by Rabbi Avi Billet
Our parsha begins telling us that Moshe SPOKE (וידבר) all of “These דברים” (words/things), and then it says “And he SAID” (ויאמר) to them…
Why does the verse introduce two ways in which Moshe conveyed a message to the people?
What he said to them seems to introduce a quote - is what Moshe said to them what follows? Or is the introduction of אלה הדברים indicating that it is referencing the entire Book of Devarim?
Rashi at the beginning of the book of Devarim notes that אלה הדברים introduces words of rebuke, and Moshe’s intent is to let the people know of all the times they had angered God, but he told that information over in code so they would not be embarrassed.
But, Rashi continues, had he only given rebuke to some of them, others would say “O. So you were there. You heard what the son of Amram said, and you didn’t respond to him? Had we been there, we would have put him in his place.” Therefore Moshe gathered everyone saying “You’re all here. If you have a refutation to my words, now is the time to respond.”
Devarim is a book of rebuke. It is a book that is to inspire Teshuvah.
Kli Yakar notes that Moshe made the rounds that he made in Vayelekh because he was in the greatest position to diagnose the people’s spiritual failings. And he was making his rounds mostly to inspire Teshuva.
“Moshe wanted to encourage Teshuva, which is largely accomplished through words – as Hoshea says (14:3), “Take ‘Devarim’ (words) with you and return to Hashem.”
He quotes the Rashi comment from the beginning of the book of Devarim and then concludes,
“Here too Moshe was telling them all regarding Teshuva. And since there is no person who sees any wrongdoing on his own part, and every sinner and rebellious person never goes to the החכם הרופא to ask for the antidote to his ailment of the soul, even though that חכם will listen to him and aim to guide him into the path of Teshuva, this is why Moshe went from tent to tent to every Israelite speaking words of the heart, heart-to-heart, to anyone who would listen to his call for Teshuva, the kind achieved through words. Moshe told the people at the end of Nitzavim כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך – that this matter, Teshuva, is close to you, and it is even in your mouth, so it is easily available to you should you choose to pursue it.”
In Vayelekh we read of another time that Devarim would be read to inspire Teshuva, at the event of Hakhel, at which certain portions of the book of Devarim would be read aloud to all of the nation that gathered on Sukkos of the Shmittah year, which would have been this year were there a Beit HaMikdash (some are of the view that it was in the Sukkos immediately following the Shmittah year)! (See Rambam הלכות חגיגה ג:ג)
Kli Yakar explains what Hakhel was all about:
“The purpose of Hakhel was for Teshuva. The rabbis taught us that the ‘first day of Yom Tov’ is the ‘first day’ for the reckoning of one’s sins. This is why the people needed to do preparation for Teshuva, and that preparation was Hakhel, when the king would gather the people and read to them from the book of Devarim. The goal of Hakhel is to unite the people in their return to Hashem, so there will be many returnees. It is specifically during the 10 days of repentance that God accepts the Teshuva of the individual, but at other times of the year (such as Hakhel, which is out of the 10 days) God only accepts the Teshuva of the people as a collective.”
The custom in the Jewish community is to hear words of inspiration on this Shabbos from the community Rabbi. No rabbi is Moshe Rabbenu, no rabbi is the king of Israel. If we open our hearts, the rabbi and the community should be blessed to learn together, be inspired together, and return to Hashem together.
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