Weekly Parsha

Mazal Tov: Benmy Haiat, congratulations on your Bar Mitzvah! 

Refuah Sheimah: Yehuda Baruch ben Sarah, Stephen Waczkiewicz (Shimon ben Sarah), Yossefa (Josie) "bat Sharon", Rafael ben Gladis e Esther Bracha "bat Sarah".

Continue praying for: Teddy Welz, Miriam (Mariana) "bat Zulay", Adina (Heidi) "bat Sarah" e Yosefa (Josie) "bat Sharon".

Nitzavim, Deut. 29:9 - 30:20 &
VaYelech, Deut. 31:1 - 31:30

On the day of Moshe's death he assembles the whole Jewish people and creates a Covenant confirming the Jewish people as the Almighty's Chosen People (chosen for responsibility to be a light to the nations) for all future generations. Moshe makes clear the consequences of rejecting G-d and His Torah as well as the possibility of repentance. He reiterates that Torah is readily available to everyone.

Nitzavim concludes with perhaps the clearest and most powerful statement in the Torah about the purpose of life and the existence of free-will: "I have set before you this day life and good, death and evil ... the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life that you may live, you and your descendants." (Now that's a real Quote of the Week!)

VaYelech begins with Moshe passing the torch of leadership to Yehoshua (Joshua). Moshe then gives Yehoshua a command/blessing which applies to every Jewish leader: "Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid or feel insecure before them. G-d your Lord is the One who is going with you, and He will not fail you nor forsake you."

Moshe writes the entire Torah and gives it to the Cohanim and Elders. He then commands that in the future at the end of the Shmita (Sabbatical Year) the king should gather all the people during the Succot festival and read to them the Torah so "... that they will hear and learn and fear the Lord your God and be careful to perform all the words of the Torah."

The Almighty describes in a short paragraph the course of Jewish history (that's starting from Deuteronomy 31:16 for the curious). Lastly, before Moshe goes to "sleep with his forefathers," he assembles the people to teach them the song of Ha'azinu, the next weekly Torah portion, to remind them of the consequences of turning against the Almighty.

"Rather, the matter is very close to you in your mouth and heart to do it" (Deut. 30:14).

Why does the Torah use the phrase "mouth and heart" to tell us that we can learn the whole Torah and fulfill it?

Regardless of how far away one is, if he is sincerely resolved to become a better person, he will be able make an immediate transformation of himself.  How?  When you make a sincere verbal commitment to the Almighty and to yourself to become a changed person, your very words have impact.  If you keep up your resolve, you can change your behavior.

If the words of your mouth are one with what is in your heart, then you can change immediately.  However, sometimes we need to repeat over and over the words of what we know is correct -- and what we should do -- so that they will enter our hearts.

When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

Shabbat Shalom,

L'shanah tovah tikatevu v'techatemu. "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

Rabbi Tank 

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Rabbi Tank is a professor at the American Jewish College in New York, where he teaches classes on Talmud, Jewish History, and Contemporary Jewish Law. Rabbi Tank is dedicated to finding modern utility and meaning in ancient wisdom texts and is pleased to provide spiritual, cultural, social and educational programming to communities around the world. 

Rabbi Tank was educated at Yeshivas in New York and Miami. He studied Biblical Archeology at Bar Ilan University and Jewish Studies at Harvard University. Rabbi Tank has a Bachelor degree in Business Administration and he is also graduated in International Economic Development from the University of Oxford. 

Rabbi Tank is a Jewish Chaplain actively involved in peace negotiations and relief operations. Rabbi Tank is the director of international affairs at the World Jewish Confederation in the United States and He is member of the White House National Religious Leaders , an Executive Office of the President of the United States in Washington, D.C.

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