Themes
What is/are the name(s) of this book?
What sort of Chumash is it?
What is it about?
What themes does it explore? What concepts does it emphasize?
How does the first parashah introduce the book?
(יח) וְהָיָ֣ה כְשִׁבְתּ֔וֹ עַ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א מַמְלַכְתּ֑וֹ וְכָ֨תַב ל֜וֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵ֨ה הַתּוֹרָ֤ה הַזֹּאת֙ עַל־סֵ֔פֶר מִלִּפְנֵ֥י הַכֹּהֲנִ֖ים הַלְוִיִּֽם׃
(18) When he is seated on his royal throne, he shall have a copy of this Teaching written for him on a scroll by the levitical priests.
Contents of the Parashah
- Introduction
- Historical Review
- God: Take possession of the land of the Amorites etc.
- Appointment of judges
- Episode of the spies
- Journeys and detours - current and previous occupiers
- Seir/Esav;
- Moav; Ammon;
- Sichon the Amorite;
- Og King of Bashan
- Charges (ואצו, צויתי) to 2 ½ tribes and to Joshua
A Review of Openings
(א) אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב׃ (ב) אַחַ֨ד עָשָׂ֥ר יוֹם֙ מֵֽחֹרֵ֔ב דֶּ֖רֶךְ הַר־שֵׂעִ֑יר עַ֖ד קָדֵ֥שׁ בַּרְנֵֽעַ׃ (ג) וַיְהִי֙ בְּאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר חֹ֖דֶשׁ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵהֶֽם׃ (ד) אַחֲרֵ֣י הַכֹּת֗וֹ אֵ֚ת סִיחֹן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ הָֽאֱמֹרִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר יוֹשֵׁ֖ב בְּחֶשְׁבּ֑וֹן וְאֵ֗ת ע֚וֹג מֶ֣לֶךְ הַבָּשָׁ֔ן אֲשֶׁר־יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בְּעַשְׁתָּרֹ֖ת בְּאֶדְרֶֽעִי׃ (ה) בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב הוֹאִ֣יל מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֵּאֵ֛ר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לֵאמֹֽר׃
(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, (2) it is eleven days from Horeb to Kadesh-barnea by the Mount Seir route.— (3) It was in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, that Moses addressed the Israelites in accordance with the instructions that the LORD had given him for them, (4) after he had defeated Sihon king of the Amorites, who dwelt in Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan, who dwelt at Ashtaroth [and] Edrei. (5) On the other side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this Teaching. He said:
Devarim as Reproof
On the other side of the Jordan he rebuked them because of the sins they committed in the wilderness, and because they provoked [God] on the plains opposite the Sea of Reeds. At Paran, that they made light of the manna; and at Hatzerot they provoked [God] concerning meat, and [they provoked God] by serving the calf of/at Gold/Zahav....
(א) ויהי בארבעים שנה בעשתי עשר חדש באחד לחדש. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הוֹכִיחָן אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה; מִמִּי לָמַד? מִיַּעֲקֹב, שֶׁלֹּא הוֹכִיחַ אֶת בָּנָיו אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה, אָמַר, רְאוּבֵן בְּנִי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר לְךָ מִפְּנֵי מָה לֹא הוֹכַחְתִּיךָ כָּל הַשָּׁנִים הַלָּלוּ, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא תַנִּיחֵנִי וְתֵלֵךְ וְתִדְבַּק בְּעֵשָׂו אָחִי; וּמִפְּנֵי אַרְבָּעָה דְּבָרִים אֵין מוֹכִיחִין אֶת הָאָדָם אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא מוֹכִיחוֹ וְחוֹזֵר וּמוֹכִיחוֹ, וְשֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא חֲבֵרוֹ רוֹאֵהוּ וּמִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מִמֶּנּוּ, כּוּ' כִּדְאִיתָא בְּסִפְרֵי. וְכֵן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ לֹא הוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶלָּא סָמוּךְ לַמִּיתָה, וְכֵן שְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א י"ב), "הִנְנִי עֲנוּ בִי", וְכֵן דָּוִד אֶת שְׁלֹמֹה בְנוֹ (מלכים א ב'):
(1) ויהי בארבעים שנה בעשתי עשר חדש באחד לחדש AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE FORTIETH YEAR, IN THE ELEVENTH MONTH, ON THE FIRST OF THE MONTH, [MOSES SPAKE] — This tells us that he reproved them only shortly before his death (Jewish tradition holds that Moses died on the seventh day of the twelfth month; cf. Megillah 13b). From whom did he learn this? From Jacob, who reproved his sons only shortly before his death. He said, “Reuben, my son, I will tell you why I have not reproved you for your unfitial conduct during all these years: it was in order that you should not leave me and go and join Esau, my wicked brother". —
And on account of four things one should not reprove a person except shortly before one's death: that one should not reprove him and again have to reprove him; and that his fellow whom he reproves should not when he afterwards happens to see him, feel ashamed before him, etc.; as it is set forth in Siphre.
