Devarim: All My Ancient Twisted Karma
Devarim: All My Ancient Twisted Karma
Welcome to Shabbat Moment, a text study series with Yael Shy, from our friends at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality. Every week we share Yael’s Torah text study, mindfulness practice tips, and discussion questions for you to reflect + share with others at your Shabbat table. Subscribe here to get the Shabbat Moment delivered straight to your inbox!
This week’s Torah portion is Devarim: All My Ancient Twisted Karma.
How does failure relate to freedom?
This week’s Torah portion begins with Moses speaking to the Israelites as they prepare to enter the land of Israel, a land promised to them as the site of their redemption. Given the circumstances, one might expect words of hope, even congratulation.
Are his first words inspiring? No. The opposite. They are words of rebuke. They remind the Israelites of their sins.
The question arises, why does the Torah connect a moment of transformational growth with an examination of past mistakes?
About the Author
Special thanks to Yael Shy and our friends at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality for joining us in creating weekly Shabbat moments for your Friday nights.
Yael Shy is the CEO of Mindfulness Consulting, LLC, where she teaches and consults on mindfulness for universities, corporations, and private clients around the world. She is the author of the award-winning book, What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond (Parallax, 2017), and the founder of Mindful NYU, the largest campus-based mindfulness initiative in the US. Yael is a graduate of the IJS Jewish Mindfulness Teacher Training Certification.
