Thinking Torah Blog

My teacher, Dr. Michael Zeldin, an emeritus professor of Jewish Education at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles, often reminded us, "A teaching session isn't over until you reflect on it." He emphasized that crafting a great lesson plan and delivering it effectively isn't enough. Without reflection, an instructor misses a vital aspect of teaching. Reflection allows us to evaluate what worked well and what could be improved. It enables us to construct a narrative of the experience, facilitating the lesson's continued development in the days and weeks to come. Even the authors of the Torah seemed to understand this.

As we begin the final book of the Torah, Deuteronomy, we will spend the next few weeks reflecting on the story of our ancestors, the narrative we've followed throughout the rest of the Torah. As with all recollections of the past, there are slight variations between the original telling and Moses’ retelling. Reflection is rarely about what happened as a matter of fact, it is about creating an understanding of what happened.

We are still nearly a month away from Elul, the month preceding Rosh Hashanah. However, with Deuteronomy beginning this week, our Tradition nudges us toward personal reflection on the past year. What a year it has been! It may be worthwhile for all of us to spend a bit more time reflecting on the events of this year. Doing so can make the High Holy Days even more meaningful if we dedicate the next few weeks to thoughtful reflection.