Parshat Devarim     

Parshat Devarim is the first Sidra in the final book of the Chumash.

The book of Devarim recounts the exodus from Egypt and the wanderings in the desert for 40 years.  It contains the three discourses of Moshe, The Shema and a repetition of the major laws set forth in the

four previous books of the Torah.  Moshe felt that the people must be

reminded of their obligation to Hashem and man.  Accordingly, he

explains to the people who are about to enter and conquer Eretz

Yisrael (Israel) many of the commandments which he considers paramount at the time.

     Devarim, taken by itself, is a work, unequaled in all of world's

literature.  It contains song instead of only story, and only one

single moment of history is covered--the farewell of Moshe to his

people.  Devarim relates to heightened spirituality in its ardent love

of Hashem and encompasses spiritual awe penetrating through our

required duties to holy motives.   Moshe brings poetic verse and song

together to drive home the moral lessons and principles which he

prayed that the Israelites would live by.

This is the tree of life to hold and embrace so that we may live and prosper.