VAYELECH_ DEUTERONOMY XXI
The subject of our text is the last days of Moses. It is time for the transfer of the mantle of leadership to Yehoshua. Jazak ve’emats,“be strong and brave,” Moses tells Yehoshua, for the double task ahead of him: to serve as a leader to a people he had described as Am keshe oref,“a people of the hard cervix,” and to face the arduous campaign for the conquest of Erets Israel.
Moses writes the text of the Torah and gives it to the Kohanim, the priests, and the Zekenim, the elders, who constitute the spiritual leadership of the people. The Torah is the document that bears witness to the Brit, the covenant between the Creator and His people. Moses orders this Torah to be read every seven years on the feast of Sukkot, in a special convocation called Hakhel. According to the Chachamim, the Melech Israel was to read aloud the Torah on that occasion. They also point out which chapters of the Sefer Devarim were to be read.
The selection of the Melech for the public reading of the Torah in the presence of the masses constituted a unique honor. But, perhaps, the intention was totally different. The most likely purpose was to establish the proper framework and impose a limit on the powers of the Melech, who had to govern according to the Mitsvot contained in the Torah. These Mitsvot were known to all. Because Mosestold the people as well, Ve’ata kitevu lachem, which means “and now you write it”, words that our Chachamim interpret as the individual obligation to write a copy of the Torah. This Torah writing is the last Mitzvah of the Torah, the number six hundred and thirteen.
Even when one resides in a community where there is a synagogue with a Sefer Torah, one should write a copy of this sacred text. In case of the loss of that copy, one must write a Torah again. (Therefore, if I donate my Torah to a synagogue, I continue with the obligation of writing another copy). According to Rabbenu Asher, the purpose of the individual Torah script is that it be used as a study text. Since nowadays we are used to books, (books were not abundant in earlier times because they were copied by hand) one identifies with the spirit of this Mitsvah by acquiring copies of the Tanach, the Mishnah, the Talmud, and its commentaries.
The Talmud states, however, that, if one receives a Torah as part of paternal inheritance, this fact does not exempt him from the Mitsvah of writing the Torah. It can be deduced, therefore, that the study is not the only reason for this Mitsvah, if it were, in this case, it would not be necessary to write a new text. The Torah received in inheritance could be used for the study.
There are those who argue that the reason for writing the Torah individually, even if a copy has been received by inheritance, is intended to increase the number of Sifrei Torah in the community. This reasoning supports our previous argument that the purpose of writing is to motivate the study. Because having more copies of the Torah, allows a greater number of people to study its content. Therefore, by donating a Torah to a synagogue, I contribute to expanding the scope of its use.
The importance of the Torah in Jewish life gives it a place of privilege and veneration (always remembering that the Torah is sacred only because it contains the revealed word of God). There are numerous accounts of people who had to give up all their possessions in times of war yet managed to rescue the Torah scrolls that belonged to their family by always carrying them with them. According to Rambam, a Torah can be sold, only if the proceeds of that sale are used for the continuation of sacred studies or to give a young woman the chance to marry.
The Melech Israel had to write an additional copy of the Torah. The first of these, in fulfillment of his obligation as that of every Jew and was kept in the same place as the treasure of the kingdom. The second copy had to be always with him. When he went to war, during a trial, or in case of litigation.
Thus, we read in a previous chapter of Devarim, vehayta imo vekara vo kol yemei chayav, which means and (the Torah) will be with him (the King of Israel) and he will read it every day of his life. This Pasuk continues by pointing out the purpose of this second copy of the Torah, Lema’an yilmad leyir’a et HaShem Elohav lishmor et kol divrei haTorah hazot ve’et hachukim ha’ele la’asotam, which means to learn, to fear the Eternal his God and know how to fulfill all the words of this Law and its precepts.
Undoubtedly, the main spiritual contribution of the Jewish people to humanity is their monotheistic conception of the Deity. Judaism affirms that there is only one God, who is the Creator of the entire universe, and everything that exists comes from Him. Therefore, no one was born to be superior to another. We all come from the same source. However, I propose that the Torah (and especially the Talmud’s interpretation of this written text) is our special and extraordinary hallmark. In the absence of the Torah, there is no Judaism.
The study of the Torah texts is the most important religious duty. The Mishnah teaches that Talmud Torah keneged kulam, that the study of the Torah is paramount, and that it takes precedence over other activities. Therefore, the Talmid Chacham, the scholar and connoisseur of these sacred texts, occupies a privileged place in Jewish society.
Our tradition gives its own personality to the Torah Scroll. For example, when a Torah becomes unusable because the scrolls have suffered deterioration that repair is no longer possible, that Torah must be buried as in the case of a human being. The relationship that is established between the scholar and the sacred text resembles that of two interlocutors who have individual life and personality.
Torah study is not limited to intellectual activity. The Talmid Chacham engages emotionally and spiritually with the Torah. Just as Jewish tradition assigns personality to the Shabbat day, referring to Shabbat Malketa, the Queen of Shabbat, and fervently anticipates her arrival through the religious service called Kabbalat Shabbat, the Torah is also given characteristics that are usually reserved for humans only.
Torah study becomes a dialogue between the scholar and the sacred text. Perhaps this is an additional reason for the requirement that a Sofer, a scribe, write the Scrolls, letter by letter. While writing a copy of the Torah the corresponding appropriate Kavanah is required, that is the religious intention of doing it, and, therefore, a printed copy is ritually invalid. The Sofer must write the text one letter at a time and, thereby, we learn that the Torah needs interaction with a human being. Lo bashamayim hi, “(the Torah) is not in heaven”, is the expression used in a previous chapter, to highlight its closeness and relevance. At the same time, it is evident that the study and compliance (Beficha uvilevavecha la’asoto) with the rules it contains, constitute the essence of the Jewish condition.
MITSVAH: ORDINANCE OF THE TORAH IN THIS PARASHAH
CONTAINS 2 POSITIVE MITSVOT
- Deuteronomy 31:12 Gather all the people to listen to the Torah reading after the Sabbatical year
613. Deuteronomy 31:12 Every Jew should write a Torah for himself
