Vayelech

Though the entire book of Devarim contains the final words of Moshe, Parashat Vayelech really can be seen as the beginning of his actual final speech. He opens by telling the People of Israel that today he turns 120 years old. “I can no longer go out or come in, and God has told me that I will not cross the Jordan… Yehoshua, he will go before you, as God has spoken.” In other words, this is the end. After an entire book of words of rebuke and words of blessing, Moshe’s final message, first to the people of Israel, and then to Yehoshua himself, was Chazak V’ematz – be strong and brave! These are words used by Jews to this day to offer support to each other. Moshe continued, “Do not be afraid…for the Lord, your God … will not release you nor will He forsake you.” While it is true that Moshe will still have more to say, as we’ll see in the next two Parshiyot, this can be seen as his final major message to the people of Israel.

Our Haftorah today, read each year on the Shabbat between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur begins “Return O Israel to Hashem your God.” The Hebrew word for return is Shuva. It comes from the same root as Tshuva, repentance, and is the reason this Shabbat is called Shabbat Shuva. The Haftorah speaks of God’s compassion and kindness and encourages the People of Israel to mend their ways and seek out God. The end of the Haftorah contains the verse responsible for the practice of Tashlich. “God will again be merciful to us… and cast into the depths of the sea all our sins.” So may it be!
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