“And I pleaded to God at that time, saying.” (Devarim, 3:23) Why did Moshe Rabeynu tell these words to Israel? Even though on the surface it seems as if his prayer had no benefit whatsoever, nonetheless, he caused them to understand that his prayer was not in vain. (It is as if he is saying to them,) even in the course of actions in the land of Israel I am your teacher and Rabbi, and likewise he showed them that his prayer was effective. This is why Vaetchanan, Hebrew for “and I pleaded” (the verb for giving mercy, chanan, is intensified into meaning imploring for mercies), because he was made full of entreatment for God’s mercies, and his prayer flowed naturally from his mouth. This is a kind of proof that God sent him the awakening from below to pray. Therefore he surely would not be turned away empty-handed. This is hinted at in “at that time,” for even though God had already promised me that I would not enter the land, still it did not prevent me from praying. This is as it is written in the Gemara (Berachot, 10a) of Hizkiyah king of Yehuda who said to the prophet Yeshayahu (who had just prophesied that he would die), “Son of Amots! Stop your prophecy and leave, for thus I have received from my father’s house [David, that even in the face of certain death], never to prevent oneself from praying for God’s mercies.” For there is nothing that stands to prevent one from the mercies of God. [And that it said that Hizkiya turned his face to the wall to pray.] The Gemara learns from this there should be nothing separating one from the wall (during prayer),¹ meaning that there should be nothing preventing one from prayer, and not to lose heart even if it seems that the decree has come from God, for “wall” teaches of the source of life.⁵, is used for the chambers of the heart, hence source of life. Even though it may seem that there is no salvation from the source, one may not withhold himself himself from God’s mercies.

footnotes: ¹ Note that according to Halacha one may pray with something before him, i.e. a person or a pillar and the like, during prayer. ⁵ As in Yirmiya, 4:19 where the same word for wall, Kir

“You who began to show me .…” (Devarim, 3:24) In other words, that Moshe asserted to God, “You sent me the will to pray, creating an opening for me.” God answered him, “Rav Lach! You have had enough!” (Devarim, 3:26), meaning that all the spiritual awakenings that I have sent you were in order that Israel could learn from you for all generations how to pray to God, and not to withhold themselves from praying, and now “it is enough for you.” You have received and transmitted a sufficient amount for them to take care of all their needs.

“See! I have taught you statutes and judgments as God has commanded me .…” (Devarim, 4:5) The Patriarchs also fulfilled the entire Torah, and taught it to their children, as it is said in the Midrash. Still, before it was commanded by the mouth of Moshe Rabeynu they were performing the precepts of the Torah even though they were not obliged to do so, acting of their own accord. Now Moshe Rabeynu renewed the Torah for them so they would be commanded and then fulfilling what was required of them, which is greater than doing even though it is not required.

“See! I have taught you statutes and judgments as Hashem my God has commanded me .…” (Devarim, 4:5) When Moshe Rabeynu saw that he was not to enter the land of Israel, yet they would enter, he feared that the Kedusha (holiness) of the land of Israel would be less significant in their eyes. He feared they would say, “If it had great Kedusha then Moshe Rabeynu would have been able to go in.” Therefore he said to them, “as Hashem my God has commanded me …” This means “God, who loves me greatly, and if I also entered the land, he would have commanded me also concerning these Words of Torah.”⁶

footnotes: ⁶ Thus he said, “as My God has commanded me,” and not “as your God has commanded you.”

“And you shall keep them and do them, for it is you wisdom and your understanding in the eyes of the nations .…” (Devarim, 4:6) It is written in the Gemara (Shabbat, 75a) that this wisdom is the sod ha’ibbur, the secret of the calculation of the calendar and establishment of leap years, by which Israel knows how to set the calendar so it will endure throughout the hot and cold seasons. And when the nations see that Israel calculates and sets the calendar so it corresponds precisely to the world’s natural phenomena, and that they are doing so not according to their intellect and understanding, then they will understand that Israel is drawing its energy from a source above their intellect.

