by Cantor Emma Lutz
My sister-in-law has read the Harry Potter books so many times that she can recite certain passages from memory (pretty impressive), and my brother and I have watched the original Star Wars trilogy together over and over for so many years that we weave quoted lines from the films into our conversations with ease (pretty silly, but fun). Over the years, we all find those favorite stories that we can tell, retell, and cherish over and over again (what’s your favorite?). With so much podcast, film, television, and written content in production these days—and indeed, with so many troubling stories each week in our news cycle—it can be comforting to return to our most cherished narratives.
This week as we read deeper into the book of D’varim in Parshat Eikev, Moses himself reviews some of Torah’s greatest hits, retelling stories from previous chapters. He renews God’s promises, reminding the Israelites if they fulfill God’s commandments, they will be rewarded with a prosperous life ahead in the land of Israel. Moses also replays his scolding of their idolatrous behavior with the golden calf. Further, he revisits the rebellion of the power-hungry Korach, the sin of the not so truthful spies, as well as God’s redemptive act of reproducing a second set of tablets for the Israelites. Just as we re-read our Torah every year, so too does Moses find merit in highlighting key moments of learning and awe throughout the journey in the desert.
In Pirkei Avot (5:22) we read: “ Ben Bag Bag would say turn it and turn it and turn it, for everything is in it; see through it; grow old and worn in it; do not budge from it, for there is nothing better than it.” The sage argues for the great worthiness of Torah—not just in its teachings but also in the spiritual practice of reviewing them time and time again. Torah is the most powerful tool that we have to help us live a meaningful life, and we are not expected to glean its wonders in one close read. It is through repeated embrace of the things we cherish—Torah and Jewish ritual, our loved ones, and comforting practices like reading a well-worn copy of a book or re-watching a favorite movie—that we get to know ourselves better and live a more grounded, substantial life.
This weekend, pick up a favorite book (could be Torah!) or re-watch your choice movie pick with a loved one, creating a new and layered memory. I hope you’ll also join with us in the comfort of our Shabbat services, the best time-tested practice that has grounded our people for centuries.