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Week of August 31, 2026

Nitzavim-Vayeilech

נִצָּבִים־וַיֵּלֶךְ

This week’s parsha

Everyone is standing together — the leaders and the elders, the children, the woodchoppers and the water-carriers — because Moshe, on the last day of his life, is bringing the whole nation into the covenant at once. He tells them the Torah is not in heaven and not across the sea; it is close, in your mouth and in your heart. He sets life and death in front of them and tells them which to choose. Then he hands the Torah to the kohanim, puts Yehoshua in front of the people, and writes down a song so no one will ever forget.

כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ (ס)

For the matter is extremely close to you; in your mouth and in your mind to fulfill it.

Deuteronomy 30:14

This week’s songs

New songs for this parsha — the words of the pesukim and the vorts of the mefarshim below, set to be sung. Paste any of them into Suno with its style line and you have the niggun.

Ki Karov

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Take B0:00

Style for Suno

slow soulful yeshiva kumzitz niggun, deep male vocals with rich harmonies, acoustic guitar and soft strings, starts quiet and builds to a powerful heartfelt peak, dveykus, minor key resolving warm

[Intro — spoken plainly, no music yet]

פָּרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים־וַיֵּלֶךְ — the whole nation standing together, on the last day of the life of מֹשֶׁה.

[Chorus — sung together, slow and warm]

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

so close to you, so very close,

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in your mouth and in your heart, to do.

[Verse 1 — clear and steady]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם —

you are standing here today, all of you,

the leaders and the choppers of the wood,

the children and the drawers of the water,

on one day, in one covenant, we stood.

And Rashi says: on the day that he would leave us,

מֹשֶׁה gathered every soul before הַשֵּׁם,

to stand us in the בְּרִית — all of us as one,

and even those not there stood there with them.

[Chorus — sung together, slow and warm]

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

so close to you, so very close,

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in your mouth and in your heart, to do.

[Verse 2 — clear and steady]

וְשָׁב הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ —

הַשֵּׁם returns you, and returns with you,

and Rashi learns the words are saying more:

He does not send us back — He comes back with us,

the שְׁכִינָה dwells in גָּלוּת where we are.

From the far edge of the heavens He will take us,

and circumcise the heart to love His name,

לְאַהֲבָה אֶת־הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ —

to love Him with your whole heart and soul,

[Chorus — sung together, slow and warm]

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

so close to you, so very close,

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in your mouth and in your heart, to do.

[Verse 3 — clear and steady]

לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven,

and Rashi says: but were it in the sky,

you would still be bound to climb and go and learn it —

so Rashi says — how much more so close by.

It is not across the sea, that you should sail it,

it is closer than the closest thing you know,

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in the mouth and in the heart, and then to do.

[Chorus — sung together, slow and warm]

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

so close to you, so very close,

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in your mouth and in your heart, to do.

[Verse 4 — clear and steady]

רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם —

see, I have set before you today:

the life and good, the death and bad, are here,

וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — so choose the living,

the Sforno says: the life beyond the years.

חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ — he tells it to יְהוֹשֻׁעַ,

a song is written down so we recall,

every seventh year the whole nation gathers —

the men, the women, and the little ones. All.

[Chorus — sung together, slow and warm]

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

so close to you, so very close,

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in your mouth and in your heart, to do.

Atem Nitzavim

Take A0:00
Take B0:00

Style for Suno

lively freilich Jewish dance niggun, fast tempo, clarinet and strings, driving hand-drum rhythm, joyful male vocals with call-and-response, builds to exuberant finish

[Intro — spoken plainly, no music yet]

פָּרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים! Everyone standing together — this is that day.

[Chorus — everyone together, fast and joyful]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we're standing here!

All of us together, standing here today!

From the greatest to the simplest, every single one —

standing before הַשֵּׁם in one place!

[Verse 1 — clear and steady]

The leaders and the elders and the children,

the גֵּר inside the camp, the young, the old,

מֵחֹטֵב עֵצֶיךָ עַד שֹׁאֵב מֵימֶיךָ —

from the woodchopper to the water-drawer —

one בְּרִית for every soul the nation holds!

[Chorus — everyone together, fast and joyful]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we're standing here!

All of us together, standing here today!

From the greatest to the simplest, every single one —

standing before הַשֵּׁם in one place!

