Parshat Vaetchanan

1997

This week's Torah reading embraces Moses's discourses to the Israelites at the end of the forty years of wandering prior to their entry into the land of Israel. He recounts the significant events which occurred and reiterates many of the laws already presented in earlier sections of the Torah (hence the name of the book, "Deuteronomy," which means "second law" or "repetition of the law." One of the names for Deuteronomy in Hebrew is "Mishneh Torah," i.e. "repetition of the law").

Perhaps the two most significant texts of the Jewish religion are found in this week's reading. In chapter 5 we find the repetition of the Ten Commandments, and in chapter six we have the presentation of the Shema. The second line of the Shema, Deuteronomy 6:5 begins "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might." This paragraph is commonly known as the "ve'ahavta," and is recited twice a day by traditional Jews.

The commentator Sefat Emet analyzes this verse and identifies something logically troubling about the command to love: It is troubling: isn't love a human emotion? How can love be commanded? What would one do if the feeling of love is missing?

Rather, it seems to me that love of God is rooted in the innermost parts of the human soul. But sometimes it is necessary to arouse that love and bring it to the forefront through the power of action. This is what is meant by the commandment, "you shall love," i.e. that you should perform actions which arouse the power of the dormant to love God.

Our tradition has been one of action much more than of faith. While faith in God and faith in the divine nature of the Torah underlies Jewish practice, our tradition recognizes that faith cannot truly be regulated. We can demand action but we cannot really demand faith. No one can know for certain what someone else believes.

Another example of this is the commandment not to covet. Our tradition explains that this means we are not allowed to take actual steps which lead up to another transgression, such as creating an environment which will allow us to steal or commit adultery. In this case the coveting is a sin in addition to the actual theft or adultery. Merely desiring what is forbidden without taking any steps towards transgression is not a violation of the commandment against coveting.

According to Sefat Emet there are actions we take which arouse the love of God. Related to this the commentator Ben Ya'ir Ha'Cohen states on the same verse that "it is not possible to love God without first loving Israel." Love precedes and fosters love. Loving actions precede love. Human beings have been created in God's image, and if we take actions of love towards other human beings we will feel that love towards the whole of humanity and this will, in turn, arouse our love of God.

When we spend time in a homeless shelter, or teach someone illiterate to read, or bring comfort to someone else's life, or spark a sense of Jewishness in someone who is seeking meaning or identity in his or her life we are doing God's work and demonstrating our love of God.

Let us learn from the words of Sefat Emet. Let us take positive actions in our lives to make the world better for others and for ourselves. Let us see our participation in our community as enhancing humanity, and let us see human kindness as loving God.

Prepared by Jeffrey Kurtz-Lendner, Director of the New Orleans Hillel Center.