Vayeilech – Page 4 – Peninim on the Torah

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

In his second interpretation of this pasuk, Rashi explains that the mesoros, traditions, and maayanos, wellsprings of wisdom, in which Moshe was so erudite were closed off from him. It seems perplexing that Moshe Rabbeinu, the quintessential teacher of Klal Yisrael, should “lose” his vast storehouse of knowledge on the day in which he reached perfection, immediately before his demise. One would think that Moshe should be able to learn until the very last moment of his life. We may suggest a novel interpretation of Rashi’s text. The choice of words employed is “mesorah,” tradition, and “maayan,” wellspring. Each of…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Vayeilech

“Assemble the people, the men, and the women, and the children.” (31:12)

The above pasuk relates the mitzvah of Hakheil. This was the time, during Succos immediately following the Shemittah year, in which all of the people were to assemble in the Bais Ha’Mikdash to listen to the Melech Yisrael, Jewish king, read Sefer Devarim. Rashi comments that, although the young children were not able to comprehend the meaning of the event, they were to be brought ovhthcnk rfa i,hk, “to give reward to those that brought them,” their parents. Rashi is citing the words of the Talmud in Chagiga 3a which attributes this interpretation to R’ Elazar ben Azaria. Indeed, the…

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Sruly Schnair In 5754, Vayeilech

“And their children who do not know, they shall hear and they shall learn to fear Hashem (31:13)

The Torah implies that all Jews are able to learn Torah, no matter what their background, talents, and skills are. The Steipler Rav z.l. writes that if one just applies himself diligently to learn Torah, he will succeed and achieve scholarship even if he is not intellectually astute. A young man once came to the Steipler and, in a voice full of chagrin, complained that even though he had been studying diligently in a yeshiva for five years, he still could not master the elementary level of erudition of Talmud and the basic commentaries. The Steipler responded, “Nonetheless, you must…

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הקהל את העם האנשים והנשים והטף... למען ישמעו ולמען ילמדו ויראו את ד'

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayeilech

You must assemble the nation, the men, and the women and the children… so that they may hear and that they may learn and fear G-d. (31:12)

Assembling men and women is understandable, but why the children? Do they even begin to understand what this event is about? Do children understand enough that what they hear at the public reading of the Torah would move and inspire them to study the law? Perhaps if they were all alone without their parents, our questions would have some basis. The Torah wants their parents to remain with them – not like the father who comes late to davening, drops off his son and proceeds to the Kiddush club. Bringing the child in such a manner truly has very little…

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ואמר ביום ההוא הלא על כי אין אלקי בקרבי מצאוני הרעות האלה

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayeilech

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?” (31:17)

One would think that Klal Yisrael’s acknowledgment of the sins which catalyzed Hashem’s wrath should be considered a sort of teshuvah, repentance. If so, why does it not inspire a reciprocal merciful response from Hashem – instead of continued concealment? Indeed, hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance, is a harsh punishment. What could be worse than being ignored by the Almighty? Ramban points out that, although the pasuk indicates feelings of introspection and an acknowledgment of shortcomings, it does not represent complete teshuvah. One is definitely on the correct road to repentance, but he is not yet there – not…

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כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו

Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5773, Vayeilech

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

This promise guarantees that our People – regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves – will never entirely forfeit its calling, never totally forget its mission, until the end of time. There will always survive within us a spiritual principle protected by Hashem Himself, through which again and again we will return and achieve a spiritual renaissance. I take the liberty of paraphrasing an inspiring paragraph from Horav S. R. Hirsch’s commentary to the end of this parsha. The Rav lived in Germany during a period when the reformers, heirs to the Haskalah, Enlightment movement, ran rampage over…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Vayeilech

“And many evils and troubles shall come upon them, and they shall say on that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because G-d is not in our midst?’ And I will surely have concealed My face on that day.” (31:17-18)

These two pesukim begin by asserting Hashem’s anger, followed by the concealment of His countenance as a result of Klal Yisrael’s transgressions. Afterwards, when the nation recognizes that its suffering is due to Hashem’s concealment, the next pasuk continues with Hashem concealing Himself once again. This is enigmatic. One would think that recognition of sin is a step towards teshuvah, repentance. Surely, it should not be followed with more hester Panim, concealment of Hashem’s countenance. Indeed, this is a difficult and most tragic prophecy. What could be worse than Hashem removing Himself from our midst? It is softened only…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5772, Vayeilech

“This song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

This is the only consolation for a prophecy foretelling Klal Yisrael’s slide into a life of sin and rebellion against the Almighty. The Torah might be ignored; it might even be snubbed, but it will never be completely forgotten. Throughout history, there has always been a revival of Torah study following a period when many thought that its end was near. During the Holocaust of World War II, when Europe was burning, there were those doomsayers that said the end of Torah was near. It would die with European Jewry. This was not the case. Those who miraculously survived did…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Vayeilech

Hashem spoke 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)

The changing of the guard, the transference of leadership, was about to occur. Hashem instructed Moshe Rabbeinu to summon Yehoshua. In the Midrash, V’zos HaBrachah, Chazal teach that ten “deaths” were written concerning Moshe. Ten times the Torah writes about the concept of death as it related to Moshe – but the decree had still not been sealed until…. Moshe did not take the entire idea of his death to heart and conjectured: “Klal Yisrael sinned many a time, sins that were certainly much more egregious than anything I have ever done. Even as a young child I did not sin….

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5771, Vayeilech

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

Chazal (Eiruvin 54b) derive from the words simah b’fi’hem, “Place it into their mouth,” that Torah must be taught in such a manner that the student fully comprehends the material, to the point that he becomes fluent in it. Indeed, Ramban opines that a rebbe, Torah teacher, must review the material as often as necessary until his students are proficient. If the going is slow, he may not become angry; rather he must keep on explaining. In a letter to educators, Horav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, zl, underscored the need for a rebbe to present an amicable countenance, so that the…

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

“Assemble the people, the men, and the women, and the children.” (31:12)

“And their children who do not know, they shall hear and they shall learn to fear Hashem (31:13)

הקהל את העם האנשים והנשים והטף... למען ישמעו ולמען ילמדו ויראו את ד'

You must assemble the nation, the men, and the women and the children… so that they may hear and that they may learn and fear G-d. (31:12)

ואמר ביום ההוא הלא על כי אין אלקי בקרבי מצאוני הרעות האלה

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?” (31:17)

כי לא תשכח מפי זרעו

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

“And many evils and troubles shall come upon them, and they shall say on that day, ‘Have not these evils come upon us because G-d is not in our midst?’ And I will surely have concealed My face on that day.” (31:17-18)

“This song shall speak up before it as a witness, for it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of its offspring.” (31:21)

Hashem spoke 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)

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

YEARS

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