This weeks parsha is Va-et'chanan, literally "and I implored". We hear Moses again beseeching the people Israel to follow G-ds commandments, foretells the future exile and return, and instructs them to create cities of refuge in the Promised Land. Then, we get the big review of the Ten commandments! Only slightly different, than the ones we got before. As if that wasn't a big enough mid-parsha climax, we then receive the Sh'ma and the V'ahavta. The parsha ends with instructs to not fall victim to prosperity, to trust G-d, and to teach the future generations.
שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד׃ וְאָ֣הַבְתָּ֔ אֵ֖ת יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ בְּכׇל־לְבָבְךָ֥ וּבְכׇל־נַפְשְׁךָ֖ וּבְכׇל־מְאֹדֶֽךָ׃ וְהָי֞וּ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֗לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָנֹכִ֧י מְצַוְּךָ֛ הַיּ֖וֹם עַל־לְבָבֶֽךָ׃ וְשִׁנַּנְתָּ֣ם לְבָנֶ֔יךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ֖ בָּ֑ם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ֤ בְּבֵיתֶ֙ךָ֙ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ֣ בַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וּֽבְשׇׁכְבְּךָ֖ וּבְקוּמֶֽךָ׃ וּקְשַׁרְתָּ֥ם לְא֖וֹת עַל־יָדֶ֑ךָ וְהָי֥וּ לְטֹטָפֹ֖ת בֵּ֥ין עֵינֶֽיךָ׃ וּכְתַבְתָּ֛ם עַל־מְזֻז֥וֹת בֵּיתֶ֖ךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶֽיךָ׃ {ס}
Most of can rattle this section off without really thinking, once someone gets us started muscle memory takes the rest. But I want to break it down a little.
For the first few bits, I'll be referencing the commentary of Abraham ibn Ezra (11th Century, Spain). Using a different commentary could yield totally different results!
WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL. The heart refers to knowledge. It is another term for the spirit of intelligence, for the heart is its first residence. The same applies to wise-hearted (Ex. 36:1) and to He that getteth a heart (Prov. 19:8).
In our culture, we equate the heart with emotion, but the rabbis thought otherwise. Think back to Exodus when we read about the "hardening of Pharaoh's heart" was that him being emotionally stunted, or intellectually stunted.
According to Ibn Ezra "Soul" has nothing to do with high spiritual, other worldly aspects of us, but instead refers to the physical body and physical urges.
Me'odekha, compare with "tov meod" "very good". Me'dekha is all about all the extra stuff we bring to the relationship. All of our baggage.
note: there are other commentaries that say Me'odekha is refering to any extra wealth you might have.
Now we can circle back to the big important part, the verb: To love. Language and translation, being the dubious things they are, make this word tough to understand. Like many things in Torah as straight literal translation from Hebrew to English, though the shortest route, loses the most meaning.
Some commentaries on the word "V'ahavta":
ואהבת AND THOU SHALT LOVE [THE LORD] — Fulfil His commands out of love, for one who acts out of love is not like him (is on a higher plane than one) who acts out of fear. He who serves his master out of fear, if he (the master) troubles him overmuch, leaves him and goes away (Sifrei Devarim 32:1).
In other words, love has to be voluntary, not forced.
The verse says (Deuteronomy.6.5-6) "You shall love the Lord your God... And these words shall be upon your heart." Sifri and Rashi explain: "What is this love? By taking these words to heart, you will come to recognize the Holy One blessed be He, and cleave to His ways."
Love is commitment, easy enough.
כָּל אַהֲבָה שֶׁהִיא תְלוּיָה בְדָבָר, בָּטֵל דָּבָר, בְּטֵלָה אַהֲבָה. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר, אֵינָהּ בְּטֵלָה לְעוֹלָם. אֵיזוֹ הִיא אַהֲבָה הַתְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר, זוֹ אַהֲבַת אַמְנוֹן וְתָמָר. וְשֶׁאֵינָהּ תְּלוּיָה בְדָבָר, זוֹ אַהֲבַת דָּוִד וִיהוֹנָתָן:
All love that depends on a something, [when the] thing ceases, [the] love ceases; and [all love] that does not depend on anything, will never cease. What is an example of love that depended on a something? Such was the love of Amnon for Tamar. And what is an example of love that did not depend on anything? Such was the love of David and Jonathan.
love is not: act/do/believe xyz and I will love you. If someone has to act a certain way in order for you to love them, it isn't love. See the commentary from Rashi above.
So now that I've dragged you all through my long and spiraling commentary deep dive. We can re-translate this verse to better show the true meaning (according to these commentators, use different commentaries and you'd get a totally different translation!)
And you shall "be in a totally unconditional, voluntary, eternally committed" relationship with G-d with all your intelligence, all your physical being and urges, and all your "extraness-all the additional stuff you bring, your baggage".
With all this in mind, does any of this change how we see this bit of liturgy?
Do we agree/disagree with my musings?