Parshas Haazinu – Israel’s Impact on the World

Dedicated to a Refuah Shelaima for Chaya Sofya Sara bas Mera, Chaya Sarah bas Esther Leah, Tova bas Perel, Binyamin ben Simcha, and Betzalel Tzvi ben Chaya Yocheved.

Parshas Haazinu, this week’s parsha, is not an easy read. Comprised almost entirely of song, it is Biblical poetry, which requires far deeper levels of interpretation to understand the inferences and references. The song of Haazinu was sung by Moshe to the people and reveals the past and the future. It is terrible to hear of the calamities that have, and will continue to, befall us while Hashem’s face is hidden, and comforting to know that all of it balances out with the ultimate redemption that is to come.

Interestingly, the first historical reference that Moshe makes is to the Dor Haflaga, the generation of the Migdal Bavel, the Tower of Babel:

“When the Most High gave nations their lot, when He separated the sons of man, He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the children of Israel. Because the Lord's portion is His people Yaakov, the lot of His inheritance” (32:8-9).

Those familiar with Bereishis might be scratching their heads and contemplating whether they have ever noticed a specific connection to the Tower of Bavel and Bnei Yisrael, and didn’t that take place well before Avraham? Actually, according to the Midrashic calculations, Avraham was 48 years old when Migdal Bavel occurred. He was all ready well on his path of promoting a recognition that there could only be one Creator and Ruler of the Universe.

Migdal Bavel, when the people (led by Nimrod) built a tower to go to war against God, was a declaration of humanity’s intent not to recognize the Ultimate Omnipotence. They inherently knew Hashem was in charge, or else they would not have thought to fight Him. The people took freewill to the extreme and wanted to be free to believe and worship in their idols, which were dependent on humankind, unlike Hashem.

When Hashem struck down the people of the Tower and separated them into nations (linguistically), He could have chosen to make Avraham the greatest nation physically. He could have divided them into small enough subsets that it was guaranteed that Avraham’s descendants would rise above them in power and might. But Haazinu informs us that “He set up the boundaries of peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.”

We often puzzle over the seemingly shrinking population of Klal Yisrael. Our numbers grow but our percentage to the world population is, and has always been, shockingly small. And this makes our impact tremendous.

Some people say this idea and then bring up our vast number of thinkers, scientists, artists, and politicians. The bizarre number of Jewish Noble Prize winners is a frequently stated fact. But the tremendous impact is none of those. The tremendous impact of our consistently small community is spiritual. Through all of the ups and downs our people experience, this is what Hashem needs us to remember. Everything in history became proscribed by the actions of klal Yisrael. “He set up the boundaries of peoples” refers not simply to physical boundaries or linguistic differences, but to the entire development of humanity. Everything is affected by the state of our nation.

This Shabbas is Shabbas Shuva, the Shabbas that falls during the Aseres Ymei Teshuva. Yom Kippur is Sunday night. Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement, and while we often and naturally focus on our personal atonement, it is significant to remember that the Yomim Noarayim affect the entire world. Every nation – and every person – stands in judgement on Rosh Hashana. The very world stands in judgement! And that process continues through on Yom Kippur.

This seemingly simple verse in Parshas Haazinu is a reminder that the boundaries of the peoples are set according to Bnei Yisrael. Our tefilos have the power to change the world, because Hashem set our people aside to be his inheritance.

I want to wish you all a Gmar Chasima Tova, May you individually, and may the entire nation, be sealed in the Book of Good, and may our prayers help heal the world.

Nitzvaim-Vayelech: Thought for this time of year

Every Elul, I participate in a phenomenal group of women who share divrei Torah throughout the month (and into Tishrei, until Yom Kippur). This is my piece this year, which tied in to the parsha:

This week’s parsha is a double parsha that is known by the name of Nitzavim-Vayelech, And they stood-And he went. The two parshios have fascinatingly different tones of voice. The first parsha, Nitzavim, is deep and heavy and frightful. Moshe declares to the people: “You are all standing here today…”to enter the covenant before continuing on to reiterate the horrible fate that awaits Bnei Yisrael should they go astray. Vayelech, on the other hand, has a much gentler tone as Moshe speaks in the first person, inducting Yehoshua and comforting the nation that even if they fall, Hashem will uphold His covenant.

There are, it would seem, two primary approaches to the month of Elul. (1) Watch out! Elul is coming, and so it is time to tremble at the awe of the upcoming days. There are countless descriptions of the great fear and trepidation the greatest of our leaders feel at this time. But then there is (2) the Elul of Ani l’dodi v’dodi li – I am to my beloved and my beloved is mine – when we are constantly reminded that “The King is in the field” and that Hashem wants us to approach Him and to bring Him our personal requests.

So which is it? Am I supposed to be worried and fearful and scared of being judged? Or am I supposed to be joyful about the opportunity of getting closer to Hashem? Fear and Love don’t feel like emotions that one can embrace at the same time. And neither is easy; both paths are incredibly difficult. Most of us have moments of true awe, an honest feeling of tension at the idea of being judged. But we don’t really live with it. There’s too much going on. And the same can be true for living with the constant energy for seeking out Hashem in the field. I desire to seek out my relationship with Hashem all the time but reality puts me at about 4%, if I am being generous.

The double parshios of this Shabbas remind us that these two perspectives on Elul, on life really, can and do exist side by side. “Nitzavim – And they stood” is a parsha that evokes trembling. It starts with the declaration of the eternity of the covenant, describes the depth of anger against anyone turning against Torah, and concludes with the imperative to choose life. This is the awesomeness of Hashem. As we enter Elul and move into Tishrei, we are standing in a spot to perceive the greater picture, to understand that as members of Bnei Yisrael, we are part of something much bigger and far grander than our own simple lives, but that we have deep and specific responsibilities.

“Vayelech – And he went” is a softer parsha. It is a parsha of encouragement presented in the first person. It is a parsha that reminds us of Ani l’dodi v’dodi li. Because there is in it an inference of second chances and new opportunities. Giving second chances is the essence of belovedness.

I have always preferred to focus on the Ani l’dodi, the seeking out a relationship, figuring out how to crown Hashem anew in my life. I avoid the fear and trembling – not because I don’t think it is important but because I don’t know how to even get close to it, let alone achieve it. But in putting together my thoughts for this dvar Torah, I have come to see how the two are really one. A relationship requires work and attention and responsibility. The fear - the trembling -- is not fear of punishment but rather the fear of disappointing Hashem because “I am to my Beloved as my beloved is to me. “ And because I fear disappointing Hashem, I must seek Him out in the field and enhance the relationship by reminding myself that Hashem wants to do for me and all I need to do is reach out.

