[Par-reg] For Veetchanan - shiur #1
Menachem Leibtag
tsc at bezeqint.net
Fri Jul 19 00:53:44 EDT 2013
*********************************************
****************
THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]
In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag
*********************************************
****************
for PARSHAT VA-ETCHANAN - shiur
#1
Understanding the speech in
chapter four
Pretend that you were there! It's a
great frame of mind
to put yourself in when reading Parshat
Ve'etchanan, as it
will definitely help you 'put all of its
pieces together'.
In the following shiur, that's exactly
what we'll do;
i.e. by considering when, why, and where
Moshe is giving his
speech - and pretending as though we were
there - we will
follow its flow of topic in an attempt to
better appreciate
its content.
INTRODUCTION
Last week's shiur discussed how the
first 26 chapters of
Sefer Devarim divide into two speeches:
The introductory speech (chapters 1-4);
The speech of mitzvot (chapters 5-26);
In that 'main speech' (5-26), Moshe Rabeinu
teaches the
special set of laws (originally given at Har
Sinai) that
Bnei Yisrael must keep as they establish
their nation in the
Promised Land; while the 'introductory
speech' served as
both an explanation why forty years had
passed since those
laws were first given, as well as a
'pep-talk' to encourage
the nation not to allow this new opportunity
to fail.
In that shiur, we followed the first three
chapters of
the introductory speech - and now we continue
that
discussion, to explain the wide range of
topics that Moshe
Rabeinu discusses in chapter 4.
LAWS ABOUT LAWS
Let's begin, by noting how the opening line
of chapter
four relates directly to the main speech:
"And now, O Israel, listen to the 'chukim
u'mishpatim'
which I teach you, to do them; that you
shall live, and
go in and possess the land which the LORD,
the God of
your fathers has given you." (4:1)
[Recall how the main speech begins with
almost the
identical phrase - Listen all Israel to
the 'chukim
u'mishpatim' that I'm telling you
today..." (see 5:1).
Should you like further proof, compare
4:1 with 5:28-
6:3, see also our intro shiur to Sefer
Devarim!]
In other words, the opening line in chapter
four does not
introduce the laws that will follow in
chapter four, rather
it refers to the lengthy set of laws that
will follow in
chapters 5 thru 26. Instead, chapter four
itself will
include a set of guidelines, warnings, and
insights that
Moshe will now instruct Bnei Yisrael - to
encourage them to
keep those laws that he intends to teach them
in his main
speech.
Sounds a little complicated? It's really
not. Just
follow the flow of topics in chapter four,
and pretend that
you were standing there in Arvot Moav,
listening to Moshe
Rabeinu at this critical time in Jewish
history; as he is
about to teach as long set of laws before his
death, and the
nation is about to enter the land (where they
must keep
these laws).
For our first example, let's take a look at
the next
pasuk in chapter four:
"You shall not add unto the word which I
command you, nor
shall you diminish from it, to keep the
commandments of
the LORD your God which I [am about to]
command you."
(4:2)
Even though this is the famous law of
"bal tosif" [not
to add to (or take away from) any of God's
mitzvot] - it is
not just one law among a list of many others.
Rather it is
a general principle that will relate to all
the laws that
will follow in the main speech. In essence,
Moshe is
telling the people, I'm about to teach you a
lengthy set of
laws; but before we begin - a reminder that
no individual
has the right to add or take away from them.
This general
warning is followed by yet another:
"Your eyes have seen what Hashem did in
Baal-peor; for
all the men that followed the Baal Peor,
Hashem has
destroyed from your midst - But you who
did cleave unto
God are alive - every one of you this day.
(4:3-4)
In a rather indirect manner, Moshe reminds
the nation
that it doesn't pay to disobey God, for only
a short time
ago, those who did were smitten, while those
who followed
God survived - and hence are still alive to
hear this
speech!
[This also explains why Moshe had just
mentioned (right
before he began this section of the speech)
that Bnei
Yisrael were encamped in Arvot Moav "in the
valley
opposite Beit Peor" (see 3:29).]
With this in mind, we continue our analysis
of chapter
four, noting how the next section as well
relates to the
mitzvot that will follow in the main speech.
OR LA'GOYIM - THE REASON FOR THESE MITZVOT
From a thematic perspective, the next
set of psukim are
some of the most important in Chumash, for
the they explain
how all mankind will benefit should Bnei
Yisrael keep these
mitzvot (in their land) in the proper manner:
Behold, I am teaching you 'chukim
u'mishpatim' - that God
has commanded me - to keep them in the land
that you know
prepare to possess. Observe them and keep
them; for this
is your wisdom and your understanding in
the eyes of the
nations, that, when they hear all these
laws, they will
conclude: 'Surely this great nation is a
wise and
understanding people. - For what great
nation is there, that
has God so close unto them, as Hashem is to
us whenever we
call upon Him? And what great nation is
this, that has
'chukim u'mishpatim' that are so righteous
as all this law,
which I set before you this day!" (4:5-8)
This section provides us with conclusive
proof that
chapter four serves as an introduction to the
main speech.
Before actually teaching these laws [i.e. the
'chukim
u'mishpatim' of the main speech], Moshe
Rabeinu first explains
why it is so important for Bnei Yisrael to
keep them. They
are not only for your own good (see "l'maan
tichyu" at end of
4:1), but they are also for the good of all
mankind. This
explanation also ties in beautifully with our
explanation (in
our shiurim on Sefer Breishit) for why God
had originally
chosen Avraham Avinu - to bring a blessing
for all mankind
(see Breishit 12:1-3 and 18:18-19). By
diligently keeping the
laws of Sefer Devarim, Bnei Yisrael will
become a 'model
nation', showing a behavior that other
nations can learn from.
[See also Yeshayahu 2:1-5 and 42:5-6.]
REMEMBERING MOUNT SINAI
At this point in the speech (i.e.
beginning with 4:9),
there appears to be a sudden change of topic:
"Only be careful... lest you forget the
things that your
eyes saw... the day that you stood before
Hashem at Chorev,
when God instructed me: 'Assemble the
people, and I will
make them hear My words that they may learn
to fear Me all
the days that they live upon the earth, and
that they may
teach their children.' Then you came near
and stood under
the mountain; the mountain burned with
fire... (see 4:9-11)
For some reason, Moshe now reminds Bnei
Yisrael of what
happened at Har Sinai, warning them not to
forget what they
saw. But why should this special warning be
included in these
introductory remarks that preface the main
speech?
To answer this question, we must
consider how the main
speech begins. Recall (from chapter five)
how Moshe begins
that speech by explaining that the 'chukim
u'mishpatim' (that
he is about to teach) were part of covenant
with God (see 5:1-
3), and even though God had spoken its first
'ten
commandments' directly to Bnei Yisrael (see
5:4), the
remainder of these laws were given via Moshe,
as the people
became fearful (see 5:5 & 5:20-28!).
With this in mind, let's read on in
Moshe's speech in
chapter four, as he explains exactly why he
has mentioned what
happened at Har Sinai, and we'll find a very
similar detail:
"And God spoke unto you out of the midst of
the fire; you
heard the voice of words, but you saw no
form; only a voice.
And He declared unto you His covenant,
which He commanded
you to perform, the ten statements; and He
wrote them upon
two tables of stone. And then God
commanded me at that time
to teach you the chukim u'mishpatim, so
that you would keep
them in the land that you go over to
possess" (see 4:12-14)
In other words, these details of what
transpired at Har
Sinai, which Moshe talks about in chapter
four, relate
directly to the main speech. Now, a different
question arises.
If he discusses all these details in chapter
five, why does he
include them as well in chapter four?
One could suggest an answer based on the
psukim that
follow, by considering the unique situation
that Moshe Rabeinu
now finds himself.
To do so, we must first study the next set
of psukim, noting
the sudden transition of topic to idol
worship:
"Take heed - for you saw no manner of form
on the day that
the God spoke unto you in Chorev out of the
midst of the
fire -- lest you deal corruptly, and make
a graven image,
even the form of any figure, the likeness
of male or female,
the likeness of any beast... (see 5:15-17)
This sudden transition seems rather
strange. First of
all, what does idol worship have to do with
what Bnei Yisrael
saw (or didn't see) at Har Sinai? Secondly,
if this speech in
chapter four is of introductory nature, why
include a specific
mitzvah such as idol worship - a law that
will appear numerous
times in the main speech itself (see 6:14,
7:4-5, 8:19, 12:1-
3; 29-30 etc.).
