Weekly Reading Insights: Devarim
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Weekly Reading Insights: Devarim |
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Overview
of the Torah Reading
To be read on Shabbat Devarim - 9 Menacham Av 5782 /Aug. 6
Shabbat Chazon
Torah: Deut. 1:1-3:22
Haftorah: Isaiah 1:1-27 (3rd of the Three Haftorahs of
Affliction)
Pirkei Avot: When the 9th of Av fall on Shabbat we do not read
Pirkei Avot
Devarim is the 1st Reading out of 11 in Deuteronomy and it contains 5972 letters, in 1548 words, in 105 verses
Overview: All of the Book of Devorim takes place in the last forty days of Moshe's life. He begins by reviewing many of the Jews’ desert travels, wars and conquests, the appointing of judges, the spies’ sin and the nation’s subsequent punishment. G-d promises to help Yehoshua conquer in the Land of Israel as He helped Moshe conquer the lands of the Emorites and Bashan (the present day Golan) which were given to the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and part of Menashe.
An
Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click here)
"The L-rd your G d spoke to us at Horeb saying, 'You have sojourned
too long! Turn and travel and arrive at the Amorite mountain and all of its
neighbors'…." (Devarim/Deuteronomy 1:6)
The book of Devarim is the fifth and last of the Five Books of Moshe and is
different from the first four. In Devarim, rather than saying what G-d tells
him to say, Moshe is giving advice on how to survive spiritually in the barren
desert of the material reality we call the world. This advice is not only for
the first generation that will enter the Holy Land but also for every generation
afterwards, including (and primarily) our generation. In fact, this verse can
be studied as a meditation, giving us our priorities in negotiating the travail
of our spiritual journey. In this week's portion, Moshe quotes G-d telling the
Jewish people, "You have sojourned too long!" (Devarim 1:6-7). The
natural inclination of a Jewish soul is to grow. The word "sojourning"
alludes to staying at one level without moving on to the next stage. For a Jew,
to sojourn is like going around in circles.
The verse continues "…at this mountain", referring to Mount Sinai.
Even remaining at Mount Sinai, non-stop sponging up Torah and spiritual growth,
is not the ideal. Moshe is telling us it is our responsibility to also make
an impact on others, influencing them for the better, especially those different
or distant from ourselves. Exclusively focusing on personal self-development
will not only prevent a person from advancing, but could even lead to spiritual
regression.
The passage continues, "…Turn and travel and arrive at the Amorite
mountain and all of its neighbors". Both in Jewish law (Tractate Shabbat.
Chapter 6. Mishna 10 - 'the ways of the Emorites') and Kabbalah (the word Emor
is related to Tiferet of Klipa) [1], the nation
of Emor represents the negative side, that which opposes holiness. The specific
reference to the "Amorite mountain" infers that we are encouraged
to perceive that negativity (bad character traits, keeping G d at a distance,
valuing the world over spirituality) is like a mountain - difficult to climb,
out of our reach, distant. This is why the verse emphasizes the word "arrive".
Judaism is a specific journey. The mitzvot (commandments) are taking
us to a specific place, a goal. We are not meant to just to pass though, to
meander around true spirituality, like the wrong stop on a train ride. Moshe
is telling us that a Jew is supposed to perceive that the negative (Amorite
mountain) is an absolute barrier and blockade in front of us, something impossible
to cross.
The classic source, Tanna Dvei Eliyahu [2] understands
"arriving" differently, to mean "taking it in", inheriting
and integrating. In this sense, the concept of arriving (and inheritance) reminds
us that we are supposed to be redeeming the sparks that were lost to the negative
side. When we can see the sparks that need to be redeemed, it means that we
have the potential to liberate them.
After all this is navigated successfully, we come to the end of verse, "…until
you come to the great river, the Prat River" ( Devarim 1:7). The Prat River
was far away from Israel, designating the expansion of Israel's borders. Through
the service of the above - distancing ourselves from negative forces, redeeming
the lost sparks and positively influencing our environment - we will merit expanding
Israel. Not just its physical, but spiritual borders (borders of consciousness)
will expand into the lands of the other nations - Kini, Knizi, and Kadmoni (all
hint to the negativity we have to overcome).
(From a letter of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, 1958)
Rabbi Chaim Vital [3], the AriZal's [4]
main student, further explains the above verse "The L-rd your G d spoke
to us in Horeb" (another word for Mount Sinai), saying that the fact that
G d spoke to the Jews in Horeb, where He gave them the Torah, is what made them
great. Through this, the Jews were then able to go into Israel and defeat their
enemies. This word "Horeb" teaches us that we have the power to overcome!
The time had come that G d is saying to the Jews, "Turn and travel onwards".
The Shelah [5] writes in his commentary on Tractate Taanit
(page 328) that the weekly Torah readings are connected to the calendar events
that happen around them. The Shelah asks why it is that the same three portions,
Matot,Massei and Devarim, are always read during the mourning period of the
Three Weeks (from the fast day of 17 Tammuz until Tisha b'Av)? These portions
speak about the victories of the Jewish people over the nations, the dividing
of the Land and the final preparations for entering Israel. This appears paradoxical
to the period of the Three Weeks! The answer is that the fast days and all of
these days of mourning will be transformed into holidays and days of happiness.
Specifically through our efforts now in these days of exile and our heartfelt
desire to see the Jewish people reunited in Israel with the Third Temple, we
will bring the final redemption and our everlasting dwelling in the Holy Land.
It was the custom of the tzaddik Rabbi Raphael of Bershid (a disciple of Rabbi
Pinchas of Koretz [6]) to be active in bringing peace
between people. Whenever he heard of a conflict or controversy, he would immediately
run and try to make peace.
Once, on Tisha B'Av, he heard that there was a quarrel in a certain house. Rabbi
Raphael left all of the deep spiritual activities that is expected of a tzaddik
on such a day as Tisha b'Av and went to the house to make peace between those
who were quarrelling.
People questioned him, "You could not wait one day, until after Tisha B'Av?"
Rabbi Raphael replied, "On the contrary, the Temple was destroyed because
of unwarranted hatred, and what can correct the cause of destruction more than
making peace!"
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
[The important fast of Tisha b'Av begins after Shabbat and continues until Sunday
night. Please check exact times on your local calendar. Fír more details
on observance clck here
May these days of sadness be immediately turned to days of joy and redemption.
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul.
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading,
see the archive.
FROM THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically, for an overview
of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists,
and more, click to Devarim
one sample:
Chasidic Masters
Shabbat
of Vision
By Binyomin Adilman
When the Temple was standing, the special unity between G-d and the Jews was
readily apparent and existed all week. Although the unification was greater
on Shabbat, it wasn't an appreciable greater source of joy.
Now that the Temple is no longer standing and there is a lack of unity, when Shabbat comes and the Jews are able to renew their connection once again with G-d, He especially rejoices in this unity with His people
To continue, click
here.
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For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
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