Good Shabbas

And Shana Tova if I don’t get time to post.

Parshas Ki Tavo – Curses to Grow By

Modern conversations about religion often focus on the question of what a person gets from having faith. Security, responsibility, a sense of belonging, etc. are all within the range of answers that those studying religion from the outside hypothesize as the source for humanity’s drive toward belief. These inquiries are often paralleled to an assumption that one’s beliefs are meant to make one happy, and happiness is very important to the 21^st century mindset.

 In reality, however, the Torah is not meant to make sure that you, the individual, are living the happiest life you can. Hashem cares that you, the individual, are living life to your utmost potential. It’s not about living your best life but living life as best you can.

 There is a fascinating section of this week’s parsha, Parshas Ki Tavo, that seems to speak to how differently the Torah’s life philosophy is to modern day philosophy. It says: “And Moshe commanded the people on that same day, saying: ‘These shall stand upon Mount Gerisim to bless the people when you have crossed the Jordan: Shimon and Levi and Yehudah and Yissachar and Yoseph and Binyamin. And these shall stand upon Mount Ebal on the curse: Reuvain and Gad and Asher and Zevulan, Dan and Naftali” (27:11-13).

 Based on these verses, it would seem the Torah was about to introduce the recitation of a list of blessings. Instead, it dives right into the Leviim announcing the curses: “Cursed be the man that makes a graven or molten image, an abomination of God…and all the people shall lift up their voices and say: Amein” (27:15).

 Why does the Torah immediately proceed with punishment, with curses? Why doesn’t it say: “Blessed is the man who remains faithful to Hashem in all ways”? Why doesn’t the Torah bless the person who respects his parents, maintains boundaries, helps the blind man not to stumble, and so forth?

 Have you ever heard the popular parenting lectures that stress praising a child for not misbehaving? It is sometimes included under positive re-enforcement. And it’s lovely…in theory. But as a parent, it’s hard to think that one should say “Good job for not smacking your brother today!” because we expect our children to know not to smack each other.

 Living a Torah life is about constraining oneself away from behaviors that are inherently anti-social – not meaning behaviors that make you hard to be around, but behaviors that are damaging to society. The false gods of celebrity and power, so potent in this day and age, have created a society in which everyone feels that they get to define the rules, that everyone’s truth is equal. The Torah announces: “Cursed be he who insults his father or his mother,” and we see, all around us, a society that played with diminishing respect for parents (Hi Bob and Sally!) and now faces a dilemma in which any voice of authority is viewed as optional. Children demand of their parents, and the parents fold…Parents blame the schools, and no one is remembering that the act of respecting is meant to come from the child.

 The Torah was given to Moshe to give to the Bnei Yisrael not as the rule book for when we live in the ideal world but rather for the time before that. Hashem instructs Moshe to instruct the Jewish people before they go into the Promised Land and to present these words of Cursed be the Man as the formula for reminding Bnei Yisrael of the expectations upon them. In listing these verbal curses, however, Hashem is presenting a potent message: You know what the right thing to do is, and in doing it the blessings come naturally. Act in such an ill-befitting manner and be cursed.

 We may not see the constant praise, the reward --- the blessing, for living the way we are supposed to, but we must always be aware that for creating a broken social norm, we shall surely be cursed.

 Wishing you a beautiful Shabbas

Parshas Shoftim: The Weight of Leadership

This week’s parsha, Parshas Shoftim, is best known for the pasuk “Justice, justice, shall you pursue” (Devarim 16:20). This pasuk is a cornerstone of Torah living and the important parameters of halacha – that we are to try to emulate Hashem and create a just society. It is not an easy task, and it is not always an easily understandable concept when we examine the parameters set by the Torah.

As an example, this week’s parsha also contains the laws of the egel arufa, of the heifer killed as an atonement for a man found slain outside of a city’s boundaries. The basics are thus: If a body is found between two cities, a measurement is taken to determine to which city the body is closer. The elders and judges of that city, along with kohanim, must then take a calf that has never been yoked to a valley and break its neck, washing their hands over it and declaring “Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see [this crime]. Atone for Your people Israel, whom You have redeemed, O Lord, and lay not [the guilt of] innocent blood among your people Israel” (Devarim 21:7-8).

 How is this justice? It is assumed that the elders and the judges represent the upstanding citizens of the city, those who are least suspect of such a crime (we won’t get into the wonderful plots of modern-day murder mysteries). Why must they assume any level of responsibility?

 The most widely discussed answer is that there is a responsibility to the fact that a guest in their city was sent on his way without consideration, without escort. Interestingly, the sefer Taleli Oros cites “Zeved Tov observes that the verse writes shifcha with a hey at the end rather than shifcho, which would be the grammatically correct form. He explains that the hey is an allusion to the five things that a host is required to provide for a poverty-stricken guest: clothing, food, drink, shelter and escort.” In the case of the man found in the field, this last one is assumed to have been lacking.

 This does not, however, resolve the question of why the elders and the judges are responsible. Can they really be expected to know every guest or stranger who appears in the city and then leaves it? That seems a bit high of an expectation, especially in a larger city.

 Dr. Arnold Lustiger writes in Chumash Mesoras Harav, based on the teaching of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik: “It is almost frightening how demanding the Torah is concerning the leadership that goes hand in hand with power. It is a responsibility that encompasses not only direct action but indirect – in fact, very removed – action. Of course, the leader is responsible for all his actions. His judgement must be right; he must not accept bribes; he must act in accordance with the principles of justice and charity. However, he is also charged with responsibility for things and events that are, prima facie, far removed from his concerns and interests. The people wielding power are the ones responsible for and guilty of the crime (Vision and Leadership, p.48)” (Lustiger 167).

 The laws of the egel arufah teach us that there is an expectation on the elders and judges to establish a culture in which the casual taking of a life could never be acceptable, in which a stranger would never be left to wander off to another town without protection. This might mean that they make certain to live in the ideal and to demonstrate righteous living and-or it might mean that they establish regular patrols to maintain civil law.

 The egel arufa has very defined parameters. It is a halacha that is meant for living in the land of Israel in a time when we have elders and judges and kohanim. But the Torah is eternal, and all that we learn in it applies to us in all living situations. Each of us is or can be a leader in our own way. A parent is a leader of a family. An organizer is a leader in the community. An upstanding citizen who strives to be a kiddush Hashem is by nature a leader whom others will emulate.

