Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 4 Tishri, 5785
Parsha Ve-Zo’T Ha-Berakhah – “This is the blessing”: (Deuteronomy 33:1 – 34:12)
First portion: Deuteronomy 33:1 – 33:7

Good morning!  Today we begin our FINAL PARSHA of the Torah. We stretch this portion over two weeks. We will read six portions and then hit Yom Kippur, then we will start over, and read the first four portions until we hit Sukkot. Then? We will finish out the entire thing on the Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah! Then we will START OVER with Genesis!

It is amazing to think we’ve come this far over the past year. It is BEAUTIFUL how this parsha overlaps -it closes the Torah cycle from 5784, but it resides fully in 5785. This is an ending, but ALSO a new beginning! I have shared this the past three years, and I love this quote:

“The Torah never ends. We read it every year in a cycle, but really it is a spiral that forever ascends heavenward. Having read the entire Torah, how have you changed? What have you learned? What blessings have you discovered in your life?”

This is the FUNDAMENTAL question to ask ourselves. For me, the blessings this past year are NUMEROUS. I have found strength. Stability. Abundance. To name a few.  Let’s DIG IN to the final parsha:

1And this is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel [just] before his death.

2He said: “The Lord came from Sinai and shone forth from Seir to them; He appeared from Mount Paran and came with some of the holy myriads; from His right hand was a fiery Law for them.

Moses blessed us with the blessing of Hashem. I love the image of “fiery Law.” Let’s ruminate on this for a minute.

Does the law burn us? Like a hot oven? Or is it more like a cozy energy within us? Is it a gift of the connection between our Neshama – our soul – and the Creator Hashem (the Universe)?

Does the “Law” burn brighter in us than it did a year ago?

Or do we get discouraged because it’s not “burning as bright” as we think it is SUPPOSED to? This is the fundamental question.

Growth and development or expectation and disappointment?

3Indeed, You showed love for peoples; all his holy ones are in Your hand, for they let themselves be centered at Your feet, bearing Your utterances.

The grounding of the fiery law? LOVE. The law is LOVE. Are we growing and developing in our hearts of love? Or are we disappointed in what we’ve expected of love?

4The Torah that Moses commanded us is a legacy for the congregation of Jacob.

5And He was King in Jeshurun, whenever the sum total of the people were gathered, and the tribes of Israel were together,

The Torah is a legacy of love.

6May Reuben live and not die, and may his people be counted in the number.

7May this [also be] for Judah.” And he [Moses] said, “O Lord, hearken to Judah’s voice and bring him to his people; may his hands do battle for him, and may You be a help against his adversaries.”

The tribe of Rueben  is blessed by love. The tribe of Rueben LIVES in love.

The voice of Love is Judah’s to connect him to his people. The voice of love is help against our adversaries.

This is the beginning of the blessing of the Torah.

Live in love.

Speak love.

Protect with love.

What are your thoughts?

Here is my commentary from the past two years:

Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for 9 Tishri, 5784

These are the last moments before Yom Kippur – the time where the gates of heaven are open, and we are written in the book of life for another year.  If there are people we have wronged, today is the day to go and seek out forgiveness.

Today we begin the last portion of the Torah – but with Sukkot coming Friday evening, it will take us two weeks to finish the Parsha.

But let’s quickly dig in.

This last portion is called Ve-Zo’t Ha-Berakhah which literally means “This is the blessing.”

This is the blessing.  We end the Torah with the blessing.  From a year ago:

“The Torah never ends. We read it every year in a cycle, but really it is a spiral that forever ascends heavenward. Having read the entire Torah, how have you changed? What have you learned? What blessings have you discovered in your life?”

As we begin this week. As we enter Yom Kippur tonight – these are the questions:

• How have we changed reading the Torah this year?
• What have we learned reading the Torah this year?
• What blessings have we discovered in our lives this year?

For me? I have changed in my role as a father reading the Torah this year.  My kids are a blessing.

I have learned reading the Torah this year to be more mindful of moments and not get stuck in the past (Egypt) or get too far ahead (the Promised Land) and just trust.

The blessings I have discovered are new friends and relationships and depths of who I am that I could never imagined a year ago!

