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Vayeilech – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 31:1–30)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Vayeilech – וַיֵּלֶךְ (Deuteronomy 31:1–30)

Parshat Vayeilech continues with the various events that happen during Moses’ last day of life. Moses is moments from death. God warns that life following his death will not be easy for the Israelites. They will eventually stray, and worship false idols- other gods-to the consequence of God distancing Godself from Israel. God gives Moses a final instruction to write down “et HaShirah hazot” – write down this song, so that it might be a teaching and serve as God’s witness to the people of Israel. What is this particular song? A few verses later Moses clarifies:

לָקֹ֗חַ אֵ֣ת סֵ֤פֶר הַתּוֹרָה֙ הַזֶּ֔ה וְשַׂמְתֶּ֣ם אֹת֔וֹ מִצַּ֛ד אֲר֥וֹן בְּרִית־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה־שָׁ֥ם בְּךָ֖ לְעֵֽד׃

“Take this book of Teaching, this Torah…”

The song God instructs Moses to write down for the Israelites is The Torah. This suggests that Torah is more than a collection of our beginnings, our history, and our formation as a people, it is a Shirah- a song, or a poem. Rabbi James Jacobson-Maisels explains[1] that song is the answer to the people’s straying afar. “Song here is meant to awaken the people of Israel, to help them reconnect to their essentially pure nature.”

This is the fundamental meaning of Teshuva. For Rav Nachman of Breslov, a lover of song, it is only through this song of faith, this assertion of meaning, hope, and possibility, that one “leaps over the abyss of God’s distance” to encounter the a sense truth and wholenessthat is both God’s and our own. Heschel teaches that the word Tefilah, and the word Shira hold the same number in the mystical genre of gematria. Song is prayer, and prayer is song. When God feels distant, and yes, this happens more than we would like, it is the song of Teshuva- a genuine prayer of both longing and of faith, hope, and that brings us back to our authentic selves.

These verses teach us that Torah is also a poem, or song. More than a book of teachings and collective history, Torah is our song of truth, our learning, and most importantly our most authentic genuine tefilah-prayer. On this Shabbat Shuvah, Shabbat of return, remember that when we feel lost and seek to return we can do so through song, through prayer, and when we have no song or prayer left to give, we can turn to words of Torah: Through it, we can transform the way we live and fully embrace our true nature–our potential to transform ourselves and the world.

[1] https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-song-of-humanity/

Parsha Vayeilech – וַיֵּלֶךְ Torah Summary:

Moses prepares the people for his death and announces that Joshua will succeed him. (31:1–8) Moses instructs the priests and the elders regarding the importance of reading the Torah. (31:9–13) God informs Moses that upon his death, the people will commit idolatry and “many evils and troubles shall befall them.” God tells Moses to teach the people a poem that will “be My witness.” (31:14–30) Vayeilech – וַיֵּלֶךְ

Nitzavim – נִצָּבִים (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Nitzavim – נִצָּבִים (Deuteronomy 29:9–30:20)

525,600 Minutes: How do you measure a year?

Nitzavim begins on Moses’ final day on earth. Rashi explains that Moses knew the day he was going to die, so he knew that this day, “Hayom” in Hebrew, would be his last chance to address his people. The medieval Spanish scholar Ramban describes Moses’ speech as a repetition or summary of the Israelite’s sacred relationship with God. In the first six verses of Moses’ speech, the word Hayom (today, or this day) appears five times. This is significant, as Parsha Nitzavim always arrives on a Shabbat in the season of Teshuva: the weeks leading up to the High Holy Days. This repetition coupled with the timing of Moses’ words gives a sense of urgency and newness to his words. Moses is in the unique position of holding advanced knowledge about when he would die. Moses knows that on this momentous day, his people will listen more deeply and intently to what he has to say. This was his chance to make a greater impact than he could have made on any other day of his life. If you knew ahead of time when your last day on earth would be, how would you act? What would you do with your remaining time? Obviously, none of us knows when that time will come, which makes the placement of Nitzavim amidst our season of Teshuva especially poignant. The process of teshuvah is one of realigning ourselves each day with the honesty and integrity we would have if we knew we were living our last day. Every year we have the chance to reevaluate our lives. Nitzavim challenges us to live each day as Hayom: to engage with each day as if it were our last, living each moment to the fullest, speaking words of sincerity, and focusing on what is truly important. Jonathan Larson’s, z’l famous “Seasons of Love” from RENT declares “Five hundred twenty-five thousand, six hundred minutes

How do you measure the life of a woman or a man? It’s time now to sing out -Though the story never ends.” How do you want to measure your life in this season of Teshuva?

