VA’ETCHANAN, DEVARIM 3:23-7:11
In Parshat Va'etchanan, Moshe repeats the Ten Commandments, reminding us that the Sinai covenant was not limited to those who were physically present at Mount Sinai. You and I and all of us were there.
We are instructed to tell our children as to why we observe all the commandments: “We were slaves in Egypt, and G‑d took us out in order that we serve Him, so that we could reap the rewards for doing so.”
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In PARSHAT VA'ETCHANAN we delve into the mitzvot. These are:
The commandment of the unification of God.
The commandment of loving God.
The commandment of Torah study.
The law of the recitation of Shema morning and evening.
The commandment of the tefillin of the arm.
The commandment of the tefillin of the head.
To affix a mezuzah on entrances.
Not to test a true prophet more than is necessary.
The commandment of killing the seven nations
Not to grace and to have mercy on an idolaters.
Not to marry with idolaters.
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In Va’etchanan, Rabbi Riskin comments on the Laws and Statutes that we are required to learn, not just for ourselves, but for how the nations of the world will view and judge us. Rabbi Riskin’s comments are presented in a 8 minute video that is well worth viewing:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ji-YeBsS3FQ
In Chapter 4, verse 6, Hashem says as follows:
“And you shall observe and do, for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations, who will hear all these statutes and say, "Only this great nation is a wise and understanding people. "”
In his commentary, Rabbi Riskin is right on target.
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The Haftarah portion is from the Book of Isaiah (40:1-26), and this Shabbos is called the Shabbos of Consolation, נחמו.
נַַֽֽחֲמ֥וּ נַֽחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם
"Console, console My people," says your God”.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach,ז''ל , sings "Nachamu, Nachamu Ami". It is beautiful.
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In Parshat Va'etchanan, Moshe contends with Hashem; Moshe pleads one more time to be able to enter Land of Israel.
But Hashem shuts him down (3:26):
וַיִּתְעַבֵּר יְהוָה בִּי לְמַעַנְכֶם, וְלֹא שָׁמַע אֵלָי; וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֵלַי, רַב-לָךְ--אַל-תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי עוֹד, בַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה.
“But the Lord was angry with me because of you, and He did not listen to me, and the Lord said to me, "It is enough for you; speak to Me no more regarding this matter””.
Hashem’s response to Moshe is not easy to understand. It seems that Hashem in a certain sense has limits (as we do) beyond which He will not go.
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My friend Max has come up with a quiz that relates to the Parshat Va'etchanan Torah readings.
Here are his questions. Do your best.
The Answers are appended to the end of the essay.
QUIZ QUSTIONS
1-MOSHE " I PRAYED TO HASHEM AT THAT TIME , WHAT TIME ?
2-WHAT CHARACTERISTICS TRAIT IS REPRESENTED BY HASHEM'S STRONG HAND ?
3-WHAT IS HALEVANON ?
4- WHAT DID HASEM TELL JOSHUA AFTER BATTLE OF AI ?
5-HOW DID THE DECREE THAT MOSHE NOT ENTER THE LAND AFFECT HIM
6-WHAT IS HINTED BY THE WORD V'NOSHHANTEM ?
7-WHY WERE THE JEWS EXILED TWO YEARS EARLIER THAN MOSHE'S PROPHECY ?
8-"YOU WILL SERVE MAN-MADE GODS " IS THIS LITERAL
9-WHY IS EAST CALLED MIZRACH
10-WHEN DID THE HASHEM FIRST COMMANDED US TO KEEP SHABBAT ?
11-WHERE IS THE WORD TOTAFOT COMES FROM ?
12-WHAT DOES IT MEAN JEWS ARE THE SMALLEST NATION ?
13-WHEN SOMEONE SERVES HASHEM WITH LOVE , HOW MANY GENERATIONS RECEIVES REWARDS
14-WHICH LETTERS OF THE SHEMA SHOULD BE
PROLONGED IN AN ELONGATED MANNER, & WHY?
LENGTHEN THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE WORD ECHAD ,(ALEPH, CHET , DALET)
15-HOW SHOULD JEWS DIVIDE THEIR LEARNING INTO 3 DISTINCT PARTS ?
