Parshas Va’eschanan 5765

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

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Moshe related how he had hoped after conquering the countries of Sichon and Og that G-d would relent from His decree and allow him to enter the land. G-d, however, refused his request, and all Moshe was allowed to do was climb a mountain and view the land from a distance.

Moshe also exhorted the people to observe all the mitzvos, and not to detract or add anything to the mitzvahs of G-d. The mitzvahs can only exert their Divine influence upon a person when they are observed as the will of G-d. When a person subtracts from or adds to a mitzvah, e.g. introduces five or three sections in the tefillin instead of four, they become the product of his own intellect rather than those of the A-lmighty and they no longer have the same meaning or carry the same value.

The people were also reminded them that only through keeping the mitzvahs properly will they be able to earn the respect of their non-Jewish neighbors. The Torah and mitzvahs themselves are the source of the Jew’s wisdom, and ultimately they will be seen as such. Although some may think that the more they imitate the ways of the other nations the more respect they will gain from them, Moshe informed the nation that this is not so. Only by the meticulous adherence to all the laws of the Torah, even the ones that may not seem rational, can the Jewish people fulfill their role as a mentor to the nations of the world and thereby earn their respect.

Moshe also reminded the nation about the Divine Revelation they had experienced at Mount Sinai. No other people had ever experienced, or had even claimed to experience, anything along the scale of the Sinai Revelation. It is this experience that is the cornerstone and guarantor of the Jew’s faith in G-d and the Torah. It is every Jew’s responsibility to transmit this experience to his children, thereby keeping it alive for posterity.

The portion also contains the Sh'ma, the Jew’s daily acknowledgment of G-d’s mastery, His unity, and the commandment to love Him. This is considered to be central to the Jewish faith, and is thus repeated twice each day.

The mitzvah to love G-d with all of one’s heart, soul, and resources is the source for many laws. Although life is considered to be sacred in Jewish law, a Jew is obligated to forfeit his life rather than exchange his belief in G-d for any other beliefs. One must also be willing to sacrifice all of his resources in order not to transgress any of the commandments. Ultimately, it is through the sacrifice of time, effort and money that one can develop the proper love for the Al-mighty.

Moshe warned the people that they would only receive the Promised Land if they would maintain their unique role, and not imitate the ways of the other nations.

“You should be very careful to protect your lives... ” (Deut. 4:16)

Rav Mordechai Sharaby refused to cross the street against a red light, although there were no cars on the street. He believed that it would transgress the obligation of being careful with one’s life, since a car could come quickly at any second. It is better to lose a second in life than lose life in a second. Even if one crossed safely, he would still lose merit in Heaven.

The Steipler Rav once suggested that had there been a Sanhedrin (High Court) in existence today, they would have prohibited driving cars, since people are not careful enough when they drive and cause serious accidents.

Did You Know...

The Sh'ma must be recited twice each day, once in the morning and once in the evening. In the morning it may be recited from around an hour before sunrise until four hours into the day, usually between 9:30 and 10:30 AM. If one begins prayers around that time, he should be careful to recite Sh'ma before praying.

One should try to recite the morning Sh'ma while wearing tallis and tefillin, since these are both mentioned in the Sh'ma. The evening Sh'ma must be said after nightfall, and preferably before midnight. If one prayed before nightfall, he should repeat the three chapters of Sh'ma before retiring for the night. If Sh'ma was not recited before midnight, it may be said until a little more than an hour before sunrise.