Moshe, on his last day on earth, Shabbat on the seventh of Adar, 2488, blessed his beloved nation Bnei-Yisrael. Same as Yaakov, Moshe blessed the twelve tribes before his passing in order to keep the continuations of HaShem’s blessings to our Forefathers and their future generations. The Zohar explains that Tzadikim, on their last days on earth, are capable of bringing blessings to fruition, since they have extra Neshamah. The Torah writes that Moshe was “Ish HaElohim” (“אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים”), a man of God, to show us how much HaShem loved him and how important were these blessings, that he and HaShem were about to bestow upon each member of Bnei-Yisrael. We also notice that the last letters of the words “מֹשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים” spell the name Moshe, to emphasize his Divine blessings. Moshe, with his humbleness, said to HaShem that he is not worthy to bless Bnei-Yisrael as a father does, and HaShem agrees. In verse 33:2 we see that HaShem is the one who blesses Bnei-Yisrael, as the Torah writes, “וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָה מִסִּינַי”, meaning and HaShem said the blessings from Mount Sinai.
Our Parasha “וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה” is the only Parasha in the Torah that is not read specifically on a Shabbat. Rather, V’zot Habracha is read on “שמיני עצרת” Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah. When reading this Parasha everyone in the synagogue gets called up to the Torah for an Aliyah – even young children, In order to continue HaShem’s blessings upon the people of Israel. We learn this Divine message from King Solomon as he wrote in the Song of Songs (“שִׁיר הַשִּׁירִים“), Chapter 4:12) “Gan (a garden) is shut my sister, my bride (Shabbat); a spring is shut, a fountain sealed. The word“, (“גַּן נָעוּל, אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה; גַּל נָעוּל, מַעְיָן חָתוּם”). The numerical value of the word “Gan” (“גן “ -Garden) is 53. There are 54 Parashot in our Torah, but one of them, Parashat V’zot Habracha (“וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה”) is not read on Shabbat.
Our Sages say that the Torah is the ultimate “Eshet Chayil”; just as a woman of valor helps her family, the Torah helps her family known as Bnei-Yisrael. The crown of Torah is greater than the crown of Kehunah (priesthood) and the crown of Kingship, for kingship is acquired with 30 qualities, and Kehunah is acquired with 24, whereas the Torah is acquired with 48 ways”. The Mishnah lists the 48 skills (or qualities) needed to “acquire” the Torah. The Kabbalah says that the poem refers the Shabbat Queen, the spiritual soul-mate of the Jewish nation.
The “אשת חיל” Eshet Chayil is a song of praises to the Jewish woman (wife) which is customarily recited on Friday evenings before the Shabbat meal, as praises to the “Eshet Chayil” (the mother) who prepared the Shabbat meal and a Kosher and Torah home. Eshet Chayil is a twenty-two verse poem with which King Solomon added to the book of Mishley (31), using all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The poem describes a true woman of valor as one who is energetic, righteous, and capable to do all that the Torah orders her to do. We know that women (and thire husbands) are partners of HaShem as they continue the “creation” by bringing children to the world, as continued blessings by HaShem. It is know that Avraham Avinu wrote this poem “אשת חיל” as a eulogy to his beloved wife Sarah. The Zohar says that the “אשת חיל” Eshet Chayil is really our Neshamah who is part of the Shechinah (HaShem holiness) and lucky is the one who “finds” her.
We learn that the word “Zoat” (“זאת” – and this is the) comes to teach us three very important principles in Jewish life and its foundation, as the acronym of the word “Zoat” stands for:
- The letter “ז” Zine – seven, alluding to the seven days of creation and the Shabbat.
- The letter “א” Alef – stands for Adonai – HaShem, the God all mighty.
- The letter Tav “ת”- stands for Torah as it is the only true and Divine book HaShem gave to the Jewish people
By keeping the laws and Mitzvot of all three principles we guarantee a “Bracha” (“ברכה”), a full blessing from HaShem. The Midrash says that when Moshe started speaking to Bnei-Yisrael, the Angel of death was hovering above him. Moshe took the Angel of death and threw him on the ground claiming that HaShem assured him that he will not allow the Angel of death any part of his passing. Moshe said to the Angel of death that he will be passing as his brother Aharon did, and as a punishment to the Angel of death for being there, Moshe made him stay and witness all the blessings HaShem spoke on Mount Sinai.
The Midrash says that at the moment of blessings, Adam showed up and claimed that he deserves to bless Bnei-Yisrael more than Moshe since he was made by HaShem and not like the rest of mankind. Moshe rebuked him and stated that since he (Adam) lost his Shechinah (glory light) by sinning in the Garden of Eden, he is not wordy of blessing Bnei-Yisrael. Since he (Moshe) did not lose his Shechinah (glory light) he acquired by receiving the Torah on Mount Sinai, he merited the honor of blessing Bnei-Yisrael. Then came Noach and claimed that he deserves to bless Bnei-Yisrael more than Moshe since he survived the Mabul (flood). Moshe rebuked him and stated that he (Noach) never fought and tried to save other people in his generation, unlike Moshe. The same goes for Avraham, Yistzchak and Yaakov who also claimed that they should be the one to bless Bnei-Yisrael, but HaShem agreed with Moshe since he found true solutions to all the needs of Bnei-Yisrael when leading them in the desert.
Moshe blessed Bnei-Yisrael with victory by defeating their enemies when they enter Eretz Israel and inherit the land of Milk and Honey. HaShem tells Bnei-Yisrael that since they keep the Torah and Mitzvot, they merited the Holy Land, the Land of Milk and Honey. The Zohar says that “They came to the land of milk and honey, settled in and built the Holy Temple”. This comes to teach us that the “Milk” is on earth and the “Honey” is in the heaven. The Talmud asks “what is the “land of milk and honey”? The “honey” here refers to honey from bee-hives, which is like milk in that it is also produced by an animal. Honey is the result of blossoming fields, while milk is the result of rich pastures. This description of the land therefore indicates that its natural goodness is of such a standard that even in the absence of organized agricultural activity, it produces bountiful honey and milk for its inhabitants. The term, “flowing with milk and honey,” appears twenty times in the Torah: in nineteen of them it describes Eretz Yisrael, and one time it describes Egypt. This alludes to the days of Mashiach as the land of Israel will be extended to include all that was left behind in Egypt.
Moshe passed away eight verses (“פסוקים”) before the Torah ends. The Midrash brings few opinions as to who wrote the last eight verses. According to one opinion Yohoshua (Joshua) wrote about Moshe’s passing. The second opinion is that HaShem wrote them as Moshe was upset about his upcoming passing, and he could not about his own passing. Another Midrash says that Moshe wrote these words in a non-orderly way (since he was sad) and Divine powers rearranged them to be written and read properly.
In my humble opinion I believe that since Moshe died eight verses before the end of the Torah, Hashem gave him the merit of speaking the eight “דיברות” commandments on Mount Sinai to Bnei-Yisrael(Parashat Yitro). The word “Shmone” (“שמנה” – eight) also spells the word “Mishnah” (“משנה”) as Moshe taught Bnei-Yisrael the Talmud as well. The word “Shmone” (eight) also spells the name Moshe and the letter “Nun” (“נ”), which is 50 in Gematria), alluding to the fifty gates of wisdom that Moshe now possessed in his final thirty-six days from first of Shevat untill the seventh of Adar (which is his birthday, in the year 2368 as well as his and passing day, in the year 2488).