At the beginning of this week’s Torah reading, Devarim, the Torah tells us that “Moses began to explain the Torah, saying... ‘You have been living too much (time) by this mountain.’” He then instructs the Children of Israel: “Redirect yourselves, and travel until you come to the Amorite mountain... all the way until the great river, the river Euphrates.”
As is well known, the word Torah comes from the root meaning “instruction,” and everything stated in it carries guidance for daily life for every Jew, in every generation and in every place. So too in this narrative — in Moses’ instruction to leave the mountain and go to the mountain of the Amorites — lies a clear message for each of us.
Spreading Faith
Moses is referred to as Raaya Meheimna — the “faithful shepherd,” which also means the one who “nurtures faith”: he instills strong faith in G-d into the heart of every Jew. He was the first leader of the Jewish people, and in every generation there are leaders of Israel who have within them a spark of Moses’ soul. They continue his mission: to strengthen the faith of the Jewish people and lead them toward the ultimate redemption.
Here, “Moses began” — the faithful shepherd, Moses, is engaged in explaining the Torah. He is giving us practical guidance for life. These words were not directed only at his own generation, but also to future generations, as indicated by the word “saying” — that this teaching is to be passed down from generation to generation.
Go Out and Make an Impact
And what is the instruction? — “You have been living too much by this mountain.” The mountain refers to Mount Sinai, the sacred place where we received the holy Torah.
Yet Moses tells us not to remain there, but to move forward, to keep growing. A Jew is not allowed to be satisfied with spiritual achievements that serve only himself — he must bring the light of Torah and holiness to others as well.
Therefore, Moses says: “Redirect yourselves and travel.” You must leave your comfort zone of holiness and continue traveling. And not just traveling aimlessly, but “come” — you must reach and settle in new places. Moses specifies the destination — “the Amorite mountain” — which symbolizes spiritually negative places, opposing holiness. Still, the Jew must go even there, to bring Torah light to those places as well.
Expanding the Land
This is the mission of every Jew: to go even to places that seem like the “Amorite mountain” — distant from Judaism and holiness — and to seek out fellow Jews there. To awaken within them their pure soul, their Divine spark. To remind them that they are children of the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He — who loves them more than parents love an only child born to them in their old age — and thereby draw them closer to Torah and holiness.
Later in the passage, Moses hints at the ultimate goal and purpose of this entire endeavor: “All the way until the great river, the river Euphrates.” By reaching the far corners of the world and elevating the Divine sparks hidden in every place, we merit the true and complete redemption, fulfilling the prophecy: “When the Lord your G-d will expand your borders” — when G-d will give us the entire Land, “all the way until the great river, the river Euphrates.”
(from the teachings of the Rebbe, Likkutei Sichot, vol. 2, translated from Sichot HaShevua)
