Mission and Blessing: V’zot Ha-Bracha
By Rabbi Boaz D. Heilman
October 12, 2022
By some calendar coincidence—or perhaps intentionally—V’zot Ha-Bracha (“This Is the Blessing,” Deuteronomy 33:1—34:12), the last portion of the Torah, is not read on Saturday, but rather on whatever day of the week the holiday of Simchat Torah (Rejoicing with the Torah) occurs. Special readings for the holiday of Sukkot are read instead on the Sabbath during the Festival of Booths (Tabernacles).
It is fitting that the Torah concludes with Moses blessing the Tribes of Israel. In this, Moses follows the example set by the Patriarch Jacob at the conclusion of the first book of the Torah, Genesis.
But there are differences. Jacob is careful to bless his children in order of their birth. Moses seems to have a different agenda in mind. The tribe of Shimon is left out altogether. Reuven is given his fair share as the eldest, but he is immediately followed by Judah—the most numerous and powerful of the tribes. The Levites are recognized for their role in the ritual practices of the People of Israel, and so are the other tribes, each according to their strengths and contributions. Joseph (represented by the tribes of Efraim and Menashe) is given an extra portion of the blessings, in appreciation for his role as savior and protector of his family and people.
For various reasons, this portion is particularly difficult to understand, and many interpretations have been offered throughout the centuries. It is likely that Moses had in mind the role that each tribe would be playing during the next phase of Israel’s history—its establishment as a nation in its own land.
In any case, the last part of V’zot Ha-Bracha is the most poignant. Moses is commanded by God to climb Mt. Eber—on the eastern shore of the Jordan River—where he is given the privilege of viewing the entirety of the Promised Land. He himself will not be allowed to enter the Land. The role of leadership will be passed on to Joshua.
Moses’s burial place is unknown. His role in both Jewish and world history is not contained by any physical marker. His contribution goes beyond any specific bounds of time and place. The Torah is his gift to humanity; its lessons are infinite and ageless. Story and myth, vision and poetry embody moral lessons that transcend history itself.
The Torah is more than the story of the origin of the Jewish People. It marks a path towards a future where people—all people—treat one another with dignity and respect, with love and gratitude. A vision of the world as it can be, the Torah is more than a dream. It shows us a path to holiness. It acts as both guide and map to making the world a better place. For 3000 years the Torah has provided spiritual strength and sustenance to the Jewish People. Carrying it in our midst and ensuring that future generations will learn from it and then pass it on is both our mission and our blessing.
© 2022 by Boaz D. Heilman
No comments:
Post a Comment