To complicate matters, take a look for a
minute at the
strange list of examples of 'forms' that
Moshe warns them not
make:
the likeness of male or female,
the likeness of any beast that is on the
earth,
the likeness of any winged fowl that fly in
the heaven,
the likeness of any thing that creeps on
the ground,
the likeness of any fish that is in the
water under the
earth; ... lest you lift your eyes to
heaven, and be drawn
to worship: the sun
the moon
the stars,
even all the host of heaven... (see
4:15-20)
First of all, why is Moshe 'giving them
ideas' for what they
are not supposed to do? Secondly, it's quite
obvious that
this 'list' is taken directly from the story
of Creation in
chapter one of Sefer Breishit [note the
opposite order, from
day 6, 5, & 4]!
Furthermore, what does any of this have to
do with what Bnei
Yisrael didn't see at Har Sinai?
In the midst of all this, we find yet
another sudden
change of topic, where Moshe mentions once
again the fact that
he's not going with them into the Promised
Land:
"But God was angered with me for your
sakes, and swore that
I should not go over the Jordan, and that I
should not go in
unto that good land, which Hashem has given
you; for I must
die in this land, I must not go over the
Jordan; but you are
to go over, and possess that good land."
(4:21-22)
Then, immediately after interjecting
this comment, Moshe
returns once again to the topic of idol
worship, including one
final warning:
"Take heed, lest you forget the covenant of
God, which He
made with you, and make a graven image,
even the likeness of
any thing which Hashem has forbidden you.
For Hashem is a
devouring fire, a zealous God." (see
4:23-24)
At first glance, the flow of topic in
this entire section
- from 4:9 thru 4:24 - seems to be very
disjoint, and totally
unrelated to the main speech that it is
supposed to be
introducing.
To understand what's going on, we must
consider once
again the current predicament that Bnei
Yisrael now face.
IT'S HAPPENED BEFORE
Recall that this will be that last time
that Moshe will
teach these laws to Bnei Yisrael. As he
explains in this
speech over and over again, he won't be
crossing the Jordan
River with them into the land - but this very
fact creates a
new danger.
It is specifically because he has been
the intermediary
to teach God's laws [since the Ten
Commandments were given],
that Moshe is so worried of what will be once
he passes on.
Undoubtedly, upon his death, the people would
want to do
something special to remember him, to
commemorate his memory
and legacy.
[Is that not what every nation does for its
past leaders?]
In fact, that is exactly what happened
forty years earlier,
when Moshe had left for some forty days and
the people were
almost sure that he was gone forever (see
Shmot 32:1).
Despite the positive aspect of a request to
create some
'replacement' for Moshe, the negative result
was the sin of
the 'golden calf'!
[Ssee Shmot 32:1-7 / note parallel "lech
red ki SHICHET
amcha" with "pen TASHCHITOON v'asitem
pesel..."). See also
our shiur on Parshat Ki-tisa, as well as
the interpretations
of Ramban and Sefer ha'Kuzari re: Aaron's
positive
intentions, even though it led to that
sin.]
Once he ascends Har Nevo to die, the
people will soon
realize that this time, he's not coming back.
What will Bnei
Yisrael do upon Moshe's death? Is it not
logical to assume
that someone would take an initiative to
commemorate his
memory?
AVODA ZARA L'SHEM SHAMAYIM
Moshe Rabeinu has good reason to worry
that the people
may want to make some image to remember their
great leader,
but he also knows that the people are well
aware that Second
Commandment forbids that they make any
'graven image'.
Therefore, he is worried that the people make
look for a
'loophole' by assuming that even though a
graven image of
another god is forbidden, nonetheless, an
image taken from the
story of Creation would not fall under that
category, and
hence may be permitted.
Possibly, they could choose from a wide
range of images from
stories in Chumash that would serve as an
eternal reminder
that Moshe had given them Torah that contains
those stories.
[After all, in the Mishkan, the "keruvim"
are used as a
symbol of God's presence. Are not the
"keruvim" as well a
symbol from the story of Creation in the
Torah, as the
protected the path to Gan Eden! (see
Breishit 3:24)
With this 'fear' in mind, let's return to
our study of
chapter four, to explain the flow of topic
between each
section.
As Moshe will be emphasizing in his main
speech that he will
be teaching God's laws, even though they were
originally given
by God at Har Sinai (see 5:1-28) - his
primary goal in the
section from 4:9-24 is to make sure that the
people won't make
an image of any sort to 'commemorate' him as
God's messenger.
Therefore, he begins with a quick review of
what happened at
Har Sinai (4:9-14), warning 'not to forget'
that they saw no
image of God, only his voice [and hence -
they should make no
image to commemorate that event].
