The trauma of Tisha B’Av remains fresh in the community’s collective consciousness as Shabbat Nachamu, The Shabbat of consolation approaches. Hopefully, the lasting effect of the day is a renewed and sustained resolution to correct whatever personal or communal shortcomings which remain as reasons to remain in exile and obstacles to redemption. However, viewing the sidra’s message only in a post Tisha B’Av perspective misses the main point, there are but a mere 7 weeks left till the days of Judgment, Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur.

Parashat VaEtchanan is very rich in concepts that fit the criteria of how to correct the basis for remaining in exile and prepare for the coming Days of Awe..

Devarim 4:6 says “You shall protect and observe [the commandments of the Torah] for this is what the peoples of the world will see as your wisdom and depth of perception {so} that when [the rest of humanity] hear about these Chukim will proclaim ‘only a wise and understanding nation [could have such statutes], this great people ”

Rashi ZT’L ZY’A others that when a Jew is a faithful Torah student and observes the commandments the effect will be the admiration by the rest of Humanity to the point that even those commandments called Chukim will be praised as evidence of Israel’s wisdom and perceptiveness of the nation possessing Torah. Chukim are those commandments that have no apparent basis in logic (see Rashi BaMidbar 19:2).

This message is profound a Jew’s observance of Torah will be so positive, so inspiring that even those commandments which otherwise would be the source of ridicule and scorn.

The message is indeed profound yet the mechanics of how this status is established remains somewhat obscure. Rabbi Baruch HaLevi Epstien ZT’L ZY’A in his Torah Temimah (Devarim 4,Note 7) citing the Talmud Shabbat 75a which identifies the wisdom and perception as the tradition concerning the calculation of the Jewish Calendar. Rabbi Epstien notes that ancient peoples who worshipped either the Sun or Moon or even other celestial bodies were blown away when the Jews had a reliable system to predict the position of the Sun or Moon in the heaven. No longer could these bodies be considered as deities since humans could mathematically demonstrate and predict their movements.

The Ibn Ezra ZT’L ZY’A further explains (4:7) what is happening here is the individual who personifies what 4:6 is depicting evokes the notion of G-D’s immediacy and deep connection to G-D that only, a people with a deep wisdom and perception could possess such a body of law where even the laws that make no perceptible sense will be valued as being the product of profound intelligence that could only have its source in the D-vine.

Combining the observations made by the Torah Temimah and Ibn Ezra it puts the Torah in a place where it undermines the thought of there being any power coordinating creation in a harmonious whole other than G-D through His Torah. Consequently, a Jew who personifies the Torah letter and spirit furthers this concept as a living example of the harmony that prevails throughout the fabric of creation by living according to G-D’s Torah.

Needless to say exile is a state where discord exists in creation therefore changing attitude and actions to repair the rift will enhance reverence for G-D and His Torah throughout humanity which will in turn serve as merit before G-D during the Days of Awe and the basis for ensuring that 5769 be the last year Tisha B’Av is observed as a day mourning but as a celebration of the renewed Temple and reign of King David’s scion in an undivided undisputed Jerusalem.