[Par-reg] For Parshat Va'yelech

Thu Sep 22 03:00:38 EDT 2011

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        THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

            In Memory of Rabbi Abraham
Leibtag

      Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

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                      For PARSHAT  VA'YELECH

      Were we all at Ma'amad Har Sinai?
According to "pshat," only the generation
that left Egypt was granted this privilege.
According to the popular Midrash, however,
the "neshama" [soul] of every Jew, of every
generation, witnessed that momentous event. 

      In this week's shiur, as we study
Parshat Va'yelech, we will show how the
mitzvah of HAKHEL helps 'bridge this gap'
between "pshat" & "drash."

INTRODUCTION

      Our study of Sefer Devarim thus far has
focused on the centrality of Moshe Rabeinu's
main speech (chapters 5->26), which details
the mitzvot that Bnei Yisrael must keep in
the Land.  In our shiur on Parshat Nitzavim,
we discussed how Moshe Rabeinu's final speech
(i.e. chapters 29->30) forms a most
appropriate conclusion for that main speech.

      At this point in Sefer Devarim, i.e. as
Moshe has completed his address, we would
expect to find some concluding remarks and
thus bring Sefer Devarim to a close. Sure
enough, this is exactly what happens in the
opening section of Parshat Va'yelech. Moshe
Rabeinu first bids farewell by explaining why
he can no longer lead (see 31:2), then
introduces his successor - Yehoshua (see
31:3-8), and finally presents the written
version of the Torah (whose mitzvot he has
just completed teaching) to the Leviim and
elders. 

      This indeed would have been an
appropriate conclusion.

      However, the next section (see
31:10-13) - the mitzvah of HAKHEL - i.e. the
commandment to read the Torah in public once
every seven years on the holiday of Succot -
seems glaringly out of place. Did we not
already finish listing all the mitzvot? Did
Moshe not just write down the 'final' version
of the Torah and present it to the Leviim?
Would it not have made more sense to include
the mitzvah of HAKHEL somewhere in Parshat
Re'ay, together with all the other mitzvot
relating to "haMAKOM ashe yivchar Hashem"?

[Note 31:11!/ see shiur on Parshat Re'ay.
(Pay particular attention to 16:12-16.)]

      To understand why the mitzvah of HAKHEL
is recorded specifically at this time, we
must return to Parshat Ki-tavo (and to Sefer
Shmot) to uncover the underlying relationship
between mitzvat HAKHEL and the events at
Ma'amad Har Sinai.

FROM BRIT SINAI TO BRIT HAR EIVAL

      Recall from Parshat Ki-tavo that
immediately upon the completion of his main
speech, Moshe instructs Bnei Yisrael to
gather on Har Eival on the 'day they cross
the Yarden' (see chapters 27->28).  Here they
were to:

a) write down the mitzvot of Sefer Devarim,
to be read and taught to Bnei Yisrael (see
27:1-4,8);

   b) erect a "mizbayach" & offer OLOT &
SHLAMIM /see 27:5-7

c) conduct a covenantal ceremony including
the public reading of the "tochacha" (see
27:11-28:69).

   It is important to note the fundamental
difference between the "tochacha" and the
main speech of Sefer Devarim. The main speech
describes the MITZVOT which Bnei Yisrael must
keep upon entering the Land, while the
"tochacha" describes Bnei Yisrael's REWARD
should they OBEY these mitzvot and their
PUNISHMENT should they DISOBEY. [This can
help us understand why the "tochacha" FOLLOWS
the main speech]

      To understand the reason for this
additional "brit" on Har Eival, let's
consider the parallel between this ceremony
and that which took place at Har Sinai forty
years earlier (see Shmot 24:3-11). There (as
well), we find that Moshe:

      a) writes down the laws and reads them
to the nation;

      b) erects a "mizbayach" and offers OLOT
& SHLAMIM;

      c) conducts a covenantal ceremony.

[Note that a "tochacha" was presented at Har
Sinai, as well, as recorded in Parshat
Bchukotei - see Vayikra 26:3-46.  See also
Chizkuni's explanation of "sefer ha'brit" in
Shmot 24:7!]

      Considering that the vast majority of
the people of this new generation (i.e. those
who are about to enter the Land) were not
present at the original ceremony, this new
generation must 'relive' the HAR SINAI
experience.  Since it will now become their
duty - to fulfill the destiny originally
planned for their parents' generation - they
too must undergo a similar experience.

      [Note: In Sefer Yehoshua we find many
other parallels between "dor yotzei
mitzrayim" and "dor knisa la'aretz," most
probably for the very same reason. See end of
chapter 8.]

