Ve’Zot Ha’Brachah 5773 - English

By Rabbi gustavo Kraselnik
Kol Shearith Israel - Panama

There are lots of ways in which we can own a Torah passage.  It may be the key point in a story we learned as children, it could be a phrase that summarizes an essential concept in our lives, or a quote that identifies us or that we suddenly find at the least expected place.  In general terms, reading the text is what moves us to connect with it.

With the last three words from the Torah, LEEINEI KOL YISRAEL, “before the eyes of all of Israel” (Deut. 34:12), my connection came from elsewhere.  What bonded me with them was their writing, instead of their reading.

Last February, a new Sefer Torah entered our congregation, in honor of our first ten years at Kol Shearith Israel.  For my wife Ruthie and me, that was a great distinction.

So that we all could have the opportunity to fulfill the Mitzvah of writing a Sefer Torah, not just through a financial contribution but also physically, we bought a scroll with the last verses unfinished and we invited Sofer STa”M Sebastian Grimberg, from Buenos Aires, to write them.

During the days prior to the conclusion ceremony, children, youngsters and adults marched before the scroll and had the opportunity to “write” with the Sofer’s hand.  When the expected day arrived, and in the presence of the entire congregation, the final letters of the Torah were finally written down.  In my case, I had the honor of doing it with the seven letters of the next-to-last words LEEINEI KOL.  It was an emotional moment.

The word YISRAEL, through the suggestion of Sofer Sebastian, was written by everybody.  Hand in hand, all of us formed a human chain with the Sofer at the end, and it was like this, united, how the last 5 letters were written.  The sound of the Shofar signaled that the text had been completed and was ready to enter our temple.  Joy and delight mixed with some tears of happiness.  A little later, the new Sefer Torah made its grand entrance to our synagogue, and we experienced a historical and unforgettable moment.

LEEINEI KOL YISRAEL, “before the eyes of all of Israel” (Deut. 34:12).  Thus ends Parashat Ve’Zot Ha’Brachah and the Torah itself.  I feel a special tie with those words.  What are they referring to?

The text is speaking about the unique qualities that Moses had as leader of the people, and his “face-to-face” relationship with God, “for no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did before the eyes of all of Israel.”

What deeds were these?

Rashi (France, 11th century) maintains that the verse refers to Moses destroying the Tablets of the Law, after seeing the Israelites dancing with the golden calf: “So I took the two tablets and threw them out of my hands, breaking them into pieces before your eyes” (Deut. 9:17).

Ovadia Sforno (Italy, 16th century), on his part, affirms that it refers to the Delivery of the Torah: “The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was” (Ex. 20:21).

It would seem that both commentators have opposing views.  From Rashi’s words, we may infer that the crucial moment for Moses as leader of the people was the act of breaking the divine tablets.  The people’s idolatry of worshipping the golden calf led Moses to a radical action.  It is in moments of crisis when the quality and convictions of a leader are exposed.

For Sforno, that decisive moment came at the top of Mount Sinai.  That face-to-face encounter with God, that intimacy with the divine, strengthened Moses as leader of the people.  It is the decision to conduct yourself with wisdom at supreme times, what expresses the essence of an authentic leader and teacher.

In all likelihood, a wide glance combining both approaches might help us understand the keys of Moses’ leadership: to act with decision and valor in times of crisis, to conduct yourself with style and elegance when reaching great goals, and to do both LEEINEI KOL YISRAEL, before the eyes of all of Israel.

Chag Sameach,

Gustavo