TORAH THIS WEEK...
PARSHA HA'AZINU Deuteronomy 32:1 - 32:52
Parsha Ha'azinu is comprised primarily of Moses "song" about the horrible tragedies and supreme joy which will make up the Jewish people's future history. Not your classic piece of rhyme and music, Moses' "song" is nevertheless comparable to a great work of art in that it blends together otherwise disparate ideas into a beautiful symphony of thought. It expresses the recognition that every aspect of Creation and everything that Hashem does - past, present, and future - somehow fits together into a perfect harmony, although with our limited human understanding we do not always recognize it to be so. Moses calls heaven and earth to bear witness that if the Jewish people sin and display ingratitude to Hashem for the many wonderful favors He bestowed upon us, we will be punished, while if we remain loyal to the Torah and Hashem we will receive the greatest blessings. Even though the Jewish people will stray, Hashem guarantees our survival and ultimate redemption. The portion concludes with Hashem's command to Moses to ascend Mount Nebo, where he will view the land of Israel and then pass away.
Previous Parshot from The Book of Devarim - The 5th Book of Torah
PARSHOT - NITSAVIM & VAYELEKH Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30:
This is the last Shabbat of the year, 5774 . We will read two Torah portions, Nitzavim & Vayelekh.
Nitzavim & Vayelekh are read together, whenever the first day Rosh Hashanah occurs on Saturday, Thursday (as this year). When the first day Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday or Tuesday, they are read separately. (The first day Rosh Hashanah cannot be on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. The reason that Rosh Hashanah cannot fall on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday is that when the Hebrew calendar was set up, two thousand years ago, the sages made sure that the fast day of Yom Kippur shall never come on a Friday or Sunday. Their reasoning was, because the prohibition of work on Yom Kippur is the same as on Shabbat, when cooking and many other food preparations are prohibited, thus it would be very difficult and maybe even dangerous for many people, especially the poor, if they couldn't get their food staples for two days one after the other. Yom Kippur is ten days after Rosh Hashanah. If Rosh Hashanah was allowed to be on Wednesday then Yom Kippur would fall on Friday; and if Rosh Hashanah will come on Friday then Yom Kippur would be on Sunday. In order to avoid this situation, when Shabbat and Yom Kippur fall one day after the other, they made sure that Rosh Hashanah shall not be on Wednesday or Friday. The reason they didn't want Rosh Hashanah to be on a Sunday is for another reason, so that Hoshana Raba, which is the seventh day of Sukkot, when we do the special mitzvah of Aravah, should not come on Shabbat, and then we would not be able to perform this one-time-a-year mitzvah.
The horn with which we blow on Rosh Hashanah is called " Shofar ". " Shofar " comes from the word " Shufra/Shapru " which means to better and beautify . The sound of the "Shofar" is a call to return to God and a reminder to "better and "beautify" our ways in the future. Traditionally, on Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh, we announce when Rosh Chodesh begins and bless the new month. Yet, this Shabbat, before Rosh Hashanah, we do not recite the blessing for the new month nor announce the day of Rosh Chodesh. Rosh Hashanah is called Ba'keseh - "Hidden." Rosh Hashanah is the only Biblical holiday that occurs on Rosh Chodesh - a day when the moon is not easily visible. Since the holiday is referred to as "hidden," we don't announce this Rosh Chodesh.
The Baal Shem Tov says that the month of Tishrei does not need our blessing, because God blesses it. In fact, our ability to bless the Rosh Chodesh of the rest of the year, derives from the power which God blesses the month of Tishrei. May it indeed be a blessed month and a blessed New Year. Amen.
ROSH HaSHANAH
Rosh Hashanah, which begins Wednesday night, September 24, is the first day of the month of Tishrei, in the Hebrew calendar.
The Hebrew months have specific names, yet, in the Torah they are identified only by numbers. For example, the month of Tishrei, in which we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, although it begins a New Year, is identified as the seventh month. The month of Nissan, in which Pesach is celebrated is the first month. The reason is, because when God took the Jewish people out of Egypt in the month of Nissan, He gave special recognition to Nissan and made it the first of all months.
