28 Elul 5770
September 7 2010
     

 

  

Devarim

PARSHA SUMMARY:
This week’s Dispatch will be somewhat shorter, as this week’s parsha, Devarim is primarily a review of the events and experiences during the years of wandering. Indeed, the book of Devarim is also known as “Mishne Torah” (lit. reviewing the Torah) for this reason. Make no mistake - there are as well original ideas and first time mitzvot, but one will quickly notice that the narrative style is in first person - Moshe lecturing the Jewish people.
One important point from this week’s parsha - a reminder from Moshe NOT TO FEAR the enemies that dwell in the land! Let us bear this in mind during the current war. They can cause us pain, but they cannot defeat us. (Note: According to all accounts, the “Promised Land” includes what is today referred to as Lebanon - but that too, will one day be ours, along with Syria, most of Iraq, and a return to the Sinai!). SEE ATTACHED.
This Shabbat is also referred to as “Shabbat Chazon” being that it is the Shabbat before Tisha B’av - the saddest day on the calendar. This name derives from the first word of this week’s Haftara - “Chazon Yeshayahu”, in which the prophet Isaiah foresees the imminent destruction that we will commemorate later next week.
 
DVAR TORAH: (by: Rabbi Mordechai Katz)
Moshe refers to the Euphrates as the "Great River". Rashi comments that it is referred to as "great" because it is mentioned together with the land of Israel. The same is true of people -- if they associate with great people, they too can be called great. This is why the company we choose is so important -- if we select companions with undesirable character, their corrupt ways will rub off; if, however, we surround ourselves with good and ethical people, we gain for ourselves not only a good name, but their positive traits will serve as a model upon which to base our own behavior.
 
CHASSIDIC INSIGHT:
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev explains that on this Shabbos, "every Jew is shown from afar a vision of the future Holy Temple".
He explains this with the following parable: A father had a precious garment sewn for his son, who promptly tore it to shreds. The father then had a second garment sewn, which the child once again tore up. The father had yet a third garment sewn; this time, however, he didn't permit his son to wear it. Rather, he only allowed his son to gaze at it at appointed times, telling him that when he began to conduct himself properly, he would allow him to wear it.
On Shabbos Chazon, the future Holy Temple is ‘shown’ to all Jews -- for the purpose of inspiring us to behave as we should in order to merit the rebuilding of the Temple!
 
HALACHA ALERT:
This coming week (from Saturday night on) is known in Halacha as “shavua shechal bo” - the week in which Tisha B’av occurs. This week takes on the strictest possible forms of mourning, some of which began (for Ashkenazim) on the 17th of Tammuz. As such, those who practiced leniency with these restrictions for whatever reasons (e.g. continued to shave in consideration of social issues, etc.) would be well advised to consider observing the restrictions a little more meticulously during this last stretch to Tisha B’av. Until now observing these restrictions was a custom - next week it is law.
  
 

 

 

  
           
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