SIVAN 20
Perfection
“The Torah of Adonai is PERFECT, restoring
the soul.”(Ps 19:7 TLV, emphasis mine)
Noah Webster defines ‘perfect’ as “Finished; complete; consummate; not
defective; having all that is requisite to its nature and kind; as a perfect statue;
a perfect likeness; a perfect work; a perfect system.”[1] In other words, Torah is complete and
finished, lacking nothing. Nothing can
be added to it that would improve it in any way, and if we were to subtract
anything from it, we lose that which is already complete. We have the Jewish people to thank for the
preservation of the Torah; what we read today is very similar to what
was read 2000 years ago, during the time of our Messiah.
How many of us were misinformed by well-meaning people, telling us that Torah is no longer valid for today? Yet all the Apostolic Writings (New Testament) are filled with instructions and commandments that have their origin within the pages of Torah. Torah, within itself, has been the foundation for many national constitutions of countries worldwide, the U.S. Constitution included[2]. Truly, it is a work that is ‘perfect’.
Why would our ‘soul’ (nefesh, Strong’s H5315) need restoring? Our soul is our innermost being, the part of you that makes you you, and yes, it is very vulnerable. We have all experienced life: problems within the family environment, financial ups and downs, and even physical, health related issues, just to name a few. All these concerns leave their mark on us, within our nefesh, some larger than others. Nevertheless, we are told that it is Torah that will restore those wounded and raw places within our being.
There is a security found within the words of Torah, a security of knowing to whom we belong, and that our Creator is still in control, despite all that is wrong in our immediate world. Torah is our roadmap for every step that we take, and because Torah is perfect, we understand that if we follow the path that is laid out for us, we will never go astray. We may have little control over circumstances and situations that come our way, but if we look to Torah for instructions on how we are to act (and react) through all of these, again, we understand that we will not go wrong.
But first, we must read it, study it, read it some more, then walk it, all the while continuing in our study of all that is written within the pages of Torah. Only then we will have “good success” (Jos 1:8).
“I have treasured up Your word in my heart, That I might not sin against
You.” (Ps 119:11)
*painting by Alex Levin
©2022
[1] American
Dictionary of the English Language, Noah Webster, 1828
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