Shazak insight
The Big Switch – From HaShem to Moshe
In the Book of Devarim, the Torah switches writing styles. In the previous four books (Bereishis, Shmos, VaYikra, Bamidbar), HaShem does the talking (“and HaShem spoke to Moshe”). Now Moshe Rabbeinu does the talking (“I spoke”).
But in V’Zos HaBrachah, it switches back to the Torah’s regular style. So instead of, “this is the blessing that I blessed Bnei Yisrael,” it’s, “this is the blessing that Moshe blessed Bnei Yisrael.”
Why is that?
Think about it. This Parsha contains some powerful praises of Moshe Rabbeinu and it would be very awkward if Moshe, the humble one, was praising himself. Can you imagine Moshe proclaiming, “I am a man of G-d,” or “there never arose a great prophet like me”? And how does “The Torah that I have commanded” sound instead of, “Torah Tzivah Lanu Moshe” (“Moshe commanded us the Torah”)?
