VA’ETCHANAN, DEVARIM 3:23-7:11

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 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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MAX’S PARSHAT VA’ETCHANAN QUIZ QUESTIONS

Max has come up with a quiz that relates to Parshah Va’etchanan.  Attached are his questions.  Do your best.  Answers are at the end of the post.

Wishing You a Good Shabbos and an easy fast.
Stay inside, safe and healthy,

Mick

1-WHO DESIGNATED THE 6-CITIES OF REFUGE?

2-WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED?

3-WHICH LETTERS OF SHEMA TO BE PRONOUNCED ELONGATED?

4-HOW SHOULD JEWS DIVIDE THEIR TORAH LEARNING?

5-WHY ARE THERE 248-WORDS IN KERIYAS SHEMA?

6-HOW DOES ONE FULFILL MITZVAH "AHAVAS HASHEM"?

7-DO MOST PEOPLE SERVE HASHEM OUT OF LOVE OR FEAR?

8-HOW CAN THE TEFILLIN REMINDS US OF ALL THE 613 MITZVOTS?

9-WHAT HAPPENS TO SOMEONE WHOSE MEZUZOS ARE PASUL?

10-WHAT SHOULD YOU BEAR IN MIND WHEN SEEING MEZUZAH?

11-WHY DID ZERESH TELL HAMAN TO HANG MORDECHAI EARLY AM?

12-WHY DO WE THANK HASHEM FOR TORAH IN BENCHING?

13-WHY SHOULD JEWS HAVE A HAPPY DISPOSITION ?

14-WHICH WORDS ARE APPROPRIATE TO SAY NEXT TO THE MEZUZAH?

15-WHO FASTED 40-DAYS TO BECOME SMARTER & KNOWLEDGABLE ?

16-WHICH MITZVAH PREVENT JEWS FROM BEING ATTACKED?

17-HOW MANY BERACHOS MUST A JEW SAY EVERYDAY ?

18-HOW MANY TIMES DID MOSHE PRAYED TO ENTER ERETZ YISROEL?

19-WHY WAS 1st PASUK OF SHEMA EMBROIDERED ON REUBEN FLAG?

20-WHEN IS IT A MITZVAH TO GO ON A DIET ?

21-WHY DID RABBI YESHAYA PIK LEARNED SHAS PRECISELY 42-TIMES?

22-HOW MUCH OF SHEMA MUST U CONCENTRATE TO FULFILL MITZVAH?

23-WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SAY SHEMA IN THE MORNING?

24-FROM WHERE DO WE LEARN TO SAY SHEMA BEFORE PASSING AWAY?

25-HOW CAN U FULFILL THE OBLIGATION TO LEARN TORAH DAY & NITE?

26-HOW MANY MITZVOS ARE MENTIONED IN SHEMA ?

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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. 

נַֽחֲמ֥וּ נַֽחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶֽם

"Console, console My people," says your God”.

 

Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach sings "Nachamu, Nachamu Ami".  It is beautiful.

https://youtu.be/5dptj7zzIig

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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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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 recite Thursday 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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My friend Max from Nahariya has come up with a quiz that relates to this week's Parshah.  Attached are his questions and answers.  How did you do?  Maybe you have to study more; I do.

Wishing You a Good Shabbos and an Easy Fast,
Stay inside, safe and healthy,

Mick

 

> 1-WHO DESIGNATED THE 6-CITIES OF REFUGE?

THE FIRST  3 BY MOSHE RABBENU , THE LAST 3 BY JOSHUA

> 2-WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED?

MOSHE--GOLAN ( MENASHEH), RAMUTA (GAD), BEZER (REUBEN)

JOSHUA-KEDESH (NAPHTALI) SHECHEM( EPHRAIM),KIRYAT-ARBA(JUDAH)

> 3-WHICH LETTERS OF SHEMA TO BE PRONOUNCED ELONGATED?

