The Parashah follows the heels of the Akedah of Yitzḥak (The Binding of Isaac) tale. The first thing we read about is the passing away of Sara. Sages suggest that she heard about the attempt to sacrifice her son and died of a broken heart. However, the verse refers first to the length of her life, rather to her death for a reason (Genesis 23:1):

The lifespan of Sara was one hundred years and twenty years and seven years, the years of Sara’s life. Sara died in Kiryat Arba; that is Ḥevron…

Commentators say that this is an expression of her qualities, integrating the wisdom of the elder with the vitality of a young woman and innocence of a child (Rabbi Dov-Yosef Soloveitchik). Sara, throughout her life, demonstrated humility yet resolve and hospitality. She raises Yitzḥak in the light of her own values and Avraham’s ways of conduct. Alas, she passed before seeing Yitzḥak as a grown-up and a head of a family. Her loss is very difficult on Yitzḥak to accept.

Avraham, in his older years, worries for the future of his dynasty and legacy, fearing that the Covenant with God and His promise will cease to exist. He sends Eliezer, the one in charge of his household, with specific instructions to bring a bride to Yitzḥak, his son. Eliezer gets to know Rivka and learns first hand of her character, and decides that she is the one. Rivka is asked if she is willing to go and get married to Yitzḥak and gives her affirmative consent (ibid, 24:57-58):

They said: “Let us call the young woman and ask her [hearing from her own mouth her own] reply.” They called Rivka and said to her: “Will you go with this man?” She said: “I will.”

This remarkable conduct, asking a young person what one wants to do in one’s own life, is a revelation in that time; most of humanity follows this example to these very days.

Yitzḥak hears from Eliezer about Rivka’s conduct, her humility, hospitality and kindness and realizes that she embodies the qualities of Sara (ibid, ibid, 67):

Yitzḥak brought her into the tent of Sara his mother; He took Rivka and she became his wife, and he loved her, and only then Yitzḥak was comforted after the loss of his mother.

When we follow the legacy of our ancestors, relatives and loved ones that are no longer with us, they continue living among us long beyond their physical presence.

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Avraham is recovering from the circumcision and is blessed by a visit from the Creator. Rabbi Ḥama referred to this gesture of the Divine (as well as to other gestures) saying (Talmud Sota Tractate 14a):

Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: one should follow the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He…. …Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, visits the sick, [as it is written with regard to God’s appearing to Abraham following his circumcision: “And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1),] so too, you should visit the sick.

During the visit with the Divine, three persons show up (Genesis 18:2):

… Raising his eyes, he saw three men… …he ran towards them… …and bowed to the ground [in greeting and respect].”

Avraham has no doubt: taking care of the guests that just arrived is higher in priority to his convening with God. He Addresses God by name [Adonai], and using second person single language, begs Him to wait (ibid, ibid,3):

[Avraham] said, ‘Adonai, if now I have found favor in thy sight, please pass not away, from thy servant:’

Immediately after that, he addresses his guests in second person plural (ibid, ibid, 4-5):

‘let some water be fetched, and please wash your feet, and lean back [rest yourselves] under the tree: And let me fetch a morsel of bread that you may eat and refresh yourselves; then go on…

Visiting the sick and hospitality are yet a few ways to fulfill and act according to the value of “love to your fellow human as yourself”.

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Ḥeshvan is the only month in the Jewish Calendar that is void of any holiday, fast, or significant occasion. Its full name is Mar Ḥeshavan, Mar means bitter; makes sense, if there is no reason for a celebration… Probably that is not the only reason. Mar also means a drop of water (Isaiah 40:15: הֵן גּוֹיִם כְּמַר מִדְּלִי - The nations are but a drop [mar] in a bucket). Indeed, we just began to pray and look forward for rain; thank God, it did rain, and generously. However, the Academy for the Hebrew Language explains that the name Ḥeshvan originates in the Akkadian language. It sounded Marḥushavnu, which means ‘the eighth month’; indeed, it is the eighth month in the Jewish calendar.

The weekly Parashot that we read throughout the month offers several significant insights which, although self-evident, are worth highlighting.

We, all human beings, were created in the image and likeness of the Creator, hence our aspiration to emulate His attributes and behavior. On one hand, we possess the power to rule over all creatures. Our actions affect plants and vegetation, fish of the sea, birds of the sky, and every living thing on Earth. On the other hand, we carry the responsibility for all that we control. We must work to preserve all of it, ensuring that it will endure and sustain us for generations to come.

We were blessed with the ability to choose our actions out of our own free will. Along with that came the knowledge to discern good from evil and to evaluate the potential consequences of our choices. Our commitment to exercise discernment as we responsibility make our choices, is demonstrated in more than one story. The consequences of failing to meet our responsibilities may be the loss of life and the destruction of the ability to exist.

From the fore parents of our nation (and of much of humanity) Avraham and Sara, we learn behaviors worth emulating. There are some, that we might wish, under certain conditions, to avoid. Redeeming captives, hospitality, humility, the pursuit of justice, and compassion are examples of such behaviors we want to embrace. Our tradition holds high the concept of L’Dor VaDor – from generation to generation. This is the legacy that our parents and grandparents passed down to us, and we continue to educate our offsprings in the light of these same values.

The Biblical stories serve as an inspiration and a reminder of these insights. The way we celebrate the holidays throughout the year, reenacting and breathing life in them help us remember. It reminds us of what truly matters.

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חודש חשוון הוא חודש נטול חגים; אולי זו הסיבה שהוא נקרא מר חשוון... אבל לא היחידה. מר היא גם טיפת מים (כדברי ישעיהו “הֵן גּוֹיִם כְּמַר מִדְּלִי, וּכְשַׁחַק מֹאזְנַיִם נֶחְשָׁבוּ”): ואכן, בחודש זה התחלנו לצפות ולבקש שירד גשם, ותודה לאל – ירד גם ירד. וגם – המשמעות של מרחשוון בשפה האכדית היא ‘החודש השמיני’, שהוא חשוון עפ”י מנין הלוח העברי שמתחיל בניסן.

פרשיות השבוע שקראנו במהלך החודש הקנו מספר תובנות משמעותיות, שלמרות שלכאורה מובנות מאליהן, מן הראוי להזכירן.

אנחנו, כל בני האדם, נבראנו בצלם הבורא ובדמותו, ומכאן שאיפתנו לדמות את תכונותיו והתנהגותו. מצד אחד, יש בכוחנו לרדות בדגת הים, בעוף השמיים ובכל חיה על הארץ. ומצד שני, מוטלת עלינו האחריות על האדמה, לעבדה ולשמרה, כך שתתקיים ותקיים אותנו לדורות הבאים.

התברכנו ביכולת וברצון לבחירה חופשית של מעשינו, כמו גם בידע להבחין, לטוב ולרע, ולהעריך מה עשויות להיות ההשלכות של הבחירות שלנו. המחויבות שלנו כבני אדם לקחת אחריות על הבחירות שלנו, על המעשים שנובעים מהחלטות אלה ועל התוצאות הנגזרות ממעשינו, מודגמת ביותר מאשר בסיפור אחד. כאשר הבחירות שאנו עושים, כיחידים וכאנושות, אינן עומדות באמות המידה המוסריות הנגזרות מאחריותנו לעצמנו ולסביבה, ההשלכות הרות גורל – עד כדי השמדה של חיים, והיכולת להתקיים.

מהורי האומה – אברהם ושרה (ויש לא מעט שמאמינים כי הם ההורים של רוב האנושות) אנחנו למדים על התנהגויות אותם כדאי לחקות (כמו גם כאלה שנרצה, בתנאים מסוימים, להימנע מהן): פדיון שבויים, הכנסת אורחים, ענווה, רדיפת צדק וחמלה הם דוגמאות לאותן התנהגויות. זו המורשת שהורינו והורי‑הורינו הנחילו לנו, ואנחנו ממשיכים ומחנכים את צאצאינו לאורם של אותם ערכים.

