Ta Shma

Our parashah describes a deeply charged moment—a moment where the Israelites are at risk of forgetting the Holy Blessed One.  Surprisingly, this danger does not stem from lack or deprivation, but rather from a reality of abundance and tranquility that awaits them after conquering the Land.

At least in the plain sense of Lamentations 4, the destruction of Jerusalem is not presented as the execution of a carefully designed plan.  It is a moment of unleashed fury.

Parashat Devarim is always read on the Shabbat preceding Tisha B’Av, the week in which we read Megillat Eikhah (the Book of Lamentations).  This creates a triple echo of a single word within our tradition: eikhah (which can mean both “alas” and “how”).  The first is the one read on Tisha B’Av, the very eikhah that opens the scroll and gives it its name: “Alas (eikhah)!  Lonely sits the city once great with people!  She that was great among nations is become like a widow; the princess among states is become a thrall” (Lamentations 1:1).  A second eikhah is found in the Haftarah for Parashat Devarim, spoken by the prophet Yeshayahu: “Alas (eikhah), she has become a whore, the faithful city that was filled with justice, where righteousness dwelt—but now murderers!” (Isaiah 1:21).  And a third eikhah is uttered by Moses in the opening verses of Parashat Devarim—an eikhah we might easily overlook if not for this convergence of timing and the echo of Megillat Eikhah: “How (eikhah) can I bear by myself your burden, your weight, and your strife?” (Deuteronomy 1:12).

In the darkest days of the Holocaust, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira,  the Piaseczner Rebbe, offered weekly teachings to his community in the Warsaw Ghetto. These sermons, later collected as Esh Kodesh (“Sacred Fire”), are among the most profound works of spiritual courage ever written. In this six-part series, we’ll explore how the Rebbe turned to Torah to confront unthinkable suffering, searching for God in moments of devastation, and uncovering sparks of hope, resilience, and inner strength. His words speak not only to the horrors of his time, but to anyone seeking meaning, faith, and comfort in the face of life’s struggles. Recorded in Winter 2026. 
Source sheet: https://mechonhadar.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/mh_torah_source_sheets/PassowEishKodesh2026Part1.pdf

The Book of Numbers concludes by revisiting a narrative we first encountered last week: the story of Tzlofhad’s inheritance.  This episode appears first in chapter 27 and again in chapter 36, with the two accounts mirroring each other.  Yet, despite the extensive linguistic parallels between them, these similarities actually serve to highlight the deep gaps and contrasts between the two parts of the story, inviting us to reflect on the ability of minority groups to speak and be heard.