[Verse 2 — clear and steady]

וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד־הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ —

we will come back to הַשֵּׁם,

and from the edge of heaven He will bring,

וְקִבֶּצְךָ מִכָּל־הָעַמִּים —

He will gather us Himself,

from every nation, home again — so sing!

[Chorus — everyone together, fast and joyful]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we're standing here!

All of us together, standing here today!

From the greatest to the simplest, every single one —

standing before הַשֵּׁם in one place!

[Verse 3 — clear and steady]

לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — not in the heavens!

וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — not across the sea!

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

it is close, so close to me!

[Chorus — everyone together, fast and joyful]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we're standing here!

All of us together, standing here today!

From the greatest to the simplest, every single one —

standing before הַשֵּׁם in one place!

[Verse 4 — clear and steady]

רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם —

the life, the good — וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים!

Choose life!

חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ — be strong and brave, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ!

And every seventh year — gather everyone!

[Chorus — everyone together, fast and joyful]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we're standing here!

All of us together, standing here today!

From the greatest to the simplest, every single one —

standing before הַשֵּׁם in one place!

Hanistaros (The Maggid)

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Style for Suno

spoken word storytelling over soft acoustic Jewish folk backing, deep warm male narrator voice like a maggid telling a story, gentle guitar and strings underneath, with a heartfelt SUNG chorus in warm male vocals between sections, kumzitz atmosphere, unhurried

[Spoken Word — warm unhurried storyteller over soft guitar]

This week's parsha — פָּרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים — and פָּרָשַׁת וַיֵּלֶךְ. Two parshiyos, one last day. Listen.

[Chorus — sung, warm and heartfelt]

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ —

the hidden things belong to הַשֵּׁם;

וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ —

what is revealed is ours, and our children's,

עַד־עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת —

forever — to keep this whole תּוֹרָה.

[Spoken Word — warm unhurried storyteller over soft guitar]

It is the last day of the life of מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ. And what does he do? Rashi says — he gathers them. אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם — you are all standing here today: the heads of the שְׁבָטִים, the elders, the officers. The children. The wives. The גֵּר in the camp. מֵחֹטֵב עֵצֶיךָ עַד שֹׁאֵב מֵימֶיךָ — from the one who chops your wood to the one who draws your water. Everyone. Standing together, entering the בְּרִית together — and not only them. With the ones standing here today, the pasuk says, and with the ones who are not here — and Rashi says who that is: the generations of the future. Every generation that would ever be born was standing in that covenant.

[Chorus — sung, warm and heartfelt]

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ —

the hidden things belong to הַשֵּׁם;

וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ —

what is revealed is ours, and our children's,

עַד־עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת —

forever — to keep this whole תּוֹרָה.

[Spoken Word — warm unhurried storyteller over soft guitar]

And then מֹשֶׁה looks far into the future and tells them what will happen — the blessing, the curse, the scattering. And then: וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד־הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ. You will return, all the way back to הַשֵּׁם. And listen to what Rashi says on וְשָׁב הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ — it does not say He will BRING BACK your captivity. It says וְשָׁב — He Himself will return. The שְׁכִינָה is in גָּלוּת with us, and when we come home, כִּבְיָכוֹל, הַשֵּׁם comes home with us. From the edge of the heavens He gathers us. And He circumcises the heart — וּמָל הַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֶיךָ אֶת־לְבָבְךָ — so that we love Him with everything we have.

[Chorus — sung, warm and heartfelt]

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ —

the hidden things belong to הַשֵּׁם;

וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ —

what is revealed is ours, and our children's,

עַד־עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת —

forever — to keep this whole תּוֹרָה.

[Spoken Word — warm unhurried storyteller over soft guitar]

And if a person says — it is too far, it is too high, I cannot reach it — the parsha answers him directly. לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא. It is not in heaven. And Rashi says: if it were in heaven, you would have to climb up after it and learn it. וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it is not across the sea. כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד — it is close to you, so close. בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ. In your mouth. In your heart. To do. And then מֹשֶׁה puts the whole thing on the table: רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם — see, I have set before you today life and good, death and bad. Heaven and earth are witnesses. וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life. And the Sforno says: choosing life means choosing the life that lasts forever.

