How is the Sefer Torah Progressing? Parashat VeEtchanan

17/2/22 ט"ז אדר א'

Our Sofer has completed Parashat VeEtchanan.

This is the second Parasha in Sefer Devari, (The Book of Deuteronomy)

In this Parsha, Moshe our teacher and moral counselor reminds us to: "Listen to these statutes and laws that I teach you that you may live" (4,40)

(פסוק מ) "ועתה יישראל שמע אֶל הַחֻקִּים וְאֶל הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְלַמֵּד אֶתְכֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַעַן תִּחְיוּ".

Moshe emphasizes that in this ,lies our uniqueness and we must cherish and nurture this uniqueness. It would be hard to find a message that is more antithetical to our 2022 culture. These verses inform us that we have something unique (how politically incorrect!) and that the unique thing is a set of laws that limit and bind us. The text further tells us that it is our willingness to carry out these laws with meticulous care that is our "glory", in today's vernacular -its what give us status.

Ramban (Nachmanides) explains that that there is a an intertwining here between G-d, his Torah , and the Jewish people that makes us who we are.

"ואמר כי בחוקים ובמשפטים תועלות גדולות, שהם תפארת לעושיהם מן האדם, ואפילו שונאיהם ישבחו אותם בהם. ועוד, שהם תועלת גדולה שאין כמותה, שהשם יהיה קרוב להם בכל קראם אליו, וכן העמים יתבוננו בזה וידעו כי החוקים נעשים בחכמה ובינה לקרבה אל האלהים וייראו מהם," (ד, ו-ח)

When we carry out these laws we will be acting in the most G-dly way possible, In this way we bring ourselves close to G-d, we become honorable in the eyes of other nations and we honor ourselves.

24/12/21 כ' טבת

Our Sofer has completed Parashat Shelach .

This is the fourth parasha in Sefer Bamidbar (The Book of numbers)

The parasha begins with the unfortunate incident of the sending of the Spies to the land of

Israel but ends on more positive note with some meaningful commandments such as

Haphrashat Challa (Giving over a portion of bread to the Cohen) and Tzitzit (Wearing Symbolic Ritual Fringes).

In his commentary , The Shem MeShmuel (The Sochatchover Rebbe) explained that the Mitzva of Haphrashat Challa (Giving a portion of the household dough to the priest) is juxtaposed with the Incident of the Spies because it was meant to be a Tikkun (a means of repair). It was to be a remedy for the divisiveness that the Spies had caused. Taking Challa" would repair this on two levels. First as a symbolic act. The mixing of diverse ingredients into one dough was meant to reflect the hope for a restored unity. Second as a practical act. The Cohanim (priests) whose calling required them to be landless., would have the whole nation ready to be responsible for their welfare. No one would be allowed to go hungry.