V'Zot HaBeracha 2025/5785

For a discussion of Hoshanah Rabbah and Simchat Torah, see Likutey Moharan I, 74.

Shemini Atzeret brings about the tikkun of Judgement. In essence this is a tikkun for the holy Covenant (See Rosh Hashanah 9).

(1)“And this is the blessing with which Moshe the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death.” (Devarim, 33:1) “The man of God” means that God delivered the matter into the hands of Moshe at that time. Just as he would bless, and just as he would arrange an account of what would happen to Israel until the end of all generations, thus God would agree and so it would be. Also, just as Moshe would arrange just how much Divine service would be necessary for each soul in Israel, so it would be.

(2)“… before his death.” Moshe Rabeynu was the most beloved and chosen out of all the souls in Israel. On the day of his death he was completed in perfection, as it is said, “I am one hundred and twenty years old today,” meaning that on this day he was completed in absolute perfection, for each one is completed at a particular time. Yaakov Avinu was completed at the time that he descended to Egypt, and the seventeen years he spent there were me’eyn olam haba, likened to the world to come. Moshe Rabeynu was completed on the day of his death, so he blessed them, and surely this blessing was in the way of the very best before Israel.

(3)“And he said; Hashem came from Sinai, and shined from Seir unto them; He appeared from Mount Paran, and He came from holy multitudes; from His right hand came a law of fire for them.” (Devarim, 33:2) “Hashem came from Sinai.” God rests His presence with those who despise the delights of this world. “And rose up from Seir unto them,” “Seir” hints at anger (as it sounds like the word for storm, se’ara). There is some good within this, like the heated anger of the scholars (see Ta’anit 4a, “if a young scholar gets into a rage it is because the Torah inflames him, as it says [Yirmiya, 23:29], ‘is not My word like fire, says Hashem’”). Therefore it only uses the word “shined,” because there is only a small measure of good that can be derived from anger. “He appeared from Mount Paran,” this corresponds to lust, which corresponds to Yishmael. The word used for appeared, hofi’a, is an even less intense illumination than “shone”—zericha.

(4)“… and He came from holy multitudes ….” (Devarim, 33:2) At that time they found all forms of Divine assistance, because an angel (holy multitudes of angels) means Divine assistance.

(5)“… from His right hand came a law of fire for them.” (Devarim, 33:2) “From His right hand,” meaning because of the great love God has for Israel. Therefore all of the Torah is classified here as “a law of fire,” meaning severe punishments. This is “from His right hand,” meaning that they come from His love.

“Yea, He loves the nations ….” (Devarim, 33:3)
The word for love, chovev, uses a language of concealment, for it means both “love”—chibba, and also “debt”—chov (or even punishment). This is like a father who forces his son to study the Torah, and according to the understanding of the son he is incurring a punishment.

(7)“… all His holy ones are in Your hand ….” (Devarim, 33:3) This is voiced as if it is happening before him. This teaches that all who act out of love are in the hand of God, and His presence is explicit before them.

(8)“… they sat down at Your feet ….” (Devarim, 33:3) They crowd together before the infinite expansiveness of the Holy One, blessed be He. Like at Mount Sinai, even though He held the mountain over them like a washbasin (saying, “if you accept the Torah, then fine, and if not, then this place will be your graves”), still, they crowded themselves under the mountain.

“… every one shall receive Your words.” (Devarim, 33:3)
“Yissa—every one shall receive [or raise up]” is voiced in the singular. This means that they shall all receive together as one. This is as it is written (Shemot, 19:2), “and Israel camped before the mountain,” and the Midrash explains, “as one man and of one heart.” Also, Yissa is a term denoting “raised.” This is because Israel is raised up to (the level of the) Torah. For when she (Israel) does not occupy herself with Torah she is lowered in diametric opposition to how she was raised. Then when Israel fulfills the Torah, they then raise the Torah on high.

“Moshe commanded us the Torah, an inheritance for the community of Yaakov.” (Devarim, 33:4)
Here there are two matters. Both are contained in the blessing over the Torah which we pronounce each day, first, “who gave [natan] us His Torah,” and the second, “[blessed is God] who gives the Torah.” That which the Patriarchs rooted in the heart of all Israel cannot be weakened or removed, and the Kedusha that no sin can blemish, is called natan—“given.” However, the portion that God allotted to each soul in Israel, with which he may innovate original ideals in Torah, may be blemished by man, God forbid. Of this our sages explained (Berachot, 57a), “If one dreams he has intercourse with a betrothed maiden, he may expect to obtain knowledge of Torah, since it says, Moshe commanded us a law [Torah], an inheritance for the community of Yaakov. Read not morashah [inheritance], but me’orasah [betrothed].” “Inheritance” means the Kedusha of the Patriarchs. “Betrothed” means the power with which man is given to innovate.

