VAYELECH Vol.31 No.2.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2018 13:07 Page 1 15 September 2018 6 Tishrei 5779 Shabbat ends London 8.03pm Jerusalem 7.22pm Volume 31 No. 2 Vayelech Artscroll p.1094 | Haftarah p.1204 Hertz p.887 | Haftarah p.891 Soncino p.1149 | Haftarah p.1155 Shabbat Shuva In loving memory of Susi and Freddie Bradfield Sara Gitel bat Mordechai Menachem l’’z and Yaacov ben Zvi l’’z “When all Israel comes to appear before the Lord, your God, in the place that He will choose, you shall read this Torah before all Israel, in their ears” (Devarim 31:11). 1 VAYELECH Vol.31 No.2.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2018 13:07 Page 2 Sidrah Summary: Vayelech 1st Aliya (Kohen) – Devarim 31:1-3 against Him to other gods. God’s anger will flare Parashat Vayelech starts with Moshe telling the against Israel, and he will “hide His face” from people that he no longer has the right to lead them, as if He is unaware of their sufferings them, as he is not going into the Land with them (Rashi). God commands Moshe to write the (see Rashi). Rather, Yehoshua (Joshua) will lead Song of Ha’azinu, (next week’s sidrah), and teach them across the Jordan, as God had decreed. it to the people (Rashi). Question 2nd Aliya (Levi) – 31:4-6 : In what way did God appear to Moshe Moshe continues by assuring the nation that they and Yehoshua at the entrance to the Tent of will conquer their enemies in Cana’an, in the Meeting? (31:15) Answer on bottom of page 6. same way that God allowed them to defeat the mighty kings Sichon and Og. However, they must 6th Aliya (Shishi) – 31:20-24 make sure to destroy the idols that they will find God continues with His message. After He brings there (see commentary of Ibn Ezra). the nation to the Land “which flows with milk and honey”, excessive enjoyment of that 3rd Aliya (Shlishi) – 31:7-9 abundance will lead them to idol worship. In front of the nation, Moshe summons Yehoshua Reading the Song of Ha’azinu (the following and tells him to be “strong and courageous”. sidrah) will remind them that they were warned God will go “in front of” Yehoshua and will not of the consequences of rebellion. forsake him. Moshe writes the entire Torah and gives the scroll to the Kohanim and the elders. 7th Aliya (Shevi’i) – 31:25-30 Moshe finishes writing the Sefer Torah and tells 4th Aliya (Revi’i) – 31:10-13 the Levi’im to place it next to the Aron (Ark). Moshe instructs the people in the mitzvah of Moshe notes that in his life-time, the people have hakhel. Just after the end of every seventh year been “rebellious and stiff-necked” and that this of the agricultural cycle (shemitah), on Succot, all will carry on after his death. the people are to gather in Jerusalem, young and old, to hear the king read parts of the Torah. Haftarah Hearing these words will encourage learning This is a special haftarah, read on Shabbat Torah and fear of God. Shuva, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is made up of three parts, from the Point to Consider: Why was ‘hakhel’ specifically Biblical prophets Hoshea, Yoel and Micha. The designated to be just after the shemitah year? first part calls on Israel to return to God; even (31:10) after sinning, their return will be lovingly accepted. The second part emphasises that our teshuvah (return/repentance) has to be (Chamishi) 5th Aliya – 31:14-19 sincere and heartfelt, not superficial. The last God calls Moshe and Yehoshua to stand by the section states that God is unique in His entrance to the Tent of Meeting (ohel moed ), readiness to pardon. where He tells them that the nation will turn United Synagogue Daf Hashavua Produced by US Living & Learning together with the Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue Editor: Rabbi Chaim Gross Editor-in-Chief: Rabbi Baruch Davis Editorial Team: Rabbi Daniel Sturgess, Michael Laitner, Sharon Radley Available also via email US website www.theus.org.uk ©United Synagogue To sponsor Daf Hashavua please contact Gila Howard on 020 8343 5699, or [email protected] If you have any comments or questions regarding Daf Hashavua please email [email protected] 2 VAYELECH Vol.31 No.2.