“For who is a such a great nation who has God close to it .…” (Devarim, 4:7) Whenever we cry out, we have to be intensely close to God, for the meaning of crying out is desire and yearning for something. On this King David said (Tehilim, 131), “A song of ascents. God has not made my heart proud or my eyes high … if I have not quieted myself, as a weaned babe by its mother, so my soul is weaned beside me.” “Weaned” is when a small child is separated from its mother’s breast. In the same way when a small child wants something it will turn its head and look towards its mother so she doesn’t go away from him, so too must every soul in Israel look to God as not to be immersed in desires and pleasures. Then one will not, God forbid, forget God, but rather to think of His ways. This is as it is said in the Gemara (Beitsa, 11a), “a small bird that hops will not hop far from the nest,” and the community of Israel is likened to a dove (Gemara Shabbat, 130a).

“[Guard yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of Hashem your God, which He has made with you,] and you make any graven image, even the likeness of anything of which Hashem your God has commanded you.” (Devarim, 4:23) This means not to give credence to any external surface appearance,⁷, in Hebrew, meaning literally tint or coloring. even concerning the Mitzvot, which God has commanded you, as is discussed in the holy Zohar (II Yitro, 87a-b). This is what is meant by (Devarim, 4:16) “likeness of male,” which refers to the (248) positive mitzvot, and “likeness of female,” which refers to the (365) negative mitzvot.

footnotes: ⁷ Gaven

“And you shall know this day and take into your heart that Hashem is Elokim [in the heavens above and in the earth below, there is none other].” (Devarim, 4:39) This statement is juxtaposed to the section discussing the cities of refuge⁸ (Devarim, 4:41), “thus Moshe separated,” etc. Concerning this it is written in the Midrash (Devarim Rabba, 2:28), “For Moshe Rabeynu crowned the Holy One, blessed be He, even in the empty spaces of the world [air, sky, cosmos].” “There is none other” is true even in space. This is why this verse is juxtaposed to the discussion of the cities of refuge, as it was the portion of Moshe Rabeynu to make known that God rules even in the air, and nothing happens outside of His will. In this he made a shield of defense for one who acts unintentionally—for how could the axe, slipping from the hand of its owner, cut a path through the air and kill another, if not according to God’s will? And so it is with all unintentional acts.

footnotes: ⁸ One who killed another unintentionally would escape from the blood avenger to an appointed city of refuge.

“Not with our fathers did God make this covenant, but with us, [we who are here, all alive, today].” (Devarim, 5:3) God desires that His request to serve Him should go out among the living, for those who have passed into the world to come have already completed what they needed to.

“Hear O Israel, Hashem is our God … And you shall love Hashem your God … And it shall be when God shall bring you into the land .…” (Devarim, 6:4–5, 7:1) Concerning the progression of these verses, we learn that a man must refine himself in all his affairs in five areas (based on the following five verses). “Hear O Israel” means that a man must see that everything is in the hands of God, and that He is One. “And you shall love” means that one must be able to abandon all the pleasures of this world for the love of God. “And it shall be when God shall bring you” means service, that a man must serve God with all his soul, as it is written, “and He you shall serve [Devarim, 6:13],” and as it written there, “houses filled with all good things.” (No matter how much wealth and comfort one has) he shall not forget to serve God. “Do not test God [Devarim, 6:16]” relates to once one has already refined himself in these three areas, then when God bestows good upon him, he shall not fear and be uncertain that maybe this will not be for his well-being. This is as “Do not test God” continues, “as you did at Massa.” In the incident at Massa (Shemot, 17:7), when the people complained for water, it says, “is God among us or not?” (Not to do this, but rather) to trust that indeed God is giving generously. “Do not show them mercy [when you eradicate the nations from the land (Devarim 7:2])” means not to be enamored of anyone who hates God. This is as it is written (Eruvin, 21a), “Until Zechariya ben Edo came and explained it … so we find that the entire world is one three thousand two hundredths of the Torah.” “Three thousand” corresponds to the first three verses: “Hear,” “And you shall love,” “And when He shall bring you.”⁹,” in Hebrew, is the same word as “learn,” “aleph,” in Aramaic, meaning that “once you learn these three attributes.” “Two hundred” corresponds to “do not test,” and “Show no mercy.” Zechariya managed to uphold these Words of Torah (the above five stages of refinement) after his father Edo the prophet had first failed in them when he ate with the false prophet (see the whole story in Kings 1, Ch. 13). Edo truly had a reason to rely upon when he decided to eat with him, for after God told him not to eat, he had absolutely no desire to eat. Due to the purity of his heart, after he was warned he had no appetite. Then when the false prophet came to him and offered him food he was immediately hungry. With this he had proof that the matter was from God, for when two opinions agree with each other, then it is clearly God’s will. Similarly Yirmiya had put his trust in this as is explained on the verse “Molten images” (Mei HaShiloach Parshat Mishpatim). But he had to understand that all his desire was only that which the false prophet had awakened in him, and after this incident a new law was enacted that one may only learn a Torah law from someone he knows to be righteous. (In this way his son managed to uphold the Torah. Hence it was precisely through Edo’s son who enacted this law. After his father had ostensibly erred in his observance, then the Talmudic statement, “one can only uphold the words of the Torah if he has erred in it,” took effect, meaning his error retroactively deepened his understanding of the Torah. Thus he could then truly transmit the Torah through his lineage. [Hagahot Peretz])

