Justice, Not Vengeance

On October 27, 2018, Robert Bowers entered the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh shouting “All Jews must die!” He then proceeded to open fire. After the chaos had settled, eleven people had been murdered and six more critically wounded. It is the most violent antisemitic attack ever perpetrated on American soil. 

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Russ Resnik
Freer Than We Think

Our parasha begins with Moses speaking to the people of Israel in the plains across the Jordan river, offering us what is clearly a choice. Note the opening word, Re’eh, “See.” We are not to offhandedly choose one way or another by default, but are to really see this choice, to deeply encounter it . . . even if we may not have previously recognized it as a choice.

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Russ Resnik
Don’t Forget How to Remember

Remembering and not forgetting is a major issue in life as it is in this week’s parasha. In our very first verses we read. “Because you are listening to these rules, keeping and obeying them, Adonai your God will keep with you the covenant and mercy that he swore to your ancestors.”

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Russ Resnik
Two Keys to the Future

God wanted Moses to face the future. We might extrapolate that he expects us to face the future too. Our parasha teaches that facing the future requires two things: Remembering the past, and Listening to, obeying, our God.

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Russ Resnik
Words that Promote Life

Words are essential building blocks for all communication. They can be used for good as well as not-so-good. I believe it is fair to say that words, or d’varim in Hebrew, are necessary to communicating and perhaps even to survival.

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Russ Resnik
The Virtue of Transparency

One of the more common critiques leveled against the Bible is that it does not fairly adjudicate in the battle of the sexes. When we remove the lens of 21st century modernity, however, we can see in this week’s reading several key Jewish principles that govern familial and authoritative relationships.

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Russ Resnik
Unexpected Words from the Wise

Seven things distinguish a fool and seven things distinguish a wise person. . . . If there is something the wise person has not heard, the wise person says, “I have never heard.” The wise person acknowledges what is true. The opposite of all these qualities is found in a fool. (Pirke Avot 5:9)

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Russ Resnik
Father Knows Best and Pin the Tale on the Donkey

As I read the Scriptures, I’m struck by how much of it relates to my childhood in the 50s and 60s. The TV show “Father Knows Best” and the game of “Pin the Tail on the Donkey” come to mind. In this week’s double portion, however, it’s a tale that the donkey realizes first.

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Russ Resnik
Overcoming Betrayal

One can only wonder what it must have been like for Moses to be challenged with open mutiny by the very people he called friends. Did this betrayal take Moses by surprise?

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Russ Resnik