Parsha Nitzavim – נִצָּבִים Torah Summary:

Moses tells the assembled people that God’s covenant speaks to them and to all of the generations who will follow. (29:9–14) God warns the Israelites that they will be punished if they act idolatrously, the way the inhabitants of the other nations do. (29:15–28) Moses reassures the people that God will not forsake them and that they can attain blessings by following God’s commandments. (30:1–20) Nitzavim – נִצָּבִים

Ki Tavo – כִּי-תָבוֹא (Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Tavo – כִּי-תָבוֹא (Deuteronomy 26:1–29:8)

“You have declared this day that Adonai is your God … And Adonai has declared this day that you are God’s people … ”(Deuteronomy 26:17-18)

We choose God and God chose us. It is a mutual relationship we have with God. As the rabbis interpret in the Talmud. The people of Israel crown Adonai every day when we say at our Temples and synagogues, “Hear Israel Adonai is your God, Adonai One.”

Parsha Ki Tavo – כִּי-תָבוֹא Torah Summary:

The Israelites are instructed to express their gratitude to God for their bountiful harvests and freedom from slavery by tithing ten percent of their crops for the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. (26) The people are told to display on large stones God’s commandments for all to see. (27:1-8) The Levites are to proclaim curses upon those who violate God’s commandments. (27:15-26) The Israelites are told that if they obey God’s mitzvot faithfully, they will receive every blessing imaginable. They are also told that if they do not fulfill their brit with God, many curses will descend upon them. (28:1-69) Moses reminds the Israelites of the miracles they witnessed in the wilderness and commands them to observe the terms of the covenant so that they may succeed in all that they undertake. (29:1-8) Ki Tavo – כִּי-תָבוֹא “You have declared this day that Adonai is your God … And Adonai has declared this day that you are God’s people … ”(Deuteronomy 26:17-18) We choose God and God chose us. It is a mutual relationship we have with God. As the rabbis interpret in the Talmud. The people of Israel crown Adonai every day when we say at our Temples and synagogues, “Hear Israel Adonai is your God, Adonai One.” The Israelites are instructed to express their gratitude to God for their bountiful harvests and freedom from slavery by tithing ten percent of their crops for the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow. (26) The people are told to display on large stones God’s commandments for all to see. (27:1-8) The Levites are to proclaim curses upon those who violate God’s commandments. (27:15-26) The Israelites are told that if they obey God’s mitzvot faithfully, they will receive every blessing imaginable. They are also told that if they do not fulfill their brit with God, many curses will descend upon them. (28:1-69) Moses reminds the Israelites of the miracles they witnessed in the wilderness and commands them to observe the terms of the covenant so that they may succeed in all that they undertake. (29:1-8)

Ki Teitzei – כִּי-תֵצֵא (Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Ki Teitzei – כִּי-תֵצֵא (Deuteronomy 21:10–25:19)

“A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for Adonai your God detests anyone who does this.” (Deuteronomy 22:3)

There are always those, who try to organize the world, everything needs to be in order, and we can never mix and play with our fluid identities.

They do not realize that what makes the world more interesting, what brings out life, is when we go out of the ordinary when we allow a man to wear a woman’s dress (just like Jacob did for Joseph) or vis-versa. And the best fruits, cloths, and vegetables and also humans are the hybrid ones who do not follow the roles and mix one species with the other.

Parsha Ki Teitzei – כִּי-תֵצֵא Torah Summary:

Moses reviews a wide variety of laws regarding family, animals, and property. (21:10–22:12) Various civil and criminal laws are delineated, including those regarding sexual relationships, interaction with non-Israelites, loans, vows, and divorce. (22:13–24:5) Laws of commerce pertaining to loans, fair wages, and proper weights and measures are given. (24:10–25:16) The parashah concludes with the commandment to remember for all time the most heinous act committed against the Israelites—Amalek’s killing of the old, weak, and infirm after the Israelites left Egypt. (25:17–19) Ki Teitzei – כִּי-תֵצֵא

Shof’tim – שֹׁפְטִים (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9)

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This Week’s Torah Portion: Shof’tim – שֹׁפְטִים (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9)

“If, after you have entered the land that your God יהוה has assigned to you, and taken possession of it and settled in it, you decide, ‘I will set a king over me, as do all the nations about me,’” (Deuteronomy 17:14)

The law of the King is weird. It is not a mandatory Mitzvah, it is said if you want a King, like the others have, be my guest and appoint one. Laws are rarely up to us to decide whether we want to fulfill them or not. In the Torah doing what the other nations are doing is never a good thing. And Kings here, are doing what the other nations do.

The Bible clearly does not like kings or rulers, politics seems to be a compromise. The ideal society does not need a king or any kind of ruler. It is ruled by our ability to listen and obey what God wants us to do.

Parsha Shof’tim – שֹׁפְטִים Torah Summary:

Laws regarding both sacred and secular legislation are addressed. The Israelites are told that in every dealing they should pursue justice in order to merit the land that God is giving them. (16:18–18:8) The people are warned to avoid sorcery and witchcraft, the abhorrent practices of their idolatrous neighbors. (18:9–22) God tells them that should an Israelite unintentionally kill another, he may take sanctuary in any of three designated cities of refuge. (19:1–13) Laws to be followed during times of peace and times of war are set forth. (19:14–21:9) Shof’tim – שֹׁפְטִים