LENGTHEN THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE WORD ECHAADDDD

> 4-HOW SHOULD JEWS DIVIDE THEIR TORAH LEARNING?

1/3-TANACH, 1/3-MISHNAYOS, 1/3-TAMUD BAVLI

> 5-WHY ARE THERE 248-WORDS IN KERIYAS SHEMA?

248-IN SHEMA CORRESPOND TO THE 248-BONES &LIMBS IN THE BODY

> 6-HOW DOES ONE FULFILL MITZVAH "AHAVAS HASHEM"?

BY STUDYING HIS TORAH, WHEN YOU LEARN HASHEM TALKS TO YOU

> 7-DO MOST PEOPLE SERVE HASHEM OUT OF LOVE OR FEAR?

MOST PEOPLE SERVE HASHEM OUT OF FEAR, UNFORTUNATELY

> 8-HOW CAN THE TEFILLIN REMINDS US OF ALL THE 613 MITZVOTS?

TWO SHINS ON TEFILLIN=600, 8-STRAPS, + 5-COMPARTMENTS=613

> 9-WHAT HAPPENS  TO SOMEONE WHOSE MEZUZOS ARE PASUL?

ENDANGERS HIS LIFE & LIFE OF OTHERS,NEED TO CHECK EVERY 3.5YRS

> 10-WHAT SHOULD YOU BEAR IN MIND WHEN SEEING MEZUZAH?

CONSTANT REMINDER TO ACCEPT GOD'S KINGDOM, & OBEY HIS LAWS

> 11-WHY DID ZERESH TELL HAMAN TO HANG MORDECHAI EARLY AM?

NOT TO GIVE MORDECHAI ENOUGH TIME TO RECITE THE SHEMA

> 12-WHY DO WE THANK HASHEM FOR TORAH IN BENCHING?.

WE THANK HASHEM FOR PROVIDING US WITH FOOD FOR OUR SOULS

> 13-WHY SHOULD JEWS HAVE A HAPPY DISPOSITION ?

TO DISPLAY OUR PRIDE FOR BEING SUBSERVIENT TO HIM

> 14-WHICH WORDS ARE APPROPRIATE TO SAY NEXT TO THE MEZUZAH?

HASHEM YISHMOR TZEISEINU UVO'EINU L'CHAIM TOVIM UL'SHALOM

> 15-WHO FASTED 40-DAYS TO BECOME SMARTER & KNOWLEDGABLE ?

KING SOLOMON FASTED FOR 40-DAYS TO ACQUIRE WISDOM

> 16-WHICH MITZVAH PREVENT JEWS FROM BEING ATTACKED?

THE SHEMA IS SUFFICIENT MERIT TO PROTECT FROM ATTACKS

> 17-HOW MANY BERACHOS MUST A JEW SAY EVERYDAY ?

A MINIMUM OF 100-BERACHOTS A DAY

> 18-HOW MANY TIMES DID MOSHE PRAYED TO ENTER ERETZ  YISROEL?

MOSHE PRAYED 515-TIMES, THE GEMATRIA OF VAESHANAN IS 515

> 19-WHY WAS 1st PASUK OF SHEMA EMBROIDERED ON REUBEN FLAG?

REUBEN WAS THE OLDEST OF THE SHEVATIM, IT WAS HIS DUTY TO TEACH

> 20-WHEN IS IT A MITZVAH TO GO ON A DIET ?

IN ORDER TO  MAINTAIN A HEALTHY BODY TO SERVE THE CREATOR

> 21-WHY DID RABBI YESHAYA PIK LEARNED SHAS PRECISELY 42-TIMES?

IT SAYS  "VEDIBARTA BAM", THE GEMATRIA OF BAM IS 42

> 22-HOW MUCH OF SHEMA MUST U CONCENTRATE TO FULFILL MITZVAH?

THE MAIN REQUIREMENT IS AT LEAST THE FIRST PASUK

> 23-WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO SAY SHEMA IN THE MORNING?

