General Overview: In this week's Torah reading, Va'etchanan, Moshe continues his attempt to impress upon the Israelites the importance of following G‑d's commandments, the rewards which will result from obeying G‑d's words, and the punishments they will incur if they neglect to do so. Moshe recounts the story of the giving of Torah at Mount Sinai, and repeats the Ten Commandments. Moshe designates cities of refuge. This portion also contains the Shema.
Aliya Summary: Moshe recounts how he pleaded with G‑d to allow him entry into Israel. G‑d refused this request, but instructed Moshe to climb a mountain from where he would see the Promised Land. Moshe enjoins the people to follow G‑d's law, and never to add to or detract from it. Moshe uses the Baal Peor incident to demonstrate that those who remained faithful to G‑d survived and thrived.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Friday, August 5, 2011
Daily Aliya for Devarim, Shvii (7th Aliya)
Aliya Summary: Moshe delineates the borders of the lands allotted to the aforementioned tribes. He then repeats the instructions he gave to these tribes to cross the Jordan together with their brethren and participate in the battle against the Canaanites before returning to their land on the eastern bank of the Jordan. Joshua, who will lead the nation into Israel, is enjoined not to be fearful of the battles which he will face, because "it is the L-rd, your G‑d, who is fighting for you."
Daily Aliya for Devarim, Shishi (6th Aliya)
Aliya Summary: Moshe recalls how Sichon led his nation in battle against the Israelites. The Israelites were victorious and took possession of his land. When the Bashanites then attacked, they meet a similar fate. The lands of the Emorites and the Bashanites were given to the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half the tribe of Menashe.
While this Aliya contains many recounts of the victories and territorial conquests, there is a hint of something more. In passuk (verse) 6, it says that we destroyed Og as we destroyed Cheshbon, but it says it in present tense! We continually destroy Og (and Cheshbon), which apparently represent inherent character flaws that we are opposed to. In future posts on this Aliya I'll have to find out what these nations represented, so we can fully understand what it is that we rid the world of. Suggestions welcome.
While this Aliya contains many recounts of the victories and territorial conquests, there is a hint of something more. In passuk (verse) 6, it says that we destroyed Og as we destroyed Cheshbon, but it says it in present tense! We continually destroy Og (and Cheshbon), which apparently represent inherent character flaws that we are opposed to. In future posts on this Aliya I'll have to find out what these nations represented, so we can fully understand what it is that we rid the world of. Suggestions welcome.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Daily Aliya for Devarim, Chamishi (5th Aliya)
Aliya Summary: Moshe fast-forwards 38 years. The generation which left Egypt had perished. Now their children were ready to enter Canaan. But first G‑d instructs the Israelites regarding three nations whose land was off-limits for them: Seir (Edom), Moab and Amon. These lands were the rightful inheritance of the descendants of Esav and Lot. Instead, the Israelites circled these lands and approached the land of Sichon, king of the Emorites, and requested passageway through his land. Sichon refused the Israelites' request.
While recapping the events of the generation that died in the desert, the Passuk refers to them as "men of war", which Rashi explains to mean that they were eligible to fight because they were between the ages of 20 and 60. But just because they were eligible to fight didn't necessarily entitle them "men of war", unless it's a vague hint at the personalities of those people, choosing to be confrontational, argumentative, and generally controversial, qualities that often gets people into trouble, and elicits labels people don't always deserve.
While recapping the events of the generation that died in the desert, the Passuk refers to them as "men of war", which Rashi explains to mean that they were eligible to fight because they were between the ages of 20 and 60. But just because they were eligible to fight didn't necessarily entitle them "men of war", unless it's a vague hint at the personalities of those people, choosing to be confrontational, argumentative, and generally controversial, qualities that often gets people into trouble, and elicits labels people don't always deserve.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Daily Aliya for Devarim, Revii (4th Aliya)
Aliya Summary: Moshe continues: At that time G‑d instructed the Israelites to reverse course and head back to the desert. Realizing their dreadful error, a group of Israelites proceeded to advance toward Israel -- in the face of Moshe's objections. Lacking divine protection, they were immediately attacked and massacred by the Emorites. At this point, the Israelites heeded G‑d's command, and headed back to the Sinai Desert.
The Emorites attacking the Jews is compared to bees attacking (verse 44), perhaps because they swarmed, maybe because they were merely protecting their home. Rashi says they were compared to bees because just like bees die after they sting, those Emorites similarly died after attacking those Jews. G-d was (and is) protective of us even while meting out punishment!
The Emorites attacking the Jews is compared to bees attacking (verse 44), perhaps because they swarmed, maybe because they were merely protecting their home. Rashi says they were compared to bees because just like bees die after they sting, those Emorites similarly died after attacking those Jews. G-d was (and is) protective of us even while meting out punishment!
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Daily Aliya for Devarim, Shlishi (3rd Aliya)
Aliya Summary: At that time, the Israelites approached Moshe and demanded the right to send out scouts to reconnoiter the land. Moshe recounts the tragic episode in detail, how the scouts delivered a frightening report, claiming that the land was unconquerable. Despite Moshe's protests, the Israelites adopted the scouts' attitude and decided not to enter Canaan. This caused G‑d to bar that entire generation from entering the Promised Land.
Apparently they Israelites asked Moshe to allow the scouts to go so they can find the best path for the Israelites to enter the land. Then Rashi adds that "there is no road without a bend", a profound reality tragically ignored by the Israelites, and many others today. In my days engaged in Jewish outreach, I would come across many teenagers, some eager to learn and know, while others eager looking to find that twist in the road they didn't agree with. It's always there, you just need to be willing to slow down and navigate the turns, and come out ahead on the other side.
Apparently they Israelites asked Moshe to allow the scouts to go so they can find the best path for the Israelites to enter the land. Then Rashi adds that "there is no road without a bend", a profound reality tragically ignored by the Israelites, and many others today. In my days engaged in Jewish outreach, I would come across many teenagers, some eager to learn and know, while others eager looking to find that twist in the road they didn't agree with. It's always there, you just need to be willing to slow down and navigate the turns, and come out ahead on the other side.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Daily Aliya for Devarim, Sheni (2nd Aliya)
Aliya Summary: After the Israelites consented to the idea, Moshe appointed a hierarchy of judges to preside over the nation. Moshe recalls instructing them the basics of judicial integrity. Moshe then recounts how the Jews traveled through the desert and quickly reached Kadesh Barnea, on the southern border of the Holy Land.
The qualifications for someone to be a judge or enforcer over others is quite long, although not universally agreed. Among the qualities discussed are: Understanding, righteous, bashful (of mis-judging), wise, familiar (so they know their litigants' situations), respected. The Gemara says that the one quality Moshe couldn't find was understanding, not the quality I would have thought would be lacking. But Sifri explains that this "understanding" was the ability to learn one thing from another, something that clearly requires not only familiarity with the existing rules, but a comfort level with them that would enable this extraction, much like the Gemara does many years later. So Moshe settled for the other qualities, "understanding" that the understanding would follow years later...
The qualifications for someone to be a judge or enforcer over others is quite long, although not universally agreed. Among the qualities discussed are: Understanding, righteous, bashful (of mis-judging), wise, familiar (so they know their litigants' situations), respected. The Gemara says that the one quality Moshe couldn't find was understanding, not the quality I would have thought would be lacking. But Sifri explains that this "understanding" was the ability to learn one thing from another, something that clearly requires not only familiarity with the existing rules, but a comfort level with them that would enable this extraction, much like the Gemara does many years later. So Moshe settled for the other qualities, "understanding" that the understanding would follow years later...
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