Moses, at the ripe old age of 120, realizes that his time is limited. No longer can he go on the long journeys of the past, and now he must come to understand the limitations of his body. The message that he brings forth is one of incredible understanding but also of the dangers that lay ahead.
Moses tells people that God has told him he will not cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Moses gives people words of encouragement and tells them that God and Joshua will lead them forward. Think of it as Moses handing off the torch to the next generation because he already knows going forward isn’t in him.
Moses acknowledges his successor
It was during this time Moses publicly designated Joshua as his successor. It shows that Moses is a humble man, but he also acknowledges his life is coming to an end. He would much rather pass the responsibilities off to someone else rather than be ineffective and cling to power. Moses' transition of power also shows us how we should give up power as we age and how to guide the younger people who will fill our shoes.
The importance of the Torah
The importance of the Torah and ensuring all people have access to it can’t be overstated. Moses is a firm believer that all people should have access to the Torah. It’s more than just a piece of paper with words on it; it’s the instructions for life from a living God.
The command to write the Torah
Many people interpret God's commands Moses to write down "this song" as his instructions to write the Torah. It is also believed that people should write the Torah themselves. This is why so many Jews spend an incredible amount of time handwriting the Torah, even to this day.
Your personal engagement with the Torah
Even if you’re not able to write the Torah, you’re instructed to read it. There should be no time in your life when you’re without the Torah. The words written need to be studied, discussed, and digested so that you’re able to fully understand them.
Engaging with the Torah is the best way to think about it. You’re not just reading a book; you’re engaging with it. You’re trying to find how the Torah still applies to your life today. You’ll find, after plenty of studying, that the same things people faced thousands of years ago are the same things people today are dealing with.
The Torah is important eternally
There has never been a time when the Torah wasn’t important. It doesn’t matter if it was written thousands of years ago; its importance today is the same as it was then. Many people have the idea that just because something was written a long time ago, it doesn’t still apply today. The Torah explicitly states that it’s relevant today just as much as it was yesterday. The distance of time from when it was written until the present day is irrelevant because the words written are of eternal importance.
Wishing you a wonderful and sacred day!
See you in the next update,
Tohar Liani