Torah: Va’Etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11) Haftarah:(Isaiah 40:1-26)
Shabbat Nachamu/ Shabbat of Consolation is the Sabbath after the Ninth of Av.
The Ninth of Av is the day that BOTH Beit Hamikdash/Holy Temple in Jerusalem were destroyed. The first in 586 B.C.E. by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. The Second destruction was by the Roman in 70 C.E. and they burned it to the ground! Nearly 1900 years later the Jewish people took control of Judea/Israel. The snail that had the blue dye for the tzitzi of the tallit also died. After the victory of the Six Days War in Israel and the united Jerusalem under Israeli and the Jewish people; the snail that had the blue dye washed up on the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv! This memorial day is a mild fast for the Jewish people and solemn prayers are recited.
The Parsha has the first discourse of Moses continuing with G-d’s rejection of Moses’ request to enter the Promised land, and a repeated warning against idolatry. Moses assigns the first three cities of refuge (sanctuary cities, not to be compared to the so-called “Sanctuary Cities’ ‘ and “States” of America). Moses’ second discourse contains the basis of the covenant between G-d and Israel with a reiteration of the Ten Commandments, the SHema, and the exodus as an object lesson.
The SHema: Hear, O Israel… Israel is commanded to hearken to G-d’s law and take it to heart. Israel’s duty is to love the One G-d and to study G-d’s law. What does it mean to love G-d? Maimonides asserts that to love G-d means to dwell upon and think about G-d’s commandments. Just as a lover tries to please and follow the desire of his beloved, so, too, we in our love of G-d, must try to understand G-d’s will. We do this by studying G-d’s Torah.
The mitzvah of the duty of transmitting the Torah’s teaching. Deuteronomy 6:7 states that “ you shall teach them diligently to your children.” In Judaism, Torah education is a religious obligation imposed by biblical commandment. In Jewish eyes no human endeavor deserves greater respect than Talmud Torah, the study of Torah. Whereas almost every advanced society provides schools and some degree of compulsory education, the Torah places the onus of teaching on the parents. Today, Jews find a knowledgeable Judaic teacher. The parents should always be involved in the teaching and nurturing of their youngsters.
One may read a book or one may attend a class with a wonderful educator, however one needs both to gain full knowledge of any subject. Today, there is some discussion on the quality of the contents in books youngsters are reading in public schools. Please keep in mind this is my opinion, that the parents are the ones that should voice their concerns on the values, ethics and morals of these publications. My opinion on the voices shouting that certain areas are burning or banning books. Burning books is abhorrent to any Jewish person because the Nazi (Socialist party of Hitler’s Germany) burned All books of the Jews and any others that had opinions against the Germany Nazi Regime. Banning books is a different issue. Are books being banned unethical, lacking morals, or are they another form that is not pertinent or relevant for the age group of the children? Parents or guardians have every ethical and moral right to protect their children and protect their educational pathways.
I write publicly against the vile hateful rhetoric against the Jewish people whenever anyone spews words of Anti-Semitism or Anti-Israel. You are also not to remain Silent, and Never Forget!
As for what is happening in Israel:
The Israeli government is not totally a Democracy. It has a different grouping of their divisions in the governing. The verbiage for their Supreme Court on certain issues are at a discretionary area or type of judgements. There is a change in the ways their courts and government is going through at this moment. Change has liminal moments. Some people agree, some disagree, and some are still sitting on the fence. While Israel is the Jewish people’s homeland and the diaspora (anyone living outside Israel) Jewry look from afar, we all pray for a peaceful and agreeable outcome.
My ICL course for the Fall Semester is “Traditions and Culture of the Jewish People.”
I received the date for Thursday afternoon. As the time and place TBA.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Helene Ainbinder
