WORDS DON’T COME EASY

“These are the words that Moshe spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan, in the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel, and Lavan, and Chatzerot and Di Zahav.” (Devarim 1:1)

This week we begin to study the fifth and final book of the Torah. In the introduction to this book in the Steinsaltz Humash (Weisfeld Edition), the author notes, “This book is called by the Sages the “Repetition of the Law” [Mishneh Torah], and its name in many European languages, Deuteronomy, has the same meaning. It bears this name for a good reason, as the book mainly reviews commandments of the Torah that appear in the earlier books.” However, the actual meaning of the word Devarim is “words”, a reference to the sermon that Moshe delivered to the Israelites before his passing. Rabbi Steinsaltz continues, “The time frame of Deuteronomy is extremely short, a mere few weeks at the end of Moses’ life, and the vast majority of the book is a farewell speech that Moses our teacher delivered in the presence of all Israel. A sermon of this magnitude, which incorporates summaries, reviews, and even certain novel teachings on central themes of the Torah, certainly could not have been delivered in a single day, or even several days.”

The very essence of this book is words, their power and their ability to convey deep messages and shape lives. In the recently published Koren Shalem Humash featuring the commentary of the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, the former Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom analyses the significance of words as they feature in this book. He writes (introduction to the book of Deuteronomy): “The Hebrew names of the Mosaic books convey important insights into the nature of the book. The fifth book of the Torah is named in Hebrew Devarim, “words,” taken from the opening verse. The whole of Torah is “words.” What, then, is the connection between the title of this particular book and its contents?”

“The first connection is Moshe himself. He is a man transformed. Recall his words to God at the burning bush at the very outset of his mission: “Then Moshe said to the Lord, ‘Please, my Lord, I am not a man of words (ish devarim) … I am slow of speech and tongue’” (Ex. 4:10). Of Moshe alone – “very humble, more so than any other man on earth” (Num. 12:3) – could it be said that his words, devarim, were the words of God. It was precisely because he said, “I am not a man of words” that he became the man of Devarim, the one whose words were not his own but those of the Divine Presence, the Shekhina, speaking through his lips – the most eloquent spokesman of God in all history.”

“The second significance of devarim, “words,” is that it is the supreme expression of the politics of the word: a society founded on the basis of a covenant, a text, a set of mutual promises, by which God and His people pledge themselves in loyalty to one another.”

“The third significance is that Israel’s existence as a nation is not based on power or a land (though it longs for and is promised both) but on words – the words of God to Israel and the acceptance of those words by Israel. So long as the word exists, Israel exists; and because God is eternal and never revokes His word, Israel will always exist. Because Israel’s very being as a nation is constituted by devarim, the “words” of God, there is always the possibility and promise of return. Israel, alone among the nations of the world, survives the loss of power and land because there is something it will never lose: God’s word given and received in love. “Take words…” – the words of the covenant – “with you and return to the Lord” (Hos. 14:3). Israel survived because it never lost the words that bound it to God and God to it. That was the basis of its survival in exile. Those “words” were never rescinded. Hence Israel never lost the promise of return.”

“So the decision to call the fifth and final book of the Torah Devarim brought together in a single word the three main themes of the book: the uniqueness of Moshe as a prophet, the uniqueness of Israel as a nation, and the uniqueness of Jewish history as a narrative of exile and return. The book of Devarim, “words,” is the supreme expression of the power of the word to link heaven and earth, God and a people, in an unbreakable bond of mutual loyalty.”

Lest we think that words are any less potent in our technological era, I challenge you to open any social media (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube etc.) and review the comments on any topic of your choice – politics, sports, entertainment, fashion and so forth. Regardless of the subject, hundreds, if not thousands of self-styled experts will offer their opinions. These comments range from the simple to the sublime, from the harmless emoji to the vicious ad-hominem attack. At no other time in history have people been able to share their words with so large an audience in so quick a time. Unlike our teacher Moshe, who weighed and considered every word that escaped his mouth, the words on the internet are often written or spoken in anger and with little forethought. Occasionally I am annoyed or impressed by a certain post and I feel the compulsion to pen a comment. But then I am reminded of the many statements of our sages about the value of keeping silent. For example, (Avot 1:17), “Shimon, his [Rabban Gamliel’s] son used to say: All my life I grew up among Sages and I found that nothing is better for a person than silence” and (ibid, Mishna 15), “Shammai used to say: Make your Torah study a fixed habit. Say little and do much; and greet everyone cheerfully” and (Megillah 18a), “When Rav Dimi came from Eretz Israel to Babylonia, he said: In the West, Eretz Yisrael, they say an adage: If a word is worth one sela [an ancient coin], silence is worth two.”

In Proverbs (23:1-2), King Solomon warns, “When you sit to break bread with a ruler, discern well that which is before you. Put a knife into your throat, if you are a sensitive person.” Rabbi Steinsaltz explains: “Even if the ruler displayed great generosity by inviting you to feast with him, you must be careful. Therefore, “put a knife into your throat”, so that you do not speak too much at this meal.”  There are times to be garrulous and there are times to be guarded. When you sit before people of power and influence, you need to carefully weigh every word because your words can be used against you. The internet, although not a ruler, is a formidable foe. It does not forget what was said, even in the most obscure corners of its web. And the denizens of social media are unforgiving and treacherous. They can cancel someone in a heartbeat. Think wisely, before you hit “send”.

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Liebenberg.

This week’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/mwLXj7_iT2s?si=NxkWRQsuf11tPnql

*Shabbat Chazon is the Shabbat before Tisha B’Av, the Fast of the 9^th Av, which takes place on Wednesday night 22 and Thursday 23 July. The fast begins at 17h57 and terminates at 18h27. We have a full programme for the fast. See below.