MORNING SHEMA IS BEST READ RIGHT BEFORE SUNRISE

> 24-FROM WHERE DO WE LEARN TO SAY SHEMA BEFORE PASSING AWAY?

RABBI AKIVA WAS KILLED BY THE ROMANS READING THE SHEMA

> 25-HOW CAN U FULFILL THE OBLIGATION TO LEARN TORAH DAY & NITE?

BY SAYING THE SHEMA TWICE PER DAY , MORNING AND EVENING

> 26-HOW MANY MITZVOS ARE MENTIONED IN SHEMA ?

OVER 20-MITZVOTS ARE MENTIONED IN SHEMA

 

 

DEVARIM 1:1–3:22

 DEVARIM 1:1–3:22

 

              We begin the 5th Book of the Chumash, Sefer Devarim.

 The Greeks and other "Progressives" call it Deuteronomy, "second law".  This name is from a Greek mis-translation of the Hebrew phrase Mishneh Torah, "a repeat of the Law".  Shows you how much the Greeks and other "Progressives" know.  Mishneh Torah is what what we commonly called Devarim way back when.

DEVARIM begins:

 "These are the words which Moses spoke to all Israel..."

"אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר משֶׁה אֶל כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל"

All Israel means just that: Young, Old; Rich, Poor; Men, Women; Ashkenazi, Sephardi; Chassids, Misnagedim; Religious, Secular.  Everyone is counted. Everyone counts.

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Way back in the Book of Genesis (18:19), Abraham is told that he and his descendants are to:

“…keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice…”

וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהוָה, לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט

But unfortunately we do not:

In the Haftorah portion from the Book of Isaiah, a 100 years or so before the destruction of the first Temple, the Prophet foresees the Destruction because we did not do righteous and justice, and Our eventual redemption (1:27) will occur when:

“Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and they that return of her with righteousness.”

צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה; וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָ

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The Haftarah opens with first verse of the Book of Isaiah.  Isaiah relates that he prophesied during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Since Uzziah's reign was 52 years in the middle of the 8th century BCE, Isaiah probably began his ministry a few years before Uzziah's death, maybe in the 740’s BCE.

Isaiah would have known about the destruction of the Northern Kingdom of Israel, destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BCE, and much of its population deported. For him it was a foreshadowing of what was instore for the Kingdom of Judah.

He is said to have been murdered by Hezekiah’s son and successor,  the very much wicked Manasseh, who after a co-regency, took the throne in 687 BCE.  Manasseh ruled for 55 years.  He re-instituted polytheistic worship, reversed the religious changes made by his father Hezekiah and sucked up to the Assyrian overlords.

In the Book of Isaiah at chapter 45, Isaiah speaks favorably of the Persian king Cyrus the Great.  His rule began in 559 BCE, causing many of us to consider that there may be more than one Isaiah credited with the Book of Isaiah  

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MAX’S PARSHAT DEVARIM QUIZ QUESTIONS

BS”D

Olim:

Max has come up with a quiz that relates to Parshat Devarim.  Attached are his questions.  Do your best.

Wishing You a Shavua tov,
Stay inside, safe and healthy,

Mick

1-WHAT LOCATION WAS DEVARIM TAUGHT ?

2-HOW MUCH TIME ELAPSED FROM MT SINAI TO SPY MISSION ?

3-IN WHICH LANGUAGE DID MOSHE EXPLAIN THE TORAH TO JEWS ?

4-WHICH QUALITY MOSHE COULD NOT FIND IN SELECTING JUDGES  ?

5-WHICH CITY DID KALEV BEN YEFUNE INHERIT ?

6-WHEN ARE JEWS NOT ALLOWED TO BE SCARED ?

 7-WHY DOES DEVARIM BEGIN BY LISTING THE SINS IN THE MIDBAR ?

8-WHEN DID AN 11-DAY TRIP TURN INTO A 40-YEARS JOURNEY ?

