JULY 27 • 2023 | 53

SPIRIT

The Mitzvot of 
Listening and Loving
I

n Parshat V’etchanan, 
Moses’ message is clear 
and direct: It is imperative 
that the Israelites keep God’s 
commandments. So, we 
practice kashrut, keep 
Shabbat, refrain from 
stealing, etc. — difficult, 
but relatively clear. I 
usually have a pretty 
good sense of how I’m 
doing in relation to 
those kinds of mitzvot. 
Moses also goes on to 
recite the Shema; this 
part feels more curious 
and perplexing.
I experience the 
Shema as a call to slow 
down and actively listen to 
what’s happening around 
me. When I do that, I often 
notice unnecessary hardships 
wrought by systems of oppres-
sion that prevent people I love 
— family, friends, neighbors, 
strangers — from living lives of 
freedom and abundance.
 In that way, the Shema 
hurts; but the Shema also 
offers tools to make our world 
better. I’ve learned over the 
years that if we are going to 
build a better, more habitable 
world for all people, we need 
to slow down and listen to 
those who are directly impact-
ed by injustice. That listening 
is equally divine.
When Detroit Jews for 
Justice explores getting 
involved in a campaign, we 
first set out to understand 
the issue, and listen closely to 
those who seek our solidarity 
and partnership. In the case 
of the Drivers’ Licenses for 
All Campaign, the message 
was clear: Our undocumented 

neighbors told us they are not 
safe because they don’t have 
access to drivers’ licenses.
They are unable to move 
through the world 
securely, and attempts 
to meet their most basic 
needs risk expensive 
tickets, family separation, 
arrest and deportation.
But awareness isn’t suf-
ficient. What do we do 
with what we’ve learned 
in the quiet moment of 
reciting the Shema? I’ve 
heard it taught that the 
way we actualize the 
Shema’s Divine unity is 
through love. Ve’ahavta et 
Adonai Eloecha, you shall love 
the Lord your God. How do 
we practice that love?
I believe that calling our leg-
islators, signing public letters, 
marching in the streets and 
tending to our communities is 
love. I believe that challenging 
regressive policies that target 
our immigrant siblings is love. 
That kind of love is a powerful 
embodiment of the ve’ahavta. 
As philosopher Dr. Cornel 
West said, “Never forget that 
justice is what love looks like 
in public.” The bold, messy, 
public love of building com-
munity power is the kind of 
love we’re practicing at Detroit 
Jews for Justice, one grounded 
in our tradition and pushing 
for a more just world. 
Let’s love God’s world and 
all its creatures, b’chol levavcha 
with our whole heart and 
u’v’chol nafshecha our whole 
souls. 

Allie Zeff is the executive director of 

Detroit Jews for Justice. 

TORAH PORTION

Allie Zeff

Parshat 

V’etchanan: 

Deuteronomy 

3:23-7:11; 

Isaiah 

40:1-26.

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