Dear Friends;
This year’s Parshiyot Ki Tavo vort is being sponsored by Rabbi Eliezer and Esther Brodt of Ramat Beit Shemesh dedicated for the safety of the Chayalim and the liberation of all remaining hostages and their return home without experiencing any further harm, as well as for the good health and security of kol Am Yisrael. To the Brodt family, many thanks for your sponsorship and for your continued kindnesses.
You can celebrate a Simcha — a birth, a Bar/Bat Mitzvah, a Chassuna or other Simcha event in your life, or commemorate a Yahrtzeit of a loved one, or for whatever other reason by sponsoring a Parshat HaShavua.
Please forward to your relatives and friends and encourage them to sponsor a Parshat HaShavua. And please be in contact with me with any questions, or for further details.
Best Regards,
Moshe Burt
olehchadash@yahoo.com
Subscribe to the Israel and the Sin of Expulsion blog, to ask questions or to sponsor a Parsha Vort at: olehchadash@yahoo.com
**********************************************
Early on in our Parshat Ki Tavo, Torah relates:
“Moshe and the Kohanim, the Levites, spoke to all of Yisrael, saying, ‘Be attentive and hear, O Yisrael: This day you have become a people to Hashem Keilokecha.'” (Sefer Devarim Perek 27, perek 9 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
Near the end of our Parsha, Torah records:
“Moshe summoned all of Yisrael and said to them, ‘You have seen everything that Hashem did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all of his servants and to all his land — the great trials that your eyes beheld, those great signs and wonders. But Hashem did not give you a heart to know, or eyes to see, or ears to hear until this day.'” (Sefer Devarim Perek 29, posukim 1 -3 as rendered to English in the Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash)
These two sets of Torah posukim relate to each other. Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash provides commentary regarding both Perek 27, posuk 9 and Perek 29, posukim 1 -3 (pages 1073 and 1085) :
[Perek 27, posuk 9] “This day you have become a people.” When Moshe gave his newly written Torah Scroll to the Levi’im for safekeeping (The Artscroll Chumash citing Sefer Devarim Perek 31, posuk 19), the rest of the nation protested, saying that someday the Levi’im might say that the Torah is theirs exclusively, and the rest of the people have no share in it. Moshe rejoiced at this demonstration of love and reverence for the Torah, because it proved that they had matured and became worthy of being called a people. (The Artscroll Chumash cites Rashi relating to Perek 29, posuk 3)
[Perek 29, posukim 1 – 3] Moshe was about to deliver his final charge to the people… by putting the Wilderness years into perspective. Only now, after forty years of miraculous survival and the beginning of a conquest that was clearly accomplished by Hashem, could people clearly appreciate the awesome degree of gratitude and allegiance that they owed Him. As the Sages say (The Artscroll Chumash citing Avodah Zarah 5b), a student does not fully understand his teacher until after forty years. It was now forty years since Moshe had led them out of Egypt, so he told them that Hashem would now begin to expect more of them.
“Until this day.” (The Artscroll Chumash relates this phrase to Perek 27, posuk 9)
Rabbi Dovid Feinstein, z”l provides a commentary on Sefer Devarim, Perek 29, posuk 3 in his Sefer “Kol Dodi” (page 285) :
Moshe was consoling the Jews: “Until now, Hashem did not give you the ability to see and understand His great kindnesses to you. It is not your fault that you did not appreciate them because in the past you were not capable of it. Now, however, that He has given you these powers, you will be held responsible for your actions.” And now they were capable of doing so, Moshe was able to charge them with the responsibilities he speaks of in Parshat Nitzavim.
