When things aren’t going well for you, do you wonder if you are being tested?  Our parashah this week gives us the answer.  Unfortunately, this answer is yes.  Are you surprised?  After all, we test each other, ourselves, even animals, and go so far as to extend this to non-living things.

        Sometimes, we are allowed to take importants tests again. Our parashah reminds us Moses broke the first set of tablets with the Ten Commandments on them due to his anger at how miserably the Israelites failed a test of faith.  Adonai was ready to destroy them - it sounds like Moses was also being tested - when Moses intervened and prayed for Adonai not to do so.  Moses did this even after Adonai told him he would destroy the Israelites and start over again through Moses’ progeny.

        We are even reminded Adonai, while originally making the covenant with Abraham, was selective in choosing which of Abraham’s children, Isaac’s children, etc., Adonai would keep the covenant with through the generations.  After all, Adonai promised Abraham his children would inherit Canaan, which left a quasi-legal loophole, if you will, as to which children exactly.  It isn’t until later on in Genesis when Adonai tells Abraham the covenant will be inherited by Isaac.  For those of you with legal minds, this example teaches us even more about contract law - and inheritance law too, for that matter - but this isn’t really my point. 

        Our parashah begins by enumerating the rewards we could receive for following the laws set forth in the Torah.  The rewards listed are full of lessons presented individually, in groups, as well as all together.  I will take you through some of these lessons.

        We are told our grain, wine, and olive oil will be plentiful.  Hmm.  Do you see what I see?  All three are used for sanctification purposes.  All three take effort on our part, as well as Adonai’s, to come to fruition (couldn’t resist!).  We can plant all we want.  Plant, hoe, sow, plow - whatever is necessary; however, without the cooperation of nature - and we’ve seen this through the 10 plagues (Adonai has control here too) - our crops may not grow, may not thrive, may be eaten by animals or bugs, etc.  We humans cannot produce these things without the help and blessing of Adonai.

        The Torah reminds us here we are to destroy those who are abhorrent to Adonai - as they have evil practices, including one we are told not to do many, many times - they worship idols.  We are told to:  1) Destroy the carved idols by burning them; 2) Don’t covet or take their gold and silver; and 3) Again we are reminded not to worship other gods.  We are even told two times in our parashah it is in our nature to covet these things.  Coveting silver and gold can lead us to chase after other gods - need I remind you of the gods of greed and power - and we are warned doing so will lead us astray.  Moses also warns us the time will come when we allow ourselves to think our earthly valuables are obtained purely by our own actions.  We will forget how Adonai decides what we will have and how much.  Moses also teaches us this thinking will lead us further and further astray from the commandments and from Adonai.

        We all know this happened numerous times in the past.  We went back to Adonai, were forgiven.  Then we turned around and did it again, and again, and again.  Most of us (I hope I’m wrong about this) are still doing so today.  Some will say they have no proof of Adonai’s existence or power.  Maybe this is why Moses reminds us literally that Adonai holds all the power. 

        Then in Moses’ address, it seems as though he is actually speaking to us today, because he tells us it won’t be their children who don’t see, or fully comprehend, how it was Adonai who brought the plagues, miracles, and signs.  Meaning, the generations who witnessed firsthand all of these amazing feats don’t fully grasp what it is they witnessed.  Reminds me of the saying about our vision in hindsight being 20/20 - to a degree.  To impress the importance of all which they experienced, as well as the monumental significance of Adonai’s existence, power, and gift of the covenant and the Torah.  To emphasize this, we are once again commanded to teach our children and our grandchildren. 

        The second half of the Shema is included in our parashah, which speaks of our duty to teach our generations, bind theses words as a sign upon our hand, decoration between our eyes, write them on the doorposts of our house and upon our gates, and inscribe them in our heart and soul.  We humans have a tendency to think more about what we can physically see, and we can’t actually “see” G-d.  In case you doubt there is a soul, it is specifically mentioned in our parashah several times alone, besides numerous other places throughout the Torah.

        If you will indulge me, I would like to refer back to not taking gold or silver from those with abhorrent practices.  If you haven’t already thought of this, silver and gold both are conductors of electricity.  This means they conduct energy.  By taking the silver and gold of those who worship false gods, and keeping it in your house, you are now filling your house with negative energy.  After telling you this, read or re-read this part of the parashah and see if the wording of the verses don’t just support what you were just taught.

        Not that I wouldn’t have noticed this at any other time, but in light of yesterday’s events - Moses also tells us that when the Children of Israel (a.k.a. the Jewish people) act rightly and follow in G-d’s ways, and follow and observe the commandments, the other nations will fear us.  We are then told not to be afraid, to have faith, and remember all we have learned.  Why?  Simple:  Adonai loves us, protects us, helps us confound, confuse, and destroy our enemies, both the ones we are aware of, and ones we aren’t aware of, and this will happen little by little, for if our enemies were destroyed all at once, the beasts would rise against us.  It doesn’t say beasts of the field, as it so often does, just beasts.

        Testing us, and the righteous more than others is literally spelled out for us in our parashah.  We are reminded after Adonai took us out of Egypt, and when we thought we had nothing, and prayed for relief, even more was taken away.  In the wilderness, we were hungry and Adonai gave us manna.  Moses even states the obvious:  the manna was not even known to our ancestors.  We were thirsty, and we were given, through Adonai’s blessing, water from flint rock.  Flint rock.  It is used to light fires.  It is not known for storing water.

        Moses also teaches us it was Adonai’s intention to teach us man cannot live by bread alone; therefore, we were also provided with meat.  Do you also ever wonder how we had wine for the sacrifices if we were busy wandering?  We have been, are, and will be tested as to our faith and trust, love, awe, and fear of Adonai, until we finally know in every cell of our being, in our heads, our hearts, our thoughts, prayers, and actions - Adonai is real, loves us, and watches over us.  Maybe even and especially when we feel like we are losing, or have lost everything else.  Study this parashah, and think about history - including what is happening currently.  The testing will end when we finally get it right, or in layman’s terms, until we pass.  As Rick (played well by Humphrey Bogart) said in the movie “Casablanca”, “You may not understand now.  Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life”.

        I have told you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me G-d!  The evidence is everywhere we look.  May G-d bless you and yours with peace.

        Shabbat Shalom!