Dear TBZ community:
I don’t know about you, but in a short period of time I can go from feeling the blessings of this moment, the gratitude for what I have during these challenging times, to feeling the curses of this moment, and the despair over the current situation, not knowing how and for how long we are going to continue living in this way. Holding both, the blessings and the curses, feeling gratitude, despair and frustration is exhausting and it is also real.
This week’s parasha, parshat Ki Tavo
This parasha feels like a roller coaster of blessing and curse, of gratitude and despair, of possibility and dead-ends, the way that many of us feel these days.
The opening of the parasha perhaps can help us hold this intense dichotomy we are experiencing. Moshe instructs the people of Israel of the ritual to bring the first fruits and declare their gratitude. The ritual includes recognizing the hardship of the journey in the desert and the arrival to the land of milk and honey.
Verses 26:7-11 read:
וַיּוֹצִאֵ֤נוּ יְהוָה֙ מִמִּצְרַ֔יִם בְּיָ֤ד חֲזָקָה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבְמֹרָ֖א גָּדֹ֑ל וּבְאֹת֖וֹת וּבְמֹפְתִֽים
The LORD freed us from Egypt by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm and awesome power, and by signs and portents.
וַיְבִאֵ֖נוּ אֶל־הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֙נוּ֙ אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את אֶ֛רֶץ זָבַ֥ת חָלָ֖ב וּדְבָֽשׁ
He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
וְעַתָּ֗ה הִנֵּ֤ה הֵבֵ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־רֵאשִׁית֙ פְּרִ֣י הָאֲדָמָ֔ה אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥תָּה לִּ֖י יְהוָ֑ה וְהִנַּחְתּ֗וֹ לִפְנֵי֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ וְהִֽשְׁתַּחֲוִ֔יתָ לִפְנֵ֖י יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ
Wherefore I now bring the first fruits of the soil which You, O LORD, have given me.” You shall leave it before the LORD your God and bow low before the LORD your God.
וְשָׂמַחְתָּ֣ בְכָל־הַטּ֗וֹב אֲשֶׁ֧ר נָֽתַן־לְךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ וּלְבֵיתֶ֑ךָ אַתָּה֙ וְהַלֵּוִ֔י וְהַגֵּ֖ר אֲשֶׁ֥ר בְּקִרְבֶּֽךָ
And you shall enjoy, together with the Levite and the stranger in your midst, all the bounty that the LORD your God has bestowed upon you and your household.
What is perhaps most powerful is that Moshe is instructing this to them while they are STILL in the desert, which means that while still in the thick of the despair and the hardship of the journey, the people of Israel are told: You will arrive to a place and there will be blessing and at that moment you will recognize the hardship but you will enjoy the blessings.
I can imagine Moshe Rabeinu, trying to hold onto hope and trying to support his community by saying, “It is going to be ok, I know it is hard now. I know it is hard to see blessing while walking in a desert not knowing how much longer you will walk, and I know at moments it seems impossible, but you will arrive, and there will be fruit and flowing milk and honey.”
Moshe walks his people like the shepherd he is, with compassion and reassurance. But he also reminds his people that when they arrive they must recognize the blessings they have, and they must care for the most needy and vulnerable. Blessing can not come without responsibility.
This Shabbat I will hold Moshe’s pastoral care close. Moshe is saying to me: I know you are in the desert but there is a land of milk and honey. And you will arrive. We will arrive. Perhaps by holding into that hope, we can ride through the roller-coaster of this moment.
May this Shabbat bring blessings to all of you and your loved ones.
May we find strength, courage, patience and open our heart with generosity.
May all those who are ill find healing.
May we have a joyful and restful Shabbat!
