Torah Portion of the Week

Vayelech וילך

Deuteronomy 31:1–31:30

Parshat Vayelech ('And he went') is the shortest parsha in the Torah at only 30 verses, yet it encompasses Moses' final public acts on the last day of his life. At 120 years old, Moses tells the people he can no longer go out and come in, and that God has told him he will not cross the Jordan — but God Himself will cross before them. He formally transfers leadership to Joshua before all Israel: 'Be strong and courageous!' Moses writes the Torah and entrusts it to the Levitical priests who carry the Ark, commanding that it be read publicly every seven years during Sukkot of the sabbatical year (Hakhel) — when the entire nation, men, women, children, and strangers, gather to hear and learn to fear God. In a private revelation, God tells Moses that after his death the people will inevitably go astray and worship foreign gods, and God's face will be hidden from them. God commands Moses to write a song (the Song of Ha'azinu) as a witness against future generations. Moses completes writing the Torah and commands the Levites to place it beside the Ark of the Covenant 'as a witness against you.'

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1 of 5

Moses' Final Words to Israel — Transfer of Leadership

דברי משה האחרונים — העברת המנהיגות

Deuteronomy 31:1–31:6

Moses goes and speaks to all Israel: 'I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in, and the Lord has said to me: You shall not cross this Jordan. The Lord your God — He will cross over before you; He will destroy these nations before you and you shall dispossess them. Joshua — he will cross over before you, as the Lord has spoken.' Moses encourages the people with the precedent of recent victories: 'The Lord will do to them as He did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, which He destroyed.' Then the stirring charge: 'Be strong and courageous! Do not fear and do not be terrified of them, for the Lord your God — He is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you and He will not forsake you.'

2 of 5

Joshua's Commissioning

מינוי יהושע

Deuteronomy 31:7–31:9

Moses summons Joshua and speaks to him before the eyes of all Israel: 'Be strong and courageous, for you will come with this people to the land the Lord swore to their fathers to give them, and you will cause them to inherit it. The Lord — He is the one who goes before you; He will be with you; He will not fail you and He will not forsake you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed.' Moses then writes the Torah and gives it to the Levitical priests who carry the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and to all the elders of Israel.

3 of 5

Hakhel — The National Torah Reading

הקהל — קריאת התורה הלאומית

Deuteronomy 31:10–31:13

Moses commands a public Torah reading at a fixed cycle: 'At the end of every seven years, at the set time of the year of release (shemitah), during the Festival of Sukkot, when all Israel comes to appear before the Lord your God at the place He will choose — you shall read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing. Assemble the people — the men, the women, the children, and the stranger within your gates — so that they may hear and so that they may learn, and they shall fear the Lord your God and be careful to do all the words of this Torah. And their children who do not yet know shall hear and learn to fear the Lord your God, all the days that you live on the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.' This commandment of Hakhel establishes a national gathering every seven years for public Torah education.

4 of 5

God's Prophecy of Apostasy — The Hidden Face

נבואת הסטייה — הסתר פנים

Deuteronomy 31:14–31:21

God tells Moses: 'Behold, your days approach to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, and I will command him.' God appears in a pillar of cloud and speaks the sobering prophecy: 'Behold, you are about to lie with your fathers, and this people will rise up and stray after the foreign gods of the land they are entering, and they will forsake Me and break My covenant that I made with them. My anger will flare against them on that day, and I will forsake them and hide My face from them, and they will be consumed. Many evils and troubles will find them, and they will say on that day: Is it not because our God is not in our midst that these evils have found us? And I will surely hide My face on that day because of all the evil they have done, for they turned to other gods.' God commands Moses: 'Now write for yourselves this song and teach it to the children of Israel; place it in their mouths, so that this song will be a witness for Me against the children of Israel.' The song will endure even when the people forget the covenant.

