Thought for the Week

Dear Members and Friends,  

One theme that animates much of our Torah and Jewish texts is the idea of Covenant, a sacred agreement between God and Israel. Most famously, we have the covenant made at Mt. Sinai, when the Israelites receive the Ten Commandments and the Torah. This story is seen by our Sages as the pivotal moment that the Israelites begin their communal relationship with God and are solidified as a nation.  

In this week’s parsha, the Israelites make an additional covenant with God: Moses relays a list of blessings that Israel will experience if they behave righteously and act justly, along with an even longer list of curses that will befall Israel if they act wickedly, cause destruction or harm, or turn away from the Torah’s ethical path.  

“These are the terms of the covenant which God commanded Moses to conclude with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant which was made with them at Horeb [Mt Sinai].” (Deut. 28:69). 

Why is an additional covenant required? Had the Israelites not already agreed to God’s commandments and, thus, entered into a relationship with the Divine? Why is God adding additional terms to their agreement now, as they are about to enter the Promised Land?  

By this moment, almost four decades have passed since the covenant at Sinai, and the new generation that prepares to enter the Land. Additionally, God and the People know each other better than they did at Mt. Sinai. Each has seen how the other reacts in moments of tension, and each has challenged and been challenged by this relationship. Over time, both God and the Israelites have evolved. This transitional moment serves as an opportunity to revisit and renew the covenant between God and the People.  

On the Hebrew calendar, we are midway through Elul, the month of reflection leading up to the High Holy Days. During this season, we have the opportunity to examine our own actions, relationships, and priorities. Just as the Israelites renew their covenant with God, Elul invites us to renew our own commitments to our values and our community. In this moment, we reflect on the year that has passed, take account of where we have fallen short, and commit to positive change in the new year.  

Just as the Israelites in our parsha stand in this transitional moment between their journey through the wilderness and entering the land, we stand in the liminal space between the year that has passed and new year.  

As we look to the year ahead, let us consider how we might renew the proverbial covenants in our lives: our relationships with family and friends, engagement and action in our communities, and investing our time and resources in causes we care about. The High Holy Days invite us to consider the principles and ethics that animate our day-to-day lives, and to make the necessary changes in order to fully embody our values in the new year.  

Shabbat shalom, 

Lily Solochek