Devarim
The book of Devarim consists of Moses's speech to the people of Israel, as they prepare to enter the land of Canaan. In this first parsha, he describes their journeys in the desert, including the establishment of the judicial system, the incident of the spies, their encounters with the nations of Eisav, Moav, and Ammon and battles with Sichon and Og, and the giving of the Trans-Jordan territory to the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe.
Devarim - Maureen Kendler
Maureen Kendler is Head of Jewish Literacy at UJIA Makor.
"These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel..." (Deuteronomy 1,1.) Words, words, words, as Hamlet might have said when confronted with this Sedrah and indeed the whole of the fifth book of the Torah. Words and nothing but. And delivering them all is the single and singular speechmaker, the eloquent, passionate, wordmeister Moses. The same man who in Exodus Chapter 4, verse 10 begged God not to send him to speak to Pharoah: "Bi Adoni, lo ish devarim anochi" - Please Lord, I am not a man of words - becomes in this week's Sedrah the man of words, to be remembered for all eternity for his astonishing swansong which completes the Torah. God promises Moses: "Anochi eheye im pichah, vehoraitichah asher tedaber." I will be with your mouth and I will instruct you what to speak." (Exodus 4: 12)
The final verse of the fourth book in the Torah, Bamidbar (Numbers) states: "These are the commandments and judgments that Hashem commanded by Moses's hand to the people." Yet Devarim opens with words. Now Moses gives the people much more than commandments and judgments. He gives wisdom, inspiration and explanation.
Can we track a certain irony from the man who begged to be excused from his original God-given task on the grounds of not being a man of words? He states it so beautifully in the previously quoted Exodus passage: "lo ish devarim anochi, gam mitmol gam mishilshom gam ma-az daberchah el avdechah." - "I am not a man of words, neither yesterday nor the day before - nor since you spoke to your servant!" His expressive answer somewhat undermines his own case.
I teach on the Torah L'Am (Torah for Everyone) course - familiar to many Limmudniks - which consists of six classes. For the first five of those classes, I do a great deal of talking. But in the final class I have the pleasure of hearing students who protested they could never possibly give a D'var Torah (Torah talk) speak eloquently and passionately on a passage of Torah they have prepared. That is a truly rewarding moment for me.
When Moses is called by God at the burning bush, God calls him twice - "Moses, Moses." Midrash Numbers Rabbah 14,21 comments that this can be interpreted "that he was Moses before God spoke to him and (the same) Moses after God had spoken to him" - as meek as ever. Moses does not alter from the beginning to the end. But another reading of the Exodus to Deuteronomy journey Moses made would reflect enormous changes. The opening thirty chapters of Deuteronomy comprise a formidable, inspirational farewell address which, according to Friedman's calculations (Richard Elliott Friedman, contemporary American Tanakh scholar/translator), would have taken about three hours. Truly God was with Moses "in his mouth." A model of empowerment for us all and a reminder to all teachers... to watch the quiet ones.
Rosh Chodesh Av: My Favourite Jewish Text
Why Serve the Master? - Daniel Smith
Daniel Smith is the Rabbi of Edgware & District Reform Synagogue.
Since my youth, my favourite rabbinic book has been Pirkei Avot (sometimes translated as 'Sayings of the Fathers'). It is the crown of the Talmud, packed with gem after gem of profound quotations.
Avot provides the crucial link between Biblical and Rabbinic Judaism. It describes Torah being handed down from Moses through elders, prophets and scribes and on to the family of Hillel including Rabbi Judah, who was the editor of the Mishna and of Avot. This book is his claim to the authentic continuation of Biblical Judaism. Avot is therefore our lifeline connecting us to the Torah, but it is even more than that.
Avot is the only book in the whole Talmud that has no halachic (legal) debate and no legal conclusions. This is to state the case in negative terms. Avot is unique because it is deeply concerned with motives as well as ethical action. Rava teaches that in order to be a pious person all one has to do is fulfil the words of Avot. (Talmud Babba Kamma 30a).
This is the book that underpins the whole structure of the Talmud, and lays out the basis of rabbinic ideal and piety. This is the book of underlying principles, providing the foundation for all religious action - civil, ritual and moral. The rest of the Talmud tells us 'what' and 'how'. This book, above all, tells us 'why'.
Of the 26 times that the root AHV, (Love), is used in the Mishna, 18 occurrences are in Avot. (69%)
Of the 32 times that the root YRA (Fear) is used in the Mishna, 13 occurrences are in Avot. (41%)
Of the 8 times that the phrase LeShem Shamayim, (For the sake of Heaven), is used in the Mishna, all 8 occurrences are in Avot. (100%)
The use of such motivational terms is not of great halachic consequence. In most cases it makes no legal difference whether one performs Mitzvot out of love of God, or whether one does them in the hope of reward or out of fear of punishment. Society needs us to behave correctly for the sake of the world's welfare, but our soul's welfare demands that we purify our motives for the sake of our own spiritual growth.
I could have picked any one of several teachings from Avot as being fundamental to my Jewish formation. I love Hillel's statement:
"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now, when?"
I often meditate on Ben Zoma's maxim:
"Who is wise? The one who learns from every human being.
Who is mighty? The one who conquers his desires.
Who is rich? The one who rejoices in his portion.
Who is worthy of honour? The one who gives honour to all beings".
However the phrase that has most moved me is that of Antigonos of Soko.
"Be not like servants that serve the Master in order to receive a reward, but be like servants that serve the master not in order to receive a reward, and let the fear of heaven be upon you".
We do not know much about Antigonos since this is the only statement in Mishna attributed to him. The original text may have been shorter than the one we now have. One commentator, Charles Taylor, suggests that the last clause 'and let the fear of Heaven be upon you' was added later as part of a different debate.
In fact there is a further concluding clause not found in the Mishna, which appears in a later book entitled Avot deRabbi Natan - 'The fathers according to Rabbi Nathan'. The extra clause says "so that your reward may be doubled in the time to come". I think this later addition weakens and even undermines the purity of the preceding text.
In Avot deRabbi Natan this saying is followed by a story concerning two disciples of Antigonos of Soko, who founded sects of Judaism that questioned the existence of an afterlife, and whether there was any reward beyond this world. Perhaps the phrase leshem shamayim, 'for the sake of Heaven' was also added as part of this discussion.
The view of normative Judaism may best be expressed in Machzor Vitry, a work composed by the pupils of Rashi (commentator) in the 11th century:
"One should not say: 'I will serve my Creator so that He will supply me with my needs' but '(I will serve my Creator) whether He supplies or does not supply'.
One should serve the Master out of love, because 'the Lord my God has commanded me'. (Deut 4:5). Even if sufferings come upon us, we should not let ourselves waver or question. We should serve God out of love."
The religiously immature may need their hope of Heaven and their fear of Hell, but the purest motivation is altruistic, and the highest service is the service of love.
This awareness appears in other religions too.
Rabi'a, an eighth century Sufi poet, wrote:
"O God! If I worship Thee in fear of Hell, burn me in Hell;
and if I worship Thee in hope of Paradise, exclude me from Paradise;
but if I worship Thee for Thine own sake,
withhold not Thine everlasting Beauty!"
This sentiment was often expressed in Chassidic teachings. Here are two from Martin Buber's 'Tales of the Hasidim':
Once the spirit of the Baal Shem was so oppressed that it seemed to him he would have no part in the coming world. Then he said to himself: "If I love God, what need have I of a coming world!"
Once Shneur Zalman of Ladi interrupted his prayers and said:
"I do not want your paradise.
I do not want your coming world.
I want You, and You only".