Through the many generations and centuries of Galut prior to our modern-day return to Eretz Yisrael and nationhood in the Land, it seems that segments of our brethren, both in Israel and in Chutz L’Aretz, have lost love and reverence for the Torah, Hashem, for their brethren and indeed for Eretz Yisrael itself. Does the Am seem to require a period of maturation to again unify and fully grasp Hashem’s “thousands of thousands, myriad of myriads” of kindness done to kol Am Yisrael? Could this explain why adherence to and performance of Hashem’s Torah seems absent among certain of Israel’s modern-day factions, politicians, governing leaders and, particularly Israel’s military high command? The actions of the military high command seem more aligned with both their arrogance regarding both enhancement of their personal power and with advancing their ideologies and agendas to the peril of Israel’s security and to the exclusion of, and with nary a word of our partnership with HaKadosh Borchu or performance of Torah commandments?
Israel’s fresh victory-oriented strategies in Gaza and attacks in Iran which demolished much of their nuclear facilities, scientists, military leadership, ballistic missiles and ballistic missile manufacturing facilities exemplify positive changes resulting from the appointments of a new defense minister and foreign minister. The pre-emptive actions against Iran have been nothing short of miraculous, B’Yad Hashem.
However, the newly appointed military chief of staff, who seemed to be signaling a more zealous, diligent command structure and strategy based on valid understandings of their adversary’s intentions and concern for Israel’s sovereignty and security upon his appointment, now seems to be following in the footsteps of his predecessor in calling for an end to the war in Gaza short of complete victory — the eradication of Hamas; i.e. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, and quite possibly sentencing the remaining living hostages to death to boot.
May we see our government and military become Totally self-sufficient as to manufacture of military equipment and aircraft, weaponry, munitions — heavy munitions, as well as showing independence of actions responding to any threat, regardless of so-called “super powers.” And may see, from here on, that border guard personnel at all points of possible danger are listened to and treated with respect and dignity. May these words come to fruition B’Esrat Hashem.
Not withstanding the previous horrendous “ceasefires” and drips and drabs of hostages in exchange for thousands of bloody-handed terrorists, may it be that our Chayalim, regardless of the machinations of malfeasance and nonfeasance by their previous high command to date, but now under command of both a new defense minister and chief of staff, emerge totally victorious — eradicating from the face of the earth Hamas, Islamic Jihad, their other terrorist buddies, UNRWA and the so-called “innocent civilians” of Gaza who joined with Hamas in their murderous deeds. May our Chayalim, on multiple fronts, return home whole — physically, mentally and spiritually and that the Chayalim Liberate and bring home all remaining hostages B’Yad Hashem. May we see a Final and Decisive victory by our Chayalim, mandated by a government secure in it’s foremost service of and emunah in HaKadosh Borchu, B’Ezrat Hashem! And may we see the restoration of true unity within Am Yisrael.
May we, the B’nei Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif e permanently re-settled in Gush Katif, once the IDF, by the Yad Hashem, destructs and eradicates the wild beasts of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, all other terror entities, and if necessary Iran, and that our brethren be made totally whole — be totally restituted for all that was stolen from them. B’Ezrat Hashem that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard and his family know only Simcha and fulfillment always as he approaches his sixth year at home in Eretz Yisrael. May Esther Yocheved bat Yechiel Avraham have an aliyah in Shemayim and may her spirit and memory continue to lift Jonathan to at least 120 years. May the MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem — as with the return in April, 2019, via Russia, of the remains of Zachariah Baumel, the recent recovery of the remains of Tzvi Feldman as well as the recovery of the remains of Oron Shaul as should the remains of the other chayal from the Gaza War of ten years ago. May we have the courage and strength to stand up and physically prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and prevent Chas V’Challila the handing of Jewish land over to anyone, let alone to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we see, in 5785, the REAL Jews from the Ukraine and Russia as well as the US and Canada, the real Jews via matrilineal descent, make Aliyah enmass — via thorough review by Misrad HaPanim. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nei Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem Al’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bimhayrah b’yamainu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!
Good Shabbos!
———————————————————
Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
Moshe is available for editing of English language documents, articles, manuscripts and more. Please be in contact with him at olehchadash@yahoo.com for your English language needs.
*********************************************************