Devarim 3:23 - 7:11
Haftarah Yeshayahu 40:1 - 26
Summary
- Sefer Devarim is called "Mishneh Torah - The Review of the Torah" because it repeats over 100 mitzvot already mandated in the previous four Books. Rav S.R. Hirsch explains that of the 199 Mitzvot commanded in this book, more than 70 are new. The repeated mitzvot focus on areas that will be of greater immediate concern as they encounter the seven Nations. For example, the prohibition against idol worship. Although already taught, it needed to be reiterated as the Jews would confront the inhabitants of Kenaan, who were idolatrous. Those mitzvot whose application was the same, whether in the desert or in HaAretz, are not reviewed. In Parshat Va'Etchanan Moshe continues his final instructions to the Benei Yisra'el.
- Moshe beseeched Hashem to enter HaAretz. However, he seemingly blamed the nation when his request was turned down. Moshe explained the foundation of our divine mission, which will be recognized by the other nations. Moshe stressed allegiance to Hashem and the consequences to ourselves and our children if we do not keep the Torah.
- Moshe designated the Cities of Refuge.
- Moshe stressed the reaction of the nation after the giving of the Torah, and forewarned them not deviate from the Torah, either to the right or the to the left. The first paragraph of Shema is recorded. (6:10-15) Moshe warned the people about the dangers of prosperity, and directed them to keep the commandments and remember the Exodus. Moshe forewarned them about the dangers of assimilation and told them to always remember that they are the Chosen People.
Devarim 3:23 I pleaded with HASHEM at that time, saying,
At that time Moshe only had a few weeks to live. Moshe thus said, "I pleaded with HASHEM a that time saying." Why did he only pray at that time? "The reason that only prayed at that time was because I wanted to teach you a lesson that you do not despair but that you realize that G-d can have mercy no matter how great the troubles you find yourself in. Even when you find yourself in a situation where there is a sharp sword on your neck, do not refrain from praying."
Here, although G-d did not accept Moshe's prayer, Moshe continued praying that, at least, he should be worthy of seeing the Holy Land.
Why did Moshe say, "I pleaded" (va-et-chanan, ואתחנן)? The Torah should have said, "I prayed" (va-et-palal, ואתפלל) to Hashem. Actually, Moshe prayed for the Benei Yisrael after they had made the Golden Calf. He said, "I prayed (va-et-palel) to Hashem" (Devarim 9:26). However, there are three reasons why this wording is used.
- The first reason can be understood by the following parable. A king had a wife and she gave birth to a son. So long as the son was alive she would approach the king with confidence and speak boldly. Since she relied on her son's existence, she was not afraid of anything. However, when her son died and she was alone, she lost her status. The only reason she had a position was because of the merit of her son. Now the guards would not allow her to enter the king's chambers. The same was true of Moshe. So long as the generation that he brought out of Egypt was alive, Moshe could speak with courage and confidence. When they made the Golden Calf he prayed for them and said to G-d, "Why, Hashem, are You angry with Your people?" (Shemot 32:4). He spoke to G-d boldly and said, "Your people have sinned. Forgive them." However, after G-d had decreed that the entire generation should die in the desert because of the sin of the spies (meragelim), and now only the children of the generation of the Exodus remained, Moshe's greatness was diminished and he could not pray with self-assurance. The only confidence he had was through the merit of the generation that he had brought out of Egypt. We find that when the Golden Calf was made Moshe was on High and G-d told him, "G-d down" (Shemot 32:7) - that is, descend from your greatness. Any greatness you have is through Yisrael's merit. It was for this reason that Moshe could not speak with poise and had to flee and beg for mercy. Moshe pleaded so much before G-d that the heaven and earth began to tremble. The heaven and earth said, "Perhaps the time has come when G-d wishes to renew His world." A Divine voice came forth and said, "The time has not yet come for the world to be renewed. But Moshe is praying and pleading that he should be given permission to enter the land." At that time G-d announced to all the gates of the heavens that Moshe's prayer should not be accepted, since the decree had already been sealed, and the gates of prayer should be closed, so that Moshe's prayer could not enter. Moshe's prayer was as sharp as a sword which nothing could resits, and no angel could approach to close the gates. When the angels and the heavenly hosts saw that G-d commanded that Moshe's prayer be not accepted so that he could not enter the Land of Yisrael, they all said, "Blessed be G-d's glory from His place" (Yechezkel 3:12). G-d does not show favoritism to great or small.
