Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Dvarim -- 5775

The end has begun.  This week we read Dvarim, the first parsha in the final book of the Torah.

The Book of Deuteronomy tells the people’s travels and travails.  Moses recounts the story.  He lists the stops they’ve made along the way, and also the battles they’ve fought.  They were victorious over Heshbon and Og.  They were defeated at Hormah, and struck down Zered.

It’s an effective way to tell a story: victories and defeats.

We’ll soon observe Tisha b’Av, the holy day commemorating the falls of the First and Second Temple, as well as the Expulsion from Spain in 1492.  Many Jews fast as a way to remember our defeats.  We seek to understand their causes so as to strengthen ourselves as a people.  We also honor our fallen.


What about your life story?  What have been your victories?  What have been your defeats?

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