Before he dies Moses warns the people (31.18) that if they betray their heritage, God will turn away from them and ‘ I will hide my face.’ “Haster Astir Pani Mayhem.” The same phrase is used again in the Ha’azinu “Astir panai mayhem.” This is how many rabbis have explained the suffering we experienced in exile. Why God did not…
Sefer Devarim
Choice
There are several covenants, contracts between God and Israel in the Torah. But this final one includes a new idea, that of choice. “I am giving you the choice to accept a covenant, I am making with you and all future generations…You may think you are blessed (if you do not want to accept this contract) and be in peace,…
Covenants
This week’s very short reading from the Torah tackles the question of what it means to be Jewish. We use the word Brit, covenant to describe this connection but there are several Brits in the Torah. There is the covenant with Avraham over the Land. Then there is the covenant of circumcision. Later comes the covenant at Sinai to the…
Secrets
“The secrets belong to God, and the revealed things are for us and our children forever, in order to follow the words of the Torah” (29.28). Rashbam takes this to mean that God will punish on the basis of secrets that He alone knows. Humans punish according to human law that has been revealed on Sinai. Nachmanides, takes this to…
Not in Heaven
“The Torah, this mitzvah which I command you is not beyond unnatural or beyond you. It is not in heaven that we say who will go up to heaven to bring it down for us to teach us so that we can do it. It is not across the seas so we might say who will cross the sea and…
The Land of Israel
This book of Devarim keeps on referring to how special the land of Israel is. Its produce “A land of grain wheat and barley, wine, figs, pomegranates, olive oil and honey,” “A land flowing with milk and honey.” In Egypt and in Babylon produce came from irrigation. In Israel rains were the only source of fresh water and so the…