“Moshe called all of Israel and said to them, ‘You have seen everything that Hashem did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his slaves and to all his land – the great trials that your eyes beheld; those great signs and wonders. But Hashem did not give you a heart to know or eyes to see or ears to hear, until this day...'” (Devarim 29:1-3)
This is the last day or days of Moshe Rabbeinu’s life. He has been with them for forty years. He has been with them through Galus Mitzraim (the Egyptian exile) and Yitziyas Mitzraim (the Egyptian Exodus) and the forty years in the desert. Moshe was now approaching his own exit from the world. He told the people: “But Hashem did not give you a heart to know or eyes to see or ears to hear, until this day.” After all this time, you still did not get it until today. Finally, I see you got it!
Rashi asks “How did Moshe know that finally they now ‘got it?'” Rashi answers that this was the day (the last day of his life) when Moshe Rabbeinu wrote a Sefer Torah for the Tribe of Levi and gave it to the members of that shevet (Devarim 31:9). All of Israel then came before Moshe and said to him “We too stood at Sinai and received the Torah and it was given to us.” They protested the fact that Moshe only gave a copy of the Sefer Torah to Bnei Levi, as if that shevet was to monopolize the possession of Torah. The other shevatim expressed the fear that at some future date, the Leviim would claim that only they were given the Torah. They expressed their strong objection on this matter.
Rashi says that Moshe was overjoyed when he heard their reaction. Moshe thought this was a beautiful and appropriate sentiment and remarked “This day you have become a nation.” (Devorim 27:9) Now I see that you finally ‘got it’ and this day you have become a people.
Even on the simple level, Rashi’s words here are very powerful. The people complained here that they have not been given a spiritual gift that others were given and they are upset about that. “We want the Torah!” That is well and true, however, Rav Yeruchem Olshin quotes a vort from Rav Nosson Meir Wachtfogel, z”l (1910-1998; Mashgiach of the Lakewood Yeshiva) explaining that it is more than just that.
Rav Nosson Meir Wachtfogel comments “You will say to us tomorrow (machar) ‘It was not given to you.'” That word – machar – is a “code word”. It evokes other places in Chumash where the Torah uses the word ‘machar.‘ Namely, “when your son will ask you tomorrow (machar)...” (Shemos 13:14; Devorim 6:20). When Rashi uses the word “machar” here, he is referring to the children. This Rashi is saying, “Listen, we know we also received the Torah. If you only want to give the Sefer Torah to Bnei Levi, that is well and fine for us now. But ‘tomorrow’ (machar) implying: ‘our children’ – that is going to be a problem. Shevet Levi will possess something to give over to their children; but we won’t possess anything to give over to our children.”
The rest of the shevatim were not at all concerned that Bnei Levi would deny the fact that the other Jews received the Torah as well. But they were worried about their children. They were afraid that their children would see that only Bnei Levi had Moshe Rabbeinu’s Torah. The children would ask, “Hey, does that mean that only Bnei Levi received the Torah?” Their complaint to Moshe was “You have not given us something to give over to our children!” They knew that if they didn’t have something to give over to their children, the religion would die. That is what they were worried about. That is why every shevet wanted their own Sefer Torah, something to pass on to the next generation to give the religion continuity from father to son to grandson, etc.
When Moshe Rabbeinu saw that they were worried about “What will be with our children?” he rejoiced: Now I see that this day you have become a nation! Today you showed me that you want Torah and Mitzvos, not only for yourselves, but also for generations to come.
Rav Yeruchem Olshin relates to this idea a very interesting comment by the Mefaresh (in place of “Rashi” there) in Tractate Nedarim (81a). Yirmiyahu the prophet tells the nation that the churban is coming. He predicts that the land will be lost and the people will ask “Why was the land lost? What was the aveira that caused the churban?” The Gemara says that HaKadosh Baruch Hu Himself responded: It was because they abandoned the Torah. Rav Yehudah says in the name of Rav that this means she’lo barchu b’Torah techila (they did not make the preliminary blessing before learning Torah). In other words, as most commentaries interpret, they may have learned Torah but they did not give it the proper respect and treat it as fulfillment of a spiritual charge.
However, the Mefaresh on Maseches Nedarim gives an alternate interpretation: Hashem’s charge and criticism against that generation was that they neglected to say the preparatory blessing before learning Torah, which includes the words “and may we and our children and the children of your nation Israel all be among those who know Your Name and learn Your Torah lishmah.” According to the Mefaresh, they learned Torah and they recited the Birkas haTorah. But they did not invoke the prayer on behalf of their children and the other children of Israel. They learned Torah, they enjoyed Torah, and they found it intellectually stimulating. But they had no desire to give it over to their children. Because of that, the Land would be lost.
This is exactly what happened over here with the Bnei Levi and the other shevatim. Klal Yisrael said, “Fine, we can live without our own copy of the Sefer Torah. But the problem is that you (Shevet Levi) have something to give over to your children and we do not.” A religion becomes a religion when the older generation is able to give it over to their children. And that is what the aforementioned ‘curse’ is about: You didn’t keep the mitzvos in a fashion that would inspire your children to integrate those mitzvos into their own lives and the lives of their children. You did perform the mitzvos, but you performed them in a way that was devoid of passion and excitement.
