Weekly Reading Insights: Vaetchanan
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Overview of the Torah Reading

To be read on Shabbat Va'etchanan - 15 Menachem Av 5781 /July 24, 2021

Shabbat Nachamu*

Torah: Deut. 3:23-7:11
Haftorah: Isaiah 40:1-26 (1st of the Seven Haftorahs of Consolation)
Pirkei Avot:  Chapter 4

Va'etchanan is the 2nd Reading out of 11 in Deuteronomy and it contains 7343 letters, in 1878 words, in 122 verses

Va’etchanan opens with G-d’s refusal to allow Moshe to enter the Land. Next, Moshe reminds the Jews how they were taken out of Egypt, given the 10 Commandments, taught Torah, and should not stray from G-d and His laws. Moshe invokes heaven and earth as witnesses in warning the Jews of the consequences of erred ways. Then, Moshe designates 3 of the locations of the cities of refuge for the unintentional murderer. Following this is the review of the giving of the 10 Commandments and the famous verses of “Shma” and “Ve’ahavta”. The Jews are again reminded to keep G-d’s mitzvos and avoid the consequences of sin, particularly idolatry and assimilation.


*So called because this haftorah begins with the word "Nachamu" (Be comforted) and is the first of seven Haftarot of Consolation. The prophet comforts the people with the description of the era of Mashiach and the revalation of G-d's glory.


An Essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, Director of Ascent

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The book of Devarim is the fifth and last of the Five Books of Moses, the Chumash [1]. Most of this book relates Moshe's parting words to the Jewish people and instructions to prepare them to enter the Holy Land. The Ten Commandments set out in this week's Torah portion, Va'etchanan, are a highlight of Moshe's review of the commandments. The fifth commandment is that of honoring one's parents. What new insights can we learn about this universal commandment?

Traditionally, the first five commandments (believing in one G-d, the prohibition of idol worship, not using G-d 's name inappropriately, keeping Shabbat and honoring parents) are considered commandments between G-d and man, while the final five (not to kill, commit adultery, steal, give false testimony and crave others' possessions) are between man and man. Why is the fifth commandment of honoring our parents, something at least ostensibly between man and man, in the first section?

Sefer HaChinuch [2]answers by teaching that when a person is careful about the commandment of honoring his parents, who partnered (with G-d) in bringing us into the world, we will also recognize the greatness and goodness of G-d who brought us and the existence of all of our forebears into being. G-d decided that we be born as a human being with a soul, understanding and intelligence, unlike animals and inanimate objects, who do not have an awareness of G-d. Honoring our parents ensures that we remember G-d's intention when we were created.

Furthermore, we are commanded to honor our parents not only during their lifetime, but also after their passing. Our behavior towards our parents and taking care of their physical needs is how we honor them when they are alive. How we behave (i.e. were they a good influence on us?) after they pass away, is how we honor them when they are in the World To Come.

In the Kabbalistic writings of the Tzemach Tzedek [3], he explains that the Biblical command to have a minimum of two children, a son and a daughter, is connected to the mystical fulfillment of the command of honoring our parents. In the higher spiritual worlds, husband and wife (father and mother) manifest as the attributes of intellect, wisdom and understanding, which are connected to the first two letters of G-d's name, yud and hei. The son and the daughter manifest the primary attributes of emotion - loving and fearing G-d and acting on those emotions, and relate to the last two letters of G-d's name, the vav and the second hei.
.
When one marries and has a family, we are, in a way, completing (unifying) G-d's name. When a child honors their parents, he or she draws the energy of the first two, more spiritually potent letters of G-d's name, into the lower two more physically potent letters of G-d's name, creating an even higher and more complete spiritual union, (called a yichud), which is G-d ultimate goal for mankind.

Expressing this idea on a more human level, by honoring our parents, drawing the "higher" letters into the "lower" letters, we are in a sense drawing our intellect into our emotions to assist us to better control our emotions and actions, which is also a major goal of a truly Jewish life.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe teaches some interesting points about this important mitzvah. If a student wants to travel away from home in order to improve his Torah learning, but his father tells him not to, Torah law (Talmud. Yoreh Deah 250), does not require him to obey his father. This ruling is found under the laws of honoring one's parents. This seems contradictory. Could disobeying one's father possibly be considered an honor to him? The Rebbe asks why this law is not found under laws of Torah learning. One answer the Rebbe suggests is that for a son to improve in his Torah studies is considered an act of honoring one's parents. Although at the time the father may not appreciate it, ultimately, it will bring him great honor and benefit him.

The Rambam [4] writes that although generally a student must stand up in respect for his teacher, when a son is his father's teacher, the son must stand for his father and not vice versa. The Rambam continues that even if the father is an evil person, the son must still respect him and honor him. The Rebbe explains that both laws follow the same rule; concerning the commandment of honoring a parent the qualities or subjective level of the parents do not matter, a child is still commanded to honor his parents completely, regardless.

The following Chassidic story touches on how every child should perceive their relationship with their parents.

A certain Chassidic rebbe would regularly visit a certain town to be with his chassidim (followers). He would make a point of always staying in a particular inn and a closeness to the innkeeper developed over the years. The rebbe passed away and his son took his place as rebbe. The innkeeper also passed away and his son also took his place. The son of the rebbe continued to regularly visit the town but chose not to stay in the inn that his father had frequented because he was told that the son of the innkeeper was not as rigorous in his observance of the Torah's commandments as his father had been. Once, on one of his visits, the Rebbe and the innkeeper encountered each other. They cordially exchanged regards, having met many times in the years when their fathers were alive.
The innkeeper took advantage of the meeting to ask the rebbe why he did not stay at his inn as his father had done. The rebbe, put in an uncomfortable position, did not want to insult the man, but did not want to lie either. He put his head down, and quietly said, "People say that you are not quite the man your father was." The innkeeper looked at the rebbe and retorted, "And are you the man your father was?" The rebbe looked at the innkeeper and began to cry.

Shabbat Shalom, Shaul


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For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading, see the archive.


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Spiritual Technology

From the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe; adapted by Moshe Yaakov Wisnefsky

Through atomic power, the world has learned that size is not always an indication of power. As Jews, this teaches us that within us lies the power to change the entire world for the good. The key is by breaking our egos, allowing our inner, Divine essence to shine through.

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