Audio Summaries of the daily Chumash portions In loving memory of Ousher Zelig ben Myer HaLevi Z”L
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For comments and inquiries, email itistaught@gmail.comMoshe Prepares to Die
The leadership was in the process of being transferred from Moshe to Yehoshua, so that Shabbos, the Israelites had two leaders.
At that time, Moshe appointed a spokesman for Yehoshua to relay Yehoshua’s words to the nation so that the nation could not later accuse Yehoshua of not speaking up during Moshe’s lifetime.
In this way, both Moshe and Yehoshua (through his spokesman), concluded relating the song to the people.
In this section, Yehoshua is referred to as Hoshea, even though his name had been changed to Yehoshua awhile back (see Bamidbar 13:16) to indicate that Yehoshua maintained his humility in spite of his new higher status.
After concluding the song, Moshe tells them to direct their eyes, heart and ears to the words of the Torah. Rashi cites Sifrei who cites a quote from Yechezkiel (40:4) to teach a kal v’chomer regarding this. The quote from Yechezkiel is an instruction to direct one’s eyes, ears and heart upon the Temple. If this directive is necessary in regards to the Temple which is so tangible and readily visible, how much more necessary is it for something so subtle and complex as the Torah.
Moshe assures them that their toil in Torah will not be in vain but rather they will be rewarded with life for such exertion.
Alternatively, Moshe is teaching them here that every word of Torah without exception has a reward attached to it if properly expounded upon. Rashi gives an example of this in regards to Loton, the price of seir’s sister Timna. Scripture relates that she was Eliphaz ( the son of Esav)’s concubine. Rashi says this is told in order for us to know the high esteem of Avraham that rulers wanted to be connected to his family somehow.
There are three places in scripture where the words בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה (lit. “in the middle of that very day”) are used:
In regards to Noah entering the ark (Breishis 7:13) – this was to serve as an affront to those who threatened to prevent Noah from entering the ark and to split it open with axes and hatchets.
In regards to the Israelites leaving Egypt (Shmos 12:51) – as an affront to those Egyptians who said that they would stop the Israelites if they saw them leaving and kill them with weapons.
Here, in regards to Moshe’s death (Devarim 32:48) – in contrast to those Israelites who said that if they saw Moshe ascending the mountain to die they would prevent him from doing so.
So G-d instructs Moshe to ascend this Mount Avarim to Mount Nevo, which is within Moav, facing Yericho.
He tells him to see the Land of Canaan which He is giving to the Israelites and then die upon that mountain and be gathered to his people.
Moshe’s death is to resemble that of Aaron’s on Mount Chor, which is what Moshe yearned for, wherein Moshe removed Aaron’s garments one by one and dressed Aaron’s son (Eleazar) with them. Aaron then followed the directive of Moshe one by one to: go up on the bed, stretch out his hands, close his eyes and finally to close his mouth, after which he passed away.
G-d tells Moshe that this is happening due to Moshe having caused the nation to rebel against G-d and because Moshe didn’t sanctify G-d when he hit the rock rather than speak to the rock as G-d had commanded. Had Moshe spoken to and not hit the rock, this would have been a sanctification of G-d, since the Israelites would have learned to obey G-d by witnessing that even a rock that is neither punished nor rewarded from its deeds, fulfills the will of G-d.
G-d tells Moshe that this is his last opportunity to see the land which G-d is giving to the Israelites. G-d knows how dear the Land is to Moshe which is why he is giving him this opportunity to see it.
Ha'azinu, 7th Aliya