 The current civilization has prioritized living one’s true life and has accentuated a culture of “me” while claiming that this is a truly free and just society. The clamor of the modern world is to be an influencer by being the loudest or the brashest or the most “free to be me.” But leadership, as the Torah reminds us here with the laws of the egel arufah, is really about the weight of responsibility for the entire community.

Parshas Eikev - From Manna to Minim

In the beginning of this week’s parsha, Pashas Eikev, there is a seemingly benign description of the giving of the manna. This description is a prelude to a direct contrast to what Bnei Yisrael could expect after entering the Promised Land, which is a land flowing with milk and honey, a land of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil producing olives and honey - a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, you will lack nothing in it” (Devarim 8:8-9). This description of Eretz Yisrael is well known, but it is not commonly realized how it contrasts with the manna.

This section of the Torah begins with the statement: “And He afflicted you and let you go hungry, and then fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your forefathers know, so that He would make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but rather by, whatever comes forth from the mouth of the Lord does man live” (8:3).

The language here seems quite drastic. Did Hashem afflict them? Did he let them go hungry? It is almost possible to read this in a sarcastic nuance… how many times have we heard our children whine - or complained ourselves - “I’m starving.” Moshe here is reflecting the overwrought emotions of the nation when they complained and demonstrating to them that Hashem answered them with something miraculous, something incredible - food from the heavens. 

The manna was meant, according to pasuk gimmel, to teach Bnei Yisrael to recognize the ultimate source of our sustenance, which is Hashem. However, after reminding them further of the good Hashem did for them and the filial relationship they have with Hashem, Moshe tells them:

“For the Lord your God is bringing you to a good land, a land with brooks of water, fountains and depths, that emerge in valleys and mountains, a land of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates, a land of oil producing olives and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, you will lack nothing in it, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains you will hew copper” (8:7-9).

Life and sustenance are about to get more complicated. There will be variety - which one did not have with manna. There will be abundance - in contrast to the manna that could be collected for only one day’s portion. And there will be work - which was not a facet of living in the Wilderness. 

One can, perhaps, see in this a fascinating comparison to Adam HaRishon. Adam was placed in Gan Eden and given everything that he needed to live a peaceful life. After the chait (sin), he had to work (“By the sweat of your brow shall you live). It was a curse, but it was also a means of enhancing humanity’s awareness of their need for Hashem.

Bnei Yisrael’s time in the desert was always limited because mankind after the initial chait cannot exist long term on unending benificence but must put in effort. Thus the manna was simple, pure, and, perhaps one might even say, limited. The wilderness was like Gan Eden in that everything was provided, but in truth, the Promised Land was the destination - lush like Gan Eden, but requiring effort, and in requiring effort also requiring Bnei Yisrael to know and acknowledge that all things come from Hashem. Indeed, the next pasuk of the perek says: “And you will eat, and you will be satisfied, and you will bless Hashem your God for the good land that He gave you” (8:10).

Moshe was telling them that they were on the verge of entering the world of abundance and variation, but that they should never forget that sustenance is not their acheivment, it is a gift from Hashem. They must do the work, but they must let the work lead them to appreciate Hashem’s graciousness.

Human beings crave a sense of success and accomplishment. In many ways, this was lacking in the wilderness. But with the freedom to achieve comes the possibility of forgetting the ultimate source of success - Hashem. Remembering that everything - our trials and our triumphs, our successes and are failures - come from Hashem, is not an easy task (as i think most of us know). In Parshas Eikev, the Torah records Moshe’s eternal reminder to help us stay focussed on the real work we have in this world…to follow the path of Hashem. 

I wish you all a beautiful Shabbas.

Parshas Va’Eschanan – How Supplication Can Be Comforting

Yesterday was Tisha B’av, tomorrow is Shabbas Nachamu, and today is the short space in between where we can contemplate that dynamic. This is the closest those two days ever come together, and that offers us a profound opportunity to contemplate the real possibility of transitioning from gulus to geula. For many of us, as much as we intellectually do yearn for Moshiach and a new era, there is a stumbling block in fully accepting the concept. Partially this is because of our natural tendency to feel safe in the space in which we are living, and partially this is because we have trouble truly believing in redemption. 

The parsha read on Shabbas Nachamu is always Va’eschanan. It is the second parsha in Sefer Dvarim, the sefer that was written on the precipice of great change. This parsha starts with Moshe’s personal tragedy – with the one time in which his beseeching Hashem was rebuffed. But in this, there is much that we can learn about the importance of wanting to move forward. Moshe tells the people of how strongly he pleaded with Hashem to encourage them to go forward. He was their safety in the wilderness, but he was ending, and the next era was already being prepared for them. That Shabbas Nachamu’s parsha contains this rich depth of yearning is an excellent reminder that even if we have just observed another day of desolation, even if Hashem has not granted us redemption yet, we should still be driven to ask and ask and ask again.

The word redemption means “the action of regaining or gaining possession of something” or “the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil.” It has both a both physical and a metaphysical meaning, and this is essential to the Jewish idea of redemption, of Moshiach. On a physical level, we will return to the Promised Land. On a metaphysical level, we will once more be ready, as a people, to be on the spiritual level of avdei Hashem. And while most of us in the 21^st century can now understand the possibility of the physical return, the state of the world, the state of the Jewish people in particular, makes us worry that we will never earn redemption – and this, too, is answered in Parshas Va’eschanan.

Moshe recaps the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai and the great and glorious purpose of the Torah just before he plunges into the sure and certain declaration that future generations will stray and be punished and return. And then he recites the Aseret Hadibros, the Ten Commandments - the same and yet different. This is a powerful reminder to us of the very real possibility of spiritual redemption. Bnei Yisrael messed up bad, and Hashem gave them another chance. Hashem wants Bnei Yisrael to succeed. Hashem wants to bring about an era in which He can remove the Hester Panim, the hiddenness He bears to mankind. He gives us opportunities upon opportunities.

Tradition tells us that the reason that Hashem tells Moshe, “Do not continue to speak to Me further about this matter” (Devarim 3:26) is because if Moshe had asked one more time, Hashem would have relented. This is what is important about Parshas Va’eschanan.

How often in the Torah did Moshe implore Hashem on behalf of Bnei Yisrael. Hashem wants to forgive. Hashem wants to push us to the next era. Bnei Yisrael gathered around a golden calf, seemingly the ultimate spiritual fail, and Hashem still gave them another chance, a new set of commandments, because Hashem is aware of the glorious potential within us. Nachamu, be comforted, because while  redemption has not come yet, it will.

