Parshat Nitzavim - Vayelech

The Sun And The Moon

Rabbi Ari Kahn
You stand this day all of you before the Lord your G-d; your captains of your
tribes, your elders, and your officers, with all the men of Israel. Your little
ones, your wives, and your stranger who is in your camp, from the hewer of
your wood to the drawer of your water. That you should enter into covenant
with the Lord your G-d, and into his oath, which the Lord your G-d makes
with you this day. That he may establish you today for a people to himself,
and that he may be to you a G-d, as he has said to you, and as he has
sworn to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. And not with you
alone will I make this covenant and this oath. But with him who stands here
with us this day before the Lord our G-d, and also with him who is not here
with us this day. (29:9-14)

Moshe addresses the people on the banks of the Jordan River; the context of this
address is obviously of great importance, as is evidenced by the frequent
repetition of the term "this day". Rashi makes note of this peculiarity in his
comments and explains that this was indeed a day of monumental importance:

We learn that Moshe gathered them in front of G-d on the day of his death,
in order to have them enter the covenant. (Rashi on 29:9)

Moshe, who had been the leader from the very beginning of the Exodus, was now
to leave his charges on the threshold of the Holy Land. On this unforgettable day,
the reins of leadership would be passed on to Yehoshua. When noting the
significance of the day, Rashi adds that with Moshe gone, a new covenant will
need to be established. This second point is not immediately clear; why would
Moshe’s demise, tragic as it may be, require a new covenant? Leaders come and
go; why was it necessary to reestablish a covenant at this juncture?

Later in the text, Rashi returns to comment on this first verse, this time explaining
it according to what he calls the "Aggada": The opening words, "Atem nizavim",
generally translated as "You stand", are rendered by Rashi in the more literal
sense, from the word matzeva, monument or altar.1

Because Israel was leaving from one leader to the next leader, from Moshe
to Yehoshua, therefore he made them as a gathering (or 'a monument') in
order to inspire them (Rashi 29:12)

The connection seems unclear: What is the significance of the gathering --

monument or matzeva--which Rashi refers to? Furthermore, we recall that earlier
on in the Torah we are told of a prohibition to build a matzeva, for it is "hated by
1
This definition is clarified by the Shem MiShmuel, who offers a detailed and intricate explanation of Rashi’s comments.
Although it is possible to understand Rashi as referring merely to a type of gathering, we here employ the Shem
MiShmuel’s definition.
G-d".2 (see 16:22). Why would Moshe's parting gift contain either a prohibited
action, or even a literary reference to one?

Rashi adds another explanation for the term "today":

As this day is here, and is cloudy and light, so too, will (the day) enlighten
you (now), and in the future it will enlighten you... (Rashi 29:12)

Again, a somewhat obscure comment by Rashi, but what we can gather thus far is
that on this day Moshe dies, Yehoshua assumes leadership, a new covenant is
forged, and, to mark all this, some type of gathering or monument is established.
Lastly, this day is bright yet cloudy.

Let us consider the reaction that the people must have had to the death of Moshe.
It was Moshe who had given them hope, it was Moshe who led the valiant march
out of Egypt, and it was Moshe who taught them Torah. Losing a leader or teacher,
of Moshe’s stature was certainly traumatic. This day, despite the coronation of
Yehoshua, was not a happy day; "The king is dead, long live the king" is at best a
bittersweet cry. Perhaps Rashi refers to these mixed emotions when he speaks of
the light and clouds.

As this day is here, and is cloudy and light, so too, will (the day) enlighten
you (now), and in the future it will enlighten you... (Rashi 29:12)

An alternate understanding of Rashi’s metaphor is that the light and relative-light

refer to Moshe and Yehoshua respectively. Elsewhere, Rashi employs this same
metaphor when referring to Moshe and Yehoshua: When Moshe is told of his
impending death, he says to G-d that a replacement must be found. "The flock of
G-d can not be left without a shepherd."