[Chorus — sung, warm and heartfelt]

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ —

the hidden things belong to הַשֵּׁם;

וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ —

what is revealed is ours, and our children's,

עַד־עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת —

forever — to keep this whole תּוֹרָה.

[Spoken Word — warm unhurried storyteller over soft guitar]

A hundred and twenty years old, הַיּוֹם. מֹשֶׁה calls יְהוֹשֻׁעַ in front of everyone: חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ — be strong and courageous, הַשֵּׁם walks before you, He will not let go of your hand. The תּוֹרָה is written and given to the כֹּהֲנִים. And a מִצְוָה for the generations: הַקְהֵל אֶת־הָעָם — every seventh year, gather everyone. הָאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף — the men, the women, the little ones who cannot even understand yet — so they hear, and they learn. And then הַשֵּׁם gives מֹשֶׁה one last thing to write: a שִׁירָה. Write this song and teach it to בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, put it in their mouths — כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ — because a song is never forgotten from the mouths of the children. מֹשֶׁה wrote it that very day. And that is why we sing.

[Chorus — sung, warm and heartfelt]

הַנִּסְתָּרֹת לַהַשֵּׁם אֱלֹקֵינוּ —

the hidden things belong to הַשֵּׁם;

וְהַנִּגְלֹת לָנוּ וּלְבָנֵינוּ —

what is revealed is ours, and our children's,

עַד־עוֹלָם לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת —

forever — to keep this whole תּוֹרָה.

Choose Life (The Anthem)

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Take B0:00

Style for Suno

anthemic stadium rock, driving electric guitars and big drums, quiet intimate first verse building to a massive soaring singalong chorus, powerful passionate male lead vocal with wall-of-sound male backing vocals on the chorus, emotional bridge that drops to near silence then explodes, epic finish

[Intro — spoken plainly, no music yet]

פָּרָשַׁת נִצָּבִים־וַיֵּלֶךְ. The last day of the life of מֹשֶׁה — and the words are for us.

[Verse 1 — quiet]

אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים — we were standing there together,

the leaders and the children, side by side,

the stranger and the woodchopper and the water-carrier —

and every soul not yet alive.

He said these words are not for you alone —

they’re for everyone who’s ever going to come.

[Pre-Chorus — building]

You don’t have to climb the heavens.

You don’t have to cross the sea.

[Chorus — massive]

לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven!

וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it’s not across the sea!

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

it’s close, it’s close, it’s close to me!

וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life! Choose life!

So you and your children live!

[Verse 2 — building]

Even scattered to the edges of the heavens,

You said You’d come and bring us home.

And Rashi says You don’t just send for us —

You’re in it with us, and You come back too.

[Chorus — massive]

לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven!

וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it’s not across the sea!

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

it’s close, it’s close, it’s close to me!

וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life! Choose life!

So you and your children live!

[Bridge — near silence]

בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ —

in my mouth. In my heart.

To do.

[Final Chorus — huge]

לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא — it is not in heaven!

וְלֹא־מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא — it’s not across the sea!

כִּי־קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד —

it’s close, it’s close, it’s close to me!

וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים — choose life! Choose life!

So you and your children live!

[Outro — huge, then held]

חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ — be strong and courageous!

He will not let go of your hand.

The parsha in brief

On the last day of his life, Moshe gathers absolutely everyone — the heads of the shevatim and the elders, the officers, every man of Yisroel, the children, the wives, the ger in the camp, from the chopper of wood to the drawer of water — and stands them before Hashem to enter the bris together. And not only them: the covenant is made with those standing there that day and with those not standing there, every generation still to come. He warns what happens if a heart turns away, and draws one bright boundary: the hidden things belong to Hashem, and the revealed things are ours and our children's forever, to do all the words of this Torah.

Then comes the promise that carries Elul inside it. When everything has come to pass and the people take it to heart in whatever land they were scattered to, they will return — and Hashem will return with them, gathering them from the edge of the heavens, bringing them home, and circumcising the heart to love Him with everything. And lest anyone think the whole thing stands beyond reach, the parsha says plainly: this mitzvah is not in heaven, and it is not across the sea. It is very close to you — in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.