9-WHY DID MOSHE BLESS THE JEWS INCREASE 1,000  FOLD WHEN

     HASHEM HAD ALREADY BLESSED THEM ?

10-WHAT ARE THE 7-QUALITIES YISTRO RECOMMENDED FOR JUDGES ?

11-WHAT ARE THE 3-MAIN JOBS OF A JEWISH LEADER ?

12-WHY ARE THE MEN OF AMON & MOAV REJECTED FROM CONVERTS ?

13-WHAT DID MOSHE USE TO KNOCK DOWN KING OG THE GIANT ?

14-WHO LOVED US BUT SCOLDED US, WHO HATED US BUT BLESSED US ?

15-WHICH TZADIKIM WAITED TILL DEATH TO REBUKE LOVED ONES ?

16-WHEN DID MOSHE APPOINTED POLICE OFFICERS ?

17-HOW LONG WAS MOSHE LAST LECTURE TO BNEI YISROEL ?

18-HOW LONG WAS THE LONGEST ENCAMPMENT IN THE MIDBAR   ?

19-WHICH 3-TZADIKIM IN TANACH SAID " EICHA " ?

20-WHAT IS " KOSHER MONEY " ?

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Devarim, is a concluding monologue by Moshe Rabbeinu.

This week's Parshah recounts how Moshe appointed chiefs, the episode of the Twelve Spies, encounters with the Edomites and Ammonites, the conquest of Sihon and Og, and the assignment of land for the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Tribe of Manasseh.

Moses reminds the Israelites regarding Hashem's instruction that Edom, Moab and Amon were off-limits because these nations were the inheritance of Esau and Lot.

The Children of Israel are enjoined to keep the Torah and observe its commandments that Hashem has given them as an eternal heritage.

Moshe’s message of encouragement  at 3:22 to his successor, Yehoshua regarding the Canaanites:

“Fear them not, for Hashem your God, He is fighting for you.”

לֹ֖א תִּֽירָא֑וּם כִּ֚י יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם ה֖וּא הַנִּלְחָ֥ם לָכֶֽם

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In the Parshah at 1:24, the activity of the 12 men who were sent out is not called “scouting” as in the Book of Numbers, but here in Devarim it is called “spying”.

יִּפְנוּ֙ וַיַּֽעֲל֣וּ הָהָ֔רָה וַיָּבֹ֖אוּ עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֑ל וַיְרַגְּל֖וּ אֹתָֽהּ

 "And they turned and went up the mountain, and they came to the valley of Eshkol and they spied it out".

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There is a connection between the Parshah and the 9th Day of Av which begins on Wednesday, the 27 of July.

 On Tish B’Av we read from the Book of Lamentations. The Book of Lamentations is traditionally called "Eichah", איכה, translated as "How".   The first words read:

יכָ֣ה | יָֽשְׁבָ֣ה בָדָ֗ד הָעִיר֙ רַבָּ֣תִי עָ֔ם

"How is that she sits in solitude..."?

  And in Parshat Devarim, at 1:12 we read where Moshe says:

אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י טָרְחֲכֶ֥ם וּמַשַּֽׂאֲכֶ֖ם וְרִֽיבְכֶֽם

“How (איכה)  can I bear your trouble, your burden, and your strife all by myself?”

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MAX’S PARSHAT DEVARIM QUIZ

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Max has come up with a quiz that relates to this week's Parshah.  Attached are his questions and answers.  How did you do?  Maybe you have to study more; I do.

Wishing You a Good Shabbos..
Stay inside, safe and healthy,

Mick

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK (BAVA MATZIA 85b)

Anyone who makes himself a salve to the Torah in this World

Will be a Free Man in the Next World

> 

> 1-WHAT LOCATION WAS DEVARIM TAUGHT ?

IT WAS TAUGHT IN THE PLAINS OF MOAV

> 2-HOW MUCH TIME ELAPSED FROM MT SINAI TO SPY MISSION ?

