Adapted from
Likkutei Sichos , Vol. IX, p. 237ff;
Parshas V’Zos HaBerachah, 5748;
Sichos Leil Shishi shel Chag HaSukkos , 5742

A Message for the Holiday

The Rambam writes:1 “Moshe ordained that on every festival, the Jews should read [a portion of the Torah which reflects] its content.” He continues by listing the passages read on different festivals, and concludes2 that on Simchas Torah,3 we read Zos HaBerachah. This implies that the reading of Zos HaBerachah on Simchas Torah shares a connection with the holiday itself; it is not read at that time merely because it is customary to conclude the yearly cycle of Torah readings on that festival.

One and One

What is the inner content of Simchas Torah? When contrasting the sacrificial offerings brought during Sukkos to those brought on Simchas Torah, our Sages explain4 that the 70 bulls offered on Sukkos refer to the 70 nations of the world. The one bull offered on Simchas Torah refers to the Jewish people, the “one nation.”

Simchas Torah is a day when “Israel and the King are all alone.”5 This is a time when the essential bond between G‑d and the Jewish people is expressed in joyous celebration. This concept is reflected in the name of the Torah reading, V’Zos HaBerachah, lit. “This is the blessing,” and its content, which focuses entirely on the blessings given the Jewish people, and the praise of their uniqueness.

Why Moshe Broke the Tablets

In this context, however, a difficulty arises: Rashi explains that the final phrase of the Torah,6 l’einei kol Yisrael, “before the eyes of the entire Jewish people,” refers to the breaking of the tablets containing the Ten Commandments. Our Sages attach great importance to conclusions,7 explaining that they summarize the content of all the preceding concepts. Why then does the conclusion of the entire Torah and in particular, the conclusion of the reading V’Zos HaBerachah mention a subject which seemingly reflects the disgrace of the Jewish people, for the tablets were broken because of the nation’s sin in worshipping the Golden Calf.

This question leads to the inference that this phrase alludes to the praise of the Jewish people, indeed to praise with which it is appropriate to conclude the entire Torah.

To explain: When describing the reason for the breaking of the tablets, Rashi states:8

To express with an analogy: A king journeyed to a distant country, leaving his betrothed with maids. Because of the depravity of the maids, the reputation of the intended also became tarnished. The bridesman took the initiative and ripped up the wedding contract, saying: “If the king will order to kill her, I will protest, saying that she was not yet his wife.”

The king is the Holy One, blessed be He; the maids, the mixed multitude [of converts who joined the Jews after the Exodus]. The bridesman is Moshe, and the betrothed…, the Jewish people.

Rashi’s intent is to explain that Moshe broke the Tablets to protect the Jewish people from G‑d’s wrath.9 Here we see the unique importance of the Jewish nation. The Torah is G‑d’s “delight, frolicking before Him at all times.”10 And within the Torah, the tablets on which the Ten Commandments were engraved were “the work of G‑d… and the writing of G‑d,”11 given to Moshe by G‑d Himself.12 And yet when the future of the Jewish people was at stake, Moshe was willing to break the tablets without hesitation.13

Why did Moshe take such a step? Because there is nothing not even the Torah which G‑d cherishes more than a Jew.

Who Comes First?

Our Sages state14 that there are two entities which predate creation, the Torah and the Jewish people. They continue: “I do not know which came first…. I say, however, the Jewish people came first.” The intent is not preeminence in a chronological sense, but rather in importance. The soul of every Jew is “an actual part of G‑d from above.”15 And therefore, the expression,16 “My son, My firstborn, Israel,” can be applied to every member of our people.

What then is the purpose of the Torah? To reveal this essential quality; to make every member of our people conscious of it, and to provide a medium which will allow this dimension of our being to become manifest. This is the theme underscored by the conclusion of the Torah.17

Open Blessings

The name V’Zos HaBerachah means “This is the blessing.” On the verse,18 “This is my G‑d, and I will glorify Him,” Rashi comments that the word “this” implies a direct revelation, a manifestation of G‑dliness so powerful that one could point and say: “This is it!”

Similarly, the phrase “This is the blessing” implies that the blessings which Moshe gave and gives stand openly expressed, bringing us a year of open and apparent good.

“The Jewish people, the Torah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, are one.”19 Bringing out the inner spark of G‑d which we possess though our Torah conduct will allow the Torah to serve as a medium of blessing, conveying G‑d’s bounty from the spiritual realms into our material world.