|
|
||
HOME
|
|
Drash for Shabbat Ki Tavo By Janet Brown - August 31, 2007 In this week’s Parshah, Ki Tavo, the end of an incredible journey is nearing. Two generations of Hebrews have been born and grown, traveling, always traveling, unable to stop and grow anything for food, eating manna from heaven until they couldn’t look at it any more and began complaining bitterly, which must have vexed Moses exceedingly. Here he was, simply obeying God and doing his best to get his flock to their destination. But all the Israelites really knew about this lifelong trek was from the stories passed down to them by their elders about being held in slavery in Egypt until the time God freed them using Moses to effect the incredible feat of parting the waters of the Red Sea and closing the sea behind them trapping their captors and enabling them to escape to freedom. So here the Israelites are, approaching their goal, the Promised Land, a Land flowing with Milk and Honey. As well as the list of blessings and curses that will come upon them resulting from their particular behaviors continues to grow. They are exhorted to immediately build an altar of whole stones upon which they are to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord, and to write upon those stones all the words "of this law" very plainly. They are told that, if they observe and do all of the Lord’s commandments, they will be set on high above all the nations of the earth. And, if they do not obey as commanded, all manner of terrible consequences will beset them. Not only they, but also all who will come after them, are commanded to hear and obey the voice of the Lord, and do his commandments and statutes. Are we, you and I personally, included in these commands? Yes, we are. I believe the lesson is that it is up to each of us to do the very best we can in all of our endeavors, to love God, to treat others with kindness and respect, to help others in any way possible according to their needs, doing whatever each of us is able in our own small way to work toward bringing about the repair of our world, tikkun olam. Shabbat Shalom. |