Moshe sets the choice out in the open: life and good, death and bad, with heaven and earth standing witness — uvacharta bachayim, choose life, so that you and your children will live. A hundred and twenty years old that day, he tells the people he will not cross the Yardein with them; Hashem crosses before them, and Yehoshua will bring them in. Chazak ve'ematz, he tells Yehoshua before everyone's eyes — be strong and courageous, He will not let go of your hand.

The Torah is written down and handed to the kohanim who carry the aron. A mitzvah of gathering is commanded for every seventh year — hakhel: assemble the men, the women, and the smallest children, so that even those who cannot yet understand will hear and learn to fear Hashem. Then Hashem tells Moshe plainly what will come after his death, and commands the answer to it: write this shirah and teach it, put it in their mouths, so the song itself will stand witness — because a song is never forgotten from the mouths of the children. Moshe writes it that very day, teaches it, and speaks the words of the shirah in the ears of the whole kahal, through to their end.

At the Shabbos table

  1. Who stood together in the covenant that day?
  2. Where does the Torah say it is NOT?
  3. What did Moshe write down on his last day so we would never forget?

Answers

  1. Everyone — the leaders, the elders, the children, the converts, the woodchoppers and the water-carriers.
  2. Not in heaven and not across the sea — it is close, in your mouth and in your heart.
  3. A song — and he taught it to all of Bnei Yisroel.

“The Parshah of Nitzavim includes some of the most fundamental principles of the Jewish faith: The unity of Israel…”

The whole parsha, aliyah by aliyah

All seven aliyos, in order, with the verse ranges as they are leined. The account of what happens stays to what the pesukim say; anything that explains why is quoted below.

  1. 1.Standing, all of you

    Deuteronomy 29:9-29:28

    On the last day of his life Moshe gathers the entire nation — chieftains, elders, officers, children, wives, converts, the woodchoppers and the water-drawers — and brings them into the covenant with Hashem, together with those not standing there that day. He warns against the person who hears the oath and thinks he can go his own way in private, and describes plainly what will come if the covenant is abandoned: a land of salt and sulfur, and the nations asking why. The aliyah closes with one line that draws the boundary: the hidden things belong to Hashem, and the revealed things are ours and our children's forever, to do all the words of this Torah.

    הַ֨נִּסְתָּרֹ֔ת לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֑ינוּ וְהַנִּגְלֹ֞ת לָ֤ׄנׄוּׄ וּׄלְׄבָׄנֵׄ֙יׄנׄוּׄ֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לַעֲשׂ֕וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃ (ס)

    The hidden [matters] are Adonoy’s, our God’s, and the revealed [matters] are ours and our children’s forever, to perform all the statements of this Torah.

    Deuteronomy 29:28

  2. 2.The return

    Deuteronomy 30:1-30:6

    When it all comes to pass — the blessing and the curse — and the people take it to heart wherever they have been scattered, they will return to Hashem and listen with their whole heart. And Hashem will return their captivity and gather them from every nation, even from the end of the heavens, and bring them back to the land of their fathers. He will circumcise their heart and the heart of their children, to love Hashem with everything they have, for the sake of their life.

    וְשָׁ֨ב יְהוָ֧ה אֱלֹהֶ֛יךָ אֶת־שְׁבוּתְךָ֖ וְרִחֲמֶ֑ךָ וְשָׁ֗ב וְקִבֶּצְךָ֙ מִכָּל־הָ֣עַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֧ר הֱפִֽיצְךָ֛ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ שָֽׁמָּה׃

    Adonoy, your God, will bring back your returnees and will be merciful toward you; and He will return and gather you from all the peoples that Adonoy, your God, has dispersed you there.

    Deuteronomy 30:3

  3. 3.Not in heaven

    Deuteronomy 30:7-30:14

    The curses turn onto the enemies, and the people, having returned, are given plenty — in children, in animals, in the fruit of the land — as Hashem again rejoices over them. Then comes the passage this parsha is remembered for: this commandment is not too wondrous for you and not far away. It is not in heaven, that you should say, who will go up and bring it to us; it is not across the sea. It is very close to you — in your mouth and in your heart, to do it.

    כִּֽי־קָר֥וֹב אֵלֶ֛יךָ הַדָּבָ֖ר מְאֹ֑ד בְּפִ֥יךָ וּבִֽלְבָבְךָ֖ לַעֲשֹׂתֽוֹ׃ (ס)

    For the matter is extremely close to you; in your mouth and in your mind to fulfill it.

