"God and Israel Are Inseparable"

 17 Elul 5784
 Erev Shabbat Kodesh
 Parashat Ki Tavo 

Devarim 26.16 - 19:

...This day, Hashem, your God, commands you to perform these decrees and the statutes and you shall observe and perform them with all your heart and with all your soul.  

You have distinguished Hashem today to be a God for you, and to walk in His ways, and to observe His decrees, His commandments, and His statutes, and to hearken to His voice.  

And Hashem has distinguished you today to be for Him a treasured people, as He spoke to you, and to observe all His commandments, 

and to make you supreme over all the nations that He made, for praise, for renown, and for splendor, and so that you will be a holy people to Hashem, your God, as He spoke.

Stone Edition Chumash Commentary:

vss. 16 - 19:  Having now concluded the commandments and explanations that God had instructed him to teach as his life drew to an end, Moses exhorted his people to observe them with all their heart and soul (Ramban), and always to think of the Torah as fresh and exciting, as if it had been given today (Rashi).

vss. 17 - 18:  Distinguished.  Because Israel accepted the Torah and committed itself to observe its commandments no matter what, the nation and God have mutually exalted one another.  Israel distinguished Hashem as its only God, and He distinguished Israel as His only people (Rashi).  

...these two verses constitute mutual pledges of allegiance between God and Israel.

Haftarah Parashat Ki Tavo:

Arise!  Shine!  For your light has arrived, and the glory of Hashem has shined upon you.  For behold!  Darkness shall cover the earth, and dense cloud the kingdoms; but upon you shall shine Hashem, and His glory shall be seen upon you.  Nations will go by your light, and kings by the brightness of your shine. 

...ended shall be the days of your mourning.  And your people, they are all righteous; forever shall they inherit the Land; a branch of My planting, My handiwork, for Me to glory in.  The smallest shall increase a thousandfold, and the least into a mighty nation; I am Hashem, in its time I will hasten it. 

~ SHABBAT SHALOM ~