Rabbi Sacks writes about the word Shema: it is fundamentally untranslatable. Hearing and listening have so many meanings. Rabbi Sacks refers to the 2 key influences on Western culture: Ancient Israel and Greece. While Greece was a visual culture, Judaism is based on a faith in an invisible God.
In parashat Va’etchanan, Moses speaks of the uniqueness of Jewish history, the singularity of Israel’s redemption by God. While so much of the Torah is about “what” to do, or “how” to do it, Va’etchanan is about “why”: Why did God choose Israel for redemption?
Rabbi Ruditsky writes about seeing versus hearing, as depicted in the Shema, and links it to Tisha B’Av, where we mourn the impact of words said and their outcome.
Persian Mi Chamocha (with Ensemble) by Jacqueline Rafii
Rabbi Miriam Harrell retires from Ahavat Torah.
EICHA – A Reading of Lamentations featuring many AJRCA alumni
Please follow the link below to enjoy Cantor Campbell’s renditions of Bar’chu and Yotzer Or:
Parashat Devarim introduces themes relating to wisdom in leadership, rather than power and authority, and the uniqueness of Israel that is based on the valuable teaching they received rather than any superiority to others. Please open the attached document to read a study guide for discussions based on several known commentaries:
Rabbi Sacks cites Deut 34:7, which states that Moses’ ‘eye was undimmed and his natural energy was unabated’ at the age of 120. He never lost his youthful idealism, and his passion for justice and the responsibilities of freedom. Instead of reminiscing in his old age, he turns to generatively, and the keeping of meaning.
Rabbi Ruditsky writes about the power of words, as in the importance of vows at the end of Numbers, and the nature of words at the beginning of Deuteronomy. Words are our primary medium of communication, and have power for both good and bad.