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Overview of Sefer Devarim Overview of Sefer Devarim Sefer Devarim is the spiritual preparation for Bnei Yisroel to conquer and to settle the Land of Israel. It therefore summarizes the previous books - Klal Yisroel are to be reminded of everything that they were taught and clarify anything that was not yet clear in the Torah. For, without the merit of the Torah, they have no right to the land of Israel to begin with. Nevertheless there are over 70 new mitzvos contained in Sefer Devarim. Many are mentioned only now, on the eve of the Jewish People's entry into Israel, because they would first become relevant in the land. Others are repeated here for chizuk and emphasis. Moshe Rabbeinu now rebukes and strengthens the people in general, providing them with a vision not only for the immediate future but also the future redemption. In fact, at a deeper level, all of Sefer Devarim is really a prophetic the 6th and last of the millennia in the world as we ,אלף השישי anticipation of the know it, before heralding the Moshiach. Just as Sefer Devarim prepared Klal Yisroel to enter the land from the desert, so it also prepares us to re-enter the land at the end of days. Moshe Rabbeinu now begins to talk in the second person, “I” instead of “he”. This is because the giving of the Torah has two dimensions: that of the Giver (G-d), and that of the recipient (man). The covenant of the Torah requires that both these sides be connected to the Torah, that the Torah reflect both the giver and the receiver, for it is the very essence of a covenant that it connect between the two parties. ,however ,ספר דברים .The first four books are the Torah reflected in the Giver reflects the receiver. This is because it is the end of the Torah, the opposite end to the Giver, and is therefore closer to the Jewish people, the recipients of the Torah. This is why Sefer Devarim is given at then end of the 40 years in the desert, whereas the rest of the Torah was given at the beginning. And this is also why the Jewish people heard Sefer Devarim from Moshe Rabbeinu in the first person, as Moshe was close to the ones who received the Torah, the Bnei Yisrael. Now, Moshe is no longer just an instrument through which G-d chooses to talk; he receives a prophecy and passes it on. This explains the many repetitions in Sefer Devarim, for we are no longer dealing with the pure intellect of the Torah. Rather, Sefer Devarim comes to ensure that the recipients grasp what is being said. For example, the Ten Commandments are repeated in the Mishnah Torah with some significant changes. The result of Sefer Devarim is that the Torah can begin to connect to each and every Jew: all are united by this common connection. Hence, Devarim is said in singular form to reflect this unity of the Jewish people. In a sense, Sefer Devarim is the transition between the Written Law and the Oral Law. The Written Law is an objective reality outside of us, written in the third person. The Oral Law is the mechanism through which we bring the Written Law into ourselves so that we and the Torah become one. Sefer Devarim is still a part of the Written Law, but Moshe begins the process of bringing the Torah into us by speaking to us in the second person. He also talks in the singular to connect to each one of us. Sefer Devarim is the book of transition from being the generation of the desert to a nation living on the land. It is on the land that we would be required to apply the Torah in day-to-day life. In Sefer Devarim many Mitzvos begin to be C:\Documents and Settings\Chana Rivka\Desktop\NL Website\Chumash\Combined Summary of Devarim.doc clarified, which is just the role of the Oral Law, and the connection of the Jews to G-d through the Torah is greatly enhanced. This is why Devarim is said right at the end of the nation’s sojourn in the desert, rather than at the beginning. One other aspect of this is the transition from Moshe Rabbeinu to Yehoshua as the leader of the Jewish people. Yehoshua, as the leader bringing the people into the land, is the one who completes the last eight verses of Sefer Devarim. Devarim ends with the transition complete. Although there would be more Kisvei Kodesh, no other work was to add a single drop of new Torah from Shamayim. Moshe, G-d’s emissary, ensured that he would bring all of this Torah down in his life-time and that he would set up the all the necessary elements to guarantee its future. C:\Documents and Settings\Chana Rivka\Desktop\NL Website\Chumash\Combined Summary of Devarim.doc Overview of Devarim It repeats much of the .