סיפורי התנ”ך משמשים השראה ותזכורת לתובנות אלה. המסורת שלנו מעלה על נס את “לדור ודור” ומחייה את הסיפורים האלה בדרך בה אנו חוגגים את החגי השנה. בכך היא עוזרת ומזכירה לנו את מה שחשוב באמת.

Yah instructs Avram to abandon all that is known to him and to go to an undefined yet place along with a promise to a blessed future (Genesis 12:1-2):

Yah said to Avram: “Go forth [to you, for yourself] out of your country, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And [if you do so] I will make a great nation of you, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you shall be blessed and be a blessing [to others]”

Avram obeys.

Alas, the blessing is far from being fulfilled: hunger, life threatening dangers, wondering, separation from his nephew, childless Sarai and wars are his share. Yet, Avram, is true to his innate modesty, humility and the value of sanctity of life. He fights and succeeds to release his nephew Lot and his men from captivity. The yet unrealized blessings challenge Avram to ask for a proof from his God. Yah answers (ibid 15:18, 17:5-6):

On that day Yah made a covenant with Avram: “To your offspring I assign this land… … your name shall be Abraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations; … I shall make nations of you; and kings shall come forth from you”.

Cutting the ‘Covenant of the Parts’ (ibid 15) is rectified with Avraham cutting his foreskin and fulfilling the Mitzvah (commandment) of circumcision.

May we be worthy of having this covenant fulfilled, as we embrace and follow the values of Avraham, the forefather of our People.

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The context of Parashat Noaḥ starts already in Parashat B’reshit: The very first murder, pure evil and carnality. These were not limited to human beings; it permeated to all living creatures, except for Noaḥ (ibid, 6:9, 11-12):

Noah was a righteous, wholehearted man in his generation; Noah conducted his ways in accord with God.

The earth was corrupt in God’s plain view, and the earth was filled with violence, corruption and lawlessness. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth.

Then came the flood.

After the flood, God cuts a Covenant with all His creation and conveys His part in the Covenant to Noaḥ (ibid, ibid 9: 11-12):

…never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth: God said: “That [the rainbow] is the sign of the Covenant that I establish between Me and you and all living creature… …for all ages to come.”

Our part, the human beings, regardless of gender, ethnicity and religion, in this Covenant, is to fulfill the requirements: Maintain a justice system that will inquire, discuss and rule. Follow the ban of incest, the prohibition of murder and theft. Have compassion to other living creatures.

These requirements are the cornerstones of humanity’s values.

May we all remember and live up to these values.

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The first word in Torah, B’reshit, provides wonders, questions and many insights, here are a few of them. Within it (the first three Hebrew letters) is the verb Barah: Creatio ex nihilo – Creation (of something) out of nothing. The letter B, the first in Torah, is actually the second in the Alphabet. Maybe there was something even before Breshit? [yes, there was God, Elohim; its first Hebrew letter is Alef]. Beginning with the second word may imply to a pair, a couple, plural and procreation. Genesis 1:27-28:

God created [out of nothing] Mankind in His own image… …God said to them: Be fruitful, and multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it: have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

With this magnificent creation that was made for us, human beings, came also the duty (ibid, 2:15):

God settled the Human in the Garden of Eden, to till it, tend to it and safeguard it.

Adam and Ḥavah, our fore-fore-fathers, out of their own free choice, ate the fruit of the forbidden tree of knowledge. They ran away from assuming responsibility for their actions and hid, fearing the possible fallouts. As a consequence, we are destined to (ibid 3:19):

For dust you are, and to dust you shall return

May we be wise to navigate our lives between the two extremes:

‘The World was Created for Me’ and ‘I am Dust and Ashes’

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Way back, in February 2026, I published a letter that was written and signed by several rabbis, teachers and publicists. It was labeled Stop the Libel of Genocide. The letter was loaded with references, cited articles and other supporting evidences. Yet, based on who wrote the letter and urged others to co-sign it, one could claim that it was biased.

Less than two weeks ago, a paper that examined three classifications of Israel’s conduct was published. The authors are Günther Jikeli, Professor of Germanic and Jewish Studies, and Dr. Philippe Karpe, a senior legal researcher and international expert working for CIRAD. The 37-pages paper scrutinizes the accusations Apartheid, Settler Colonialism and Genocide with legal and historical lenses.

These accusations took much higher publicity and became loudest one day after October 7^th 2023. They started even before the extent of the atrocities the Hamas was doing in Israel were even known, and haven’t subsided since. It is only appropriate to air this article out today, 3 years after that horrible, worst in Israel’s history, calamity.

I characterize the unlawful violent acts against Palestinians in the West Bank performed by few Jewish Settlers as pure terrorism. These hooligans must be dealt as terrorists. Full stop. In my opinion and understanding about what is Judaism, there is nothing that can justify these acts. And along with the beforementioned, these acts cannot be the basis to support any of the alleged Apartheid, Settler Colonialism and Genocide accusations.

Here is the abstract of the paper:

This article examines three recurrent classifications of Israel and its conduct: apartheid, settler colonialism, and genocide. It treats apartheid and genocide as legal classifications with defined elements and settler colonialism as a historical-comparative framework. After reviewing the principal arguments and evidence, it concludes that apartheid and genocide are not established and that settler colonialism is an inadequate classification, including in the settings where each accusation is strongest.

The evidence does not establish apartheid in Israel’s citizenship regime or in the West Bank. The latter presents the stronger case because of prolonged occupation, settlements, unequal legal arrangements, and movement toward de facto annexation. Yet Palestinian self-government, the negotiated origins of the present structure, security considerations, judicial review, and repeated negotiations over withdrawal and statehood leave the required purpose or intent to establish or maintain systematic racial domination and oppression unproven. Settler colonialism illuminates aspects of pre-state settlement, Palestinian displacement, and the post-1967 West Bank settlement enterprise, but does not adequately account for Zionism’s national and refugee character, Jewish historical attachment, or the absence of a conventional or functionally equivalent metropole. Even in the West Bank, divergent territorial strategies and negotiations over withdrawal complicate the claim of a continuous project of permanent incorporation. The record establishes extensive Palestinian death, injury, deprivation, and civilian suffering, but does not establish the specific intent to destroy Palestinians, in whole or in substantial part, as such, required for genocide under the Convention.

More broadly, expansive definitions and selective evidence allow the three accusations to reinforce one another, shift the burden of proof, and erode the distinctions they are meant to capture, converting bounded legal and historical categories into comprehensive claims about the illegitimacy of Israel as such.

The complete paper can be found here, and here are links to a few summaries that followed the publication:

https://themedialine.org/headlines/academic-paper-rejects-apartheid-genocide-settler-colonialism-claims-against-israel/

https://three-accusations-israel.netlify.app/en/

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This Friday night, we enter the last Pilgrimage Festival of the Jewish year (Pesaḥ [Passover], followed by Shavuot [Pentecost]), Sukkot [Tabernacles]. There are several reasons for the holiday listed in Torah and deeper meanings that are added by our sages.

Biblical References:

Arguably, most of the Jewish Holidays and rituals aim to reenact past events as a way to remember our history. Sukkot is not different in that sense:

Remember Exodus and God’s grace during that time (Leviticus 23:42-43):

בַּסֻּכֹּת תֵּשְׁבוּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים... ... לְמַעַן יֵדְעוּ דֹרֹתֵיכֶם כִּי בַסֻּכּוֹת הוֹשַׁבְתִּי אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּהוֹצִיאִי אוֹתָם מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

You shall live in booths seven days; …in order that future generations may know that I made the Israelite people live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.

