Posted on August 9, 2024 by Rabbi David Katz
For the next couple of weeks the theme will be love. It starts this Shabbat with the first portion of the Book of Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy is different than the other four books of the Torah. Biblical scholars look to its unique vocabulary and distinct themes as evidence of a separate writer. Deuteronomy even has its own story of discovery, or should I say, re-discovery. Listen to this remarkable historical account edited from II Chronicles 34-35. It’s truly amazing.
“1 Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. 2 He did what was pleasing to the LORD, following the ways of his father David without deviating to the right or to the left. 3 In the eighth year of his reign, while he was still young, he began to seek the God of his father David, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the shrines, the sacred posts, the idols, and the molten images. 4 At his bidding, they demolished the altars of the Baals, and he had the incense stands above them cut down; he smashed the sacred posts, the idols, and the images, ground them into dust, and strewed it onto the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.
14 As they took out the silver that had been brought to the House of the LORD, the priest Hilkiah found a scroll of the LORD’S Teaching given by Moses. ….19 When the king heard the words of the Teaching, he tore his clothes.
20 The king gave orders…saying, 21 “Go, inquire of the LORD on my behalf and on behalf of those who remain in Israel and Judah concerning the words of the scroll that has been found, for great indeed must be the wrath of the LORD that has been poured down upon us because our fathers did not obey the word of the LORD and do all that is written in this scroll.”
29 Then the king sent word and assembled all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. … He stood in his place and solemnized the covenant before the LORD: to follow the LORD and observe His commandments, His injunctions, and His laws with all his heart and soul, to fulfill all the terms of the covenant written in this scroll. 33 Josiah removed all the abominations from the whole territory of the Israelites and obliged all who were in Israel to worship the LORD their God. Throughout his reign they did not deviate from following the LORD God of their fathers.”
And what was this scroll that was found? Scholars believe that it was the Book of Deuteronomy!
The Children of Israel return to their love of God in this story. In no other book of the Torah is love so much in the picture. As the chapters roll out, the word ‘love’ is used at least a dozen times. Most familiar is next week’s portion, which contains the Shema…. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart….” Here the love between God and the Children of Israel is explored. Later the relationship between husbands and wives will be taken up. And tonight I will speak about how these two types of love intersect in how we ritualize love.
These are the literary and theological themes for this week and next. But on Thursday night the holiday of Tu B’Av is celebrated and real-life romance between young lovers will be the theme. Tu B’Av (the 15th day of the month of Av) was a Sadie Hawkins Day celebrated in ancient times. Young women would go to the vineyards on Tu B’Av dressed in white and beckon young men to cast their eyes upon them to choose those who would become their wives. (More about this later.)
Love is in the air beginning this evening. The Sabbath bride will enter in all her glory. Later we’ll recite the words that command us to love God – the V’ahavta. We’ll learn about what the Book of Deuteronomy has to say on the subject and the holiday of Tu B’Av we’ll await with anticipation.
See you on Zoom this evening.
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi David Katz
