Weekly Torah Portion: D’varim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22)
In this Torah portion, Moses recounts the Israelites’ episodes from their 40 years in the wilderness. Moses encourages the Israelites in their upcoming conquest of the land of Canaan. Read an extensive summary on My Jewish Learning
Related D’var Torah
“Every year when the Torah portion D’varim comes around, I think about this story Rabbi Lisa tells us; it’s one of my favorites…a pre-school teacher is trying to calm a little boy having a temper tantrum. “Tell me what you are feeling, use your words,” the teacher encourages the toddler, “use your words.” The little boy holds his breath, while his face turns all red; he opens his mouth and yells, “WORDS!”” – Bracha Yael and Davi Cheng in 2014. Read the drash
“The ability to envision a future time of happiness, even in the midst of worry and sadness; the ability. the belief, the understanding that there will yet be ‘a vision of a joyous occasion’” – Rabbi Lisa Edwards in 2002. Read the full drash
“…to be there for each other as we experience Tisha B’Av but also the birth of the world, to grow as Moses did to face the challenges that life presents o us all.” – Michael Main in 2000. Read the full drash
Torah Verse of the Week*
“Indeed God your God has blessed you in all your undertakings. God has watched over your wanderings through this great wilderness; God your God has been with you these past 40 years: you have lacked nothing.”
(Deuteronomy 2:7, Parashat D’varim)
Other Suggested Readings
When do we like Moses say to ourselves, “Who am I to…?” When do we anticipate how we think others will respond to us and let that influence our behaviors? How much human potential are we withholding because we doubt ourselves and our qualifications? Read from Leah Zimmerman’s blog, experiencing Torah
More on the beginning of ‘D’varim,’ Deuteronomy, in our Telephone Torah Study archives: read here
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*Torah Verse of the Week is chosen by the Torah class during Tuesdays’ studies with Rabbi Lisa Edwards. Check out when our next Torah Study takes place
One Comment on “Weekly Torah Portion: D’varim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22)”
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Tracy July 24, 2015 pm31 12:31 pm .
This is such a great resource for a variety of approaches to the weekly portion. I probably heard them all in person, but wouldn’t recall their details and approaches without the opportunity to visit these drashot.
