With an empty house (soon to be filled with my wife and children over the next few weeks), I haven’t had to fight with anyone over the remote control, over the type of music that is played (Jazz or The Grateful Dead); or anything for that matter. Earlier this week, I noticed a book on our bookshelf that I haven’t read in about 30 years but it seemed like it would be pertinent to the times we are living in George Orwell’s 1984. So I began reading it. As I am reading a book about life in a totalitarian state where Big Brother is always watching, telling its citizens how to think, always rewriting history, always being sure to eliminate facts and thereby make truth subjective rather than objective. As I am reading the book, as I thought about “fake news”, as I study Torah, I realized how decidedly “Un-Jewish” this is. I realized that facts, truth, paying attention to what we see, what we read, and what we hear has been the key to the survival of the Jewish People. The Jewish people read the Torah. The history of the Jewish people has been to hear the words of the Torah and to listen or heed those to who teach and transmit Torah. Within that process of reading, listening and seeing all of which, by the way, are a means towards learning, comes questioning. It seems that asking questions is the basis for which reading, listening, and seeing allows us to pursue truth, to determine which are facts and which are not, and to make sense of facts.
This week’s Parsha is V’Etchanan. The Parshah begins with Moshe's recounting his experience of pleading to God to allow him into the Land. Moshe explained to this new generation that because of the previous generation’s whining and complaining, he lost patience and failed to adhere to God's command. Moshe explains that this is why he cannot cross into the land as well as Joshua becoming the leader. Moshe then recounts his experience and his generation's experience of revelation at Sinai. However, instead of just stating the facts, Moshe adds his own editorial comments. "For the Lord, your God is merciful, He will not abandon you or destroy you, He will not forget the covenant of your forefathers that he swore to them" (Deut. 4:31). Moshe is offering hope, suggesting that no matter what happens to this people, they must always know and believe that we always have the capacity for Teshuvah for return or repentance to God and that we will always be accepted. Moshe then begins recounting the giving of the Aseret HaDibrot, The Ten Commandments. Moshe again reminds B’nai Yisroel to never participate in Avodah Zarah (idolatry), and avoid it at all costs. He implores us to pass this information and to teach these traditions and these laws to the next generation.
Throughout this Parsha, the secrets to our survival are revealed in large broad statements as well as the use of certain words. One secret to our survival is the Aseret Dibrot -The Ten Commandments (Deut. 5:6-19). Another secret to our survival is perhaps the one theologically dogmatic statement in Torah: Shmah Yisroel Adoshem Elokeinu, Adoshem Echad – Hear O Yisroel O Lord Our God, the Lord is One. (Deut. 6:4). Certainly, the “Shmah” contributes to the secret of our survival. Moshe’s re-iteration of God’s nature also contributes to the secret of our success. Ki Eil Kanah Adoshem Elokecha B’kirbecha Pen Yechreh Af Adoshem Elokecha Bach V’Hismidcha Mei’al Pnei Ha’Adamah- For a jealous God is the Lord your God, among you lest the wrath of the Lord your God will flare against you and He destroys you from upon the face of the earth…(Deut 6:15-19). Certainly, these powerful explicit statements of theology, universal moral guidelines, and our fear of retribution contribute to the secret of our survival.
However, the essence of our survival is our sense of purpose and our sense of existence. This sense of purpose is based upon accepting facts, and truths and asking questions, always asking questions in order to better understand facts and truths so that we can transmit what we learned. Our purpose is to live according to these laws. “You shall be careful to act as the Lord your God commanded you, you shall not stray to the right or left. B’chol Ha’derech Asher Tzivah Adoshem Elokeichem Etchem Teileichu L’ma’an Tishyun V’Tov Lachem V’Haractem Yamim – On the entire way that the Lord your God, commanded you shall you go, so that you shall live and it will be good for you, and you shall prolong your days…(Deut.6:29-30). We live according to the Torah so that our lives will go well so that our lives will have more meaning so that the quality of our lives determines length. We learn that living a long life is not about the length it is about quality. Our sense of purpose is to achieve this quality. Besides “purpose” we must have a sense of our existence. Our sense of existence is our acceptance of our place. There were generations that came before us and, G-d willing, generations will follow us. Each and every generation must be empowered to question. Ki Yishalcha Vincha Machar Leimor Mah Ha’eidot vHa’chukim v’Hamishpatim asher Tzivah Adoshem Elokeinu Etchem – If your child asks you tomorrow saying; What are the testimonies and the decrees and the ordinances that the Lord your G-d commanded you V’Amarta L’vincha Avadim Ha’yinu l’Faroh B’Mitzrayim – You shall say to your child, “We were slaves to Pharoh in Egypt…(Deut. 6:20-21). Jewish survival depends upon full disclosure even if it is troubling or doesn’t’ present the Jewish past in the most favorable light: “We were slaves in Egypt”. The Jewish people’s sense of purpose is of that of the transmitter between the older generation and the younger generation, between the past and the future. As we delve deeper into the Book of Deuteronomy we understand that our survival is dependent upon our ability to transmit this sense of purpose and sense of existence to the next generation. The ability to transmit and the ability to accept transmission is what makes us a holy nation.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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