The book of D'varim (Deuteronomy) started out with a review of the forty year journey the Israelites had taken from Egypt to the Plains of Moab. Moses had discussedthe checkered relationship that the Israelites had with God: the moments of supreme commitment and the moments of abject faithlessness. He had discussed at some lengththe Torah's grave concern for idolatry. Little by little, Moses starts to provide more detail about many more commandments ranging from the pursuit of justice to Temple ritual.

In our present sedra Moses reviews a number of commandments mentioned in the earlier books of the Torah. Additionally, he provides commandments that are stated for the very first time in the Torah. Our Torah reading for this Shabbat is filled with many laws covering a host of different situations:

· The law concerning a non-Israelite woman captured in the course of combat,

· The case of the first-born son born to a co-wife who is despised,

· The wayward and defiant son,

· The prohibition of leaving a body exposed overnight,

· The law of returning a stray animal and what to do if the owner is distant or unknown,

· Assisting someone if their animal has fallen on the road,

· The prohibition against cross-dressing,
 Shilu-ach hakeyn: releasing a mother bird when you take its eggs or hatchlings,
· Ensuring that there is a barrier surrounding an accessible rooftop,

· The prohibition against mixed plantings, tethering an ox and a donkey together to a plow or wearing a garment which combines wool and linen,

· Attaching fringes to the corners of a four-cornered garment,

· The laws concerning a newly-married woman whose husband claims that he has discovered that she was not a virgin,

· The punishment for adultery,

· The case of a man who has relations with a woman betrothed to another man - and the distinction if the case occurs within a town or in the open country,

· The case of a man who violates a virgin,

· The prohibition of marrying one's father's former wife,

· The prohibition of an Israelite woman marrying one whose testes are crushed or whose member is cut off,

· The prohibition of a mamzer (the offspring of an illicit relationship) marrying an Israelite. (Note (a) this has nothing to do with a child born outside of marriage, and (b) such a child is permitted to marry someone who has converted to Judaism.)

· The prohibition of marrying an Ammonite or a Moabite, (The Talmud mentions that after the Assyrians these nations no longer exist and anyone who might be called a "Moabite" today and converts is permitted to marry a Jew.)

· Edomite and Egyptian converts are accepted after the third generation.
This doesn't exhaust the enumeration! The law that talks about divorce is mentioned as well as levirate marriage: the situation where a married man dies without children and his brother is obligated to marry the deceased man's wife to provide offspring for him. In the case where the surviving brother chooses not to fulfill the obligation, a ceremony        (chalitzah) is performed to relinquish his tie to the woman.

Mazal tov
to Estie Goldman-Gurvis who will have the opportunity to chant her Bat Mitzvah Haftarah.

We note with sadness the passing of Dr. Jerry Gilden, brother-in-law of Martha Londe who was loved and respected for his outstanding work in the field of orthopedic surgery and sports medicine. He was well-know in the
St. Louis area as team surgeon for the St. Louis Blues over a number of years. Not only was Dr. Gilden a gifted surgeon, he was also known for the kindness and concern he showed all his patients. He also served in various leadership capacities in the St. Louis Jewish Community.

We also note the loss of Alexandra Birman mother of
Dr. Vladimir Birman. Alexandra started life in Russia in the shadow of the Second World War. She lost her husband Boris while they were still living in Moscow. Later she emigrated with her son Vladimir and her father Boris Girshfeld to the United States. Eventually they settled in St. Louis when her son was offered the position he holds in Organic Chemistry at Washington University.

It is with joy that we will celebrate two (!) Baby Namings over this coming weekend.

On Shabbat morning we will have the opportunity to join
Roberta Stolz as she officially welcomes her new granddaughter Darby Pearl Miller daughter of Tammy and Josh Miller. Congratulations, too, to Josh's parents Charlene and Robert Miller and the great-grandmothers Lillian Gordon (Roberta's mother) and Helen Miller (Robert's mother) (We are stunned by the loss of Charlene's mother Irene Russ, who was in town to attend the ceremony. May God send comfort to her family.)

Mazel tov
also, to Penny and Marc Alper on the naming of their grand-baby Noa Alexandra born to Laura and Michael Minkus who currently reside in Chicago, IL. Special congratulations to Sylvia Alper, the proud great-grandmother!

May Darby and Noa's families derive much pleasure from them and experience much joy in watching them grow on the path of maturity.

Warmest wishes for a joyous Shabbat.
    Rabbi Mordecai Miller
BSKI Congregation
Richmond Hts, MO