FROM HAR EIVAL TO HAKHEL

      For a similar reason, we can explain
the reason for recording the mitzvah of
HAKHEL in Parshat Va'yelech.  Needless to
say, the covenant of Sinai is binding for all
generations (see 29:12-14). Nevertheless,
just as it was necessary to 'recreate' that
experience forty years later for the new
generation on Har Eival, the mitzvah of
HAKHEL will recreate that experience for all
future generations. Once every seven years,
Am Yisrael must 'relive' MA'AMAD HAR SINAI as
the men, women, and children gather at the
Beit Ha'Mikdash on Chag ha'Succot for a
public celebration to hear the Torah. The
Torah will be read in public (see 31:9-13)
just as it was at Har Sinai (see Shmot
24:4-7), and just as it was at Har Eival (see
27:3,8).

      This interpretation is supported by the
Torah's explicit reason for the mitzvah of
HAKHEL:

      "HAKHEL ET HA'AM - Gather together the
nation, the men, the women, and the
children... in order that they HEAR and in
order that they will LEARN and fear their
God, and they will faithfully keep all the
words of this TORAH. And their children WHO
DO NOT KNOW [i.e. those who were not at the
last ceremony] will listen and learn to fear
God, for all of the days that they are alive
on the land which you are now crossing to
inherit." (31:12-13)

OLOT & SHLAMIM - ALIYAH LA'REGEL

      However, for our parallel to be
complete, we would expect to find a mitzvah
to offer korbanot of OLOT & SHLAMIM - just as
was the case at Har Sinai and Har Eival. Why
don't we find them in the Torah's commandment
of HAKHEL?

      One could suggest that this relates to
the timing of HAKHEL - on SUCCOT. Recall that
on SUCCOT every individual is obligated to
offer OLOT and SHLAMIM to fulfill the mitzvah
of "aliyah l'regel" (see 16:16-17 and
Mesechet Shkalim).

      Therefore, by performing this mitzvah
on Succot at the Beit Ha'Mikdash, the element
of korbanot of OLOT & SHLAMIM is present, and
our parallel to Ma'amad Har Sinai is
complete. [Recall as well our shiur Parshat
Terumah that expalined why the
Mishkan/Mikdash itself is simply a model (and
perpetuation) of Ma'amad Har Sinai!]

WHY HERE?

      With this background, we can explain
why Moshe orders the mitzvah of HAKHEL
specifically now as he presents the Leviim
and the elders the 'official copy' of the
Torah. The mitzvah of HAKHEL is not 'just
another mitzvah' in Sefer Devarim - it
relates to the entire sefer!  The purpose of
this mitzvah is to periodically remind Bnei
Yisrael of their obligation to keep ALL the
mitzvot of Sefer Devarim, which Moshe had
just finished teaching. Therefore, it is
given when the Sefer itself is given over the
Leviim for 'safe-keeping'.

      [Iy"h, in next week's shiur we will
explain why this mitzvah is followed by the
SHIRA.]

A PARALLEL PURPOSE

      The need to periodically teach these
mitzvot at a NATIONAL gathering emphasizes
yet another significant aspect of Matan
Torah. The ultimate purpose of the mitzvot of
Sefer Devarim is not only to enable each
individual to develop his own, personal
relationship with God, but also to create an
"am kadosh" (a holy nation) in the Land of
Israel - a nation that can properly represent
God to the other nations. 

      This perspective is supported by yet
another textual parallel between the mitzvah
of HAKHEL and the description of "Ma'amad Har
Sinai," as depicted earlier in Sefer Devarim
(4:5-14). Precisely in the same 'parshia'
where Sefer Devarim explains the ultimate,
national purpose for keeping these mitzvot,
we find a parallel description of Ma'amad Har
Sinai:

      "See, I have taught you 'chukim &
mishpatim'... for you to keep in the Land
which you are about to enter and conquer.
Keep them and do them, for they are the proof
of your wisdom and discernment IN THE EYE OF
THE NATIONS, who, upon hearing these laws,
will say... For what a great nation that has
God so close to it...  and what great nation
has laws and rules as perfect as this
Torah..."     (4:5-8)

      That parsha then continues with a
commandment not to forget Ma'amad Har Sinai:

      "But take utmost care ... NOT TO FORGET
the things you saw with your own eyes and so
that they do not fade from your memory as
long as you live, and MAKE THEM KNOWN TO YOUR
CHILDREN AND CHILDREN'S CHILDREN - The DAY
YOU STOOD BEFORE GOD AT HAR CHOREV ("ma'amad
har sinai") when Hashem told me GATHER THE
PEOPLE TOGETHER that I may let them hear my
words... (4:9-11)

      Now we will study this parallel - using
transliterated Hebrew - by carefully reading
the psukim concerning Har Sinai & Hakhel
[note the repetition of several key words]:

AT HAR SINAI (4:10-12):

      "yom asher amad'ta lifnei Hashem
Elokecha b'Chorev b'emor Hashem alei HAK'HEL
LI ET HA'AM v'ASH'MI'EIM et dvarei asher
YIL'M'DUN L'YIRAH oti KOL HA'YAMIM, asher
heym CHAYIM AL HA'ADAMA v'et B'NEIHEM
y'LAMEIDUN."

