HaShem will drive out all these nations from before you

(Deuteronomy 11:23)
Av 22, 5775/August 7, 2015

Three times in this week's Torah reading of Eikev, Moshe warns the children of Israel against falling prey to the allure of the idolatries she will confront when entering and settling the land of Israel. In verse twenty five of chapter seven (Deuteronomy), Israel is warned against coveting the silver or gold images of idolatry, "lest you be ensnared by it, for it is an abomination to HaShem, your G-d." Again, in chapter eight, verse nineteen, Israel is told she "will surely perish," should she be seduced by idolatry. Finally, in chapter eleven, verse sixteen, Israel is told, "Beware, lest your heart be misled, and you turn away and worship strange gods and prostrate yourselves before them."

Upon Your Heart

Under the new covenant, God will actually change our nature, circumcising our hearts as it were, to remove from us the waywardness of our evil inclinations.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Va'etchanan (ואתחנן | I pleaded)

Torah: Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11

Haftarah: Isaiah 40:1-26

Gospel: Luke 22:13-38

A special portion for Shabbat Nachamu is read this Shabbat!

Shabbat Nachamu (שבת נחמו | Sabbath of comforting)

Haftarah: Isaiah 40:1-26

Two Wrongs Don't Make Repentance

When we have done something wrong, we should not try to correct the error with another wrong. Spiritual maturity requires us to accept the consequences of our actions.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Devarim (דברים | Words)

Torah: Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22

Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27

Gospel: Mark 14:1-16

A special portion for Shabbat Chazon is read this Shabbat!

Shabbat Chazon (שבת חזון | Vision)

Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27

These are the words which Moshe spoke

(Deuteronomy 1:1)
Av 8, 5775/July 24, 2015

Our sages have long interpreted the opening words of the book of Deuteronomy to be words of reproval spoken by Moshe and directed at the children of Israel. The book of Deuteronomy brings to us for the first time the direct thoughts and observations, regrets and ambitions for his people, of Israel's greatest prophet - Moshe. Until now, Moshe has been a transmitter of G-d's will to Israel. He has faithfully delivered G-d's Torah from heaven to be fulfilled by Israel, here on earth, here in the land of Israel. But now the book of Deuteronomy, (Devarim, in Hebrew, meaning "words," as in "the words of Moshe"), opens up to us a window into the soul of Moshe, an invaluable opportunity for introspection and inspiration before entering the land of Israel and the world of Torah, not just for the generation of the conquest and settlement of the land, but for all generations, and most importantly, for our generation.

The War Messiah

The Torah gives us a glimpse of King Messiah coming as a warrior-priest, wielding supernatural weapons, and fighting the wars of God.

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Mattot-Massei (מטות-מסעי | Tribes-Journeys)

Torah: Numbers 30:2-36:13

Haftarah: Jeremiah 2:4-28, 3:4

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-39/Matthew 24:1-25:46

Moses' Uncertainty

The sages say that a wise man answers a question to which he does not know the answer by saying, "I do not know."

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

Pinchas (פנחס | Phinehas)

Torah: Numbers 25:10-30:1

Haftarah: 1 Kings 18:46-19:21

Gospel: Mark 11:27-12:37

And when you have seen it

(Numbers 27:13)
Tammuz 23, 5775/July 10, 2015

This week's Torah reading of Pinchas marks the beginning of the conclusion of Israel's stay in the wilderness. The forty year sojourn has been nothing if not rocky, and the book of Numbers pulls no punches in chronicling Israel's many mishaps and misadventures. A subtle theme runs through the book of Numbers, and this theme provides for us a prism through which we can peer and try to understand the root causes of Israel's ups and downs. This is the theme of seeing, of vision. The challenge of seeing, as understood by Torah, is the ability to take in what lies before us, to interpret it correctly, and to act upon it appropriately.