And this is just scratching the surface!  How about you? What have you gained and learned?

Here is my commentary from a year ago:

 Tyler’s Torah Thoughts for Tishri 14, 5783

Today is the beginning of our LAST Parsha! How exciting! Tonight is also the full moon! It’s the Jewish holy days of Sukkot Starting! Tonight’s full moon is called the “hunter’s moon” and may have an orange tint to it. Last months full moon was the Harvest moon, so it seems apropos that Sukkot starts tonight – a celebration of the Harvest.

Our journey has taken us on the path of a spiritual harvest. Hopefully the past month has been a time of spiritual growth and development. Tonight begins our opportunity to cross over this week and enter the promised land! Simchat Torah is a week away when this cycle of Torah ends and we “begin again.”

Let’s dig in!

This last portion is called Ve-Zo’t Ha-Berakhah which literally means “This is the blessing.”

What a way to end the Torah cycle. “This is the blessing.”

The Chumash I’m reading has this to frame this weeks Parsha:

“The Torah never ends. We read it every year in a cycle, but really it is a spiral that forever ascends heavenward. Having read the entire Torah, how have you changed? What have you learned? What blessings have you discovered in your life?”

Let’s pause and reflect on that question. I’m curious about our journeys.

I know for me – the blessings I’ve discovered is a spiritual awakening within the Torah this year that never existed prior. To disconnect the literal and physical ideas in the Torah and apply them to my spiritual life has been a significant blessing.

Seeing the journey of the Israelites as a spiritual one for myself has been incredibly healing.

What about you?

Let’s dig in! The portion literally begins with: “and this is the blessing which Moses, a man of God, gave to the children of Israel (shortly) before his death.”

Let’s see what it is;

• God came out from Sinai to meet the Jewish people
• God shined His glory on them – after Seir (which is where the children of Esau declined to accept the Torah)
• God appeared to them after Mount Paran – (which is where the children of Ishmael declined to accept the Torah)
• God came to the Jewish people with some of the holy myriads
• God came the Jewish people a fiery law – written with his right hand.

Let’s pause. First. The critical thing here? The Children of Israel don’t seem to be God’s first choice. just because God chooses people, He gives freedom for people to reject Him and His Torah.

To me? This means the key factor is “choosing” Torah. And I believe anyone can “choose” Torah. And by choosing Torah, we commune with Hashem in a personal relationship.

That’s a big blessing to start this weeks Parsha. Freedom and liberation.

Let’s keep going with the blessings:

• God showed affection for the tribes who are all nations unto themselves.
• The souls of the righteous are in Hashem’s hand – which is a privilege they deserve.

Whoa. Full stop. If our Neshama (soul) is in us. We are all in Hashem’s hand. And that’s where we deserve to be! Wow!

More blessings –

• The Torah is an inheritance for the congregation of Jacob – which will never be abandoned.

Stop again. The Torah is an inheritance. It’s value. It’s abundance. And who is this for? “The congregation of Jacob.”

Who are the “congregation” of Jacob? It’s interesting that “children of Jacob” wasn’t used here, right? The Torah is an inheritance to those who come together in the name of Jacob. Are you a part of the “congregation of Jacob?” Something to reflect on. If the answer is yes? The Torah is your inheritance.

Let’s keep going.

• Whenever people gathered as a numerous group, with the tribes of Israel together – they always accepted God’s rulership- so He was a King in Jeshurun – and He wished to bless them.

Are you gathering with the tribes of Israel? If you are, Hashem wishes to bless you. This is the congregation of Jacob.

That’s the blessing and it’s a lot. What are your thoughts?

The portion today closes with Moses shifting to blessing the tribes:

He starts with Reuben and Judah:

• To Reuben – my Reuben live in the world and when he reaches the world to come May he not die because of the including with Bilhah. May his people be counted in the official number of the tribes and not be punished for his sin by being excluded from the tribes.
• To Judah – Moses said “Listen, God, to Judah’s voice when he prays to You, and bring him in peace to his people back from war. May his hands do battle for him successfully and may You be a help against his enemies.”

Good stuff! What are your thoughts! May you enjoy the rest of this day and prepare yourself to be In the sukkah tonight!