Vezot HaBerakhah (וְזֹאת הַבְּרָכָה) is the final portion in the Torah, the sacred text of Judaism. It is also the last chapter of the fifth book of the Torah, Deuteronomy. In Hebrew, Vezot HaBerakhah translates to “This is the Blessing,” which is a fitting title for the concluding portion of the Torah as it contains the blessings that Moses bestows upon the Israelites before his death.
This portion is unique because it not only marks the end of the Torah but also serves as a bridge between the end of the Israelites’ wandering in the wilderness and their entry into the Promised Land. In Vezot HaBerakhah, Moses ascends Mount Nebo, where God shows him the entire land of Israel. Although Moses is not destined to enter the land himself, he blesses each of the tribes of Israel, offering them words of encouragement, guidance, and foresight.
The blessings in Vezot HaBerakhah are deeply poetic and metaphorical. Moses, in his blessings, addresses the unique characteristics and qualities of each tribe, offering prophecies about their future. These blessings provide insight into the destiny of each tribe and emphasize the importance of unity, faithfulness, and obedience to God’s commandments.
One of the central themes in Vezot HaBerakhah is the concept of continuity. Moses, in his blessings, speaks about the eternal nature of the relationship between God and the people of Israel. He emphasizes the importance of observing the commandments and passing down the teachings of the Torah from one generation to the next. This theme underscores the enduring covenant between God and the Jewish people, highlighting the eternal nature of the divine connection.
Additionally, Vezot HaBerakhah serves as a reminder of the profound leadership of Moses. Even in his final moments, he continues to guide and inspire the Israelites, ensuring that they are spiritually prepared for the challenges they will face in the Promised Land. His blessings are not just words of encouragement; they are a legacy, a testament to his unwavering faith and commitment to God and his people.
In summary, Vezot HaBerakhah is a poignant and powerful conclusion to the Torah, encapsulating the essence of the relationship between God and the Jewish people. Through Moses’ blessings, the portion reaffirms the importance of faith, unity, and obedience, emphasizing the eternal nature of the covenant between God and His chosen people.
וזאת הברכה
וְזֹ֣את הַבְּרָכָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר בֵּרַ֥ךְ מֹשֶׁ֛ה אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לִפְנֵ֖י מוֹתֽוֹ׃
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר יְהֹוָ֞ה מִסִּינַ֥י בָּא֙ וְזָרַ֤ח מִשֵּׂעִיר֙ לָ֔מוֹ הוֹפִ֙יעַ֙ מֵהַ֣ר פָּארָ֔ן וְאָתָ֖ה מֵרִבְבֹ֣ת קֹ֑דֶשׁ מִימִינ֕וֹ (אשדת) [אֵ֥שׁ דָּ֖ת] לָֽמוֹ׃
