Last week, the Nation of Israel concluded the fourth book of the Torah, Sefer Bamidbar; the conclusion of last week’s Parshiyot, Mattot and Massei, also was the end of G-d communicating directly through Moshe–-henceforth, G-d would communicate through the medium of prophecy. No longer would the world have a direct conduit to Hashem [see the Talmud in Megillah 31B, as well as Maharal Tifferet Yisrael Chap. 43]. As Rambam writes in his 13 principles of faith, principle 7:
“I believe with complete faith that the prophecy of our teacher, Moses, may he rest in peace, was true, and that he was the father of all prophets, —of those who preceded him, and of those who followed him.”
The era of Moshe functioning as G-d’s mouthpiece [as it were] was now at an end, and Sefer Devarim, the fifth book of the Torah, would now open with Moshe, at his own prophetic initiative, rebuking the Jews in a subtle and gentle fashion.
The Verse states, in Chapter 1 Possuk 1:
“These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan.—Through the wilderness, in the Arabah near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab”
Rashi comments [most likely due to the fact that it would be highly unreasonable to assume that the Torah was simply pointing out the many various landmarks of the Jews’ location at that moment], that each place mentioned here is designed to allude to a certain sin that the Jews had committed. For example, the word “Laban” alludes to the complaints the Jews had about their sustenance coming from the Manna, which was white—”Laban” in Hebrew.
Rokeach goes one step further, and adds that the deeper lesson Moshe was actually communicating to the Jews here lies in the amount of letters contained within this Possuk–a total of 81. The 81 letters of this verse allude to the word “Anochi,” as the word “Anochi” in Hebrew is numerically equivalent to 81. Notably, “Anochi” is the first word of the ten commandments, and emphasizes and informs the world that there is a G-d– “Anochi Hashem Elokecha–I am Hashem your G-d.”
It would seem, that Rokeach felt, that although at various points, the Jews of that generation had done misdeeds, as hinted to in the verse [and elucidated by Rashi], the underpinning theme of the rebuke of Moshe was not to focus on each particular misdeed on its own–but rather, to understand that all misdeeds are rooted in a certain momentary lack of awareness of the reality of Hashem, which allows for sinful behavior to fester and actualize. As the Talmud states [Makkot 24A], when the Prophet Chabakuk sought to establish the ONE principle all of Judaism relied on, he concluded “Tsaddik Be’Emunato Yichyeh–the Righteous one lives in his faith.” Thus, although a person can unfortunately engage in sin, the truest mark of his Spiritual standing is not the iniquity of his behavior, but whether or not he is connected to, and aware of, the ideal of “Anochi Hashem Elokecha.”
The commentaries highlight that an opportune time to focus and recall this concept is when reciting the Verse “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad,” where we commemorate the total oneness of the world’s creator, as revealed by the giving of the Torah and the ten commandments. It is no coincidence, writes Rokeach, that the Parshah of Devarim contains the name of Hashem [in tetragrammaton form] 48 times–alluding to the 48 words of the first paragraph of Keriat Shema. Hence, while the first verse of Sefer Devarim contains Moshe’s subtle reminder that sin results from a lack of focus on the reality of G-d, the Parshah as a whole reflects the method whereby one can develop this awareness–by reciting the first paragraph of the Keriat Shema with intent and cognizance.
Dedicated in memory of Refael Ben Tirtza, HY”D.
Have a Great Shabbas.