Go Big or Go Home
Weekly Sidra: Ki Teitzei (When you Go)
Torah Portion: Devarim / Deuteronomy 21:10 – 25:19
Haftorah: Yeshayahu / Isaiah 54:1 – 54:10
1 Shout, O barren one, You who bore no child! Shout aloud for joy, You who did not travail! For the children of the wife forlorn Shall outnumber those of the espoused 2 Enlarge the site of your tent, Extend the size of your dwelling, Do not stint! Lengthen the ropes, and drive the pegs firm.3 For you shall spread out to the right and the left; Your offspring shall dispossess nations And shall people the desolate towns. (Isaiah 54:1-3)
It is said that this week’s reading contains 72 of the 613 commandments, the most of any portion. The Torah portions starts by outlining how to treat a woman caught in captivity that you wish to marry. It also explains how to treat the children of two wives. One wife loved and the other unloved.
“If a man has two wives, one loved and the other unloved, and both the loved and the unloved have borne him sons, but the first-born is the son of the unloved one — 16 when he wills his property to his sons, he may not treat as first-born the son of the loved one in disregard of the son of the unloved one who is older. 17 Instead, he must accept the first-born, the son of the unloved one, and allot to him a double portion of all he possesses; since he is the first fruit of his vigour, the birthright is his due.” (Devarim 21:15-18)
I believe, that in the eyes of the world, the Jews and Israel today represent the barren or unloved wife. We are constantly being vilified by the media. We are the targets of hatred and anti-Semitism. When Israel tries to defend itself against attacks, it is seen as the bully beating up the Arabs.
We too have doubts in our lives. Sometimes we may feel barren or unloved. We may think that Hashem is not working in our lives or answering our prayers. However, I want to encourage you with what Hashem says in the verses above.
Extend the size of your dwelling, Do not stint! Lengthen the ropes, and drive the pegs firm.3 For you shall spread out to the right and the left; Your offspring shall dispossess nations And shall people the desolate towns.
It is time for us to dream and dream big. If Hashem has put a calling on your life do not sit silently in a corner and let life pass you by. We all have been called to do something. Whatever, Hashem has called you to do then, as the Nike slogan goes, just do it!! It doesn’t matter how big or how small if it is washing a table, cleaning up after services, or just encouraging someone.
I write for Hashem, not because I have to, but because I want to do His will. When I write I never put my name because I want the glory to go to Hashem and not to me. I never know who will read this, but my prayer is always that Hashem will bless others and touch their lives through what is written. There were times when I thought that what I had written was not that good, but Hashem has used it to bless others. I have been told that our website reaches people from all over the world. Praise Hashem.
You see, what starts out as just words on paper, in the hands of a mere human being. Hashem takes those words and now they can touch the world. I am nothing, but Hashem is everything.
So, if you are in a barren wilderness of doubt, remember that Hashem can take your small talent and turn it into something special for His kingdom. So dream and dream big!!
Categories: Parasha Ki Teitze, Torah, Torah Video
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