There is a powerful message in the timing of Parshas Va’eschanan. Don’t give up on imploring Hashem until He tells you not to say another word (should we ever be on such a level!) and be comforted. Hashem wants to hear our pleas, and Hashem wants to give us another chance. Believing this whole heartedly, we can go from desolation to comfort in an instance. May that time come speedily in our days.

Wishing you all a beautiful Shabbas.

Parshas Devarim* – Food, Water, and Dignity

Parshas Devarim* – Food, Water, and Dignity

Dedicated to a refuah shelaima for Chaya Sarah bas Esther Leah, Chaya Sofya Sara bas Mera, Tova bas Perel, Binyamin ben Simcha, and Betzalel Tzvi ben Chaya Yocheved.

This week’s Dvar Torah is going to start with a question that might sound a little foolish. What did Bnei Yisrael eat and drink in the Midbar? If you answered manna and water from the ba’eir Miriam (Miriam’s well), then you are probably wondering why such a simple question is being asked…

If Bnei Yisrael ate manna in the wilderness and had a constant source of water, then why does Moshe discuss – not once, but twice – offering to pay for food and water? This occurs twice in Perek Beis of Devarim, and this fact is, truly, food for thought. (Ok, I couldn’t resist).

Perek Beis begins with Hashem telling Moshe that the people have circled Har Seir long enough, and it is time to move forward. In doing so, they will be passing through the land of Bnei Esav. “You shall not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land not so much as a footstep, because I have given Mount Seir to Esau for an inheritance. You shall buy food from them with money, that you may eat, and also water you shall buy from them with money, that you may drink” (Devarim 2:5-6).

The Perek then continues to describe the movements of the Israelites, including the fact that there were 38 years between Kadesh Barnea the water of Zered. It mentions interactions with Moav and Ammon, cousins who were not to be disturbed, until Bnei Yisrael comes to the land of the Amorites, where Sichon is king. Upon reaching the border of the Amorites, Hashem told Moshe that He has put the dread and fear of the Israelites into these people, but Moshe proceeds with diplomacy. He sends messengers and says “Let me pass through your country. I will keep strictly to the highway, turning off neither to the right nor to the left. What food I eat you will supply for money, and what water I drink you will furnish for money; just let me pass through” (Devarim 2:27-28).

The simple question is why did Bnei Yisrael need to buy food and water if they had manna and a continuous water source? The deeper question is what can we learn from the fact that Bnei Yisrael offered to buy food and water when it was not needed. 

This is, of course, pure postulation. Perhaps from Perek Beis of Devarim, we can learn about acting humbly and respectfully before other nations. The Jewish people are known as the Chosen nation. Hashem promised Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov that their descendants would be blessed. This does not mean that we have the right to be lofty over other nations, but rather that we have responsibilities as the mamleches kohanim, the kingdom of priests. 

In the verse that follows the recollection of being told to offer to buy food and water from Bnei Esav, Moshe states, “For the Lord, your God, has blessed you in all the work of your hand…” Bnei Yisrael was blessed in the wilderness with Divine care-taking. They were given food and water, but within the territory of another nation was not the time to exult. This was a lesson Moshe heeded when they then came to Sichon’s kingdom. Moshe knew already, for Hashem had told him, that this nation would be afraid of Bnei Yisrael, and that this is where the conquest would begin. Moshe, however, did not approach them in a bellicose manner, but rather with a fair and equitable offer. The Amorites refused and attacked and were defeated, but the significance is the fact that Bnei Yisrael behaved in a morally upstanding manner. 

The national implications can, and should, be reflected on an individual level. Just because one can, doesn’t mean one should. Having natural talents or specific skill-sets is valuable, of course. More important, however, is knowing how to treat others with respect and dignity. 

*Personal Parsha Prose began as a personal project I named Eilu Devarim in 2018 after leaving my job of 19 years. I wrote my first Parsha Essay on Parshas Devarim 2018. While some parshios were skipped some years, every parsha has at least 4 unique pieces. All Personal Parsha Prose, along with other writing, can be found on http://cthedawn.blogspot.com/

May you all have a beautiful and inspiring Shabbas.

Parshas Ha’azinu – A Very Short Thought on the Poetry of Rain

Parshas Ha’azinu holds a unique place in the cycle of the Jewish year. A parsha of pure poetry, and thus  sometimes difficult to distill a Dvar Torah, it is read during the busiest time on the calendar.

 

Reading the parsha on the brink of Sukkot, there is a special inference that one might see in the opening verses of Parshas Ha’azinu: “Hear, O’ Heavens, I shall speak; Let the earth hear the words of my mouth. May my discourse come down like rain; My words flow like dew; like showers on vegetation; and like raindrops on the grass” (Devarim 32:1-2).

 

Although it is a normal poetic form for an idea to be repeated, there is much to learn from Devarim 32:2. Moshe opens his final song with a comparison of his words to rain. We all know that now is the season when we pray for rain. From an agricultural perspective, that prayer would most probably be shaped more specifically as a prayer for the right rain. (Afterall, a monsoon that sweeps away the soil is also rain.)

 

Traditionally, the Torah is compared to Mayim Chaim, to living water. Just as every living creation needs rain, we know that there cannot be life without Torah. And so, Moshe crafts the opening of his final song.

 

We receive Torah in many ways. Sometimes it is the steady repetition of study, an even flow of regular intake that nourishes us evenly. Sometimes we learn Torah gently, like dew, from the regular ebb and flow of life, from the routine of living our lives. Sometimes true Torah has to be thrust upon us, powerful and loud. Sometimes we have to pay special attention around us to notice the Torah.

 

The earth is nourished by rain. Klal Yisrael is nourished by Torah. This is the basic fact of existence.

 

May you all have a Good Shabbas and a true Zman Simchaseinu.

Parshas Vayelech – Bound to Fail, and That’s Ok

Three times in Parshas Vayelech the verse Chazak Vayamatz, be strong and courageous, is uttered, and three times in Parshas Vayelech the text goes into detail about the future downfall of the nation. Be strong, lead them well, expect them to fail, and Hashem will still remember His covenant… this is the message that Moshe receives from Hashem and that Bnei Yisrael receives from Moshe.

 

It is, of course, not by chance that Parshas Vayelech is read at the auspicious time of the Yomim Norayim, the “High Holidays.” And during a leap year (such as this year), we are granted the opportunity to look at Parshas Vayelech on its own and to focus on its unique message… a message that is particularly important to remember as we contemplate the impending celebration of Yom Kippur.  

