parsha bit: Nitzavim-Vayeilech

[cellio]

Our parsha tells us "this mitzvah is not far away from you [...] it is very close to you, in your mouths and hearts to fulfill". To what mitzvah does the passage refer? Rashi says it refers to torah study. A lazy person, he says, claims that the torah is far away, beyond reach, and thus does not try to study. However, Rashi says, it is close by and thus easily available.

(I don't know where this comes from, but there is a tradition that says that an angel teaches the child in the womb all of torah, but it is forgotten at birth until later re-learned.)

Comments

[cellio]

Sounds like an interesting talk! Thanks for the summary.

(If anyone else reading this needs a translation of any of those terms, just ask. zevabe knows he doesn't have to translate for me, but if others are still reading and need it, please don't be shy.)

[zevabe.livejournal.com]

Honestly, it was more an oversight on my part. I've been in yeshiva a lot lately & quickly pick up the lingo. So forgive me for slipping into yeshivish inappropriately.

Mashgiach- Director of Student Affairs/a rabbi
Pasukim- verses
Lo B'shamayim hi- It is not in the heavens, a quote from a verse in the Torah portion under discussion.
Machloket-Dispute
Chachamim-Sages
If you want to hear the story in question, ask. A lot of people do know it.
Psak-decision of Jewish law
Sugyot-short one-topic sections of Talmud (likely most akin to a paragraph if there were paragraph breaks in a Talmud)
Chevruta-Learning Partner

[cellio]

No problem -- as I said, I understood and you were writing for me. It was not my intent to impose a translation burden on you. I just know that some of my readers have commented that they don't always know the terms I use when I'm talking about this stuff, so I offered to translate for anyone else if relevant. You have no such obligation.