Page 576 - DVARIM

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dvarim

The Torah opens with the account of Creation and closes with the words # 26347-EYAL-6
(Before the eyes of all Israel). The purpose of the entire
Creation is for the sake of , which are Am Yisrael and the Torah.
When do Am Yisrael merit the world being created for their sake? When
they uphold the Torah.
Am Yisrael are compared to a Sefer Torah, since a person contains 613
organs which correspond to the 613 mitzvot. A Sefer Torah with a
missing letter is invalid. So too, a person who is lax in a specific
mitzvah is considered maimed. Just as we are careful to show respect
even to an invalid Sefer Torah, so should we respect our bodies, which
are considered living Sifrei Torah, and not allow them to be deficient
in mitzvot.
The first word of the Torah, , ends with the letter and the last
letter of the last word, is a , together numerically equivalent to
430. This is the number of years that Bnei Yisrael suffered the Egyptian
exile (from the time that Avraham was informed of the exile until the
Exodus). Only after this period, were Bnei Yisrael found worthy of
receiving the Torah.

The last letter of the Torah is a , for the primary aspect of the Torah is
its study ( ) . Dancing with the Torah and donating to Torah causes
are wonderful, but dedication to Torah study is imperative.

The letter can be divided into three letters: . The letter ,the
smallest letter, teaches that Torah can endure only in one who humbles
himself before it (see Derech Eretz Zuta 8). The more one lowers himself,
the more the Torah will elevate him. The letter , tallest of the letters,
indicates that one becomes elevated through Torah study.

The first word of the Torah is and the last word is .
They hint to the word (heart). Man’s mind and heart must be dedicated
to Hashem, subject to His will.