- Moshe prayed 515 prayers. This is the numerical value of the word va-et-chanan (ואתחנן) which means "and he pleaded." One reason why Moshe offered 515 prayers is because the angels offer 515 prayers every day. This is alluded to in the verse which states, "[The angels'] feet were a straight (yesharah) foot" (Yechezkel 1:7). The word yesharah (ישרה) has the numerical value of 515.
- There is another reason why Moshe prayed in the manner of supplication with G-d rather than by simple prayer. Righteous men may possess many good deeds, and G-d accedes to their requests. They do not ask that this be done in return for there good deeds, but they ask that G-d give them a free gift. Since Moshe knew that G-d gives a matter of grace to those who do not have merit, he pleaded before G-d He was like a poor man begging for charity who says, "Have pity on me and give me alms." There is another reason why the righteous ask G-d to give them as a matter of grace. If they were to ask that their prayers be answered according to the value of their good deeds, that is exactly what G-d would give them. However, there would be some people who according to their merit would not deserve to have their wishes fulfilled and their prayers would not be answered. Therefore the tzaddikim ask for a gift from G-d's bountiful hand and this is a gift without limits, since G-d's power is not limited. (Chabad)
The Palmist thus said, "I call to You, Hashem. To You Hashem, I plead" (Tehillim 30:9). Even when I call You and I know that You are close to me because of my good deeds, I still plead (et-chanan, אתחנן). All I ask You is for pity and that You answer my prayer as an undeserved present.
It is important to understand that Chazal (our Sages) taught that it is forbidden for a person to ask something from G-d and depend on his own merit. One should not say, "Since I have done so many good deeds I will certainly be answered on my own merit." Actually before G-d we are like slaves before a king. If a master has a slave, the lave must do everything that the master requests of us. A slave does not have the right to ask for any reward from his master for anything that he does. Similarly, we cannot ask for a reward for what we do for G-d.
G-d therefore said in the Tora, "I am Hashem your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be to you a G-d - I am Hashem your G-d" (BaMidbar 15:41). A person should not say since I am destined to be rewarded for keeping the commandments, I will choose not to keep the commandments and not have the reward. G-d says, "I am Hashem your G-d who brought you out of the land of Egypt where you were slaves, and now I am your G-d. I brought you out of the land of Egypt on the condition that you keep My commandments. If you do not keep them you will be punished for rebelling against Me."
It is thus written, "Yours O Hashem is kindness, for You reward a man according to his deeds" (Tehillim 62:13). That is, the fact that G-d rewards a person for his good deeds is only an act of kindness. G-d is not duty-bound to reward a person for his good deeds.
It is thus written, "It will be charity for us, if we keep and do all the commandments" (Devarim 6:25). When G-d gives us reward for keeping His commandments it is an act of charity on His part. Our Sages likewise teach that when Mashiach comes there will be an announcement that whoever kept the commandments should come and receive his reward. G-d will then ask each one, "What have you done that you seek reward?
G-d will say, "Was it then with your money that you gave charity? The money was all Mine. Therefore before you gave the charity I paid you double for the charity that you did."
Another person will say, "I kept the commandment of circumcision with my child and also paid for a teacher to teach him the Torah."
G-d will say, "Who gave you children the, if not I? I gave you the moeny to pay the teacher. Therefore I paid you. I gave you your reward before you even kept the commandment."
