Thursday, August 4, 2011

Devarim 5771

With this week's parsha, we begin the fifth book of Torah, Devarim (Deuteronomy.) The book also is known as Mishnah Torah, a review of the Torah. Knowing that he soon will die, Moshe reviews the Torah with his people, beginning with subtle words of rebuke alluding to their past sins. He reminds them that when the spies returned with a falsely negative account of the Land of Israel (Bamidbar/Numbers 14:1, Parashat Shelach) "you returned and wept."

What were the tragic results of the people's weeping? What did Moshe hope to achieve by reminding them of their tearful reaction?

This parsha always is read the Shabbat before Tisha B'Av (the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Av) because that is the day the spies returned with their report. Today, Tisha B'Av is one of the most solemn fast days on the Jewish calendar. It coincides with many historic tragedies affecting the Jewish people, including the destruction of both of our Holy Temples.

The Talmud refers to the tears shed when the spies returned as "without cause." G-d declared, "They indulged in weeping without a cause; I will establish [this night] for them as a time of weeping throughout the generations."

Moshe, and G-d before him, reminds the people that tears serve a purpose and should not be wasted. Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt writes on www.aish.com: "In Jewish thinking, crying is usually considered an important expression of emotion. If you cry to express pain, be it physical or emotional, that's healthy. If you cry in frustration at being unable to achieve what you want, that's also healthy. But crying in self-pity, at your hopeless situation in life, can only be destructive. It undermines your resolve to face the challenges of this world. And so, if you must cry, better that you have good reason to do so. This is what G-d said to the generation of the spies: If you are going to cry anyway, I will give you a reason to do so - so that your crying can at least be productive."

As parents, all too often, when we are confronted with transitory problems, we become emotional. We are grief-stricken when our children are not doing well academically or socially; we are overcome when too many demands are made on our time or our money. We cry for such foolishness, for such trivial reasons.

The Shabbat preceding Tisha B'Av is known as Shabbat Chazon (Shabbat of Vision), and takes its name from the first word of the Haftorah read that Shabbat. On Shabbat Chazon, teaches Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev, each soul is granted a vision of the third and final Temple, and a time when we will no longer have reasons to weep (unless it is for joy.) Let us wipe our eyes free of useless tears that cloud our vision, and let us eliminate any thoughts of self-pity. Instead, let us reach out to help those who have reason to cry. In the words of the prophet Isaiah: "Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her returnees with tzedekah (righteousness.)"

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