Moses delivers his final words to the Israelites before his death, recounting their journey and emphasizing obedience to God's commandments as the people prepare to enter the promised land. He stresses principles of justice and judges the people for their past disobedience. Moses distinguishes the current generation from their faithless predecessors and encourages confidence in God's support despite past failures. His eloquent speech prepares the people religiously, ethically, and psychologically for the challenges of conquering and living in the land with God as their protector.

1. Devarim
Introduction
Let’s start with the name of the book.It won’t surprise you that I don’t care
for its commonname that we’ve derived principally from the Greek -
Deuteronomy, which essentially means, the second law or repetition of the
law. There is - to be fair - a basis for this name in a key Hebrew phrase,
and indeed there is considerable coverage of the mitzvoth in the book.
But the Hebrew name for this first portion and the book as a whole is
Devarim, meaning Words.Forreasons we’ll discuss in a moment, there is
a great richness to the idea that the book throughout is fundamentally
about words. This valedictory, these words, of Moses are about a lot more
than a repetition of law or mitzvoth, as we’ll see today. The final words of
Moses carry so much meaning and value to the people then, the people in
the 7th century BCE, and all the people from then to now. So, as with the
other books of the Hebrew Bible, I preferhere to use the Hebrew name in
mentioning this book, Devarim.

2. When was this bookwritten? I’m not going to touch that question! By
tradition, all words in Torah came from God to Moses at Sinai and then on
to us. I don’t fight tradition because I believe that the Bible came from God
and was received by inspired people of God, including especially our
teacher, Moses.But, as to the time and manner of its being written down
and edited, I’m fine with looking at historical evidence and developing views
on the basis of it.
There is considerable evidence that the first four books of Torah were
compiled together, and that Devarim appeared separately, at least initially,
with considerable influence of thinking in the north, in Israel, and perhaps
compilation and discoveryin Judea in the time of King Josiah.
We could go into far greater detail on all this and the many differing views
of the origin and construction of the book. We won’t today. It’s a matter for
further study for those of you who want to engage in it. Yet, I wanted you to
have at least a little background.
The key point that I want to make in this brief introduction: this book serves
as Moses’final words to the people before he dies and before they enter
the land. Torah ends with these orations.

3. The words are designed essentially to re-cap the people’s journey together,
the mitzvoth they’ve been given to govern their covenant with God,as they
enter the land, and Moses’eloquent plea with the people to stay true to that
covenant now and forever. Do note the differences betweenthese words
and their comparable words we studied in the accounts in the other four
books.Though we’ll occasionally explore such differences, we’ll focus
mainly on the substance of the appeal here. It is a powerful appeal in so
many ways - ethically, religiously, socially, historically,
psychologically,emotionally, rhetorically, etc. Indeed it’s one of the most
powerful set of “speeches”of all time.
Our work is mostly to explore and understand its content and its meaning
then and now, but I also want you to appreciate the art, the beauty, and the
power of the words themselves. So, look at that, too, and let’s discuss both
as we go through Devarim.

4. I. Read 1:1. All sorts of questions arise.
A. 1. Whose words are these, and what does that mean to you?
(These are the words of Moses, though they’re in accord with instructions
of God (3), which Moses expounds here (5). This is his valedictory. Recall
that he began his career by pleading that he was not a man of words, an
ish d’varim. Now, after 40 years plus of his leading the people, all these
words are his, and they’re eloquent and powerful. They comprise the last
book of Torah and guide us to this day.
2. Where have we encountered the idea of “words” before in our study
together?

5. (Let the idea of “words” resonate in your mind, for it was with words that
God created the world, when “He said…..” It was through the Ten Words,
that God began the revelation. It was through words that the oral tradition
of instruction was conducted. And it is through words here that Moses
prepares the people, us, to enter the promised land. And they include
Moses’teaching of many words of Divine instruction, involving mitzvoth, as
we’ll see mostly in the middle portions of the book.)
B. To whom are the words addressed? And what does that mean?
(1.To all Israel, not just the priests, not the elders, or the leaders, but to all
of us, just as at Sinai. This means to me that we should all listen up, and
listen good.This is for us, with meaning and purpose, that call us to pay
attention, read and hear, learn from, and act on.

6. The words to us generally will be divided in three parts: a critique of the
people’s waywardness in the wilderness, a discussionof mitzvoth and
guidance that Moses wants to emphasize to the people before entering the
land, and a farewell.)
2. As to the first segment, here’s a fun fact in Hebrew: the word for bees in
Hebrew is d’vorim, which is very close to d’varim, words. What might
words, these words in particular, and bees have in common?
1. Some sages made the point that Moses’words sting the people (who
strayed) at the beginning of the bookas would a bee.But, ironically and
similarly, both deliverers of the sting die in the act!
2. Others: Individual bees followa leader, as do the people with Moses
3. Others: we get both honey and stings from bees. Also, we get sweet
from these words when we live by them and stings when we don’t.
4. Others: whatever honey we store away, as with words we learn and
follow, it’s sweetness we keep and store away in this life and for God.)
II. A. Let’s read verse 5 alone to get a sense of Moses’ basic purpose here.

