2022/5782
It is challenging to grasp the role of Sefer Devarim. Many assume Sefer Devarim is a summary of the first four books of the Torah. This misunderstanding stems from a misunderstanding of the “nickname” Chazal give to Sefer Devarim: Mishneh Torah (Megilla 31b). While the term Mishneh Torah literally means a repetition of the Torah, Sefer Devarim is far more than a mere repeat of the Torah.
Chazal’s Nicknames for the Books of the Torah
The names Chazal give to the first four books of the Torah are fairly straightforward. Sefer BeReishit is called Sefer Yetzira, since BeReishit describes the creation of the world and the creation of Am Yisrael. Sefer Shemot is Sefer HaGe’ulah since we are redeemed from slavery and Hesteir Panim (distancing from Hashem). Torat Kohanim captures the meaning of Sefer VaYikra since the Sefer presents the laws of the Kohanim and how Am Yisrael can realize our mandate to be the Mamlechet Kohanim VeGoy Kadosh, a role model holy nation (Shemot 19:6). BeMidbar is referred to by Chazal as Sefer Pekudim, the book of countings, since the Sefer contrasts the generation that left Mitzrayim who are counted in the early part of the Sefer with the generation that will enter Eretz Yisrael who are counted in the later part of the Sefer.
Mishneh Torah, by contrast, seems not at all to capture the essence of Sefer Devarim.
Sefer Devarim is NOT a Summary of the First Four Books of the Torah
Sefer Devarim is undoubtedly not a mere summary of the Torah. Hardly any of Sefer BeReishit is summarized in Devarim. While some of Shemot is presented in Devarim – Matan Torah and the Cheit Ha’Eigel for example – much is missing such as the Ten Makkot and the Mishkan. Most of VaYikra is not presented in Devarim, with the exceptions of the list of Kosher creatures and the Berachot UKelalot. While Cheit HaMeraglim and the rules of the Ir Miklat are both presented in Sefer Devarim, much of the rest of Sefer BeMidbar, including the countings, the ordering of the camps, and the rules of the Parah Aduma do not appear in Devarim.
Moreover, there are many Mitzvot that appear in Sefer Devarim that do not appear in the earlier books, including the appointing of a Melech, Chalitza, and the Ben Sorer UMoreh.
Finally, the stories that are addressed in Sefer Devarim that appeared earlier in the Torah, are presented significantly differently in Sefer Devarim. For example, the Meraglim story is presented dramatically different in Devarim than it is in BeMidbar.
Most important, if Sefer Devarim is merely a summary of the first four books of the Torah, it would be worthless. To illustrate this point, imagine that a synagogue engaged a guest speaker. On the Shabbat, his speech consists of a summary of the first four books of the Torah. His presentation would be deemed a complete failure. Merely summarizing the first four books of the Torah would hardly be deemed a valuable speech. There must be something more to Sefer Devarim!
What is Sefer Devarim?
The following Pesukim help us understand the purpose of Sefer Devarim: Devarim 1:1 notes “Eileh HaDevarim Asher Diber Moshe El Kol Yisrael Be’Eiver HaYardein,” “These are the speeches that Moshe Rabbeinu delivered on the other side of the Jordan River.” This Pasuk defines Devarim as a series of speeches Moshe Rabbeinu delivered to us when we were about to enter Eretz Yisrael.
Devarim 2:2 is a Pasuk that typifies Sefer Devarim. The Pasuk states “VaYedabeir Hashem Eilai Lamor” Hashem spoke to me to communicate. This oft-repeated Pasuk in Sefer Devarim contrasts sharply with the Pasuk “VaYedabeir Hashem El Moshe Leimor,” Hashem instructed Moshe to communicate, that appears so often in Shemot, VaYikra, and BeMidbar.
“VaYedabeir Hashem Eilai Lamor” exemplifies how unlike the first four books of the Torah, Moshe Rabbeinu is “the speaker” in Sefer Devarim. In the other books of the Torah, the Narrator, meaning Hashem, is “the speaker”.
Devarim 1:3 informs us that he began delivering these speeches on Rosh Chodesh Shevat in the last year of Moshe Rabbeinu’s life. Moshe Rabbeinu continued delivering these speeches until the day he died (Devarim 31:2 with Rashi). Being that Chazal (Kiddushin 38b) inform us that Moshe Rabbeinu died on the seventh of Adar, we learn that these speeches recorded in Sefer Devarim were delivered for a bit more than a month.
Devarim 6:1 informs us that Moshe Rabbeinu will be presenting matters relevant to our upcoming entry into Eretz Yisrael. Moshe Rabbeinu in Sefer Devarim prepares us for at least four major transitions that we are about to make.
One great change is the transfer of the leadership from Moshe Rabbeinu to Yehoshua. The former had been our leader for forty years. Most of Bnei Yisrael did not know of another leader during their adulthood. In Sefer Devarim, Moshe Rabbeinu prepares us for Yehoshua soon assuming the mantle of leadership.
Another monumental adjustment was from a life sustained by miracles in the Midbar to a much more natural life in Israel. The Mitzvah of Birkat HaMazon is presented in Sefer Devarim since it is most relevant to Eretz Yisrael (aside from our thanking Hashem for Eretz Yisrael in Sefer Devarim). In Eretz Yisrael we will be eating natural meals for which we must recite Birkat HaMazon, unlike the Mahn which we ate in the Midbar.
Another major change was adjusting from living in isolation from other nations in the Midbar, to being exposed to many other nations in Eretz Yisrael. For this reason, Moshe Rabbeinu places much emphasis on “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem Echad” and refraining from Avodah Zara.
Finally, in the Midbar, at least for the most of our journey, we were not exposed to war with enemies. In Eretz Yisrael we will be faced with the need to conquer Eretz Yisrael. It is for this reason that Moshe Rabbeinu discusses at length Mitzvot relevant to waging war.
Moshe Rabbeinu is overwhelmingly successful with these speeches as evidenced by Sefer Yehoshua. The very end of Sefer Devarim and Sefer Yehoshua record the seamless and orderly transfer of power to Yehoshua. Moreover, relatively little goes wrong in Sefer Yehoshua. Very few deviations from the Torah occur during the time of Yehoshua’s rule. Thus, Moshe Rabbeinu perfectly prepared us and set us up for great success in Sefer Yehoshua.
In summary, Sefer Devarim is a series of speeches Moshe Rabbeinu delivered during the last thirty seven days of his life. These speeches beautifully prepared us to handle the monumental changes that lay before us.