Another person will come and ask for a reward for keeping the commandment of mezuzah.
G-d will say, "Did I not give you a house first? Therefore, I reward you first. You have not right to demand a reward."
From here we learn that any reward that G-d gives for keep ing the commandments is a gift and charity.
Some say the reason that Moshe used the word "and I pleaded" (
va-et-chanan, ואתחנן) was that he requested, "May it be Your will that the prayer that I say shall be fluent and that I do not stumble in my words."
We similarly open the Amidah by saying, "G-d, open my lips and my mouth will speak Your praise" (Tehillim 51;17). We pray to G-d that He might open our mouths and allow us to speak before Him, and when we speak that our words should be fluent and that we do not become confused. It is a good sign if a person's prayers emerge without any confusion or error. Moshe therefore said, "And I pleaded before G-d at that time
saying." My pleading with G-d was for the sake of my "
saying." I pleaded that I should be able to say my prayer correctly.
The Talmud relates that Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa would pray for the sick and he would be able to predict who would live and who would die. The Sages asked how he knew this and he replied, "If my prayer is facile and the words come out one after the other without error, I know that my prayer is accepted on High. But if my prayer is not fluent and I make mistakes and stumble, it is a sign that my prayer is not accepted." (Mishnah Berachot 5:4)
Great Merit to Die in Eretz Yisrael
It is a very great thing to die in the Holy Land. If a person dies outside the Land of Yisrael he dies through the angel of death. When he dies, many angels of destruction surround him, trying to prevent his soul from ascending. The soul then suffers in round-about paths until it can ascend on High. However, if a person walks even four cubits in the Land of Yisrael, he is assured of being a member of the World to Come. Therefore, the earlier pious men would cherish the Land of Yisrael and kiss its dust, as it is written, "For Your servants desire [the Land's] stones and cherish its dust" (Tehillim 102:15). However, the Land of Yisrael is not controlled by any angel, but by G-d Himself. Therefore if a person dies in the Holy Land, the angel of death has no power over him. G-d regards it as if he were buried under the great altar and his soul goes straight on high to Gan Eden. Neither the angels of destruction or any other spiritual denouncer has any power over him.
3:25 Please let me cross [the Yarden]. Let me see the good land across the Yardan, the good mountain and the Levanon.
Moshe wanted to keep the commandments that could only be kept in the Holy Land. There are many commandments that cannot be kept in other lands. Moshe wanted to be able to keep all 613 commandments. The more commandments a person keeps the greater his principal in the World to Come. Moshe wanted his spiritual garment to be complete with all 613 commandments.
Actually, in Hebrew Moshe is usually referred to as "Moshe our master,"
Moshe Rabenu (
משה רבינו), which letters contain a numerical value of 613. This is the same as G-d's garment which consists of the 613 commandments.
This is referred to in the verse, "G-d is King. He garbs Himself in pride. G-d garbs Himself with the strength with which He girds Himself" (Tehillim 93:1). The Hebrew word for "girds Himself" is
hit-azer (
התאזר). The word hit-azer contains the numerical value of 613. Therefore we see that G-d girds Himself with the 613 commandments. G-d said, "If your desire is to keep the commandments in the Holy Land and to be rewarded for them, I will regard it as if you had kept them."
Why Was Moshe Not Allowed to Enter Eretz Yisrael
The law is that if a person makes an oath and says such and such person shall not enter my house, if the house falls and is then rebuilt, it is permitted for him to enter. This is because the oath was on a specific house.
G-d swore that this generation would not enter the Holy Land. The oath was, "that I swore in My anger that they do not enter My place of rest" (Tehillim 95:11).
Chazal teach that this oath was only true in the time when the Temple stood. However, now it is destroyed. When the Temple is built in the Messanic era it will be called another house, and then they will be permitted to enter.
