Parashat Vaetchanan 5785

by Rabbi Margie Cella

In this week’s parashah, Moses recounts his pleading with God in vain to cross over into the Promised Land, only to be told to go to the top of the mountain, to view the land that he himself would never be able to enter (Deuteronomy 3:23-27).

Repeatedly, Moses adjures us to keep the commandments, to not forsake our covenant with God by worshipping graven images, and reminds us that no other nation was chosen by God or heard the voice of God, or had God perform wonders for them (4:33-35). God chose Israel, not because of our size, but rather, because God loved us (7:6-8).

Additionally, we find two very significant passages inVaetchanan: the first paragraph of the Shema (6:4-9) and the second account of the experience at Horeb (Sinai), when we received the Ten Commandments (5:5-18). The fourth commandment enjoins us to observe Shabbat by refraining from work—we ourselves, as well as all our family members and all our servants. In Exodus account, the rationale given for observing this commandment is to commemorate God’s ceasing from creation, and resting on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11) Here we are told to rest on shabbat in remembrance of the fact that God freed us from slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Refraining from work for an entire day was never an option in Egypt. But why does God need to command us to do so? Because many of us would not otherwise have the self-restraint to put away our weekday activities and responsibilities. We need the peace that Shabbat brings to replenish our souls—physically, mentally, and spiritually. Oseh Shalom, Maker of Peace, as we struggle to deal with all the turmoil going on in our world today, may we all allow ourselves to be enveloped by the peace of the seventh day.