16-HOW MANY WORDS ARE IN THE SHEMA & WHY ?
17-HOW DOES ONE FULFILL THE "AHAVAS HASHEM "?
18-HOW CAN THE TEFILLIN REMIND US OF ALL THE 613 MITZVOT?
19-WHAT SHOULD YOU BEAR IN MIND WHEN SEEING YOUR MEZUZAH
20-WHY DID ZERESH TELL HAMAN TO HANG MORDECHAI FIRST THING IN THE MORNING?
21-WHY DO WE THANK HASHEM FOR GIVING US THE TORAH IN MIDDLE OF BENCHING ?
22-WHICH WORDS ARE APPROPRIATE TO SAY NEXT TO THE MEZUZAH ?
23-WHICH MITZVAH CAN PREVENT THE JEWS FROM BEING ATTACKED BY THEIR ENEMIES ?
24-HOW MANY TIMES DID MOSHE PRAY TO ENTER THE LAND ?
25-FROM WHERE DO WE LEARN TO SAY THE SHEMA BEFORE PASSING AWAY
26-HOW CAN ONE FULFILL THE OBLIGATION TO LEARN TORAH DAY & NITE ?
27-HOW MANY MITZVOT ARE MENTIONED IN THE SHEMA?
28-WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS FOR GOOD AND TIDINGS ?
29-WHAT CONNECTION IS THERE BETWEEN TISHA B'AV
AND VA'ETCHANAN ?
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I think there is a connection between Moshe’s attempt to resist Hashem’s decree and the finality of Hashem’s response in a Kinah that we recited Sunday morning on Tisha B’Av.
Once a year we also contend with Hashem (as per Rabbi Solovoichek). On Tisha B’Av in Kinah 7 we make this challenge to Hashem:
“How did you rush in your anger to eradicate your faithful ones at the hand of the Edomites…”?
I don't know the answer to either challenge, but sooner or later going to shiurim either I'll figure out or some Rabbi will teach me (B'ezrat Hashem).
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In this week’s Parshah at 6:4-9 we are presented with “Shema Yisrael”, a central prayer in our liturgy. In contrast to the Ten Commandments, it is a commandment to recite Shema Yisrael twice a day. At its basic root Shema Yisrael is about monotheism, but on the same token the Ten Commandments expresses the oneness of God:
“לֹא־יִֽהְיֶ֥ה לְךָ֛ אֱלֹהִ֥ים אֲחֵרִ֖ים עַל־פָּנָֽי”
“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me”.
But yet there is no Mitzvah to recite the Ten Commandments.
Any thoughts?
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PARASHAS VA'ETCHANAN QUIZ QUESTIONS // ANSWERS
1-MOSHE " I PRAYED TO HASHEM AT THAT TIME
, WHAT TIME ?
TIME AFTER DEFEATING
SICHON AND OG
2-WHAT CHARACTERISTICS TRAIT IS REPRESENTED BY
HASHEM'S STRONG HAND ?
HASHEM WILLINGNESS TO
FORGIVE
3-WHAT IS HALEVANON ?
BEIT HAMIKDASH, IT
MAKES THINGS WHITE AND PURE
4- WHAT DID HASEM TELL JOSHUA AFTER BATTLE OF
AI ?
JOSHUA MUST LEAD
THE ARMY INTO BATTLE
5-HOW DID THE DECREE THAT MOSHE NOT ENTER
THE LAND AFFECT HIM ?
EVEN HIS REMAINS
WERE NOT BURIED IN THE LAND
6-WHAT IS HINTED BY THE WORD V'NOSHHANTEM ?
GEMATRIA OF THE
WORD IS 852 HINTS TO THE NUMBER OF YEARS UNTIL THE FIRST EXILE
7-WHY WERE THE JEWS EXILED TWO YEARS EARLIER
THAN MOSHE'S PROPHECY ?
" SO THAT YOU
SHALL BE UTTERLY PERISH " WOULD NOT BE FULFILLED
8-"YOU WILL SERVE MAN-MADE GODS " IS
THIS LITERAL ?
NO, IT MEANS YOU
WILL SERVE OTHERS WHO SERVE IDOLS
9-WHY IS EAST CALLED MIZRACH /
IT'S THE DIRECTION
FROM WHERE THE SUN RISES , MIZRACH MEAN SHINING
10-WHEN DID THE HASHEM FIRST COMMANDED US TO
KEEP SHABBAT ?
