Friends of Itamar

Leah’s Blog – Parashat Devarim

Leah’s Blog – Devarim

The mulberry leaves meet the maple under the protective nighttime sky, green against black. Here in our garden tucked under a ledge of rock, the august nights are a scene of delight as the little fairy lights glow gold in a row above us. Bamboo walls with overhangs of purple grapes ready to be picked. All around in my tiny wood, privacy is sucked deeply into my lungs. The slow momentum of the first autumn leaves fall to the ground and the air is rich with the scent of ripened fig. A night breeze sweeps them as the day has been swept and the night comes. There is a sound of humming, like the foreshadowing of something about to happen.

Things are heard in the dark.

The powers here are rooted into the soil. Flipping the pages back to the beginning, the earth of the territory of Yosef is blessed at night. “And for the precious things of the fruits of the sun, and for the precious things of moonlight, the finest crops the moon can give, And for the tops of the ancient mountains, and the precious things of the everlasting hills.”(Devarim 33:14)

The book of Devarim is all about memory. I am thoughtful now to a primal time as when Yosef HaTzaddik walked through this very spot to seek his brothers, venturing beyond the familiar. Seeking out the unknown as his foot touched upon this stone, a fleck of consciousness has us knowing the imprint of what was and what will be. During these nine days when all we ask for is unity and Ahavat Chinam we remember “the blessings of your father are potent beyond those of my ancestor, to the utmost boundary of the everlasting hills, on the head of Yosef who shall wear the crown, he who was separated from his brothers.” (Bereshit 49:25-26)

King David awakens in the night, rising like a lion as the north wind blows and his harp begins to play. No measure of musical delight can soothe Shaul though, not even direct sound. This is the thread that runs through our story. Learn what Devarim teaches. Over and over and over again, the layers of the teachings all align with the nights of August (Av).

Tisha B’av is the darkest time, the harshest of judgement, giving us a chance for the tikkun of reconciliation. The sacking of Your House was preceded by Sinat Chinam and a bad report of Your Land. The pole of grapes were more than the spies could bare. But they bunch in clusters, as we should, as they should have seen, even in the dark. The grapes again appear here now– after thousands of years, the earth stirs and blesses, you can even hear it. Shooting out of this rock they are saying- “They will no longer be divided into two kingdoms” Ezekiel 37:22

All outside forces of evil – beware. The day begins at night. Prophecy returns now as this rock views our homecoming. This is the journey that brought us to where we are today. The diabolical are energized by our disunity. They are stirred by rife. Baseless hatred has been the poison of our ALMOST undoing. Looking up now, I see the stars in multitudes as were promised to Abraham. They have a sound: The words of Moshe Rabbeinu to Joshua “FEAR THEM NOT – FOR THE LORD YOUR G-D, HE SHALL FIGHT FOR YOU.”

I want to thank you for your concern and love. We feel proud and accomplished of the work we put in to reach this point- with your help and the help of Hashem. Thank you dearest Friends of Itamar for standing with us as one man with one heart. With Love and Blessings for a beautiful Shabbat, Leah XOXOXO