According to the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is a one-day holiday. During the days of the Temple, when the holiday services were performed in the Temple, Rosh Hashanah service was one day. However, throughout Israel and beyond, Rosh Hashanah was celebrated two days. Rosh Hashanah is the only biblical holiday celebrated on the first day of the month. All other holidays begin later in the month. Jews throughout Israel and in the Diaspora had no way of knowing exactly when the first day of the month was, until days later (remember, this was before the Internet). Thus, Rosh Hashanah was observed an extra day, to be safe, not to desecrate the holiday.
There is a connection between the fact that Tishrei is the seventh month and that the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hashanah Raba, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are all during this month. Seven in Hebrew is "Shvii" which comes from the word "Sova" - meaning "fulfilled." The fact that we celebrate so many holidays this month makes it a spiritually fulfilling month. We find in the Torah that seven is a special number. Our sages explain that Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam. The Torah tells us that while everyone of that generation were sinful, "Enoch walked with God."
The great leader of the Jewish people, Moshe, was the seventh generation from Abraham. The Torah says, "Moshe ascended to God." Only he went up Mount Sinai and accepted the Torah from God.
Shabbat is the seventh day in the week. The Torah tells us that, "God blessed the seventh day." The seventh year is a special sabbatical year. Also, after seven sabbatical years, the 50th year is a special Jubilee year. The Torah say, "You shall sanctify the fiftieth year."
The month of Tishrei, being the seventh month, is a special, unique and significant month in which we celebrate many holidays,
PARSHA - SHOFTIM Deuteronomy 16:18-21:
Wednesday was the second day Rosh Chodesh Elul and the first day of the month Elul. During the month of Elul, the shofar is sounded each day (except for Shabbat and the last day of the month), after the morning (Shacharit) service.
Tuesday was the first day Rosh Chodesh, why is Wednesday, the first day of ELUL the second day of the new month? When there is one day Rosh Chodesh, then that day is the first day of the new month. When there are two days Rosh Chodesh, the first day Rosh Chodesh is the last day of the outgoing month and the second day Rosh Chodesh is the first day of the incoming month. When there are two days Rosh Chodesh, then the outgoing month has 30 days. When there is only one day Rosh Chodesh, then the outgoing month has 29 days.
Some months have two days Rosh Chodesh and some months have only one day Rosh Chodesh. To explain this in a very general term: The Jewish calendar is a lunar based calendar, which follows the cycle of the moon. At the end of the month the moon is invisible. When the moon re-appears that's the beginning of the new month. From the appearance of the new moon at the beginning of the month, until it re-appears next month takes about twenty nine and a half days.
Two months in the lunar cycle consists of 59 days. According to Jewish law we cannot make half of the day as part of the outgoing month and the other half in the new month. By having one month 29 days and the other 30 days, every two months will make up 59 days. Every few years another adjustment must be made to balance the lunar year of 354 days with the solar year, which has 365 days. This is done in order that the Jewish holidays will come in their correct season of the year.
The reason we sound the shofar sounded during the month of Elul is because On Rosh Chodesh Elul Moshe ascended Mount Sinai a second time to receive The Tablets. The first time Moshe went up for forty days, Jews made a mistake in the count and thought that the forty days were up and as a result, they made the Golden Calf. This time the shofar was sounded every day of the month to remind them that the forty days were not up. In remembrance, we also blow the shofar during the month of Elul.
PARSHA - RE'EH Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
We are now reading from the fifth Book of the Torah - the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy). This week's Parsha Re'eh is the fourth Parsha in the Book of Devarim.
The fifth Book of the Torah is Moshe speaking to his people, before his death, at the age of 120. The book of Devarim covers a five week span in which Moshe reviews the mitzvot which God commanded them. He also recalls the sins they committed during their forty years in the desert. He reminds them the importance of observing the mitzvot once they come into the Land of Israel.
