Va’etchanan, Deuteronomy 3:23 – 7:11 is this week’s Torah portion. It is the tale of Moshe pleading with the Most High to enter the Promised Land, and the response of the Holy One answering Moshe will see the Promised Land. He retells the people’s history, stressing this is a first for people to have a relationship with the Creator, Father and King. The book of Devarim is Moshe’s retelling what was seen and heard by the people at Mount Sinai when Torah was given.

It is a time of transition for the people. Moshe is told Joshua will be entering and taking the position of leadership with the people. He uses the time to teach mitzvot, the moral, civil and religious laws (commandments). The people are warned, encouraged, called to move forward remembering the uniqueness of what they experienced with the Most High. It is Moshe’s last chance to reiterate the words heard at Mount Sinai and impress them upon the people.

As Moshe will see the Promised Land, a consequence of his actions, and return to HaShem in his own life, so to Moshe tells the people they will have times of falling away, returning, being in the land and being exiled. Moshe experienced the pattern which he tells the people will occur in their emuna (faith) and walk (derech chayim). Moshe recounts the Ten Words (Ten Commandments). The Shema, tallitot, (prayer shawl) and teffilin (leather straps and box with scriptures inside) are central to this telling.

The Shema affirms who the Most High is and who the Jewish people are. Embedded with in it are mitzvot which are practical concrete rituals. The people are no longer slaves and are the 3rd generation from those who left Mitzrayim (Egypt). The physical rituals attached to prayer are a preparation to enter prayer and time with the Most High. It sets aside the person physically with the tallitot, and sets his heart and mind apart from daily routine toward the Holy One Blessed Be He. It is a physical ritual with an object with kavannah (intent) to come before the King ( i.e a form of Jewish meditation).

Studying the mitzvot of keeping shabbat, tzittzit, teffilin and mezzuot in the Torah it is noted that the word used for men in Torah and TaNaKh is a mixed gender usuage when men’s names are not following it. If no option of a single gender group is wanted without a listing of names, another word could have been used signalling only a group of men. This eliminates physical gender exempting one from the mitzvot of tzitzit and teffilin.

Words are used carefully in Torah and this opens up the mitzvot for further study. From this pattern of usuage, if women were prohibited from tzittzit, and teffilin, then women would be prohibited from Shabbat and mezzuzot. This is not compatible with Torah. The people of Israel are bound to mitzvot, both men and women. Furthermore historically it is known that Rashi’s and King Saul’s daughters wore tzitzit and teffilin for prayer.

There is a leniency which has been taken as an time based allowance, or gender based exclusion from these two mitzvot. The first exemption is that women are to pray and keep commandments, yet are not bound to the same times or places to fulfill them as men. The roles of men and women being different in and out of the home was not subservient or submissive, but that of complementary roles. Furthermore understanding the culture of families at the time and the laws surrounding the mitzvot of tzitzit sheds more understanding of this leniency at the time and how it affects today’s world.

The care of young children and those ill would have a woman engaged in "clean up" of bodily processes which are incompatible with wearing tzitzit and teffilin. This would require a momentary removal of this ritual objects before taking care of the problem at hand. This does not prohibit women from keeping this mitzvot . It does become challenging and complicated at those times.

Mitzvot can be for many different roles people have such as parent, child, employer, or gender based ones which are separated by physical attributes or roles of men and women. This brings an opening for women to join men in a physical ritual meditation that prepares and engages one more fully entering prayer. These mitzvot should not be taken on as a way to "be like" men. It is to be a way of connection to the Most High and a reminder of the other mitzvot which were heard and accepted by the people as a whole at Mount Sinai. Accepting a mitzvot carries the intention to keep it as a rule, unless there is an emergency or a risk of life. It isn’t to be taken lightly but seen as a physical ritual meditation setting us apart for prayer.

The recounting of the family history and the mitzvot (moral, civil, religious laws) by Moshe addressed both his and the people’s humanity while highlighting the uniqueness of the Most High they knew. This is as true today as it was in the time of Moshe. What’s the difference between a jug of milk and Torah? The jug of milk has an expiration date and Torah does not! As you find time to enter into prayer and reflect on the derech chayim (way of life) comprised by living a life with the mitzvot as our measuring rule. Consider what habits and rituals and commandment you have accepted in your daily life.

May your mitzvot-filled journey be illuminated with ritual and habits that you understand and that encourage your connection with the Most High.

Ruth Etalka