…is some originality in the fact that they are apodictic, that is, simple statements of “You shall not,” as opposed to the casuistic form, “If … then.” But they are only ten among a much larger body of 613 commandments. Nor are they even described by the Torah itself as “Ten Commandments.” The Torah calls them the asseret ha-devarim, that is,…
…ever honoured his father as I honoured my father, but I found that Esau honoured his father even more. Devarim Rabbah 1:15 Rabbi Shimon derives this from the fact that usually people serve their parents wearing ordinary clothes while they reserve their best for going out. Esau, however, had kept his best clothes in readiness to serve his father the…
The first verse of Devarim, the fifth and culminating book of the Torah, sounds prosaic. “These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan—in the wilderness, on the plain opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahav.” There is no hint of drama in these words. But the Sages of the Talmud found one,…
…Highest Form of Leadership is Teaching Devarim 1:1 Devarim 31:12 Malachi 2:7 It was one of the great moments of personal transformation, and it changed not only Moses but our very conception of leadership itself. By the end of the book of Numbers, Moses’ career as a leader seemed to have come to its end. He had appointed his successor,…
…entire assembly to death’). Later, at Refidim, they grumble at the absence of water, prompting Moses to say to God, ‘What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me!’ In Devarim, Moses recalls the time when he said to God: “How can I myself bear Your problems, Your burdens and Your disputes all by…
…with the word Zachor, remember. The Devarim account begins with Shamor, “keep, guard, protect.” But they differ more profoundly in their very understanding of the nature and significance of the day. In Shemot (20:7-9) Shabbat is a reminder of creation. In Devarim (5:11-14) there is no reference to creation. Instead the Torah speaks about a historical event: the Exodus. We…
In the last month of his life, Moses gathered the people. He instructed them about the laws they were to keep and reminded them of their history since the Exodus. That is the substance of the book of Devarim. Early in this process, he recalled the episode of the spies – the reason the people’s parents were denied the opportunity…
…refutation. Judaism is a religion of love, three loves: loving God with all our heart, our soul, and our might (Devarim 6:5); loving our neighbour as ourselves (Vayikra 19:18); and loving the stranger because we know what it feels like to be a stranger (Devarim 10:19). Judaism is, from beginning to end, the story of a love: God’s love for…
…beliefs is summarised in what we call the second paragraph of the Shema (Devarim 11:13–21) which is found in the parsha. The clear message to the people is that Israel’s fate depends on Israel’s faith. Question to Ponder Why do you think Moshe wanted to remind the Israelites of all these details again? The Core Idea There is an interesting…
…lessons can we learn from the Yovel? Biblical environmental legislation Read Vayikra 19:19 Read Devarim 22:6-7 Read Devarim 20:19-20 There are other commandments, too, which restrain our interference with nature. The Torah groups together three prohibitions: against cross breeding livestock, planting a field with mixed seeds and wearing a garment of mixed wool and linen. It calls these rules chukim…