Weekly Parsha

This Week Torah Study is sponsored by Elyahu and its dedicated to the success of the Teshuvah and Geulah of all Jewish Tutsim Communities in all their Yishuvim.

Mazal Tov!!! This week’s kiddush is sponsored by "Rafael and Zulay M." to celebrate 31 years  on their Wedding Anniversary! May the merit of sponsoring this beautiful event bring you and yours all the blessings of Nachas, happiness and much success in all your endeavors. 

Let's pray for the "Refuah Shleima" (speedy recovery) of " Jimmi Black". May G-d deliver us from this crisis speedily and grant a complete recovery to those who are ill, Amen!

Prayer List

"Shlomo Tamas ben Sarah"
"Aaron Caleb ben Chana"
"Malka Batya bas Tova"
"Shabatai (Sebastian) ben Tova"
"Adira (Heidi) bas Sarah"

Deuteronomy 7:12 - 11:25

Moshe continues his discourse guaranteeing the Jewish people prosperity and good health if they follow the mitzvot, the commandments. He reminds us to look at our history and to know that we can and should trust in G-d. However, we should be careful so that we are not distracted by our material success, lest we forget and ignore G-d.

Moshe warns us against idolatry (the definition of idolatry is the belief that anything other than G-d has power) and against self-righteousness -- "Do not say because of my virtue that G-d brought me to possess this land ... but because of the wickedness of these nations that G-d is driving them out before you." (Deut. 9:5). He then details our rebellions against G-d during the 40 years in the desert and the giving of the Second Tablets (Moshe broke the first Tablets containing the Ten Commandments during the sin of the Golden Calf.)

This week's portion dispels a common misconception. People think that "Man does not live by bread alone" means that a person needs additional foods beyond bread to survive. The quotation in its entirety is, "Man does not live by bread alone ... but by all that comes out of G-d's mouth" (Deut. 8:3).

The Torah then answers a question which every human being has asked of himself: What does G-d want of you? "Only that you remain in awe of G-d your Lord, so that you will follow all His paths and love Him, serving G-d your Lord with all your heart and with all your soul. You must keep God's commandments and decrees ... so that all good will be yours" (Deut. 10:12).

* * *

"Now, O Israel, what does your G-d ask of you? Only to fear G-d" (Deut.10:12).

What is "fear of G-d"?

The term "fear of G-d" is often thought of as fear of being punished for disobeying Him. That is a rather immature concept.  Yiras Shamayim (the Hebrew term for "fear of G-d", literally: fear of Heaven) means fear of losing close contact with God. When a person commits a sin, he sets up a barrier between himself and G-d. The relationship to G-d should be as vital to a person as if he were being saved by drowning only because he is holding onto a rope. The rope is his only link to safety, and he fears losing hold of it.

If a person understood that his spiritual life depends on his contact with G-d and that the mitzvot (commandments) are the only means for that contact, his fear of violating the mitzvot would be like the fear of losing hold of the rope. That is Yiras Shamayim.

* * *

"For if you shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the Lord, your G-d, to walk in all His ways and to cleave to Him..." (Deuteronomy 11:22).

How does one "cleave to the Almighty?"

The Torah tells us that even someone who observes all of the commandments and has attained the attribute of loving G-d, must emulate G-d ("to walk in all His ways") in order to cleave to Him. Emulating G-d means being compassionate and bestowing kindness on others. ("He is merciful so we should be merciful, He bestows kindness, so we should bestow kindness." -- Rashi)

One might think that a person who loves G-d need only devote himself to prayer and Torah study and by this means he will cleave to G-d. We see from this verse, however, that an essential ingredient in cleaving to G-d is caring about our fellow human being. (And if we care about our fellow human being, we wouldn't gratuitously speak negatively about him, would we?)

People won't care what you say --
unless they know that you care!

Don't tell G-d how big your problems are --
tell your problems how big G-d is

Shabbat Shalom!

Quarantine won't stop our learning

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The wise man seizes the opportunity to do mitzvot" (King Solomon). The lazy person says -- someday I'll do it.