 

It could, perhaps, be said, that Yom Kippur is a celebration of humanity. This may seem like a shocking statement, but only until we realize that if there is one unified character trait of all of humanity, it is that, try as we might, we make many mistakes. We are not creatures of instinct, like the animals, nor beings of obedience, like the angels. There has never been a perfect human nor a perfect society.

 

Moshe tells the people not to worry that he will not be entering the Promised Land with them. He tells them that Yehoshua will lead them by Divine command. And he tells them, “Be strong and courageous! Neither fear, nor be dismayed of them [the Cananites], for the Lord, your God He is the One Who goes with you. He will neither fail you, nor forsake you" (31:6).  Then Moshe gives Yehoshua a similar message: Be strong and courageous, you will succeed, and Hashem “will neither fail you, nor forsake you. Do not fear, and do not be dismayed" (6:8). On this note of positive messaging, his duty of leadership transfer is seemingly done.

 

But Moshe isn’t done, and Yehoshua isn’t ready. It isn’t all a neat little package, and this is the most important connection to the Yomim Norayim. Now is when Hashem states, not once but twice, that Bnei Yisrael will not only stray but will bring down Hashem’s fury upon them. Indeed, Hashem even declares that He will hide His face from them.

In between declarations of the future failings of Bnei Yisrael. Hashem commands Moshe to write a song to bear witness to the future Children of Israel. Only after he has done so does Hashem speak to Yehoshua, repeating, it seems, Moshe’s earlier words: “Be strong and courageous! For you shall bring the children of Israel to the land that I have sworn to them, and I will be with you."

 

As Moshe hands what he has written to the Leviim to be placed in the Ark, he concludes his speech of earlier by stating forthrightly to them that they will, in time, become corrupt – that they will do evil and will be punished. And so he teaches them the song he has just written at Hashem’s command.

 

There are many discussions what this song is. Was it Haazinu, the next parsha? Was it something not included in the Torah? Was it a reference to the Torah itself? All are possible.

 

Why, one might ask, was it so necessary for Hashem to repeat the future failings of Bnei Yisrael here? After all, Moshe had spoken of it to the people in his final proclamations recorded in the other chapters of Devarim. But Moshe needed to acknowledge it here as he transferred the leadership of the people.

 

Perhaps the reason that the Torah tells us one more time, woven with the words Chazak Vayamatz, Be strong and courageous, is to remind us of the important fact that Hashem is very aware that we are human. Moshe, perhaps, did not want to end his time dwelling upon the fact that Bnei Yisrael would struggle, but Hashem knew that acknowledging our struggle would be the source of our strength, of our ability to move forward.

 

There are many shiurim available that speak of the annual self-doubt about teshuva. We all have the thoughts of: “I wanted to improve, and yet here I stand with the same mistakes, with the same transgressions.” “I wanted to achieve more than I did, and I feel that I have failed.”

 

Be strong and be courageous! That is to each and every one of us. Hashem knows and acknowledges our humanity, our limitations, and the probability of our imperfections… and He loves us anyway.

 

Hashem repeats to Moshe that the people will be corrupted until Moshe accepts it and says it out loud because it needs to be understood that Hashem already knows our regret. He knows our hopes and our dreams, our successes and our failures. We will fail, each of us in our own way, but this knowledge cannot stop us from moving forward, from trying harder, or from taking a slightly different path.

 

On Yom Kippur we will each stand before the King of Kings and beg atonement. It must be done. But we do so not in terror. We do so in celebration. Yom Kippur is a holiday because we know that Hashem will accept our repentance, because in foretelling our failings He has already granted their eventual forgiveness.

 

May each of you have a Gmar Chasima Tova.

Parshas Shoftim: More Than Property Lines

Parshas Shoftim covers a range of topics, most of them at least at some length. There is however, one topic that seems to be a verse that stands alone: “You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary, that the earlier ones set as borders in your inheritance, in the land that Hashem your God will give to you for an inheritance” (Devarim 19:14).

This is a good law, of course. It is not just good because it is a Torah law; it is a good law because it seems to be a base-line of normal civilized behavior. Moving the boundary line of a neighbor’s property implies theft of the most despicable kind. It is subterfuge. An inch and an inch and an inch…and suddenly there is a foot of difference between the original property allotments. Thus, Hashem declaring a prohibition of just such an act seems appropriate

What makes this pasuk interesting, and not just appropriate, is its placement. The verse comes just before the Torah discusses the requirement of two witnesses in any case needing judgement. The requirement for two witnesses is followed by a discussion of what will happen in the case of a false witness. A man who would bear false witness is as despicable as a person who would move a boundary line. They are both malicious acts performed in devious ways.

Additionally, the first thirteen verses of Devarim 19, just before the prohibition of moving the boundary line, discuss the cities of refuge. These verses go into detail about what constitutes manslaughter and what is, in fact, premeditated murder.  The section concludes with a ruling of what to do when a murderer flees to a city of refuge, and that is to show no pity.

“You shall not move your neighbor’s boundary, that the earlier ones set as borders in your inheritance, in the land that Hashem your God will give to you for an inheritance” (Devarim 19:14). In this seemingly disconnected pasuk, one might see the kernel of rot. Envy and jealousy are at the heart of the one with criminal intent, and revenge drives the victim who has already been harmed. Envy and jealousy that lead to such devious plotting also leads to enough hatred to strike down another Jew or to attempt to bear false witness against him.

We are not in the Promised Land, as even in Eretz Yisrael we are not living under Torah law, but the laws of the Torah are for all times and all places. Do not move the boundary line of your brother can impact so many areas of our lives, from the obvious - not stealing property - to the far less obvious transgression of claiming credit for someone else’s ideas or even of playing mind games that affect another person’s emotions.

May we all find satisfaction with the plot that Hashem has granted us and may we constantly look out for one another.

Parshas Re’eh – The Source of the Evyon

Shemita, the seventh year, is known as the year when the Promised Land is to lie fallow. Of equal significance, Shemita is the year in which all debts between Jews must be forgiven. This remission is described in Parshas Re’eh, in Devarim 15, where the word evyon is used six times. Evyon, which is translated as destitute (by Artscroll), is not a common term. The term usually used for someone in need is Oni.

