בס "דI

Integrare la Torah nella propria vita attraverso la riflessione e la conversazione può essere un'esperienza incredibilmente divertente e coinvolgente. È un viaggio di scoperta, dove l'antica saggezza e gli insegnamenti senza tempo prendono vita nelle nostre esperienze quotidiane. Attraverso la riflessione, abbiamo l'opportunità di immergerci in profondità nel ricco arazzo della Torah, estraendo profonde intuizioni e lezioni che risuonano con le nostre vite moderne. La gioia sta nei momenti "aha", quei casi in cui un versetto o una storia della Torah si collegano improvvisamente alle nostre sfide personali, alle nostre aspirazioni e ai nostri valori. E quando ci impegniamo in conversazioni sulla Torah con altri, diventa un'esplorazione interattiva, in cui prospettive e interpretazioni diverse migliorano la nostra comprensione. Questi dialoghi spesso accendono l'entusiasmo e la curiosità intellettuale, rendendo il processo di apprendimento piacevole e appagante. La Torah diventa una parte vibrante e dinamica della nostra vita, offrendo non solo una guida ma anche una fonte di fascino, connessione e crescita infinita.

NOTA: Non sentitevi obbligati a consultare tutte le fonti o a rispondere a tutte le domande, a meno che non vogliate farlo. Anche una sola fonte o una sola domanda vi fornirà molto materiale per la discussione e la meditazione. Buon divertimento!

Alcune riflessioni sulla Parsha

“Because you did not serve the L-rd your G-d with joy and gladness of heart, out of the abundance of everything.”
(Deuteronomy 28:47)

This week’s portion contains one of the most sobering sections of the Torah — the tochacha, the rebuke that lists what can happen when Israel strays from G-d. But at the heart of this passage is a surprising teaching: the reason given for exile and hardship is not idolatry or violence, but that people failed to serve G-d with joy.

Why is joy so central? Isn’t obedience enough?

Shemittah and the Test of Faith

Earlier, the Torah warned that neglecting shemittah — the sabbatical year when farmers stop planting and let the land rest — would bring exile. Observing shemittah requires radical trust, since it means giving up a year of livelihood and relying on G-d’s promise of abundance.

But here, in Ki Tavo, the focus shifts. The rebuke doesn’t mention farming or neglect. Instead, it says Israel was punished because they did not rejoice in G-d’s blessings. They had abundance, but no gratitude.

Gratitude as the Root of Joy

The mitzvah of bringing bikkurim — the first fruits — ends with the instruction: “You shall rejoice in all the good that the L-rd your G-d has given you.” (Deuteronomy 26:11). Gratitude naturally gives rise to joy, because it shifts our attention from what we lack to the gifts already present.

Without gratitude, abundance turns into entitlement, and life becomes empty. With gratitude, even small blessings — health, family, safety, a good meal — become sources of deep joy.

This is why Rebbe Nachman of Breslov famously said: “It is a great mitzvah to be happy at all times.” He did not mean a forced smile or false cheer, but the spiritual discipline of seeking out the good and thanking G-d for it.

A Word of Balance

There is, however, an important caution. Joy does not mean pretending sadness doesn’t exist, or denying real pain. Great rabbis like Rabbi Henoch Leibowitz reminded their students that “you don’t always have to be happy.” Authentic joy grows not from denial but from honesty — from finding sparks of gratitude even in difficult times, without suppressing genuine struggle.

What This Means for Us

For Jews, the rebuke of Ki Tavo carries national weight. For Noahides, the principle is universal: a life without gratitude quickly collapses into emptiness. Serving G-d with joy is not about ritual performance alone, but about recognizing His goodness in the ordinary details of life.

In this way, joy becomes a choice and a responsibility. It is the soil in which faith and morality grow strong.

Now, reflect on the following questions

  1. Do I notice and thank G-d for the everyday blessings in my life, or do I take them for granted?
  2. How do I respond when things don’t go my way — with bitterness, or with perspective and patience?
  3. In what ways can I cultivate gratitude in my daily routine?
  4. Do I confuse joy with external pleasures, or do I connect it to gratitude and meaning?
  5. How can I help others experience joy by acknowledging and uplifting the good in them?

May we be blessed to see the good in our lives, to rejoice in it, and to serve G-d with gratitude and gladness of heart.

Shabbat Shalom!

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Di Rabbi Tani Burton

Se volete altre domande per la contemplazione, VEDI GLI ALTRI BLOG DI RABBI TANI BURTON SULLE DOMANDE DELLA PARSHAT

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