ספר דברים - פרשת וילך - לא:ז-ט - שלישי

Moshe calls Yehoshua and says to him, in front of all of Klal Yisroel, 'Chazak ve'ematz'—be strong and courageous. He tells Yehoshua that he will be the one to bring the people into Eretz Yisroel, the land that Hashem promised to their fathers to give to them. Moshe says, 'You will cause them to inherit it.' The emphasis here is on Yehoshua taking over the leadership and being the one responsible for bringing the people into the land and dividing it among them. Moshe is giving Yehoshua encouragement and strength in front of everyone, making it clear that the leadership is being passed to him and that he should not be afraid or hesitant in this role.

Rashi explains the phrase 'Ki ata tavo es ha'am hazeh'—'for you will come with this people.' Rashi brings the words of Moshe to Yehoshua: 'The elders of the generation will be with you; everything will be according to their opinion and their advice.' In other words, Moshe is telling Yehoshua that he will have the support of the elders, and decisions will be made together with them. However, Rashi points out that later, Hashem Himself tells Yehoshua, 'Ki ata tavi es Bnei Yisroel el ha'aretz asher nishbati lahem'—'you will bring Bnei Yisroel into the land that I promised them.' Here, the word is 'tavi'—'you will bring,' not just 'come with.' Rashi explains that this means Yehoshua will have to lead them even against their will if necessary. Everything depends on Yehoshua; he is to take the staff and strike them on the head, meaning he is to be the sole leader. There should be one leader for a generation, not two. So, Rashi is showing the difference between Moshe's words, which emphasize shared leadership with the elders, and Hashem's words, which emphasize Yehoshua's sole responsibility and authority.

The verse says, 'And Hashem, He is the one who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not let go of you and He will not abandon you. Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed.' This is a message of reassurance to Yehoshua and to the people. Hashem is telling them that He will be with them as they go into Eretz Yisroel. They should not be afraid or lose heart, because Hashem will not leave them or forsake them. The emphasis is on Hashem's constant presence and support, no matter what challenges they face. This is meant to give Yehoshua the confidence to lead and the people the confidence to follow.

The verse tells us that Moshe wrote down this Torah and gave it to the Kohanim, the sons of Levi, who carried the Aron Bris Hashem, and also to all the elders of Yisroel. This means that after Moshe finished writing the Torah, he handed it over to the Kohanim, who were responsible for carrying the Aron, and to the elders. This act symbolizes the transmission of the Torah to the leaders and the spiritual guides of the people, ensuring that it would be preserved and taught to future generations. The giving of the Torah to both the Kohanim and the elders shows the importance of both groups in maintaining the Torah and leading the people.

Rashi comments on the phrase 'Vayichtov Moshe... vayetna'—'Moshe wrote... and he gave.' Rashi explains that when the Torah was completed, Moshe gave it to the members of his own tribe, meaning the tribe of Levi. This means that the Torah was entrusted specifically to the Leviim, who were responsible for its safekeeping and for teaching it to the people. The focus here is on the completion of the Torah and its transfer to those who would be its guardians.