In the Parsha, Moshe instructs the Jews that after they cross over the Jordan River into the Land of Israel they are to immediately travel to the City of Shechem, a distance of about 35 miles, where they will find two mountains that face each other, Har Grizim and Har Aival.
At these mountains the Jews are to reaccept the Torah in the Land of Israel. Moshe specified which six tribes are to stand on Har Grizim, and which six tribes are to stand on Har Aival.
The Levites together with the Holy Ark stood between the two mountains and while facing the tribes standing on Har Grizim loudly pronounced eleven blessings for upholding the Torah. After each blessing the entire nation responded, “Amain.” The Levites then turned toward those standing on Har Aival and loudly pronounced the same eleven laws that they had just proclaimed but now they said it as a warning, “cursed is the one who would transgress these laws” and again the entire nation answered Amain to each proclamation.
Moshe tells the nation that they are to etch the entire Torah onto 12 huge stones and to build an Altar and to set them up on Har Aival, the Mountain towards where the curses were pronounced.
The question raised is why was Har Aival, the mountain where the curses were pronounced, chosen to host the stones on which the Torah was etched? It would seem to make more sense that the stones and Altar should be placed on Har Grizim upon which the blessings were pronounced. An answer offered is that it was to compensate the tribes standing on Har Aival. Since the curses were directed toward them they felt disfavored, therefore the 12 stones and the Altar were specifically placed on their mountain.
In addition, G-d knew that in the future there would be a group called the Shomronim, an erroneous group who only believed in the written Torah. They denied the Oral Torah – the laws, Talmud, Medrash etc. which Moshe had been taught when he was in Heaven with the Almighty and had taught orally to the Jews. The Shomronim eventually established their own Temple on Har Grizim, the mountain of where the Torah directs the blessings to be pronounced, and they disregarded our Holy Temple which was built on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem.
As a deterrent, G-d told Moshe to instruct the Jews to set up the stones of the written Torah and altar specifically on the mountain of the direction of the curses, so that this group of Shomronim could not claim that the mountain of blessing had more holiness.
The small group of Shomronim eventually strayed and went after their desires and chose to reject the oral Torah, while the mainstream retained and held steadfast to the belief in our dependency on both our oral and written Torah.
With Rosh Hashana approaching it is significant to point out some of our laws and customs that are based on our oral tradition.
The common name for the holiday, Rosh Hashana, is not mentioned in the Torah nor does the Torah specifically state that it is a day of judgment. More so, the instrument – the Shofar and the nature of the variety of sounds of the blasts are not specified in the Torah. The Torah calls the day, “the day of Teruah – blasts.”
However calling the day Rosh Hashana and blowing a Shofar is practiced all across the board in every segment of Judaism through the blend of the written and oral Torah which Moshe taught. It has been passed on from father to son, generation to generation – and we are living proof of this uninterrupted process!
This Saturday night we begin reciting Shelichos – penitential prayers as a preparation to Rosh Hashana. We are familiar with the traditional special tunes that accompany the holiday prayers. The traditional tunes play a major role in the efficacy of our prayers.
During Selichos and the holiday prayers, the Holy Ark is opened when the prayer, “Shema Kolainu – G-d, listen to our voices – have mercy and compassion upon us and mercifully and willingly accept our prayers.” Commentators point out that ‘our voices’ can also refer to the tunes which accompany the prayers. We ask G-d, even if we don’t have the full understanding of the meaning of the prayers, “please accept our prayer based on the traditional tunes and sounds emanating from us and recall the devoted way our ancestors served you through these tunes and prayers and let it serve as a merit and benefit for an awe-inspiring and blessed year to come!”
