I have not been in “writing mode” for several weeks now. Not sure why. Perhaps it is that much of what I am hearing is the same and I am just coming up with the same responses.
There was someone this week, an analyst, who was giving his perspective on Israel, Iran, Hezbollah, and the whole Middle East power play. Usually, I think he is on the mark but he just seems to not “get” what is going on here in Israel regarding the conflict.
It brought me back to a chapter in James Michener’s The Source where Cullinane, a visiting archeologist, is trying to get a grasp of what these Jews are doing and why they are tied to the Land of Israel. Eliav, the Israeli leading the dig, responds in the following:
Elaiv: “Read Deuteronomy five times.”
Cullinane: “Are you kidding?”
Elaiv: “No. Deuteronomy. Five times.”
Cullinane: “What’s your thought?”
Elaiv: “It’s the great central book of the Jews and if you master it you’ll understand us.” (p.128)
After reading it through once in the King James version, Eliav makes him read a modern translation produced by Jewish scholars. Then he makes him read it in the original Hebrew. Slowly but surely Cullinane feels the personal connection that these people have for the Land and their history, as their story emulates in many ways the story of Deuteronomy (Dvarim). As he says: “Deuteronomy was a living book and to the living Jew it had contemporary force.” (p.131)
This perspective is extremely important, especially for the Jews, no matter where they live. It is no accident that the tradition that has taken hold in Judaism is to complete the Torah as we complete the year and begin again as we begin a new year.
This period, from Elul, the month before our new year, Rosh Hashana, is one of introspection, repentance and redemption, and the Book of Dvarim (Deuteronomy), given over by Our Teacher Moshe, leads us forward.
Passage after passage, Moshe places before us choices for good and for evil, life and death.
רְאֵ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י נֹתֵ֥ן לִפְנֵיכֶ֖ם הַיּ֑וֹם בְּרָכָ֖ה וּקְלָלָֽה׃
See, I place before you today a blessing and a curse:
אֶֽת־הַבְּרָכָ֑ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְע֗וּ אֶל־מִצְוֺת֙ יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם אֲשֶׁ֧ר אָנֹכִ֛י מְצַוֶּ֥ה אֶתְכֶ֖ם הַיּֽוֹם׃
the blessing, [provided] that you hearken to the commandments of YHWH your God that I command you today. (Dvarim 11: 26-27).
In Dvarim 30: 19-20 Moshe says:
הַעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live—
לְאַֽהֲבָה֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לִשְׁמֹ֥עַ בְּקֹל֖וֹ וּלְדׇבְקָה־ב֑וֹ כִּ֣י ה֤וּא חַיֶּ֙יךָ֙ וְאֹ֣רֶךְ יָמֶ֔יךָ לָשֶׁ֣בֶת עַל־הָאֲדָמָ֗ה אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁבַּ֨ע יְהֹוָ֧ה לַאֲבֹתֶ֛יךָ לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם לְיִצְחָ֥ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֖ב לָתֵ֥ת לָהֶֽם׃
by loving your God יהוה, heeding God’s commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and shall long endure upon the soil that יהוה swore to your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give to them.
And just to be clear that there are no excuses, Moshe expounds (30: 11-14):
כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃
Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach.
לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃
It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”
וְלֹא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבׇר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃
Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”
כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃
No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.
It is our choice.
Often, during the High Holidays, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, some of us spend our time in temple or synagogue reading something other than the service of the day as it is written in the prayer book. So, I would like to suggest that you take Michener’s and Eliav’s advice. Read through the last book of the Torah. Read it through on your own, without the commentary. Get a picture of the Jewish people after years of wondering finally coming “to the Promised Land” and then add the commentators. If you can read it in Hebrew all the better.
Whether you are Jewish or not, you will get a deeper understanding of Jewish history and what is playing out now in Israel. It might improve everyone’s analysis of what is happening in the Middle East.
Blessings for a Beautiful and Plentiful New Year, may our brothers and sisters held captive in Gaza return home, may our soldiers know only success and may all the wounded and sick be healed, and may we see the destruction of evil quickly and completely.
Meir
Dvarim translation: Sefaria.org
Amen! Amen! To your wishes for the coming year.
As for the rest, beautifully written. I will endeavor to take your advice.