PARSHA & PROSE: VE’ETCHANAN AND ’100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE’ WITH RABBI SHLOMO GEMARA & AVRUM ROSENSWEIG (Audio)

Juxtaposing the Torah portion Va'etchanan with Gabriel García Márquez’s One Hundred Years of Solitude reveals intriguing contrasts and parallels in their treatment of memory, tradition, and identity. In Va'etchanan, Moses implores the Israelites to remember their past experiences and adhere to the divine commandments as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. This act of remembrance is framed within a covenantal relationship, emphasizing a linear progression of faith and duty. Conversely, Márquez’s novel presents a cyclical view of history through the Buendía family’s multi-generational saga in Macondo, where characters are trapped in repetitive patterns of behavior and destiny. While Ve'etchanan underscores a forward-looking commitment to divine law and collective memory, One Hundred Years of Solitude reflects on how the past continually shapes and entraps individuals within a cycle of fate. Both works grapple with the power of memory and tradition, but Ve'etchanan offers a vision of renewal and adherence to sacred principles, whereas Márquez’s narrative explores the inescapable and often burdensome nature of historical repetition. 

This episode is sponsored by The Professional Centre. Mention AVRUM for 10% off private offices and meeting rooms. For more details, visit www.theprofessionalcentre.com