Liquid error (sections/custom_mobile-menu line 86): Expected handle to be a String but got LinkListDrop
  • Group 27 Login

Parashat DEVARIM
Revolutionizing the Intersection of Politics and Religion in Judaism

The book of Deuteronomy, which opens with Parashat Dvarim (words), is the book of Eretz Yisrael. (Land of Israel)

The Land of Israel is indeed meant for the People of Israel, but what the People of Israel do in the Land is meant to be a model for all humanity to follow. After all, the entire Torah, in its first four books, provides a series of instructions, mitzvot, and laws. But do we understand what all this is aimed at?

   In contrast, in the book of Deuteronomy, we suddenly see that all the mitzvot are arranged as the political constitution for the Hebrew people in their country. And this reveals to us that the Torah has the intention of political orders, something that is unique to the Jewish Religion.

   All religions are not directly concerned with the political issue. It is even considered to be a mixing of two separate and different species. People think that Religion deals solely with the affairs of the individual, while the State deals with the affairs of society. The world has already become conditioned to believe (through Christianity) to accept the following statement: "Render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's." Judaism considers that attitude problematic.

   In Deuteronomy, the Torah reveals that this is not the correct way. What belongs to the emperor belongs to God! The proper order of society is indeed the concern of the Holy One, blessed be He. Accordingly, the very opposite of the aforementioned statement should be taught!

   The obligation to deal with political matters stems from politics being the main lever to advance matters in humanity. Therefore, we must ensure holiness (even) in politics, which is what the Book of Deuteronomy is about.

    Now we can understand that what the people of Israel do in their country is meant to be a model for other nations to follow. Each nation should draw on the model of society guidelines from the ways of the People of Israel, Each country as is appropriate for them. This is why one of the seven Noahide commandments is the obligation to set up a just legal system. This means that every nation must establish an appropriate social institution that will be a framework for just and righteous social behavior and not just spirituality. Deuteronomy teaches that it is a religious fundamental that society concerns itself with justice and honesty for all.

Learn more here:

 

More Weekly Portions

神聖的引導和人類的聲音:交繪成律法的繡帷

在Parashat Pinchas 部分,西羅非哈的女兒們促使以色列繼承法發生重大改變,導致一項新的律法規定應運而出。允許女兒繼承父母遺產,前提是父母沒有兒子。這一案例說明了神聖的指引和人民的主動性之間的互動關係。在西羅非哈女兒們給出問題之後,在摩西尚不能作出決定的情況下,神指示摩西作出準確的判斷。這一案例以及其他類似的案例,強調了人民在律法的進化和神聖啟示間,在公眾對律法的遵行和回應方面所起到的重要作用。

羨慕與嫉妒 :巴蘭預言的二重性

在Parashat Balak部分,巴蘭是列國偉大的先知,他對以色列的態度體現出羡慕和嫉妒的複雜混合。雖然他想要詛咒以色列,但最終他是祝福了以色列。說明了聖靈和預言的影響力。巴蘭自相矛盾的態度也是更為廣泛的反猶主義和受寵兒童精神分析的主題。

律法書強調希望,神聖預言在會堂中的重要意義是,聖靈對全人類的潛在影響力,得到米德拉什.塔納.D.貝.以利亞

<Midrash Tanna D'bei Eliyahu>的肯定和支持。

從死亡到永生, 紅母牛的潔淨之路

在Parashat Hukat中,紅母牛<Para Aduma>儀式象徵著從死亡的污穢中得以潔淨,死亡的污穢源自知識樹中的罪。儀式涉及到將灰燼用活水調和,分別代表了身體和靈魂。象徵著通過復活來恢復生命。這一過程儘管具備象徵性的清晰度,但強調了一個神聖的奧秘:生與死之間的過渡,遠在人類的理解力之外。米德拉什突出並強調了紅母牛的奧秘,以及復活的重要性和神聖意志深不可測的本質

Search