    Deuteronomy 30:14

  4. 4.Choose life

    Deuteronomy 30:15-31:6

    See, Moshe says: I have put before you today life and good, and death and bad. Loving Hashem and walking in His ways is life and length of days on the land; turning away to serve other gods is the opposite, and heaven and earth stand as the witnesses. So choose life, so that you and your children will live. Then Moshe, a hundred and twenty years old that day, tells the people he will not cross the Yardein with them — Hashem Himself crosses before them, and Yehoshua will lead them. Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid.

    הַעִידֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּֽחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃

    I invoke, as witnesses against you this day, heaven and earth: Life and death have I placed before you, blessing and curse; you choose life in order that you live, you and your descendants,

    Deuteronomy 30:19

  5. 5.Yehoshua, and the great gathering

    Deuteronomy 31:7-31:13

    Before all of Yisroel, Moshe calls Yehoshua and tells him: be strong and courageous, for you will bring this people into the land, and Hashem goes before you and will not let you go. Moshe writes down the Torah and gives it to the kohanim who carry the aron, and to the elders. And he commands a gathering for every seventh year: assemble everyone — the men, the women, the small children, the convert in your gates — so that they hear, and learn, and their children who never knew will hear and learn to fear Hashem.

    הַקְהֵ֣ל אֶת־הָעָ֗ם הָֽאֲנָשִׁ֤ים וְהַנָּשִׁים֙ וְהַטַּ֔ף וְגֵרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּשְׁעָרֶ֑יךָ לְמַ֨עַן יִשְׁמְע֜וּ וּלְמַ֣עַן יִלְמְד֗וּ וְיָֽרְאוּ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם וְשָֽׁמְר֣וּ לַעֲשׂ֔וֹת אֶת־כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַתּוֹרָ֥ה הַזֹּֽאת׃

    Assemble the people—the men and the women and the infants, and your convert who is in your towns; in order for them to hear and in order for them to learn to fear Adonoy, your God, and they will make sure to fulfill all the statements of this Torah.

    Deuteronomy 31:12

  6. 6.The song is commanded

    Deuteronomy 31:14-31:19

    Hashem tells Moshe his time is approaching, and Moshe and Yehoshua present themselves at the Ohel Moed, where Hashem appears in a pillar of cloud at the entrance. Hashem tells Moshe plainly what will happen after his death: the people will stray, and He will hide His face on that day. And so He commands: write down this song and teach it to Bnei Yisroel, put it in their mouths, so that the song itself will stand as a witness.

    וְעַתָּ֗ה כִּתְב֤וּ לָכֶם֙ אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את וְלַמְּדָ֥הּ אֶת־בְּנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שִׂימָ֣הּ בְּפִיהֶ֑ם לְמַ֨עַן תִּהְיֶה־לִּ֜י הַשִּׁירָ֥ה הַזֹּ֛את לְעֵ֖ד בִּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

    And now write for yourselves this song and teach it to Bnei Yisroel to place it in their mouths; in order that this song will be for Me a witness against Bnei Yisroel.

    Deuteronomy 31:19

  7. 7.Written down, taught, complete

    Deuteronomy 31:20-31:30

    Hashem says it again without softening it: when they eat and are satisfied in the land flowing with milk and honey, they will turn — and when troubles find them, this song will answer as a witness, because it will never be forgotten from the mouths of their children. So Moshe writes the song that very day and teaches it to Bnei Yisroel. He commands Yehoshua once more, orders the finished Torah placed beside the aron, and gathers the elders to hear the words of the song — through to their end.

    וַיִּכְתֹּ֥ב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־הַשִּׁירָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וַֽיְלַמְּדָ֖הּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

    Moshe wrote this song on that day, and he taught it to Bnei Yisroel.

    Deuteronomy 31:22

From the mefarshim

Every one of these is the mefaresh’s own words, fetched and checked — not a summary.

  1. 1.Rashi — why everyone stood together that day

    אתם נצבים. מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכִּנְּסָם מֹשֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּבָּ"ה בְּיוֹם מוֹתוֹ לְהַכְנִיסָם בַּבְּרִית:

    אתם נצבים YE ARE STANDING THIS DAY [ALL OF YOU BEFORE THE LORD] — This teaches that Moses assembled them in the presence of the Omnipresent on the day of his death, in order to initiate them into a covenant with Him.

