RABBI’S MESSAGE: I just returned from Dallas, where I joined my extended family in celebrating my precious aunt’s 100th birthday at a family reunion. All of my surviving first cousins attended except for one. We were surrounded by many of the next generations and in one family, there were as many as five generations! My brother, Allen, and I went to the cemetery where our grandparents were buried, the first time either of us had been there since we were children. As I chanted the El Molei Rachamim Memorial Prayer, I thought how surprised my Orthodox grandparents would be that their youngest grandchild, a girl, was the one standing by their graves as a Rabbi. This prayer surely had not been chanted graveside for them in decades. The experience brought back many memories. Of course a highlight of the celebration was reminiscing about times gone by, especially with my brother. We are close in age and as the youngest of the cousins, our experiences were pretty much the same although our memories sometimes were slightly different. Isn’t that the way it is with memories? We bring our own impressions to past events and they get woven into the memories and become each individual’s reality. This week, we read Parasha Devarim, the beginning of the Book of Devarim (Deuteronomy), the last of the Five Books of Moses. In contrast to the previous four Books, in this Book it is Moses’ voice speaking directly to us in the first person. Moses is nearing the end of his life and so he spends most of this Book reminding the Israelites of their personal history, which becomes Judaism’s story. In the upcoming chapters until the end of the Torah, Moses will remind us where we came from – Mitzrayim, Egypt – and where we are going – Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. He will remind the Israelites where we strayed, when we made mistakes, when we were rebellious and sinful. He will tell us of God’s blessings for us. He will tell us the story of our emancipation and prepare us for life in the Promised Land. In so doing, Moses reminds us of the importance of remembering our roots and telling our stories to the generations that will come after us. Moses’ memory as the leader is certainly different than those of the Israelites. Collectively, through the stories of the Torah, the memories will be preserved and passed on throughout the generations. These are the memories we share, even as we have our personal versions to tell. May you have a week of blessings and a Shabbat of peace. Rabbi Debbie Israel
Posted on: Sat, 13 Jul 2013 04:22:19 +0000
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