Friday, September 4, 2009

A continuation of Tuesday August 18th post -A Parsha by Parsha, step by step, guide to the Devarim cycle of responsibility

As we mentioned the the book of Deuteronomy is one unit, dealing with one unit of time, one mission for our lives.
The book encompasses a unique and crucial part of our cycle of life and mission in life that starts with the beginning of that book and ends with it's end.
Every Parsha is a step by step rebuilding guide for the Teshuva process which starts before Tisha B'av (not Elul or Rosh Hashana as we are led to believe) and ends with Simchas Torah.

Parshas Devorim is an overall rebuking of the Israelites ways in the desert meant to wake us up to introspect into our lives in general to make way for the change which Tisha B'av is supposed to invoke in us. Which is how we interact socially one to another. Which is the crucial foundation for the rest of our Teshuva process. Because no repentance works unless we first correct how we act to others. Tisha B'av is meant to set us straight on that road.
Next is Parshas V'eschanan - once we break down our bad character traits then it's time to rebuild our foundation so this Parsha reviews all the fundementals:
The Ten Commandments, The Shema, the real purpose and benefits of following the Torah.
Parshas Eikev deals almost solely with the Land of Israel. Because that is a truly important foundation of our faith and lives. More of the spiritual effect of the land rather than the physical. But we must spend the time next on dealing with how we allow that to impact us on our road to Teshuva, repentance. Because, besides the Torah discussed in last week's parsha, it is the yearning for Land of Israel which kept us together as a people through all the difficult times of history.
more to come.....

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