Welcome back to Torah Thoughts from Adas Israel the Jewish Congregation of Northern Iowa, based in Mason City. Thanks for being with us. For your future planning services in August will take place on Erv Shabbat (Friday) the 18th at 7:00PM and our Midrash (Study Session) will be on Shabbat (Saturday) the 19th starting at 10:00AM. Hope to see you in Shul!
Parsha V'etchanan
This week we read from the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy) 3:23 - 7:11. The word "V'etchanan" in Hebrew means "I requested" as we read in the opening of this parsha: "I requested from G-d at that time..." This is Moses telling the story about how he requested to be allowed to enter Israel and was once again turned down by G-d. This was devastating for Moses but why?
The rabbis say that it was not because Moses wanted to enter the land to taste of its "milk and honey" but rather because of the 613 Commandments in the Torah some can only be done when in Israel. Moses wanted to not only do those mitzvot (commandments) but he wanted to fulfil them so that all of Israel could learn and accept them After all, Moses was the "great teacher".
What Else?
In this reading there are many of the pillars of our faith: the Ten Commandments, the Shema, the art of prayer, prophecy, and teachings that guarantee our Jewish survival. Just by reviewing this portion, we can gain an enormous insight into the essence of our Judaism. In the opening verses of the parashah, Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses our Teacher) prays to G-d, but the expression he used is most unusual: "Va'eschanan" is derived from the word "chein - to find favor," or from "chinam - free," implying that even if we are undeserving, we beseech G-d to find favor with us, accept our prayers, and grant our request as a free gift.
It is difficult to understand why Moses, the greatest of all men, would have to resort to such a form of prayer. If anyone was worthy, it was he. Never did Moses pray for himself. All his supplications were on behalf of the Jewish people, and now, for the very first time, he pleads on his own behalf and begs G-d to grant him the privilege of seeing the Promised Land. Moses certainly could have felt entitled to have his prayers answered.
The truly righteous understand, however, that before G-d, there is no entitlement. When we perform a mitzvah, when we live a righteous life, it is we who have to thank G-d for granting us that opportunity, that privilege. We are not doing G-d a favor when we fulfill the commandments; rather, it is we who become enriched and elevated. So, when we beseech G-d in supplication, we have no bargaining points, but are totally dependent on His infinite mercy. In effect, as stated above, we are asking that we may find favor in His eyes and be granted a "free gift."
The Lesson
This message is especially significant to our generation. Too many of us harbor feelings of "entitlement." In our foolish arrogance, we have come to believe that G-d "owes us one," never realizing that it is we who owe everything to Him. Were it not for His constant mercy, in a split second, we could lose our ability to function...even our very lives. Therefore, we commence each and every morning with these simple, but majestic words, "Modeh Ani - I thank You" for returning my soul, and we proceed to express gratitude throughout all our waking moments. We thank G-d for the food that we eat, the water that we drink, for our bodily functions, for the wonders of nature, for the good, and even for the apparently bad - we take nothing for granted.
Our Sages teach that since the destruction of the Holy Temple, all the gates to heaven are locked, except for the gate of tears, which means that genuine, heartfelt, prayers can bring about many miracles. Let us never give up. Let us follow the example of Moses.
Thank you for reading and Shabbat Shalom!
Comments