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The Torah is at...
When the book of Deuteronomy's served up in portions week by week, one doesn't realise just how repetitive it is, but when you write it day in, day out, my goodness. The beginning sections basically go: "This is the land, these are the mitzvot. The mitzvot God told me and I told you. And this is the lovely land. To which God brought you from Egypt. Do the mitzvot. Don't screw up. If you screw up God's going to make the land be nasty to you. This lovely land. And all these lovely mitzvot." Over and over again.
This makes sense in a strictly human perspective, because this book is Moses' final words to the Israelites. He's had a rotten time bringing them through the desert, and he's not even going to get to go into the land after forty years wandering about taking flak from the Israelites. He's old, he's worn-out, he's grumpy, so it's fair enough that he rambles on and repeats himself really, is it? I wouldn't be surprised if Joshua the son of Nun stopped him on his way out of the tent that morning and was all: Moses, you need to change out of your slippers before you go out on the mountain, and have you had your pills?
Then Moses would crack him one with his staff and mumble something about cheeky youngsters.
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When the book of Deuteronomy's served up in portions week by week, one doesn't realise just how repetitive it is, but when you write it day in, day out, my goodness. The beginning sections basically go: "This is the land, these are the mitzvot. The mitzvot God told me and I told you. And this is the lovely land. To which God brought you from Egypt. Do the mitzvot. Don't screw up. If you screw up God's going to make the land be nasty to you. This lovely land. And all these lovely mitzvot." Over and over again.
This makes sense in a strictly human perspective, because this book is Moses' final words to the Israelites. He's had a rotten time bringing them through the desert, and he's not even going to get to go into the land after forty years wandering about taking flak from the Israelites. He's old, he's worn-out, he's grumpy, so it's fair enough that he rambles on and repeats himself really, is it? I wouldn't be surprised if Joshua the son of Nun stopped him on his way out of the tent that morning and was all: Moses, you need to change out of your slippers before you go out on the mountain, and have you had your pills?
Then Moses would crack him one with his staff and mumble something about cheeky youngsters.
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