Bs”d
Parshas Devorim (5766)
by Mordechai Dolinsky
We are now living in the period the Chumash refers to as having the “lev even”, the heart of stone, which we can all testify to. It is essential to recognize this in order not to be broken and feel helpless that our capabilities to relate to the Churban are beyond our emotions. Likewise, the suffering of our forefathers at the hands of the crusaders and other gentile viciousness throughout the generations, including the recent holocaust, and the current suffering in northern Eretz Yisroel.
The epitome of the contrast of this we find in a Medrash in our parsha that Moshe Rabeinu at the ‘maaseh aigel’ in order to alleviate the guilt of Klal Yisroel, exclaims to Hashem that He now has at His accessability the aigel to help Him with His various chores of keeping up the world, trying to give the false impression that he, too, was guilty of attributing power to the aigel. Moshe Rabeinu tried to give the impression that he was a heretic, for the sake of Klal Yisroel!!
The Medrash relates that Moshe was healed from his speech defect by his connection with the Torah. This is because the Torah is a source of life to the whole creation and therefore rectifies and rejuvenates any defects. This is surely a period of history when we should cling to the Torah.
Have a meaningful Tisha B’Av however it will manifest itself this year, a wonderful Shabbos, and salvation for all.