 

The first use of Evyon in Devarim 15 is in the fourth pasuk, right after the Torah states that one may collect from a foreigner but not from one’s brethren (meaning fellow Jews). Devarim 15:4-5 states: “There shall be no destitute among you – since Hashem will bless you in the land that Hashem our God is giving to you as an inheritance; if only you heed Hashem your God and take care to keep all these mitzvos that I command you today.”

 

The last use of the word Evyon in Devarim 15 is in the eleventh pasuk, right after the Torah instructs the people not to hesitate to lend money to their fellow Israelites even if it is close to the Shemita year. Devarim 15:11 states: “For there will never cease to be destitute in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to your poor and your destitute in your land.”

 

How is it possible that Verse 4 states that there will be no destitute and verse 11 states that there will always be destitute? The commentators (and I apologize for not noting which ones) describe the juxtaposition of verse 4 and 11 as the ideal and what will be reality. If Bnei Yisrael were to keep all of the mitzvos, as stated in pasuk 5, then the nation would have absolute balance and bracha. Alas, the chances that all of the generations would manage to live up to this ideal were predictably low. Therefore, Moshe reproves the people against their own human nature, warning them not to withhold help. “Rather, open your hand to him and lend whatever is sufficient to his need” (15:8). Giving with an open heart, Moshe assures the people, is the path to bracha.

 

There is little to question over the fact that giving with an open heart, without hesitation or worry over one’s own well-being, is a very difficult standard to achieve. It is a way of thinking, a way of being, that comes from deep felt bitachon, a complete trust in Hashem’s management of the world. That in itself could be the lesson of Devarim 15: 1-11, but…

 

It is interesting to investigate the use of this word evyon; perhaps all the more so because it is used in conjunction with the word oni in 15:11. Rashi, quoting Leviticus Rabbah 34:6, states that the term evyon “denotes one who longs for everything (because he lacks everything).” This is not just poor, not just needing a hand up. The evyon has nothing, and it is a very sad state of society when there are people who reach that level of destitution.

Rather than reading 15:4 and 15:11 as juxtapositions of the ideal and the realistic, perhaps these seemingly contradictory verses offer an important insight into the justness of Torah law. If Bnei Yisrael were to keep all of the mitzvos, then society should operate in a way that everyone’s basic needs are met. It isn’t just a bracha from Hashem. It is the very mechanism of the mitzvos bein adam l’chavero functioning properly. Neighbors should be looking after neighbors. People should be living v’ahata l’reicha kamocha. If they live in such a fashion, no one should slip through the cracks and reach rock bottom.

 

But while the Torah is perfect, people are not. When Bnei Yisrael does not live up to the Torah ideal, then there will be people in deep and dire need. When we help them, we are rectifying a situation that we ourselves have created.

 

Living an upstanding Jewish life requires constant perseverance in rejecting human natures more self-centered motivations, which stem from an instinct for survival but are excellent tools of the yetzer harah (evil inclination). It is not easy to give with a smile, without hesitation or suspicion. Hashem knows this. The Torah is giving us an ideal to strive for, and it is up to us to take the steps (large or small or even baby-steps) to achieve it.

 

Wishing you all a beautiful Shabbas.

 

 

 

 

Parshas Eikev - Love-Eat-Pray

In Parshas Eikev there is an interesting repetition of the idea of eating and being satisfied that is located in Devarim 8:10 and 8:12. Although it is not so uncommon to find repetition in one section of the Torah, in this case the repetition is actually a juxtaposition of the right way to live life and the wrong way to live life. Verse 8:10, which states “And you will eat, and you will be satisfied, and you shall bless the Lord, your God, for the good land He has given you,” is the conclusion of the description of the experience of Hashem’s fatherly love, a love in which we are sometimes tested in order to help us grow strong and a love in which we are rewarded with a wonderful, fulfilling, and independent national life.

 

Devarim 8:12, on the other hand, is a warning. On its own it reads: “lest you eat and be satisfied, and build good houses and dwell therein.” A seeming bracha except for that word lest…Lest you “forget the Lord, your God, by not keeping His commandments, His ordinances, and His statutes, which I command you this day” (8:11), the previous pasuk.

 

The same idea of eating and being satisfied – an allusion to comfort and wealth – is transformed from an act that brings reward to an act that leads to destruction, and the biggest difference is the inclusion of the action of blessing, the active acknowledgement of Hashem. Devarim 8:7-10 describes living in a beautiful land of abundance. So does Devarim 8:12-13. The difference is that these latter verses are a warning against becoming haughty and forgetting all that Hashem did for us, in which case we risk being destroyed as Hashem destroyed the nations that came before us in the land.

 

How do we avoid the “lest”? How do we keep from becoming haughty? The key, we learn in Parshas Eikev, is love. It sounds a bit corny, but the term love (ahava) is used seven times in this weeks parsha. Sometimes it is Hashem’s love for Bnei Yisrael, as in 7:13: “And He will love you and bless you and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choice of your flocks, in the land which He swore to your forefathers to give you...”

 

Other times, however, later in the parsha, the word love is used in the language of commandment, in the language of instruction: “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you? Only to fear the Lord, your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to worship the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul” (10:12).

 

The question is frequently asked in relation to the first paragraph recited after Shema, the paragraph known as v’ahavta (Devarim 6:5-9), how can one be commanded to love? Love is an emotion. Love is a feeling. But Jewish tradition speaks of love as something we can build and control. Love is a feeling that is directly connected to acts of giving. The more one gives to another, the more one loves that other. In order to love Hashem, we must give to Hashem, which seems an impossible act.

 

How can Bnei Yisrael give anything to Hashem? He is the Almighty. It is an overwhelming concept, but it is achievable and the Torah explains how: “[Therefore] you shall love the Lord, your God, keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments, all the days” (11:1).

 

Every time a mitzvah is performed, someone is loving Hashem. Every time one of the Torah commandments is observed, someone is loving Hashem. This is how Bnei Yisrael can give to God.

 

Another means of giving to Hashem is prayer – not the prayer itself, really, but the action of remembering and acknowledging all the Hashem does. “V’achalta, v’savata, U’VERACHTA - And you will eat, and you will be satisfied, and YOU SHALL BLESS the Lord” (8:10) is the source for the commandment to say Birkat Hamazon, the Grace After Meals. There is no more basic need than food. This seems an obvious point. But eating is actually quite complex. Eating fills far more than a sense of hunger. Eating meets a physical need, a psychological need, an emotional need, and a spiritual need. In this pasuk, eating represents all of our needs. When our needs – from the smallest to the largest – are met, we must remember to bless Hashem, to acknowledge Him as the wellspring of all that is in the world.

