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Dvar Torah · Rav Mordechai Burg

Simchas Torah / Vizos Habracha – Broken Vessels

Jan 7, 2021

וּלְכֹל֙ הַיָּ֣ד הַֽחֲזָקָ֔ה וּלְכֹ֖ל הַמּוֹרָ֣א הַגָּד֑וֹל אֲשֶׁר֙ עָשָׂ֣ה משֶׁ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל “ and all the strong hand, and all the great awe, which Moses performed before the eyes of all Israel .” (Devarim 34:12) What exactly was it that Moshe did? What was performed before the eyes of all of Klal Yisrael? Rashi explains: שנשאו לבו לשבור הלוחות לעיניהם, שנאמר (לעיל ט, יז) ואשברם לעיניכם, והסכימה דעת הקב"ה לדעתו, שנאמר (שמות לד, א) אשר שברת, יישר כחך ששברת “ before the eyes of all Israel : [This expression alludes to the incident where] his heart stirred him up to smash the tablets before their eyes, as it is said, “and I shattered them before your eyes” (Deut. 9:17). - [Sifrei 33:41] And [regarding Moses shattering the Tablets,] the Holy One Blessed is He gave His approval, as Scripture states, “[the first Tablets] which you shattered” (Exod. 34:1); [God said to Moses:] “Well done for shattering them!” - [Shab. 87a] As we consider this Rashi many questions come to mind. Rashi uses an interesting language when he says “his heart inspired him to smash the luchos before their eyes”. Rashi specifically emphasizes two body parts; the heart of Moshe and the eyes of Klal Yisrael. Why does Moshe need to be inspired by his heart? Why not his mind? Why does the passuk emphasize the fact that this happened in front of the eyes of Klal Yisrael? Would it not be enough to say that Moshe broke the luchos before them? In Judaism we always try to end on a positive note. The

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