There's No Place Like Home

Leann Shamash
12 minutes ago
3 min read

#oz #dorothygale #netzavim #nitzavim #devarim #seferdevarim #parshacommentary #wordshavewings #parshapoetry #theresnoplacelikehome #moses #deuteronomy #vayelech #parshatvayelech

Welcome to Parshat Nitzavim, one of the two parshiyot we read this week, which contains a series of especially poignant messages. This is an edited re-post of something I posted in 2020.

Moshe, the great teacher and leader, sees his end approaching and perhaps it is for this reason that these messages appeal to people's hearts? We read:

כִּ֚י הַמִּצְוָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את אֲשֶׁ֛ר אָנֹכִ֥י מְצַוְּךָ֖ הַיּ֑וֹם לֹֽא־נִפְלֵ֥את הִוא֙ מִמְּךָ֔ וְלֹ֥א רְחֹקָ֖ה הִֽוא׃

לֹ֥א בַשָּׁמַ֖יִם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲלֶה־לָּ֤נוּ הַשָּׁמַ֙יְמָה֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃

וְלֹֽא־מֵעֵ֥בֶר לַיָּ֖ם הִ֑וא לֵאמֹ֗ר מִ֣י יַעֲבָר־לָ֜נוּ אֶל־עֵ֤בֶר הַיָּם֙ וְיִקָּחֶ֣הָ לָּ֔נוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵ֥נוּ אֹתָ֖הּ וְנַעֲשֶֽׂנָּה׃

כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ (ס)

רְאֵ֨ה נָתַ֤תִּי לְפָנֶ֙יךָ֙ הַיּ֔וֹם אֶת־הַֽחַיִּ֖ים וְאֶת־הַטּ֑וֹב וְאֶת־הַמָּ֖וֶת וְאֶת־הָרָֽע׃

"Surely, this Instruction which I enjoin upon you this day is not too baffling for you, nor is it beyond reach. It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”

No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it."

Deuteronomy 30:11-14 (Translation taken from Sefaria)

This week come with me to the Land of Oz to connect us with Parshat Nitzavim.

With my apologies to Parshat Vayelech for not writing about it this week.

Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom,

Leann

PS In preparation for Rosh Hashannah, I wonder if your family has particular customs that you would like to share?

There's No Place Like Home

Once upon a time there was a girl whose name was Dorothy Gale. She lived in Kansas with her aunt and uncle and her dog. One day a cyclone blew through her Kansas town and carried her away to the land at the end of the rainbow.

When Dorothy arrived to the end of the rainbow it was not as she expected it to be. There were witches with broomsticks and a cunning wizard who hid behind a screen. She met her companions, each with challenges that they had to overcome and together they set out on a quest. It was while on this quest that Dorothy's friends realized their full potential. The Lion found his bravery, Scarecrow recognized his innate intelligence and Tin Man discovered his heart was there all along. Dorothy, exhibiting bravery, conquered her own fears and became the modest leader of others.

All the time Dorothy was in Oz, she longed for nothing more than to be home, close to what was familiar.

And here we find ourselves in Parshat Netzavim, along with Dorothy Gale, The Cowardly Lion, The Scarecrow and The Tin Man.

” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say,

“Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?”

No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it."

In The Wizard of Oz Dorothy is instructed to say,

"There's no place like home"

Search for the answers to your questions. Travel to the ends of your rainbows. Experience, grow, experiment, but know that some answers are right in your back yard, at your kitchen table and at the side of your loved ones, just waiting to be found.