Vayelech is the shortest of all parshiyot, a mere thirty verses long. Poignantly, Moses tells the people, “I am now a hundred and twenty years old, and I can no longer go forth and come in” (Deut. 31:2). He will not lead them across the Jordan into the Promised Land. So Moses summons his successor – Joshua – and, in…
…Vayelech are both even shorter than Vezot Habracha. Vezot Habracha has the fewest number of words (512), number of letters (1969), number of lines (70), and the lowest value of gematria (134008). But Nitzavim and Vayelech are both shorter if you count how many pessukim they each contain. Vezot Habracha has 41 pessukim, Nitzavim has 30, and Vayelech has 40….
…and hearts, so we may live by it. Finally, the parsha highlights the importance of freedom of choice, presenting life and goodness versus death and evil, urging us to “choose life” by following God’s ways. Vayelech describes Moshe’s final day of life. At 120 years old, he tells the people he can no longer lead them and hands over leadership…
…remarkable thing about his achievements is that it’s not just in the past tense that we refer to him. At the beginning of parshat Vayelech which we will read immediately after parshat Nitzavim, the Torah tells us, “Vayelech Moshe, vayidaber et-hadevarim ha’eleh el-kol-Yisrael.” “Moshe went and he spoke these words to all of Israel”. [Deut. 31:1] The Noam Megadim explains…
…not just in the past tense that we refer to him. At the beginning of parshat Vayelech which we will read immediately after parshat Nitzavim, the Torah tells us, “Vayelech Moshe, vayidaber et-hadevarim ha’eleh el-kol-Yisrael.” “Moshe went and he spoke these words to all of Israel”. [Deut. 31:1] The Noam Megadim explains beautifully: “Vayelech Moshe “means Moshe departed. He died….
Moses’ long and tempestuous career is about to end. With words of blessing and encouragement he hands on the mantle of leadership to his successor Joshua, saying “I am a hundred and twenty years old now, and I may no longer able to enter and to leave, since the Lord has told me, ‘You shall not cross this Jordan.’” (Deut….
The great transition is about to take place. Moses’ career as a leader is coming to an end, and Joshua’s leadership is about to begin. Moses blesses his successor. Then God does. Listen carefully to what they say, and to the subtle difference between. This is what Moses says: “Be strong and courageous, for you must go with this people into…
What do you say to your successor? What advice do you give them? Vayelech is the place to look for the answer, because it is here that Moses finally hands the reins over to Joshua, and he and God both give him a blessing for the future. But they give different blessings. Listen to them and they sound almost the same. Moses…
…and, “You shall have no other gods beside Me,” (the first 2 of the 10 commandments) – the Israelites received not from Moses but directly from God Himself.[1] There is a different distinction the Sages might have made. Moses gave us 611 commands, and at the very end, in Vayelech, he gave us two meta-commands, commands about the commands. They…
…and exile. But even then, Hashem will still keep His promises. Even during exile, if the people find their way back to God, He will return to them and bring them back to their land. The choice will always be ours. Therefore, “Choose life, that you and your children may live” (Devarim 30:19). Vayelech is the shortest parsha in the…