Vayyelech

Hi,

This coming Shabbat we will read Vayyelech.

Vayyelech is the Torah's shortest portion. Moshe begins his final address to the Jews, on the last day of his life. We are told that Moshe never became frail; he died only because Gd had determined that this would be his time.

Moshe relents from the Sturm und Drang of his previous addresses, and presents a message of encouragement for Yehoshua and the nation. He then gives the Jews the last two Mitzvot:
1. Hakhel - Gathering at the Temple every seven years for a national Torah reading by the monarch, and
2. The Mitzvah for every Jew to write a Torah. We can fulfill the Mitzvah of writing a Torah by hiring a scribe to write or fix a Torah. Every time we purchase Torah texts, we fulfill a dimension of this Mitzvah.

Moshe then gathers the nation for a final prophecy, which will make up the rest of the Torah - the portion of Haazinu for next Shabbat, and v'Zot haBerachah for Simchat Torah.

May we all be inscribed and sealed for a great new year,
Mordechai