Moshe tells the people that all of B'nai Yisrael, including the lowly wood-chopper and water-bearer will be a part of the Eternal Covenant with God. Yehoshua, Moshe's apprentice, takes note of this reference to the wood-chopper and water-bearer and uses it later when he is a leader of the people against the sneaky Givonim. Yehoshua learns to use his wit and the teachings of Moshe to enrich the Israelites in a dramatic turn of events.

Moshe describes a dramatic scene that was set to unfold once B'nai Yisrael enters the Land in which farmers would bring their Bikkurim, their first fruits, to the Temple and offer their food to God as a thank you. The Mishnah describes an even more elaborate and festive experience!

Moshe turns his attention to the ethics of war as he continues to prepare the people for their conquest of the Holy Land. Inserted in his list of laws about warfare, he includes a Mitzvah about sending away the mother bird if you take her eggs. The rabbis have a lot of questions about this Mitzvah and the Zohar offers an uplifting story about how it represents God's unending compassion for us!

Moshe reminds the people that he will not be in the Promised Land to help them adjudicate tough decisions in their ultimate pursuit of Justice. B'nai Yisrael is commanded to establish a judicial system that all leaders will respect, as described in a dramatic account found in the Talmud.

Moshe reinforces that abundance of food that is awaiting B'nai Yisrael when they enter the Land but reminds them the importance of sharing the wealth. A familiar complaint resurfaces and a crazy story about the Talmud's Dr. Doolittle (Reb Pinchas) helps us understand why the complaint is unfounded.

Moshe's words to the people remind them that IF they don't follow the Laws of the Torah that God will keep rain from falling on the luscious Promised Land. We learn later on that King Ahab ignored the Torah and that it still rained, which made Eliyahu Ha'Navi very upset. We learn that God works in mysterious ways.

The message of this week's Haftarah was popularized by the band Safam and one of their song composers, Joel Sussman. Joel joins the podcast to explain his inspiration and thoughts about the message from the book of Isaiah and how it ties to our feelings as we come out of Tisha B'Av.

Moshe begins to review the story of the Israelite journey through the Midbar with the people as a way to reenforce the message that God had been with them through all of their battles with neighboring nations. A reaffirmation of God's power seems to be compelling for the Israelites of Moshe's generation but less so for the Jews of Isaiah's generation who foresees the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.

According to a Midrash, God's command to maintain vows is transgressed by Tzidkiyahu Ha'Melekh drawing the ire of the Babylonian Emperor, Nebuchanezzar. With the Emporer betrayed, he takes his anger out on the Sanhedrin and the entire Jewish people by destroying Jerusalem and the Holy Temple. All of this, of course, had been prophesied by Yirmiyahu while he was still in his mother's womb.

The story of Pinchas is about one zealot who stands up to a straying Israelite nation. In this week's Haftarah, an infantile prophet, Yirmiyahu, is told that he will share troubling news with a straying Israelite nation as well.