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Post by hollygail on Jul 23, 2023 8:36:01 GMT -5
What’s on your mind — how to make kugel? This week’s Torah reading? Life goals? Prayer? We are all engaged in weight loss/weight maintenance journeys and we are all Jewish or at least interested in Judaism. We like to eat, we like to discuss. It is our goal here to provide each other support on our journeys, to share experiences, to call on our rich cultural heritage and texts, and to help each other grow spiritually.
Some of us take weekly turns starting the thread:
Frieda
Holly
Lee
Louise
Lynne
Peachy
And for those of you that stop by to read this thread without posting — you are welcome to, but you are also welcome to chime in. Don’t be shy!
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Post by hollygail on Jul 23, 2023 8:50:06 GMT -5
The Torah portion of the week is Va-etchanan, which can be translated as [Moses} Pleaded with God. It's found in Deuteronomy chapter 3: beginning at verse 23 and going through chapter 7 verse 11. Briefly, it covers these areas:
• Moses remembers how he had begged God to allow him to enter the Land of Israel. God had refused, but God showed him the land from afar. (3:23–29)
• Moses tells the people that God’s laws are proof of God’s greatness, and will be their way of creating a sacred standing among the nations. (4:6–8)
• Moses recalls the moment of Sinai. He reminds the people that they did not see God but only heard a voice. (4:11–14)
• Moses repeats the Ten Commandments — with a few changes. (5:6–18)
• Moses teaches about the uniqueness of God, and emphasizes that the Israelites must demonstrate their love for God through concrete actions. (6:4–9)
I believe the major highlight is either one of these:
1. the "repetition" of the 10 Commandments (I use quotation marks because Moses made a few changes from the version given at Mt. Sinai)
2. the Sh'ma followed immediately by the v'Ahavta.
Jews and Christians count the 10 differently from each other. We count "I am Adonai your God" as #1. As you can see, it is not a "commandment" in any sense of the word. But actually, the root of "commandment" in Hebrew contains the consonants sounds m/ts/v where in Hebrew, the word used for these ten contains the consonants sounds d/v/r. And this latter root makes the word "word" (and other words that mean the same sort of thing). So a better translation from Hebrew to English (and which is not my translation but a fairly common one) is the Ten Statements. If we use this latter terminology, then "I am Adonai your God" fits perfectly.
There are lots of issues when one language is translated into another (even without "typos"). I still say "the ten commandments" knowing full well they aren't all "commands" at all. (Nor are they "suggestions," as many teachers I know personally tell their students...)
As for the one frequently translated as not to "kill," it's really not to "murder."
Have you ever had the "10 Commandments" (by any title) drummed into you? Whether yes or no, what's your take on them (either specifically or in general)?
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Post by peachymom1 on Jul 23, 2023 9:11:42 GMT -5
Good morning and shavua tov! I read all three of my aliyot yesterday without a single mistake! What a relief! I'm reading from Vaetchanan as well, but not the Ten Commandments, unfortunately.
I love how we stand up for the chanting of the Ten Commandments, and how people chime in at various points (at least, in my shul we do). The trope is impressive too, IMO. Many years ago, I gave a friend's daughter a lot of extra help with her Hebrew reading and Torah trope, when she was assigned the Torah reading for her bat mitzvah that contains the first reading of the Ten Commandments (Yitro). It was a joy and a privilege to work with her on it, and wanted to cheer when she finished, because she understood the importance of what she was reading and had worked hard to battle her learning disabilities in order to do a great job.
I did get the Ten Commandments drummed into me as a child, and I've heard many discussions of them over the years. People have all kinds of applications and interpretations, and that's understandable and good. But whether you understand them or not, agree/disagree with their relevance, or whatever, I don't think we should toss them all out and say they don't apply. Torah is the first word, not the last word, and I am always interested in people's perspectives. For example, I remember Rabbi Harold Schulweis (z'l) arguing vehemently that taking God's name in vain doesn't mean swearing, but that it means misrepresenting God with words and actions, like hurting, oppressing, marginalizing and murdering people in the name of God and religious belief. This made a tremendous impression on me.
I'm off to study my Vaetchanan readings. BBL -- everyone stay cool and hydrated!
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lee058
This space for rent
Posts: 23,299 
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Post by lee058 on Jul 23, 2023 9:40:58 GMT -5
Good morning everybody. Hope you are all well and SAFE! Since Holly is leading this week, I guess I will be leading next week (starting on Sunday 7/30). Is that right? I feel a little confused due to week changing. Re today's topic: I think everyone needs to look at how they behave and the Ten Commandments are good starting points. I have to admit I have not been perfect about following them, but I do the best I can. Thanks hollygail, and peachymom1, for your comments! I'm looking forward to reading what everyone has to say. Have a peaceful day, Lee |
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Post by gazelle18 on Jul 23, 2023 12:57:47 GMT -5
One thing I have wondered about: the commandments to keep the sabbath, to honor a parent, to not take the name of the Lord in vain, and to not murder are all commandments involving actions. But the one prohibiting a person from coveting a neighbor’s possession is different. It prohibits thoughts, not actions. Is this an important difference?
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Post by hollygail on Jul 23, 2023 18:03:07 GMT -5
taking God's name in vain doesn't mean swearing, but that it means misrepresenting God with words and actions, like hurting, oppressing, marginalizing and murdering people in the name of God and religious belief |
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