Vaetjanán – Shabat Najamú 5775 - English

By Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik

Kol Sheairh Israel – Panama

As a result of those simple mechanisms we get from the Jewish calendar to harmonize times, circumstances and moods, the Reading of Parashat Vaethannan always coincides with Shabbat Nachamu.  

This Shabbat, the first one after Tisha B’Av, begins the journey of the “Shiva of Nechemata”, the seven weeks of consolation that take us to Rosh Hashanah, the New Year.  “Nachamu, Nachamu Ami” - “Comfort, comfort my people,” (Is. 40:1) proclaims the prophet. 

After crossing “through the anguishes” (Bein Hametzarim, the three weeks that span from 17 Tammuz and 9 Av), the words of Isaiah monopolize the Haftarah passages with a powerful message that calls us to the Teshuvah, repentance to bring us back to the rightful path.  

It is no coincidence then that we begin this intimate and intimidating journey with Parashat Vaethannan, which holds two of the most well-known and significant passages in the entire Torah: the Ten Commandments (Dt. 5:5-21) and the Shema Israel (Dt. 6:4-9). 

If the Sefer Devarim (Deuteronomy) is presented to us as the farewell speech Moses gives before he dies, the first chapters contain a historical and theological introduction as a preamble to the renovation of the pact.  In this context, our Parashah –the second in the book– contains the repetition of the Ten Commandments (the first version appeared in Exodus Chapter 20 when the Torah was delivered) and the proclamation of faith with the Shema Israel.  

For different reasons, both passages constitute the heart of the Jewish experience.  

By attempting to compare them, we can observe that beyond the clear differences between both –which pierce practically through any category of analysis– it is possible to point out a common element that holds one of the keys of Jewish life.  

Both passages start with some sort of affirmation of faith – “I am Adonai, Your God” and “Hear O Israel Adonai is Our God Adonai is One” – and immediately after they set forth a series of laws that reflect these theological enunciations through actions (or omissions) 

In this way, it is clear that on one hand the last 9 commandments and on the other, the precepts listed by the Shema (the reading of the Shema, education of children, Tefilin, Mezuzah), constitute the channel through which our convictions are made palpable.  

This idea marks a constant throughout our tradition.  The preeminence of action (the word of faith) over faith itself, where the first gives testimony of the second.  In the words of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel (United States of America, XX Century):  

“The Meaning of the Mitzvot lies in being the vehicles through which we advance on the path of spiritual purposes.” (Dios en Busca del Hombre, Ed. Seminario Rabínico Latinoamericano, Pg. 379 – freely translated)

The need for concrete actions that express our commitment is one of the keys to understanding this exercise of introspection that we must do in this time of preparation before facing the divine judgement.  

One of the most moving and representative prayers of the Yamim Noraim is the Unetane Tokef recited during the Musaf.  There, after solemnly declaring that in Rosh Hashanah our destinies are inscribed and in Yom Kippur they are sealed, we come across the central affirmation of the liturgical poem (attributed to Rabbi Amnon of Mainz, Germany, XI Century): the Teshuvah (repentance), the Tefilah (prayer), and Tzedakah (actions of social justice) modify the severity of the divine verdict.  

We may change our destiny, but in order to do so, the Teshuvah and the Tefilah must be accompanied by Tzedakah.  We need concrete actions, repairing actions to go with our reflection, to show the sincerity of our repentance and to prove our commitment to be better people.  

As we begin these seven weeks of consolation, may we keep in mind that the Ten Commandments and the Shema Israel contain the same fundamental notion that the author of the Unetane Tokef translates into the specificity of our spiritual path towards the High Holidays: to let our actions reflect the feelings and principles that emanate from our minds and hearts.  

Shabbat Shalom

Gustavo