40-DAYS

> 3-IN WHICH LANGUAGE DID MOSHE EXPLAIN THE TORAH TO JEWS ?

IN THE 70-LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD, IT CAN USED WORLDWIDE

> 4-WHICH QUALITY MOSHE COULD NOT FIND IN SELECTING JUDGES  ?

MEN OF UNDERSTANDING

> 5-WHICH CITY DID KALEV BEN YEFUNE INHERIT ?

HEBRON

> 6-WHEN ARE JEWS NOT ALLOWED TO BE SCARED ?

 NOT TO BE SCARED IN WARTIME, AND HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HASHEM

> 7-WHY DOES DEVARIM BEGIN BY LISTING THE SINS IN THE MIDBAR ?

SO THAT THEY SHOULD DO TESHUVA, DESPITE THEIR SHORTCOMINGS

> 8-WHEN DID AN 11-DAY TRIP TURN INTO A 40-YEARS JOURNEY ?

WHEN BNEI YISROEL INSISTED IN SENDING THE SPIES TO SCOUT

> 9-WHY DID MOSHE BLESS THE JEWS INCREASE 1,000  FOLD WHEN

 

>     HASHEM HAD ALREADY BLESSED THEM ?

HASHEM BLESSED JEWS IN QUANTITY, MOSHE BLESSED THEM IN QUALITY

> 10-WHAT ARE THE 7-QUALITIES YISTRO RECOMMENDED FOR JUDGES ?

WISDOM, HUMILITY, FEAR OF HASHEM, DETEST MONEY, LOVES TRUTH

LOVE PROPLE, AND GOOD REPUTATION

> 11-WHAT ARE THE 3-MAIN JOBS OF A JEWISH LEADER ?

TEACH TORAH TO THE PEOPLE, PRAY FOR HASHEM BLESSINGS

JUDGE THE PEOPLE JUSTLY WITH GOOD ADVICE

> 12-WHY ARE THE MEN OF AMON & MOAV REJECTED FROM CONVERTS ?

THE WERE MEAN TO THE JEWS BY DENYING THEM FOOD AND WATER,

THEY ALSO  REFUSED  THE JEWS PASSAGE THROUGH THEIR BORDERS

> 13-WHAT DID MOSHE USE TO KNOCK DOWN KING OG THE GIANT ?

MOSHE USED THE SHEM HAMEFORASH AND THE MATEH ELOHIM

> 14-WHO LOVED US BUT SCOLDED US, WHO HATED US BUT BLESSED US ?

MOSHE LOVED THE JEWS BUT SCOLDED THEM TO MAKE THEM BETTER

BILAM HATED THE JEWS AND ONLY PRAISED THEM BECAUSE OF HASHEM

> 15-WHICH TZADIKIM WAITED TILL DEATH TO REBUKE LOVED ONES ?

YAAKOV ABINU, MOSHE RABBENU, YEHOSHUA BEN NUN, KING DAVID

> 16-WHEN DID MOSHE APPOINTED POLICE OFFICERS ?

MOSHE APPOINTED OFFICERS TO CARRY OUT JUDGMENTS OF DAYANIM

> 17-HOW LONG WAS MOSHE LAST LECTURE TO BNEI YISROEL ?

LASTED 40-CONSECUTIVE DAYS, LONGEST FAREWELL IN HISTORY

> 18-HOW LONG WAS THE LONGEST ENCAMPMENT IN THE MIDBAR   ?

LONGEST WAS 19-YEARS, IN KADESH BARNEYA

> 19-WHICH 3-TZADIKIM IN TANACH SAID " EICHA " ?

MOSHE RABBENU, YESHAYA, AND YIRMIYA. ALL SAID EICHA, (ALAS)

> 20-WHAT IS " KOSHER MONEY " ?

MONEY THAT WAS EARNED WITHOUT ANY AVEIRAH COMMITTED

TO ATTAIN IT