AT HAK'HEL (31:12-13):

      "HAK'HEL ET HA'AM, ha'anashim
v'ha'nashim v'hataf ... l'maan YISHM'U
ul'maan YIL'M'DU v'YA'RU et Hashem....
u'B'NEIHEM asher lo ya'du, YISH'M'U v'LAM'DU
l'YIRAH et Hashem KOL HA'YAMIM asher atem
CHAYIM AL HA'ADAMA."

[It is easier just to compare them by
yourself in the actual Hebrew.]

      Similarly, the Torah in Devarim 18:16
refers to the day of Matan Torah as Yom
ha'KAHAL. [Note also "k'halchem" in 5:19.]

      Both these textual and thematic
parallels point to a clear connection between
the mitzvah of HAKHEL and Ma'amad Har Sinai. 

JEWISH CONTINUITY

      This background in "pshat" can possibly
help us better understand the Midrash that
every Jewish "neshama" was present at Ma'amad
Har Sinai. One could explain that as members
of the Jewish nation and our shared eternal
destiny, each and every one of us was indeed
present at Har Sinai. Nonetheless, to impress
upon each new generation the importance of
Ma'amad Har Sinai, there remains a need to
recreate that experience (ideally through the
mitzvah of HAKHEL).

      Today, in the absence of the Beit
Ha'Mikdash, we cannot fulfill the mitzvah of
HAKHEL. Nevertheless, we can still utilize
our 'Tishrei gatherings' [in 'shul' - the
"mikdash m'at"] on Rosh Ha'shana, Yom Kippur,
and Succot to help achieve (at least
partially) the important goals of HAKHEL - at
both the individual and national levels.

                                    shabbat
shalom,

                                    menachem

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FOR FURTHER IYUN

A. Note the opening and closing psukim of
Sefer KOHELET. Based on those psukim, can you
find a conceptual relationship between Sefer
KOHELET and the mitzvah HAKHEL? [Keep in mind
Devarim 31:12-13!] 

      Does this help explain our minhag to
read sefer Kohelet on the shabbat of Succot?

      Can you find a relate Sefer Kohelet to
the time of year of Succot?

B. Review the HAKHEL psukim again and pay
attention to the emphasis on "yirat
Shamayim." Compare this emphasis with the
purpose of Ma'amad Har Sinai as described by
Moshe himself in Shmot 20:17. Notice the two
distinct functions Moshe mentions. How does
the element of "nasot etchem" come into play
at HAKHEL? Compare Rashbam's interpretation
with the Rambam's comments towards the end of
Hilchot Chagiga 3:6 ("l'chazek dat ha'emet").

Additionally, see Dvarim 14:23. Could
"ma'aser sheni" serve as a "miniature" form
of HAKHEL? [See Ramban 14:22 and Rashbam
14:23.] 

C. The m'forshim offer different bases for
the relationship between HAKHEL and shmitta.
Of particular interest to us is that of Rav
Dovid Tzvi Hoffman, who compares the
cessation of agricultural work during shmitta
to the wilderness, which he views as the
perfect setting for the preparations for
Matan Torah. Note the machloket among the
m'forshim on Chumash as to whether Hakhel
takes place at the beginning or end of the
shmita year, and the various reasons given
therefor. 

      How does this relate to the parallel to
Har Sinai?

      Relate to the fact that if one was not
permitted to work his field for an entire
year (during shemitah), it was likely that he
could dedicate that year to Torah study.

D. The Torah requires that specifically the
melech read the Torah in public at Hakhel.
Suggest various reasons based on the content
of Sefer Devarim that would explain this
halacha.

E. According to 'pshat,' it would appear that
the Sefer Torah that Hashem commands to be
placed next to the Aron is only Sefer
Devarim. Note the machloket rishonim on this
topic (see 31:9 & 31:24-26).

            [Be sure to see at least Ramban.]

1. Try to explain the reason for this
machloket.

2. Why is this Torah placed next to the Aron?
What does the Aron contain?

3. As usual, relate this to the shiurim thus
far on Sefer Dvarim.

F. Based on the above shiur, why do you think
the Rambam records the halachot of Hakhel in
Hilchot Chagiga rather than Hilchot Shmita &
Yovel?

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