Devarim - Weekly Torah Portion

This Shabbat, the Shabbat prior to the fast of the 9th of Av, also know as Shabbat Hazon (vision), we begin the reading that last of the fifth of the Pentateuch, “Deuteronomy”. In what we read this week Moses describes briefly the path taken by the Israelites until this moment where they are just a step away from entrance into the Promised Land. There, “Across the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses began to explain this Law”. The explanation is angrily and blatantly spoken to the people of Israel by the prophet Isaiah in this week’s Haftarah. “Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; / Listen to the instruction of our God, / You people of Gomorrah! “What are your many sacrifices to Me?’ / Says the Lord. / ‘I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams / And the fat of fattened cattle; / And I take no pleasure in the blood of bulls, lambs, or goats. / When you come to appear before Me, / Who requires of you this trampling of My courtyards? Do not go on bringing your worthless offerings, / Incense is an abomination to Me. / New moon and Sabbath, the proclamation of an assembly — I cannot endure wrongdoing and the festive assembly. / I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, / They have become a burden to Me; / I am tired of bearing them. So when you spread out your hands in prayer, / I will hide My eyes from you; / Yes, even though you offer many prayers, / I will not be listening. / Your hands are covered with blood.” The path taken is important but it is not the objective, the objective is the end-result it is supposed to bring, the explanation of the Law.

The prophet clarifies, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; / Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. / Stop doing evil, / Learn to do good; / Seek justice, / Rebuke the oppressor, / Obtain justice for the orphan, / Plead for the widow’s case.” He then continues, “Zion will be redeemed with justice / And her repentant ones with righteousness.” Often is the case where one goes a long way, studying vigorously, making sacrifices left and right, and yet the end result is not what it should be. We should never fall into the trap where we assume that those who speak the Torah and its teachings are necessarily following the religion in any form or shape. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. Being harsh and stringent, extreme and literal does not mean that law and justice are sought. It is also true that advancement and liberalism, easement and understanding, automatically advance those causes. What counts is the end result which may be reached in different ways, maybe even peculiar ways. Society is measured by its ability to have justice applied equally for all. Fasts, sacrifices, prayers, and atonements are by no means the goal, but rather means to aim that will allow us to accept and protect those who are different, weakened or of need of support.

No mistake should be made – it does not mean that the weakened party is by definition the one that it right or that truth is on his or her side. What is important is that regardless to a person’s social or economic status, he or she will be handled in a just and compassioned manner, in the cleanest of cleanest ways humanly possible. Isaiah then promises, “If you are willing and obedient, / You will eat the best of the land;” but also threatens, “But if you refuse and rebel, / You will be devoured by the sword.”

Tomorrow, Saturday evening, the eve of the 9th of Av, at 9:30 pm Israel time, our friends and colleagues of the Conservative Movement invite us for the reading from the scroll of Lamentations (איכה). They request that anyone of us who can get to the pluralistic section of the Western Wall, the Kotel, should be there and support our effort against the brutal attempt by nationalist-haredi people who are trying to forcefully take over a section designated for pluralistic ways of prayer. The vice-chair of the World Zionist Organization, Dr. Yizhar Hess, has published photographs on Facebook® describing these attempts. They are trying to erect a partition (מחיצה) and disrupt our ways of prayer. Under the influence of a radical and quarrelsome rabbi they are trying rob that which is ours. We cannot allow this to happen! Member of Knesset Rabbi Gilad Kariv spoke about this in the Knesset this week. He noted that the agreements that were reached were not easy to swallow but retaining solidarity within our people was paramount. Unfortunately, the prime minister then caved under the pressure of the haredi parties who were integral to the agreements reached and the government operative decision on this case. The political cowardness of the former PM led to a dramatic withdrawal from that decision that led, among others, to a rift in the relationships with world Jewry. Their ways are certainly not even remotely similar to the brutal aggression of those who seek to confiscate control over Judaism today.

Even on the eve of the 9th of Av we should not camouflage these issues that are tearing into the flash and blood of the Jewish people. We cannot let those who trample the courtyards, who provide worthless offerings. We need to repeat time and again the damage that they are doing to Judaism as well as to world Jewry. The hostile attempt to annex that which is not theirs for the grab is doomed to failure. Until such time we need to build here, fearlessly and tirelessly, Judaism which is pluralistic, encompassing, engaging and accepting. A Judaism that flourishes with a discourse of many venues and streams, a debate where all voices may be heard and listened to, a discussion that evolves and teaches. It must also be a Judaism that can love, accept, hug and respect those who are not of our faith with dignity and equality.

Shabbat Shalom and wishes for Good Health.

Reuven Marko, 16July 2021, 8 Av, 5781