Devarim – Leah’s blog – July 2025
Events seem to always coalesce in the Torah, even right down to time of year. Different scenes from historical layers of time, one flake of ancient sand pressed into one of clay; forged together what we now hold in our hands- our Torah, our rock. This parsha, Devarim is always read on the Shabbat preceding Tisha B’Av – the day of our national mourning. It is not by chance that what we read in this portion touches upon the message we need to hear right now.
Starting at the beginning, the doomed ninth of Av was that burning hot day that Yosef was sent from Chevron to Shechem to seek his brothers. An image of intense heat almost had Yosef seeing a mirage, stumbling as he asked “Have you seen them?”- Yosef, who was able to “see” everything, tripped his way through Shechem – there is potential devastation foreshadowed here. Indeed, his brothers saw him from afar and plotted to kill him. He was not valued for his dreams and visions, the man known for his natural magnetism, morality, goodness of character. In fact, they hated him for that. He was sold as a slave on this day- a day of eternal shame and disgrace that broke the unity of the family of Yisrael, a day of baseless hatred.
Parshat Devarim recalls another tragedy that happened on this day- the sin of the spies. Evoking a similar event to the Yosef story line- Eretz Yisrael is viewed by most of the spies who are representing the tribes (descendants of the original brothers of Yosef) in a cynical, defeatist, pessimistic and hopeless stance to the Promised Land. The place that was intended to be the protective energy field of blessing was described as desperate and unlikely. Instead of conveying the fortunate luck of entering this Divine place on earth, a bad report had the children of Israel crying and dying in the desert- the only two to make it into the Land of milk and honey were the spies Joshua and Caleb who said “The Land is good- VERY good!”
Taking the story line of Kamtzah Bar Kamtzah- a person thrown out of the party which led to the eventual destruction of our Temple(s). Baseless hatred that had us sold as slaves and banished from our Land. There are also painful reminders of this day in our modern history- the day thousands of Jewish people were banished from their homes in Gaza and the northern Shomron. Viewing through the lens of the expulsion- the painful knowledge that any five year old knew more about the devastating affect it will have- above those politicians and generals who were driven by baseless hatred. No less than an atrocity, this story only augments what we know in the Yosef story- contrasting righteousness and evil. Until we return to Yosef’s territory- to the rock holding down this land, this country- the rock of our eternal covenant and implement full control of the place where Yosef was laid to rest- right in the exact heart of Israel, we will continue to mourn on this day. Brothers do not sell brothers. October 7 2023 was the result of this crime. How can we expect to win this war when Yosef is surrounded by monsters.
Known as the Yesod- “the foundational rock” which everything is built upon, this ancient story of Yosef is a precursor for all to come. When Yosef watched his brothers later squirm and sweat in their seats in complete humiliation at what they had done – it was for their own good. This rectified them selling their brother out. Then and ONLY when they reached the level of understanding of what they had done, he felt compelled to reveal himself.
YOSEF REPRESENTS TURNING BAD SITUATIONS AROUND! AND HE BELIEVES IN OUR DESTINY!
Our destiny is our tikkun- its about being together- all of us.
Shabbat shalom dear friends- MAY THIS BE THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE TO FAST-
Blessings always! Leah
