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

The Matnos Kehunah cites the Yerushalmi that states that, after Klal Yisrael had sinned with the Golden Calf, Hashem refused to give them the Luchos.  He was close to retrieving the Luchos from Moshe,  when Moshe grabbed them back.  This is the meaning of the yad hachazakah, strong hand, which Moshe demonstrated as he “took away” the Luchos from Hashem.  Rashi applies the popular p’shat, interpretation, that yad ha’chazakah is a reference to Moshe’s breaking the Luchos.  Obviously, Moshe did not demonstrate greater strength than when he grabbed  the Luchos.  The Yerushalmi is telling us that there was a dialogue…

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And Moshe, the servant of Hashem, died there…and He (Hashem) buried him.” (34:5,6)

In His glory, Hashem  buried Moshe Rabbeinu.  The Midrash relates how it happened that Moshe merited for Hashem to personally take charge of his burial.  During the final days prior to the exodus from Egypt, while everyone was occupying themselves with “relieving” the Egyptians of their money, Moshe sought to fulfill the promise made many years earlier to Yosef:  that his bones would be taken out of Egypt.  Moshe spent three days and nights searching throughout the country,  looking everywhere in the hope that he would locate Yosef’s coffin.  According to one tradition,  Serach bas Asher approached Moshe to ask…

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

The text of this pasuk is inconsistent.  It begins by stating that the Torah has been commanded to us and ends by saying that it is the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov.  Who is included in the words of “Kehillas Yaakov“?  Horav Chaim Elazary, zl, suggests that the congregation of Yaakov is a reference to all Jews, even those who have not had the opportunity to study Torah and develop a proficiency in it.  The am haarertz, so to speak illiterate Jew, who performs mitzvos is devoted to Yiddishkeit. He just does not learn, although he respects those who…

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