Insight
on the Weekly Reading
To be read on Shabbat Nitzavim-Vayelech,
25 Elul 5774/Sept. 20, 2014
Torah: Deut. 29:9-31:30
Haftorah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9 (7th of the
Seven Haftorahs of Consolation)
Pirkei Avot:
Chapters 5-6
Nitzavim (Deuteronomy
29:9-30:20) opens with G-d making a covenant with the Jews, establishing
them as His nation. He tells them that if they stray from the
Torah, evil will befall them, but that when they return they will
be rewarded with blessings, and will be returned to their land.
G-d sets before them the choice between good and evil, but warns
them to stay away from evil.
Vayelech (Deut. 31:1-30) opens with Moshe telling the
Jews that he has reached the age of 120 and will not be entering
the Land of Israel with them. He summons Joshua in front of the
Jewish people, telling them that he will lead them into the land,
and that they should be strong and brave. Moshe tells them about
Hakhel, that at every seven years, during the festival
of Sukkot, they should gather the men, women and children together,
and read the specified portions from the Torah. Moshe wrote 13
Torah scrolls, one for each of the tribes, and one for the Ark.
Nitzavim is
the 8th Reading out of 11 in Deuteronomy and it contains
2575 letters, in 657 words, in 40 verses
Vayelech is the 9th Reading out of 11 in
Deuteronomy and it contains 2123 letters, in 553
words, in 30 verses
 An
essay from
Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
:This week has a double parsha reading. The second parsha is called
Vayelech, which means 'he walked' or 'he went'. It begins with the
verse "And Moshe went and spoke these things to all of Israel"
(Devarim 31/1). On the phrase, "And Moshe went", the Ibn
Ezra explains that Moshe went from tribe to tribe informing them
of his impending passing, but that this should not be a source of
fear because "The L-rd your G-d is going with you (31/6). Yesod
Ha'avodah says that Moshe 'went' into the hearts of the Jews; that
each and every Jew from then on has a spark of Moshe in his heart.
Ilna Dechaya explains that Moshe 'went' to illuminate in every generation.
The Ba'al Toldos brings that Moshe is characterized as being zealous
and quick to do G-d's will. The phrase here emphasizes Moshe's continued
holy haste even in his last hour. The Noam Megidim explains that
a person may rise in levels of spirituality only if his or her actions
are selflessly directed at benefiting all of the Jewish people.
This verse demonstrates how Moshe 'went'-spiritual elevation-due
to his selfless behavior for the sake of 'all of Israel.' We have
much to learn from Moshe.
The name of the parsha ("Vayelech") denotes walking.
The 'walking' of Vayelech is seen in that Shabbat escorts-walks-the
rest of the days of the following week from one spiritual rung to
another higher one as we are constantly working to rise in holiness.
Each individual Shabbat is the day which blesses all the days of
the coming week. So this Shabbat blesses all of the new year's Shabbats
which in turn bless all of the weekdays of the year. This especially
makes sense because Shabbat is on a higher spiritual level than
the holidays-even higher than Rosh Hashanah.
May you be inscribed for a good and sweet New Year!
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
(for a free weekly email subscription,
click
here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this week's Reading,
see the archive.
____________________________________________
This
week's story from Yerachmiel Tilles, managing editor of ascentofsafed.com
and kabbalaonline.org
From
the Kabbalah Commentaries on the Chumash ("5
Books of Moses")
13th
century - "RambaN"
- Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman
14th
century - "Bachya"
- Rabbi Bachya ben Asher
16th
century - "Alsheich"
- Rabbi Moshe Alshech of Tsfat
17th
century - "Shelah"
- Rabbi Yeshaiya Horowitz
18th
century - "Ohr HaChayim"
- Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar
a sample for this week:
Rabbeinu
Bachya
"The hidden (sins) are for G-d, whereas the revealed
(sins) are for us and our children forever to deal with."
(29:28)
I have heard it said in the name of Maimonides about this
verse that the words "The hidden (sins) are for
G-d," refer to the fact that mystical dimensions
of the Torah, such as the true reason behind the various
commandments, are the exclusive domain of the L-rd; if man
succeeds in revealing even a small portion of such reasons,
this does not excuse him from fulfilling the respective
commandment in accordance with what the Torah has revealed
as written, even if we are certain that seeing we know the
true reason for them this would make performance redundant
in our eyes. This is the meaning of, "What has been
revealed we are duty bound to fulfill forever more."
(Selected with
permission from the seven-volume English edition of The
Torah Commentary of Rabbeinu Bachya, as translated and annotated
by Eliyahu Munk. Rabbi Bachya ben Asher [1255-1340] of Saragosa,
Spain, was the outstanding pupil of Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet
(the "Rashba"), a main disciple of Rabbi Moshe
ben Nachman (the "Ramban"). Several books have
been written about the Kabballah-based portions of R. Bachya's
commentary. )
For the rest of "The Masters of Kabbala and Chumash"
on this Weekly Reading;
and on all the other Readings.
|
FROM
THE SAGES OF TSFAT AND GALILEE ON KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically,
for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary
Kabbalists, and more,
click to Netzavim-Vayelech
one sample:
Mystical Classics
 Giving
Yourself
By Binyomin Adilman, based on Ner Yisrael
The concept
of sacrifices is one that is very foreign to the "modern" mind.
We should realize, though, that every sacrifice had to be accompanied
by genuine repentance before it was accepted. Only when one gives
up something of himself does he make a sacrifice that is pleasing
to G-d.
To continue
reading, click here
For a free email subscription to our weekly anthology, click
here.
For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety
of subjects,
click on the icon to go to the our weekly Kabbalah magazine:
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