It is an agricultural festival. It is timed to happen at the end of summer – early fall, towards the end of the gathering of the crops (Exodus 34:22, Leviticus 23:39):

וְחַג שָׁבֻעֹת תַּעֲשֶׂה לְךָ בִּכּוּרֵי קְצִיר חִטִּים וְחַג הָאָסִיף תְּקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה... ...אַךְ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּאׇסְפְּכֶם אֶת תְּבוּאַת הָאָרֶץ תָּחֹגּוּ אֶת חַג ה’ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים

You shall observe the Feast of Shavuot [Seven Weeks – Pentecost], of the first fruits of the wheat harvest; and the Feast of Ingathering at the turn of the year… …On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have ingathered the yield of your land, you shall observe a Festival of God [to last] seven days

It is time to rejoice, and get together with others. The inference in the biblical verse is more than just get together. It emphasizes the unification of family, neighbors and the people especially with those who are different. We are commanded to take four species of vegetation, that have different attributes: One has both good taste and smell, one has just a taste, while the other has just a smell. The fourth has neither. We rejoice as we unite them together – metaphorically and physically (Leviticus 23:40):

וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי ה’ אֱלֹהֵיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים

On the first day you shall take the product of Citrus trees, branches of Palm trees, boughs of leafy [Myrtle] trees, and Willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the ETERNAL your God seven days

Gleanings From the Above:

Dwelling in the sukkah, a temporary, unstable, and non-protective structure, emphasizes several ideas and values:

a) Everything is our life is temporary, even life itself: life is constantly in transition and change. Tangible physical possessions and property do not provide the ultimate protection.

b) This in turn, strengthens one’s faith in the Divine Providence and its influence on one’s future.

c) During this festival we are much closely connected to nature and the elements. We feel firsthand the year’s cycle of seasons and hence the cycle of life. The “roof” of the Sukkah is made of palm fronds, through which one can see the stars (and rain can come through). Yet, another reminder and direct connection to the Creator of Heaven and Earth, and (Genesis 1:16) “[וְאֶת הַמָּאוֹר הַקָּטֹן לְמֶמְשֶׁלֶת הַלַּיְלָה, וְאֵת הַכּוֹכָבִים] the lesser light to govern the night and the stars” .

d) Hospitality: each day we invite into our Sukkah the presence, the souls, of our ancestors. We also invite friends and family to visit, dine and stay with us. We share the abundance we were blessed with, support the needy and hence build and strengthen the community.

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More on the relationship between the Divine and Human:

The book of Exodus chronicles the process of building the sanctuary for God, that would travel with the Israelites during their journey in the Desert. The first part is the one in which God provides to Moshe the details of every element in the Sanctuary. In the following parts Moshe conveys the instructions to the people and then the execution of the work. At the very beginning of the first part, God tells Moshe (Exodus 25:8):

וְעָשׂוּ לִי מִקְדָּשׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם׃

They will make me a holy abode [a sanctuary]; I will dwell within them.

Who is the I, the Divine Presence? The name is (Exodus 3:14): “אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה - I will be what I am/will be”. The Holy Abode is us, human beings. This assertion is clear, considering how Adam, the first human being, was created (Genesis 2:7):

וַיִּיצֶר ה אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה׃

The ETERNAL God formed a Human from the soil, [then] blew into his nostrils the breath of life; the Human became a being, a living soul

So, if the Divine Presence, may it be whatever it may, dwells within us, how does it manifest itself? The Divine Presence within us comes to life when our actions emulate the precepts and actions of God. The Talmud Bavli (Sota 14a) pours essence into this concept through specific examples:

Rabbi Ḥama, son of Rabbi Ḥanina, says: one should follow the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed be He. Just as He clothes the naked, [as it is written: “And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skin, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21),] so too, you should clothe the naked. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, visits the sick, [as it is written with regard to God’s appearing to Abraham following his circumcision: “And the Lord appeared unto him by the terebinths of Mamre” (Genesis 18:1),] so too, you should visit the sick. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, consoles mourners, [as it is written: “And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11),] so too, you should console mourners. Just as the Holy One, Blessed be He, buried the dead, [as it is written: “And he was buried in the valley in the land of Moab” (Deuteronomy 34:6),] so too, you should bury the dead.

May we all be blessed with the inspiration and courage to find more ways to emulate the Divine Presence within us.

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We just finished experiencing the High Holydays in the Jewish Calendar. Rosh Hashanah (the beginning of the Jewish calendar) integrated joy, family time, and inner reflection. Yom Kippurim (Day of Atonement) provided along with communal connection a deep personal soul-searching and a spiritual elevation. The blow of the Shofar at the day’s conclusion is elating and comforting, despite the physical hunger that still exists. Maybe that is why Rabbi Shne’ur Zalman of Liadi, the founder of Chabad, compared: “Purim and Yom Kippurim have the same essence. Yom Kippurim means a day like Purim (Ke-Purim).” Purim celebrates the lottery, something that defies logic; on Yom Kippurim we experience irrational connection to something that is sublime and transcendent of daily life.

Tishrei, the seventh month in the Hebrew calendar, is unique and different from all other months. It contains three holidays and the Fast of Gedaliah, unlike the other months of the year which have one holiday, or at most two occasions. I read recently about an interesting study, done by Dr. Guy Shaked of Bar-Ilan University. He found a structural and stylistic code in the Bible that he termed “Six Plus Change” (e.g. Shabbat, the seventh day, is different than the former six). Indeed, Tishrei perfectly fits this code.

At the conclusion of the upcoming Sukkot festival, we also finish reading the last Torah portion, V’Zot HaBerachah. Immediately after its completion we continue reading the Torah anew from its beginning, with the portion B’reshit (Genesis). V’Zot HaBerachah, true to its name (”And this is the blessing”), details Moshes’ final blessing to the various tribes and to the People of Israel. You can find a bit more about this Torah portion at this link.

At the conclusion of his blessing [Deuteronomy 34:5-6]: “Moshe... died there... at the mouth [word?] of Yah [and some interpret ‘at the mouth’ as ‘by the kiss of the mouth’]... …and no one knows [the location of] his burial place to this day.”

Sages offer various explanations for this, one of them appeals to me. Knowing his burial place would have turned the site into a place of pilgrimage, elevating Moshe to some level of divinity. This could result with the desecration of God’s Name (Ḥillul HaShem). Moshe Rabenu (our Rabbi and Teacher) was one of a kind with no equal: he exists in a different dimension. It is not an earthly, material dimension, but solely a spiritual existence. Despite his passing from the world thousands of years ago, his personality and legacy continue to influence the major part of humanity.

Connecting the end of the Torah and its beginning – its last letter followed by Torah’s first – creates Lev, Heart. A heart in which mourning (for the death of Moses) and joy (for the beginning of life) coexist side by side. The juxtaposition of death and life is tangible in our today’s lives here in Israel. Israel’s Memorial Day for the Fallen (Yom HaZikaron) is immediately followed by Independence Day (Yom HaAtzmaut). Our hearts follow the very same order of the reading on Simchat Torah: from mourning the death of a person to joy and gratitude, living in liberty.

The day of Moshes’ passing is the 7^th of Adar. This day on the Hebrew calendar is marked as the Memorial Day for Israeli Soldiers Whose Burial Place is Unknown. On this day, a State Memorial Ceremony is held for the 592 fallen soldiers at the Garden of the Missing, located in the heart of the military cemetery on Mount Herzl

We pray and hope that there will not be even a single fallen soldier of whom it can be said: “and no one knows [the location of] his burial place to this day.”