אַ֚ף חֹבֵ֣ב עַמִּ֔ים כׇּל־קְדֹשָׁ֖יו בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ וְהֵם֙ תֻּכּ֣וּ לְרַגְלֶ֔ךָ יִשָּׂ֖א מִדַּבְּרֹתֶֽיךָ׃
תּוֹרָ֥ה צִוָּה־לָ֖נוּ מֹשֶׁ֑ה מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה קְהִלַּ֥ת יַעֲקֹֽב׃
וַיְהִ֥י בִישֻׁר֖וּן מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם יַ֖חַד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
יְחִ֥י רְאוּבֵ֖ן וְאַל־יָמֹ֑ת וִיהִ֥י מְתָ֖יו מִסְפָּֽר׃ {ס}
וְזֹ֣את לִיהוּדָה֮ וַיֹּאמַר֒ שְׁמַ֤ע יְהֹוָה֙ ק֣וֹל יְהוּדָ֔ה וְאֶל־עַמּ֖וֹ תְּבִיאֶ֑נּוּ יָדָיו֙ רָ֣ב ל֔וֹ וְעֵ֥זֶר
מִצָּרָ֖יו תִּהְיֶֽה׃ [לוי] {פ}
וּלְלֵוִ֣י אָמַ֔ר תֻּמֶּ֥יךָ וְאוּרֶ֖יךָ לְאִ֣ישׁ חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ עַל־מֵ֥י מְרִיבָֽה׃
הָאֹמֵ֞ר לְאָבִ֤יו וּלְאִמּוֹ֙ לֹ֣א רְאִיתִ֔יו וְאֶת־אֶחָיו֙ לֹ֣א הִכִּ֔יר וְאֶת־בָּנָ֖ו לֹ֣א יָדָ֑ע כִּ֤י שָֽׁמְרוּ֙ אִמְרָתֶ֔ךָ וּבְרִיתְךָ֖ יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃
יוֹר֤וּ מִשְׁפָּטֶ֙יךָ֙ לְיַֽעֲקֹ֔ב וְתוֹרָתְךָ֖ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יָשִׂ֤ימוּ קְטוֹרָה֙ בְּאַפֶּ֔ךָ וְכָלִ֖יל עַֽל־מִזְבְּחֶֽךָ׃
בָּרֵ֤ךְ יְהֹוָה֙ חֵיל֔וֹ וּפֹ֥עַל יָדָ֖יו תִּרְצֶ֑ה מְחַ֨ץ מׇתְנַ֧יִם קָמָ֛יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֖יו מִן־יְקוּמֽוּן׃ {ס}
לְבִנְיָמִ֣ן אָמַ֔ר יְדִ֣יד יְהֹוָ֔ה יִשְׁכֹּ֥ן לָבֶ֖טַח עָלָ֑יו חֹפֵ֤ף עָלָיו֙ כׇּל־הַיּ֔וֹם וּבֵ֥ין כְּתֵפָ֖יו שָׁכֵֽן [ישראל] {ס}
וּלְיוֹסֵ֣ף אָמַ֔ר מְבֹרֶ֥כֶת יְהֹוָ֖ה אַרְצ֑וֹ מִמֶּ֤גֶד שָׁמַ֙יִם֙ מִטָּ֔ל וּמִתְּה֖וֹם רֹבֶ֥צֶת תָּֽחַת׃
וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד תְּבוּאֹ֣ת שָׁ֑מֶשׁ וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גֶּ֥רֶשׁ יְרָחִֽים׃
וּמֵרֹ֖אשׁ הַרְרֵי־קֶ֑דֶם וּמִמֶּ֖גֶד גִּבְע֥וֹת עוֹלָֽם׃
וּמִמֶּ֗גֶד אֶ֚רֶץ וּמְלֹאָ֔הּ וּרְצ֥וֹן שֹׁכְנִ֖י סְנֶ֑ה תָּב֙וֹאתָה֙ לְרֹ֣אשׁ יוֹסֵ֔ף וּלְקׇדְקֹ֖ד נְזִ֥יר אֶחָֽיו׃
בְּכ֨וֹר שׁוֹר֜וֹ הָדָ֣ר ל֗וֹ וְקַרְנֵ֤י רְאֵם֙ קַרְנָ֔יו בָּהֶ֗ם עַמִּ֛ים יְנַגַּ֥ח יַחְדָּ֖ו אַפְסֵי־אָ֑רֶץ וְהֵם֙ רִבְב֣וֹת אֶפְרַ֔יִם וְהֵ֖ם אַלְפֵ֥י מְנַשֶּֽׁה׃ [|] {ס}
V’Zot HaBerachah
Deuteronomy 33:1
יהוה came from Sinai,
And shone upon them from Seir;
[God] appeared from Mount Paran,
And approached from Ribeboth-kodesh,
Lightning flashing at them from [God’s] right.
Their hallowed are all in Your hand.
They followed in Your steps,
Accepting Your pronouncements,
As the heritage of the congregation of Jacob.
When the heads of the people assembled,
The tribes of Israel together.
Though few be his numbers.
Hear, יהוה, the voice of Judah
And restore him to his people.
Though his own hands strive for him,
Help him against his foes.
Let Your Thummim and Urim
Be with Your faithful one,
Whom You tested at Massah,
Challenged at the waters of Meribah;
“I consider them not.”
His brothers he disregarded,
Ignored his own children.
Your precepts alone they observed,
And kept Your covenant.
And Your instructions to Israel.
They shall offer You incense to savor
And whole-offerings on Your altar.
