*Laws # 136-138 ~ BOOK FOUR: THE BOOK OF WOMEN (Laws of Suspect Wife)

Laws #136-138  To fulfill the laws of the Sotah...Not to put oil on her meal offering...Not to put frankincense on her meal offering

Num. 5:30 "Or when the spirit of jealousy comes upon him, and he be jealous over his wife, and shall set the woman before the Lord, and the priest shall execute upon her all this law."

Law #136 The Command here is to follow through with the Laws of a Suspect wife (Sotah) if a woman be found to have possibly cheated on her husband.  This process can be found in Num. 5:11-31.  An adulterous wife polluted the nation of Israel, making them all unclean.  If a man has a "spirit of jealousy" or a suspicion that his wife has cheated, she is brought before the priests who set her before the Most High along with her meal offering.  Laws #137 & 138 say no oil/frankincense was to be poured on her meal, which was symbolic of drawing the Most High's attention to her potential guilt.  Holy water was given to her and expected to cause a curse within her body and make her barren, if she truly cheated.  It was expected to have no effect if she was innocent (vs. 27-28). The Bible calls this water "bitter," in reference to its potential effect of making her sterile if she had sinned. (see Gen. 20:17 Abimelech's wives become sterile as a result of his intention to commit adultery with Sarah.  see Lev. 20:20-21 Incestuous relationships lead to woman becoming Sterile).

*Laws # 131-135 ~ BOOK FOUR: THE BOOK OF WOMEN (Laws of Women)

Law #131 The court must fine one who seduces a maiden

Ex. 22:16-17 “And if a man entice a maid that is not betrothed, and lie with her, he shall surely endow her to be his wife.  If her father utterly refuse to give her unto him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.”

The Law here is for a man to pay a fine for seducing a maiden, which is a word used to describe a young girl, unmarried girl or most likely a virgin.  In the biblical days, the Israelites were held accountable, even for such an action as seduction.  

Law #132 & 133 The rapist must marry the maiden (if she chooses)...He is not allowed to divorce her

Deut. 22:28-29 “If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel’s father 50 shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he has humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.”

When we look in vs. 25 we see that if the woman is betrothed, the man who forced himself onto her is to be put to death.  This Law must be taken into consideration as well.

Again, every action is to be held accountable.  This scripture refers to the act of rape against a woman. The first Law is that the violator is to pay a fine to the woman’s father.  The second Law is that the woman is to be his wife for life (if she chooses), divorce is not permitted.

Six laws of chastity (moral sexual behavior) are given as basic to family integrity.  Violations were punishable by stoning the violators to death.  “Tokens” of the damsel’s virginity refer to proof that she was indeed a virgin at the time.  Without this proof she could be deemed “a whore” which was punishable by death for both partners. 

Law #134 & 135 The slanderer must remain married to his wife...He must not divorce her

Deut. 22:19 “…[The Elders obtain from the violator] a hundred shekels of silver, and give them unto the father of the damsel, because he hath brought up an evil name upon a virgin of Israel: and she shall be his wife; he may not put her away all his days.”

The Law here is regarding a man who lies with a woman and later speaks against her, claiming she was not a virgin.  If it is proven she was a virgin, he is to pay a fine for slandering her name (Law #134) and be married to her all his days, for lying about her purity (Law #135).

*Laws # 128-130 ~ BOOK FOUR: THE BOOK OF WOMEN (Laws of Yivum and Chalitzah-Brother-in-Law "Levirate" Marriage)

Law #128 To do yibum (marry childless brother's widow)

Deut. 25:5 "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her."

According to the Law, if a man dies, and his brother resides with him, it is his brother's responsibility to marry his wife if she is without child and take on the duties of his dead brother.  The first born son takes on the name of the dead brother, and is the continuation of the dead brother’s lineage.  The purpose of this Law is to preserve the name of the deceased man, to keep inheritance distinct and keep the family name and property. 

Law #129 To do chalitzah (freeing a widow from yibum)

Deut. 25:9 “ Then shall his brother’s wife come unto him in the presence of the elders and loose his shoe from off his foot, and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, So shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother’s house.”

An alternative to yibum, this Law tells of what happens when the man refuses to marry his deceased brother’s wife who is without child.  He is shamed before his brethren with the act of her spitting on him.

Law #130 The widow must not remarry until the ties with her brother in law are removed

Deut. 25:5 "If brethren dwell together and one of them die, and have no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger: her husband's brother shall go in unto her, and take her to him to wife, and perform the duty of a husband's brother unto her."

The command is for the widow not to remarry until the ties with her brother-in-law are removed.  This is according to the standard already set forth in Law #126 regarding divorce.  Before that widow moves on to marry another, all ties to her brother-in-law must be resolved. 

*Laws # 126-127 ~ BOOK FOUR: THE BOOK OF WOMEN (Laws of Divorce)

Law #126 Deut. 24:1 “When a man [marries a woman but later finds her to be unclean and divorces her], let him write her a bill of divorcement, give it to her and send her out of his house.”

A man choosing to leave his wife due to “lewdness/uncleanness” is also permitted.  But the divorce must be documented as proof that they are no longer married and the laws of adultery no longer apply to her so she is free to remarry. References to “unclean” can be found in Deut. 23, which addresses harlotry among the daughters of Israel; adultery or sleeping with someone before marriage and not informing your mate.

