Giving A Positive Example
Moshe was held to task for not sanctifying Hashem’s name: had he spoken to the Rock (Miriam’s well), people would reason ‘If a rock, having neither Gehennom nor Gan Eden, listens to Hashem, certainly we ought to!’
This means that providing others with an example to learn from is a ‘kiddush Hashem’, because an example inspires people to do good. His Name is thereby sanctified. We can serve as an example to others, showing others our dedication to Hashem, and that He ought to be worshiped. This is a kiddush Hashem, the highest form of avodah!
***
Calling To Witness
Moshe called Heaven and Earth to hear his words and bear witness. Can a clod of dirt bear witness?
The Gemarah in Taanis exclaims ‘How great is the power of trust!’ It tells of a boy and girl who promised to marry each other, calling a well and a weasel to witness. Those witnesses enforced their testimony, by killing the children of the one who broke the promise. They delivered on their trust.
Certainly if someone takes Hashem as his trust, – sums up the Gemarah, – he will be vindicated. For a witness vindicates and enforces their Trust.
In fact we find the idea of establishing witness expressed in several places in the Torah. The stone pile and standing-stone (dolmen?) that Yaakov and Lavan set up, were so that they bear witness between them: ‘This stone-pile is witness and this matzeva is witness…’ Even a rock can be a witness.
Question: what is the nature of this witness? Do they actually proclaim their testimony, or just ensure that things are fulfilled? By what mechanism would this be??
***
Our Very Own Bubba Meises
Hashem says that the Jews have angered Him with other Gods: useless Non-Gods. ‘Gods… whom your fathers did not fear’. If their fathers had feared these Gods, would it then be OK??
Perhaps if one was taught falsehood, he may be justified in having accepted it unthinkingly. But we don’t have even that excuse: our fathers did not teach us this; in fact, they did not worship idols at all.
We had another explanation; Jews carry a vast mesorah, tradition. It may not be all pure truth, Torah M’sinai. Perhaps some bubba meises have mixed in. Yet, for better or worse, its our Mesorah. Those non-truths are part of the great tissue of truth. However when we make up new foolishness, without it even being part of “Mesorah”, then there really is no justification whatsoever…
***
Boomerang!
‘Sing to His Nation, all peoples, for Hashem has avenged His servants!’ Why would everyone sing? Didn’t many of them feel that – uncomfortable – revenge firsthand!?
The Torah describes how the Jews’ tormentors jeer: ‘Where is the G-d you trust in? Let’s see Him save you!’ When that trust is vindicated, and Hashem pulls through, those jeers will turn to cheers; a grudging admiration for those righteous people who kept on track, clinging to their truths despite all.
The louder the jeering, the greater the cheering will be. Those who merely smirked will consider themselves less defeated than those laughing outright. So next time someone laughs at us, encourage him. ‘Go all the way, my friend! Laugh yourself right off your chair. Roll in the aisle, and hold your sides. For when our time will come, the Kiddush Hashem will be so much greater, and so will be your praise!’
***
Weakening The All-Powerful
‘Tzur Yeladcha teshi’ is translated by Chazal: ‘The Rock, your Creator, you have weakened!’. You have weakened Hashem! Strange thing to say about an Omnipotent G-d! How can one weaken an All-Powerful!?
The answer is that He appears weak. He is not actually weakened, but when He fails to act people think Him weak.
However it goes beyond that: Hashem set things up so that our Mitzvos fuel His ability to act. Just as a powerful stereo system weakens when its batteries wear out, so too does Hashem weaken when we don’t fuel Him with Mitzvos. The Pasuk points out the absurdity of it all; He is the Rock, the All-Powerful, and He even made us. Yet we have the audacity to weaken Him!?
The takeaway is 1. that when we want Hashem to act, we need to do ours: provide that fuel. Keep that finger pointed at yourself…
Takeaway 2: our actions mean a lot. An awesome lot. A cosmic lot. We really do count!!
Takeaway 3: This world was setup so that our Mitzvos effect the world. Its not just that we did what Hashem asked of us, but that we actually helped things with our deeds. We are rewarded and punished for what we cause…
***
Seems Empty?
‘For the Torah is not an empty thing for you’ Chazal explain the ending of this prase the Torah uses – ‘for you’ – as a hint: he who finds the Torah’s words empty and meaningless, is himself an empty man. The emptiness he sees is completely his own. If it seems empty, it is “for you” that is empty. Why is this so?
The Torah is the Standard by which others measure. Truth is determined by how the idea lines up with the Torah. A discrepancy does not reflect on the standard, rather on what’s being measured! If the Torah is above human intellect and morality, we need to adapt ourselves to it, not adapt it to us.
Should we ever hear someone sound off about the Torah, that means that this man is crooked. He has only perjured himself, when he declares that the Standard is skewed!
***
Watch What You Water!
Onkolos explains ‘Am naval, v’lo chacham’ as ‘a nation who received the Torah, yet remained stupid’. The idea expressed here is that not everyone learning Torah is improved by it. The Torah is like water; however, suppose the lawn is watered daily but is full of weeds; the weeds will grow too.
A person must first be decent. Then the Torah will improve him. Otherwise, it can actually ruin him! (For instance: a proud man learns Torah. He will now consider himself even more important. A greedy person who learns can now justify his greediness – he wants that money to help a Talmid Chacham – himself! And so on.)