And favor his undertakings.
Smite the loins of his foes;
Let his enemies rise no more.
Beloved of יהוה,
He rests securely beside [God],
Who protects him always,
As he rests between God’s shoulders.
Blessed of יהוה be his land
With the bounty of dew from heaven,
And of the deep that couches below;
And the bounteous crop of the moons;
And the bounty of hills immemorial;
And the favor of the Presence in the Bush.
May these rest on the head of Joseph,
On the crown of the elect of his brothers.
He has horns like the horns of the wild-ox;
With them he gores the peoples,
The ends of the earth one and all.
These are the myriads of Ephraim,
Those are the thousands of Manasseh.
Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys,
And Issachar, in your tents.
Where they offer sacrifices of success.
For they draw from the riches of the sea
And the hidden hoards of the sand.
Blessed be the One who enlarges Gad!
Poised is he like a lion
To tear off arm and scalp.
For there is the portion of the revered chieftain,
Where the heads of the people come.
He executed יהוה’s judgments
And God’s decisions for Israel.
Dan is a lion’s whelp
That leaps forth from Bashan.
O Naphtali, sated with favor
And full of יהוה’s blessing,
Take possession on the west and south.
Most blessed of sons be Asher;
May he be the favorite of his brothers,
May he dip his foot in oil.
And your security last all your days.
Riding through the heavens to help you,
Through the skies in His majesty.
A support are the arms everlasting.
He drove out the enemy before you
By His command: Destroy!
Untroubled is Jacob’s abode,
In a land of grain and wine,
Under heavens dripping dew.
A people delivered by יהוה,
Your protecting Shield, your Sword triumphant!
Your enemies shall come cringing before you,
And you shall tread on their backs.
יהושע
Joshua
(Haftarah for Ashkenazim: Joshua 1:1-18)
VeZot HaBeracha
more on Parashat Vezot Haberacha
Quick Guide: The Five Books of Moses
Genesis | Exodus | Leviticus | Numbers | Deuteronomy |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bereshit (1:1-6:8) |
Shemot (1:1-6:1) |
Vayikra (1:1-5:26) |
Bemidbar (1:1-4:20) |
Devarim (1:1-3:22) |
Noach (6:9-11:32) |
Va'era (6:2-9:35) |
Tzav (6:1-8:36) |
Naso (4:21-7:89) |
Va'etchanan (3:23-7:11) |
Lech Lecha (12:1-17:27) |
Bo (10:1-13:16) |
Shemini (9:1-11:47) |
Behaalotecha (8:1-12:16) |
Ekev (7:12-11:25) |
Vayera (18:1-22:24) |
Beshalach (13:17-17:16) |
Tazria (12:1-13:59) |
Shelach (13:1-15:41) |
Re'eh (11:26-16:17) |
Chaye Sarah (23:1-25:18) |
Yitro (18:1-20:23) |
Metzora (14:1-15:33) |
Korach (16:1-18:32) |
Shoftim (16:18-21:9) |
Toledot (25:19-28:9) |
Mishpatim (21:1-24:18) |
Achare Mot (16:1-18:30) |
Chukat (19:1-22:1) |
Ki Tetze (21:10-25:19) |
Vayetze (28:10-32:3) |
Teruma (25:1-27:19) |
Kedoshim (19:1-20:27) |
Balak (22:2-25:9) |
Ki Tavo (26:1-29:8) |
Vayishlach (32:4-36:43) |
Tetzave (27:20-30:10) |
Emor (21:1-24:23) |
Pinchas (25:10-30:1) |
Nitzavim (29:9-30:20) |
Vayeshev (37:1-40:23) |
Ki Tisa (30:11-34:35) |
Behar (25:1-26:2) |
Matot (30:2-32:42) |
Vayelech (31:1-30) |
Miketz (41:1-44:17) | Vayakhel (35:1-38:20) |
Bechukotai (26:3-27:34) |
Masei (33:1-36:13) |
Haazinu (32:1-52) |
Vayigash (44:18-47:27) |
Pekude (38:21-40:38) |
V'Zot HaBeracha (33:1-34:12) |
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Vayechi (47:28-50:26) |
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