Parshat Devarim 5779-The brilliance of the Vilna Gaon

אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡ר בָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַחֲצֵרֹ֖ת וְדִ֥י זָהָֽב׃

“These are the words that Moses addressed to all Israel on the other side of the Jordan.—Through the wilderness, in the Arabah near Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab……………………………………………..

וַיְהִי֙ בְּאַרְבָּעִ֣ים שָׁנָ֔ה בְּעַשְׁתֵּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ר חֹ֖דֶשׁ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כְּ֠כֹל אֲשֶׁ֨ר צִוָּ֧ה יְהוָ֛ה אֹת֖וֹ אֲלֵהֶֽם׃

It was in the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, that Moses addressed the Israelites in accordance with the instructions that the LORD had given him for them…….

בְּעֵ֥בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֖ן בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מוֹאָ֑ב הוֹאִ֣יל מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֵּאֵ֛ר אֶת־הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את לֵאמֹֽר׃

On the other side of the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this Teaching.”

In these first few verses of the Book of Devarim the word דִּבֶּ֤ר  is mentioned twice and a similar expression(of communication and explanation) בֵּאֵ֛ר is also added in. The Vilna Gaon(as found in the sefer Aderet Eliahu and as reported in the sefer Ketav Vekabbalah)  asks why does the Torah mention the idea of ‘communication’ three times in the first few verses of the sefer?

His answer is enlightening.He explains that Sefer Devarim  is divided into 3 sections; 

a) Up to ch. 5  is the section of exhortation and musar,  which Moshe spoke to the people near to his death.He wanted to highlight their faults so as to be chastised enough not to repeat them again upon entry into Israel. This is alluded to by the first use of the word דִּבֶּ֤ר which has the connotation of a harsh type of speech, as seen in many places.

b) The second section begins with ch.5 ( the chapter of the 10 commandments) prefaced by a verse on ch.4 v. 45:

אֵ֚לֶּה הָֽעֵדֹ֔ת וְהַֽחֻקִּ֖ים וְהַמִּשְׁפָּטִ֑ים אֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּצֵאתָ֖ם מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃

“these are the decrees, laws, and rules that Moses addressed to the people of Israel, after they had left Egypt,”

which introduces  the next section of the sefer, containing all of the legislation either repeated from before or brought here for the first time ( see Ramban and Emet Leyaakov for further elaboration).This section lasts until the end of the laws of Bikkurim etc in chapter 26. Again it is alluded to by the second reference to the word דִּבֶּ֤ר as seen above.

3) From  chapter 27 onwards , the blessings and curses are related right up to the end of the sefer, in the parsha of Vezot Haberacha.  Chapter 27 also begins with the phrase( בַּאֵ֥ר הֵיטֵֽב -27:8:) corresponding to the same word being mentioned in the opening verses of the sefer as highlighted above.

The Vilna Gaon goes even a stage further and links each of these 3 sections to a previous sefer of the Torah. The book of Shemot begins with the word  אלה which is also found at the intro to the second section of sefer Devarim as explained above(4:45). The book of Vayikra begins with the same word as found at the beginning of ch.5 of Devarim which denotes the beginning of the second section of the book of Devarim.Finally the repeated mention of the word דִּבֶּ֤ר corresponds to the beginning of the sefer of Bamidbar, which begins with the word  וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר

The Gaon adds that the book of Bereshit is not alluded to here as it is a ‘sefer kolel’ meaning that it contains the roots of the whole Torah and is not alluded to as a section of Torah but is the foundation and cornerstone of the whole Torah itself.

The Ketav Vekabalah adds that this is an amazing introduction as it explains the first few verses of sefer Devarim, as being the ultimate introduction to the whole book and not in any way having to link them to the end of the previous sefer, as some commentators try to do.

I would also add that this is yet another indication of the special nature of the sefer and how it links and ties together the whole Torah.It is literally ‘mishneh Torah’ in that it repeats and encapsulates the essence of the other parts of Torah and shows the link between this and all the other sefarim, as all coming from God via the mouth of Moshe.

I would also add that R’Kaminetsky explains the book of Devarim as the constitution of the Jews for life in Eretz Yisrael.This is why it is important to link all parts of Torah together to see the whole Torah as the basis for future life and survival in Israel in Israel. This is very timely at this time of year when we examine our kesher to Israel, especially in terms of churban and what was lost. Israel without Torah is like a body without a soul and the book of Devarim reinforces this idea in a most beautiful and dramatic way. 

May we see the redemption speedily in our days.