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42

August 3 .2006

The Torah's Traditions
Safeguard Our Lives

Shabbat Nachamu,
Parshat Vaetchanan:
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11;
Isaiah 40:1-26.

0

ne of the high points of the
the Torah during hagbah, most of us
Shabbat morning service
do not think about the law of the cit-
is hagbah, the
ies of refuge. But, perhaps
raising of the Torah scroll.
we should stop and think
Following the completion
about the implications of
of the Torah reading, an
using this line, referring to
individual comes to the
one mitzvah, in a context
bimah, lifts up the Torah,
in which it applies to the
turns so that the congrega-
entire Torah.
tion can see the words, and
The origin of this
the congregation exclaims:
phrase, in which one law
v'zot haTorah, this is the
is being referred to, should
Rabbi
Torah which Moses gave
remind us that the Torah is
Robert Dobrusin not just a text containing
to the people of Israel
Special to the
from God's mouth through
the legends and history of
Jewish News
Moses.
our people. It is a law code
Even though Jews have
that guides our behaviors
seemingly infinite number of ways
and our actions. And, while the law of
of understanding the idea of Divine
the city of refuge might not strike us
revelation of the Torah, this is a unify- as the most basic or most important,
ing moment, a moment which binds
it does remind us that observance of
the congregation together in love of
the Torah can start anywhere, with
and respect for the Torah. It serves as
any commandment we find particu-
a fitting climax to the Torah service
larly meaningful and move forward
which, in many ways, is designed
from there.
as a reaffirmation ceremony to the
In addition, the nature of the verse
covenant which our ancestors, and by
referred to should remind us that
extension we ourselves, committed
much of the Torah is dedicated not to
ourselves to at Sinai.
theological or ritual law but to prag-
But, it has always been interesting to matic traditions intended to safeguard
me that the line in the siddur (prayer
the ethics of the community through
book) which we say so majestically:
justice and concern for all.
"v'zot haTorah" originally did not
As we stand and honor the Torah
apply to the entire Torah. The original
at this key point in the service, let us
source for this sentence is found in
remember that Torah means more
the book of Deuteronomy, in this
than stories and theological state-
week's Torah portion and refers to one ments, it is a living tradition of com-
specific mitzvah.
mitment through actions to building a
The verse is found in Deuteronomy just world. I
4:44 and refers to the designation of
three cities as aray miklat, cities of
Robert Dobrusin is rabbi of Beth Israel
refuge to which a person could flee
Congregation in Ann Arbor.
if he killed someone accidentally. By
taking refuge in this city, he would
avoid being killed by vengeful family
Conversations
members and the cycle of violence
would be broken.
What other laws in the Torah
The fact that we lift this line out of
do you know which protect
context and use it to refer to the entire
individuals and lead to a more
Torah is not unusual in Jewish tradi-
peaceful society? •
tion and certainly when we look at