And similarly, Joshua reproved Israel only shortly before his death (cf. Joshua 24:1—29), and so, too, Samuel, as it is said, (I Samuel 12:3) “Behold, testify against me", and so, also, David reproved his son Solomon only shortly before his death (cf. 1 Kings 2:1—9).
(ד) ד"א ויהי בארבעים שנה בעשתי עשר חודש באחד לחודש - מלמד שלא הוכיחם אלא סמוך למיתה. ממי למד? מיעקב, שלא הוכיח לבניו אלא סמוך למיתה, שנא' (בראשית מט) ויקרא יעקב אל בניו ויאמר האספו ואגידה לכם את אשר יקרא אתכם באחרית הימים. אמר לו ראובן בכורי אתה, אמר לו: בני, אומר לך מפני מה לא הוכחתיך כל השנים הללו, כדי שלא תניחני ותלך, ותדבק בעשו אחי.
ומפני ד' דברים אין מוכיחים את האדם אלא סמוך למיתה: כדי שלא יהו מוכיחו וחוזר ומוכיחו, כדי שלא יהיו חבירו רואהו ומתבייש הימנו, ושלא יהא בלבך עליו, שהתוכחה מביאו לידי שלום.
(4) And we are (thus) taught that he rebuked them only close to his death. From whom did he learn this? From Jacob, who rebuked his sons only close to his death, as it is written (Bereshith 49:1-3) "And Jacob called to his sons and said: Gather together and I will reveal to you what will happen to you in the end of days … Reuven, you are my first-born, etc." He said to him: My son, I will tell you why I did not rebuke you all these years: It is so that you would not leave me and go and cleave to Esav, my brother.
And because of four things a man should rebuke another only close to his death: So that he not rebuke him repeatedly, so that the other not be shamed in his sight, so that he (the rebuker) not bear a grudge in his heart (for his rebuke not being heeded), and so that he (the rebuked) not leave him and go (elsewhere) [see last phrase in the Hebrew] .
Devarim as a lesson in Torah
(5) On the other side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this Teaching. He said:
(6) The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying: You have stayed long enough at this mountain.
(ח) וְכָתַבְתָּ֣ עַל־הָאֲבָנִ֗ים אֶֽת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֛י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את בַּאֵ֥ר הֵיטֵֽב׃ (ס)
(8) And on those stones you shall inscribe every word of this Teaching most distinctly.
(1) Moshe began [and] expounded
...
Moshe began to expound to the children born in the wilderness what had happened to their parents. He told them all of the laws. He also repeated the Ten Commandments — for, their parents having heard them from God , Moshe was desirous that they too should be able to hear them from a faithful representative.
Chochmah/Wisdom in Devarim
(יג) הָב֣וּ לָ֠כֶם אֲנָשִׁ֨ים חֲכָמִ֧ים וּנְבֹנִ֛ים וִידֻעִ֖ים לְשִׁבְטֵיכֶ֑ם וַאֲשִׂימֵ֖ם בְּרָאשֵׁיכֶֽם׃
(ו) וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם֮ וַעֲשִׂיתֶם֒ כִּ֣י הִ֤וא חָכְמַתְכֶם֙ וּבִ֣ינַתְכֶ֔ם לְעֵינֵ֖י הָעַמִּ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר יִשְׁמְע֗וּן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַחֻקִּ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְאָמְר֗וּ רַ֚ק עַם־חָכָ֣ם וְנָב֔וֹן הַגּ֥וֹי הַגָּד֖וֹל הַזֶּֽה׃
(6) Observe them faithfully, for that will be proof of your wisdom and discernment to other peoples, who on hearing of all these laws will say, “Surely, that great nation is a wise and discerning people.”