 

V'ahavta sounds like an easy mitzvah. It is not. It is in our nature to take our blessings for granted, to assume our own power and greatness. It is in our nature to hurry on to feed and satisfy our next need or desire. This is why v’ahavta and u’verachta are commandments.

 

Hashem loves us and wants us to live our lives in the best possible way. Our job is to remember that He has already given us the key to achieving that goal.

 

Wishing you a beautiful Shabbas

 

*Eat Pray Love was a book written in 2006 that was then made into a movie.

 

Parshas Va’eschanan – Because of Hashem’s Love

Va’eschanan el Hashem – “And I implored to Hashem…” Thus Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest prophet and teacher in Jewish history, states at the beginning of this week’s parsha when he reminds the people that he is going to die and will not lead them into the Promised Land.

 

Well, goodness! Let’s be honest…If Moshe’s pleading with Hashem didn’t work, what chance is there that my prayers will? We read about Moshe’s “crime” of striking the rock instead of speaking to it, and we (meaning an average, ordinary person) wonder how this could be considered such an unforgiveable error. The only real answer is that the world, Hashem’s world, is so much bigger than we can understand, and, in many ways, this is an undercurrent of this weeks parsha.

 

Parshas Va’eschanan’s first independent perek - since it starts with the last seven verses of perek gimmel – begins with Moshe’s warning to the people to “listen to the decrees and the ordinances that I teach you to perform, so that you may live, and you will come and possess the Land that Hashem, the God of your forefathers, gives you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you subtract from it, to observe the commandments of Hashem your God, that I command you” (4:1-3). And again, the most honest reaction one might have is to wonder what might be wrong with enhancing one’s devotion, with adding laws to make society more zealous or remove a law for the sake of making the world more just. But the Torah tells us straight out that this is not something we are capable of, not even the most holy of us can cross the line of God’s commandments…

…because then we all do. Moshe’s repetitious reminder against creating a carved image of any type is followed immediately by the declaration that “When you beget children and grandchildren and will have been long in the Land, you will grow corrupt and make a carve image of anything, and you will do evil in the eyes of Hashem” (4:25).

 

The consequence of our betrayal shall be – has been - our scattering through the nations, our loss of “rank,” so to speak and, more significantly, our lack of connection. When we think that we can understand Hashem enough to create carved images or enough to transform His laws, that is when we become lost. That is when we must seek our way back to the basics so that the covenant can be revived.

 

Devarim 4:29 speaks of this process. It says: “From there you’all (to represent 2^nd person plural) will seek Hashem, your God, and you will find him if you’all search for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” This is a fascinating and revelatory pasuk. The actions that must be taken are stated in second person plural, but the other verbs and pronouns (including Hashem Elokecha) are second person singular. We as a people must come to understand what our laws and our role in the world mean, but each individual must find his/her own path within that law, they must find the path with their heart and their soul individually.

 

Moshe lists all the wonders and miracles and proofs of Bnei Yisrael’s unique relationship with Hashem, but all these miracles were done, Moshe explains, “in order for you [Bnei Yisrael] to know that Hashem, He is the God. There is none beside him” (4:35). And they were done for klal Yisrael, for Moshe, for the people who left Mitzrayim, and for the people gathered before him that day…all these miracles were done because “He loved your forefathers, and He chose his offspring after him…” (4:37).

 

Parshas Va’eschanan contains the most famous lines of the Torah, the most significant words in a Jew’s life: Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu, Hashem, Echad…” (6:4). It also contains the commandment to “Love Hashem your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might…” (6:5).

 

We have trouble staying within the lines of our restrictions because we cannot be to Hashem as Hashem is to us. Hashem loves Bnei Yisrael because He “sees” in us the traits of spiritual passion and spiritual awareness that Avraham possessed. He gives to Bnei Yisrael unceasingly, with all His might. Hashem gives because He knows clearly the critical role we are meant to play in this world, and everything the happens to Bnei Yisrael – collectively and individually – is meant to help us connect to that role. We cannot ever match His love for us, His care for us. Hashem knows that. Hashem knows the limitations of being human. That is why He gave us these guidelines as set down in our Torah.

 

We were not chosen for our own merits. We were chosen because of Hashem’s love. Now we must put our efforts, all of our efforts, into returning that love - And Hashem tells us exactly how to do it: With all our heart, with all our soul and with all our might, by following the laws of His Torah.  

 

Parshas Devarim - US

As a lover of language, there is something spectacular about the subtle flexibility of the Hebrew language. The addition of a letter at the beginning of a word can transform the meaning of the entire sentence, and the shift of a suffix alters the pronouns associated with the word. This subtle nuance of language can add a tremendous message to pasukim, and in Parshas Devarim, the pronoun that Moshe focuses on for the first time is, perhaps, the most important one that Bnei Yisrael must remember as they look at their past and head into their future.

 

Us… Our. These are powerful terms. These are terms that create a nation. These are terms that it would behoove us to remember today, as we begin Tisha B’Av (Shabbas, with the fast on the Sunday, the 10^th of Av). It is well-known that the destruction of the second Beis Hamikdash is attributed to the lack of unity among the Jewish people. The greater “Us” was shattered into us and us and us. It is, sadly, a rift that we have not yet healed – indeed, it has continued to splinter into ever greater discord as the generations proceed.

 

What is unique about the use of “Us/Our” in Parshas Devarim? Verse 1:6 states:  “Hashem, our God, spoke to us in Horeb saying…” If you just read the parsha, the wording feels so common, so un-noteworthy, that it does not make one pause and reflect – especially as it occurs so early in sefer. But, from what I can see, this terminology “our God” is actually rather uncommon in the Torah. The last time the term was used was in Sefer Shemos, and then only in the context of Moshe and Aaron speaking to Pharaoh.  It has not, until this point, been used to address the people.

 

In Shemos, Vayikra, and Bamidbar (Bereishis being a unique sefer), Moshe frequently reiterates to the Children of Israel – or is instructed to reiterate to them – the commandments of God. In these three sfarim, however, Moshe almost exclusively speaks in the second person. He speaks, consistently, to the Children of Israel and talks to them about “Hashem Elokeichem, the Lord your God.” And while he is addressing them as a whole through the second-person plural, it is, in syntax, distancing. It is a language that, if nothing else, segregates the speaker (Moshe) from the audience.

 

Moshe’s distance was necessary. Beyond the fact that he was set apart from the nation because of his unique and incredible level, because he was the only human given the opportunity to come that close to Hashem and to communicate with Him so directly, Moshe needed to speak tp the people this way in order to lead them and communicate Hashem’s words to them. As Bnei Yisrael wandered through the wilderness, Moshe needed to represent “din,” the rule of law.