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זה עתה סיימנו לחוות את כל הימים הנוראים: ראש השנה שהיה שילוב של שמחה, בילוי משפחתי והתבוננות פנימית, ויום כיפור שהיה חיבור קהילתי, שיא של חשבון הנפש האישי, והתרוממות רוח בסיומו של החג. לא לחינם טבע הרב שניאור זלמן מליאדי, מייסד חב”ד, את החיבור “פורים ויום הכיפורים הוא בחינה אחת; יום כיפורים פירושו יום כְּפּוּרִים”. כשם שחג פורים חוגג משהו שהוא חסר הגיון (פור = הגרלה) כך ביום הכיפורים אנחנו חווים חיבור למשהו שהוא נשגב ונעלה מהיום-יום

חודש תשרי, החודש השביעי בלוח השנה העברי, מיוחד ושונה מכל שאר החודשים. יש בו שלושה חגים (ויש הסופרים חמישה מועדים – עם צום גדליה ושמיני עצרת...), שלא כמו שאר חודשי השנה שיש בהם מועד אחד או שניים לכל היותר. רק לאחרונה קראתי על המחקר של ד”ר גיא שקד מאוניברסטת בר-אילן, שמצא קוד מבני וסגנוני במקרא, אותו כינה “שש פלוס שינוי”. אכן, תשרי בהחלט תואם את המבנה הזה

בסיומו של חג הסוכות הקרוב אנחנו גם מסיימים את הקריאה בתורה עם קריאת הפרשה האחרונה “וזאת הברכה”, ומייד מתחילים בקריאתה מחדש, בפרשת “בראשית”. “וזאת הברכה”, כשמה כן היא: מפרטת את ברכתו האחרונה של משה לשבטים השונים ולעם ישראל. מעט על הפרשה תמצאו בקישור הזה

מיד עם סיום ברכתו [דברים לד ה-ו], “וַיָּמׇת שָׁם מֹשֶׁה עַל פִּי ה’ [ויש המחליפים ‘על פי’ ב-’נשיקת פי’]... ... וְלֹא יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת [מקום] קְבֻרָתוֹ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה”. לחז”ל הסברים שונים לכך. ההסבר שמניח את דעתי הוא שידיעת מקום קבורתו הייתה הופכת את המקום לאתר עליה לרגל, העלאתו לרמת אלוהות כלשהי; התוצאה מכך עלולה להיות חילול השם. משה רבנו היה אחד ואין שני לו: הוא נמצא במימד אחר, לא גשמי, אלא רוחני לחלוטין. למרות הסתלקותו מהעולם לפני אלפי שנים, דמותו ופועלו משפיעים על רוב האנושות

החיבור בין סוף התורה ותחילתה, האות האחרונה והראשונה בה, הוא לב. הלב שמתקיימים בו בכפיפה אחת אבל (על מות משה) ושמחה (על בריאת העולם ותחילת החיים). הצמידות של המוות והחיים באים לידי ביטוי בצורה מוחשית כל כך ביום הזיכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל שמיד לאחריו יום העצמאות. ליבנו עוקב, ממש לפי סדר הקריאה בשמחת תורה, מאבל על מותו של אדם לשמחה ותודה על חיי חירות ועצמאות

יום פטירתו של משה הוא ז’ באדר. יום זה בלוח השנה העברי מוקדש כיום הזיכרון לחללי מערכות ישראל שמקום קבורתם לא נודע. ביום זה מתקיים טכס אזכרה ממלכתי ל-592 החללים בגן הנעדרים, הממוקם בלב בית העלמין הצבאי בהר הרצל

ליבנו מתפלל שלא יהיה ולו חלל אחד ש- לֹא יָדַע אִישׁ אֶת [מקום] קְבֻרָתוֹ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה

The Torah ends with Moshe’s last blessing to the various Tribes, and to Israel as a Nation, a People. The first exile (586BCE) caused the Ten Tribes to disappear. Since then, the People of Israel mostly originated from Yehuda. Moshe’s blessing to Yehuda is (at least partly) fulfilled within us, the Jewish People whose homeland is Israel.

And this is the blessing of Yehuda: Hear, Lord, the voice of Yehuda, and bring him to his people: let his hands be sufficient for him [to fight his battles] and may You provide assistance to him from his enemies.

We still pray and hope that Moshe’s blessing to Israel, the People, will also materialize in our days:

Israel will dwell in security [and safety] … ... You are [happy] fortunate, Israel, how can [other] People compare to you… …Yah is the shield of your aid and who [provides the victory of] the sword of your glory; your enemies will prevaricate to you, while you tread on their high places.

The beginning of life, as is life’s end, are by the hand of The Creator:

(B’reshit) ‘[God] blew into his nostrils the breath of life…’ (Deuteronomy) ‘Moshe died there, by the [kiss of the, word of the] mouth of Yah.’

In between these two events there was

The might that Moshe performed in sight of all Israel.

The very last letter in Torah, Lamed, is immediately followed by Bet, Torah’s very first letter. Together they read LEV, heart in Hebrew. May we be led by our heart in the decisions that we will take throughout our life.

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This article is based on Rabbi Jonathan Sacks’ ideas (in various essays and a teaching on Parashat Vayigash) with insights and additions of my own.

The first ever documented record of forgiveness is in the tale that describes the relationship between Yoseph and his brothers.

First, let’s review Yoseph’s emotional and spiritual growth. As a young lad, he is arrogant and unfriendly (to express it mildly…) toward his brothers (Genesis 37:2, 6-7):

Yosef, seventeen years old, used to tend the sheep along with his brothers… …Yosef brought to his father [his brothers] their evil report; …He said to them: “Listen to this dream that I dreamt. here, we were binding sheaf-bundles out in the field, and here, my sheaf arose, and it was standing upright, and here, your sheaves were circling round and bowing down to my sheaf!”

Upon arriving to Egypt, Yoseph underwent a transformation: he started developing a moral backbone and became more humble (ibid 39:7-8, 12):

His master’s wife cast her eyes upon Yosef; and she said: “Lie [sleep] with me”. But he refused, saying… … She grabbed him by his garment, saying: “Lie with me!”. He left his garment in her hand, and fled outside [of the house].

When he interprets the dreams of Pharaoh’s ministers in prison, he humbly tells them (ibid 40:8):

“All interpretations belong to God, is that not so? Please, tell them to me”

In contrast to his past behavior, accusing his brothers and ill-informing them to his father, he avoids repeating that pattern. Rather, he uses first-person-passive verbs to describe his situation (ibid, ibid, 15):

“For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon”.

His conduct when he was brought later before Pharaoh is not different at all (ibid 41:16, 25):

Yosef answered Pharaoh, saying: “It is not me; God shall give Pharaoh a favorable answer” … …“Pharaoh’s dream is one., God has told to Pharaoh What He is about to do”.

Yoseph’s desire to leave the past behind is also evident in the name he gives his firstborn son, Menashe (ibis, ibid, 51):

“...For God has made me forget all my trouble, and all that was in my father’s house.”

In a parallel world, Yoseph’s brothers and Yehudah in particular, also change. Reuven convinces the brothers to spare Yoseph’s life, and Yehudah supports him; Instead, the brothers sell him to the Ishmaelites. In the story of Tamar, Yehudah’s daughter-in-law, we witness how Yehudah further develops his sense of integrity and morality (ibid, 38:26):

Yehudah acknowledged and said: ‘She is in-the-right more than I! For after all, I did not give her to Shela my son!’ And he was not intimate with her again.

Within his words, we can see several stages of repentance (Teshuvah): acknowledgement of wrongdoing, remorse and confession. We also can identify an additional stage of repentance: the abandonment of the sin.

When his brothers come to buy grain due to the famine, Yoseph does not reveal himself nor accuses them. Rather, he tests them to determine whether they repented from their former ways, selling him to the Ishmaelites, or not. He accuses them of a crime they did not commit and imprisons them for three days. Then, he keeps Shim’on as a hostage and demands that they return with their youngest brother, Binyamin. With that, Yoseph actually recreates the same past scenario, when they returned to Yaakov without him. Yoseph overhears what transpires between them (ibid 42:21):

“Indeed, we are guilty: concerning our brother! that we saw his heart’s distress when he pleaded with us, and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us!”

