One of the voices of my childhood passed away this week. Vin Sculley, the voice of the Brooklyn and then Los Angeles Dodgers passed away. He was well into his nineties. He was the voice of the Dodgers for 67 years. When I was a little boy, during baseball season I used to listen to the games on my transistor radio. I only listened at night, and only after my parents “tucked me in” for the night. On a clear night, growing up in upstate New York, I could hear radio broadcasts from the northeast including Boston and New York, and as far west as Chicago. I could get games from as far north as Montreal and as far south as Baltimore. Because I was a Yankees fan, I grew up listening to the radio broadcasters of the 1970s. However, on an especially clear night, if the Dodgers happen to be playing the Chicago Cubs or the New York Mets, or the Montreal Expos, I would hear Vin Sculley. No, I did not like the Dodgers, I grew up a Yankees fan, and continue to be a Yankees fan. However, when I heard Vin Sculley speak when I heard his “folksy” description of the field, the crowd, the batter, the pitch, and the way he suggested "to pull up a chair”, allowed me to see the game while I listened on my transistor radio. Through the use of spoken language, he painted a glorious picture and I didn’t even like the team!
This week’s Parsha is Devarim, which is the first Parsha of the Book of Deuteronomy or Sefer Devarim. Moshe recounts in very wide brushstrokes, the experience of the generation that fled Egypt. Very few details are given. In fact, Moshe begins the story at the foot of Sinai; however, the name is changed from Sinai to Horev. In his recounting, Moshe speaks as a participant in this national experience not in the third person, as was presented in the Books of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. This is quite different from the Moshe we have seen. Until now he spoke as a prophet. God spoke to him and he spoke to B'nai Yisroel. Now Moshe displays a certain amount of freedom as he shares the experiences of the past from his perspective. Parsha Devarim is the introductory Parsha to Moshe’s formal teaching of the Torah to this new generation. Moshe begins with a history lesson beginning with the most recent events and working backward to the Exodus. Moshe Rabeinu, now only a few weeks from the moment of his death, imparts his teaching and his wisdom upon B’nai Yisroel like a dying grandparent or parent would to his/her children. This re-telling or repetition of history and laws to a new generation inspired the Talmudic Sages to call Sefer Devarim (The Book of Words- Deuteronomy) the Mishnah Torah or the repetition of the Torah.
Both the Parsha and the Book of Devarim begin with a narrative statement. Eilah HaDevarim Asher Diber Moshe El B’nai Yisroel B’Eiver Yarden-These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel, on the other side of the Jordan…(Deut. 1:1) For the next 5 verses, the Torah’s text is in the third person narrative form in which a time and place are clarified. Finally, beginning with verse 6, the third person narrative shifts to Moshe’s words. What follows in Moshe's teaching and Moshe’s repetition of the Torah embodies tradition. Moshe’s teaching and his repetition of the Torah, exemplify every parent’s responsibility to strengthen the child’s connection to Judaism, to Torah, and to God. Why do we need to be told that for five verses, Moses’ words will be arriving shortly? Since there are no wasted words in Torah, why don’t the words Eilah Devarim appear immediately before Moshe begins speaking? The Or HaChaim, Chaim Ibn Attar (1696-1743), was a leading Moroccan Rabbinic Commentator of his day, explained that the word Eilah implies “only” and is therefore restrictive and separates that which came before from that which follows. The words that came before this are God’s words and the words that follow Eilah (These) are Moshe’s words spoken of his own volition. Citing the Talmud in Tractate Megillah 31, we are reminded that Moshe personally recorded the curses and admonitions in this book and even the legislation which he repeats he does so voluntarily; not because he was commanded to do so. The first five narrative verses clarify time and space as Moshe’s words are about to follow because we might conclude that just as Moshe felt free to say what he wants here in Devarim, he might have felt free to say what he wanted in the previous books of the Torah. “Only these words” that Moshe spoke of his own volition. Here was Moshe Rabeinu, the elder statesman, the individual that unquestionably had a close relationship with God, speaking before the younger generation. He speaks to them about their connection to their past, he speaks to them about their ancestors, their heroic deeds, and their backsliding. He speaks to them about a covenant, he speaks to them about inheriting the land of Canaan. Moshe begins the process, with his words, to connect the present generation to past generations and to connect this present generation to the original covenant that God made with the Patriarchs, Moshe, and B’nai Yisroel at Sinai.
The Torah constantly reminds us of the Holiness of words. After all, the Torah begins with a narrative of God engaging in the creative process. It is the only moment where God is alone, and not dealing with human beings. At that moment when God is alone and creating, God does so through speech. As the Sefer Bemidbar, the Book of Numbers concluded, Moseh taught Bnai Yisroel the sanctity of “vows and oaths” (Num.30:2-17) In Sefer VaYikra, we learned that spiritual impurity is a function of “gossip” or “impure speech” (Lev. 14:1-20). In Sefer Shmot, when the Ten Commandments are given, one had to do with “bearing false witness” ( Ex.20:13). Words are, perhaps, the one activity that comes closest to engaging in a Godly, or holy activity. Words can bring a community together and words can be used to so division and hatred. Words can create a common shared experience and common purpose. All of “these words” can transcend differences and make individuals part of something much bigger and more meaningful. Sometimes “all these words” can allow a little boy to close his eyes and see the exact same thing as millions of others who are listening to the same broadcast.
Rav Yitz
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