This week’s Torah portion, Ve’etchanan, continues Moshe’s review of the events and commandments in the Torah. He recalls the miracles of the Exodus from Egypt and gives prophecy about a time when the Jews will turn away from Hashem but then return. The Ten Commandments are repeated in this week’s parsha, as is the Shema. This week is also Shabbos Nachamu, the Shabbos of Comfort following the mourning period culminating in Tisha B’Av, when we read the haftorah of “nachamu, nachamu ami,” when Hashem comforts us after the destruction of the Temple. One theme shared by both the Torah reading and the haftorah is that of love. We remember when G-d delivered us from slavery and, under a marriage canopy, gave us the Torah. We are commanded in the Shema, “ve’ahavta et Hashem Elokecha,” to love Hashem with all our hearts, with everything we have. We are reminded in the prophecy of Moshe and in the words of the haftorah that as far as we stray, in His infinite love for the Jewish people, we are always taken back into G-d’s loving embrace.
For this week’s Parsha desserts, I recommend anything in a heart shape. In my local candy store, I was able to find peach-flavored chewy hearts (see photo above). They also had heart lentils. There are many other heart-shaped candies out there. The hearts can also relate to this week’s holiday of Tu B’Av, the 15th of Av, which historically was the day that the young women of Jerusalem would dance and the young men would come to choose their brides. Tu B’Av is considered by the Talmud to be the greatest festival of the year!
I also bought Twizzlers (candy that is twisted) for this week as the Shema contains the commandment to wrap tefillin, phylacteries, as we bind the words of G-d on our hearts and on our heads every day.
Like these ideas? Have some of your own? Share your ideas for Parsha candies this week in the comments below!
Shayna Levine-Hefetz
