Parshas V'Zos HaBracha - So long, farewell, ...

After chronicling the generations of one family that became God’s treasured people, and following that people through the great heights and devastating lows of their spiritual development, the Five Books of the Torah wind down and end with … a eulogy. Moshe, God’s servant, died there, in the land of Moab, by the mouth of God. He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab facing Beis Peor and no man knows his burial place till this day. And Moshe was 120 years old at his death; his appearance was not dulled, and his freshness did not fade. The children of Israel mourned for Moshe on the plains of Moab for 30 days; after which ended the days of mourning in Moshe’s mourning period. And Yehoshua the son of Nun was filled with a spirit of wisdom because Moshe has rested his hands on him; the children of Israel listened to him and acted as God commanded Moshe. And there has never arisen a prophet within Israel liker Moshe, whom God knew face to face. For all the signs and the wonders that God sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, to Pharoah and to all his slaves and to his entire land. And for the entire strong hand and for the great display that Moshe performed in view of all of Israel. (Devarim, 34:5-12).

It is striking that the Torah, normally quite terse and parsimonious with words, allots eight full verses to sum up Moshe’s life – much more than it does for Abraham (2 verses – Bereshis 25: 8-9), Isaac (1 verse, Bereshis 35: 29), Jacob (1 verse, Bereshis 49:33), or Joseph (1 verse, Bereshis 50:26). The life of Moshe’s successor, Yehoshua, who led the Jewish people in the conquest of the land of Canaan, is summed up in three verses (Joshua 24: 29-31). King David's burial and epitaph is recounted in two verses (I Kings 2:10-11). 

What does the Torah tell us by giving such space to a eulogy for Moshe? First, there are the simple facts related – the miracle of Moshe’s hidden burial place, his successful leadership transition, his pivotal role in a plethora of open miracles, and his unique position as God’s foremost prophet. Finally, there is the implicit message that the final lesson of the Torah is one of HaKoras HaTov (recognizing the good), for the leader who not only helped liberate our people but also brought us the greatest gift of eternity - the Torah.


Note: 
I am exceedingly grateful to my wife Fran who proofread, edited, and offered feedback on all the Divrei Torah I posted on this blog over the past year. Her input has immeasurably improved my commentaries. Thank you as well to Rabbi Shlomo Ziegler, who read and commented on many of the Divrei Torah on this blog. I have enjoyed and learned from our discussions.