Va'etchanan - Deuteronomy 3:23 - 7:11 - Hearing and Listening

Summary Points: ...parashat Va’etchanan, parallels Exodus, the second book of the Torah. The Book of Exodus laid the theological underpinnings of the Jewish people’s existence: their distinction from other peoples (the Exodus), their unique covenant with God and attendant belief system (the Giving of the Torah), and their purpose as a people (to make the world a home for God, as encapsulated in the Tabernacle). In a parallel manner, parashat Va’etchanan describes the spiritual uniqueness of the new generation...restates the covenant with God on their level (the repetition of the Ten Commandments), and transforms the imperative to make the world God’s home into the basic, central statement of Judaism: the Shema. This explains why, in parashat Va’etchanan, Moses recounts historical events that preceded those he reviewed in parashat Devarim. Although the events reviewed in parashat Devarim took place later chronologically, in terms of the thematic development of the Book of Deuteronomy they come first: they provide the rationale for the repetition of the drama of Mount Sinai and the Giving of the Torah that forms the subject of parashat Va’etchanan. ~Kehot Chumash
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Sh'miat HaOzen (שמיעת אזן) - Attentive Listening: listening to understand, withholding judgment, setting aside ego, being present, not giving advice, not focusing on what you're going to say, understanding the speaker's perspective. The language of the listener is one not conveyed by words. ~RS

Moses pleads with Hashem for what he wants, and when senses God's anger, says that Hashem didn't hear him. How often, when we pray, do we think Hashem hears us? Is it only when we receive what we asked for?
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Shema: The ayin (the last letter in the word, shema) is large; and the dalet (the last letter) of echad is large. [Those two letters spell out,] eid (witness), as [the Sages,] may their memory be blessed, said. And it is possible that it is to hint that [these two letters] are the initials of modesty (anavah) and speech (dibur), meaning that if one has modesty, the evil impulse has no control over him; and also speech - one should guard one's speech that it should be about words of Torah… ~Kisse Rahamim on Tractate Soferim 9:4
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The mishna articulates a general principle: One is obligated to recite a blessing for the bad that befalls him just as he recites a blessing for the good that befalls him, as it is stated: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The mishna explains this verse as follows: “With all your heart” means with your two inclinations, with your good inclination and your evil inclination, both of which must be subjugated to the love of God. “With all your soul” means even if God takes your soul. “And with all your might” means with all your money, as money is referred to in the Bible as might. Alternatively, it may be explained that “with all your might” means with every measure that He metes out to you; whether it is good or troublesome, thank Him. ~Mishnah Berakhot 9:5
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The difficulty is obvious. The preceding verse makes reference to commandments, testimonies, and statutes. This, on the face of it, is the whole of Judaism as far as conduct is concerned. What then is meant by the phrase “the right and the good” that is not already included within the previous verse? ~Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, Va'etchanan
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