The Book of Devarim opens as the Jewish people stand at the threshold of Eretz Yisrael. After forty years in the wilderness, they are finally near the land promised to the Avos.
Moshe Rabbeinu knows that he will not enter with them. These are among his final words to the nation.
One might expect Moshe to speak only of miracles: the splitting of the sea, the giving of the Torah, the mahn, the well, and the Clouds of Glory. Instead, Moshe reminds the people of their mistakes.
Rabbi Yitzchak Zilber explains that Moshe was not trying to shame them. The generation that committed many of those sins had already died in the desert. Their children now stood before him.
Moshe reviewed the past so that it would not be repeated.
The central mistake recalled in Parashat Devarim is the sin of the spies. The Jewish people stood close to Eretz Yisrael. Instead of trusting the promise of Hashem, they insisted on sending men to inspect the land. When ten spies returned with a frightening report, the nation lost heart and cried through the night.
That night became Tishah B’Av.
What should have been the beginning of entry into the Land became the beginning of decades of wandering.
Rabbi Zilber teaches that this is not only national history. It is a lesson for every person.
Everyone has moments he would rather forget: a poor decision, a missed chance, a wrong word, or fear that stopped him from doing what was right. There are two dangerous responses. One is to pretend nothing happened. The other is to remain trapped in regret.
The Torah teaches a third way.
Remember clearly. Learn honestly. Then continue forward.
That is what Moshe gave the Jewish people before his passing. He did not allow them to erase the past, but he also did not allow the past to define them.
This is why Devarim is spoken before entering the Land. A people about to build its future must know what caused its delay.
The same is true in personal life. Mistakes ignored are often repeated. Mistakes examined can become wisdom.
Moshe also reminds the nation that once the decree had passed and the next generation moved forward, Hashem helped them defeat Sichon and Og, powerful kings who stood in their path. The same people who once feared entering the Land now saw that with Hashem’s help, no enemy could stop them.
The message is clear. Failure does not have to be final.
If a person learns from the past and returns to the path of Hashem, the future can still open before him.
Parashat Devarim is sponsored by Michael & Valentina Zavolunov
Rabbi Yitzchok Zilber, zt”l, dedicated his life to teaching Torah, and his impactful writings continue to inspire Jews worldwide. Copyright 2023 by The LaMaalot Foundation. Conversations on the Torah is catalogued at The Library of Congress. All rights reserved. www.LaMaalot.org
Parashat Devarim: Looking Back Before Moving Forward
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