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The concluding pasuk of the Torah describes Moshe Rabbeinu’s greatest feat as the quintessential leader of Klal Yisrael and its consummate rebbe. His acceptance of the Luchos in his two hands and his subsequent shattering of them in the presence of the entire Jewish nation – because he felt that their sin concerning the Golden Calf negated the message of the Luchos – are considered Moshe’s greatest moments, the epitaph by which he is to be remembered. Moshe lived an incredible life of dedication to Hashem and to His nation. He achieved a position of leadership unparalleled, yet, he is…

This is a nice ending to the Torah that Hashem gave to Klal Yisrael through Moshe Rabbeinu. In fact, this pasuk, describing Moshe’s shattering of the Luchos, serves as the quintessential leader’s epitaph, his greatest moment, and most significant achievement. What about the Jewish People? It is not very comforting to know that the Torah ends with their iniquity. Is it really that important to conclude the Torah with a recap of one of the most serious errors in Jewish history? Horav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, zl, suggests that, in effect, this conclusion to the Torah is far from a critique…