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£Moses in Every GenerationMoses in Every GenerationMoses in Every Generation month of Elul and start preparing for the Days of Awe we must do so
fully aware of what is at stake.
££
The next portion, Shoftim, begins with the following words: “Judges
and officers you shall appoint in all your gates” (Deuteronomy 16:18).
After Moses tells the people that he pleaded with God to let him
enter the Promised Land, he rebukes the people saying, “But God Although this injunction clearly applies to society at large, Chassidic
became angry with me because of you and He did not listen to me” thought relates it to the private realm as well. At this time of year
(Deuteronomy 3:26). The Arizal derived a remarkable concept from when introspection is called for, the Torah is reminding us to appoint
this verse. The words “became angry with me” (vayitaber be) could be internal judges and officers and to begin judging our own thoughts,
read as “he caused an ibbur of me.” The concept of ibbur, which literally speech, and action by appointing internal officers to enforce discipline
means an “impregnation,” is important to the Arizal’s teaching of and undertake pragmatic change when necessary. The “judges” are
reincarnation. According to the Arizal a soul does not necessarily the soul forces within us that recognize the truth and provide us with
need to incarnate itself in a new body for an entire lifetime, the soul a plan to change ourselves for the better, while the “officers” enforce
can also “impregnate” another body for a limited time during which discipline and spur us on, providing us with the fortitude necessary
it either completes its own rectification or assists its host in his or her to truly improve ourselves.
life’s mission. There is a sod, a Kabbalistic tradition, recorded in the In order to bring about change we need to be ready to go to “war,”
Zohar that a portion of Moses’ soul is present in every generation; to confront those internal stumbling blocks preventing us from
according to the Arizal, our verse, is one of this tradition’s sources. advancing spiritually. Fundamental change does not come easily

Rashi explains that the phrase “because of you” means literally and only great determination will enable us to attain our personal
“for your sake.” Because the people made Moses angry causing him goals. Therefore the next portion Ki Teitzei begins with the following 18
to hit the rock (instead of speaking to it as God had commanded injunction: “When you go forth in war against your enemy and God,
him), God refused to let Moses enter the Land for their sake. In a your God, has delivered them into your hands….” (Deuteronomy
sense, God’s anger with Moses and his subsequent punishment can 21:10). Here again, Chassidic thought transfers the commandment
be understood as God’s “measure for measure” response to Moses’ from the sociopolitical realm to the private one, emphasizing that
anger at the people. on an individual level the enemy is the “evil inclination” and those
character traits in need of rectification. When we make a real effort
The Arizal, aware of Rashi’s interpretation, seems to give it to confront our enemy, the evil inclination, then God comes to our
a mystical twist. According to the Arizal, not only was Moses’ aid.
request rejected “because of you” but also in a positive sense, “for
your sake”: the soul of Moses is present in every generation for the Ki Teitzei, continues by discussing how to treat a beautiful woman,
Jewish people’s sake. This verse teaches us that the soul of Moses, captured in the course of a war, whom one is strongly attracted to.
the greatest leader and teacher the Jewish people has ever known, The Torah explains how to deal with this situation and how a man can
returns in every generation to assist the Jews, further revealing their successfully control his physical desires in a holy way, and likewise,
mission and teaching them Torah. the possible consequences if he does not handle the situation in the
purest of ways possible. On a personal level when we break the spell
The notion of Moses’ soul returning to help his people also fits in of complacency and confront our inner shortcomings there is always
well with our suggestion earlier in this portion that Moses’ longing the possibility of success or failure. War is war, not fun and games.
to enter the Promised Land was deeply implanted in the Jewish We must be aware and careful when capturing our internal enemies

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