Torah is benefit. But its effect depends on what its applied to!
***
Positive Isolation
The Genesis of the Jewish nation was in the desert: ‘Hashem found/formed them in the desolation of the desert, and He had set them alone, and they had no foreign Gods’.
When the Yeshiva Of Staten Island (MTJ) was planned, they sought out a location far from any other community. They did not want students going out to shiurim or other activities; the Yeshiva was all there was. This isolation helped them because all influence on the boys was only from the Yeshiva. As in a laboratory, if chemicals are left allowed to mix, effective results will not result.
Isolation allows development. Subsequent engagement allows sharing that development farther. Both are absolutely essential. One without the other never does the job.
***
Bless him!
‘When I call out the Name of Hashem, praise your G-d’
Moshe taught his people that praise is appropriate when hearing Hashem’s Name. (This is the direct source for Barchu and “Baruch Hu Uvaruch Sh’mo”. Perhaps the phrase “HaKadosh Baruch Hu” means that we say ‘HaKadosh’, a reference to Him, then follow up with a bracha – Baruch Hu!)
In connection: When we hear about a good person, a tzaddik, we ought to follow up with blessing or praise: ‘May he be well!’, “What a fine man!” and so on. Its a simple habit to form, (offer your kid a quarter for every time you forget!) and a most valuable one. It places values on a pedestal; we show that we adore goodness. Kids see that!
***
TakeOver
Moshe was promised the same death as Aharon. Rashi describes how Moshe took Aharon’s clothes and dressed Elazar, and Aharon witnessed his son inheriting his post. How was Moshe’s death similar if Yehoshua took over, someone not Moshe’s own son?
The answer is that Moshe had a pupil fill his shoes, and that was more than a son to Moshe.
On Moshe’s last day he and Yehoshua addressed the nation together. Rashi suggests that Yehoshua spoke so no one could claim that in Moshe’s lifetime he would never raise his head. We suggest that this was a comfort to Moshe – He saw his disciple take his place.
What is the takeaway?
1. Hashem cares deeply for tzaddikim. He ensures they die knowing that not a stranger succeeds them, but rather their children fill their place.
2. That having continuity, a successor, is important. A person lives on through their successor, and it is meaningful to leave one.
3. A disciple is as much a successor as a son. The Rebbe creates his person, never mind who bore his body. Who said the Chazon Ish had no children??
***
Laying Out The Template
Moshe’s last speech is a flowery description that amounts to saying that the Jews will sin and be punished, and that Hashem will then take a stand for His servants. That had all been said already a few times – what did he add now?
Some kinderlach said that the Jews needed to hear it again as they stood on the brink of entering Canaan. It was suddenly real-life.
Other kinderlach said that every additional time helped; it was never superfluous.
In addition, this was written in prose, so the Jews would memorize it and make a song or epic poem of it, which they all memorized or hung on the wall. So even through it was not new, it was effective.
I suggested that there is always a tension between the need for punishing sinners and protecting the good people among them. On one hand the principle of punishment is so strong that even the righteous get sucked in along with the sinners, as in Sedom ‘lest you will be destroyed along with the sin of the city’. On the other hand the righteous not only are saved, but save everyone else along with them. Again, in Sedom ‘…and I will forgive the entire place on their [-the tzaddikkim’s] behalf’.
So what happens actually? Is punishment visited, and upon who?
These pesukim lay out the PRACTICAL application of the Torah’s principles; Hashem will administer punishment, but as the chillul Hashem caused by Tzaddikkim getting punished grows large, He will turn around and stand up for His people. It cyclical; first punishment then salvation.
This pattern is the story of Jewish history in the aggregate. Its happens again and again, and is happening today. That what is so significant in this parshah – it puts it all together and casts matters in practical terms. At no other place in the Torah does this happen.
***
Sternly Compliment
Moshe prefaced his last speech with a supplication that his words be as sweet as rain and dew. Why sugar-coat things? Why not get straight to the point?
Another question: In his last speech Moshe did not sweet talk his people. Rather he chewed them out lavishly, castigating their foolishness in leaving Hashem. Why not leave on a nice note?
I once heard from Rav Shmuel Aurbach shlit”a, that his father, Rav Shlomo Zalman, (well-known for his amiability,) never complimented his sons. He was proud of them, to be sure, but he would exhort them to do ever more, telling them that they will never amount to anything unless they study more.
There is a lesson here: someone who compliments a child is often patronizing them – and the meta message is that you are weak, and need compliments to prop you up. On the other hand, a parent who is stern and demanding with their child sends them the opposite message; you are able, and can do more. Great things are expected from you, because you are so capable. This is actually an expression of confidence!
However it needs to be couched correctly. Sternness can often come from a lack of love. Moshe, in his last talk to his people expressed his demands upon them, but prefaced his words to ensure that they would be taken correctly, as the product of a loving heart. May we do likewise!
***
Virtual Reality
Moshe’s last act was to go up the mountain and look at Eretz Yisroel. He could not enter. Why pain him by allow him to look?
Moshe was not allowed to enter actually, but was awarded experiencing Eretz Yisroel virtually. He explored it visually, and to that degree he entered Eretz Yisroel. Hashem could not let him enter completely, but partially he did enter. The idea here is that there are different levels of experience. Exploring something through image is also experience.