Overview of the Weekly Reading: VaEtchanan
To be read on 13
Av 5764 (July 31)
Torah: 3:23-7:11
Haftorah: Isaiah 40:1-26 (1st of the Seven Haftorahs of Consolation)
VaEtchanan is the 2nd Reading out of 11
in Deuteronomy and 45th overall, and 7th
out of 54 in overall length.
.
Pirkei
Avot: Chapter
Four
VaEtchanan
opens with G-d’s refusal to allow Moshe to enter the Land. Next, Moshe
reminds the Jews how they were taken out of Egypt, given the 10 Commandments,
taught Torah, and should not stray from G-d and His laws. Moshe invokes
heaven and earth as witnesses in warning the Jews of the consequences
of erred ways. Then, Moshe designates 3 of the locations of the cities
of refuge for the unintentional murderer. Following this is the review
of the giving of the 10 Commandments and the famous verses of “Shma”
and “Ve’ahavta”. The Jews are again reminded to keep G-d’s
mitzvos and avoid the consequences of sin, particularly idolatry and
assimilation.
FROM THE MASTERS OF
KABBALA (K:45-64/VaEtchanan)
From the holy
Zohar, teachings of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai
(Z:45-64/VaEtchanan)
"G-d
shall guard you from all evil; He shall guard your soul. G-d shall guard
your going out and your coming in from this time forth and for evermore."
(Psalms 121:7-8) This [guarding] is because of the secret of mezuzah.
It is always standing at the opening and is directed against the opening
to the higher worlds.
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the holy Ari,
Rabbi Yitzchak Luria of Safed (A:45-64/VaEtchanan)
Now,
G-d blesses the leader of every generation with wisdom concomitant with
the collective refinement of the generation. (Arachin 17a)
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
* * * * *
From the Shelah,
Shney Luchot HaBrit by Rabbi Isaiah Horowitz
(S:45-64/VaEtchanan)
When
the sages use the expression that someone is "invited", they refer to
the future when the light of the moon will become as brilliant as the
light of the sun. This is the future we have in mind when we add to
the words of the Shema Yisrael the twenty-four letters (in Hebrew) of
the formula "May the Majesty of His glorious kingdom be blessed forever".
For the full article, click to the "Weekly Torah" section
on our KabbalaOnline
site.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC
REBBES (V45-64/VaEtchanan)
"And I pleaded with (va'etchanan) the L-rd at that time,
saying... "Let me go over and see the good land." (3:23-25)
One reason the Torah uses this phrase "va'etchanan" instead
of "va'etpalel" ("and I prayed") is that the numerical
equivalent of "va'etchanan" is the same as "tefila"
("prayer") and "shira" ("song"). This
teaches that it is commendable to pray in a melodious, pleasant voice,
utilizing the best of one's G-d-given abilities for speech and song
for a higher purpose.
(Pa'aneiach Raza)
Why did Moses so desire to enter the land? "The Jewish people
have been commanded many mitzvot which can only be done in the land
of Israel. Let me therefore enter the land so that they can all be
performed through me," he reasoned, as related in the Talmud.
Moses' motivation was not personal. Rather, had Moses merited to accompany
the Jewish people into Israel, the Final Redemption would have occurred
immediately, without the necessity of having to endure subsequent
exiles and wait several thousand more years for Moshiach.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe)
At first glance, Moses' request that he "see the good land"
seems superfluous; if G-d allowed him to cross over the Jordan, wouldn't
he automatically "see" the land? Rather, Moses was praying
to avoid the same transgression as the Twelve Spies, and see only
the "good" in the Land of Israel.
(Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk)
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the Chabad
Master series, produced by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com and www.kabbalaonline.org
An
essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click here)
(W:45-64/VaEtchanan)
The
verse says "Olat Shabbat b'Shabbato", that on every
Shabbos it is a mitzvah to bring a burnt offering (Bamidbar 28/1).
The verse can also be read that every Shabbat has its unique spiritual
quality (olat is like the word aliyah-advantage) over
every other Shabbat. This holiness is revealed to us through the weekly
Torah portion.
Parshat VaEtchanan is always read after the ninth of Av, which is the
completion of the three week mourning period in connection with the
destruction of the Temples. On the 9th of Av we read Megilat
Eichah, which closes with the verse, "G-d, help us return
to You, so that we may truly return, renew our days as it was in the
previous times". The lesson of parshat VaEtchanan must be how to
do this tshuvah. We see this in how Midrash Eicha explains
the words, 'renew our days as it was in previous times'. This refers
to Adam HaRishon, the first man, that we ask G-d to renew us
to the level of purity and clarity of Adam before the damage caused
by his sin. How can we do teshuvah?
The Midrash (Shmot 38) quotes the verse, 'Take 'dvarim'-things-with
you, return to G-d, and I will forgive you all of your iniquities.'
Dvarim can also mean 'words'. Which 'words' are being referred to? "These
are the dvarim that Moshe said", the words of Torah (Dvarim 1/1).
If you study Torah, I will forgive you all of your sins.
The Midrash continues, "And they said to G-d, 'But we do not know
any Torah!' And G-d answers them, 'Cry and pray before me (prayers are
also 'dvarim') and I will accept it'.
We see from this that the main way to do tshuva is to study Torah,
as it says in the Talmud, 'If you meet a bad person, drag him to the
Torah study hall' (Sukkah 52b).
But the evil inclination of a person is very clever, always finding
ways to turn a person to negative things. Why is this? Whoever is more
righteous, his evil inclination is greater, so as each of us grows older,
our evil inclination also grows bigger. We see this even with great
tzadikim like Rabbi Akiva who went into the Pardes, lofty
spiritual realms, where he was threatened by his evil inclination. Nevertheless,
he returned undamaged from there due to special protection he received
from Heaven (Sukkah 52B). This is why we need prayer, so that the Almighty
will help us and protect us.
This is why the portion contains
the Ten Commandments, emphasizing how we should study Torah, especially
the oral Torah, which has the ability to fix all of our past transgressions
and heal wounds. And this is why the parsha begins with the word "VaEtchanan"
referring to Moshe beseeching G-d. This verse is the source of the power
of all prayer. When is the most potent time to pray and learn? On Shabbat,
as it says, "Everyone agrees that the Torah was given on Shabbat!"
(Shabbat 86B) signifying that the most effective time to study Torah
is Shabbat.
Further, we learn that Shabbat
is the time to do tshuvah, since tshuvah is about leaving
our bad ways and Shabbat is all about leaving our regular weekday activities
(Pirkey d' R' Eliezer 119). We also learn that whoever takes pleasure
in Shabbat receives all of his "heart's desires" (Shabbat
118b), which are the time and motivation to pray to G-d and study Torah!
This Shabbat is the time to make the effort in doing tshuvah
by studying Torah and praying to G-d-and we will be immediately redeemed!
(Translated from Pri Tzadik Ve'etchanan, by Rabbi Tzadok HaKohen, who
is known for building his Torah explanation from unique interpretations
of different Torah verses).
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
Leiter
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