V’zos HaBrachah – Peninim on the Torah

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

Sruly Schnair In 5783, V'zos HaBrachah

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

Sruly Schnair In 5783, V'zos HaBrachah

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

Sruly Schnair In 5782, V'zos HaBrachah

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

Sruly Schnair In 5782, V'zos HaBrachah

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

Sruly Schnair In 5782, V'zos HaBrachah

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'

Sruly Schnair In 5782, V'zos HaBrachah

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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וזאת הברכה אשר ברך משה... את בני ישראל לפני מותו

Moshe Marcovich In 5781, V'zos HaBrachah

And this is the blessing that Moshe… bestowed upon Bnei Yisrael before his death. (33:1)

The Midrash Tanchuma (Va’eschanan 6) teaches: “Moshe Rabbeinu was (Heavenly) informed, ‘The time for you to leave this world has arrived.’ He said to them, ‘Wait for me until I bless Yisrael. For they have not found contentment from me all my days, because of the rebukes and warnings with which I rebuked them.’” Moshe then proceeded to bless the nation. Chazal are teaching us that Moshe feared that the people would not correctly perceive his admonishments, and, rather than acknowledge his boundless love for them, they would think that he harbored anger and discontent concerning their behavior, and, by…

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יחי ראובן ואל ימת... וזאת ליהודה ויאמר

Moshe Marcovich In 5781, V'zos HaBrachah

May Reuven live and not die… and this to Yehudah, and he said. (33:67)

Yehudah’s blessing is juxtaposed upon Reuven, because they had in common their individual confession of guilt to a corrupt act for which they were jointly responsible. Reuven was chastised by his father, Yaakov Avinu, for his impetuosity in moving Yaakov’s bed from Bilhah’s tent. (After Rachel Imeinu, who was Yaakov’s primary wife, died, Yaakov moved his bed into the tent of the concubine, Bilhah. Reuven felt this was an affront to the honor of his mother, Leah Imeinu). Yehudah’s role concerning his inappropriate relationship with Tamar, which almost led to her execution, was the reason for his confession of guilt….

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

Moshe Marcovich In 5781, V'zos HaBrachah

Bnei Yisrael bewailed Moshe… for thirty days; then the tearful mourning for Moshe ended. Yehoshua ben Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moshe laid his hands on him. (34:8,9)

Moshe Rabbeinu had no equal. Thus, he left behind no one that had achieved his level of prophecy. Never would there be another Rabbeinu such as Moshe. The grief over his passing was palpable due to the irreparable loss. Even grief over Moshe, however, must come to an end. Yehoshua, Moshe’s able and devoted talmid, disciple, became his successor as the nation’s Rebbe and leader. The Torah was passed to him, as he carried on Moshe’s legacy. Moshe laid his hands on him, giving him semicha, ordaining him to take over. With the laying of hands, a portion of Moshe’s…

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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)

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)

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)

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)

ולא קם נביא עוד בישראל כמשה

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

ולא ידע איש את קבורתו עד היום הזה

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

וימת שם משה עבד ד'

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

וזאת הברכה אשר ברך משה... את בני ישראל לפני מותו

And this is the blessing that Moshe… bestowed upon Bnei Yisrael before his death. (33:1)

יחי ראובן ואל ימת... וזאת ליהודה ויאמר

May Reuven live and not die… and this to Yehudah, and he said. (33:67)

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

Bnei Yisrael bewailed Moshe… for thirty days; then the tearful mourning for Moshe ended. Yehoshua ben Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moshe laid his hands on him. (34:8,9)

YEARS

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