We, the people

This week's parasha is really scary. It's full of horrible things that will happen to the Israelites if they fail to obey G-d's commandments. Oy, the horrors. The list of terrible things go on and on for page after page. If you don't listen, says Moshe, you will starve even if you work real hard, your kids will die in front of your eyes, your country will be given to some worthless barbarians, all sorts of sickness will happen to you, etc, etc. Oy Vey.

What's up with that? What's with the scare tactics?

Well, looking back on history, it seems they were needed. The Israelites certainly did all kinds of dumb things, breaking every rule in the book and practically every horrible thing they were threatened with, really did happen.

I remember one bad thing in particular. A few years ago I was sitting in shul one Shabbat around this time of year and the Rabbi was discussing the fact that that week was the birthday of Gilad Shalit, who was still in captivity at that time. I was half listening and half reading the text and I came upon D'varim 28:32: "Your sons and daughters will be given to another people and your eyes will see and pine in vain for them all day long but your hand will be powerless". And then I saw D'varim 28:41 "You will bear sons and daughters but they will not be yours for they will go into captivity".

Oy, indeed.


But sometimes G-d is pleased with us and sends us a bounty of blessings. Naturally, G-d has a sense of humor and even His blessings can be a burden (see: teenage daughters.) So this summer hubby has an abundance of peppers. Not surprising, as he planted many peppers. What's weird, though, is that he planted both hot and sweet peppers yet they all came up hot. Very hot. Lava-level. What to do? Can't throw away G-d's blessing. And I assume He has a hidden message in the hot-that-were-supposed-to-be-sweet peppers. So now what?

Now it's time for S'chug.

Scary Yemenite super hot sauce

Word of warning: This is very hot. Israelis have no problem with it. We grow up eating it. All others - you have been warned. It's really good with hummus, felafel,  and some people use it with yogurt, but use minute amounts (1/8 tsp, with lots of bread nearby, just in case) until you know how much you can take. Really.

1 whole head of garlic (peeled)

4 oz fresh hot peppers (green Serrano or jalapeno or other really hot ones. Hubby's are way hotter than plain jalapenos but maybe it's better to start with mild stuff. Yes, jalapenos are 'mild' compared to what Israelis eat.). Remove stems. Keep seeds unless you really don't like hot stuff (in which case, why are you making this?)

large bunch of cilantro (about one cup of leaves), washed and dried

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric (optional)

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil (or less)

Put everything except the oil in a food processor. Pulse a few times. Add 2 Tbs oil, pulse again. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Process until well chopped, adding oil one Tbs at a time. Add only enough oil for the mixture to come together. The end result looks a little like very smooth pickle relish.

Keep in a jar with tight fitting lid. Don't worry about how much this makes. The stuff keeps in the fridge forever. I mean, what will survive in it?

See, sometimes, we need to think carefully even about the blessings. And certainly about how to avoid the bad stuff.

It's almost Rosh Hashana. We'd better start paying attention, no? It's a time for reflection. We must reflect on what happens when we ignore words that are clearly written in our book.

Wait, written? Isn't D'varim a long speech? Well, In chapter 27 verse 9 it says "Moshe and the Kohanim, the Levi'im spoke to all Israel, saying: Be attentive and hear, O, Israel, this day you have become a people to Hashem your G-d".  This day? What about Sinai?

Well, says Rashi, Moshe (as will be explained in a later parasha, at the end of D'varim) wrote everything down (guessing, correctly, that oral law is all good and well but written law is easier to remember and harder to argue with) and handed the book to the Levi'im. The rest of the people got all worried that eventually the Levi'im will claim sole ownership of the book and cut the others out. Moshe was very pleased by this worry as it shows that they all love the Torah enough to fight for it and he says this shows they have matured enough to be a true people of G-d. Is the Torah only for the Levi'im? Unfortunately, there are people who think so to this day. There are people who would have the Torah and its message belong only to them and their little sect. To these people (one of them is actually named Moshe, if you can imagine) I say :" Yo, man, I, too, stood at Sinai. This is my Torah, too, and don't try to cut me out 'cause I am ready to fight for it."

You have been warned.