PunkTorah

Independent Jewish Spirituality Online

  • Convert to Judaism
  • Online Rabbinical Program
  • Donate

Parsha Va‘etchanan: The Ups And The Downs (Deut 3:23 – 7:11)

August 1, 2012 by Jeremiah

The upside to this week’s Torah portion is Moses’ continued sermon reiterating the commandments Hashem has revealed to the Jewish people. Va’etchanan reminds us to never add or subtract from the Torah, never bow to other gods, the Big Ten are repeated, and the importance of marrying other Jews is stressed. Deuteronomy or Devarim is a book whose biggest contribution, in my opinion, is presenting all of the commandments given throughout the Torah in one book. For the ancient Hebrews this is Moses’ way of reminding a people who can generally be assumed as largely illiterate Hashem’s divine commandments, for the current day Jew Deuteronomy makes everything easy to find and convenient. Talk about a timeless win win.

For every upside there is undoubtedly a downside and Va’etchanan has a downside of biblical proportions (pun intended). This week’s portion translates as “and I pleaded.” Moses and the ancient Hebrews are encamped along [Read more…]

Filed Under: Community Member Blogs, Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud), Rants Tagged With: Circle Pit The Bimah, convert to judaism, convert to judaism online, darshan yeshiva, Deuteronomy, jeremiah, Moses, online conversion, Parsha Va'etchanan, patrick "aleph" beaulier, patrick aleph, Promised Land, punktorah, rabbi beaulier, rabbi patrick aleph beaulier, zion

PunkTorah Inc.
PO Box 1641
Midlothian, VA 23113

questions@punktorah.org
YouTube
Facebook

Read our DMCA notice

Search the PunkTorah Blog Archive

What We Do

Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary: Online Rabbinical Program

Now Hiring: Rabbis, Educators & Creatives

Become a Jewish Spiritual Leader

  • Jewish Text (Torah/Haftarah/Talmud)
  • Judaism & Belief
  • The G-d Project Videos
  • Podcasts & Videos
  • NewKosher (Recipes)
  • Converting To Judaism
  • LGBTQ & Women
  • Shabbat & Holidays

Copyright PunkTorah Inc.© 2023