“These are the words”! With this we begin a new book, the Book of Deuteronomy. The book’s history is interesting, as many historians see it as the discovery to validate the reformation of King Josiah of Judea in the late 7th century BCE. We shall leave that for your Torah study discussion. The “words” (d’varim) have remained a serious issue of comment for centuries. Words are powerful and the Midrashim on this issue fill countless texts. The concept of lashon ha’ra-evil speech/gossip is very much embedded in this word. Words can kill literally and figuratively, and, as many sermons and articles have pointed out, social media has become as powerful as the spoken word.
The use of d’varim also appears in the morning service, translated sometimes as “obligations” as in “these are the obligation we must do”. The prayer is a road map of obligatory actions that are incumbent on each of us. The Gospel of John, as many of you may have studied, begins with the “word” (logos). The “word of God” is often a part of opening verses and passages in Torah. Indeed, as Moses begins the first of his life review sermons (the core of Deuteronomy) we encounter the “word of God” a lot.
Deuteronomy is a type of life-review for Moses. It contains his farewell sermons, so to speak. He chafes at the reality that he will not go to the Promised Land, and so he recounts the Wilderness and Exodus experiences. The constant is always the “word of God”. So, this week, as we begin the last book of Torah, the question we raise to you is “what have been the words that have influenced your life”?
Jewish tradition focuses, in many ways, on life review. We are close to the month of Elul when we begin to turn our souls to prepare for the Holidays. So, this may be a perfect time, with the “words” of Deuteronomy in front of us to ask what have been the words that have made the greatest impact in our lives? Of course, these “words” may have changed in their impact over time, maybe these words when we were 25 may not have the same relevance now when we are older. Or, maybe there has been some words of advice from a parent, a teacher, a friend, or mentor that has stuck with you and served as some sort of moral compass. Perhaps these words were from a book or play or film. No matter, we all, if we stop and think, have some words that have stayed with us.
On this Shabbat of D’varim see if you can reach into your soul to see what those words have been and ask if and how they still impact you.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Richard F Address
Rabbi Richard F. Address, D.Min, is the Founder and Director of www.jewishsacredaging.com. Rabbi Address served for over three decades on staff of the Union for Reform Judaism; first as a Regional Director and then, beginning in 1997, as Founder and Director of the URJ’s Department of Jewish Family Concerns and served as a specialist and consultant for the North American Reform Movement in the areas of family related programming. Rabbi Address was ordained from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1972 and began his rabbinic career in Los Angeles congregations. He also served as a part time rabbi for Beth Hillel in Carmel, NJ while regional director and, after his URJ tenure, served as senior rabbi of Congregation M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, NJ from 2011-2014.
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