In this statement, Yoseph (as well as we) recognizes the first phase of repentance: the recognition of sin.

Later, Yoseph hides his silver, magic, chalice in Binyamin’s bag. His punishment is that he must remain in Egypt as a slave. The brothers now face a situation that is almost identical to the one they encountered years ago with Yoseph. How will they respond now (ibid, 44:16)?

Yehudah said: ‘What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can exonerate ourselves? God revealed your servants’ guilt; here we are slaves to my lord, both we, and the one in whose possession the challis was found.’

This serves as both the confession and the collective taking of responsibility. In the past, it was only Reuven who refused to kill Yoseph and Yehudah supported him. Now they are all taking the responsibility to the situation.

And here we witness the final, most crucial stage of repentance (Teshuvah). Yehudah could leave Benjamin in Yoseph’s hands, thus repeating the same past pattern. Instead, he acts differently (ibid, ibid, 33):

“Please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord instead of the boy, and let the boy go back with his brothers”.

In saying so, Yehudah demonstrates the ultimate practice of repentance. When faced with circumstances similar to those of his earlier wrongdoing, he chooses a different reaction. His actions prove that he has changed, that he is not the same person he was. He does not repeat the sins of the past. This is a complete and full repentance.

Yoseph, in turn, reframes the trauma of his youth. Rather than being the victim of his brothers’ betrayal, casting him into the pit; he sees a different purpose. A larger, divine intervention that he was unaware of at the time, brought him to his current position (ibid, 45:4-8):

Yoseph said to his brothers: ‘Please come close to me’. They came close [to him] and he said: ‘I am Yoseph your brother, whom you sold into Egypt. Now do not feel sad and do not be angry with yourselves that you sold me here; for it was to preserve life that God sent me [here] before you… … So now it was not you that sent me here, but God: and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt’.

In response to Yoseph’s words, his brothers explicitly ask for his forgiveness (ibid, 50:17):

“Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did evil to you. And now please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father”.

This story points out to us that there are two parallel processes that eventually enable forgiveness. The wrongdoer needs to repent not merely with words, but through changing one’s behavior. The offended party needs to find a way to reframe, reinterpret the situation in a way that will enable putting the past behind. Then asking forgiveness and granting it become possible. That brings reconciliation, mending broken relationship and moving forward to a shared future.

G’mar Ḥatima Tova!

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האמור בפסקה זו מבוסס על מאמריו של הרב יונתן זקס עם תובנות ותוספות שלי.

הסליחה מופיעה לראשונה בהיסטוריה במערכת היחסים של יוסף ואחיו. נסקור תחילה את התפתחותו הנפשית של יוסף. בתחילת דרכו כנער, הוא יהיר, ולא חברותי אל אחיו: (בראשית ל”ז ב, ו-ז)

יוֹסֵף בֶּן שְׁבַע עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה הָיָה רֹעֶה אֶת אֶחָיו בַּצֹּאן.. ..וַיָּבֵא יוֹסֵף אֶת דִּבָּתָם רָעָה אֶל אֲבִיהֶם; ‘הַחֲלוֹם הַזֶּה אֲשֶׁר חָלָמְתִּי... ... קָמָה אֲלֻמָּתִי וְגַם נִצָּבָה וְהִנֵּה תְסֻבֶּינָה אֲלֻמֹּתֵיכֶם וַתִּשְׁתַּחֲוֶיןָ לַאֲלֻמָּתִי

עם ירידתו למצריים, יוסף עובר שינוי, ומפתח חוט שדרה ערכי, ונהיה צנוע יותר: (שם ל”ט ז-ח, יב)

וַתִּשָּׂא אֵשֶׁת אֲדֹנָיו אֶת עֵינֶיהָ אֶל יוֹסֵף וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁכְבָה עִמִּי׃ וַיְמָאֵן... וַתִּתְפְּשֵׂהוּ בְּבִגְדוֹ לֵאמֹר שִׁכְבָה עִמִּי וַיַּעֲזֹב בִּגְדוֹ בְּיָדָהּ וַיָּנָס

בבואו לפתור את חלומות השרים בכלא הוא אומר להם: (שם מ, ח)

“הֲלוֹא לֵאלֹהִים פִּתְרֹנִים סַפְּרוּ נָא לִי׃”

בניגוד לתחילת דרכו, כשהאשים והלשין על אחיו, אין הוא עושה כך הפעם: (שם,שם, טו)

כִּי גֻנֹּב גֻּנַּבְתִּי מֵאֶרֶץ הָעִבְרִים וְגַם פֹּה לֹא עָשִׂיתִי מְאוּמָה...

כך גם בהמשך, עם פרעה: (שם, מא טו, כה)

וַיַּעַן יוֹסֵף אֶת פַּרְעֹה לֵאמֹר בִּלְעָדָי אֱלֹהִים יַעֲנֶה אֶת שְׁלוֹם פַּרְעֹה: ... ... חֲלוֹם פַּרְעֹה אֶחָד הוּא אֵת אֲשֶׁר הָאֱלֹהִים עֹשֶׂה הִגִּיד לְפַרְעֹה

רצונו של יוסף להשאיר את העבר מאחוריו ניכר גם בשם שנתן לבנו בכורו, מנשה: (שם, שם, נא)

... כִּי נַשַּׁנִי אֱלֹהִים אֶת כׇּל עֲמָלִי וְאֵת כׇּל בֵּית אָבִי

במקביל, גם אצל אחיו של יוסף, ובפרט אצל יהודה, חל שינוי. ראובן חס על חיי יוסף, ויהודה תומך בו; למרות זאת האחים מוכרים אותו לישמעאלים. בשלב מאוחר יותר אנחנו למדים שיהודה ממשיך ומפתח את חוש המצפון והמוסר שלו, בסיפור של תמר כלתו, שמסתיים באומרו: (שם ל”ח כו)

“וַיַּכֵּר יְהוּדָה וַיֹּאמֶר צָדְקָה מִמֶּנִּי כִּי עַל־כֵּן לֹא נְתַתִּיהָ לְשֵׁלָה בְנִי”

במשפט זה, אפשר להבחין בכמה שלבים של תשובה: החרטה על העבר והווידוי וייתכן גם כי אפשר להבחין בשלב של עזיבת החטא

“וְלֹא יָסַף עוֹד לְדַעְתָּהּ”

כשאחיו מגיעים אליו לראשונה לשבור שבר בעקבות הרעב בארץ, אין הוא מזכיר להם את שעשו לו. הוא מעמיד אותם במבחן, שיוכיח לו אם הם שבו מדרכם הקודמת עת מכרוהו לישמעאלים. ניזכר במה שקרה. תחילה האשים אותם בפשע שלא ביצעו וכלא אותם לשלושה ימים. לאחר מכן השאיר את שמעון כבן ערובה, ודרש מהם לחזור עם אחיהם הצעיר בנימין, ובכך שיחזר את המעמד הקודם, שבו חזרו ליעקב ללא יוסף. יוסף עד למה שקורה ביניהם :(שם, מ בכא)

“אֲבָל אֲשֵׁמִים אֲנַחְנוּ עַל אָחִינוּ, אֲשֶׁר רָאִינוּ צָרַת נַפְשׁוֹ בְּהִתְחַנְנוֹ אֵלֵינוּ וְלאֹ שָׁמָעְנוּ; עַל כֵּן בָּאָה אֵלֵינוּ הַצָּרָה הַזֹּאת“

אנחנו מזהים פה את ההכרה בחטא, השלב הראשון של התשובה. לאחר מכן, יוסף מחביא את גביעו באמתחתו של בנימין, וכעונש עליו להישאר כעבד במצריים. הסיטואציה זהה לזו שהאחים עמדו בה כשמכרו את יוסף לישמעאלים. כיצד ינהגו עתה? (שם מד טז)

