DEUTERONOMY COMMENCES with a review of several prior moments in Israel’s history. This parashah contains a theme relevant for women and all modern Jews, especially those interested in interpreting the text differently than has been done previously—for Moses, the great prophet and lawgiver, provides his own interpretation of Israel’s history and even law.
The book begins by claiming that what follows are Moses’ words, addressed to the Israelites (1:1), meaning that they are presented as his words, not those of the unidentified narrator. The text legitimates Moses’ comments, noting that they are “in accordance with the instructions that יהוה had given him” (1:3).
Before the start of Moses’ speech, we read, “Moses undertook to expound this Teaching” (torah; 1:5). The word translated as “undertook” expresses a decision connected with a new initiative or a bold action. The implication is that Moses initiates what becomes a long Jewish tradition: constant reinterpretation of the text. In an ironic and Jewish way, the Torah has already begun to be interpreted within the text.
A quick overview reveals that Moses’ address agrees with in general, but is not identical to, the way that these events are described in previous books. In some of these instances, the differences actually put more power in the hands of the people for things like choosing judges (Deuteronomy 1:13 versus Exodus 18:25) or sending out the scouts (Deuteronomy 1:22 versus Numbers 13:1). The book’s later portions even present some of the laws differently than in the prior books (see, for example, 12:2–28), indicating an early process of adaptation and interpretation, not just of history but of legal material as well.
Thus, the opening parashah of Deuteronomy, one of the most important books in the Hebrew Bible, teaches us an important lesson about the way traditions change over time, even within this most sacred text. This lesson is particularly relevant to women and liberal Jews, who at times have been criticized for engaging in what happens to be the very interpretive process witnessed in Deuteronomy—and exemplified in the work of the scholars who have contributed to this Commentary.
—Tammi J. Schneider