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By Rabbi Pablo Berman,
Comunidad Israelita de El Salvador

Translated by Inés Baum - Proofreading by Ellen Zindler

Perhaps Alberto Cortez’ words are true, when he sings: “When a friend leaves, there’s just an empty space, which cannot be filled by the arrival of another friend” . Moses is the leader of the People of Israel, but above all, he was a friend. He was the person who enjoyed face to face contact with the Divinity, but when he descended Mount Sinai, Moses was a human being, a friend.

As the good leader he was, he knew how to negotiate with God over many issues, except the moment for him to say good-bye, to leave his people, and see the land only from afar. Ki mi negued tirhe et haaretz, ve llama lo tavo, “Therefore, you will see the land only from a distance; you will not enter the land I am giving to the people of Israel.” Moses was not able to cross that doorway, perhaps, who knows, because leaders not always reach the Promised Land. He tried to negotiate with God, but the decision was made.

In Parashat Vaetchannan, at the beginning of the book of Devarim, Moses begs God: “Let me go over, I pray Thee, and see the good land”. And God’s answer was categorical: Rab lach, “Let it suffice thee; speak no more unto Me of this matter”. Just as a parent tells a child, when he has already bothered too much. Even Moses’ death appears as a command: Chumut baar rasher atah ole shamah, “There on the mountain that you have climbed you will die…”

Moses then recites Shirat Ha'azinu, the farewell poem, before he goes ahead with the transfer of leadership to the person who would be responsible for continuing with the hard task of leading the people to Eretz Canaan.

According to Rashi, medieval biblical interpreter, Joshua is ready. Moses and Joshua move around each one of the tribes, visit every family. Moses urges them to not abandon the Torah, to read it, to study it in greater depth. Rashi tells us it was a Sabbath afternoon, a special Shabbat: the Shabbat of the transfer of power, of knowledge, of leadership, from Moses to Joshua; and that it was a sign: that they both stood before the people, and even that Moses brought Joshua into his new position, so that even while Moses lived, Joshua could prove his wisdom and his gifts as a leader. Moses knew his people, and he believed they could say to Joshua: “During the life of our teacher you could not stand straight”. How many leaders behave like this? How many leaders prepare the ground for those who will come later, with the same humility they showed in their performance as leaders?

Finally, God speaks to Moses. The text recounts that He spoke b’etzem hayom ha’zeh, “on that very same day”. Throughout the Torah, we only encounter the words B’etzem hayom ha’zeh, “on that very same day”, three times. During the story of Noach, God commanded Noach and his family, in broad daylight, to enter the ark: B’etzem hayom ha’zeh ba Noach, “On that very same day, Noach and his entire family entered the ark”, because the sons of his generation said: “If we see him leave, we will not allow him to enter the ark, moreover, we will smash his ark.” So God said: “I will bring them into the ark, not by sneaking in under the cover of night but in broad daylight, and let those who dare complain, may they come and do so.”

The same happens when the Israelites leave Egypt. Vayei b’etzem hayom ha’zeh, “On that very same day, all the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of Egypt”, because the Egyptians said: “If we see them, we will not let them go, and not just that, but we will take our swords and kill them”. So God said: “I will take them out in broad daylight, and let those who have courage come and protest, may they come and protest.”

Also here, in our Torah portion, at the moment of Moses’ death, it is written: B’etzem hayom ha’zeh. Because the people said: “If we see him, we will not allow Moses to leave us! A man such as Moses, who took us out of Egypt, and parted the sea, and made the manna flow from heaven, and brought us quails and gave us water, and gave us the Torah; we will not let such a man leave.” And God said: “I will collect him in broad daylight, and let those courageous enough, may they come and protest.”

No one could do anything to avoid the moment of Moses’ farewell. It was a decision already taken, and no complaint could make things change. Moses beholds then the land of Israel. God says to him: “I know that you love the land, therefore, climb and see it.”

In that last look, Moses perhaps thought something similar to what Ariel Horovitz, Israeli singer-songwriter, sings:

      I’m standing on the mountain,
      And I can’t believe it,
      Everything is so strange,
      How can I explain?
      I’m standing on the mountain,
      And I have no words,
      To tell you what I see.
      Go ahead, go ahead.
      It is exactly the best for you.
      Go ahead.

This Parashah commentary was done by the Union of Jewish Congregations of Latin America and the Caribbean, and may be reproduced quoting its source.
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Forwarded by Rabbi Gustavo Kraselnik, from Kol Shearith Israel Congregation, Panama.
Translated by Inés Baum and proofread by Ellen Zindler, from B’nei Israel Congregation, Costa Rica.

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