Weekly Reading – וָֽאֶתְחַנַּן – Va’etchanan – And I pleaded; Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11; Isaiah 40:1-26
We live in a time of constant conversation, yet fewer and fewer people truly listen. News, social media, and countless voices dominate our daily lives. It is precisely into this reality that the weekly Torah portion speaks with a single word that could hardly be more relevant: “Listen!” Why does Israel’s most important creed begin with this appeal? The following reflection explores precisely this question.
“ People hearing without listening .” That’s what Simon & Garfunkel sang in one of the most beautiful songs ever written, “ The Sound of Silence .” People hear, but they don’t really listen. Almost sixty years have passed since this song was written. And yet, it describes our reality with astonishing accuracy. More than that, it gives the biblical call “Hear, O Israel…” – “Shema Yisrael” – a new, contemporary meaning. We are surrounded by voices: news, podcasts, videos, notifications, social media, and endless conversations. Everyone is talking. Yet fewer and fewer people seem to be truly listening....
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