Va’etchanan: What Makes Torah Holy

This week we read Parashat Va’etchanan, a portion filled with references to God. It includes a repetition of the Aseret HaDibrot—the Ten Divine Utterances, often called the Ten Commandments (Deuteronomy 5:6-5:18). (I have written a modern day translation of them that you can read here.) It also includes the Shema and V’ahavta (Deut. 6:4-9), which call us to love God with all our heart, soul, and passions. But who—or what—is this Presence we are called to love? What relevance does it have for our lives today?

The Kabbalists teach that Divine light shattered into countless sparks scattered throughout creation. Scientists tell us the universe emerged from the Big Bang. I experience these as different languages describing the same mystery. The source of the universe is an infinite force of love, expressed in galaxies and stars, in trees and rivers, in every living being. The Kabbalists teach that these broken pieces of the whole are trying to find their way back to the Source. The way home is through tikkun—helping heal and restore a fractured world.

Each of us carries within us a spark of that love. This loving energy also lives within Torah. It appears in the commandments to love the stranger, care for the vulnerable, and pursue justice. It imagines a world where kindness and truth meet, where justice flows like water, and where peace embraces righteousness. This is not sentimental love; it is a courageous, transformative force that calls us beyond what is toward what can and should be.

Yet another force also lives within us: fear and domination. It appears as patriarchy, nationalism, capitalism, hatred, and othering. We see it in the Torah, in history, and in our own world. These two energies—love and domination—remain in constant tension.

What makes Torah holy is that it preserves a revolutionary voice calling for liberation, dignity, and justice. It reminds us that the material, spiritual, and ethical dimensions of life are inseparable and ultimately grounded in love, even when our political and economic systems are not.

Throughout history this force has inspired people to resist oppression: Shifra and Puah defied Pharaoh, Moses confronted empire, and generations of justice seekers have answered the same call. We see it in abolitionists, civil rights leaders,

environmental activists, Indigenous water protectors, LGBTQ+ advocates, and all who struggle today for freedom, dignity, and peace, including Palestinians demanding an end to occupation, starvation, and genocide in Gaza. 

Which force shapes our future depends on which one we nourish. Fear is loud, but love is enduring. Countless communities around the world keep that vision alive.

History reminds us that the impossible often becomes inevitable only after people struggle for it. The Berlin Wall fell. Slavery ended. Marriage equality became law. None seemed inevitable until courageous people acted.

May you find within yourself that spark of love that pulses through the universe. May it strengthen you to join with others in the ongoing work of healing, justice, liberation, and peace for all.