Sometimes, the answer is “no”.
This week’s Torah portion is one of our more well-known portions, as it contains the third repetition of the Ten Commandments, (chapter 5) the Sh’ma and the V’ahavta. (chapter 6) Much has been written and discussed on these chapters; however, the very beginning of the portion attracted my attention this week. Moses “pleads” again to just be able to cross over and “see the good land”. This is powerfully dramatic scene, Moses knows his fate, yet he pleads once more to which God answers in 3:26 “Enough, never speak to me of this again”. We have all been here at various moments in life; we wish for more, we pray for something and, the answer comes back “no”. So true, especially as life ebbs and we experience changes in our bodies, lifestyles, personal situations, and we pray for perhaps for one more day, one more chance. We are reminded of the first chapter of Ecclesiastes which comments that our eyes are never satisfied (1:8), we are reluctant to yield to the natural losses of life.
These opening lines of our portion have great meaning for so many. Remember, Deuteronomy is the farewell chapter in Moses’s life. He knows his fate but, as with so many, he is not ready. These verses are a not-so-subtle reminder of our own mortality. But notice what Torah does because of this encounter between Moses and God. The next chapters are about faith and living a life embraces by mitzvot. One can make the argument that these verses are about legacy. A key aspect of the rest of Deuteronomy is the aspect of choice, that we have the power to choose not only the life we live, but the legacy we leave behind. This portion, like the very last verses in Ecclesiastes, remind us that a life lived within the boundaries of ethics, faith, kindness and care does make a difference.
This is a section of Torah that speaks to each of us. It reminds us that life is precious, and even though we may plead for more, we know that at some point, it will end. So, we are called on to treasure this gift, and to celebrate the miracles that surround us. This is a portion that also reminds us that a challenge that each of us faces in life is how we deal with life when life tells us “no”. Moses, it seems, turned to affirming faith. We all know that this is not easy. But again, the example of the text is that faith and hope is a choice that rests with each of us. What shall our legacy be?
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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