The name of the Parsha is, Re'eh, because the Parsha begins with the word Re'eh, which means "see." Moshe tells the people, "See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing, if you will listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day and the curse if you shall not hearken to the commandments and go astray from the way I am commanding you today..." In this Parsha Moshe goes through some of the mitzvot which will apply once they come into Israel, like the laws of the sabbatical year (Shemittah). He reviews with them the laws of kosher and non-kosher foods. The prohibition of idol worship and the observance of the holidays are also found in this Parsha.
The Torah says, "See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse." Why does Moshe use the term "see"? Also, why does the Torah use the expression, "I set before you this day," when the commandments were given many years earlier? Our sages explain that there is a profound lesson here which applies to each of us daily. Every day can be viewed as a blessing, or God forbid, as a curse. It mostly depends how we "see" and perceive the things which God grants us daily.
If we view every day as a gift from God and that God watches over us constantly with Divine Providence, then it is very difficult not to find many blessings each day. The Torah tells us that it's all up to us ("I set before you this day"). This is why every day, when we wake up, we recite many blessings in which we thank God for giving us back a rested body and soul, for providing us with all our needs and granting us so many blessings every day. It is up to us to interpret what God gives us; "I set before YOU this day a blessing and a curse." The choice whether we see them as blessings or the opposite is mostly ours.
PARSHA - EIKEV Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25
This Shabbat we read Parshat Eikev - the third Parsha in the book of Deuteronomy (Devarim). The Parsha begins, "And it shall be because ("Eikev") you will listen to these mitzvot and keep them that God will keep with you the covenant and mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you ..." The Torah describes in detail the many blessings which the Jewish people will reap in the Promised Land as a result of adhering to Torah and mitzvot.
The name of the Parsha, "Eikev," can be translated two ways. It can mean "because" and it can mean "heel." What connection does a "heel," have with observing God's mitzvot? Our sages explain this to imply that a person must be
careful to perform every mitzvah, even those that may seem insignificant - "mitzvot that one may step upon them with their heel." The mitzvot which seem insignificant, count much in our relationship with God. Observing them shows that our love for God is so deep that every commandment, no matter how insignificant it may seem to us, is important because God wants us to perform them. Another way of understanding this verse is that "heel" represents the simple person, just as the heel is the lowest level of one's body.
In this context, the Torah is telling us that the performance of mitzvot of every Jew matters. Each Jew, no matter at what spiritual level he or she may be, even if only in the category of a "heel," contributes to God's blessings for the entire Jewish people.
The Baal Shem Tov used to spend many hours in prayer. His disciples would finish their prayer earlier and then wait for their Rebbe. Only then would they go home and have their Shabbat meal. One Shabbat, the disciples decided to go home, have their meal and return to synagogue before their Rebbe finished his prayers. However, to their amazement, when they returned, the Baal Shem Tov had already finished his prayers and was waiting for them. They asked the Baal Shem Tov, "Why did the Rebbe finish his prayers so much earlier this Shabbat?" The Baal Shem Tov replied, "I will explain this with the following parable. Many people were standing near a tree, on the top of which there was a beautiful bird. In order to catch the bird, they decided that each person will stand on the other's shoulder, until the one on top will reach the bird and catch it." "The same is with us," said the Baal Shem Tov. "The only way I can reach to the higher spiritual spheres is when I place each one of you one on top of the other (in a spiritual sense) and thus, with your help, I could get to where I want to reach. However, when you all left, I lost your support and thus the ability to reach the spiritual heights."
The name of this Parsha, Eikev, teaches that every mitzvah is important - even the seemingly not-so-important mitzvot. It also tells us that every Jew's actions and performance of mitzvot is very important. Everyone has a specific Godly function in this world, which together contributes to the well-being of the Jewish nation and universe.
