|
Back to the Land
Translated and annotated by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky.
A striking feature of the book of Deuteronomy is its
literary form. Unlike the preceding four books, in Deuteronomy (with the
exception of just a few passages at the beginning and end), Moses speaks in the
first person. The phrase we have heard continuously in the preceding books -
"And G-d spoke to Moses, saying..." - is almost entirely absent from Deuteronomy.  | " Whereas the first four books are
G-d's words transmitted directly by Moses, Deuteronomy is
G-d's words transmitted through Moses...." | | |
This naturally raises the question of the theological
stature of this book. The sages tell us that although Moses transmitted the
first four books from G-d verbatim and said Deuteronomy "in his own name", in
doing so, "the Divine presence spoke from his mouth". In other words, the book
of Deuteronomy is no less divine than the first four books of the Torah, but
whereas the first four books are G-d's words transmitted directly by
Moses, Deuteronomy is G-d's words transmitted through Moses. But if this
is the case, why the sudden change in literary genre between the first four
books and the final one?
The answer to both these questions hinges on the fact
that this book is addressed to the generation that will enter the Land of
Israel. The abrupt change in lifestyle from a nation of nomads sustained by G-d's
supernatural protection into a nation of farmers who must work the land called
for a practical restatement of G-d's hitherto abstract teachings.
...This is why it was necessary for the book of
Deuteronomy to be transmitted in the first person. By communicating the message
of Deuteronomy through the voice of Moses, G-d was telling us that even while
remaining faithful to the Torah's objective truth, we must see its subjective
relevance to each individual and each generation.
Moses was the archetypal intermediary between G-d and
man. His direct communication with G-d had made him quite at home in the
spiritual dimension, but even on Mt. Sinai he had been able to appreciate
physicality enough to refute the angels who sought to keep the Torah in heaven.
An intermediary, however, can transmit the message he is given in either of two
ways: he can convey it verbatim, serving as a transparent channel or funnel, or
he can absorb it and thus be able to "translate" it into terms more readily
understood by the recipients. | | " Moses had in a certain sense to attain a greater selflessness than was necessary when he was transmitting the first four books...." | | |
For the first four books of the Torah, it was enough
for Moses to act as the first type of intermediary; the exalted level of the
generation of the desert allowed this. For the book of Deuteronomy, however, the
audience had changed. Moses now had to become the second type of intermediary in
order to ensure that G-d's message was fully communicated.
In order to do this, Moses had in a certain sense to
attain a greater selflessness than was necessary when he was transmitting the
first four books. In order that mediating G-d's words through his voice not
involve interposing his ego, it was crucial that his sense of self be absolutely
dissolved in his awareness of G-d. Only by "existing," so to speak, within G-d's
essence, could Moses paradoxically be both there enough to serve as an
intermediary yet not there enough to be the transparent conduit for G-d's
words.
In this sense, the first person narrative of
Deuteronomy indicates not a lesser divinity than the other four books but a
greater, for the "I" of Deuteronomy is no less G-d's than Moses'!the same
applies to all of us when we set about uncovering the Torah's relevance: our
success is predicated on our eliminating our egotistic motives from the process.
The book of Deuteronomy is thus a lesson in keeping
the Torah alive and relevant, the means by which we can recommence the study of
the Torah on a new level of understanding. By ensuring that the Torah remain
eternally relevant, we can read it from an always deeper, fresher, newer
perspective, and thereby continually deepen, freshen, and renew our relationship
with G-d.
Based on Likutei Sichot, vol. 4, pp. 1087-1090, vol. 19, pp. 9-14
Copyright 2001 Chabad of California http://www.LAchumash.org
|