“And there was a king in Yeshurun ….” (Devarim, 33:5)
A state needs a king in order that its inhabitants do not transgress the decrees and statutes of the state. However, were all the inhabitants of the state to act in the ways of truth and honesty, then there would be no advantage to this position and they would no longer need a king. This only applies to an earthly king, yet with a king such as God there is still an advantage in His position even if all act with truth and righteousness. In this sense have the members of the great assembly enacted that we say (in the prayers of the High Holidays), “and You, Hashem our God, shall soon reign over all Your works… for You shall remove the governance of iniquity from the land.” In other words, in this way shall His throne be magnified, for the kingdom of God is not like an earthly kingdom. This is as is explained in the writings of the Holy Ari”zal (R. Yitzchak Luria) on the subject of Iggulim and Yosher, where “Iggulim” hints that each soul in Israel stands directed before God, and no one has an elevated status over another. This is as it is explained in the Gemara (Ta’anit, 31a), “In the future God will make a circle dance of the Tsaddikim.”
“A circle dance,” for in a circle each one is equally close. “Yosher” means that there are levels and different exaltation of one over another, where one may be closer than the other. In the future, these two realms of Iggulim and Yosher will be together as one, for the Kedusha (sanctity) that we inherit from the Patriarchs is called “Iggul,” and the Kedusha that one earns by distinguishing himself by means of his actions will gain him exaltation. Then he too will be recognized as the one whom God loves, and even within the equilibrium of a circle it will be apparent that he is closer than the rest. This is “and there was a king in Yeshurun,” for then the greatness of Moshe Rabeynu will be recognized.

“Reuven shall live and not die; and let his men be numbered.” (Devarim, 33:6)
With this blessing Moshe Rabeynu healed the blessing that Yaakov had withheld from him before his death. Corresponding to what Yaakov said (Bereshit, 49:3), “the excellency [or ‘excess’] of strength,” meaning that he had taken the tekufut (unbridled strength) and simcha (joy) of the heart away from him, Moshe Rabeynu blessed him by saying, “Reuven shall live,” meaning that he should have vivacity, joy, and tekifut in his heart. Corresponding to “the excellency [or ‘excess’] of dignity,” Moshe blessed him by saying, “let his men be numbered.” This is because increase comes from exaltation, for if there was no exaltation of one over another, and each one were similar to his fellow in his understanding, there would be no possibility of increase for they would be equal. Thus it says (Sanhedrin, 89a), “no two prophets prophesize in the same way.” Yet since one’s life is not the same as another’s life, from this power, we find states of increase. Therefore one is exalted over another, and therefore he blessed him by saying, “let his men be numbered,” which teaches of a healing for what Yaakov said, “the excellency [or ‘excess’] of dignity.”

“Reuven shall live and not die; and let his men be numbered.” (Devarim, 33:6)
The blessing of Moshe Rabeynu corresponded to (or even was in response to) the blessings of Yaakov Avinu. Yaakov had said to Reuven (Bereshit, 49:3), “the excellency [or, as Rashi says, excess, meaning more than your brothers] of dignity, the excellency of power. Unstable as water, you shall not excel.” The Midrash (Bereshit Rabba, 99:6) comments, “like water that is spilled from a cup, and nothing remains.” Concerning this, Moshe Rabeynu blessed him by saying, “let Reuven live,” corresponding to “the excellency of strength,” for by saying to him, “live,” meant that he would constantly draw life-force from the source of the waters of life. “And let his men numbered” was said in response to “excellency in dignity,” meaning that each one would himself be an essential member of the community.

(14)“… Hear, O God, the voice of Yehuda ….” (Devarim, 33:7) A blessing for Shimon is hinted in this statement. The twelve tribes represent all of the limbs of the Shechina, the Divine presence, as mentioned in the Zohar (Bereshit, 241a). Reuven (meaning, “you shall see a son”) is the eyes of the Shechina, for he always has a clear view of God. Shimon (meaning “one who hears”) is the ears of the Shechina, and Yehuda is the heart of the Shechina, for he has a clean and refined heart. This is the meaning of the verse, “Hear, O God, the voice of Yehuda,” that the tribe of Shimon should hear the voice of Yehuda. This is because the tribe of Shimon must constantly undergo refinement, as is explained in Parshat Toldot on the verse, “and Yitzchak loved Eisav.”

(15)“… and bring him [Yehuda] unto his people ….” (Devarim, 33:7) “Bring him unto his people,” in order that he may find favor in the eyes of his people, for Yehuda is constantly in a state of dispute with Efriam, as is explained in Parshat Vayeishev.