PARSHA - VA'ETCHANAN Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
This week's Torah portion, Va'etchanan, includes the first of the three paragraphs of the Shema (a prayer which we are commanded to read twice daily). The second paragraph of the Shema is found in next week's Torah portion, Eikev, and in many ways mirrors the first paragraph. Much can be learned by comparing and contrasting these two sections of the Torah. The following is one example. The Torah states in the first paragraph, "And these words (the words of the Torah) which I am commanding you today, shall be upon your heart" (Deuteronomy 6:6). The second paragraph begins with the verse, "And it shall be, if you will surely listen to my commandments which I am commanding you today. . ." (Deuteronomy 11:13). In both sections, the phrase, "which I am commanding you today" is employed. What is the significance of this seemingly superfluous phrase?
Rashi, an 11th century commentator on the Torah, in his interpretation of the phrase in the first paragraph, explains that the Torah is teaching us that its words should not be viewed simply as a stale and out-dated dogma to which a person does not attach any importance. Rather, they should be considered like a newly-written enactment which everyone excitedly runs to greet. The Torah uses the phrase, "which I am commanding you today" to teach us to view the words of the Torah as fresh and new.
Rashi also interprets this phrase in the second paragraph. There he simply writes, "The words of the Torah should be new to you, as if you heard them today." Although this appears to be merely a reiteration of his own comments on the first paragraph, a careful analysis reveals that this is not the case. In interpreting the phrase in the first paragraph, Rashi mentions running to greet an enactment. In the second paragraph Rashi omits this running. In addition, Rashi speaks in the second paragraph as if the reader of his commentary has already heard the Torah's words, and he directs the person to view them as if he received them today. What emerges is clear. The first paragraph is referring to the student of Torah before he has actually learned the material. He must approach those words of Torah running with enthusiasm to greet them - for the first time. The second paragraph gives us an even greater challenge - that even once we have learned a part of the Torah, we should maintain a special verve for it, as if we had learned it today.
Parsha Ha'azinu is comprised primarily of Moses "song" about the horrible tragedies and supreme joy which will make up the Jewish people's future history. Not your classic piece of rhyme and music, Moses' "song" is nevertheless comparable to a great work of art in that it blends together otherwise disparate ideas into a beautiful symphony of thought. It expresses the recognition that every aspect of Creation and everything that Hashem does - past, present, and future - somehow fits together into a perfect harmony, although with our limited human understanding we do not always recognize it to be so. Moses calls heaven and earth to bear witness that if the Jewish people sin and display ingratitude to Hashem for the many wonderful favors He bestowed upon us, we will be punished, while if we remain loyal to the Torah and Hashem we will receive the greatest blessings. Even though the Jewish people will stray, Hashem guarantees our survival and ultimate redemption. The portion concludes with Hashem's command to Moses to ascend Mount Nebo, where he will view the land of Israel and then pass away.
Previous Parshot from The Book of Devarim - The 5th Book of Torah
PARSHOT - NITSAVIM & VAYELEKH Deuteronomy 29:9-31:30:
This is the last Shabbat of the year, 5774 . We will read two Torah portions, Nitzavim & Vayelekh.
Nitzavim & Vayelekh are read together, whenever the first day Rosh Hashanah occurs on Saturday, Thursday (as this year). When the first day Rosh Hashanah falls on Monday or Tuesday, they are read separately. (The first day Rosh Hashanah cannot be on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday. The reason that Rosh Hashanah cannot fall on Sunday, Wednesday or Friday is that when the Hebrew calendar was set up, two thousand years ago, the sages made sure that the fast day of Yom Kippur shall never come on a Friday or Sunday. Their reasoning was, because the prohibition of work on Yom Kippur is the same as on Shabbat, when cooking and many other food preparations are prohibited, thus it would be very difficult and maybe even dangerous for many people, especially the poor, if they couldn't get their food staples for two days one after the other. Yom Kippur is ten days after Rosh Hashanah. If Rosh Hashanah was allowed to be on Wednesday then Yom Kippur would fall on Friday; and if Rosh Hashanah will come on Friday then Yom Kippur would be on Sunday. In order to avoid this situation, when Shabbat and Yom Kippur fall one day after the other, they made sure that Rosh Hashanah shall not be on Wednesday or Friday. The reason they didn't want Rosh Hashanah to be on a Sunday is for another reason, so that Hoshana Raba, which is the seventh day of Sukkot, when we do the special mitzvah of Aravah, should not come on Shabbat, and then we would not be able to perform this one-time-a-year mitzvah.
