דברים, פרק א׳, פסוק ג׳

The long era of wandering in the desert is finally drawing to a close. The generation that experienced the Exodus from Egypt has passed away, and a new generation now stands poised at the border of the Promised Land. At this pivotal historical moment, Moses gathers the people to deliver his final address [ספורנו]. The precise timing of this gathering—the first day of the eleventh month, which is the month of Shevat—occurs exactly thirty-seven days before Moses passes away on the seventh of Adar [אבן עזרא, רא״ש, בכור שור, חזקוני, ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Furthermore, comparing the chronological markers of this fortieth year reveals a broader historical principle: the calculation of years since the Exodus always begins from the month of Nisan, rather than the autumnal new year of Tishrei [תורה תמימה]. Yet, the arrival of this fortieth year also carries an underlying tone of deep sorrow. It marks the tragic period when the nation lost its three great leaders—Moses, Aaron, and Miriam—and consequently lost the miraculous gifts of divine providence that accompanied them: the well of water, the protective clouds of glory, and the manna [שפתי כהן].

The timing Moses chose for this address is deeply intentional. The primary approach among commentators is that Moses deliberately waited until the very end of his life to rebuke the Israelites for their past failures, establishing a precedent followed by other great leaders such as Jacob, Joshua, Samuel, and David [רש״י, רבנו בחיי]. Delaying this criticism served several psychological and social purposes. First, it ensured that the rebuke would only need to be delivered once, preventing a situation where repeated criticism might cause the listener to reject the message or suspect it was driven by personal animosity. Second, it spared the wrongdoer from feeling perpetual shame every time they encountered their leader. Finally, it prevented lingering resentment, ensuring that the final parting between the leader and his people would be one of peace rather than conflict [רש״י, ריב״א, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, משכיל לדוד, אדרת אליהו, ברכת אשר]. However, this approach of delaying criticism applies exclusively to past mistakes for which the people had already repented. If someone is actively continuing in their destructive behavior, they must be confronted immediately and repeatedly until the behavior changes [הכתב והקבלה, ריב״א, שפתי חכמים, גור אריה, משכיל לדוד, דברי דוד, נחלת יעקב].

Throughout this final address, Moses spoke strictly as a messenger. He did not invent the rebukes or introduce new commandments based on his own understanding; every word was explicitly commanded by God for the benefit of the people, with nothing added or omitted [רלב״ג, ביאור יש״ר, מלבי״ם, חזקוני, מנחת שי]. Beyond offering correction, Moses utilized this time to review the entire Torah [ספורנו]. This review was not merely a retrospective summary, but a practical preparation for a radically different future. In the desert, the Israelites lived under open, miraculous supervision, where all their physical needs were provided directly by God, eliminating poverty and social classes. As they prepared to cross into the Promised Land, they were transitioning to a natural life of agriculture, commerce, and economics. Consequently, they needed to be taught a vast array of new social and civil laws—covering the justice system, warfare, agriculture, charity, debt remission, and labor—which find their fullest expression in this final stage of their journey [רש״ר הירש].

In his final month of life, Moses also bestowed upon the nation the essential tools for independent study and legal deduction. Until this point, Moses had simply received final rulings from God and transmitted them directly to the people. However, recognizing that the nation would soon enter the land, and eventually face exile where they could no longer rely on the Temple or a singular prophet to resolve legal doubts, he shifted his approach. In the plains of Moab, Moses taught the people the underlying methodologies of interpretation and the rules of logical deduction. By equipping them with these analytical tools, he empowered future generations to independently derive laws and uncover new insights from the written text, ensuring the continuity of their tradition in any place and at any time [העמק דבר].