Moshe Rabbeinu ( Moses) is the man who walked between Heaven and Earth. He is the man who spoke to G-d as men speak to each other, panim el panim, that is to say, “face to face.” This is the man who walked into the fiery mountain and felt the Glory of G- d pass over him. This man at the end of his life had but one request, one final plea:
Pray let me cross over and see the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan , this good mountain and the Levanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25).
Parshat Va’etchanan (Deuteronomy 3:23–7:11) — Moshe’s prayer to G-d gives us insights into prayer, our relationship with G-d and the land of Israel. We also look at the Temple and its eternal impact on the Jewish people and the world.
In the torah portion of Shlach we read that Hashem says to Moshe “”Send out for yourself men who will scout ( LaToor) the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel.” (Numbers 13:1-2)
Yet in our portion of Devarim we read”… and they came to the valley of Eshkol and spied ( VaYiraglu) it out.” ( Deuteronomy 1:24)
What is the difference between “scouting out ( LaToor) the land” and “spying ( LeRagel ) it out”.
Parshat Devarim (Deuteronomy 1:1-3:22) — The sin of the spies and the secret of repairing the damage it has caused throughout the generation.
“‘ These are the journeys of the children of Israel who left the land of Egypt “(Bamidbar 33:1)” The Ba’al Shem Tov teaches that the words in the verse “These are the journeys of the children of Israel… teaches us that ” These forty-two “stations” from Egypt to the Promised Land are replayed in the life of every individual Jew, as his soul journeys from its descent to earth at birth to its return to its Source. It is also the journey of the people of Israel
Parshat Massei (Numbers 33:1–36:13) — The lessons of our life journeys gleaned from three verse in this week’s Torah portion.
The Bible chronicles the forty-two journeys and encampments of Israel from the Exodus from Egypt to their encampment on the plains of Moav across the river from the Promised land.
Towards the end of the Torah portion of Matot that describes the importance of vows.and declares war on the divisiveness personified by Midian, we are confronted with the request of the tribes of Reuven and Gad.
The people of Reuven and Gad have been very successful and have amassed large flocks of sheep and possessions. They turned to Moshe and said : If we have found favor in your eyes, then let this land be given to your servants as an inheritance, and do not cause us to pass over the River Yarden (Bemidbar 32:1-5).
The tribes of Reuben and Gad have become wealthy, laden with sheep and oxen. They do not want to cross the Jordan but rather want to stay on the abundant land on the east side of the Jordan. In their words we learn of their mistaken set of priorities.