The horn with which we blow on Rosh Hashanah is called " Shofar ". " Shofar " comes from the word " Shufra/Shapru " which means to better and beautify . The sound of the "Shofar" is a call to return to God and a reminder to "better and "beautify" our ways in the future. Traditionally, on Shabbat before Rosh Chodesh, we announce when Rosh Chodesh begins and bless the new month. Yet, this Shabbat, before Rosh Hashanah, we do not recite the blessing for the new month nor announce the day of Rosh Chodesh. Rosh Hashanah is called Ba'keseh - "Hidden." Rosh Hashanah is the only Biblical holiday that occurs on Rosh Chodesh - a day when the moon is not easily visible. Since the holiday is referred to as "hidden," we don't announce this Rosh Chodesh.
The Baal Shem Tov says that the month of Tishrei does not need our blessing, because God blesses it. In fact, our ability to bless the Rosh Chodesh of the rest of the year, derives from the power which God blesses the month of Tishrei. May it indeed be a blessed month and a blessed New Year. Amen.
ROSH HaSHANAH
Rosh Hashanah, which begins Wednesday night, September 24, is the first day of the month of Tishrei, in the Hebrew calendar.
The Hebrew months have specific names, yet, in the Torah they are identified only by numbers. For example, the month of Tishrei, in which we celebrate Rosh Hashanah, although it begins a New Year, is identified as the seventh month. The month of Nissan, in which Pesach is celebrated is the first month. The reason is, because when God took the Jewish people out of Egypt in the month of Nissan, He gave special recognition to Nissan and made it the first of all months.
According to the Torah, Rosh Hashanah is a one-day holiday. During the days of the Temple, when the holiday services were performed in the Temple, Rosh Hashanah service was one day. However, throughout Israel and beyond, Rosh Hashanah was celebrated two days. Rosh Hashanah is the only biblical holiday celebrated on the first day of the month. All other holidays begin later in the month. Jews throughout Israel and in the Diaspora had no way of knowing exactly when the first day of the month was, until days later (remember, this was before the Internet). Thus, Rosh Hashanah was observed an extra day, to be safe, not to desecrate the holiday.
There is a connection between the fact that Tishrei is the seventh month and that the holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Hashanah Raba, Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah are all during this month. Seven in Hebrew is "Shvii" which comes from the word "Sova" - meaning "fulfilled." The fact that we celebrate so many holidays this month makes it a spiritually fulfilling month. We find in the Torah that seven is a special number. Our sages explain that Enoch was the seventh generation from Adam. The Torah tells us that while everyone of that generation were sinful, "Enoch walked with God."
The great leader of the Jewish people, Moshe, was the seventh generation from Abraham. The Torah says, "Moshe ascended to God." Only he went up Mount Sinai and accepted the Torah from God.
Shabbat is the seventh day in the week. The Torah tells us that, "God blessed the seventh day." The seventh year is a special sabbatical year. Also, after seven sabbatical years, the 50th year is a special Jubilee year. The Torah say, "You shall sanctify the fiftieth year."
The month of Tishrei, being the seventh month, is a special, unique and significant month in which we celebrate many holidays,
PARSHA - SHOFTIM Deuteronomy 16:18-21:
Wednesday was the second day Rosh Chodesh Elul and the first day of the month Elul. During the month of Elul, the shofar is sounded each day (except for Shabbat and the last day of the month), after the morning (Shacharit) service.
