Welcome to Torah portions Nitzavim and Vayelech.
Nitzavim means standing and Vayelech means And he went.
Scripture passage: Deuteronomy 29:10-31:30
Read aloud from My First Torah
YHVH renewed the covenant with Israel again while they were in the land of Moab.
A covenant is a promise between two people.
Everyone gathered together, from the elderly men, to the servant that chopped wood.
All of them were valuable to YHVH and included in the covenant.
Everyone there that day was included.
Everyone not there that day who would later choose to follow YHVH was included.
The Children of Israel had been slaves in Egypt.
They had seen the Egyptian gods made of gold and silver.
The people would have to be very careful to not follow other gods.
They might think that they could follow YHVH with their actions.
But inside, they are following false gods.
But YHVH knows what is in each person’s heart.
We should never hide wrongdoing by pretending to do right.
When the people received blessings, and then disobeyed, they would receive curses.
They would be sent into other countries.
But one day, they would remember the law again.
They would remember YHVH and His Torah.
They would return to YHVH and begin to teach the Torah to their children.
They would begin to obey, and YHVH would restore them again.
YHVH would bring them back from all the countries in the world.
He would bless them more than He ever blessed them before.
He would help them to obey by giving them the Torah in their hearts.
Then He would put the curses on their enemies.
Torah is not too hard for us to obey.
It is not out of reach in heaven or on the other side of the sea.
YHVH has given us Torah so that we can understand and obey.
Everyone who wants to be part of YHVH’s covenant has to make a choice.
To obey brings life.
To disobey brings death.
The Children of Israel had to make that choice.
You and I have to make that choice, too.
Moses was 120 years old when YHVH renewed the covenant in Moab.
He knew that he would not be crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land.
But YHVH would be crossing the Jordan River.
They could be strong and brave, because YHVH would be with them.
Joshua would be their new leader.
He knew how to trust YHVH and would be a good leader.
Moses wrote down the entire Torah and gave it to the priests.
He told them to read it aloud to everyone every seven years.
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Suggested Activities
Copywork passage: Deuteronomy 29:14-15; Deuteronomy 31:10-12
Coloring pages: Aish and here Challah Crumbs
Read Aloud stories: Aish and here
Worksheets for different ages: One Torah for all
Older child studies: Torah explorers Restoration of Torah
Torah Principles
- Everyone, no matter their age, is welcome to learn about and keep Torah.
- We are included in the people YHVH made covenant with.
- YHVH promises either blessings or cursings.
- Torah is not too hard to obey.
- The Torah was to be read to everyone from babies up to the elderly, every seven years.
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