Parshas Va'eschanan

Hi everyone, I hope this helps you go into your Shabbos more prepared and I hope you learn something new!

This week’s Parsha is called, Va’eschanan (VUH-ES-CHUH-NAN). It is an action packed Parsha. I think it goes over just about everything. For example: The Ten Commandments, the Sh’ma, the obligation to put on Tiffilin (a.k.a. phylacteries,) the mezuzah and much more!

I think I mentioned this before but it won’t hurt to review it. The fifth book in the Torah (Devarim) is a review of the travels of the Jewish people, their adventures along the way, and some mitzvos (commandments from G-d) Hashem gave us. And this week’s Parsha does a lot of reviewing. We will be reviewing some of them.

The Parsha starts off with Moses speaking to the Jewish people. He was recalling the time when Hashem decreed that Moses would not be allowed to enter into the land of Israel. Moses cried, begged, and pleaded to Hashem five hundred fifteen different ways! Then Hashem said, ENOUGH! Stop asking, you will not enter into the land, but I will let you see the land from on top of this mountain. A little known fact, when Hashem showed Moses the land of Israel, Hashem made a miracle and Moses was able to see even the farthest places. Why did Moses want to go into the land of Israel so much that he was willing to daven (pray) five hundred and fifteen different ways? Was it because he was curious what the promised land of his forefathers (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) looked like? NO! The real answer is Moses wanted to enter the land so much was because there are certain mitzvos that can only be performed in the land of Israel. If he could enter the land he could not accomplish all the mitzvos. For example, the shmittah year (SHMEE-TUH), year of rest for the land and separating certain produce just for the kohain (priest). He also wanted to live in the land so that he could become wiser and be closer to Hashem. A tremendous lesson can be learned from this; Moses’ thoughts were always focused on Hashem and being close to Hashem. He was always looking to do more mitzvos and he already had so many “under his belt.

”Va’eschanan” also speaks about the Ten Commandments. The Hebrew term for the Ten Commandments is the Aseres HaDibros (AH-SAR-ES HAH-DIB-ROSE). I’m sure many of you know what the Ten Commandments are but just in case let’s go over them.

1. Believe in Hashem.                                             6. Do not murder.
2. There is no other G-d then Hashem.                   7. Do not be an adulterer.
3. Do not say G-d’s name in vain.                          8. Do not kidnap/steal.
4. Honor the Shabbos.                                           9. Do not be a false witness.
5. Honor your father and mother.                          10. Do not desire what is not yours.

The Ten Commandments are divided into 2 halves. The first set of five commandments deals with the relationship between man and G-d. The second set of five are between man and man. Now we have an obvious question, why is the commandment to honor one’s father and mother on the side of man to G-d, shouldn’t it be on the side of man to man? Well, the answer is when one honors his father and mother it is as if he is honoring Hashem himself (our Father in Heaven).

The Parsha also discusses the Sh’ma. The Sh’ma is written like this: “Hear O Israel Hashem our G-d, Hashem is One.” One is supposed to say this at least twice a day (morning and night.) When someone says this they are accepting Hashem as G-d. There are also two other paragraphs that are a part of the Sh’ma. They discuss the mitzvah to love Hashem and the concept of reward and punishment. These are core concepts for Jews to understand and live by.

We should learn from the Sh’ma that Hashem is always sending us sending us little reminders that He is watching over us and protecting us! -Amen!

HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS AND WEEKEND!

Stay tuned for next week’s Parsha called, Aikev (AY-KEV)!