Tuesday was the first day Rosh Chodesh, why is Wednesday, the first day of ELUL the second day of the new month? When there is one day Rosh Chodesh, then that day is the first day of the new month. When there are two days Rosh Chodesh, the first day Rosh Chodesh is the last day of the outgoing month and the second day Rosh Chodesh is the first day of the incoming month. When there are two days Rosh Chodesh, then the outgoing month has 30 days. When there is only one day Rosh Chodesh, then the outgoing month has 29 days.
Some months have two days Rosh Chodesh and some months have only one day Rosh Chodesh. To explain this in a very general term: The Jewish calendar is a lunar based calendar, which follows the cycle of the moon. At the end of the month the moon is invisible. When the moon re-appears that's the beginning of the new month. From the appearance of the new moon at the beginning of the month, until it re-appears next month takes about twenty nine and a half days.
Two months in the lunar cycle consists of 59 days. According to Jewish law we cannot make half of the day as part of the outgoing month and the other half in the new month. By having one month 29 days and the other 30 days, every two months will make up 59 days. Every few years another adjustment must be made to balance the lunar year of 354 days with the solar year, which has 365 days. This is done in order that the Jewish holidays will come in their correct season of the year.
The reason we sound the shofar sounded during the month of Elul is because On Rosh Chodesh Elul Moshe ascended Mount Sinai a second time to receive The Tablets. The first time Moshe went up for forty days, Jews made a mistake in the count and thought that the forty days were up and as a result, they made the Golden Calf. This time the shofar was sounded every day of the month to remind them that the forty days were not up. In remembrance, we also blow the shofar during the month of Elul.
PARSHA - RE'EH Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
We are now reading from the fifth Book of the Torah - the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy). This week's Parsha Re'eh is the fourth Parsha in the Book of Devarim.
The fifth Book of the Torah is Moshe speaking to his people, before his death, at the age of 120. The book of Devarim covers a five week span in which Moshe reviews the mitzvot which God commanded them. He also recalls the sins they committed during their forty years in the desert. He reminds them the importance of observing the mitzvot once they come into the Land of Israel.
The name of the Parsha is, Re'eh, because the Parsha begins with the word Re'eh, which means "see." Moshe tells the people, "See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse. The blessing, if you will listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day and the curse if you shall not hearken to the commandments and go astray from the way I am commanding you today..." In this Parsha Moshe goes through some of the mitzvot which will apply once they come into Israel, like the laws of the sabbatical year (Shemittah). He reviews with them the laws of kosher and non-kosher foods. The prohibition of idol worship and the observance of the holidays are also found in this Parsha.
The Torah says, "See, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse." Why does Moshe use the term "see"? Also, why does the Torah use the expression, "I set before you this day," when the commandments were given many years earlier? Our sages explain that there is a profound lesson here which applies to each of us daily. Every day can be viewed as a blessing, or God forbid, as a curse. It mostly depends how we "see" and perceive the things which God grants us daily.
If we view every day as a gift from God and that God watches over us constantly with Divine Providence, then it is very difficult not to find many blessings each day. The Torah tells us that it's all up to us ("I set before you this day"). This is why every day, when we wake up, we recite many blessings in which we thank God for giving us back a rested body and soul, for providing us with all our needs and granting us so many blessings every day. It is up to us to interpret what God gives us; "I set before YOU this day a blessing and a curse." The choice whether we see them as blessings or the opposite is mostly ours.
PARSHA - EIKEV Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25
This Shabbat we read Parshat Eikev - the third Parsha in the book of Deuteronomy (Devarim). The Parsha begins, "And it shall be because ("Eikev") you will listen to these mitzvot and keep them that God will keep with you the covenant and mercy which He swore to your fathers. And He will love you and bless you ..." The Torah describes in detail the many blessings which the Jewish people will reap in the Promised Land as a result of adhering to Torah and mitzvot.
