Dvarim

The world was created twice – one that was preceded by a state of pre-creation, and another time after the world was already created. The first creation happened in the first month and the second one was in the seventh month.

Covenants, in the Jewish sense of the word, are not altered by changing times and differing circumstances. A covenant has the ring of eternity, not only in time but also in content.

The great questions - “Who are we?” “Why are we here?” “What is our task?” – are best answered by telling a story. A large part of what Moses is doing in the book of Devarim is retelling that story to the next generation.

Every Jewish holiday has a representative color. Each Yom Tov also connects to one of the senses. What sense connects to Rosh Hashana?

The opening words of this week's Torah reading have been repeated often throughout the entire discourse by Moshe with the Jewish people, which constitutes the bulk of this book of Devarim.

The list of those who return from the battlelines is found in Parashat Shoftim, and the same people come up in Parashat Ki Tavo. The differences between the cases are clear. The order of the people is different.

Ki Teitse contains more laws than any other parsha in the Torah, and it is possible to be overwhelmed by this embarrass de richesse of detail. One verse, however, stands out "Do not despise an Edomite, because he is your brother. Do not despise the Egyptian, because you were a stranger in his land."

Which Mitzvot in the Torah promise long life as a reward?” Most answer, Kibud Av v’Ame & Shiluach Hakeyn. That’s right, but it’s also wrong! There is a third Mitzva, found in our Sedra, which also promises arichat yamim, the requirement to have honest weights & just measures.

"When you go out to war against your enemies…" Going to battle means "going out," leaving our regular routine and habits. The Torah educates us to gentle behavior, to making concessions, and certainly not to kill – under normal circumstances. But in wartime, killing Israel's enemies is a mitzvah, and requires one to become nearly a different person, one with great strength and aggressiveness. These are traits that can cause a person to lose the proper balance...