Shabbat Hazon
Triennial Cycle III: Deut. 2:31-3:22
Humash Etz Hayim, page 994
Haftarah: Isaiah 1:1-27, page 999
- (2:31-3:11) Further review of the history of the desert wanderings, describing the victorious encounters with Sichon king of Cheshbon, and Og king of Bashan, with the emphasis on God’s part in these decisive battles.
- (3:12-22) The division of the land east of the Jordan among Reuben, Gad, and half of Menashe, who are reminded of their promise to take part in the conquest of Canaan with the rest of Israel.
Building Jewish Connections -
- In the Bible and Today
Lee Gavens
Deuteronomy 3:18-20
At that time I charged you, saying, “The Lord your G-d has given you this country to possess. You must go as shock-troops, warriors all, at the head of your Israelite kinsmen. Only your wives, children, and livestock — I know that you have much livestock — shall be left in the towns I have assigned to you, until the Lord has granted your kinsmen a haven such as you have, and they too have taken possession of the land that the Lord your G-d is assigning them, beyond the Jordan. Then you may return each to the homestead that I have assigned to him.”
Moses helped maintain connections between the tribes on the east and west banks of the Jordan River by placing members of the tribe of Manasseh on both sides of the Jordan. In contemporary times we can help build connections within the diverse worldwide Jewish community by providing opportunities for Jewish individuals to develop meaningful relationships with one another in a Jewish context. Experiencing meaningful individual relationships is the starting point for building commitment to the broader Jewish community. The Jewish Peoplehood concept provides a framework for discussing and developing programs that promote connections within the Jewish community.
Further Reading
1. “A Framework for Strategic Thinking About Jewish Peoplehood”, Dr. Ezra Kopelowitz and Ari Engelberg, September 2007.
2. “Building Community and Peoplehood In a Time of Personalism”, Dr. Jonathan Woocher, 2008.