 

As Sefer Devarim begins, however, Moshe’s job is coming to an end. Now that Moshe knows that the journey is winding down, that the people are ready, he begins his final address with a reminder that everything that has happened, everything that has been commanded, is for Klal Yisrael all together.

 

“The Lord our God spoke to us at Horeb (Sinia),” (Devarim 1:6). On a surface level, this phrase refers to a very specific event. When Hashem began to give the Torah at Sinai, He called out the first few of the Ten Commandments so that everyone could hear. But the people were struck with such awe, with such fear, that they begged Moshe to receive the commandments for them. “Let us not die, then, for this fearsome fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of Hashem our God any longer, we shall die” (Devarim 5:22).

 

Rhetorically, however, as the first words that Moshe speaks in Sefer Devarim, “our God, spoke to us” is a call for the nation to look at themselves as a we, as an us, as a people with far more to hold them together than to set them apart. And it does not matter if he reverts to the use of second-person plural when he reiterates events or repeats the mitzvos to remind them. In the opening words of his speech, Moshe has set the tone of unity. (And, one might note, Hashem Elokeinu, is used approximately 25 times in the sefer).

 

We live in a time where it seems even the fight for Jewish unity, so seemingly prominent in recent decades past, has been resignedly put to the side. We live in a time when we hope, and pray, and gently inquire, for Jews outside of the Orthodox realm, to maintain their Jewish identity and to pass it on to their children. And within the Orthodox realm, we live in an era when hashgafic details create cracks that our children use to pick one another apart on the school playgrounds. The Lord OUR God spoke to US! This is our God. This is our Torah. And we cannot properly move forward unless we start to actively think of ourselves – and not just talk about ourselves -  in this manner.

 

Tisha B’Av is here. We are, sadly once again, sitting down to cry about the destruction. We mourn the loss of the Beis Hamikdash, not the physical place but rather the ability to have the Shechina, the spirit of Hashem, dwell among US. All of the people stood at Horeb and heard Hashem’s words, those who would come to rebel, those who would run to bring a gift to the Mishkan, those who would come to complain and those who sought to move forward, those who come to sin and those who would suffer for the sin of others. It doesn’t matter. Our nation is not perfect, and we never were. But we are a nation and Hashem is OUR God.

 

May this be our last Tisha B”Av and May we see Klal Yisrael come together in love and unity.

Parshas Ha'azinu: Non-god and Non-people

It is a basic, Jewish theological tenet that the Torah contains everything that has or will happen to the Jewish people. Commentators often point out the odd double language in last week's parsha, hestair astaire panai - I will shortly hide my face - as an allusion to Purim, or the fact that the 25th word in the Torah is ohr, light, and the miracle of Chanukah occurred on the 25th of Kislev. All the more so, it is almost impossible to read the descriptions of Hashem's intended punishments for straying from our relationship with Him, recorded in multiple parshiot, and not see how it has come to pass. The Torah is more than a history book, it is a blue print of history.

Parshas Ha’azinu is almost completely a transcription of the song that Moshe wished the Jewish people to transmit to each of the coming generations. The song ends with redemption, with Hashem stepping in and destroying Israel's enemies. Before that, however, there is a great deal of rebuke-filled prophecy of the times when Bnei Yisrael will fail, will desert Hashem and go in foreign ways.

The Torah uses a wide variety of terms to describe the false gods that might lure Bnei Yisrael, such as asherah, pesel, matseva, elohim, and etc. However, in Parshas Ha’azinu, one finds a fascinating and unique set of terminology: “They provoked Me with a non-god, angered me with their vanities; so shall I provoke them with a non-people, with a vile/foolish nation shall I anger them” (Devarim 32:21). The unique language here is the “non-god,” in Hebrew b’lo-el, which is parralleled by the non-people, b’lo-am.

Perhaps this is the Torah's subtle reference to the Jewish dilemma of the 21st century. We are not being enticed by idolatry. The church is no longer trying to lure in unsuspecting Jews, as it did for many centuries. We are not being threatened with death to force us to convert. In our era, an era that would feel very foreign philosophically (since technologically this would be an obvious statement) to anyone transported from even the 19th century, we must survive something completely new. Bnei Yisrael must maintain our covenant with Hashem in a world that might invoke the “name of the Lord” but whose general idea of religion seems empty compared to era's past. We live in a generation that celebrates "b’lo-el."

And who shall provoke us in this era according to Ha’azinu? B’lo-am, a non-people, which some might say is becoming a definition of North American life where the very ideas of Jewish community, nationality, and unity are being pushed to the side for the rights of the individual. Rashi comments on the phrase “with a vile/foolish nation shall I anger them,” saying: “these are the ‘Minim,’ the heretics. So indeed, it states, (Psalms 14:1) ‘The heretic (נבל) hath said in his heart There is no God’ (Sifrei Devarim 320:10; Yevamot 63b).” And Sforno explained that it referred to a people “possessing neither their own language nor alphabet (Gittin 80)."

So much text in the Torah is dedicated to reminding Bnei Yisrael to stay away from idols or false gods that some might see the growing lack of religion among American youth as a blessing, the dissolution of a threat. But now we can see that this very situation is also warned about in the Torah, and what follows, the Divine retribution that is then described, is terrible. Fire, famine, and general disaster, because falling victim to a theology of b’lo-el is just as terrible as worshipping false gods.

It is commonly understood that we today stand in the shadows of the end of days. It is newly 5,782 on the Jewish calendar and the world as we know it is set, according to tradition, to last until the year 6,000. It is therefore, perhaps, not surprising that the description of the dangers of being enticed by a culture of b’lo-el and b’lo-am is found only here, at the penultimate parsha of the Torah. The song of Ha’azinu is the last thing that Moshe taught the Jewish people, after teaching them this song, he blesses the people and is gathered unto his fathers, as it says, and Joshua takes his place to lead the people forward. Ha’azinu is the song that Moshe wished the people to pass down for generations, so that we today could know that this too was foretold.

Our struggles, our downfalls, and our suffering are the result of cause and effect. Alas, we are victims of our own doing. Parshas Ha’azinu, however, gives us something more than hope. It assures us that while our downfalls may be harsh (ok horrible), Hashem is ready and waiting with our salvation.

This Dvar Torah is dedicated to a refuah shelaima for Dovid Chaim HaCohen ben Tzipora