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2018 13:07 Page 3 The Bigger Picture by Rabbi Baruch Davis, Editor-in-Chief Daf Hashavua, Chigwell & Hainault United Synagogue Imagine tens of thousands (Succot). Finally, just the sheer spectacle of this of Jews of many origins taking place in front of many thousands of fellow and backgrounds at a Israelites would be truly memorable. Musaf service, fully attentive to the chazzan and then All these factors were designed to achieve a anticipating the next part of specific goal: “in order that they hear, and in order the service in total silence. that they learn and fear the Lord, your God, and This was the scene that I they will be careful to do all the words of this encountered on Chol Hamo’ed Succot 2014, as Torah” (continuation of the verse 31:12, quoted I stood on the steps leading down to the Kotel above). (Western Wall) in Jerusalem. The large public Birkat Kohanim, the priestly blessing, was about to begin. Although Birkat Kohanim occurs every Why did Moshe mention Hakhel only on the last day in Jerusalem, this was special – hundreds of day of his life? God warned him that after his Kohanim and a congregation that completely death, the people would enter the Land, settle filled the Kotel plaza, all the way to the steps. As into a routine and stray from His Torah, resulting the crowd fell silent, waiting for the Kohanim to in disaster. This mitzvah was to remind them begin, all we could hear was the sound of the of the ‘bigger picture’. They were God’s people, birds singing. I felt a tremendous sense of history; a holy nation in their holy Land, bound by His we have waited for nearly 2,000 years for such an commandments. It was like a re-enactment of the event. Here and nowhere else could we have an events at Mount Sinai. inkling of what it must have been like in Temple times. Today, events such as Birkat Kohanim at the Kotel on Pesach and Succot, when the Old City It brought to mind the mitzvah of Hakhel, of Jerusalem is already packed with many commanded by Moshe on the last day of his life: thousands of Jews celebrating the festivals, also reminds us of the ‘bigger picture’. Despite the ups and downs of Jewish history and the "At the end of [every] seven years, at an State of Israel itself, the bigger picture is the appointed time, in the Festival of Succot, after the ingathering of the exiles, predicted in the Torah Sabbatical year, when all Israel comes to appear thousands of years ago. before the Lord, your God, in the place He will choose, you (the King) shall read this Torah before all Israel, in their ears. Assemble the people: men, women and children, and the stranger in your gates…’ (Devarim 31:10-12). The Malbim (Rabbi Meir Leibush d.1879) summarises the uniqueness of this mitzvah. Sections of the Torah were to be read by the King in the Temple courtyard, once in seven years; rare enough to create a sense of occasion. It came at the end of the Sabbatical year, itself a time for spiritual growth. It took place when people from many locations were in the holy city, at a holy time In memory of Malka bat Peretz 3 VAYELECH Vol.31 No.2.qxp_Layout 1 14/08/2018 13:07 Page 4 The Value of Perseverance by Rabbi Yoni Birnbaum, Hadley Wood Jewish Community British tennis star However, according to Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Andy Murray is currently Hirsch (d.1888), there is an important difference placed 839 in the world between the two words. ‘Ematz’ means ‘be rankings, following a year strong’. Yet the word ‘chazak’ has a different marred by a lengthy import. It means to be ‘steadfast’. With these recovery from a hip words, Moshe instructed Yehoshua to always be procedure. Yet no-one steadfast in adhering to his principles. A leader should put it past Murray is someone who adheres to their principles, to make a comeback at some point in the near come what may, and is always able to hold the future. Because, when it comes to tenacity, torch of what they stand for with pride. Murray is a world beater. By extension, a leader is someone who, like Andy Murray has won Wimbledon twice and the US Murray, does not give up easily. They have the Open once. He was the first male British tennis focus and strength to carry out their mission and player in over half a century to be ranked the overcome any obstacles placed in their path. This best in the world. Yet, of all his remarkable was the critical message Moshe transmitted to achievements, perhaps the most significant of all Yehoshua before his passing, and it is one which is the fact that he holds the current record for the remains just as relevant today as it was then. longest time between being ranked second best and best in the world at tennis. Based on the ATP World Tour official rankings, there were an astonishing seven years and two months between the time he became second in the world for the first time in August 2009, and his eventual achievement of the top spot in 2016.