5 of 5

Moses Writes the Song and Completes the Torah

משה כותב את השירה ומשלים את התורה

Deuteronomy 31:22–31:30

Moses writes the song that very day and teaches it to the children of Israel. God charges Joshua directly: 'Be strong and courageous, for you will bring the children of Israel to the land I swore to them, and I will be with you.' Moses finishes writing 'the words of this Torah in a book, to their very end.' He commands the Levites who carry the Ark: 'Take this book of the Torah and place it at the side of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, and it shall be there as a witness against you. For I know your rebelliousness and your stiff neck — even while I am still alive with you today you have been rebellious against the Lord, and how much more so after my death!' Moses assembles all the elders and officers to hear his final words and calls heaven and earth as witnesses against them. 'For I know that after my death you will surely become corrupt and turn aside from the way I have commanded you, and evil will befall you in the end of days, for you will do evil in the eyes of the Lord, provoking Him with the work of your hands.' Then Moses speaks the words of the song in the ears of the entire assembly of Israel, to their very end.

Prophetic Reading

Haftarah הפטרה

Tradition

Isaiah 55:6–56:8

ישעיהו

Read on Shabbat Shuvah (between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur), Isaiah calls 'Seek the Lord while He may be found' — echoing Moses' final instructions to seek God and return to the covenant.

Full Text

Parshat Vayelech

Deuteronomy 31:1–31:30 · 30 verses

First Aliyah

ראשוןDeuteronomy 31:1–31:3

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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1 וַיֵּלֶךְ מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

2 וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם לֹא אוּכַל עוֹד לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא וַֽיהֹוָה אָמַר אֵלַי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּֽה

3 יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא עֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ הֽוּא יַשְׁמִיד אֶת הַגּוֹיִם הָאֵלֶּה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וִירִשְׁתָּם יְהוֹשֻׁעַ הוּא עֹבֵר לְפָנֶיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר יְהֹוָֽה

1 Moses went and spoke these things to all Israel.

2 He said to them: I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer be active. Moreover, GOD has said to me, “You shall not go across yonder Jordan.”

3 It is indeed the ETERNAL your God who will cross over before you, and who will wipe out those nations from your path; and you shall dispossess them.—Joshua is the one who shall cross before you, as GOD has spoken.—

1 וַיֵּלֶךְ מֹשֶׁה וַיְדַבֵּר אֶת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֶל כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

1 Moses went and spoke these things to all Israel.

2 He said to them: I am now one hundred and twenty years old, I can no longer be active. Moreover, GOD has said to me, “You shall not go across yonder Jordan.”

Second Aliyah

שניDeuteronomy 31:4–31:6

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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4 וְעָשָׂה יְהֹוָה לָהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְסִיחוֹן וּלְעוֹג מַלְכֵי הָאֱמֹרִי וּלְאַרְצָם אֲשֶׁר הִשְׁמִיד אֹתָֽם

5 וּנְתָנָם יְהֹוָה לִפְנֵיכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָהֶם כְּכׇל הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶֽם

6 חִזְקוּ וְאִמְצוּ אַל תִּֽירְאוּ וְאַל תַּעַרְצוּ מִפְּנֵיהֶם כִּי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ עִמָּךְ לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶֽךָּ

4 GOD will do to them as was done to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and to their countries, when they were wiped out.

5 GOD will deliver them up to you, and you shall deal with them in full accordance with the Instruction that I have enjoined upon you.

6 Be strong and resolute; be not in fear or in dread of them, for it is indeed the ETERNAL your God who marches with you—who will not fail you or forsake you.

4 GOD will do to them as was done to Sihon and Og, kings of the Amorites, and to their countries, when they were wiped out.

5 וּנְתָנָם יְהֹוָה לִפְנֵיכֶם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם לָהֶם כְּכׇל הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶֽם

5 GOD will deliver them up to you, and you shall deal with them in full accordance with the Instruction that I have enjoined upon you.

6 Be strong and resolute; be not in fear or in dread of them, for it is indeed the ETERNAL your God who marches with you—who will not fail you or forsake you.

