Parashat Shofetim discusses the prophet among the other leaders in the parasha. We will analyze the placement of this passage, and we will then examine the extent of the command, "To him you shall hearken." Are we to listen to the prophet even if he commands to violate a mitzva of the Torah? If so, are we to do so if he initiates the command?
The book of Devarim, and with it the entire Torah, ends with the story of Moshe's death. This story closes three closely-interconnected circles. The first circle is the biography of Moshe – a life story that has been recounted from the beginning of the book of Shemot, from before Moshe's birth, and until our story, which describes his death and subsequent events.
The halakha of motzi shem ra concludes with two verses that describe what is done if the husband's accusation is proven correct. These verses are difficult, as they do not seem to fit with the Bible's general laws of evidence or laws of punishments. In this shiur, we will demonstrate that Chazal's interpretation of the text is actually its plain meaning.
In this shiur, we examine the mitzva of viddui ma'aser, the Tithe Confession. In particular, we will focus on its puzzling name. Why is this statement called a "confession," when it consists of an account of what the person did right?
As in similar cases of parashot that are sometimes joined together and sometimes separated, the question arises here as well: Are Nitzavim-Vayelekh fundamentally a single parasha, which at times is divided into two when necessary, or are they essentially two different parashot, which at times are joined together as needed?
Parashat Ha'azinu deals with Israel's past and future. What are the historical horizons encompassed in the song of Ha'azinu, as compared to those encompassed by the two previous parashot?
In our parasha, the long speech of the mitzvot is over; the "words of the covenant… in the land of Moav" are completed. Moshe, the faithful shepherd, who has been exhorting the people of Israel since the first day of the month of Shevat, has reached the day of his departure from them - the day of his death, when he offers his final words:
