As Moses is about to die he blesses the tribes of Israel, echoing the blessings that Jacob gave before he died. Like Jacob, he gives a brief one line to Reuben but unlike Jacob he ignores the tribe of Simeon and also gives a very brief line to Judah. But he says much more than Jacob about the tribe of…
Parsha Vezot Haberaha
Who Was Jeshurun?
Jeshurun is used only twice and both times by Moses. The first time is in Ha’Azinu. Vayishman Yeshurun Vayiva’at. Jeshurun became fat (complacent) and kicked over the traces. Or here in Vezot HaBeraha. There is no God like Jeshurun. Or there is no one before God to compare to Jeshurun. What or who is Jeshurun? Once again, our commentators are…
Who Wrote the Last Lines?
“Moses, the servant of God, died there in the land of Moab according to the word of God. He was buried in guy (a valley) in the land of Moab opposite Ba’al Peor. And no one knows where he was buried until this very day. Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eyes had no dimmed nor his…