If there
is one term that typifies D'varim, it is "transition" - or
"avor" in Hebrew, stemming from the root. e.v.r, (ayin,
vet/bet, resh) meaning to "traverse, cross over, pass by or through,
transgress, get angry/cross, other side, for the
sake of and fords, or passageway," being also the
root for the word “Hebrew.” This
term, with some of those derivatives, shows up many times in Parashat Va’etchanan,
which is why we will follow it not only there, but also throughout the book of Dvarim
(Deuteronomy). This excursion will also provide an opportunity to observe, once
again, patterns of the Hebrew mindset and the compactness of the language, as well
as the mutual effect of thought and language on each other. We will see how
“avor” lends D’varim its special character, and in turn how it expresses the calling
of the People of Yisrael.
In
Sh'mot (Exodus) the Hebrews passed over from one state of existence (slavery)
to another (freedom and redemption) as well as to a new geographical location,
by crossing the Sea
of Reeds
Already
in Dvarim’s opening verse we see Moshe addressing "all Israel on the side of the Jordan land of Canaan
In recounting the wilderness
journey and its adventures, Moshe says, "We came through [a'va'rnu]
the nations which you passed by [a'va'rtem]… "(Deut. 29:16
italics added). About these nations, he made earlier comments, recalling YHVH’s
words to him: "You are passing [ovrim] by the border of your
brothers, the sons of Esau" (2:4). And
as to the actual event: "And we passed [va'na'vor] and
turned beyond our brother the sons of Esau… and we passed [va'na'vor]
by way of the Wilderness of Moab" (2:8). “And the time we took to come
from Kadesh Barnea until we crossed over [avarnu] the Valley of
the Zered was thirty-eight years, until all the generation of the men of war
was consumed from the midst of the camp, just as YHVH had sworn to them"
(2:14). Although the wording here appears to be recounting technical details,
it captures the tragedy that the Israelites brought upon themselves - the passing
on of an entire generation. Preceding the crossing of this river (Zered),
YHVH exhorted the Israelites: “Now rise up, and go over [e’e’vru]
the river Zered! And we went over [va’na’avor] the river
Zered” (2:13, italics added).
The next “crossing over" [o-ver
in Hebrew] (2:18) was through the territory
of Moav land of Sichon Bashan ,
whose land was also conquered by the Israelites. Moshe recalls: "We took
the land from the hand of the two kings of the Amorites who were on this side
of the Jordan [Ever
haYarden], from the River Arnon to Mount Hermon "
(3:8 italics added).
This was also the land requested by the
tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe, who had to meet one condition:
"All you men of valor shall cross over [ta'avru]
armed before your brethren, the children of Israel
In addition to the above promise, there is
an even greater one (preceded by the words "Sh'ma Yisrael - Hear O Israel"
in 9:1): "Therefore understand today that YHVH your Elohim is He who
goes over [ha'over] before you as a consuming fire" (9:3
italics added). And moreover, "YHVH your Elohim Himself crosses over
[over] before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and
you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over [over]
before you, just as YHVH has said" (31:3 italic added). The "crossing
over [ovrim] to possess" or "inherit" the land is
also an inseparable part of the description of the Land itself, as everything
about its conditions constitutes a major change-over and transition
from the setting of the desert (for details see 11:10 -12).
And while Moshe was thus preparing the
nation, which he had so greatly nurtured and for whom he had been willing to
give up his life, he did not conceal from them and from posterity the sad fact
that he had "pleaded with YHVH at that time, saying: ‘O my Adonai YHVH,
You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand… I
pray, let me cross over [e'ebra] and see the good
land beyond [ever] the Jordan ,
those pleasant mountains, and Lebanon
Moshe continues to relate his
plight, as pronounced by YHVH: "Go up to the top of Pisgah, and lift your
eyes toward the west, the north, the south, and the east; Behold it with your
eyes, for you shall not cross over [ta'avor] this Jordan Mount
Nevo
In our text the covenant and
the commandments are not 'passed over' either. In his discourse, Moshe elaborates extensively on these
issues. YHVH made another covenant with the Children of Yisrael, "in the land of Moab
Finally, "And it shall be, on the day
when you [plural] cross over [ta'avru] the Jordan to the
land which YHVH your Elohim is giving you, that you shall set up for yourselves
large stones, and whitewash them with lime. You shall write on them all the
words of this law, when you have crossed over [be'ovre'cha], that
you may enter the land which YHVH your Elohim is giving you, a land flowing
with milk and honey, just as YHVH the Elohim of your fathers promised you.
Therefore it shall be, when you [plural] have crossed over [be'ovre'chem]
the Jordan , that on Mount Ebal
The root e.v.r, however, does not escape the
enemies of Yisrael. Prior to the actual crossing, Yehoshua sent two spies to Yericho
(Jericho
In closing,
let us pause briefly on “va’etchanan,” the name of our Parasha, which
takes us back to its opening verse (3:23) where Moshe pleads with YHVH to let
him cross the Yarden. “And I pleaded” or implored…”
– etchanan – is of the root ch.n.n (chet , noon, noon), which means to “show favor
or be gracious,” while “chen” (chet, noon) is “grace” (e.g. Zech. 4:7, 12:10). Thus, he who pleads with, and
implores YHVH knows he is invoking His grace, cognizant of the fact that even
the pleading itself is linked to YHVH’s compassion and favor active in the one
who is pleading with expectancy.
Note: In
the synagogue, the Torah scrolls are placed in an ark called “teiva.” When the representative of the congregation
who prays on their behalf stands before the ark, he too is said to be “passing
[over] before the teiva.”
Hebrew Tools
for Everyday Use
Many of the Hebrew words which we
encounter in the Tanach are not used in Modern Hebrew, while others are still
in use, but differently than in the scriptures. Let us take a look at a few of
the variations of the common root ayin, bet, resh in its contemporary usage.
I am moving (away) from here
Ani o’ver mi’poh
Ani o’veret mi’poh (f.)
It is forbidden to transgress the law
(literally, forbidden to transgress/pass over the law)
Asur la’avor al ha’chok
Over the sea
Meh’e’ver la’yam
Parents do much for (the sake of) their
children (literally, parents do much for the children theirs)
Horim osim harbeh avur haye’ladim
she’la’hem
(ha’ye’ladim she’lo – children his
ha’ye’ladim she’la – children hers)
