A Look at Parashat Va’etchanan

Parashat Va’etchanan

פרשת ואתחנן

דברים Devarim 3:23 to 7:11

Just as last week’s portion (Devarim) is read on the Shabbat preceding Tishah B’Av, this week’s portion is read on the Sabbath preceding Tu B’Av,(טו באב), a minor holiday referenced in the Mishna as a joyous occasion, sort of a Jewish Valentines Day.

Chapter 3, Verses 23 through 29 – Moses is permitted to gaze at the land that he will not enter

Here again, Moses blames the Israelites for G-d apparently losing patience with him and for his being denied permission to cross over to the promised land. Perhaps as partial compensation,  G-d relents somewhat and instructs Moses to climb to the summit from where he can gaze out at the land. Note that in reality, only a fraction of the land west of the Jordan is in the line of sight from the crests of the mountains of Moab.

Moses is further told to give Joshua his instructions and encouragement.

Chapter 4, Verses 1 through 8 – Introduction to the laws

Introductory paragraph to the laws (חוקים) and rules or statutes (משפטים) that are requisite to maintaining a stable society in the land of Israel. Differentiation between the two terms is not clearly defined in the Torah. One interpretation is that Laws are generally taken to be commandments for religious observance for which there may not be an apparent logical reason, or at least the reason may be hidden from us (e.g. Kashrut or shatnez). Statutes deal with criminal or civil matters that are between man and man and not between man and Gd.

The law is what it is. Man cannot add or subtract from the commandments (Verse 2). From this, Torah scribes are enjoined to faithfully copy scrolls without modifications, inclusive of what may to us appear to be typos or contradictions. In that way, the Torah (the written law) is inviolate, unchanged from generation to generation. In practical application, the Oral Law or the Talmud and subsequent commentaries may reinterpret in accordance with changing needs to deal with evolving societies, customs, and norms as well as developing technologies.

Verses 9 through 14 – Reminder of the covenant

Reminder of the covenant at Mount Sinai. The generation that left Egypt died off and the present generation did not witness the covenant, although they are still bound to it.

Verses 15 through 20 – Forbidden to fashion graven images

Reminder that G-d has no shape, and hence we are not to fashion graven images or worship idols. This may be an oblique reference to the incident of the golden calf and a reminder of the grave consequences.

Verses 21 through 31 – Consequences for forgetting or neglecting the covenant

Moses once again admonishes the people that it is their fault that G-d is angry at him and because of them he will not be allowed to enter the promised land.

Moses goes on to give the people a dire warning that they must not forget the covenant, for if they do, uh ohl Many will be wiped out, and the saving remnant will be exiled to strange lands and confronted with strange false gods that will not respond to them. But even in the depths of exile and despair you can find G-d if you truly seek him. Even though he did (or at least permitted) all of this dreadful stuff to befall us, he has not forgotten the covenant.

Verses 32 through 43 – Israel unique among the nations

Reminder that Israel is unique among the peoples, having received the covenant, having been led out of Egypt (begs the question as to why we were there in the first place) and being led to the promised land as a possession. We are told in no uncertain terms that we must continue to observe the laws and rules so things will go well with us.

Verse 39וידעת היום והשבת אל לבבך כי ה’ הוא האלוקים בשמים ממעל ועל הארץ מתחת אין עוד) – “And you will know today and know in your mind that He is G-d in heaven above and on earth below. There is no other.”) affirms monotheism, that is, the oneness of Gd. This verse is included in the Aleinu prayer at the conclusion of every service.

Verses 41 through 43 somewhat out of context deals with the three cities of refuge being established east of the Jordan. In the book of Numbers, chapter 35, verses 6 through 15, three additional cities of refuge west of the Jordan are called for, but this land has not yet been conquered.

Verses 44 through 49 – This is the Torah that Moses placed before Israel

Note verse 44 (וזאת התורה אשר שם משה לפני בני ישראל – “This is the Torah/teaching that Moshe placed before the Israelites”) that begins the Torah reading service. In the service, from the Book of Joshua, the following is added: על פי ה’ ביד משה: (“At the command of G-d through Moses”).

Why does it read “placed” and not “taught”? Perhaps because it is up to us individually to decide if, and to what extent, we study and possibly adapt the teachings of the Torah.