וַיּאֹמֶר יְהוּדָה: מַה נֹאמַר לַאֲדֹנִי? מַה נְדַבֵּר וּמַה נִּצְטַדָק? הָאֱלהִֹים מָצָא אֶת עֲוֹן עֲבַדֶָיךָ. הִנֶנּּוּ עֲבָדִים לַאֲדֹנִי גַּם אֲנַחְנו,ּ גַּם אֲשֶׁר נִמְצָא הַגָּבִיעַ בְּיָדוֹ

זה הווידוי, ולקיחת אחריות משותפת. בעבר, היה זה ראובן שסירב להרוג את יוסף ויהודה שהציע למוכרו

וכאן אנחנו עדים לשלב האחרון, החשוב ביותר, של התשובה. יהודה, למרות שיכול היה להשאיר את בנימין בידי יוסף (ובכך לחזור על אותו החטא שבצעו ליוסף) נוקט בדרך אחרת: (שם, שם, לג)

“וְעַתָּה יֵשֶׁב נָא עַבְדְּךָ תַּחַת הַנַּעַר עֶבֶד לַאדנִֹי, וְהַנַּעַר יַעַל עִם אֶחָיו”

בכך הוא מוכיח, הלכה למעשה כי אינו חוזר על חטאי העבר. זוהי התשובה השלמה, המלאה

יוסף, בתורו, ממסגר מחדש את הטראומה מילדותו. אלה לא אחיו שבגדו בו כשהורידוהו לבור. זו הייתה שליחות שבזמנו הוא לא היה מודע אליה: (שם מה ד-ח)

וַיֹּאמֶר יוֹסֵף אֶל אֶחָיו גְּשׁוּ נָא אֵלַי וַיִּגָּשׁוּ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי יוֹסֵף אֲחִיכֶם אֲשֶׁר מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי מִצְרָיְמָה׃ וְעַתָּה  אַל תֵּעָצְבוּ וְאַל יִחַר בְּעֵינֵיכֶם כִּי מְכַרְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי לְמִחְיָה שְׁלָחַנִי אֱלֹהִים לִפְנֵיכֶם׃... וְעַתָּה לֹא אַתֶּם שְׁלַחְתֶּם אֹתִי הֵנָּה כִּי הָאֱלֹהִים וַיְשִׂימֵנִי לְאָב לְפַרְעֹה וּלְאָדוֹן לְכׇל בֵּיתוֹ וּמֹשֵׁל בְּכׇל אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם

בעקבות מילותיו של יוסף, אחיו מבקשים את סליחתו במילים מפורשות: (שם, נ יז)

“אָנָּא שָׂא נָא פֶּשַׁע אַחֶיךָ וְחַטָּאתָם כִּי רָעָה גְמָלוּךָ וְעַתָּה שָׂא נָא לְפֶשַׁע עַבְדֵי אֱלֹהֵי אָבִיךָ”

לקיחת האחריות והשינוי שהאחים הפגינו, לצד המסגור מחדש של העבר שיוסף הפנים, אפשרו ליוסף לסלוח לאחיו. הם הצליחו לשים את העבר מאחוריהם ולנוע קדימה ביחד כמשפחה מורחבת אל עבר עתיד שונה.

גמר חתימה טובה

Ha-azinu is a beautiful poem, the swan song of Moshe, the one he referred to at the end of the previous Parashah, VaYelech.

Harken, give ear, O Heavens, as I speak; Hear, O Earth, the words my mouth says!

In this Poem, Moshe gives our People an additional name that holds many meanings: Yeshurun.

The suffix of the name, along with the sound and grammatic conjugation, mostly implies (and not just) future tense. The root of the name is Y.S.R. (the first three letters of the name YiSRael) indicates righteousness, justice, doing the correct thing. Using poetry supplements the qualities of the name with cultural and spiritual facets of righteous conduct. This aspect of artistry can also be appreciated by the way the poem is written in the Torah scroll:

The root S.U.R is also hidden within the name. It means vision, seeing; and as such attests to the image of God that the People visioned at Mount Sinai. Isiah (44:2) points at the correction, improvement, that Yaakov went through, form his circuitous ways to righteousness:

Fear not, My servant Yaakov, Yeshurun whom I have chosen;

There were times when “So Yeshurun grew fat and kicked”, forsaking the conduct and ways that followed the spirit of God. Then, later, the People becomes Yeshurun, righteous, again.

Job asks (34:29): “Who will see it… [Mi Yeshurenu]?” Who will be able to see and learn from us?

It is in our own hands to make it happen; may we be worthy of the name Yeshurun!

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The last of the 613 commandments in Torah is the requirement to gather as a community:

Gather the people – men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities that they will hear and learn to revere… …and faithfully observe every word of this Teaching: Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere… … as long as they live in the land

Every and any one, without any exception, ARE the community. The members of the community gather as a united group, despite the differences among the individuals making up the community. As a group they support each other and engage in intergenerational learning. The elders and more experienced members bestow the wisdom, knowledge and understanding to the younger ones. They share values, legacy, stories and poetry with the future generations. Poetry, in addition to being an integral part of the community’s culture, is yet another tool that supports learning and assimilation:

That day, Moshe wrote this poem and taught it… … Moshe spoke in the ears of the whole community of Israel the words of this poem, to its very end.

Tune in and listen (HaAzinu) next week for the Poem!

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PostScript - this D’var (teaching) will become public a few days before Rosh HaShanah. It feels so appropriate to the spirit of the High Holidays, during which all of us, as a community, confess together: Ashamnu, Bagadnu… Ḥat’anu Lefanekha… – We have been guilty, we have betrayed… We have sinned in your sight and presence…

May we all be blessed with a good year, a year full of good tidings!

The names of all Parashot in Torah are identical to the first significantly meaningful word (or two) in the first verse that opens the Parashah. It seems unlikely that a list of Parashot names in any of the Torah’s Five Books will make meaningful sense.

As we are getting close to finish reading Deuteronomy; let us try and make sense and meaning of the Parashot’s names. I will list all of them in the order they appear in Deuteronomy. A detailed explanation, including the hidden meanings of the root of the name will follow. The name of the Parashah will have a link to a post I published with a snippet from that Parashah about its message. Obviously, you are welcome to read more about the Parashot so as to get into the spirit of their contents.

Here is the challenge to you: Use words that represent the name (or intent) of the various Parashot in D’varim in any order you want. Add necessary connecting words or fillers to make a legible sentence, or a few sentences. Your composition should reflect the spirit and intent of Deuteronomy, which is the essence of the whole Torah.

These are the names of the Parashot in D’varim (Deuteronomy):

D’varim [דְבָרִים] – These are the words (things, teachings, commandments).

Va’etchanan [וָאֶתְחַנָן] – I pleaded, besought, begged, entreat for grace. The same root means merciful, pardon, amnesty.

Ekev [עֵקֶב] – because, if you pay attention, if you follow, because you listen, if you hearken, because you hear. The same root means heel, to follow, traces (i.e. of footsteps), to track, the name Jacob (Ya’akov) comes from this root.

Re’eh [רְאֵה] – See, look, behold, take note. From the same root – vision, mirror, seems, visible, evidence.

Shoftim [שׁוֹפְטִים] – Judges. From the same root: sentence (in speech, and also verdict), court of justice.

Ki Tetze [כִּי תֵּצֵא] – When you go (+ out, + forth), if thou go out. From the root – exit, leave, take out.

Ki Tavo [כִּי תָּבוֹא] – when you enter, when you come in (into), when you arrive in. Less of enter, more to come close to something/someplace. Used in the Bible for intimate relationship (leading to intercourse). To bring.