This can be understood by an example. A king was angry with his son and banished him from his palace and swore that he should never enter. After a while the king's anger subsided and he wished to allow his son to enter. What did he do? He tore down the palace and rebuilt it. Then he was able to let his son enter because it happened that his oath was observed and his son could come in.
If Moshe had entered the Land of Yisrael he could have destroyed the lust for idolatry. If the Benei Yisrael had not worshipped idols, neither the Temple nor Yerushalayim would have been destroyed, but they would have remained forever, and no nation would have had any power against them.
G-d said to Moshe, "If you want the oath against you to be nullified and you want to enter the Holy Land, you will nullify the evil desire for idolatry and the Temple will not be destroyed. Therefore since the Temple could never be destroyed, the Benei Yisrael would never be able to enter the Holy Land. If you want the Benei Yisrael ever to come to the Land, I must keep My oath that you do not enter."
It is also important to realize that if Moshe had entered the Land he himself would have built the Temple and then it could never have been destroyed. If the Benei Yisrael had sinned, G-d could have poured out His anger not on wood and stone but only on the Benei Yisrael. Therefore, G-d decreed that Moshe should not enter the Holy Land and not build the Temple. When in anger He could vent such wrath on the wood and stones [of the Temple] and the Benei Yisrael would survive.
When Moshe said, "G-d was angry with me because of you," Moshe was saying, "G-d's anger with me was for 'your benefit.'
3:27 Climb to the top of Pisgah, and gaze to the west, north, south and east. Let your eyes behold it, since you will not cross the Yarden.
Each of the four directions, north, east, south, west has three names:
East:
- mizrach (מזרח)
- kedem (קדם)
- panim (פנים)
West:
- ma'arov (מערב)
- yam (ים)
- achor (אחור)
South:
- darom (דרום)
- teman (תימון)
- negev (נגב)
North:
- tzafon (צפון)
- s'emol (שמאל)
- estov (אסתו)
The reason why each of the directions has three names is because each one teaches something.
The word mizrach (מזרח) for the east comes from the root zarach (זרח) meaning to rise, or to shine forth, because this is where the sun rises.
It is called kedem (קדם) meaning 'first' because this is the first direction which lights up in the morning.
It is called panim (פנים) meaning 'front' because when Adam was created he was facing east. Therefore his back was to the west, his right was to the south and his left was to the north.
The west is called ma'arov (מערב) from the root arav (ערב) meaning mixture. This is because when it becomes dark all images are mixed together and one thing cannot be discerned from another. [Also evening is referred to as erev (ערב)]
It is called yam (ים) meaning sea because the sea is toward the west of the Holy Land. Thus the Targum translates "until the final sea" (Devarim 34:2) that the sea is towards the west.
It is called achor (אחור) since with relation to the east which is the face, the west is the back.
The south is called darom (דרום). This is because the sun is at its highest point to the south. Darom (דרום) can be read as dar rom (דר רום) meaning dwelling on High.
It is called negev (נגב) since negev means dry. The south is a very dry area, since the sun is very hot there. Our Sages teach that once a person lost a wooden vessel in the sun in the south, and in the evening he found that it had been burnt by the heat of the sun. It is likewise written, "I have given the land of the south (negev)" (Shoftim 1:15). The Targum renders this "the south" (darom) land.
The opposite side is known as tzafon (צפון) which has the connotation of hiding. This is because the sun is always hidden there. Also there is no habitation there.
It is also called estov (אסתו), which is related to the word s'tav (סתיו) meaning 'autumn,' since this is a place of extreme cold and all rain comes from the north. The south is hot and dry because the sun is directly overhead, and he north is cold and wet because the sun is not directly overhead.
Another reason that it is referred to as 'estov' is because this has the connotation of healing. This direction brings healing to the body. (See Targum to Iyov 37:22 where estov means the "gold of the north.")
It is also called s'emol (שמאל) because it is hidden and concealed. The left hand is also called s'emol (שמאל) because it does not do work skilfully.
- Me'Am Lo'ez
