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ולכל היד החזקה ולכל המורא הגדול אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל

And by all the strong hand and awesome power that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Yisrael. (34:12)

The “strong hand” refers to Moshe’s receiving the Luchos, Two Tablets, which were of extraordinary weight. “Before the eyes of all Yisrael” alludes to our quintessential leader’s decision to shatter the Luchos before the eyes of the nation – an action which Hashem ratified. Moshe demonstrated his exceptional leadership ability when he shattered the Luchos. Since it is certainly difficult to destroy everything that one works for, it takes a strong leader to make such a consequential decision that will impact the entire nation for all time. For now, the issue is not why/what motivated him to shatter the Luchos,…

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ויבכו בני ישראל את משה... ויתמו ימי בכי אבל משה. ויהושע בן נון מלא רוח חכמה כי סמך משה ידיו עליו

ויבכו בני ישראל את משה… ויתמו ימי בכי אבל משה. ויהושע בן נון מלא רוח חכמה כי סמך משה ידיו עליו

When a Torah giant is niftar, passes away, it leaves a void which cannot be filled. The next tzaddik, righteous person, will establish his own position, approach and following. He will not replace his predecessor. Each Torah giant is on his own individual spiritual plane and has his own unique impact on his followers. Moshe Rabbeinu took leave of his beloved nation. The void that the Bnei Yisrael felt was immediately filled by Yehoshua, Hashem’s hand-picked successor to Moshe. While Yehoshua was a capable leader who navigated the nation throughout their war with the seven nations and the apportioning of…

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תורה צוה לנו משה מורשה קהילת יעקב

The Torah that Moshe commanded us is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov. (33:4)

Chazal (Succah 42a) “When a katan, young child, knows how to speak, his father teaches him Torah. What does he teach him? [Obviously, this is a child at the beginning of his cognitive development, when he is just learning to speak.] Rav Hamnuna says: (He teaches him) Torah tzivah lanu Moshe, morashah kehillas Yaakov.” We derive from here that a child’s inaugural connection with the Torah should be, the awareness that it is a yerushah, heritage, which belongs to all the congregation of Yaakov. As long as one is counted as a member of kehillas Yaakov, the Torah is his…

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וימת שם משה עבד ד' בארץ מואב על פי ד'

So, Moshe, servant of Hashem, died there, in the land of Moav, by the mouth of Hashem. (34:5)

Moshe Rabbeinu spent the most significant years of his life (the remaining forty years) as the quintessential leader of Klal Yisrael. He was always in the limelight – never alone – except when he died. Moshe left this world alone, without family, students, friends – even Yehoshua, his successor, was not with him. it was just he and, of course, Hashem. As such, he was really never alone. He, as we all, are with Hashem. I think we can glean a powerful message from here. Hashem accompanies every Jew on his final journey. He may be alone in the hospital…

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כי שם חלקת מחקק ספון ויתא ראשי עם צדקת ד' עשה ומשפטיו עם ישראל

For it is where the lawgiver’s plot is hidden; he came at the head of the nation, carrying out Hashem’s justice and His ordinances with Yisrael. (33:21)

Shevet Gad, the tribe of Gad, selected the area where Moshe Rabbeinu was (to be) buried as their portion in Eretz Yisrael. The tribe of Gad was among the first to march into battle. The closing words of the pasuk, Tziddkas Hashem asah u’mishpatav im Yisrael, “Carrying out Hashem’s justice and His ordinances with Yisrael,” are a tribute to our quintessential leader, the Rabban Shel Kol Yisrael, Moshe Rabbeinu. Chazal (Avos 5:22) derive from here that Moshe was the paradigmatic mezakeh es ha’rabim, influenced the masses to become meritorious. His antithesis was the wicked Yaravam ben Nevat who was the…

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ויאמר ד' מסיני בא... ממינו אש דת למו

He said: Hashem came from Sinai… from His right hand. He presented the fiery Torah to them. (33:2)

The Baal HaTurim comments that this pasuk begins with the letter vov (Va’yomer) and ends with the letter vov (lamo). This is by design, to allude that Moshe Rabbeinu blessed all twelve shevatim, tribes. (The numerical value of vov is six. Two vovim equal twelve.) The commentators question why the Baal HaTurim did not note this in the earlier pasuk, which also begins and ends with vov. This pasuk addresses Moshe’s blessing the Jewish People. It would have been more appropriate to underscore the dual vovim in a pasuk which speaks about blessing. The Zera Shimshon explains that the main…

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ולכל המורא הגדול אשר עשה משה לעיני כל ישראל...בראשית ברא אלקים

And awesome power that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Yisrael…In the beginning of G-d’s creations. (1:1)

The first letter of the Torah is the bais. The last letter of the Torah is the lamed. Considering that the Torah is of Divine origin, the choice of these two letters is clearly not happenstance. Hashem teaches us, conveys a message to us, with the selection of these two words. The commentators, each in his own inimitable manner, address this selection. The Kli Yakar presents an inspiring thought. The bais and the lamed are the only two letters of the entire Hebrew Alphabet to which, if one were to attach any letter of Hashem’s Name, Yud Kay Vov Kay…

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ולא קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה

Never again has there arisen in Yisrael a prophet like Moshe. (34:10)

Chazal (Bamidbar Rabbah 14:32) note the Torah’s statement concerning Moshe Rabbeinu that Klal Yisrael would never produce a Navi of the stature of Moshe. This does not preclude the gentile nations from producing a prophet whose gift of prophecy would parallel that of Moshe. This prophet was Bilaam. Ramban explains that, under no terms, was Bilaam comparable to Moshe. No prophet approached Moshe’s level of nevuah. Bilaam achieved his communication with Hashem only after exhausting preparation and only concerning the specific subject that he had selected. Moshe, however, could be summoned at any time to discuss anything. The fact that…

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ולא ידע איש את קבורתו עד היום הזה

And no one knows his burial place to this day. (34:6)

In his commentary to Sotah 14a, the Bach amends the Talmud’s narrative to include an additional passage which is found in the Ein Yaakov. Rav Chama bar Chanina said: Why is it that the gravesite of Moshe Rabbeinu is hidden from the eyes of flesh and blood? For it was revealed and known to the Almighty that the Holy Temple was destined to be destroyed and that the Jewish People were destined to be exiled from their Land. Thus, the grave had to be hidden, lest the Jews come crying to Moshe’s gravesite at that time and beseech Moshe, saying,…

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וימת שם משה עבד ד'

And Moshe, the servant of Hashem, died there. (34:5)

A debate in Tosfos commentary (Menachos 30a) addresses when Moshe Rabbeinu died. Rav Sholom Gaon posits that Moshe died on Shabbos Kodesh. Thus, we recite Tzidkascha tzedek, affirming and accepting Hashem’s decree. Tosfos contends that Moshe died on Erev Shabbos, since his yahrzeit is on Adar 7, which that year (based on calculations) occurred on Friday. Furthermore, Moshe could not write the conclusion of the Torah on the day of his death if it was, in fact, Shabbos. As a compromise, the commentators suggest that Moshe’s death began on Erev Shabbos, and his burial took place on Shabbos. For our…

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