Nitzavim [נִיצָבִים] – (you are) Standing. There is another verb more appropriate for standing – La’Amod, which is not used here. From this root: to position oneself (not just stand, but be at attention, no movement); the handle of a knife or sword; perpendicular; officer; Pillar; assignment for a job; commissioner; report for duty; headstone memorial; census; situation; garrison.

Vayelech [וַיֵלֵךְ] – went, continued. From the Root – to walk, to go, (like go away…), walking person, move (in chess, military move), gear ratio (in car’s gearbox).

Ha’azinu [הַאֲזִינוּ] – listen, give ear, hear, pay attention. Listening with intent and effort to understand. From the same root: Ear, eavesdropping, balance, scale (for weight).

V’Zot HaBracha [וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה] – and this is the blessing.

Please share your creation!

Let us engage in a conversation here, that will enrich and inspire us, that we all may learn from each other!

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Shanna Tova, may we all be inscribed and sealed to good life in the coming year, a year that will bring Shalom in its wings!

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השמות של כל הפרשות בתורה הן המילה או שתיים הראשונות ברות המשמעות בפסוק הפותח את הפרשה. לכאורה נראה כי שיטה זו תיתן סיכוי נמוך למציאת משמעות מרשימת השמות של הפרשות של חמשת ספרי התורה. הרי לפניכם רשימת הפרשות של ספר דברים לפי סדר הופעתן (קישור לתובנות שפרסמתי באתר על הפרשות השונות קיים בשם הפרשה):

דְבָרִים וָאֶתְחַנָן עֵקֶב רְאֵה שׁוֹפְטִים כִּי תֵּצֵא כִּי תָּבוֹא נִיצָבִים וַיֵלֵךְ הַאֲזִינוּ וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה

לנו, דוברי העברית, השמות מכילים בתוכם משמעויות נוספות, שנגזרות מההטיות השונות של השורש של השם

האתגר – להשתמש בשמות הפרשות השונות ובהטיות שונות של שורשיהן, לא בהכרח על פי סדר הופעתן, ולחבר מספר משפטים (שניים-שלושה...) שמתארים את התובנות האישיות שלכם מספר דברים. מכיוון שספר דברים מסכם למעשה את עיקרי המסרים של התורה כולה (למעט ספר בראשית) הרי שהתובנות שתבטאו יביעו את הבנתכם את התורה כולה

אנא שתפו! בעברית, באנגלית, בשתי השפות, ככל העולה על רוחכם. אני מקווה שתתפתח שיחה, חילופי דברים, מהם כולנו נלמד ונרחיב אופקים. אשמח גם אם תגיבו לדעות וההשקפות של אחרים

שנה טובה, שניכתב וניחתם לחיים טובים ולשלום

נ.ב.: השימוש בלשון זכר ברבים הוא על פי קביעת האקדמיה ללשון עברית, ומכוונת באותה מידה לכל המינים

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The Covenant between God and the People of Israel (we learned about in ‘Ki Tavo’) is ratified in Nitzavim. The word Nitzavim is translated as ‘stand (pl)’. Only Schoken Bible translated it as ‘stationed’. Indeed, the word Nitzavim provoke many additional meanings, all related to each other. These words are different conjugations of the root of Nitzavim. Here is the list: stand erect, position, report to duty, commissioner, high rank officer, pillar, perpendicular (straight), headstone memorial, census, situation, and garrison. Let me take the liberty of integrating some of these additional meanings into the translation of the first verses:

Here you stand erect, reporting at attention and ready to receive your assignment, this day, all of you: Your Heads of Tribes, your elders, your officers, the children, women and the strangers among you; all equally as high level officers including the wood chopper and the water carrier… to enter into the Covenant… ...which your God Yah is cutting with you this day: In order to establish you this day as His People and to be your God, as He promised you and swore to your Forefathers Avraham, Yitzḥak and Yaakov.

The Covenant is eternal, starting with the Forefathers and Foremothers and continues to the far out future:

I cut this Covenant not with you alone; But also, with all those who are present here with us this day before Yah our God, and with those who are not with us here this day.

Here we all are, being present, in full attention and ready to accept and take responsibility to our assignment within the Covenant. Together with us are our ancestors and also all those who aren’t borne yet.

We are a link in a chain that goes from generation to generation: L’Dor VaDor. We connect our ancestors and loved ones that are not living with us to the generations to come: our children and grandchildren. And still, it is within our free choice how to act, be that link or not:

I have presented before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life!

Let us choose to take the culture, traditions and values we inherited from our ancestors, add to them our insights and bestow them to the next generations. Let us remember that the consequence of breaking the chain is unbearable. We always have the ability to choose differently and return to that path. If we chose to follow it, we will be blessed with:

Yah your God will return and accept your repentance with compassion and again, will bring you together back from all the Nations… And Yah your God will bring you to the land that your ancestors inherited… …and [God] will make you more prosperous and more numerous than your ancestors.”

This Parashah is read on the last Shabbat before Rosh HaShanah; most of us are observing the Seliḥot (forgiveness, repentance) rituals and services. I hope that this short teaching will help us all align ourselves to the spirit of the High Holidays.

Shanna Tova and Besorot Tovot! Good Year and Good Tidings!

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The Hebrew letters that comprise the name Elul are Alef – Lamed – Vav – Lamed. It can be looked at as an abbreviation of the first four words of Song of Songs 6:3: Ani Ledodi Vedodi Li. The translation in consensus to these words is “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”

The lass’s beloved is the young lad who she longs for, and who she belongs to. Or is it so?

The mortal love between two human beings is not the reason why Song of Songs was canonized into the Bible, our Book of Books. Shir HaShirim, the Song of Songs, is a poem of devotion and love between human beings and God. At a first glance the differentiation between genders in the Song of Songs appears to be very clear. However, its true meaning transcends any definition of the lovers’ gender.

God is both male and female: The term Shekhinah (Divine Presence) is the feminine expression of the Creator. The word Elohim is mistakenly translated as God; grammatically speaking, it should be read as Gods. It is the plural form of Eloha, God. According to Hebrew grammar, when a group of individual elements contain more than one gender, the conjugation used is the masculine form.

Who, then, are those Elohim? Gods? Elohim are me (for God breathed His spirit into me, that became the breath of my life). Elohim (pl) include my beloved one, those close to me, those we know, and all those whose lives are affected by our actions.

Our journey of introspection begins within ourselves. How did we act? What did we do? How did our actions affect all the elohim I have mentioned?

It is likely that the insights gained from this journey will be mixed: some positive and some less so. Naturally, we strive to repeat, strengthen and do more of the actions that had positive impact. These insights will also motivate us to change those that had less desirable outcomes. We would prefer not to repeat those failures, incidents and deeds whose very occurrences saddened us.

In order to transform good intentions into actions, we must forgive. First and foremost, we must forgive ourselves. Forgiveness will not change what happened in the past, but it can release us from being stuck and enable us to move toward into a different future.

Difficult memories may surface during this inward reflection: I insulted a friend. I damaged someone else’s property. I forgot to repay a loan I asked for and received. I failed to adequately connect with my family. I am certain that each of us has many more such examples. For these deeds, I have already forgiven myself. This forgiveness gave me the courage to ask forgiveness from those whom I have hurt. Hopefully, they will. Then my forgiveness to myself will truly be a complete one.

That same soul-searching could also raise those instances in which the actions and words of others hurt me. In our hearts, we have recognized our own contribution to the chain of events and forgave ourselves. Now we are ready to accept the apologies and forgive others whenever they would come and ask for it.

But what if they do not come? Could it be that the person who hurt us is not aware that we were hurt? How long shall we continue to carry the heavy feelings of hurt?

