Rules and More Rules in the Torah....

Here, seventy-two
is the number of mitzvot*
within this parsha.

Wow! That is a lot!
Captives and inheritance,
what to do with sons...

Property you find,
who can wear dresses or pants,
and don't wear shatnez**.

A famous command:
If you see a mother bird
sitting on her eggs

You may not take both
the mother and the babies -
it is not so nice.

There are many rules
as we come to the Book's end --
many reminders.

*Mitzvah = Commandment, Mitzvot = plural
**Shatnez = Jewish law that prohibits mixed fibers (wool and linen)

Shabbat Shalom!

See more about this week's Torah portion here.

See more Friday Haikus here!

Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof*

Justice, O Justice,
you shall pursue her always.
It is a great goal.

This week's Torah portion, Shoftim, reminds us that justice is our highest goal, our loftiest aspiration. It is a Torah portion full of rules -- rules for judges, rules for kings, rules for Levites, rules for prophets, rules for witnesses, rules for war. Interesting, then, that the Wordle for this week's portion finds the word "shall" as its most common word.



And, of course, I made one of the famous verse: "Justice, justice shall you pursue."
*The title of this post is the Hebrew version of this phrase.



Read more Haikus here.
Read more about the Torah portion here.

Shabbat Shalom y'all!

Did you post about the Torah portion today or this week?
Leave me a link if you did! (And comments. I'm a fan of comments.)

Seven Wonderful Species

All through the book of Deuteronomy, Moses is giving his final exhortations to the people as they prepare to enter the land.

If you keep God's laws
God will bring you to the Land,
and it's a Good Land.

There are seven things
that especially grow there
and make the Land great.

Wheat, barley and grapes,
Figs and pomegranates too.
olives and honey.

It's a Good Land.

Shabbat Shalom!

See more haikus here.