וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת־מִצְוֺת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו וּלְיִרְאָה אֹתוֹ׃
You are to guard the commandments of Ad-nai, your G-d, to follow in the ways of G-d and fear G-d.
Chavruta Questions:
- What have you heard of "fearing G-d"?
- What do you think that means?
- What does it mean if someone is described as "god-fearing?"
Chavruta Questions:
- How does this definition of "ירא" shape your understanding of Deuteronomy 8:6?
- How might you "fear" G-d in day-to-day life?
- How does this "fear" change the way you look at the world?
איך ובמה רואים את ה‘ ממש? בהכרת טובתו ובהודאה. מנפלאות תקנות חז“ל להעמידנו תמיד על יד היצירה. אין כלל עולם מגובש ועתיק לפנינו. אלא יום יום,
שעה שעה, בריאה חדשה. כל אשר עינינו רואות וכל הנאה שאנו טועמים- בריאה חדשה אשר הושיט לנו הבורא מהאין כדי שנכיר חסדו עלינו וחכמתו... עולם
כזה המתחדש לפני עינינו יום יום אינו מעלה חלודת שיגרה.
Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe
Alei Shur Vol. I, p.112
How does one come to “see” G-d? Through recognizing G-d's goodness and giving praise for it. One of the wondrous achievements of the Sages was to ensure the continued awareness of the “Hand of Creation.” The world before us is neither fully developed nor completed. Rather, day by day, hour by hour, creation is renewed. All that our eyes see and every pleasure we taste is a new creation which G-d has created from nothingness to bestow upon us, so that we realize G-d's kindness and wisdom… A world like this, which is renewed before our eyes day in and day out, ensures that we do not become rusty [in our acknowledgement of G-d] due to monotony.
Chavruta Questions:
- What do you think Rav. Woble is referring to when he uses the term "Hand of Creation"?
- How might being aware of this "Hand of Creation" affect the way you approach the world around you?
- What sort of creations do you make? How might your own ability to create help form the role you play in creation?
וְשָׁמַרְתָּ אֶת־מִצְוֺת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ לָלֶכֶת בִּדְרָכָיו וּלְיִרְאָה אֹתוֹ׃
You are to guard the commandments of Ad-nai, your G-d, to follow in the ways of G-d and fear G-d.
Chavruta Questions:
- What might it mean to "guard the commandments"? How might this affect the way you live and the way you explain the world to others around you?
- The verb "לכת" can be translated as "go," and "דרך" as "path". How might this command to "go in the path of G-d" affect you reading of Deuteronomy 8:6?
- We are commanded to follow G-d's commandments, but why would be commanded if we did not have a sense of choice? Do you feel we have a sense of choice in the world? How does this help to shape the actions you take?
ספרי דברים פרשת עקב פיסקא מט
אלו הן דרכי מקום ה' אל רחום וחנון ואומר הי כל אשר יקרא בשם ה' ימלט וכי היאך איפשר לו לאדם לקרא בשמו של מקום אלא נקרא המקום רחום אף אתה היה רחום הקדוש ברוך הוא נקרא חנון אף אתה היה חנון שנאמר חנון ורחום ה' וגו' ועשה מתנות חנם, נקרא המקום צדיק שנאמר כי צדיק ה' צדקות אהב אף אתה היה צדיק נקרא המקום חסיד שנאמר
כי חסיד אני נאם ה' אף אתה היה חסיד לכך נאמר והיה כל אשר יקרא בשם ה' ימלט ואומר כל הנקרא בשמי וגו' ואומר כל פעל ה' למענהו
Sifre Deuteronomy, Evev
These are the ways of the Holy One: "gracious and compassionate, patient, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, assuring love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and granting pardon." (Exodus 34:6). All who are called in G-d's name will survive.(Joel 3:5) How is it possible for a person to be called by G-d's name? Rather, G-d is called "merciful"—so too, you should be merciful. G-d is called "gracious" as it says, “G-d, merciful and gracious” (Psalms 145:8)—so too, you should be gracious and give gifts for nothing. God is called "just" as it says, “For G-d is righteous and loves righteousness” (Psalms 11:7)—so too, you should be just." God is called “merciful”: “For I am merciful, says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 3:12) so too you be merciful. That is why it is said, “And it shall come to pass that all who are called in G-d's name will survive.” This means that just as G-d is gracious, compassionate, and forgiving, you too must be gracious, compassionate, and forgiving. [Translation by Rabbi Jill Jacobs]
Chavruta Questions:
- How might acknowledging our own ability to emulate the actions of G-d affect our understanding of being partners in creation?
