It is eight pesukim long. It briefly lists some of the miracles of the desert generation. It occurs on a specific day, the date of which is kept a secret. It follows some fifty pesukim of doom and gloom, of unspeakable tragedies and national embarrassment, much of which has been surely witnessed. That is about all that is clear to us about the closing parsha of Ki Sovo (29:1-8).
Tucked away in, and probably central to, this puzzling recollection of the miracles of yetzias Mitzrayim, desert life and the initial conquest of a homeland, Moshe says, "Ad Hayom Hazeh - Until this day Hashem has not given you the mind to understand, or the eyes to see, or the ears to hear". We cannot but wonder what changed on "this day" that brought a national epiphany of sorts? What happened and how does it relate to the tochecha?
Indeed the medarsh, cited by Rashi, discloses that herein lies a reference to an otherwise untold story of an uprising against Moshe. This uprising once again accused Moshe of nepotism and a severe lack of faith in anyone who was not shevet Levi. Nevertheless it surprisingly gave Moshe great pleasure! It all came to a head when Moshe gave his shevet and, at first, only his shevet, its own sefer Torah, an event recorded in parshas Vayelech (31:19). Envious of Levi's prize and jealous of what might indicate Levi's rightful propriety over the Torah, the rest of us confronted Moshe. Moshe, ever so happy that he lived to see his children fighting to lay claim to the Torah, announced with great excitement and probably enjoying the sweetness of great satisfaction, "It was not until this day that Hashem graced you all with mind to understand and the eyes to see and the ears to hear".
Why is Moshe's reaction juxtaposed to the tochecha and recorded even before the event to which he is reacting? No doubt the jealousy expressed was borne out a yearning to be a full partner in the observance of Torah and its transmission. Moreover, the envy spoke of an appreciation of the great privilege it is to be a partner and ultimately of the pride that would ensure our success as a partner. Now at the heart of the tochecha, the frightening record of diaspora and its tragedies, is Hahem's rebuke that all of it stemmed from the lack of happiness and joy in our service to Hashem (28:47). Can you think of a more optimistic and even instructive ending to all of this, than recording the deep seated pride that we all harbor, but may only rise to the surface when threatened?
However, according to the tradition of Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzchak, this parsha refers to an entirely different event, one which does not the share the optimism of Rashi's medrash but may be at least equally instructive. It takes place just before the seventh day of Adar, during Moshe's final days amongst his people. Confronting his own passing, the one and hundred year old Moshe expects his children to implore Hashem to extend his life. Disappointed that it was not happening, Moshe summons the people and reprimands them, "One man was able to redeem 600,000 people who sinned at the eigel, can't 600,000 people band together and pray on behalf of one?" Reading this into our text, Moshe is terribly upset and complains, "They still don't get it!" or "Yet to this day Hashem has not given you the mind nor the eye nor the ear to understand what you can accomplish through prayer and the power you wield as a people!!! Accordingly, in this parsha, Moshe reminds us of the great miracles that Hashem employed to watch over us and of His commitment to us which should inspire confidence in our prayers.
Thus Ki Sovo completes the tochecha with Moshe's "If only they would know…" If only we would know who we are and how precious we and our service are to Hashem, we may well have never had the tochecha cast upon us. If only we would forever remember the strength of our prayers, we may have come through it in a more wholesome and miraculous fashion.
Certainly this is a timely reminder as we enter into the days of prayer - may they all be accepted on High to bring profound blessing to all. Kesiva vachsima tovah l'alter l'chaim tovim v'aruchim.