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When all Yisrael comes to appear before Hashem…in the place He will choose. You shall read this Torah in their ears… Gather together the people…so that they will hear so that they will learn…and be careful to perform all the words of this Torah. (31:11,12)

Once every seven years, on the first day of Chol Hamoed that followed the Shemittah year, all of Klal Yisrael was enjoined to gather together at the Bais Hamikdash to listen to the king read from Sefer Devarim.  He would read pesukim that dealt with our allegiance to Hashem, the Covenant, and reward and punishment.  The primary doctrine of Jewish life is the Torah.  Without it, we are nothing.  With it, we have the capacity for attaining the greatest spiritual rewards.  Consequently, it is only proper that all Jews stand in affirmation of the Torah.  Chazal infer from the Torah‘s…

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And Hashem said to Moshe, Behold your days are drawing near to die, summon Yehoshua and both of you shall stand in the Ohel Moed, and I shall instruct him. (31:14)

It would seem that Hashem could instruct Yehoshua, even if Moshe’s days were not drawing to a climax.  Why does the Torah seem to emphasize that Yehoshua was receiving his instruction only because Moshe’s life was ending?   Could Yehoshua not have received his charge after Moshe’s demise? The Netziv, zl, cites Chazal in the Talmud Bava Basra 75a who teach us that the zekeinim, elders of that generation, compared the “face” of Moshe to the “face” of the sun and the “face” of Yeshoshua to that of the moon.  The analogy is interpreted in the following manner:   The moon receives…

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And Moshe went. (31:1)

Moshe went.  From where did he come, and to where did he go?  The pasuk does not address these simple questions.  He simply went!  Horav S.Y. Levin, zl, distinguishes between amidah, standing still, and halichah, walking/moving.  Each one has its own advantage according to the situation.  Moving forward is beneficial, as long as one goes in the right direction.  If one has a prescribed course and he maintains it, then the more he walks, the closer he moves to his destination.  In such a situation,  moving is obviously more advantageous than standing still.  Conversely, when one is lost — or…

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