Sefer Devarim (Deuteronomy) differs from the other four books of the Torah in that, while they are presented as the direct words of God, Devarim is framed as the words of Moshe, spoken to the children of Israel before their entry into the Land. Before Moshe begins his first address, the Torah introduces his message with the following verse:
“Across the Jordan, in the land of Moab, Moshe undertook to expound (be’er) this teaching, saying (lemor):” (Deuteronomy 1:5)
Rashi, struck by Moshe’s radical transformation from a man who claimed to be “not a man of words” into a masterful orator, highlights this miraculous shift through his interpretation of the word be’er (“expound”):
In seventy languages he interpreted it for them.
Rashi draws this interpretation from a well-known midrash in Tanhuma Devarim:
When the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe: “I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10), Moshe replied, “You do me an injustice, for I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10). He continued: “Seventy languages are spoken in Pharaoh’s palace. If I go on Your mission, they will question me to see if I truly represent God. When they discover I can’t respond in their language, won’t they laugh at me, saying, ‘Look at the agent of the One who created the world and all its languages, yet he cannot even answer us!’” Forty years later, as the Israelites were about to enter the Land, Moshe began to expound the Torah in all seventy languages, as it is said: “Moshe undertook to expound this teaching…” (Adapted from Tanhuma Devarim 2)
In this midrash, Moshe is not only transformed into a worthy leader and prophet but becomes a symbol of the human capacity for growth. His story teaches that self-improvement—even in areas once thought impossible—is attainable.
A second midrash, this one from the period of the Mishnah, presents Moshe as the ultimate rabbi, emphasizing the importance of memory and learning:
“‘To expound this Torah, saying’—He said to them: I am about to die. Whoever heard a verse and forgot it, let them come and review it. Whoever heard a section and forgot it, let them come and review it. A chapter—and forgot it—let them come and review it. A halakha—and forgot it—let them come and review it. Thus it was said: ‘Expound this Torah, saying…’” (Sifre Devarim 4; Finkelstein ed., p. 13)
Professor Finkelstein notes that the word “lemor” – typically signals that Moshe is relaying God’s words, cannot mean that here, since Moshe is now speaking in his own voice. Instead, “lemor” is Moshe’s call to the people: keep your memory alive. He demands of them ongoing review and reflection, reminding them that identity, both personal and collective, is not a fleeting gift, but a lifelong effort. It must be cultivated through constant study and practice, in both learning and action.
Or, to put it in today’s terms: If you don’t use it—and review it—you lose it. |
