Standing Together
Deuteronomy 29:9-14
Everyone stands together to hear Moses. It is not just “standing there”; the word implies attention, alertness and purpose. This marks the end of Moses’ life and a transition to a new life for the people.
This standing is symbolic of our link to one another and our need to stand together and support one another. Why should our link to other Jews be different from our link to other people in our role as humans? What is the hierarchy of our caring and how do we convey this to our children?
It is significant that we studied this at Purim with the theme of Jewish Solidarity following in the story of Esther.
Talmud's Tractate Ta'anit points out that we are bound together in fortunes both good and bad.
“When the children of Israel fought with the Amalekites, the Talmud (Tractate Taanit) tells us that Moses sat on a stone. He was asked why he sat on a rock when he could have found something more comfortable to sit upon. Did he not have a pillow, or the equivalent thereof? Moses wisely answered, "Here the children of Israel are entrenched in pain. I will also be with them in their pain."” – source aish.com
The other example is the midrash about a bundle of sticks. It is difficult to break the whole bundle while it is easy to break it one stick at a time.
In the Shema when we end with “Echad” it is not only God that is “ONE”; we are also “ONE” as a People.
Everyone stands together to hear Moses. It is not just “standing there”; the word implies attention, alertness and purpose. This marks the end of Moses’ life and a transition to a new life for the people.
This standing is symbolic of our link to one another and our need to stand together and support one another. Why should our link to other Jews be different from our link to other people in our role as humans? What is the hierarchy of our caring and how do we convey this to our children?
It is significant that we studied this at Purim with the theme of Jewish Solidarity following in the story of Esther.
Talmud's Tractate Ta'anit points out that we are bound together in fortunes both good and bad.
“When the children of Israel fought with the Amalekites, the Talmud (Tractate Taanit) tells us that Moses sat on a stone. He was asked why he sat on a rock when he could have found something more comfortable to sit upon. Did he not have a pillow, or the equivalent thereof? Moses wisely answered, "Here the children of Israel are entrenched in pain. I will also be with them in their pain."” – source aish.com
The other example is the midrash about a bundle of sticks. It is difficult to break the whole bundle while it is easy to break it one stick at a time.
In the Shema when we end with “Echad” it is not only God that is “ONE”; we are also “ONE” as a People.
Labels: community, Jewish Solidarity, together
posted by Chavarah @ 6:00 PM
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