The forgiveness we have granted ourselves fuels and aspires us be proactive. Let us gather the inner strength that is required and take action. Let us approach the others, and tell them about the incident that happened, how it hurt us, and then grant them forgiveness. Let us say: “I forgive you. For it happened to the people unintentionally”.

Good New Year!

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השם אלול יכול להתפרש גם כראשי תיבות של הפסוק משיר השירים: “אני לדודי ודודי לי”. האם “דודי” הוא הבחור, אהוב נפשי, אליו אערוג? לדעת חכמינו, לא זאת הסיבה שבגללה שיר השירים הוכלל בספר הספרים שלנו. שיר השירים הוא שיר אהבה בין האדם ואלוהיו. למרות שלכאורה המגדר בשיר השירים ברור מאד, הכוונה האמיתית היא ללא הגדרת המגדר של הנאהבים. אלוהים הוא הן זכר והן נקבה: השכינה היא הביטוי הנקבי של הבורא, אלוהים זו מילה שהטייתה רבים; על פי הדקדוק העברי, כשהרבים מכילים יותר ממגדר אחד משתמשים בהטיה זכרית. מיהם אותם האלוהים? אלוהים הם אני (אלוהים נפח בי את רוחו, נשמת חיי), אהובי והקרובים לי, אלה שאנחנו מכירים, כל אלה שמעשינו משפיעים עליהם

מסענו בהתבוננות פנימה מתחיל בתוך תוכנו. כיצד פעלנו, מה עשינו ואיך פועלנו השפיע על כל האלוהים שמניתי. התובנות ממסע זה תהיינה מעורבות, חלקן חיוביות וחלקן פחות. באופן טבעי נרצה לחזק ולחזור על המרכיבים החיוביים ולהרבות בעשייתם. התובנות גם תשמשנה כמניע לשנות את אותן אי-הצלחות, אותם מקרים ומעשים שעצם עשייתם מצערת אותנו ומשכך נעדיף לא לחזור עליהם. על מנת לאפשר את הוצאת הכוונות הטובות מהכוח אל הפועל, אנחנו צריכים לסלוח. לסלוח לעצמנו. הסליחה לא תשנה את מה שאירע בעבר, אבל יש ביכולתה לשחרר את הקיבעון, ולאפשר לנו לנוע לכיוון של עתיד אחר

במהלך ההתבוננות פנימה, עלולות לצוץ תמונות קשות. עלבתי בחבר, פגעתי ברכושה של הזולת, שכחתי להחזיר הלוואה שקיבלתי, לא שמרתי על קשר עם משפחתי, ועוד כהנה וכהנה. לעצמי כבר סלחתי על מעשי אלה. סליחה זו נותנת את הכוח ללכת ולבקש את סליחתם של אותם אלה שנפגעו ממני. רק אחרי שיסלחו לי, הסליחה לעצמי תהייה שלמה באמת

אותו חיקור הנפש מעלה גם את הפעמים בהם נפגעתי ממעשיהם ודבריהם של אחרים. גם ממקרים אלה נפיק את התובנות אותן נרצה לקחת איתנו לשנה הבאה. בתוך ליבנו, הכרנו בתרומתנו להשתלשלות העניינים וסלחנו לעצמנו. עתה אנחנו נכונים לסלוח לאחר, כשזה יבוא ויבקשה

ומה אם לא יבואו? ואולי אותו אדם שפגע בנו אינו מודע לכך שנפגענו? הרי לא נרצה לנטור ולשאת לנצח את הרגשות הכבדים של פגיעה

בכוח הסליחה שסלחנו לעצמנו על אי ההצלחות שלנו, בכוח השאיפה להשתנות ולהשתפר, נאזור את תעצומות הנפש וניזום את הסליחה לאחר. ניגש אליהם, ונאמר להם: סלחתי. כי לכל העם בשגגה.

שנה טובה

The Parashah starts with expressing gratitude for the delivery from Egypt, the Exodus and entering the Land of Milk and Honey:

And now, here I have brought the first of the Fruits of the land that You, Yah, have given me… …[hence] You shall rejoice with all the good that Yah, your God, gave you

Bringing the First of the Fruits is an expression of the unique mutual relationship between God and Israel. This relationship is an outcome of the free choice of both God and the People of Israel:

You have affirmed this day that Yah is your God in whose ways you will walk… …And Yah has affirmed this day that you are, His Treasured People as He promised you

First, the principles of social conduct are presented, to each of which the People respond with an affirming Amen. We all, then as well as today, are free to choose whether to follow these principles (Yetzer Hatov – the good inclination) or not (Yetzer Harah – the evil inclination). The consequences of our choices are equally represented on Mount Gerizim (The Blessing) and Mount Eival (The Curse):

All these blessings shall come upon you and take effect, because you heed to the words Yah your God:

OR

However, if you do not harken to the words of Yah your God… …all these curses shall befall upon you and take effect:

Gratitude and acknowledgment of the goodness we experience will help us make the better choice.

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This Parashah demonstrates the commandment (Leviticus 19:18) “Love to your fellow as yourself” with the call and examples how to care for the needs of the stranger (the different) and the weak in the society:

When you reap the harvest in your field and overlook a sheaf in the field, do not return to take it… When you beat down the fruit of your olive trees, do not go over them again… When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not pick it over again; [all] that shall go to the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.

We are also called to expand this attitude and action to the rest of the Creation creatures:

If you see your fellow’s ox or sheep gone astray… your fellow’s donkey or ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it; [if you see] The bird-mother sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young; You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together.

By showing compassion to the animals, we mirror The Creator’s Will that is expressed in the ‘Shema Yisrael’ (Deuteronomy 11:15):

I will [first] provide grass in the fields for your cattle and [then] you shall eat and feel satiated.

Let us first feed and take care of our animals and only then we can sit and dine.

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Dispute, disobeying rules and laws, and lack of consideration threaten and endanger the others – be it individuals or groups alike. When it comes to a dispute between People, the Parashah offers:

When you approach a town to fight it, you must first call and offer peace to it… [and if you have to fight] You must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down. Because the Human and the tree of the field are alike.

We are instructed to follow in a similar fashion dispute between individuals, or between an individual and the society:

Judges and officials, you shall appoint for yourself… …Do not pervert [bias] justice; do not display favoritism; and do not accept bribery… …a matter can be established only on the [truthful] testimony of two witnesses or more. Justice, Justice shall you pursue!

Why does the Parashah duplicate the word ‘Justice’ in the very same sentence? The first ‘Justice’ is the correct, accurate and true according to the law. The second ‘Justice’ is the pane of generosity, lovingkindness and mercy, as pointed out by Isaiah (48:5):

Let the skies pour down righteousness, let the earth open and sprout up charity [lovingkindness], [both of them] together

When the judges, the court, consider what should the ruling be, both facets of ‘justice’ must be considered and integrated. Once a ruling is made, it is incumbent to all of us, without exception to follow the instruction given in the Parashah:

You shall act in accordance with the instructions given you and the ruling handed down to you; you must not deviate from the verdict that they announce to you either to the right or to the left.

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When there is among you a needy from any of your brethren… …you must surely open your hand generously to one… … and you must surely extend one an offer to cover the needs which one may lack. Let not your heart be ill-disposed in your giving, because for this Yah your God shall bless you in all your doings and in all the enterprises of your hand!

The Idea of the Sh’mitah, sleepover, year every seventh year extends the generosity to the other, and enables a new, fresh, start to those who weren’t as lucky and successful:

When one of your brethren is sold to you and serves you for six years, in the seventh year you shall set them free into liberty, but not empty handed. You must surely present one with a severance from your flocks, your threshing floor, and your wine cellar

We can not change the past. However, in our acts of lovingkindness we are changing the future – both ours and the recipient’s.

The closing verse of the Parashah reiterates and emphasizes this ideal:

Every person shall [offer] gift as one is able, according to the blessing that Yah your God has bestowed upon you.

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