Law #127 Deut. 24:4 “[After a divorced woman remarries another]…Her former husband may NOT take her back and remarry her; that is an abomination…”

This Law is not saying it is sinful to remarry a woman you were divorced from.  It is saying you may not remarry that woman while she’s married to her new husband. This is an abomination; for a woman to have more than one husband.

*Laws # 122-125 ~ BOOK FOUR: THE BOOK OF WOMEN (Laws of Marriage)

**Law #122 To marry a wife by means of Ketubah and Kiddusin

Deut. 22:13-21 [If a husband suspects his wife not to be the virgin she claimed she was after marrying her, and her parents are unable to prove that she was indeed a virgin, she was to be executed.]

Ketubah is a prenuptial agreement protecting the wife.  In it the husband vows to provide her with clothes, food, conjugal relations, and in case of a divorce, a cash amount.  Kiddushin is the dedication part of a wedding ceremony that renders the couple husband and wife.  However, neither are commanded in the Torah.  Deut. 22:13 addresses a woman who is not a virgin upon marriage.  It says nothing about a woman’s rights in a marriage.

The true command should be for a woman to be a virgin upon marriage.  At the very least, she should be honest with her husband upon marrying him if she is not a virgin.  The woman is called to be pure for her husband.  She’s made to be single minded, trustworthy, faithful and true to her husband.  Yes, there is a Law against being a whore; a woman who’s slept with many men and pretends to be a virgin.  This Law is found in Deut. 22:13-23:2.

Today’s cultures teach women to be hyper sexual and promiscuous, but as Israelite women we are called to be sanctified from that image, which devalues our honor and self-worth.  The marriage ordained by the Most High does not stand on those values but reflects His character of righteousness.  The world teaches that we must “practice” sex before marriage.  However, the sexuality taught in the world is of no good use in a marriage ordained by the Most High.  The world does not know the will of the Most High for your marriage and cannot teach you how to prepare for it.  Thus the reason, we should seek to save ourselves for the one set aside for us in marriage.   

Law #123 Not to have relations with women not thus married

Deut. 23:18 “Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore ($ received by a woman prostituting herself) or the price of a dog ($ received by a man prostituting himself) into the house of the Most High for any vow: for even both these are an abomination unto the Most High.”

The Law addresses prostitution among the Israelites. Deut. 23:17 says, “There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.” The Bible calls them “cult prostitutes.” These Israelite prostitutes would then take the money they earned and pay tithes with it. It was considered dirty money. Money obtained by way of an abomination could not be brought into the House of the Most High. No amount of money supersedes the Most High's integrity.

Law #124 Not to withhold food, clothing, and relations from your wife

Ex. 21:10 “If he take him another wife; her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish.”

This Law is a provision for the wife in a plural marriage.  The circumstances upon which this Law was given is a man being married to multiple wives.  However, the command found here is for a husband not to neglect his previous wife for a wife he adds on.  He is not to cut in half or stop his provision and the duty of marriage to his previous wife.

*Law #125 To have children with one's wife

Gen. 1:28 “And the Most High blessed them, and said ‘Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and do have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”

According to Judaism, the Israelites were given a command in Gen. 1:28 to “be fruitful and multiply.”  However, this command was not given to the Israelites but to Adam and Eve regarding reproduction and the hierarchy of creation.  Per Judaism, the command here is to “have children with your wife.”  However, this Law should not be included as part of the Laws of Moses because it was not given to Moses on Mt. Sinai as specific instructions for the Israelites to follow in the wilderness and in the land promised to them.  While it can be called a general command given to mankind, it was not a specific command given to the Israelite nation. 

*Law # 121 ~ BOOK THREE: THE BOOK OF SEASONS

**Law #121 To afflict and cry out before the Most High in times of catastrophe

Num. 10:9 “And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, than ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the Most High and ye shall be saved from your enemies.”

Per Judaism, the command here is to “afflict/fast and cry out before God in times of catastrophe.”

That is not the command. This command is not about afflicting or fasting but about sounding the trumpet in war. The sounding of the shofar was a form of crying out to the Most High and He promised to deliver. The Israelites were faced with much opposition in their land and this command spoke to those circumstances. However, the Most High is not telling them to afflict themselves or fast (as Judaism teaches) but specifically to blow the shofar.

Remember, blowing the shofar served many purposes; for celebration (Lev. 23:24, Sam. 6:15), to honor the presence of the Most High (Ex. 19:16), for triumph (Josh. 6:5), for assembly (Neh. 4:20), for praise and worship (Ps. 150:3), in war (Jer. 4:19, Ezek. 33:5), and for organization (Num. 10:5-6).

The true Command is to Blow an alarm with trumpets in war.  

*Law # 120 ~ BOOK THREE: THE BOOK OF SEASONS (Law of the Sanctification Month)

**Law #120 Courts must calculate to determine when a new month begins

Ex. 12:2 “This month (Nisan) shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.”

While Judaism claims 1 Tishri (September) to be the start of the New Year, the Most High has commanded 1 Nissan (April) to be the beginning of all months.  Nisan is the month the Israelites were redeemed from Egyptian bondage and the month the Passover was instituted, thus making it the official start of the New Year, according to the Most High’s command.  This Law too should be changed.  Reason being, Judaism claims Ex. 12:2 is commanded the courts to calculate when a new month begins.  However, the command is for Nissan to be the start of months.