וָאֶתְחַנַּן
Va’etchanan / And I Pleaded
Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11
Isaiah 40:1-26
Mark 12:28-34    

     This Torah portion begins with Moshe recollecting his conversation with God;  ‘At that time I pleaded with the Lord: 24 “Sovereign Lord, you have begun to show to your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? 25 Let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan—that fine hill country and Lebanon.”
    Moshe continues with ‘…what the Lord did at Baal Peor. The Lord your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, 4 but all of you who held fast to the Lord your God are still alive today.’  Deuteronomy 4:3-4. And the law of idolatry forbidden, Deuteronomy 4:15-20. 
     Deuteronomy 4:21-24 begins with an interesting statement. ‘The Lord was angry with me because of you, and He solemnly swore that I would not cross the Jordan and enter the good land the Lord your God is giving you as your inheritance. 22 I will die in this land; I will not cross the Jordan; but you are about to cross over and take possession of that good land. 23 Be careful not to forget the covenant of the Lord your God that he made with you; do not make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything the Lord your God has forbidden. 24 For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.‘ 
     Moshe blames the Israelites for the reason that he will not enter into the land, instead of his reactions and responses. He states that God was angry at him because of the people. Can one or should one get angry at someone because of their behavior due to the insolent behavior of another? Or do we take responsibility and own the behavior, not blaming the trigger, whatever the trigger may be?
   Chapter five contains the Ten Words and chapter six, the Shema. In Deuteronomy 6:20-23 there are the passages regarding the great Exodus that we make every Passover. 
     There is a sentence in this parsha that might cause some to make their own judgement, their own set of moral and ethical codes. Deuteronomy 6:17-18 says ‘Be sure to keep the commands of the Lord your God and the stipulations and decrees He has given you. 18 Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you and you may go in and take over the good land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors, 19 thrusting out all your enemies before you, as the Lord said.’ 
    To do what is right and what is good. But what is right and what is good? It is different things to different people, different cultures, different nations, and different ideology.  We say, ‘He is a good person; she is a righteous person.’ Yes, truth as that would be, the world is full of morally and ethically good people. To do good and be just. To judge righteously, to maintain civil obedience and lead lawful lives, again with vast differences in the world, a complex place.
      But what is the depth of the righteousness that we seek? Could it be our own? Or is it something deeper. Deuteronomy 6:25 answers this: ‘And if we are careful to obey all this law before the Lord our God, as He has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”

  וָאֶתְחַנַּן
Va’etchanan / And I Pleaded
Deuteronomy 3:22-7:11
Isaiah 40:1-26
Mark 12:18-34    

