Blog

In our Torah reading this week we begin a new book of Torah - Deuteronomy, or Dvarim.  This text is bittersweet, for we learned in the Torah reading from last week, at the close of the book of Numbers, that Moses was not to lead the people into the Promised Land. Instead, he would be granted an opportunity to share his final thoughts with the people that he had led for 40 years. Deuteronomy is the book almost exclusively comprised of those thoughts- it begins with the reflections of Moses and ends 30-some-odd chapters later with his death, alone, atop Mt. Nebo.

Imagine if we all had the chance to share our final thoughts with our loved ones before our passing. What would we choose to convey? Would we use the opportunity to criticize? Would we choose to educate? Perhaps we would find ourselves at a loss for words, the weight of our impending departure too heavy to bear. Ideally, we would strive to inspire, ensuring that everyone understood our principles and that this would be our legacy.

The secret of the lesson, of course, is not much of a secret at all. As few of us know the timing of our passing, we are encouraged to live each day as if it is our last, to experience each interaction and each conversation in a manner that, were these our last words, they would be offered in a way that would not leave us shamed our regretful. I know, I know – it’s not realistic to believe that we can live in this manner all the time. But maybe it’s easier than we think, and perhaps we can give it a try over this Shabbat. Are you up for it? Can you set aside sundown on Friday through sundown on Saturday to live according to this intention?

Even if we can’t make it the whole 25 hours, doing so for any amount of time would be both a victory and a wonderful way to sanctify those we love as well as the sanctuary of Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Brad Levenberg