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.