    Rashi on Deuteronomy 29:9:1

  2. 2.Rashi — Hashem returns with us

    ושב ה' אלהיך את שבותך. הָיָה לוֹ לִכְתֹּב "וְהֵשִׁיב" אֶת שְׁבוּתְךָ, רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לָמְדוּ מִכָּאן כִּבְיָכוֹל שֶׁהַשְּׁכִינָה שְׁרוּיָה עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּצָרַת גָּלוּתָם, וּכְשֶׁנִּגְאָלִין הִכְתִּיב גְּאֻלָּה לְעַצְמוֹ — שֶׁהוּא יָשׁוּב עִמָּהֶם. וְעוֹד יֵשׁ לוֹמַר שֶׁגָּדוֹל יוֹם קִבּוּץ גָּלֻיּוֹת וּבְקֹשִׁי, כְּאִלּוּ הוּא עַצְמוֹ צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אוֹחֵז בְּיָדָיו מַמָּשׁ אִישׁ אִישׁ מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו כ"ז) "וְאַתֶּם תְּלֻקְּטוּ לְאַחַד אֶחָד בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל", וְאַף בְּגָלֻיּוֹת שְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת מָצִינוּ כֵן (ירמיהו מ"ח) "וְשַׁבְתִּי שְׁבוּת מוֹאָב":

    ושב ה' אלהיך את שבותך THEN THE LORD THY GOD WILL TURN THY CAPTIVITY — To express this idea it ought to have written והשיב את שבותך, “then He will bring back thy captivity”. But our Rabbis learned from this that, if one can say so of God, His Divine presence dwells with Israel in all the misery of their exile, so that when they are redeemed (i.e. when He speaks of their being redeemed), He makes Scripture write “Redemption” of Himself (i.e. He makes it state that He will be redeemed) — that He will return with them (Megillah 29a). Furthermore the following may be said in explaining the strange form ושב ... את, — that the day of the gathering of the exiles is so important and is attended with such difficulty that it is as though He (God) Himself must actually seize hold of each individual’s hands dragging him from his place (so that God Himself returns with the exile), as it is said, (Isaiah 27:12) “And ye shall be gathered one by one, O ye children of Israel”. We find, however, the same expression in connection with the gathering of the exiles of other nations also, as e.g. (Jeremiah 48:47): ושבתי שבות מואב "And I shall bring back the exiles of Moab".

    Rashi on Deuteronomy 30:3:1

  3. 3.Rashi — what 'not in heaven' demands

    לא בשמים הוא. שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיְתָה בַשָּׁמַיִם, הָיִיתָ צָרִיךְ לַעֲלוֹת אַחֲרֶיהָ לְלָמְדָהּ:

    לא בשמים הוא IT IS NOT IN HEAVEN — for were it in heaven it would still be your duty to go up after it and to learn it (Eruvin 55a).

    Rashi on Deuteronomy 30:12:1

  4. 4.Sforno — what choosing life chooses

    so choose life, you will opt for eternal life

    Sforno on Deuteronomy 30:19:1

  5. 5.Rashi — the covenant with generations not yet born

    ואת אשר איננו פה. וְאַף עִם דּוֹרוֹת הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת:

    ואת אשר איננו פה [NOT WITH YOU ALONE DO I MAKE THIS COVENANT … BUT WITH HIM THAT STANDETH HERE …] AND ALSO WITH HIM THAT IS NOT HERE — i.e. with the generations that will be in future (i.e. Moses is not referring to persons who happened to be absent from the assembly, for it states, v. 10, that all were present: “You are standing this day all of you before the Lord”) (Midrash Tanchuma, Nitzavim 3).

    Rashi on Deuteronomy 29:14:1

Vorts & shmuessen on this parsha

Good vorts and shmuessen on this parsha from around the Torah world — a taste of each, and the link to learn it properly. Every excerpt is verbatim, checked against the page itself.

No AI writes Torah here — every pasuk, Rashi and Midrash is fetched word-for-word from Sefaria and checked before it prints. Read exactly how.

Texts from Sefaria — Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934 (Public Domain) · Eliyahu Munk, HaChut Hameshulash (CC-BY) · Tanach with Ta'amei Hamikra (Public Domain) · Metsudah Chumash, Metsudah Publications, 2009 (CC-BY)