Nonetheless, after those
events, Moshe was commanded to continue to
teach them God's
laws (4:14) - but unlike God Himself, Moshe
they saw (and
heard). Hence in 4:15-20, Moshe warns the
nation not to make
any image to remember Matan Torah - even
using imagery from
the Creation story in the Bible!
This explains why Moshe then reminds the
people once again
that he won't be going with them (4:21-22) -
followed by one
final warning not to make any graven image
[even with good
intentions] - for even that is considered a
transgression of
the second Commandment (see 4:23-24).
AN ETERNAL COVENANT
In the final section of his speech
(4:25-40), Moshe warns
that should Bnei Yisrael follow other gods,
He will exile them
for their land:
"When you shall have children, and
children's children, and
be living for along time in the land, and
shall deal
corruptly, and make a graven image, even
the form of any
thing....
I call heaven and earth to witness against
you this day,
that you shall soon utterly perish from off
the land....
And God will scatter you among the
peoples...
And there you shall serve gods, the work of
men's hands..."
(see 4:25-28)
Why should Moshe mention this
possibility of Exile even
before they even enter the Land? Certainly,
this doesn't seem
to be information that will encourage the
people to conquer
the land!
If we consider once again the
forthcoming topic of the
main speech, we can suggest an answer.
Recall that the laws of the main speech
are part of a
covenant between God and His people (see
5:1-3). Even though
Moshe makes it quite clear that Bnei Yisrael
cannot break
their side of the covenant; one may conclude
that should Bnei
Yisrael sin to such a degree that God would
exile them - that
Exile could be 'misunderstood' by the people
that God has left
them for ever.
Hence, Moshe Rabeinu must explain in
4:29-31 that no
matter how severe their punishment may be,
Bnei Yisrael will
remain forever God's nation, and ultimately
He will return
them to the Promised Land (after they have
done proper
repentance):
"Then you will seek Hashem and find Him, if
you search after
Him with all thy heart and with all thy
soul. In your
distress, when all these things will come,
in the end of
days, you will return to Hashem and hearken
unto His
voice... (see 4:29-31)
As God's purpose in choosing a special
nation is eternal,
His covenant with them remains eternal as
well.
LEARN FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE
Finally, in 4:32-39, Moshe summarizes
all the great
wonders that the nation has witnessed since
the Exodus, to
encourage them to solidify their belief in
God - and properly
face the challenges that await them:
"For ask now of the days past... since the
day that God
created man upon the earth, and from the
one end of heaven
unto the other, whether there hath been any
such thing as
this great thing is, or hath been heard
like it?
* Did ever a people hear the voice of God
speaking out of
the midst of the fire, as you have heard,
and live?
* Has God ever taken a nation from the
midst of another
nation, by trials, by signs, and by
wonders, and by war,
and by a mighty hand, and by an
outstretched arm...
* This was shown to you that you should
know that Hashem,
He is God; there is none else beside Him.
* Out of heaven He made you hear His
voice...
* And because He loved your fathers... he
brought you out
of Egypt with His presence, with great
power... to give
you their land for an inheritance, as it
is this day;
Therefore, know this day, and lay it to
your heart, that
Hashem, He is God in heaven above and upon
the earth
beneath; there is none else." (see
4:32-39)
As this speech introduces the lengthy
speech of laws that
will follow in chapter five, Moshe Rabeinu
concludes this
preface with fitting reminder:
"And you shall keep [God's] laws and
commandments which I
command you this day, that it will be good
for you and your
children, and so that you may prolong your
days upon the
land, which Hashem has given you, for
ever." (see 4:40)
THE INTERLUDE
After completing this introductory
speech, as an
'interlude' before the main speech begins,
Moshe takes this
opportunity to designate the three cities of
refuge in
Transjordan (see 4:41-43 and Rashi's
commentary). Then the
Torah introduces the main speech with the
famous pasuk of
"v'zot ha'Torah asher sam Moshe lifnei Bnei
Yisrael..."
(4:44), which leads us directly into the main
speech in
chapter five.
The deeper meaning of that phrase "v'zot
ha'Torah", used
numerous times at key points in Sefer
Devarim, will be
discussed iy"h in future shiur, till then;
shabbat shalom,
menachem
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mail.atlchai.org/pipermail/par-reg/attachments/20130719/f5da59c8/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: veet3.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 36001 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mail.atlchai.org/pipermail/par-reg/attachments/20130719/f5da59c8/attachment-0001.pdf>
More information about the Par-reg
mailing list