footnotes: ⁹ It seems that “thousand,” “eleph

“And you shall love Hashem your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your possessions.” (Devarim, 6:5) (This is in the first section of the Shema. And in the second section,) “And it will be, if you will surely hearken” (it says, “all your hearts, and all your souls”) but it does not say “and all your possessions.” For “your possessions” is literally “your much.” This means to be so greatly (much) willing to deliver over your whole life for the sanctity of God’s name, even if this means sacrificing your life in the world to come.¹⁰? Here are two possible solutions. It has been said that the true test of the sincerity of an action is if one is willing to do that action for all eternity. “The world to come” is eternity, and thus one would be willing to stake their eternity on the performance of the mitzvot. A second solution could be that this is hinting at the necessity to go outside of the principles of Words of Torah in order to fulfill God’s will, and thereby forfeiting his share in the world to come. See the first piece in the Agra DePirka of R. Zsvi Elimelech of Dinov, zts”l. Yet this is all only before it is entirely clear to a person his portion connected to him at the root of his soul. For everyone has a particular mitzvah that by fulfilling he thereby achieves the world to come, and according to this mitzvah and its fulfillment is the essence of that person’s whole existence. Before one’s portion is clear to him, he must serve God in such a way that there is nothing that he would not give over to sanctify God (“and all your muchness”). Yet after it is clear what his portion (and particular mitzvah) is, God no longer wants him to serve in the previous manner, for God does not want to take away from him this quality for which he had been suited. From man’s point of view even though he is only required to give his life for the three prohibitions of idolatry, forbidden sexual unions, and murder, yet for the particular mitzvah known to him connected to him at the root of his soul he must give his life to fulfill it. This is reminiscent of Daniel who was willing to give his life to stand and pray, though he was not required as such by the law. Similarly Mordechai would not bow down before Haman, which would have been a small price to save his life¹. Yet they understood that that particular mitzvah was connected to them at the root of their soul, (and worth dying over,) as is explained on the verse, “if you happen upon a bird’s nest” (above in Parshat Ki Teitse).¹¹” in the second section of Shema, corresponding to after it is clear what his portion is, and only for that to be greatly willing to deliver over his soul.

footnotes: ¹⁰ This is quite striking, as it would seem that one would be willing to give over his life in this world. But what does it mean “to give over your life in the world to come” for the sake of the mitzvot ¹ See Sanhedrin, 61b, Rava’s opinion ¹¹ All this explains the absence of “all your muchness

