Moses' Final Words Explained - Rabbi Shlomo Horwitz

You wouldn't believe what I learned about paras. Our para opens with a very unusual introduction. These are the words that Moshe spoke to all of Israel. That sounds strange, doesn't it? Every word of the Torah came from God. So why does the Torah suddenly emphasize that these are the words of Moshe? The dubno mag raves a remarkable explanation that he heard directly from his rebi the vil nagon and I think I found a hint to it in Arashi. He says that there is a fundamental difference between safer devarim and the first four safarim of the Torah throughout boratious shimosikra and midbar the shina literally spoke no sha mosha mosha rau was not choosing words or even expressing the message in his own style he was a conduit through which hashem's exact words were spoken Moshe had no choice God gave him those words. But safer dev is different says the vagon here. Hashem first revealed his message to Moshe. Then there was a break and then he conveyed that prophecy to Kali Israel to the Jewish people in his own language just as other prophets would do later. Of course, every word was spoken with Ruakodesesh. Every word was divinely inspired and part of the Torah itself. Every word is from Hashem, but the presentation is Moshe's. So what's the difference between the last book and the first four books of the Bible? The first four books of the Bible were God's exact words and Moshe transcribed them as God was saying it. The last book is Moshe putting that message of God in his own phrasing. And I think this is actually captured much earlier than the vagon in rashi to migilla 31b. He says that the toa in paradukotai may not be interrupted. You can't take a break. You have to read the whole thing in one shot. In contrast the in paraso may be broken. Why is that? Sarashi says the toah inukosa is written in the first person. The noi I will give if kadi I will appoint. Who is the I? It's certainly not Moshe. Moshe is not going to say I'm going to bring a famine etc. These are clearly the words of Hashem himself. And Moshe is conveying exactly what Hashem says. But when you come to the ino the bad tidings that may befall us, the grammar changes. Instead of I will, it's Hashem. Hashem will smite. So now Moshe is talking about Hashem. That shift in grammar perfectly reflects the villagon's explanation because in the first four, the speech is Hashem's own words. in Dorim as we said it is Moshe and he's faithfully transmitting Hashem's prophecy through says in migill now we understand why our parasa begins with Moshe these are the words that Moshe spoke they're not any less divine god forbid every word of devarim is also Torah msi but this seafair reveals a different mode of prophecy Instead of hearing Hashem's words spoken directly through Moshe, we hear it expressed through the unique prophetic voice of Mosher Rabenu. It is no less binding, but you will find a difference, such as, can I break up the two sections when I'm calling somebody to the Torah? Very minor differences. Anyway, I hope you found this enlightening and I want to wish you all a Shabbat shalom. Good chabas.