Devarim
Deuteronomy 1:1 – 3:22
Moses begins his farewell address to the new generation on the plains of Moab, recapping the forty-year journey from Horeb to the threshold of the Promised Land. He recounts the appointment of judges, the catastrophic failure of the spies, the resulting forty-year decree, and the recent victories over Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan. Moses reinterprets these events as lessons in faith and consequence, urging the people to learn from their parents' failures. This is Moses the teacher at his most reflective, preparing a nation to succeed where its predecessors fell short.
Key figures
- Moses — Delivers his farewell oration, recounting Israel's journey and failures
- Joshua — Encouraged by Moses — 'Do not fear them, for Hashem your God fights for you'
- Caleb — Recalled as the faithful spy who will receive his promised inheritance
- Sihon and Og — Amorite kings whose defeat is recounted as proof of God's power
Famous verses
- 1:17 You shall not respect persons in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike; you shall not be afraid of the face of any man; for the judgment is God's; and the cause that is too hard for you you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.
- 1:21 Behold, Hashem your God has set the land before you; go up, take possession, as Hashem, the God of your fathers, has spoken to you; fear not, neither be dismayed."
- 3:22 You shall not fear them; for Hashem your God, He it is that fights for you."
Haftarah: {'ref': 'Isaiah 1:1-27', 'connection': "The Haftarah of Chazon (Vision) is always read on the Shabbat before Tisha B'Av. Isaiah rebukes a sinful nation, paralleling Moses's rebuke of Israel's failures in the wilderness."}
Total gematria: 412,082.