Author: Shlomo Bar-Ayal

We remember the important commandments but we tend to ignore the minor ones. This week’s Torah Portion comes to remind us that there are no “minor” commandments in the eyes of God.

The Torah admonishes us to remember that our wealth comes from two sources. Our hard work and God. We want Jews to succeed in business but we also want them to remember the source of their prosperity.

The 18th of Av is one of the happiest days of the Jewish year. It comes on the heels on the 9th of Av. The reason is to tell the Jewish people that there is a future. That no matter what bad thing you have experienced we will continue.

Today is the 9th of Av, the anniversary of the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem. What is important is not that we remember that they were destroyed but why God allowed them to be destroyed.

The 10th Commandment is not to covet. This is the real basis of a moral society. When we covet what others have we forget all they had to do to acquire their things in life.

In Exodus the commandment is to keep the Sabbath while in Deuteronomy the commandment is to remember it. The reason is simple, if you do not remember it there is nothing to keep and if you do not keep it then there is nothing to remember.

One of the prime lessons we learn is that Moses is denied entry into the Land of Israel. One reason is that his time as leader was over. His mere presence would have undermined the leadership of Joshua. A leader has to know when to step down.

There is an idea that we are not responsible for our actions. This is not what the Torah says. Even if it is an accident we hold some responsibility.