A Leader’s Eternal Message
Parashat Devarim opens with Moses addressing the people: “You have been living too much by this mountain… Travel… until the great river, the river Euphrates.” These words, spoken before entering the Land, are more than historical; they are part of the Torah’s eternal instruction. As the Raaya Meheimna—the faithful shepherd—Moses nourishes the soul of every Jew with faith in G-d. That leadership continues in every generation through those who carry a spark of his soul, offering guidance that speaks to every Jew, in every time and place.
Don’t Stay at the Mountain
Mount Sinai represents the pinnacle of spiritual revelation. Yet even here, the message is: do not remain stationary. Holiness is not a private possession. The Jew is instructed to “redirect” and “travel”—not aimlessly, but with purpose. One must reach outward, beyond the secure boundaries of spiritual life, and enter spaces where G-dliness is concealed.
Transforming the World
Moses names the Amorite mountain as the destination—symbolizing places opposed to holiness. The Jew is tasked with entering such realms and illuminating them with Torah and mitzvot. Even in distant or spiritually barren places, every Jew has a Divine soul, a spark waiting to be awakened. The faithful shepherd’s voice reminds us that each individual can reveal their essence: a beloved child of the King of kings. This outreach does not end in small steps—it stretches “all the way until the great river, the river Euphrates,” expressing the mission to transform the entire world and prepare it for the redemption.