“And these things which I command you today shall be upon your heart.” (Devarim, 6:6) It is written in the Gemara (Pesachim, 55b), “The men of Jericho would ‘wrap’ the recitation of the Shema. This they would say, ‘these things that I command you today shall be upon your heart’ [without pausing after ‘today,’ as if to say, ‘today they shall be upon your heart, but not tomorrow.’ The author will depart from this explanation].” Jericho hints at scent.¹² means scent, and its letters are found in the Hebrew word for Jericho. Furthermore, Jericho is called the “city of date palms,” which means that its inhabitants deeply understood the meaning of dates being the last of the seven species found in Israel (see Devarim 8:8). They understood that in the end Words of Torah would be fixed in the hearts of Israel according to God’s will. Thus they said, “today upon your hearts,” meaning that today Words of Torah are only on your hearts, but tomorrow they will be fixed within your hearts. The sages did not agree with their practice, asserting that it is not within the power of man to hasten the Salvation, unless it happens by God’s will. Therefore this was only the practice of the men of Jericho because Jericho teaches of scent, as explained, meaning that they would smell the approaching salvation from afar. Furthermore, it is called “the city of date palms” (Devarim, 34:3) and dates are the last of the seven species, meaning that they looked onto the end of the matter.¹ Halachot ‘Rei’och’ – especially to connect to the vaguest thing to grasp – the Final End. Yericho imbued its inhabitants with power to link to ethereal levels not so readily available to others. Many other places in Rabbinical literature we find that places can influence for good or for better those who rest in them. Yericho ‘Date City,’ “Date tree takes seventy years to fully mature” (Baba Batra 80b). It draws from the end, yet was first to be conquered by Yehoshua upon entering Israel – “End is embedded in Beginning…” (Sefer Yetsirah)… [Hagahot Peretz])

footnotes: ¹² Reyach ¹ Note: Scent is the highest and thereby most tenuous of senses and alludes to the loftiest perceptions of Divinity (Likutei

“You [plural] shall surely guard the mitzvot of Hashem your God, and His testimonies and statutes which He has commanded you [singular].” (Devarim, 6:17) Why does the verse begin in the plural, “You shall surely guard,” and then end in the singular, “which He has commanded you”? God gave the 613 mitzvot equally to all the people of Israel, and one is just as obligated to fulfill them as another. Yet as for “His testimonies,” meaning the meaning behind the mitzvot, each one feels the unique meaning of a commandment that another does not feel, nor does he have the understanding of his fellow. We find an example of this in the Gemara (Pesachim, 53b), “even though one says to light, and another says not to light, they both had the same intention.”¹³ For at first it seemed as if one disagreed with the other, yet truly there was no disagreement for they both intended the same thing. Thus one does not call to question the attributes of his fellow, for he understands that his fellow can only keep the mitzvah in his own way, and not in his way. Therefore it says (in verse 19), “to cast out all your enemies from before you,” which is referring to those involved in fierce disagreements in Israel. Yet the meaning is not that they should be destroyed, God forbid, but rather to cast out their kind of service from before you, so as not to disturb you from your own service.

footnotes: ¹³ This is discussing whether or not to leave a candle lit on the eve of Yom Kippur. One says that if there is light he is less likely to engage in intimate relations, and another says if it is dark and he does not see his wife, then he will be less likely to succumb. Both opinions are in order to distance one from sin.

“When your son asks you in the future, saying, what are the testimonies and the statutes and the judgments which Hashem our God has commanded you?” (Devarim, 6:20) What he is really asking is why God chose us in His great love, so therefore you answer him (verse 21), “we were slaves.” This means that we were downtrodden, and it is the way of God to dwell in the downtrodden and low of spirit. This is as it is written (Yeshayahu, 57:15), “I dwell in a high and holy place, and also with the downtrodden and meek of spirit. I revive the spirit of the lowly and the heart of the downtrodden.” And when God desires to save, He does so with the full greatness of His awesome power.

“And it shall be righteousness for us, if we keep the mitzvot to do them .…” (Devarim, 6:25) The Aramaic translation of “righteousness” is Zechuta (meaning both “merit” and “pure”). This means that God will testify that our actions are pure from the depth of the heart. For a Gentile who gives a coin in charity solely in order that his son will live is called wicked. Yet an Israelite who does this is wholly righteous.¹⁴ 4a. Many commentaries point out that this seems to contradict the Mishna in Pirke Avot, “do not perform the mitzvot in order to receive a reward.” The Maharal of Prague explains that if one is doing a mitzvah for the sake of the Holy One, blessed be He, then even if he expects to receive some reward, he is considered righteous. This is because the Holy One, blessed be He, testifies that the depths of our hearts are refined according to His will.¹

footnotes: ¹⁴ See the Gemara, Rosh Hashanah ¹ Also – Torah affords the Jew ability to utilize life in this world for spiritual purposes and so giving Charity for the sake of material benefit can be considered “for the sake of Heaven”. Gentiles - who did not want the Torah, do not have this option, unless they chose to convert. [Hagahot Peretz]