And the Lord said to Moshe, Go up onto this Mount Avarim, and see the land
which I have given to the people of Israel. And when you have seen it, you
also shall be gathered to your people, as Aaron your brother was gathered...
And Moshe spoke to the Lord, saying. Let the Lord, the G-d of the spirits of
all flesh, set a man over the congregation who may go out before them, and
who may go in before them, and who may lead them out, and who may
bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have
no shepherd.’ And the Lord said to Moshe, ‘Take Yehoshua the son of Nun, a
man in whom is spirit, and lay your hand upon him. And set him before
Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in
their sight. And you shall put some of your honor upon him, that all the
congregation of the people of Israel may be obedient.’ (Bamidbar 27:12-19)

Here, then, is the formal coronation of Yehoshua. Rashi explains, "some of your
honor":

"This is the ray of light on his face". (Rashi on Bamidbar 27:20)

2
See my “Notes” on Parshat Vayishlach.
We recall the light, which emanated from the countenance of Moshe when he
descended Sinai with the second Tablets. Moshe was instructed to give a part of
this glory to Yehoshua, as a symbol of the leadership he would soon assume.

Rashi continues:

‘Of your honor', but not all of your honor. We find it taught that the face of
Moshe was like the sun while the face of Yehoshua was like the moon.
(Rashi on Bamidbar 27:20)

The differing degrees of light Rashi uses as an expression of the leadership

personalities of Yehoshua and Moshe are a paraphrase from the Talmud:

‘And thou shalt put of thy honor upon him’, but not all thy honor. The elders
of that generation said: The countenance of Moshe was like that of the sun;
the countenance of Yehoshua was like that of the moon. Alas, for such
shame! Alas for such reproach! (Shavuot 39a)

Here, the fact that Yehoshua was compared to the moon is not seen as something
great, rather it is a lament of the people of that generation who had been
privileged to see the glory of Moshe. The light, which emanated from Yehoshua
was surely bright, but it did not shine like the light of Moshe. The day Moshe dies
and Yehoshua takes over is the day Yehoshua shines--objectively bright, but
subdued when compared to Moshe.

Now the people are the flock of Yehoshua, a great leader in his own right, the
foremost student of Moshe, from whose face the very light of Moshe radiated, but
who nonetheless suffered from comparison with Moshe. The people therefore
lamented the ascension of Yehoshua to leadership; he was great, but he was not
Moshe. What they may or may not have realized, was that the death of Moshe
marked the end of this glorious generation which had witnessed so much: the
plagues, the parting of the sea, the theophany at Sinai and countless other
events. Certainly, some survivors were about, but with Moshe no longer around,
they were simply vestiges of days bygone.

It is difficult, at times, to define a generation, because time is fluid. People of all

ages left Egypt. When do we consider a generation to have ended? Perhaps the
best definition of a generation is based on their leadership: Moshe’s generation--
the generation of the Exodus--comes to an end with his death. Moshe, the
greatest Jewish leader and prophet of all time, was the defining factor of his
generation. They were the generation of Moshe, a "Dor De’ah" a "generation of
knowledge" 3. The day of Moshe’s death marks the end of that generation as well.
This new generation led by Yehoshua, which would soon cross the Jordan, had
undergone a subtle change which carried philosophical/legal implications.

3
See Zohar Shmot 62b for the source of this term.
In Parshat Ekev we discussed the Halachic principle that all Jews are responsible
for one another.4 This spiritual reciprocity began as the Jews crossed the Jordan,
and is a characteristic of Yehoshua's generation, a defining attribute of the new
generation that will conquer and settle the Land of Israel. It is an expression of the
common destiny of a People. The Ritva explains:

All Jews are mutually responsible, (and) [for] all of Israel constitute one
body. (Ritva commentary Rosh Hashana 29a)

The Or Hachaim Hakadosh explains the new covenant formed at the point of
transition between Moshe and Yehoshua along the same lines:

Moshe’s objective in (establishing) this covenant was to create mutual

responsibility" (Or HaChaim on Devarim 29:9)

Now, as the Jews take leave of Moshe, a new chapter begins, one which includes
the implementation of a new ideal of mutual responsibility. Thus, the Or Hachaim
Hakadosh understands the closing words of the covenant:

The secret things belong to the Lord our G-d, but those things which are
revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the
words of this Torah. (29:28)

Mutual responsibility includes that which is known, in the open. Secret acts, on the
other hand, are G-d's concern.

