticus 18:25 vomit AMEMEI 126

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DEUT506 See [[DEUT427]] Deuteronomy 10:13 keeping AMEMEI 27

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DEUT513 If it is true that the concept of the Messiah is so basic to Judaism, then why is there no specific mention of Messiah in the Torah (the Five Books Of Moses)? Some have used the lack of reference to Messiah in the Torah as a proof that the Messianic concept came much later in Jewish history or that it is not truly a basic Jewish concept. These explanations are far from the truth, as the lack of direct mention of Messiah in the Torah has been explained along with a general lack of spiritual rewards and references in the Torah. Although clearly part of basic Judaism, the spiritual aspects of Judaism and the spiritual awards for mitzvah actions are not mentioned it all. Why? It has been explained that the Torah mentions only concepts that the entire people could relate to. In selecting the lowest common denominator, the Torah speaks to all the people and delineates those ideas and rewards that everyone can grasp. Thus, it is the riches of much food that is promised as a reward for mitzvot in the Shema prayer [this verse] and not any spiritual promises, although these rewards would clearly come as well. Ideas beyond the comprehension of some Jews such as spirituality and the world to come are not mentioned, although they are clearly an important part of Jewish belief. Therefore, the idea of Messiah, who would come one day far in the future, was also not mentioned in the Torah itself. The prophets, on the other hand, spelled out these notions more concretely. Hence, the idea of Messiah was not mentioned openly, but was merely alluded to in the Torah. The idea of a special time "at the end of days" is certainly referred to in the Torah itself without elaborating what this means. Jacob wishes to tell his children what life will be like "in the end of days" (Genesis 49:1) before he is prevented from doing so by God. Bilaam's prophecy about the Jewish people also refers to "the end of days."(Numbers 24:14). At the end of his life, Moses, too, twice refers to life "at the end of days."(Deuteronomy 4:30 and 31:29). Therefore, while the idea of Messiah and a special time at the end of history was not openly referred to in the Torah, it was alluded to numerous times. In the book of the Prophets, particularly in the books of Isaiah and Ezekiel, the references and specifics about the Messiah are more clearly delineated. The messianic concepts are spelled out in greater detail when these prophets, unlike the Torah, referred to "the end of days."(Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 23:20, 30:24, 48:47, 49:39; Ezekiel 38:16; Hosea 3:5; Micah 4:1; and Daniel 10:14).

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DEUT516 See [[NUM287]] Numbers 22:32 angel AMEMEI 8

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DEUT523 See [[DEUT427]] Deuteronomy 10:13 keeping AMEMEI 27

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DEUT580 See [[LEV81]] Leviticus 7:26 soul AMEMEI 73

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DEUT604 Part of life's goal of the Jew is to imitate God, as it says in [this verse and Deuteronomy 28:9] and is explained in the Talmud (Sotah 14a). One of the qualities of God is His hiddenness. Although man is commanded to attempt to know God (Maimonides, Hilchot Yesodei Hatorah 1:1 and 1:10), there remains a part of God unknowable to man.... It is the same with man. Although we think we can know someone and someone can know us, there should be a part of each person that remains private and unknowable. Part of Jewish modesty, then, informs us that even to our closest friend or spouse, there must remain some things inside that are private and known only to us. As King David says about God (Psalms 91:1), that He sits on high shrouded in secret and "in the shade," so, too, there must be part of each person that remains forever secret and unknowable. King Solomon in Proverbs suggests that God's honor and glory is achieved through this secretiveness (Proverbs 25:2). Man, too, achieves some dignity and honor by keeping some part of his personality secret in private. This, too, is an aspect of Jewish modesty. Thus, the hiddenness of Jewish modesty consists of three different characteristics: holiness, humility, and privacy. Through these characteristics, demonstrated in all aspects of life, the Jew achieves a general level of modesty that impacts upon his or her daily life and is displayed in all the actions and thoughts of a person.

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DEUT608 God asks the Jewish people to "walk after the ways of God" [this verse]. What is the imperative of this verse--how can a human being possibly walk as God does, especially since God is a non--physical being? The Talmud answers that we are to imitate God's ways as demonstrated in how He relates to man. Just as God clothed the naked Adam [Genesis 3:21], so too must we give clothes to those in need. Just as God visited the sick Abraham [Genesis 18:1], so too should we visit the sick. Similarly, as God comforted the mourner [Genesis 25:11], and buried the dead [Deuteronomy 34:6], so should we. The Midrash (Midrash, Sifri, Eikev 13) echoes a similar idea, exhorting the Jew to imitate God by giving gifts, being righteous, being pious and holy. This is codified by Maimonides (Hilchot De'ot 1:6). Another way in which we can honor God is by honoring those things that God created, that is, man, animal, and the entire earth. Any artist is certainly honored when his creation is treated and spoken about with respect; we honor the Almighty by treating His creations, everything on earth, with great respect (See the chapter "Human Dignity" for an amplification of this concept).

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