A thought on פרשת וילך
"...kra es Yehoshua...va'atzavenu...""...call in Yehoshua...and I will instruct him..." (31:14)
In the above verse, HaShem has told Moshe to call Yehoshua to accompany him into the Tent, so that HaShem can command and instruct Yehoshua about his emerging role as Moshe prepares to die. We know that Yehoshua took leadership of our nation, crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, and ruled us and fought our battles in the conquest of Israel.
However, something is missing. If we follow the verses here and throughout the remaining passages of the Torah, there is no trace of HaShem speaking to Yehoshua, instructing him, addressing or commanding him about anything at all! What is the intention of our verse, then, which might have said more directly "Moshe, I will instruct you about what to teach Yehoshua."? We do not have any direct contact or communication between HaShem and Yehoshua!
The Recanati address this with a Zoharic framework. There is a discussion in the Talmud about select verses in the Torah which can be read in ways which give very different meaning. One of them appears two verses later with the words, "hincha shochev im avosecha v'kam." In that the Torah contains no punctuation marks, this can be understood as, "Moshe, you will soon die and there will arise..." or "Moshe, you will soon die and arise."
Now, without exploring the nuances of that second understanding, let's understand it through the eyes of the Recanati. Moshe Rabbeinu has been compared to the sun. Yehoshua has been compared to the moon. We know that the moon gets its light from the sun. All of the Torah and knowledge which Yehoshua acquired was that which he absorbed from his great Teacher, Moshe. He reflected only that which had been given him, which was the great light of Moshe's wisdom.
The sun sets, and the moon continues to shine. That light which we spy in the dark heavens is not emanating from within a fiery moon, but is rather the glow of the sun which continues to shine long after the sun has been obscured from our sight in the nighttime sky.
This is also the relationship between Moshe and Yehoshua. The reason that the Torah leaves an opening to understand the second verse as "Moshe will die and arise" is because Moshe "arose" in the form of continuing to influence his disciple through his Torah teachings, even after his death. Moshe constantly "lived" in that it is Toras Moshe which led Yehoshua.
This is captured by HaShem in our verse as well. Whatever instructing that Yehoshua needed would come to him through Moshe. Whatever Moshe would instruct his disciple would come to Moshe through HaShem. Hence, Moshe was told to call Yehoshua over and teach him about this next stage in his life, that of taking the role of leader. Whatever Moshe taught Yehoshua was tantamount to being instructed by HaShem. In our verse, HaShem frames Moshe's imparting direction to his disciple as "I will be instructing him."
What would it be like for us if the teachings of our great masters and guides would radiate from us? If others would see and listen to us, observe our conduct, and say to themselves, "he (or she) reminds me so much of the great Rav (or Rebbetzin) _____________"?
Gmar chasima tova and good Shabbos. D Fox
In the above verse, HaShem has told Moshe to call Yehoshua to accompany him into the Tent, so that HaShem can command and instruct Yehoshua about his emerging role as Moshe prepares to die. We know that Yehoshua took leadership of our nation, crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, and ruled us and fought our battles in the conquest of Israel.
However, something is missing. If we follow the verses here and throughout the remaining passages of the Torah, there is no trace of HaShem speaking to Yehoshua, instructing him, addressing or commanding him about anything at all! What is the intention of our verse, then, which might have said more directly "Moshe, I will instruct you about what to teach Yehoshua."? We do not have any direct contact or communication between HaShem and Yehoshua!
The Recanati address this with a Zoharic framework. There is a discussion in the Talmud about select verses in the Torah which can be read in ways which give very different meaning. One of them appears two verses later with the words, "hincha shochev im avosecha v'kam." In that the Torah contains no punctuation marks, this can be understood as, "Moshe, you will soon die and there will arise..." or "Moshe, you will soon die and arise."
Now, without exploring the nuances of that second understanding, let's understand it through the eyes of the Recanati. Moshe Rabbeinu has been compared to the sun. Yehoshua has been compared to the moon. We know that the moon gets its light from the sun. All of the Torah and knowledge which Yehoshua acquired was that which he absorbed from his great Teacher, Moshe. He reflected only that which had been given him, which was the great light of Moshe's wisdom.
The sun sets, and the moon continues to shine. That light which we spy in the dark heavens is not emanating from within a fiery moon, but is rather the glow of the sun which continues to shine long after the sun has been obscured from our sight in the nighttime sky.
This is also the relationship between Moshe and Yehoshua. The reason that the Torah leaves an opening to understand the second verse as "Moshe will die and arise" is because Moshe "arose" in the form of continuing to influence his disciple through his Torah teachings, even after his death. Moshe constantly "lived" in that it is Toras Moshe which led Yehoshua.
This is captured by HaShem in our verse as well. Whatever instructing that Yehoshua needed would come to him through Moshe. Whatever Moshe would instruct his disciple would come to Moshe through HaShem. Hence, Moshe was told to call Yehoshua over and teach him about this next stage in his life, that of taking the role of leader. Whatever Moshe taught Yehoshua was tantamount to being instructed by HaShem. In our verse, HaShem frames Moshe's imparting direction to his disciple as "I will be instructing him."
What would it be like for us if the teachings of our great masters and guides would radiate from us? If others would see and listen to us, observe our conduct, and say to themselves, "he (or she) reminds me so much of the great Rav (or Rebbetzin) _____________"?
Gmar chasima tova and good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 9:45 PM
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