Chapter 5, Verses 1 through 30 – Repetition of the Ten Commandments

Here all the people are called to hear a repetition of, and expansion on, the ten commandments as given at Mount Sinai (Exodus, chapter 20). In verse three the people are reminded that the covenant is not just with the fathers who were present at Mount Sinai 38 years ago and are now dead, but with all who are present. The Rabbis assert that this also applies to all future generations of Jews. As we say in the Passover seder, each generation must see itself as having left Egypt.

In verse 9, we are reminded that G-d is a jealous god (אנכי ה’ אלקיך אל קנא), holding the descendants to the third and the fourth generation guilty – פקד עון אבות (or is a better translation “responsible”?) for the sins of the fathers.

In verse 12, we are commanded to observe the sabbath “and keep it holy” (שמור את השבת לקדשו). Back in Exodus, chapter 20, verse 8 we were commanded to remember the sabbath and keep it holy (זכור את יום השבת לקדשו). Why the difference? Possibly because in Exodus, G-d was addressing the generation that left Egypt and was recently freed from bondage. Under their Egyptian taskmasters, they were probably not allowed to keep the sabbath. At most, they could remember the sabbath. Here in Deuteronomy, Moses is addressing the generation that grew up in the desert and is now on the verge of settling the promised land where they will have the ability to both remember and keep the sabbath.

Note in verse 14, the injunction to refrain from work on the Sabbath is not limited to the Israelites, but extends to their livestock, their slaves, and even “the stranger (perhaps resident is a better translation of גר) in your settlements”. Apparently, it is not permissible to hire or obtain the services of a “Shabbos goy”. One rabbinic interpretation (still far from a majority opinion) is that it is permissible to engage the services of a “Shabbos goy” when it comes to a violation of Rabbinic Law but not Torah Law. For example, under this lenient interpretation you can request a Shabbos goy to turn on a LED light bulb but not an incandescent or fluorescent light bulb (as this would be akin to initiating a spark).

Note in verse 26: “May they always be of such mind …” (מי יתן ויהיה לבבכם בזה) also translated as “Who can assure that this heart   shall remain theirs …” The Rabbis point to this verse as proof that we are granted free will;  G-d does not know in advance if we will choose to obey him or not. Rabbi Akiva taught, perhaps self-contradictory, that “Everything is foreseen, yet freedom of choice exists”. Perhaps to put this in contemporary terms, Rabbi Akiva’s intent is that G-d macromanages but does not micromanage. What do you think?

Chapter 6, Verses 1 through 25 – Another injunction to obey the laws

Again, an injunction to obey the laws and rules set down by G-d to Moses to convey to the people.

Note verse 4, The Shema prayer. This is arguably the most important and well-known prayer in Judaism, affirming Gd’s singularity (שמע ישראל ה’ אלוקנו ה’ אחד). Reportedly, since the martyrdom of Rabbi Akiva, this is the final prayer that a Jew pronounces at the moment of his death. Note that in the Torah, the final letter in the first word and the final letter in the last word are enlarged. Together they form the word עד (witness), perhaps signifying that the reader of this simple prayer affirms Gd’s oneness.

Verses 5 through 9 are incorporated into the daily prayer liturgy. How can anyone be commanded to love (ואהבת את ה’ אלוקיך), as opposed to being commanded to obey? The Rabbis teach that love of G-d comes from learning the Torah. Of course, as Rashi noted, it is always preferable to obey out of love, then out of fear for the consequences. Maimonides further commented that obedience out of fear is useful as an educational or pedagogic measure until a student acquires sufficient knowledge and insight to act out of love.

From verse 8 we get the Talmudic commandment to put on phylacteries (וקשרתם לאות על ידך והיו לטטפת בין עיניך).

 Verse 9 is the source of the Talmudic command to affix a Mezuzah to the doorposts (וכתבתם על מזוזות ביתיך ובשעריך).

Verses 10 through 25 contain injunctions to behave and not chase after false gods, as the Lord is a jealous god (אל קנא) and it will not end well for us if we provoke Him.

Chapter 7, Verses 1 through 11 – Injuction to destroy the nations of Canaan

The nations that inhabit Canaan will, with Gd’s help, be defeated. The Torah prescribes that they be destroyed along with their altars and other religious artifacts. Intermarriage with them is expressly forbidden. The concern is that they will influence the Israelites to worship other gods. For that reason, failure to destroy them will incur Gd’s wrath. This passage has troubling moral implications to our contemporary ears. After all, if the Israelites are led astray by the idolatrous practices of the ambient cultures, who is to blame, the surrounding peoples or the Israelites?