Eleh hadevarim — “these are the words.” This is how the final book of the Torah begins: with words that recount the life and journey of our people, everything that unfolded as they travelled, their entry into the covenant at Sinai and their becoming a people. The Book of Deuteronomy is entirely about repetition, reminding us of the experiences and stories that occurred throughout the Torah.
I love this focus on repeating; because truthfully repetition is a constant theme in all of our lives. Indeed, we spend our years rehearsing so much, revisiting the same experiences and getting to hopefully do things better and make things easier as they come around again and again. As the Hasidic teachers frequently remind us, the Torah reverberates for each individual in every generation. And so, this repetition lives in the heart and mind of each of us.
We have just begun the month of Av, which is considered a time of grief, as it includes Tisha B’Av, the day of mourning for all Jewish losses from the destruction of the Temples onward. Each year, it offers us an opportunity to assess the fragility of the world, as well as our own losses and frailties.
Where were we last year? How are we this year? What has changed? But we know the repetition of life gives occasion for good, as well as challenging, moments. This Shabbat marks the final week of Ivriah before the end of term. It celebrates another year of our children’s learning. It also brings a new Council for us at FPS, a chance to honour our past Chair, Beverley Kafka, and a summer BBQ to give us all an opportunity to simply be together and begin our Summer in each other’s company.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rebecca
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