It is not in the heavens (Deteronomy 30:12)
This biblical verse makes a radical claim: divine wisdom is available to all of us. We do not need heroic feats in order to make God’s word accessible. For the sages of the Talmud the verse came to mean that the authority of interpreting the Torah resides in the hands of people, and not in heaven.
In modern Hebrew the expression is used to mean that those things which seem impossible to us are actually within our power.
It is not beyond human capacity to live in peace in security.
It is not beyond human capacity to reach a deal to return the hostages.
It is not beyond human capacity to use our power to build a moral and secure society for all of the citizens of our country.
It is not beyond human capacity to to put a stop to the belief that we must, generation after generation, sacrifice our children for the sake of the country.
When our strength is gone, when a black and heavy cloud sits in our souls—it is up to us to remember the words of Deutoronmy: “lo bashamayim hee.”
“It is not in the heavens.”
Rather, it is in our hands.
