Vayeilech – Page 3 – Peninim on the Torah

כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו

For it will not be forgotten from the mouth of its children. (31:21)

What is the secret of our continued survival? It is not as if we have acted perfectly as children of Hashem. Yet, we continue to survive, to endure the vicissitudes of life, until that day when we have completed our mission. Regardless how distant we have allowed ourselves to move away, how far we have fallen, how low we have sunken as a result of our collective sins, we still have one redeeming value, one merit, one blessing that accompanies us through the abyss of darkness that resonates through our life: the Torah. As soon as we return to the…

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ויקרא משה ליהושע ויאמר אליו לעיני כל ישראל חזק ואמץ כי אתה תבוא את העם הזה אל הארץ

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayeilech

Moshe summoned Yehoshua and said to him before the eyes of all Yisrael, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall come with this People to the Land.” (31:7)

Moshe Rabbeinu summoned Yehoshua in front of all Klal Yisrael in order to build Yehoshua’s esteem. Let everyone see and note that Yehoshua has been designated as Moshe Rabbeinu’s heir and successor. Moshe was the quintessential leader, but taking the people into Eretz Yisrael was not an option that was available to him. Yaan lo he’emantem Bee l’hakdisheini; “Because you did not believe in Me, to sanctify Me” (Bamidbar 20:12): Certainly, Moshe believed in Hashem, but, as the Kli Yakar explains, shelo geramtem l’haamin li, “Because you did not cause others to believe in Me.” Moshe should have realized (explains…

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ועזבני והפר את בריתי אשר כרתי אתו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5777, Vayeilech

And it will forsake Me and annul My covenant that I have sealed with it (31:16).

From their nascency as the “spiritual” heirs to the European and Russian Haskalah, Enlightenment movement, the secular Zionists who undermined the Orthodox Yishuv haYashan, Old Yishuv (settlement in Yerushalayim), continue to lay the blame for every one of our People’s troubles at the doorstep of the Orthodox, Torah-observant Jew. Founded upon misguided principles, and nurtured in hypocrisy and avarice, this movement is Jewish only in name. Insidiously, it has attempted to subvert every achievement of the Orthodox – accomplishments that were gained with blood, sweat and tears. They too sacrificed, but for personal ideals, not Torah values. Nonetheless, the blame…

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וילך משה ... ויאמר אליהם בן מאה ועשרים שנה אנכי היום

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayeilech

Moshe went… He said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today.” (31,1)

Parashas Vayeilech invariably falls before Yom Kippur. The parsha begins with Moshe Rabbeinu reflecting on his life, in preparation for taking leave of his nation. This perspective gives each and every one of us something to think about. Even the quintessential leader of the Jewish People prepared to meet his Maker. The confluence of the Parsha and the time of year gives us food for thought. I recently came across a lecture from Horav Yoshiahu Yosef Pinto, Shlita, which adds compelling insight and even trepidation to the thoughts ruminating through our minds at this time of year. Moshe prayed fervently…

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ומצאוהו רעות רבות וצרות ואמר ביום ההוא הלא על כי אין אלקי בקרבי מצאוני הרעות האלה. ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא על כל הרעה אשר עשה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayeilech

And many evils and distresses will encounter it. It will say on that day, “Is it not because my G-d is not in my midst that these evils have come upon me?” But I will surely have concealed My face on that day because of all the evil that he did. (31:17,18)

If the People finally came to the realization that the source of their troubles was Hashem’s concealing Himself from them, why does Hashem continue the punishment by concealing Himself even more? Why add more punishment if the people already have become aware of the reason for their troubles? The point has been made; now, it is time to move on. Horav Shlomo Teichtal, zl, explains this with a parable. A person had tried for some time to meet with a government official to discuss a zoning variance. It was crucial for his business that the zoning laws be modified so…

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ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayeilech

So now, write this song. (31:19)

The Talmud Megillah 3A relates the conversation that occurred between Yehoshua bin Nun and a Heavenly angel that visited him. The purpose of citing the conversation is to prove that limud haTorah, the study of Torah, is more stringent than sacrificial service: “The angel said to Yehoshua, ‘This afternoon, you neglected to offer the Korban Tamid Shel Bein Ha’Arbaim, daily afternoon sacrifice, and now (after dark) you neglected the study of Torah.’ (This conversation took place during the battle for Yericho, shortly after Bnei Yisrael entered the Land and performed circumcisions on the men who had not been circumcised in…

