"For Instruction shall come forth from Zion, The word of the L-rd from Jerusalem." -- Isaiah 2:3

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DEUTERONOMY — 31:17 hide

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Deuteronomy, Vayelech (Deuteronomy 31:1-31:30), Source Book Keys, AGUS
Page(s): 144-5
DEUT1652 Divine Providence is constantly watching over those who have obtained that blessing which is prepared for those who endeavor to obtain it. If man frees his thoughts from worldly matters, obtains the knowledge of God in the right way, and rejoices in that knowledge, it is impossible that any kind of evil should befall him while he is with God, and God with him. When he does not meditate on God, and when he is separated from God, then God is also separated from him; then he is exposed to any evil that might befall him; for it is only that intellectual link with God that secures the presence of Providence and protection from evil accidents. Hence it may occur that the perfect man is at times not happy, whilst no evil befalls those who are imperfect; in these cases what happens to them is due to chance. This principle I also find expressed in the law. Comp. [this verse]. It is clear that we ourselves are the cause of this hiding of the face, and that the screen that separates us from God is of our own creation. This is the meaning of the words: "And I will surely hide My face in that day, for all the evils which they shall have wrought." (Deuteronomy 31:18). There is undoubtedly no difference in this regard between one person and a whole community. It is now clearly established that the cause of our being exposed to chance, and abandoned to destruction like cattle, is to be found in our separation from God. (Maimonides).

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DEUTERONOMY — 34:5 mouth

Torah Book & Portion, Book of Deuteronomy, V'Zot HaBerachah (Deuteronomy 33:1-34:12), Source Book Keys, AGUS
Page(s): 146-7
DEUT1731 The philosophers have already explained how the bodily forces of man in his youth prevent the development of moral principles. In a greater measure this is the case as regards the purity of thought which man attains through the perfection of those ideas that lead him to an intense love of God. Man can by no means attain this so long as his body humors are hot. The more the forces of his body are weakened, and the fire of passion quenched, in the same measure does man's intellect increase in strength and light; his knowledge becomes pure, and he is happy with his knowledge. When this perfect man is stricken in age and his near death, his knowledge mightily increases, his joy in that knowledge grows greater, and his love for the object of his knowledge more intense, and it is in this great delight that the soul separates from the body. To the state our Sages referred when in reference to the death of Moses, Aaron and Miriam, they said the death was in these three cases nothing but a kiss. They say this: We learned from the words, "And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab by the mouth of the Lord," that his death was a kiss. The same expression is used of Aaron: "And Aaron the priest went up into Mount Hor… By the mouth of the Lord, and died there." (Numbers 33:38. Our sages said that the same was the case with Miriam; but the phrase "by the mouth of the Lord" is not employed [Numbers 20:1-AJL], because it was not considered appropriate to use these words in the description of her death as she was a female. The meaning of the saying is that these three died in the midst of the pleasure derived from the knowledge God and their great love for Him. Maimonides.

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