20 September 2024
Week of 15-21 September 2024
Torah portion: Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8 Haftarah: Isaiah 60:1-22
Theme: A model for all Nations
Parashat Ki Tavo, is the 50th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the seventh in the Book of Deuteronomy. Moses is directing the Israelite’s to bring an offering to the temple of the first fruit harvested when they enter the land of Israel as God promised them. Therefore the Israelite’s have declared that the Lord is their God and that they will walk in His ways and observe His laws, commandments and rules with all their heart and soul. In return, God has affirmed that they are His treasured people who shall observe His commandments and that they shall be set high above all other nations, a people Holy unto the Lord (Deut. 26:16-19). They will thus be distinguished from all other nations and a model for them. “But upon you the Light will shine, and His Presence be seen over you. And nations shall walk by your light, Kings, by your shining radiance” (Isa.60:2-3).
The people are about to enter the land that was promised to their ancestors. The occasion is to be marked by a ceremony on Mt. Ebal and is to begin with the erection of large stones which are to be coated with plaster and upon which the Teaching is to be inscribed most distinctly (Deut.27: 8). According to Rashi “most distinctly” spoke of the Teaching being inscribed in 70 languages (Rashi ad loc), so that all other nations can read. Therefore, that which distinguishes the Israelite’s from other peoples is their relationship with God. What is demanded of them is to maintain that that relationship will be spelled out for the other nations.
They are then to erect an altar – of unhewn stones – upon which they are to offer a burnt offering to the Lord, then sacrifice offerings of well-being and eat them REJOICING before the Lord.
They will then reaffirm their Covenant, thus declaring that they themselves accept the Teaching of their own volition. The land is a gift from God and their presence in it will declare the fulfillment of His promise to their ancestors. But their continued presence in it will depend on the people staying in relationship with God through the keeping of the Covenant. It is primary that they conduct themselves according to God’s commandments and joy is to be the essential character of their service to HaShem. We recall that when God told Moses to tell the people to bring the Lord gifts for the building of the Mishkan, the qualifying criterion was “you shall accept gifts from every person whose heart so moves him” (Ex. 25:2).
The nation of Israel is called to demonstrate to the world that they are God’s chosen treasured people – Am Segulah – by not just faithfully observing the commandments, but by doing so JOYFULLY. A joy born in humility and gratitude for the fact that they are beloved of God, and He is the Source of their land, security, protection and abundance.
In Judaism, the central role of joy rests on the Talmudic insight that “God’s Presence does not make itself felt in a state of sadness or indifference or lightheartedness or distractedness but rather in the joy that comes from fulfilling a mitzvah” (B.T. Shabbat 30b).
For Reflection and Discussion: 1. Do you find joy transformative, changing the most mundane of tasks into a blessing and privilege? 2. Do humility and gratitude qualify our accomplishments? .3 Does joy characterize our service to God and others?
Bibliography: McKenzie, J.L. Dictionary of the Bible (New York: 1965), JPS, Tanakh, B.T., Shabbat 30b, Rashi, ad loc
This week’s Parasha Commentary was prepared by
Dunhill Malunar Timkang, Israel-Jerusalem, Alumnus: 2023
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