Parshat Devarim
PARSHA OVERVIEW
This Torah portion begins the last of the Five Books of The Torah, Sefer Devarim. This Book is also called Mishneh Torah, "Repetition of the Torah" (hence the Greek/English title “Deuteronomy”). Sefer Devarim relates what Moshe told the Jewish People during the last five weeks of his life, as they prepared to cross the Jordan River into the Land of Israel. Moshe reviews the mitzvahs with the people, stressing the change of lifestyle they are about to undergo — from the supernatural existence of the desert under Moshe’s guidance, to the apparently natural life they will experience under Yehoshua’s leadership in the Land.
The central theme this week is the sin of the spies, the meraglim. This Torah portion opens with Moshe alluding to the sins of the previous generation who died in the desert. He describes what would have happened if they had not sinned by sending spies into Eretz Yisrael. Hashem would have given them, without a fight, all the land from the Mediterranean to the Euphrates, including the lands of Ammon, Moav and Edom.
Moshe details the subtle sins that culminate in the sin of the spies, and reviews at length this incident and its results. The entire generation would die in the desert and Moshe would not enter Eretz Yisrael. He reminds them that their immediate reaction to Hashem’s decree was to want to "go up and fight" to redress the sin. He recounts how they would not listen when he told them not to go, and that they no longer merited vanquishing their enemies miraculously. They had ignored him and suffered a massive defeat. They were not allowed to fight with the kingdoms of Esav, Moav or Ammon. These lands were not to be part of the map of Eretz Yisrael in the meantime. When the conquest of Canaan will begin with Sichon and Og, it will be via natural warfare.
PARSHA INSIGHTS
Things Were Changing at the Hotel Metropole
“May Hashem, the
Times were changing at the Hotel Metropole.
The new owner wanted to add at least one star to the scanty three-star rating that the hotel currently enjoyed.
Max was the porter at the entrance to the garage. He was one of the most popular members of the staff. He just had a way with people. The new owner came over to Max one day and said, “Max. I want you to carry on with your job – we love you here, but one small change. Whenever someone goes in or out, I want you to write it down in a book. Okay? Max said, “I’m so sorry, but I can’t write.”
“You can’t write, Max?” “No, I’m really sorry. Does it make that much of a difference?” “Well, Max, I’m afraid it does. The insurance company won’t insure us without it.” Max looked very crestfallen. “I’m so sorry Max, but I can’t keep you on if you can’t write.”
And so, after years at the Metropole, Max went back to his small apartment, dejected and depressed. He was in bed for a week or more, unable to escape his depression.
A note from the post office dropped through his letterbox. He needed to go to the big city to pick up a registered letter. As he was leaving, his neighbor asked him where he was going. When the neighbor heard that he was going to the city, he said, “Max, could you pick up some bits and pieces for me from the hardware store? I’ll pay you a bit. It’ll save me the journey.” “Sure,” said Max. Max went to the city, picked up his registered letter, which turned out to be a 50 cent fine for a late return of a library book, then picked up the supplies for his neighbor and went back home and back to bed.
The following week, his neighbor knocked on his door and asked if he was going to the city again that week. Max said that he hadn’t planned to, but that he didn’t mind going for him. The neighbor said, ‘Great, I’ll give you something for your trouble.” This time, a friend of the neighbor also wanted him to bring him some vegetables from the city, and so Max did that errand too. Within a couple of months, the word got around about Max, that he was making bi-weekly and then tri-weekly trips to the city.
He had a new job.
One day, he thought to himself, ‘You know, rather than going to the city three times a week, why don’t I just buy a whole bunch of stuff and set up my own shop here?”
“Max’s Emporium” took off like a rocket.
Ten years later, he was one of the most important citizens of the town. One day, there was a reception at the Metropole Hotel for the State Governor, and Max was naturally invited. The owner of the hotel didn’t recognize the Max that he had fired all those years ago. As a distinguished guest, the owner of the Metropole invited Max to sign the guest register. Max, said, “You don’t recognize me? I’m Max, the porter you fired. I still can’t write.” The owner of the hotel said, “Mr. Max, I’m so sorry.” Max said, “I’m not. If I could write, I would still be sitting down there in the garage, checking cars in and out.”
Everything Hashem does is for the good. Just sometimes it’s difficult to see it. We’re living in a time where it may seem quite difficult to see that everything Hashem is doing for the Jewish People is leading to a day of great light. But everything Hashem does is to test our faith in him. We hope and pray that very soon we will see with our own eyes how all the pain and sorrow has led to the greatest joy.