     This parsha begins with Moshe retelling the events of God showing him the land of which he would not enter, and to appoint Joshua as the next leader. In chapter 4, Moshe commands obedience with a strict warning of: ‘lest you forget’…Deuteronomy 4:9. 
     Chapter 4 continues with instructions regarding idolatry.  In chapter 5 the Ten Words are repeated and in chapter 6 the foundation of God’s word, The Shema,m along with a caution against disobedience. In Deuteronomy 6:20 we see part of the readings for the Seder at Pesach. Va’etchanan ends with a clear warning for His people in Deuteronomy 7:1-11.
    Throughout this parsha, we see instructions for wisdom and understanding, of which the two are inseparable.  Moshe tells the people that observing the statutes is the wisdom and the understanding for God’s people. He is not saying that the statutes are some type of wisdom, or a piece of wisdom, or some type of understanding or knowledge but rather they are The Wisdom and The Understanding.  Deuteronomy 4:5-6 states; “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. 6 Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
     The prophet Hosea reiterates this:  Hosea 4:6 ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.’
    The book of Proverbs begins with instructions about wisdom and understanding in Proverbs 1:1-7. The entire chapter of Proverbs 8 links wisdom to the Word of God.  
     Yeshua admonishes the people in Mark 7:14 to listen!  ‘After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand…’
     James 1:5 states:  "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God".
    The greatest part of understanding and wisdom comes from this parsha,  in Deuteronomy 6:4, The Shema! Listen!  Just prior to the Shema Moshe in Deuteronomy 6:3 tells us to be careful:  ‘Therefore hear, O Israel, and be careful to observe it, that it may be well with you, and that you may multiply greatly as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you—‘a land flowing with milk and honey.’
    Deuteronomy 6:17-18 is very clear.  ‘You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and His testimonies and His statutes, which He has commanded you.  And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.’ 
     There is a verse in this parsha which might seem as if it conflicts with prior statements in Torah. Deuteronomy 7:7 states ‘The Lord did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you are the fewest of all peoples.’ Does this conflict with Deuteronomy 1:10? ‘The Lord your God has increased your numbers so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky.’ 
     The answer is no. They were numerous compared to what they once were – 70 people that originally went down to Egypt, and the very beginning; Abraham and the people, much smaller than the nations that surrounded them.  Israel would be and is the smallest of the nations for a reason that goes to the very heart of its existence as a nation. They continue to show the world that a people under the Covenant of God do not have to be large in order to be great. It does not have to be numerous to defeat its enemies. Israel’s unique history shows that.  ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.” Zechariah 4:6.
     The remnant will be as the stars in the sky and will return to Israel.  Isaiah prophesizes in Isaiah 10:22 ‘For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea, only a remnant within them will return; a destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.’
     Zechariah 8:8 ‘…and I will bring them back and they will live in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth and righteousness.’
     Revelation 15:3 And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!’
     Revelation 15:4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; for all the nations will come and worship before You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed.”
     Jeremiah 16:14-15 ‘Therefore behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the countries where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers.’
     Isaiah 10:20-21 ‘Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.’
      Is wisdom and understand only knowledge of the word?  Does wisdom stop at knowledge? Proverbs 9 reveals to us our duty of wisdom and understanding.   
Proverbs 14:12 continues with: ‘There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.’
Isaiah 5:21 ‘Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!’
Proverbs 21:2 ‘Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart.’  
James 4:17 ‘So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Romans 12:21 ‘Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.’ 
Galatians 6:7 ‘Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. 
Isaiah 5:20-21 ‘Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.’
Deuteronomy 12:8 ‘You shall not, any more, do as we are all doing today: every man doing what is right in his own eyes.’
Proverbs 21:2 ‘Every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.’
This parsha in Deuteronomy 7:9-11 ends with a beautiful declaration: ‘“Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments; 10 and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his face. 11 Therefore you shall keep the commandment, the statutes, and the judgments which I command you today, to observe them.’ 
        We have the choice to open our minds to God leading us to wisdom, but also a choice to close our minds that will lead to progressive stages of foolishness. The sages teach that people often operate with a narrow mind, seeing only what they want.  The key is to operate with a spacious mind. It is also taught that people live their life through the closed heart, which is the opposite of the clean and open heart. It is the uncircumcised heart compared to the circumcised heart.  The Torah in Proverbs 1:20-33 cries for the people to Shema! Listen to wisdom and forsake the fools.
     We can understand the concept of wisdom and understanding if we submit to His Ways.  But what is it without? What is it when we make up our own wisdom or apply our own understanding?  What do we become when we believe the lies, when we are swayed by untruths? 
Proverbs 1:7 explains this: ‘…fools despise wisdom and instruction.’  So what is the biblical picture of the fool? 
         It is taught in several biblical circles and through-out Scripture that there are three levels to characteristics that create those consumed by their own flesh: The simple, The fool, and The scoffer.  Proverbs explains each progression becomes more destructive not only for  himself, but  for those associating with him.
The Simple
This person is not completely innocent but rather ignorant, is easily deceived and unwise.  The affair of Sampson and Delilah in the book of Judges is a good example as Sampson unfortunately became a simpleton as described in the proverbs.  He is asked by Delilah three times to reveal the secret of his great strength.  Three times he lies to her and after each lie Delilah admits she was trying to ensnare him.   He didn’t take heed due to his arrogance, which made him simple and gullible.  She even seems to gaslight him in verse 15, accusing him of mockery. Alas, the fourth time she asked about his weakness was his demise.  Judges 16:18-21.
Proverbs 14:15 ‘The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.’
Proverbs 14:18 ‘The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.’
The Fool
While the simple are often easily swayed by words or opinions of others, the fool causes his own destruction.  The dominant character trait is that he is stagnant in his own opinion and heart.  
Proverbs 18:2 ‘A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.’
Proverbs 12:15-16 ‘The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but he who heeds counsel is wise.  A fool’s wrath is known at once, but a prudent man covers shame.’
    The simple, being easily led astray does not close his mind to God completely, but the fool does, deceitfully convincing himself that he is right. 
Proverbs 14:7-9 ‘Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit.  Fools mock at sin, but among the upright there is favor.’
Proverbs 24:7 ‘Wisdom is too lofty for a fool; he does not open his mouth in the gate.’
Proverbs 28:2 ‘He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.’
Ecclesiastics 10:12-15 ‘The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool shall swallow him up; 13 The words of his mouth begin with foolishness, and the end of his talk is raving madness. 14 A fool also multiplies words. No man knows what is to be;
Who can tell him what will be after him? 15 The labor of fools wearies them,fFor they do not even know how to go to the city!’
The Scoffer
    The scoffer or mocker is not swayed; he is not aimless like the simple. And, unlike the fool, the scoffer is not fulfilled until he has persuaded others to follow him. Not unlike a bully mentality. 
Proverbs 21:24 ‘A proud and haughty man—“Scoffer” is his name; He acts with arrogant pride.’
Proverbs 22:10 ‘Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave; yes, strife and reproach will cease.’ 
Proverbs 24:8-9 ‘He who plots to do evil will be called a schemer.9 The devising of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men. ‘
In Genesis 6:5-8 the people of that day scoffed and mocked Noah.  In Psalms 1:1 we are warned against the digression that leads from casual association with wicked people to sitting “in the seat of scoffers”.  In 2 Kings 2:23-24 forty-two youths were mauled by a she-bear after mocking Elisha. 
     In 2 Peter 3:3 Peter describes these scoffers as “following their own evil desires”. 
     The ultimate scoffer is HaSatan. He invented it, converting simpletons to fools and fools to scoffers.  HaSatan scoffs at God’s ways, convincing the simply to join in. In Genesis 3:1 he mocks God and in Matthew 4:1-11 direclty mocks Yeshua. 
      The less we will resemble Torah if we allow ourselves to walk the wide path of simpleton to fool to scoffer.  The instructions are clear how we gain wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.’