Currently, there is an iron curtain separating us from Hashem, and we seek its removal. Rather, what is much more important than the physical Bet Hamikdash is the closeness to G-d that the Bet Hamikdash represented. R’ Soloveitchik answers: We do ask for all of this, but it is not our main concern. Soloveitchik z”l asks: To what end are we still mourning more than 1900 years after the Bet Hamikdash was destroyed? What do we want from G-d? Is it the Temple? The building? The structure? Also, it alludes to “areivut” / “responsibility.” One must feels a responsibility for, and to, others. One must behave in a way that is pleasing to society. For example, a person must not say, “Who am I to give rebuke to others?” Rather, one must be like the Aravah. However, R’ ben Attar continues, humility should not be taken to an extreme. For example, “the desert” alludes to the trait of humility, as our Sages have said, “A person should always behave like a desert”. R’ Chaim ben Attar z”l (1696-1743 Italy and Eretz Yisrael) observes that the name each of these place may allude to a character trait that Moshe wanted to teach. on the other side of the Jordan, in the desert, in the Aravah / Wilderness, opposite the Sea of Reeds, between Paran and Tophel, and Lavan, and Chazerot, and Di-zahav.” (1:1) Moshe did not have to worry about this when he addressed those in leadership positions. This, says R’ Shlomo Ephraim, is only a concern vis-a-vis rebuke given to the common person. Otherwise, as time passes, the one who was rebuked may find fault with the actions of the one who gave rebuke and may disregard the original rebuke. Our Sages learn from verse 3 that rebuke is most effective when offered shortly before the death of the one giving it. In light of the foregoing explanation we can understand why only verse 3 says that “It was in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month.” The timing of Moshe’s address to the leaders is not mentioned.
In verse 3 we read: “It was in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first of the month, when Moshe spoke to Bnei Yisrael, according to everything that Hashem commanded him to them.” Here, Moshe begins to rebuke the nation at large.
#Look deeper how to#
However, he only alluded to the sins, rather than mentioning them directly, because he wanted to teach the leaders how to give rebuke. Because it would be incumbent on the leaders to rebuke their flocks after Moshe’s passing, Moshe spoke to the leaders in verses 1-2 about the people’s sins. Our Sages understand the opening verses of our parashah as a rebuke for various sins that Bnei Yisrael had committed during the 40 years in the desert. In contrast, “Yisrael” refers to the leadership alone. The word “Yisrael” does not have the same meaning as “Bnei Yisrael.” The latter term refers to all of the Jewish People. R’ Shlomo Ephraim z”l (rabbi of Prague died 1619) asks: How was it possible for Moshe Rabbeinu to address all of the Jewish People? He answers: “These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael. Indeed, our Sages teach that it is only this delving into the Torah, the essence of the Talmud, that serves as the covenant between Hashem and the Jewish People. Similarly, when the Torah commands the king to write a Torah scroll for himself, the language it chooses is (Devarim 17:18), “He shall write for himself this Mishneh Torah.” In fact, he is required to write the entire Torah, but the verse emphasizes writing this Book because of its important message. R’ Berlin continues: The Midrash records that when Hashem appeared to Yehoshua, he found that prophet studying Mishneh Torah. Therefore, if you find a verse or law repeated, look deeper. The peshat / “surface message” of the repeated pasuk or halachah was already learned elsewhere.
The purpose of this repetition is to teach us to look beneath the surface of the verse. True, many laws found in other Books are repeated in Devarim. All of the mussar / rebuke found in this Book also boils down to this message: Accept upon yourselves the yoke of studying Torah in depth so that you do not deviate from its laws.
“Mishneh” means “review,” i.e., the main purpose of Sefer Devarim is to encourage us to delve deeply into, and review, the laws of the Torah. R’ Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin z”l (1817-1893 known as the “Netziv” rabbi and rosh yeshiva of Volozhin) offers a different explanation: They suggest that every halachah found in Devarim is stated, or at least alluded to, somewhere in the other books of the Torah. In the language of our Sages, the book of Devarim is called “Mishneh Torah.” Some commentaries translate this appellation as “the repetition of the Torah” (i.e., “mishneh” from the root “shnei” / “two”). In honor of their children and grandchildren
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