“…Hear, O Israel: Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is one…” – Devarim 6:4 שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ ה’ אֶחָד – דברים ו, ד This verse expresses the cardinal principle of the Jewish faith: belief in the singular existence of G-d. The deeper meaning of this “oneness” is that not only is there no deity other than the One G-d, but […]

“…You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your might…” – Devarim 6:5 וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ בְּכָל-לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל-נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל-מְאֹדֶךָ – דברים ו,ה Our Sages explain the commandment to “love G-d… with all your soul” to mean, “even if He takes your soul,” i.e., to devote yourself to G-d even at the […]

“…And you shall inscribe them upon the doorposts of your house and upon your gates…” – Devarim 6:9 וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל מְזֻזוֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ – דברים ו, ט Our sages teach that affixing mezuzos to the doorposts of our homes brings security and protection for the house and all its inhabitants (see Talmud, Avodah Zarah 11a). The Zohar (vol. 3, p. 263b) takes […]

“…And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for a reminder between your eyes…” – Devarim 6:8 וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאוֹת עַל יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ – דברים ו,ח Our Sages taught that the mitzvah of Tefillin scares away the enemies of the Jewish people. The Talmud (Berachos 6a) declares, “It is written: ‘And […]

“…On that side of the Jordan, in the land of Moav, Moshe began explaining this teaching, saying…” Devarim 1:5 בְּעֵבֶר הַיַּרְדֵּן בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב הוֹאִיל משֶׁה בֵּאֵר אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת לֵאמֹר – דברים א, ה Before his passing, Moshe began to prepare Bnei Yisrael for their entry into the Land of Israel by recounting all that they had experienced during their forty […]

“…Hashem, our G-d, spoke to us in Chorev, saying, “Your stay at this mountain has been plenty for you”… Devarim 1:6 ה’ אֱלֹקֵינוּ דִּבֶּר אֵלֵינוּ בְּחֹרֵב לֵאמֹר רַב לָכֶם שֶׁבֶת בָּהָר הַזֶּה – דברים א, ו Moshe recounted to Bnei Yisrael that, if not for the episode of the Spies, G-d would have brought them into the Land of Israel […]

“…Come and possess the land that G-d swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Yaacov, to give them and their descendants after them…” – Devarim 1:8 בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה’ לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לָתֵת לָהֶם וּלְזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם – דברים א, ח Moshe recounted to Bnei Yisrael that, if not for the episode of […]

“…See, I have given the land before you; Come and possess the land that G-d swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Yaacov, to give them and their descendants after them…” – Devarim 1:8 רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵיכֶם אֶת הָאָרֶץ בֹּאוּ וּרְשׁוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע ה’ לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיַעֲקֹב לָתֵת לָהֶם וּלְזַרְעָם אַחֲרֵיהֶם – דברים א, […]

“…Moshe commanded us the Torah; it is the inheritance of the congregation of Yaakov…” – Devarim 33:4 תורה צוה לנו משה, מורשה קהלת יעקב – דברים לג, ד “From the moment your son knows how to speak, teach him [the verse], ‘Torah tziva lanu Moshe…’” (Rashi on Devarim 11:19; cf. Talmud, Sukkah 42a). Inheritance is spontaneous; to inherit requires no act or […]

“……And all the great awe which Moshe performed before the eyes of all Israel…” – Devarim 34:12     ולכל היד החזקה ולכל המורא הגדול אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל – דברים לד, יב Based on the Sifri, Rashi interprets the final words of the Torah, “before the eyes of all Israel,” as a reference to one of the darkest moments […]

“…And g-d spoke to Moshe on that very day, saying. ascend this mount Avarim [to] mount Nevo…” –  (Devarim 32:48-49) וַיְדַבֵּר ה’ אֶל משֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לֵאמֹר: עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה הַר נְבו.ֹ.. – דברים לב, מח-מט Rashi notes that in three places the Torah employs the phrase, בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, which literally means, “at the strength of this […]

“…But I, hide, I shall hide my face on that day…” – Devarim 31:18    ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא – דברים לא, יח In Parshas Vayelech, G-d foretells that the Jewish people will one day stray after foreign gods, and His fury will rage against them and many troubles will befall them. “But I, hide, I shall hide My face […]

“…But not only with you am I making this covenant and this oath, but with those standing here with us today before Hashem our God, and with those who are not here with us, this day…” – Devarim 29:13-14 וְלֹא אִתְּכֶם לְבַדְּכֶם אָנֹכִי כֹּרֵת אֶת הַבְּרִית הַזֹּאת וְאֶת הָאָלָה הַזֹּאת: כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶשְׁנוֹ פֹּה עִמָּנוּ עֹמֵד הַיּוֹם לִפְנֵי ה’ […]

“…..You are all Standing today before G-od, your G-od: the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young children, your women, and your convert who is within your camp, both your woodcutters and your water drawers.

“…G-d has set you apart this day to be His treasured people, just as He spoke concerning you…” – Devarim 26:18 וה’ האמירך היום להיות לו לעם סגלה… ולהיתך עם קדש לה’ אלקיך כאשר דבר” – דברים כו, יח” What is the meaning of G-d setting the Jewish people apart as His “am segulah,” “His treasured people”? Rashi (on Shemos […]

“…And you shall come to the kohen who will be in those days, and say to him, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d, that I have come to the land that G-d swore to our forefathers to give to us…” – Devarim 26:3 וּבָאתָ אֶל הַכֹּהֵן אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו הִגַּדְתִּי הַיּוֹם לַה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ כִּי בָאתִי אֶל […]

“…Safeguard the month of spring and offer a Pesach to Hashem, your G-d; for in the month of spring, Hashem, your G-d, brought you out of Egypt at night…” – Devarim 16:1 שָׁמוֹר אֶת חֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב וְעָשִׂיתָ פֶּסַח לַה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ כִּי בְּחֹדֶשׁ הָאָבִיב הוֹצִיאֲךָ ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ מִמִּצְרַיִם לָיְלָה – דברים טז, א The Torah commands us to structure the calendar […]

As much as you generously give… Each man according to his ability to gift, according to the blessing of G-d, your G-d. (Devarim 16:10-17) The Torah speaks here of two different donors, one who is being instructed to give as much as his generosity allows, and the other according to his gift-giving abilities. These two donors are people of different […]

“…When Hashem, your G-d, expands your borders, as He has spoken to you, and you say, “I will eat meat,” because your soul desires to eat meat… However, be strong in not eating the blood…” – Devarim 12:20-23 כִּי יַרְחִיב ה’ אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת גְּבֻלְךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לָךְ וְאָמַרְתָּ אֹכְלָה בָשָׂר כִּי תְאַוֶּה נַפְשְׁךָ לֶאֱכֹל בָּשָׂר בָּשָׂר . . רַק חֲזַק […]

“…He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your soil, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the offspring of your cattle and the choice of your flocks…” – Devarim 7:13 וּבֵרַךְ פְּרִי בִטְנְךָ וּפְרִי אַדְמָתֶךָ דְּגָנְךָ וְתִירשְׁךָ וְיִצְהָרֶךָ שְׁגַר אֲלָפֶיךָ וְעַשְׁתְּרֹת צֹאנֶךָ – דברים ז, יג A task’s value and significance is reflected in its […]