14 Jul WORDS MATTER

“Aileh hadevarim, These are the words
that Moshe spoke to all of Yisroel…”
(Devarim 1:1)
Aileh, these are the words. Aileh has a
gematria, a numerical value of thirty-six
(aleph=1; lamed=30; hey=5).
The Ohr HaChaim teaches that thirty-six
alludes to the last thirty-six days of
Moshe’s life. Thirty-six days of Moshe
speaking from his heart, imparting a final
message to his children, Bnei Yisroel.
Words spoken from Rosh Chodesh
Shevat to thirty-six days later, on the
seventh of Adar, the day Moshe passed.
The final words a person speaks often
leave a lasting impact. As Moshe
Rabbeinu’s life drew to a close, he had
just thirty-six days remaining. Every
word he spoke during those final days
was chosen with purpose.
Moshe, leader and teacher of the nation,
leaves the people with words of both
admonishment and guidance. While he

wants the nation to learn from their past,
he loves them like father loves his child
and doesn’t want to cause them pain or
embarrassment. Even while speaking
words of mussar, Moshe treats Bnei
Yisroel with honor and dignity. He
doesn’t “lose it”, or raise his voice. He
doesn’t say what were you thinking, I
can’t believe what you did. Instead of
mentioning each wrongdoing, Moshe
only hints to the nation’s sins.
Moshe recounts the nation’s journey
through the desert, listing names of places
that recall the people’s transgressions and
lack of faith in HaShem. Rather than
making direct reference to the sin of the
Golden Calf, he says Di-Zahav, meaning
an abundance of gold. He mentions
Chatzeiros, alluding to Korach’s rebellion
which took place nearby. Paran evokes
the episode of the meraglim, the scouts
that were sent from the Wilderness of
Paran. Tophel and Lavan, meaning
diminished and white, reminds the nation
of their lack of appreciation for the manna
which was white in color. Experiences

that led Moshe to turn to
Bnei Yisroel and say, “Eicha
esah l’vadi, How can I alone
carry your contentiousness,
your burdens and your
quarrels.” (Devarim 1:12).
Eicha, how. A word of
lament, a word of pain, a
word of sadness.
Moshe wished to remind the
nation of their past wrongful
actions and its
consequences, before they
entered the Promised Land.
A land that requires emuna
in HaShem and respect for
His Torah and mitzvos.
Moshe is called rabbeinu, meaning our
teacher, our leader. His words, his life
lessons are timeless. From generation to
generation, he is a mentor for all. Amongst
his many lessons, Moshe left behind a
message of how to give rebuke, if and
when necessary. To reprimand with
respect, to admonish with love.
Moshe’s lesson is not just a narrative in
the Torah but was lived throughout the
generations. My mother a”h would
often share with me stories of her
childhood. How her father, my zeide
zt”l, would teach the children proper
behavior. He would never have to raise
his voice, nor would he need to punish.
All he had to say was “Mein teiere kind,
es paast nisht”, my precious child, it is
not befitting for you. Zeide way was to
never put someone down, but even in
midst of rebuke, to elevate one’s being.
After hearing zeide’s words, nothing
else needed to be said.
A lesson from Moshe that was passed
down.
This week, on 28 Tamuz, was the
yahrtzeit of HaRav Yosef Sholom
Elyashiv zt”l, one of the greatest Torah
leaders of the past century. Despite
being physically weak from early
childhood, he merited to live to the age
of 102. He was once asked what the
secret of his longevity was. His reply
was simple. “Never get angry, and don’t
take things to heart.” A remarkable
statement coming from a man who
lived in a tiny two room apartment, in
which he and his rebbetzin raised their
family of 12 children. Anyone else
living under such conditions could
understandably have found it
challenging to always be of calm spirit.

But not Rav Elyashiv. He lived a life
deeply rooted in emuna, bitachon and
Torah study. As we read Parshas Devarim,
the parsha of words, it’s important to
recall great people like Rav Elyashiv who
never used their words, their devarim, to
express frustration or anger. His calm
demeanor was reflected not only in how
he lived, but in how he spoke.
There is yet another important lesson we
learn from Moshe’s final words to Bnei
Yisroel. The Talmud teaches “Tehei smol
docheh veyamin mekarevet, While the
left hand pushes away, the right hand
should draw near.” Moshe felt it
incumbent upon himself to deliver words
of rebuke. But when the nation heard his
harsh words, they despaired. In order to
console them, to lift their spirits, to
prevent them from becoming disillusioned
or disheartened, he shared words of hope
and bracha. “May HaShem make you so
many more as you are…” (Devarim 1:11)
As it says in the Talmud, “Af al pi
sheh’chotoh, Yisroel hu, No matter what,
even after mistakes and wrongdoings, a
Jew remains a Jew.” Moshe’s message
was not to despair, never to give up, for
HaShem is always with you.
Moshe’s final gift to Klal Yisroel was not
wealth or power, it was words. Words that
rebuked without humiliating, encouraged
without flattering, and inspired without
discouraging. Those same words continue
to teach us that every conversation has
the power either to distance another
person or to draw them closer.
Devarim, words. With our words we can
make the world a better place. As we
begin the Nine Days leading up to Tisha
B’Av, let’s take that lesson to heart. And
in that merit, may we see the rebuilding
of the Beis HaMikdash, bimheira
b’yameinu, speedily in our time.