Shabbat Nachamu: Va-Et'chanan

Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11

The Dutiful Student

Moses as a model of one who seeks greater understanding

By Rabbi Marc Wolf
Reprinted with permission of the Jewish Theological Seminary.
Reenacting an historical moment through liturgy and deed is a forte of Judaism.

Our calendar year overflows with holidays and observances that transport us to our former days and inspire us to reenter the narrative and relive salient moments of history. This week in particular, observing the 9th of Av, we read of the destruction of the Temple and continue the mourning of our ancestors for the calamities that befell them.

While it is possible to read this narrative as a preventive measure to ensure that we, too, do not fall victims to George Santayana's dictum condemning us to either learn from our history or repeat it, I believe that Judaism's message is a blessing, not a curse. It is a blessing for us to be able to relive life's difficult moments--and the reason why can be gleaned from Moses' behavior and our parasha this week.

Isaiah Horowitz, commenting on this week's parashah, Va'et'hanan, asserts that throughout the parshiyot of D'varim, we are constantly encouraged to learn and relearn the mitzvot of the Torah. The common name of Deuteronomy itself, the Mishneh Torah, means a second retelling of what came before in the previous four books. Each subject of the Torah is rehashed within the pages of Deuteronomy, according to Horowitz, and each is a call to action to study the passages to our fullest comprehension. For inspiration, Horowitz patterns Moses as the quintessential student, constantly questioning the pedagogical message of God.

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