Third Aliyah

שלישיDeuteronomy 31:7–31:9

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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7 וַיִּקְרָא מֹשֶׁה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו לְעֵינֵי כׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ כִּי אַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֶת הָעָם הַזֶּה אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְהֹוָה לַאֲבֹתָם לָתֵת לָהֶם וְאַתָּה תַּנְחִילֶנָּה אוֹתָֽם

8 וַיהֹוָה הוּא הַהֹלֵךְ לְפָנֶיךָ הוּא יִהְיֶה עִמָּךְ לֹא יַרְפְּךָ וְלֹא יַעַזְבֶךָּ לֹא תִירָא וְלֹא תֵחָֽת

9 וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת וַֽיִּתְּנָהּ אֶל הַכֹּֽהֲנִים בְּנֵי לֵוִי הַנֹּשְׂאִים אֶת אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְהֹוָה וְאֶל כׇּל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

7 Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: “Be strong and resolute, for it is you who shall go with this people into the land that GOD swore to their fathers to give them, and it is you who shall apportion it to them.

8 And it is indeed GOD who will go before you, and be with you—and not fail you or forsake you. Fear not and be not dismayed!”

9 Moses wrote down this Teaching and gave it to the priests, sons of Levi, who carried the Ark of GOD’s Covenant, and to all the elders of Israel.

8 And it is indeed GOD who will go before you, and be with you—and not fail you or forsake you. Fear not and be not dismayed!”

9 Moses wrote down this Teaching and gave it to the priests, sons of Levi, who carried the Ark of GOD’s Covenant, and to all the elders of Israel.

Fourth Aliyah

רביעיDeuteronomy 31:10–31:13

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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10 וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אוֹתָם לֵאמֹר מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה בְּחַג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת

11 בְּבוֹא כׇל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵֽרָאוֹת אֶת פְּנֵי יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בַּמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחָר תִּקְרָא אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּאת נֶגֶד כׇּל יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאׇזְנֵיהֶֽם

12 הַקְהֵל אֶת הָעָם הָֽאֲנָשִׁים וְהַנָּשִׁים וְהַטַּף וְגֵרְךָ אֲשֶׁר בִּשְׁעָרֶיךָ לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ וּלְמַעַן יִלְמְדוּ וְיָֽרְאוּ אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְשָׁמְרוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶת כׇּל דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָה הַזֹּֽאת

13 וּבְנֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדְעוּ יִשְׁמְעוּ וְלָמְדוּ לְיִרְאָה אֶת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם כׇּל הַיָּמִים אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם חַיִּים עַל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר אַתֶּם עֹבְרִים אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּֽהּ

10 And Moses instructed them as follows: Every seventh year, the year set for remission, at the Feast of Booths,

11 When all Israel comes to appear before the ETERNAL your God in the place that [God] will choose, you shall read this Teaching aloud in the presence of all Israel.

12 Gather the people—men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities—that they may hear and so learn to revere the ETERNAL your God and to observe faithfully every word of this Teaching.

13 Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere the ETERNAL your God as long as they live in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.

10 וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אוֹתָם לֵאמֹר מִקֵּץ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים בְּמֹעֵד שְׁנַת הַשְּׁמִטָּה בְּחַג הַסֻּכּֽוֹת

10 And Moses instructed them as follows: Every seventh year, the year set for remission, at the Feast of Booths,

11 When all Israel comes to appear before the ETERNAL your God in the place that [God] will choose, you shall read this Teaching aloud in the presence of all Israel.

13 Their children, too, who have not had the experience, shall hear and learn to revere the ETERNAL your God as long as they live in the land that you are about to cross the Jordan to possess.