- What do you think the Sifre is implying by "all those called in G-d's name?" How is one called in G-d's name?
(יב) פֶּן־תֹּאכַ֖ל וְשָׂבָ֑עְתָּ וּבָתִּ֥ים טוֹבִ֛ים תִּבְנֶ֖ה וְיָשָֽׁבְתָּ׃ (יג) וּבְקָֽרְךָ֤ וְצֹֽאנְךָ֙ יִרְבְּיֻ֔ן וְכֶ֥סֶף וְזָהָ֖ב יִרְבֶּה־לָּ֑ךְ וְכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־לְךָ֖ יִרְבֶּֽה׃ (יד) וְרָ֖ם לְבָבֶ֑ךָ וְשָֽׁכַחְתָּ֙ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ הַמּוֹצִיאֲךָ֛ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם מִבֵּ֥ית עֲבָדִֽים׃ (טו) הַמּוֹלִ֨יכֲךָ֜ בַּמִּדְבָּ֣ר ׀ הַגָּדֹ֣ל וְהַנּוֹרָ֗א נָחָ֤שׁ ׀ שָׂרָף֙ וְעַקְרָ֔ב וְצִמָּא֖וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֵֽין־מָ֑יִם הַמּוֹצִ֤יא לְךָ֙ מַ֔יִם מִצּ֖וּר הַֽחַלָּמִֽישׁ׃ (טז) הַמַּֽאֲכִ֨לְךָ֥ מָן֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֣עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֗ וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ לְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֖ בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃ (יז) וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ בִּלְבָבֶ֑ךָ כֹּחִי֙ וְעֹ֣צֶם יָדִ֔י עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י אֶת־הַחַ֥יִל הַזֶּֽה׃ (יח) וְזָֽכַרְתָּ֙ אֶת־ה' אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ כִּ֣י ה֗וּא הַנֹּתֵ֥ן לְךָ֛ כֹּ֖חַ לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת חָ֑יִל לְמַ֨עַן הָקִ֧ים אֶת־בְּרִית֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁבַּ֥ע לַאֲבֹתֶ֖יךָ כַּיּ֥וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ (פ)
(12) When you have eaten your fill, and have built fine houses to live in, (13) and your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold have increased, and everything you own has prospered, (14) beware lest your heart grow haughty and you forget the LORD your G-d—who freed you from the land of Egypt, the house of bondage; (15) who led you through the great and terrible wilderness with its seraph serpents and scorpions, a parched land with no water in it, who brought forth water for you from the flinty rock; (16) who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your ancestors had never known, in order to test you by hardships only to benefit you in the end— (17) and you say to yourselves, “My own power and the might of my own hand have won this wealth for me.” (18) Remember that it is the LORD your G-d who gives you the power to get wealth, in fulfillment of the covenant that G-d made with your fathers, as is still the case.
Chavruta Questions:
- What are reminded of here?
- Why is this reminder necessary—or is it?
- When might be a good time to remind ourselves of these words? What might we do after reading them?
(י) וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת ה׳ אֱלֹקֶיךָ עַל הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לָךְ.
(10) And thou shalt eat and be satisfied, and bless the LORD thy G-d for the good land which hath been given to thee.
Chavruta Questions:
- What is the purpose of a blessing in this case?
- Is this always the purpose of blessings? What other purposes might there be?
- What ritual might you be able to relate to these words?