AT MARAH
11-WHERE IS THE WORD TOTAFOT COMES
FROM ?
TOT MEANS
2 IN CASPI, AND FOT MEANS 2 IN AFRIKI, 2+2= 4 SECTIONS IN
TEFILLIN
12-WHAT DOES IT MEAN JEWS ARE THE SMALLEST
NATION ?
BNEI YISRAEL ARE
THE HUMBLEST NATION
13-WHEN SOMEONE SERVES HASHEM WITH LOVE , HOW
MANY GENERATIONS RECEIVES REWARDS?
2,000
GENERATIONS
14-WHICH LETTERS OF THE SHEMA SHOULD BE
PROLONGED IN AN ELONGATED MANNER, & WHY?
LENGTHEN THE
PRONUNCIATION OF THE WORD ECHAD ,(ALEPH, CHET , DALET)
ALEPH = ONE
MASTER, CHET = SEVEN HEAVEN & EARTH, DALET = 4 DIRECTIONS
15-HOW SHOULD JEWS DIVIDE THEIR LEARNING
INTO 3 DISTINCT PARTS ?
1/3 TANACH, 1/3
MISHNAYOS, AND 1/3 TALMUD
16-HOW MANY WORDS ARE IN THE SHEMA & WHY ?
THERE 248
WORDS CORRESPONDING TO 248 BONES & LIMBS IN THE BODY & POSITIVE
COMMANDMENTS
17-HOW DOES ONE FULFILL THE "AHAVAS
HASHEM "?
BY STUDYING
HIS TORAH
18-HOW CAN THE TEFILLIN REMIND US OF ALL THE
613 MITZVOT?
TWO SHINS = 600,
PLUS 8-STRAPS PLUS 5 COMPARTMENTS EQUAL 613
19-WHAT SHOULD YOU BEAR IN MIND WHEN
SEEING YOUR MEZUZAH ?
REMINDER TO ALWAYS
ACCEPT THE KINGDOM OF HASHEM
20-WHY DID ZERESH TELL HAMAN TO HANG MORDECHAI
FIRST THING IN THE MORNING?
NOT TO GIVE
MORDECHAI A CHANCE TO PRAY THE SHEMA
21-WHY DO WE THANK HASHEM FOR GIVING US THE
TORAH IN MIDDLE OF BENCHING ?
WE THANK
HASHEM FOR PROVIDING US FOOD FOR OUR SOULS
22-WHICH WORDS ARE APPROPRIATE TO SAY NEXT TO
THE MEZUZAH ?
HASHE IS
THE MASTER OF ALL , ALWAYS
23-WHICH MITZVAH CAN PREVENT THE JEWS FROM
BEING ATTACKED BY THEIR ENEMIES ?
MITZVAH OF
SAYING THE SHEMA
24-HOW MANY TIMES DID MOSHE PRAY TO ENTER THE LAND
?
515 TIMES, THE
GEMATRIA OF VA'ETCHANAN
25-FROM WHERE DO WE LEARN TO SAY THE
SHEMA BEFORE PASSING AWAY?
FROM RABBI AKIVA
SAID IT BEFORE DYING IN THE HANDS OF THE ROMANS
26-HOW CAN ONE FULFILL THE OBLIGATION TO LEARN
TORAH DAY & NITE ?
BY SAYING
THE SHEMA AT LEAST TWICE A DAY
27-HOW MANY MITZVOT ARE MENTIONED IN THE
SHEMA?
OVER 20
MITZVOT ARE MENTIONED IN THE SHEMA
28-WHAT ARE THE BLESSINGS FOR GOOD AND TIDINGS
?
GOOD TIDINGS =
HATOV VeHAMETIV,,BAD TIDINGS = DAYAN HAEMET
29-WHAT CONNECTION IS THERE BETWEEN TISHA B'AV
AND VA'ETCHANAN ?
TISHA B'AV JEWS
CRIED , DID NOT WANT TO ENTER THE LAND
VA'ETCHANAN MOSHE
PRAYED MANY MANY TIMES TO ENTER THE LAND
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