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והיה כי תמצאן אתו רעות וצרות וענתה השירה הזאת לפניו לעד

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5776, Vayeilech

It shall be when many evils and distresses come upon it, then this song shall speak up before it as a witness. (31:21)

The Torah states that when the terrible evils and afflictions, the curses, of which many have taken their toll on us, descend on us, we will (despite the many travails) ultimately be spared. The Torah, which is referred to here as the shirah, song (of Torah), will serve as a witness in our defense – a testimony that will help turn the tide in our behalf. Nothing will be held back. We will sin, and we will deserve whatever fate is decreed against us, but we will be spared. Interestingly, the prophecy concerning the evils and distresses that will fall…

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וילך משה וידבר את הדברים האלה אל כל ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayeilech

Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Yisrael. (31:1)

The Midrash Tanchuma states: Ein va’yelech ela lashon tochachah. “The word vayelech means rebuke.” Apparently, Moshe Rabbeinu went to all of the tribes to bid them farewell. His farewell was couched in reproach, in which he informed the people of their shortcomings. Where in the pasuk is this indicated? It seems that all Moshe told them was that he had reached the age of 120 years old, that he was no longer able to “go out and come in”, and that he was not going to enter into Eretz Yisrael. In other words, Moshe was gezegening zich, bidding farewell, to…

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ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת ולמדה את בני ישראל

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5774, Vayeilech

So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to Bnei Yisrael. (31:19)

Every ben Yisrael, Jew, is enjoined to write a Sefer Torah. The source of this mitzvah is the above pasuk. Mitzvas Kesivas Sefer Torah, the commandment to write a Sefer Torah, has the distinction of being the last, 613th, mitzvah of the Torah. It is the culmination of the Torah’s commandments. When one writes something down on paper, he concretizes it. I remember visiting my Rosh Yeshivah, Horav Mordechai Gifter, zl, with a request for his approbation on one of my volumes. He began to weep. He said that part of his learning process was to put to immediately paper…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Vayeilech

“I can no longer go out and come in” (31:2)

Rashi explains that Moshe was not suggesting that the frailty of old age impeded him from going out and coming in. The Torah itself later attests to his remarkable vigorous health and physical vibrancy. Rather, Moshe indicated that Hashem had forbidden him from continuing in his current position as leader. Rashi’s explanation does not seem consistent with the literal definition of the word kfut which means “able”. The literal definition would be translated as, “I am no longer able.” This translation implies physical impediment and inability to continue. We may suggest that, indeed, when a tzaddik is prohibited from doing…

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כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו

For it will not be forgotten from the mouth of its children. (31:21)

ויקרא משה ליהושע ויאמר אליו לעיני כל ישראל חזק ואמץ כי אתה תבוא את העם הזה אל הארץ

Moshe summoned Yehoshua and said to him before the eyes of all Yisrael, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall come with this People to the Land.” (31:7)

ועזבני והפר את בריתי אשר כרתי אתו

And it will forsake Me and annul My covenant that I have sealed with it (31:16).

וילך משה ... ויאמר אליהם בן מאה ועשרים שנה אנכי היום

Moshe went… He said to them, “I am a hundred and twenty years old today.” (31,1)

ומצאוהו רעות רבות וצרות ואמר ביום ההוא הלא על כי אין אלקי בקרבי מצאוני הרעות האלה. ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני ביום ההוא על כל הרעה אשר עשה

And many evils and distresses will encounter it. It will say on that day, “Is it not because my G-d is not in my midst that these evils have come upon me?” But I will surely have concealed My face on that day because of all the evil that he did. (31:17,18)

ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת

So now, write this song. (31:19)

והיה כי תמצאן אתו רעות וצרות וענתה השירה הזאת לפניו לעד

It shall be when many evils and distresses come upon it, then this song shall speak up before it as a witness. (31:21)

וילך משה וידבר את הדברים האלה אל כל ישראל

Moshe went and spoke these words to all of Yisrael. (31:1)

ועתה כתבו לכם את השירה הזאת ולמדה את בני ישראל

So now, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to Bnei Yisrael. (31:19)

“I can no longer go out and come in” (31:2)

YEARS

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