Chasidic Insights

CHASIDIC INSIGHTS PARSHAS V'ZOSE HABROCHOH 5766 BS"D

Ch. 33, v. 1: "Moshe ish hoElokim" - This is the only place in the entire Torah where we find Moshe being given the exalted title "ish hoElokim." This is because in the final verse of the previous parsha Hashem tells Moshe with finality "v'shomoh lo sovo," - you will not come to the Promised Land. "Elokim" connotes strict judgment. Moshe was now "ish hoElokim." (Nirreh li)

Ch. 33, v. 1: "Moshe ish hoElokim es bnei Yisroel" - Translate "es" as "with." Moshe's blessing was that even after his passing he would be with the bnei Yisroel in their thoughts. (Admor of Radomsk in Tiferes Shlomo)

Ch. 33, v. 1: "Moshe ish hoElokim es bnei Yisroel" - Moshe was unique in his ability to be so spiritually elevated, "ish hoElokim," and at the same time be cognizant enough of this physical world and the needs of the bnei Yisroel. (Rabbi Meir of Premishlan)

Ch. 33, v. 1: "Ish hoElokim es bnei Yisroel lifnei moso" - Moshe's blessing was that each person, even if throughout his life was distanced from Hashem, at least when close to death he would repent and become an "ish hoElokim." (Ohr Tzadikim)

Ch. 33, v. 3: "V'heim tuku l'raglecho yisa midabrosecho" - Targum says, "V'inun mad'b'rin t'chos ananoch notlin al memreich," - they were led under Your clouds taking Your word. This alludes to Simchas Torah taking place right after Sukos. Sukoh is a commemoration of the clouds of glory and then the bnei Yisroel take Hashem's Torah in joy. (Chidushei HoRi"m)

Ch. 33, v. 7: "V'zose lYhudoh" - Rashi says that Yehudoh taught Reuvein to confess his sin. How can this be? The sale of Yoseif and Reuvein's repenting took place at the same time, as mentioned by Rashi in parshas Va'yeishev. This predated Yehudoh's confession.

However, as mentioned in Rashi, Reuvein's repenting was the act of "osuk hoyoh v'sako uvtaaniso," - he wore sackcloth and fasted. Yehudoh taught him that the main aspect of repenting is to confess his sins, as per the gemara Taanis 16, "Sackcloth and fasting are not the main components of repenting. Rather repenting and good behaviour are." (Imrei Emes)

Ch. 34, v. 6: "Va'yikbor oso .. mul baal p'ore" - A righteous person should not be buried next to a sinner. How then was Moshe buried next to the idol baal p'ore, as it is even worse than a sinner? However, Rashi says that Moshe's burial plot was prepared for him during the 6 days of creation. What need was there to have it prepared so early?

The gemara A.Z. 44 relates that a Greek asked Rabbon Gamliel in Acco, "How is it that you are bathing in the Afroditi baths? They have been given the status of a deity." Rabbon Gamliel answered that he had used these bathes for numerous years, even before they became deities. "They came into my domain, and not I into theirs."

Since Moshe's burial plot was prepared for him earlier than the placement of baal p'ore in the area, it was permitted to have Moshe buried there, as it "came into his domain." (Shnei Ham'oros)

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