Articles in D’varim
Re’e: Communal Responsibility

The Etymological Question
Our Parsha begins with the verse, “Re’e Anochi Noten Leef-ne-chem Hayom B’racha U’klalah,” See I have placed before you today, a blessing and a curse.
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Re’e: Cleaving To G-d

A Question of Motive
In this week’s Parsha we are told to walk in G-d’s path, to serve him and to cleave to him.
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Re’e: Divine Confidence

Blessing and Listening
Our Parsha this week begins with the words, “See I have set before you blessing and curse. The blessing…. that you shall listen to the voice of G-d your lord.”
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Ekev: Sacred Stones

Failed Resolutions
Have you ever made a resolution you didn’t keep?Have you ever resolved to go to bed early only to wake up with a headache because you didn’t put that book down? Have you ever resolved not to take a second helping, but walked away engorged because your portions were …
Vaetchanan: Life’s Little Lessons

Two Stalled Cars
On a family visit to San Antonio I was called upon to demonstrate my mechanical prowess or, as it turned out, my lack thereof.
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Eikev: Infertility of the Soul

Spiritual Infertility
If we keep G-d’s commandments our Parsha promises that we will be, “the most blessed of nations: there will be no infertile man or woman among you” The Midrash teaches that all physical phenomena have a parallel in the spiritual realm. What is the spiritual parallel to infertility?
A Lack …
Eikev: A Question of Emphasis

Shema and Shabbat
The Midrash in this week’s Parsha quotes an interesting argument between Rabbi Levi and the sages as to the primacy of mitzvot. Rabbi Levi felt that the recitation of Shema is the primary Mitzvah. The sages felt that observing the Shabbat is primary.
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Eikev: Unsatisfied?

Manna
“And he afflicted you, he made you hunger and he fed you the Manna” (Deuteronomy 8:3) To describe the Manna experience as one of hunger and affliction seems a bit curious, what did the Torah have in mind?
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