V’zos HaBrachah – Page 10 – Peninim on the Torah

Moshe Marcovich In 5758, V'zos HaBrachah

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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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, V'zos HaBrachah

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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Moshe Marcovich In 5758, V'zos HaBrachah

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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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

Moreover, I have heard the groans of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves. (6:5)

Upon reading the text, one would think that the use of the word “Ani“, “I (heard)” indicates that it was only Hashem who heard Bnei Yisrael cry. If they had been groaning, why was it only Hashem who heard? The Noam Elimelech explains that the groaning essentially had three manifestations. The first type of cry emanated from the common Jew who had been subjected to back-breaking labor, to the affliction of the Egyptains throwing their baby boys into the Nile River. While most of the people cried over the demeaning and cruel slavery to which they were subjected, there were…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm…I shall take you to Me for a People. (6:6,7)

The Torah employs arba leshonos shel geulah, four expressions of redemption, which allude to the distinct stages of the Jews’ liberation from the Egyptian exile. Horav Gedalyah Shorr, z”l, posits that the four expressions relate as equally to the individual as they do to the entire nation. Every person experienced his own personal redemption from the Egyptian culture. Every individual must liberate himself from the shackles of his own enslavement to the yetzer hora, evil inclination. He cites the Sfas Emes, who says that these expressions coincide with the four elements which comprise man: fire, water, wind and dust. The…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Say to Aharon, take your staff and stretch out your hand.” (7:19)

Moshe Rabbeinu initiated the last seven makos, plagues, while Hashem told Aharon to strike the river and the earth for the first three plagues. Chazal attribute Aharon’s designation to the fact that the river and the earth protected Moshe. He was placed in the river as an infant to be concealed from the Egyptians, and later the earth covered the Egyptian that he had killed. Moshe benefited from two inanimate objects. Therefore, he must demonstrate his gratitude. This seems to be excessive. The middah of hakoras tov, appreciation, is one of the mainstays of character development, but is it necessary…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In Vaeira, 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

And Hashem carried out the word of Moshe, and the frogs died–from the houses, from the courtyards, and from the fields. (8:9)

It did not take long for Pharaoh to beg Moshe to implore Hashem to put a halt to the swarms of frogs that were literally infesting his entire country. Moshe prayed to Hashem and the frogs all died. Chazal tell us that the frogs who had entered the ovens miraculously did not die, either in the oven or afterwards! We may question the remarkable reward received by the frogs. After all, if they were commanded by Hashem to enter the ovens, where else should they have gone? A similar question may be asked regarding Chazal’s statement in the Talmud Pesachim…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

From His right hand He presented a fiery Torah to them. (33:2)

Rashi explains that Hashem presented the Torah to Klal Yisrael accompanied by a display of fire and lightning. The Sifri infers from this pasuk that Torah is analogous to fire. The nature of fire is such that if a man draws too close to it, he will be burnt. If he moves too far away, he will be cold. Similarly, a man can warm himself against the fire which emanates from talmidei chachamim. We live in a cold, uncaring world. To exist, we need the warmth of the Torah as our spiritual leaders teach it to us. In order to…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

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

Moshe Rabbeinu was the quintessential teacher and prophet. The quality of his prophecy was unsurpassed. His leadership and guidance through Klal Yisrael’s infancy as a nation molded its character. Veritably, no one can ever achieve the level of spiritual stature that Moshe realized. The Rambam in Hilchos Teshuvah 5:2 writes, “One should never think that Hashem predetermines the spiritual direction one will take, whether he will be evil or righteous.” This is categorically not true. Indeed, every person has within himself to be a tzaddik as Moshe or a rasha as Yaravam”. Rambam’s statement demands elucidation. While undoubtedly the Torah…

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Rabbi L. Scheinbaum In 5757, V'zos HaBrachah

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

Rashi explains that this refers to Moshe’s initiative to shatter the Luchos right before Klal Yisrael’s eyes. Moshe saw that the people were not ready to accept the Luchos at this point. They had compromised their faith. The Luchos cannot be given on compromise. One must make his whole-hearted commitment to Hashem and trust that He will be present for him at all times. We do not reject Hashem and look for new gods just because, in our minds, Moshe is a little bit late. Thus, Moshe shattered the Luchos for all to see. Horav Chaim Mordechai Katz, zl, was…

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

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

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

Moreover, I have heard the groans of Bnei Yisrael whom Egypt enslaves. (6:5)

I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm…I shall take you to Me for a People. (6:6,7)

And Hashem said to Moshe, “Say to Aharon, take your staff and stretch out your hand.” (7:19)

And Hashem carried out the word of Moshe, and the frogs died–from the houses, from the courtyards, and from the fields. (8:9)

From His right hand He presented a fiery Torah to them. (33:2)

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

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

YEARS

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