BS”D
MOSHE’s FINAL DAYS
It was common knowledge that these were the final days on earth of the greatest Rav who would ever live, of the only human being to achieve such an intense degree of closeness to the ultimate first cause of all that exists. The feelings of love and longing for the beloved Moshe swelled in the hearts of all the nation.
Over the course of forty years, Moshe had taken the people of Israel from a deprived existence and from the depraved society in Egypt and had turned them into G–D’s chosen people. A sense of anticipation and pride could be felt, for soon Moshe would be delivering his synopsis of the past and his words of encouragement to the nation to be stout of heart in the future when they would enter Eretz Yisrael. Moshe ascends the specially constructed platform from which he could see the entire people and be seen and heard by them:
אלה הדברים אשר דבר משה אל כל ישראל בעבר הירדן במדבר בערבה מול סוף בין פארן ובין תפל ולבן וחצרת ודי זהב:
These are the words which Moshe said to all Israel in Trans-Jordan, in the desert, in the wilderness across from Suf, between Paran and Tefel, and Lavan and Chatzeirot, and Di Zahav
Rashi explains that the names of all the places mentioned in this verse allude to the worst sins perpetrated by the nation during their forty years in the desert. Moshe alludes to the sin of the golden calf, and a sense of uneasiness passes over the people as they question why Moshe is bringing up this old, forgotten matter. They want him to let bygones be bygones, especially since they had had nothing to do with it.
When Moshe refers to the incessant complaints and threats to return to Egypt during their forty-year journey, the feeling of uneasiness turns to consternation. This is not the way a leader bids farewell to his nation. When Moshe recounts the sins perpetrated at Baal Pe’or and with the Midianite women, the consternation turns to outright anger.
As Moshe goes on with his “sin count,” the anger turns to feelings of great shame; because it becomes clear to all that Moshe simply does not like the nation he was commanded to lead. Indeed, it seems that Moshe’s soliloquy is an expression of his great disappointment with the people, even bordering on feelings of disdain. To be hated by Moshe, the agent of HaShem in this world, must be a reflection of HaShem’s feelings toward Am Yisrael. This repudiation that we, as a nation, failed in HaShem’s expectations will be indelibly engraved on the Jewish consciousness for all time. Suddenly Moshe stops, looks out at the nation and announces:
ה’ אלהי אבותכם יסף עליכם ככם אלף פעמים ויברך אתכם כאשר דבר לכם
The Lord, G–D of your fathers, may He increase you a thousand-fold and bless you as He has said to you.
A sense of bewilderment grips the assembled: “If Moshe dislikes us so much, why is he blessing us?” (continued)
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