The name of the Parsha, "Eikev," can be translated two ways. It can mean "because" and it can mean "heel." What connection does a "heel," have with observing God's mitzvot? Our sages explain this to imply that a person must be
careful to perform every mitzvah, even those that may seem insignificant - "mitzvot that one may step upon them with their heel." The mitzvot which seem insignificant, count much in our relationship with God. Observing them shows that our love for God is so deep that every commandment, no matter how insignificant it may seem to us, is important because God wants us to perform them. Another way of understanding this verse is that "heel" represents the simple person, just as the heel is the lowest level of one's body.
In this context, the Torah is telling us that the performance of mitzvot of every Jew matters. Each Jew, no matter at what spiritual level he or she may be, even if only in the category of a "heel," contributes to God's blessings for the entire Jewish people.
The Baal Shem Tov used to spend many hours in prayer. His disciples would finish their prayer earlier and then wait for their Rebbe. Only then would they go home and have their Shabbat meal. One Shabbat, the disciples decided to go home, have their meal and return to synagogue before their Rebbe finished his prayers. However, to their amazement, when they returned, the Baal Shem Tov had already finished his prayers and was waiting for them. They asked the Baal Shem Tov, "Why did the Rebbe finish his prayers so much earlier this Shabbat?" The Baal Shem Tov replied, "I will explain this with the following parable. Many people were standing near a tree, on the top of which there was a beautiful bird. In order to catch the bird, they decided that each person will stand on the other's shoulder, until the one on top will reach the bird and catch it." "The same is with us," said the Baal Shem Tov. "The only way I can reach to the higher spiritual spheres is when I place each one of you one on top of the other (in a spiritual sense) and thus, with your help, I could get to where I want to reach. However, when you all left, I lost your support and thus the ability to reach the spiritual heights."
The name of this Parsha, Eikev, teaches that every mitzvah is important - even the seemingly not-so-important mitzvot. It also tells us that every Jew's actions and performance of mitzvot is very important. Everyone has a specific Godly function in this world, which together contributes to the well-being of the Jewish nation and universe.
PARSHA - VA'ETCHANAN Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
This week's Torah portion, Va'etchanan, includes the first of the three paragraphs of the Shema (a prayer which we are commanded to read twice daily). The second paragraph of the Shema is found in next week's Torah portion, Eikev, and in many ways mirrors the first paragraph. Much can be learned by comparing and contrasting these two sections of the Torah. The following is one example. The Torah states in the first paragraph, "And these words (the words of the Torah) which I am commanding you today, shall be upon your heart" (Deuteronomy 6:6). The second paragraph begins with the verse, "And it shall be, if you will surely listen to my commandments which I am commanding you today. . ." (Deuteronomy 11:13). In both sections, the phrase, "which I am commanding you today" is employed. What is the significance of this seemingly superfluous phrase?
Rashi, an 11th century commentator on the Torah, in his interpretation of the phrase in the first paragraph, explains that the Torah is teaching us that its words should not be viewed simply as a stale and out-dated dogma to which a person does not attach any importance. Rather, they should be considered like a newly-written enactment which everyone excitedly runs to greet. The Torah uses the phrase, "which I am commanding you today" to teach us to view the words of the Torah as fresh and new.
Rashi also interprets this phrase in the second paragraph. There he simply writes, "The words of the Torah should be new to you, as if you heard them today." Although this appears to be merely a reiteration of his own comments on the first paragraph, a careful analysis reveals that this is not the case. In interpreting the phrase in the first paragraph, Rashi mentions running to greet an enactment. In the second paragraph Rashi omits this running. In addition, Rashi speaks in the second paragraph as if the reader of his commentary has already heard the Torah's words, and he directs the person to view them as if he received them today. What emerges is clear. The first paragraph is referring to the student of Torah before he has actually learned the material. He must approach those words of Torah running with enthusiasm to greet them - for the first time. The second paragraph gives us an even greater challenge - that even once we have learned a part of the Torah, we should maintain a special verve for it, as if we had learned it today.