7. What do you see?
(Bayair et hatorah - to explain this Torah. What does that mean?
To expound on all the teaching - its background, its essence, its meaning,
and its consequence. We get a sense it’s the whole teaching, not just the
words we see exclusively here, but rather from all the books, as we
experienced in the wisdom literature. The words that define this mission
statement give this book a broader and different feel right from the start.)
B. Afterbeginning his account of their journey as directed by God from the
mountain, we come upon these verses: Read 1:9-14.Do you recall this

8. matter being discussedthis way the first time we encountered it in the text?
If not, what’s different, and why?
(We never heard this sort of pained and burdened tone in his discussion
with Yitro or the people, did we? These surely are the perspectivesof a
man who has come to the end of his strength and time. Or, is it possible
that he has another motive to sound this way?
Does he want to impress on the people a keen sense of how hard a burden
it’s been? Does it make the listener feel perhaps some pathos or regret?
Do recall the weakness was that of the previous generation, one for which
they were punished. He certainly wants to distinguish this group from its
predecessor. Also,his account does pull at the heart; it certainly does
mine.)
C. Read 15-18.Why is Moses emphasizing, and why does he do it upfront
here?

9. (These leaders must, and will, take up the vital business of administering
justice when they go into the land. We could spend a great deal of time on
the exact words that describe the principles here of justice, judges, and the
judicial process. It’s fantastic. But, we can only look at these “great
paintings” as time forces us quickly “through the gallery.”
What I want you to remember above all else is the emphasis here on
principles of justice and judging, as if he wants to say early on that justice is
absolutely to be front and center to his listeners, including us.)
III.A. I want to encourage you to read the rest of the first chapter on your
own to compare this account with the one we’ve already studied. You’ll see
events and perspectives that appear quite different (including the failure to
make any mention of Caleb and Joshua in the account of the spies), but
none perhaps more so than verse 37. Read 37. Is this what we learned that
explained why Moses is not going into the land? Why the difference? What
might Moses be saying?

10. (It was because of his striking the rock, no? We talked that out and what
that meant. Is Moses saying that his striking the rock was “because of”
them? Because of his frustration with them? The burden of them? Or is he
saying that there was something else, something associated with the failure
of the people to go into the land way back when that caused his
punishment? Was there something Moses did or didn’t do then that caused
a problem? Letting the people go scout the land? Some other failure of
leadership? Some combination of things that merge in Moses’mind from
experiences overthe whole time?)
B. Look at the overall effect of the speechand all its elements. It’s worth
serious study. It has all the elements of effective oratory. It’s certainly
political in a good sense. Moses wants to prepare the people for the
challenges ahead. It may be that understanding vividly the apostasy of the
past and its huge cost and loss and as well as the sharp distinction
between this group and the generation that precededit is crucial to the
readiness of this group. Moses seems always to be seeking to make the
distinction as clear as possible. Yet, he knows that while the previous
generation was that much closerto slavery, it was also that much closerto
experiencing directly God’s miracles.

11. Can you, especiallythose of you who have studied this text, share thoughts
on how does he do this?
(He creates more sympathy for his position, which may increase his
authority. He wants this group to understand the loss their predecessors
experienced, without scaring them, but definitely generating a sense of
responsibilitywithin them. He wants them to sense that they can do it
(which is why he started this whole oration with the victory they achieved
over Sihon and Og), and that it is God’s designthat it be so. We also get a
sense that they are to take the land and occupy it, but it must be without
killing at will (avoiding the Ammonites, etc.)
This is a remarkable oration - in terms of psychology, leadership, politics,
ethics, and effective transition of people, authority, and movement.)
IV. We must make a brief stop at 2:4-7. How do you explain this admonition
from God to pass so carefully by the land of Esau?

12. (First, it shows that the people are not unlimited in the land that exists for
them. This not about acquisition by power. We see several peoples whose
lands were not intended forIsrael. Further, this honors the resolution
between Esau and Jacob, no? Recall what we learned at the end of their
story. Recall Isaac’s vision for his sons? Shouldn’t remembering and
honoring that dream be featured now, as the people approachthe land?)
V. Conclusion.
Read 3:21-22.

13. A. Moses is, on the surface, saying that Joshua and the others have seen
the victory over these two kingdoms and thus should have confidenceas
they move into the land. But is there a deepermessage as well?
(I think Moses is saying that Joshua has seen all the miracles God has
wrought, including these victories. It is his task of leadership to teach and
inspire what he has seen with his own eyes to the people (who did not
directly experience the miracles) in its broadest sense, including instilling
faith in God’s support in taking the land.
Moses understands two truths. He knows the weakness of the people as
they started out on the journey and the proneness to weakness at all times.
Yet, there has been growth, a strengthening of faith, of readiness, of
solidity in the covenant. He is teaching both, as if to make the people aware
of the formerand to seek to be more of the latter. This is necessary as the
people prepare to go into, take, and begin to live in the land.)

14. B. Let me ask you a question we’ll explore at much greater length in future
weeks. Now think, as we’ve learned, to see the surface, the clothes of the
text, as well as the body, and the inner soul. What’s the promised land the
people will enter?
(This promised land is not only what it appears on the surface of the text,
as the physical land there, in Israel; it is also more broadly the terrain
wherever we are physically, but especiallywithin our souls and spirit, where
we live in covenant with God. We keep this land, as God promises, when
we live as God expects,and we risk losing it, if we don’t. Moses wants us
to know above all else here that faith in God and God’s support comes first,
as we prepare to enter the land God has set out for us in our lives.)
C. One more final questiontoday: why does Moses stress the point at the
end of the portion, “Don’t fear them, for it is the Lord your God who will
battle for you?”
(The need to focus on, and build a greater reliance on, a living and abiding
faith in God for support is a fundamental goal of this valedictory. Moses

15. knows how central this is to living well in the way God has set out. With this
faith, we can survive our fear of all the “thems,” including the kingdoms and
all else that threatens, because we will live in confidencethat the Lord our
God “will battle for us.” This is central to our spirit and consciousness as we
prepare to enter and then live in the land.)