ספר דברים The most perplexing of the Five Books is the second Torah. On the other – משנה תורה previous books and therefore is called hand it contains over 70 new Mitzvos. The book is a preparation for the Jews to enter the land. In the land, many Mitzvos will become relevant and are therefore mentioned now or repeated for Chizuk. The book also comes to provide a vision to the Jewish people, giving them chizuk and allowing them to focus on our ultimate purpose. The underlying message of Sefer Devarim is the Geula Asida. The Gra divides Sefer Devarim into three parts: From the beginning of the Sefer until just before the 10 Ccommandments speaks of maaters pertaining to Mussar. From the beginning of the 10 Commandments until just before the blessings and the curses speaks of Mitzos. From there on Sefer Devarim deals with blessing and curses and other, related matters. These three aspects really cover all that the Torah deals with. The Torah really comprises three books – Shemos, Varyikra and Bamidbar. Bereishis is really an introduction to these books, the root of all the Torah. And Devarim comes to summarize each one of these books. The Mitzvos that were repeated by Moshe Rabbeinu, were done so of his own initiative. The fact that there seems to be more human connection to Sefer Devarim, even though it is a part of the G-d given Torah, is a great clue to understanding its essence. The giving of the Torah has two dimensions, that of the Giver (G-d) and that of the recipient (man), and the Torah perforce must reflect both. For the Torah is a covenant, and it is the very essence of a covenant that it be a connection between the The first tablet has five .לוחות הברית ,two parties. So too with the two tablets commandments which relate more to G-d, the giver, while the second tablet has five commandments which relate more to man. Hence, the first four books relate to G-d while Sefer Devarim relates to man. Each has a repetition of the 10 Commandments. This is why the people heard Devarim from Moshe in the first person, for Moshe is close to Bnei Yisrael, the recipients of the Torah. This explains the many repetitions in Sefer Devarim, for we are not longer dealing with the pure intellect of the Torah; rather Devarim is coming to ensure that the recipients grasp what is being said. we are asked to ,דברות Another difference is the Shabbos. In the first .(שמור) whereas in the second we are told to keep it ,(זכור) remember the Sabbath Remembering the Shabbat is the primary focus of the Shabbat, keeping it is the framework, for abstinence alone cannot show that G-d is the creator. The reason for remembering is because G-d created the world, whereas the reason for not working is because we were once slaves. The result of Sefer Devarim is that the Torah can now begin to connect to each and every Jew, who are all united by this common connection. Hence Devarim is said in a singular form to reflect this unity of the Jewish people. In a sense, Sefer Devarim is the transition between the Written Law and the Oral Law. The Written law is an objective reality, outside of ourselves, written in the third person. The Oral Law is the mechanism through which we bring the written law into ourselves, so that we and the Torah become one. Sefer Devarim is still a part of the written law, but Moshe begins C:\Documents and Settings\Chana Rivka\Desktop\NL Website\Chumash\Combined Summary of Devarim.doc the process of bringing this Torah into us by talking to us in the second person. He also talks in the singular, to connect to each one of us. C:\Documents and Settings\Chana Rivka\Desktop\NL Website\Chumash\Combined Summary of Devarim.doc דברים 1. Skepticism In this week’s parsha, Moshe Rabeinu announces that he had enough: He can no longer carry the burden of the Jewish people alone. In the eyes of the Jewish people, Moshe seemingly could do nothing right. If he went out early, the people said, “How come Ben Amram went out early. Maybe he is not happy at home.” If, on the other hand, Mohse was late to leave the house the people would say that he was busy scheming against them. The people were overly critical and suspicious, taking nothing on faith, and this was burning Moshe Rabeinu out. Every time that there was a challenge, the people responded by accusing Moshe of laying a trap to destroy them in the desert.
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