This idea of mutual responsibility can explain Rashi’s reference to the matzeva. In
Shoftim, Rashi explains the difference between matzeva (monument) and
mizbe’ach (altar): A monument is made of one stone, while an altar is made of
many stones or components. During the time of the Forefathers, a matzeva was
acceptable; in the times of the children, the Torah, proscribes use of a matzeva. A
matzeva, Rashi explains, signifies one - an individual approaching G-d, while an
altar signifies the totality of the Jewish people, all sorts of individuals gathered
together to form a beautiful mosaic. During the time of the forefathers, individuals
reflected the totality of Jewish life; the generation of Avraham consisted of
Avraham. Our Forefathers were spiritual giants, individuals who were able to
approach G-d as individuals. But once the Jewish people become a nation, a
matzeva becomes inappropriate.

Arguably, Moshe was the last individual who represented the entire nation:

4
This is not simply an expression of mutual concern and care, but also includes such things as blessings. For example, if
one Jew said "Kiddush" but another has not said it as of yet, the former is permitted to repeat the blessing which he has
already made. This ruling is somewhat strange: Clearly, if the first person had not made the blessing, he would be able to
include the second fellow in his blessing. But if he has already fulfilled his obligation, how is he able to recite the
blessing again? Evidently, he has not completely fulfilled his obligation, as long as his fellow Jew has not fulfilled his
own obligation as well. This is mutual responsibility. The implication is clear: the spiritual state of one Jew is
interdependent with the spiritual state every other Jew. See my Notes to Ekev, where this idea is explained more fully.
 As Rabbi was once expounding the Scripture, the congregation became
drowsy. In order to rouse them he said: ' One woman in Egypt brought forth
six hundred thousand at a birth.’ There was a certain disciple there named
R. Ishmael son of R. Jose, who said to him: ‘Who can that have been?' He
replied: 'This was Yocheved who bore Moshe, who was counted as equal to
six hundred thousand of Israel’; for so it says, ‘Then sang Moshe and the
children of Israel…’ (Shmot. XV, I); ‘And the children of Israel did according
to all that the Lord commanded Moshe’ (Bamidbar I, 54); and, ‘There has
not arisen a prophet in Israel like Moshe (Devarim XXXIV, 10). (Midrash
Rabbah - The Song of Songs I:65)

Moshe represents the entire nation; when he dies, the entire nation becomes
responsible for one another spiritually. It is true that the nation is now represented
by many individuals, who will need to coalesce in order to form a cohesive whole.
But one of the final lessons with which Moshe leaves the people is the idea that
ultimately we are one people, gathered together to reflect unity and
interdependency. The one body described by the Ritva is mirrored by the matzeva
described by Rashi (and the Shem MiShmuel). With Moshe gone, perhaps the light
did not shine as brightly, and the people became depressed. On the other hand,
Rashi reminds us:

"As this day is here, and is cloudy and light, so too, will (the day) enlighten
you (now), and in the future it will enlighten you..." (Rashi 29:12)

On the day of Moshe's death, the light of Moshe shining like the sun could be
seen, as well as the light of Yehoshua shining like the moon. But the people were
told that henceforth the light will be on them: The light of Moshe was diffused.
Though surely much of the discernible light now was to be seen on the face of
Yehoshua, the source of Moshe’s light, Moshe’s greatness, was his status as G-d’s
representative. With his death that light would be spread out among the people.
For that light to shine forth in its full brilliance, the people must gather and form a
unified whole. The light had now become the domain of the entire nation,
represented by mutual responsibility and spiritual reciprocity.

In the future, the light of Moshe will once again dazzle us with its splendor. The
method to bring this light forth is by performing the commandments. Each and
every Jew is involved in this process, for bits of light are spread about among all
our people.5 If we look around and it seems cloudy or dark, it is simply because we
have not as of yet succeeded in making the light shine. Indeed: "Let there be
light"!

5
See the introduction of the K’tzot Hachoshen for a similar concept.