Fifth Aliyah

חמישיDeuteronomy 31:14–31:19

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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14 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה הֵן קָרְבוּ יָמֶיךָ לָמוּת קְרָא אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וְהִֽתְיַצְּבוּ בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וַאֲצַוֶּנּוּ וַיֵּלֶךְ מֹשֶׁה וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיִּֽתְיַצְּבוּ בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵֽד

15 וַיֵּרָא יְהֹוָה בָּאֹהֶל בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן וַֽיַּעֲמֹד עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן עַל פֶּתַח הָאֹֽהֶל

16 וַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֶל מֹשֶׁה הִנְּךָ שֹׁכֵב עִם אֲבֹתֶיךָ וְקָם הָעָם הַזֶּה וְזָנָה אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵי נֵכַר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוּא בָא שָׁמָּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ וַעֲזָבַנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתִּי אִתּֽוֹ

17 וְחָרָה אַפִּי בוֹ בַיּוֹם הַהוּא וַעֲזַבְתִּים וְהִסְתַּרְתִּי פָנַי מֵהֶם וְהָיָה לֶאֱכֹל וּמְצָאֻהוּ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת וְאָמַר בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא הֲלֹא עַל כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהַי בְּקִרְבִּי מְצָאוּנִי הָרָעוֹת הָאֵֽלֶּה

18 וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא עַל כׇּל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה כִּי פָנָה אֶל אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִֽים

19 וְעַתָּה כִּתְבוּ לָכֶם אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת וְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת בְּנֵֽי יִשְׂרָאֵל שִׂימָהּ בְּפִיהֶם לְמַעַן תִּֽהְיֶה לִּי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְעֵד בִּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

14 GOD said to Moses: The time is drawing near for you to die. Call Joshua and present yourselves in the Tent of Meeting, that I may instruct him. Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the Tent of Meeting.

15 GOD appeared in the Tent, in a pillar of cloud, the pillar of cloud having come to rest at the entrance of the tent.

16 GOD said to Moses: You are soon to rest with your ancestors. This people will thereupon go astray after the alien gods in their midst, in the land that they are about to enter; they will forsake Me and break My covenant that I made with them.

17 Then My anger will flare up against them, and I will abandon them and hide My countenance from them. They shall be ready prey; and many evils and troubles shall befall them. And they shall say on that day, “Surely it is because our God is not in our midst that these evils have befallen us.”

18 Yet I will keep My countenance hidden on that day, because of all the evil they have done in turning to other gods.

19 Therefore, write down this poem and teach it to the people of Israel; put it in their mouths, in order that this poem may be My witness against the people of Israel.

15 וַיֵּרָא יְהֹוָה בָּאֹהֶל בְּעַמּוּד עָנָן וַֽיַּעֲמֹד עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן עַל פֶּתַח הָאֹֽהֶל

15 GOD appeared in the Tent, in a pillar of cloud, the pillar of cloud having come to rest at the entrance of the tent.

18 Yet I will keep My countenance hidden on that day, because of all the evil they have done in turning to other gods.

19 Therefore, write down this poem and teach it to the people of Israel; put it in their mouths, in order that this poem may be My witness against the people of Israel.

Sixth Aliyah

שישיDeuteronomy 31:20–31:24

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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20 כִּֽי אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֶֽל הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבֹתָיו זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבַשׁ וְאָכַל וְשָׂבַע וְדָשֵׁן וּפָנָה אֶל אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים וַעֲבָדוּם וְנִאֲצוּנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת בְּרִיתִֽי

21 וְהָיָה כִּי תִמְצֶאןָ אֹתוֹ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת וְעָנְתָה הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת לְפָנָיו לְעֵד כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת יִצְרוֹ אֲשֶׁר הוּא עֹשֶׂה הַיּוֹם בְּטֶרֶם אֲבִיאֶנּוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּֽעְתִּי

22 וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַֽיְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

23 וַיְצַו אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן וַיֹּאמֶר חֲזַק וֶאֱמָץ כִּי אַתָּה תָּבִיא אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם וְאָנֹכִי אֶהְיֶה עִמָּֽךְ

24 וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת מֹשֶׁה לִכְתֹּב אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָֽה הַזֹּאת עַל סֵפֶר עַד תֻּמָּֽם

20 When I bring them into the land flowing with milk and honey that I promised on oath to their fathers, and they eat their fill and grow fat and turn to other gods and serve them, spurning Me and breaking My covenant,

21 And the many evils and troubles befall them—then this poem shall confront them as a witness, since it will never be lost from the mouth of their offspring. For I know what plans they are devising even now, before I bring them into the land that I promised on oath.

