פָּרָשַׁת דְּבָרִים

Parshat Devarim opens the fifth book of the Torah with the words Moshe Rabbeinu speaks to all of Bnei Yisrael (the children of Israel) in the land of Moav (Jordan today), across the Yarden (the Jordan River), in the fortieth year. Moshe begins to explain the Torah to the new generation by reviewing their journey from Chorev (Har Sinai). When the people become too many for him to carry alone, he appoints wise men over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens, and commands the shoftim (judges) to judge righteously, to favor no one and to fear no man, for the judgment belongs to Hashem.

Then Moshe recalls the sin of the meraglim (spies). At Kadesh Barnea the twelve bring back fruit and report that the land is good, yet the people refuse to go up, complain that Hashem hates them, and do not trust Him, though He carried them through the wilderness as a man carries his son. Hashem swears that no man of that generation will see the land except Calev ben Yefuneh; Yehoshua will lead them in, and Moshe himself will not enter. When the people then go up against Hashem's word, the Emori (Amorites) crush them.

Thirty-eight years pass until that generation has died out. Hashem commands Bnei Yisrael not to fight the children of Esav, Moav or Amon, whose lands He has given to them. Then Bnei Yisrael defeat Sichon, king of Cheshbon, who refuses them peaceful passage, and Og, king of the Bashan, with his sixty fortified cities. Moshe gives their land to Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe, on condition that their soldiers cross the Yarden armed ahead of their brothers, and tells Yehoshua not to fear, because Hashem fights for Bnei Yisrael. The new generation is to learn from their fathers' failure to trust Hashem, and to see in the victories already won that Hashem keeps His promise.