| "These are the words which
Moses spoke to all of Israel." (1:1)
The Book of Deuteronomy
begins with Moses chastising the Children of Israel for their transgressions in
the wilderness. When harsh words were necessary, Moses didn't refrain from using
them. However, this was only when addressing "all of Israel"; when speaking
with G-d, Moses consistently defended the Jewish people and acted as their advocate.
This contains a lesson for all Jews, and in particular, Jewish leaders.
(Rabbi
Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev) (from L'Chaim #529) Comments Rashi: "Since
these are words of reproof...he mentions them [only] in allusion out of respect
for Israel." However, we find that the very same sins Moses only hints at
here are explicitly detailed later on in the Torah. This apparent conflict is
resolved by the Midrash: As soon as the Jews heard Moses' words of rebuke they
sincerely repented; when a person repents out of love, "his deliberate sins
are transformed into mitzvot." Thus after the Jews repented Moses was free
to enumerate their sins, as by doing so he was adding to their merits.
(Imrei
Elimelech) (from L'Chaim ) In
transmitting the first four Books, Moses acted strictly as G-d's emissary, repeating
the message word for word without involving his own intellect in the process.
Deuteronomy, however, was filtered through Moshe's intellect and understanding,
in response to the exact needs of the people and its particular spiritual level.
Accordingly, Deuteronomy, given to the Jewish people just prior to their entry
into the land of Israel, and the new lifestyle it would entail, contains many
explanations of concepts that were only alluded to in the first four Books.
(The Lubavitcher Rebbe) "These are the words which Moses spoke unto
all Israel." (1:1)
First and foremost we must note that Moses spoke
"unto all Israel." Moses demanded that the Jews be united and stand
together before he even spoke to them. Unity is the foundation upon which all
else is built.
(Sifri D'rush) "Moshe explained this Torah"
(Deut. 1:5)
Says Rashi: "In seventy languages he explained it to
them".
Why was it necessary to explain the Torah in seventy languages?
Because G-d knew that in the future the Jewish people would be dispersed all over
the world and intermingle with the other nations. He expounded the Torah in seventy
languages so that there would be a spark of Torah in every language and in every
nation.
(from Chidushei Harim (translated from "Sichat HaShavuah"
no. 84)
"You have tarried long enough on this mountain."
(1:6)
The fact that the Jews were not allowed to "tarry" at Mount
Sinai - the place where the Torah was given - teaches us that a Jew must never
be concerned only with himself. Rather, he must try to extend his positive influence
to others, even those who might be far from "Sinai."
(The Lubavitcher
Rebbe) "You've stayed long enough." [1:6]
When a person
"settles" at any level in the service of G-d for a long time, without
progressing further or growing, this in itself is a problem. Everyone is obligated
to be a "goer," continually rising upward in his service of G-d, constantly
increasing in strength and level.
Lichutei Sichot [translated from Sichat
HaShavuah #448]
"How can I alone bear your weight, your burden
and your strife?" (1:12)
Rashi: the "burden" referred
to by Moses was the heretics among the Jewish people.
The heaviest burden
a person can bear is apostasy. The heart of a Jew who believes in G-d is calm
and tranquil, while the heretic must constantly contend with the weight of his
doubts and troubling thoughts."
(Rabbi Nachman of Breslov) "Hear
the causes between your brethren and judge honestly between each person."
(1:16)
"Hear" - he who hears and feels the great love of the Creator
for each Jew - will behave in a manner of "between your brethren" -
getting along with people and appreciating each Jew.
Another explanation:
If you truly want to hear and feel this love of fellow Jews, you should relate
to people in a manner of "between your brethren" - you must be sociable
and civil with them.
(Baal Shem Tov) "The cause that is too
hard for you (literally "from you"), bring to me and I will hear it."
(1:17)
"Know," Nachmanides once told his son, "that whenever
a person derives pleasure from something, he will go to great lengths to find
it permissible, even if it is clearly forbidden. My advice, if you are ever faced
with such a decision, is to remove the element of enjoyment from the equation.
Only then should you examine both alternatives, and G-d will surely illuminate
your path." Added the Baal Shem Tov: "If you ever have trouble deciding
whether something is a mitzva or not, know that the difficulty emanates
'from you.' Remove the element of personal pleasure, ask your question purely
for the sake of heaven, and G-d will give you the wisdom to know what to do."
(Keter Shem Tov)
"In the desert where... G-d carried you..."
[1:31]
As a place undesirable for human habitation, the desert symbolizes
the forces of evil and impurity. Nevertheless, it was specifically there that
g-d carried us, because when a person fights against the temptation of evil, and
is able to overcome it with good, he elevates and "carries" his soul
to the highest of spiritual levels.
(Ohr HaTorah [translated from Sichat HaShavuah
187])
"...Righteousness used to lodge in her [Jerusalem],
but now murderers." [Isaiah 1:21 (haftorah)]
When our agenda is good
deeds, then "righteousness lodges": no one is in a hurry; we don't mind
to push it off to the night or the next day. But when we are tempted to do wrong,
"now murderers": no delay is even considered; we run to do it as soon
as we can.
(Bina L'eitim [translated from Sichat HaShavuah 187])
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"Moses began (ho'il) to explain this law." (Deut. 1:5)
The Hebrew word "ho'il" contains the same letters as "Eliyahu"
- an allusion to the time to come when Elijah the Prophet will answer all our
difficult questions. Also, the questions posed by the last few generations before
Mashiach will be complicated and troublesome; their answer will only be found
through the same self-sacrifice that was shown by Pinchas (identified by our Sages
as Elijah).
(Yalkut Moshe)
"May the L-rd G-d of your fathers
make you a thousand times as many as you are." (Deut. 1:11)
When
will this blessing be fulfilled? In the World to Come, when, as the Prophet Isaiah
states, "The least one shall become a thousand, and the smallest a great
nation." The Jewish people, the "least" and "smallest,"
will multiply one thousand times in number, in fulfillment of Moses' blessing.
(Binyan Ariel) "And I charged your judges at that time, saying,
Hear the causes between your brethren." (Deuteronomy 1:16) It
is only during the present era, "at that time," that it is necessary
to listen to both sides of a dispute to reach a just decision. When Moshiach comes
and ushers in the Messianic era, judgment will be rendered through the sense of
smell, as it states, "He will smell the fear of G-d, and he will not judge
after the sight of his eyes and decide after the hearing of his ears."
(Kedushat Levi) "You shall not provoke them, for I will not give
you any of their land not so much as a foot step..." 2:5 "..not
so much as a foot step": meaning, even only for the sole of the foot to tread
a single step, I do not permit you to enter their land without permission. An
Aggadic interpretation is: [I will not give you of their land] until the day arrives
when the foot will tread upon the Mount of Olives [the Messianic era], as it said:
"And His [G-d's] feet will [figuratively] stand [on that day upon the Mount
of Olives]" (Zech. 14:4).
(Rashi - as published on chabad.org) "The
Vision of Isaiah." [Isaiah 1]
The phrase "Shabbat Chazon" applies
both to "The Vision of Isaiah," the haftorah of retribution read before
Tisha B'Av, and the vision of the future Beit HaMikdash, the Temple, vouchsafed
to every Jew each Shabbat Chazon. They are connected by the principle of 'descent
for the sake of ascent.' This concept applies to our approach to Torah, that each
day we must envision it as being given anew. That requires an interruption. The
interruption between the giving of the Torah each day is similar to the interruption
of sleep. Even during a lengthy interruption, a long sleep, so to speak, we should
not despair, but look forward to and envision the new day of Redemption.
(From
www.Shluchim.org.)
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