22 That day, Moses wrote down this poem and taught it to the Israelites.

23 And [God] charged Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and resolute: for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them on oath, and I will be with you.”

24 When Moses had put down in writing the words of this Teaching to the very end,

22 וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַֽיְלַמְּדָהּ אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

22 That day, Moses wrote down this poem and taught it to the Israelites.

23 And [God] charged Joshua son of Nun: “Be strong and resolute: for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them on oath, and I will be with you.”

24 וַיְהִי כְּכַלּוֹת מֹשֶׁה לִכְתֹּב אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַתּוֹרָֽה הַזֹּאת עַל סֵפֶר עַד תֻּמָּֽם

24 When Moses had put down in writing the words of this Teaching to the very end,

Seventh Aliyah

שביעיDeuteronomy 31:25–31:30

Chapter 31

פרק 31

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25 וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹֽר

26 לָקֹחַ אֵת סֵפֶר הַתּוֹרָה הַזֶּה וְשַׂמְתֶּם אֹתוֹ מִצַּד אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְהָיָה שָׁם בְּךָ לְעֵֽד

27 כִּי אָנֹכִי יָדַעְתִּי אֶֽת מֶרְיְךָ וְאֶֽת עׇרְפְּךָ הַקָּשֶׁה הֵן בְּעוֹדֶנִּי חַי עִמָּכֶם הַיּוֹם מַמְרִים הֱיִתֶם עִם יְהֹוָה וְאַף כִּי אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִֽי

28 הַקְהִילוּ אֵלַי אֶת כׇּל זִקְנֵי שִׁבְטֵיכֶם וְשֹׁטְרֵיכֶם וַאֲדַבְּרָה בְאׇזְנֵיהֶם אֵת הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה וְאָעִידָה בָּם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָֽרֶץ

29 כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אַחֲרֵי מוֹתִי כִּֽי הַשְׁחֵת תַּשְׁחִתוּן וְסַרְתֶּם מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִי אֶתְכֶם וְקָרָאת אֶתְכֶם הָרָעָה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים כִּֽי תַעֲשׂוּ אֶת הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי יְהֹוָה לְהַכְעִיסוֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיכֶֽם

30 וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה בְּאׇזְנֵי כׇּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת עַד תֻּמָּֽם

25 Moses charged the Levites who carried the Ark of the Covenant of GOD, saying:

26 Take this book of Teaching and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the ETERNAL your God, and let it remain there as a witness against you.

27 Well I know how defiant and stiffnecked you are: even now, while I am still alive in your midst, you have been defiant toward GOD; how much more, then, when I am dead!

28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes and your officials, that I may speak all these words to them and that I may call heaven and earth to witness against them.

29 For I know that, when I am dead, you will act wickedly and turn away from the path that I enjoined upon you, and that in time to come misfortune will befall you for having done evil in GOD’s sight and provoking anger by your deeds.

30 Then Moses recited the words of the following poem to the very end, in the hearing of the whole congregation of Israel.

25 וַיְצַו מֹשֶׁה אֶת הַלְוִיִּם נֹשְׂאֵי אֲרוֹן בְּרִית יְהֹוָה לֵאמֹֽר

25 Moses charged the Levites who carried the Ark of the Covenant of GOD, saying:

26 Take this book of Teaching and place it beside the Ark of the Covenant of the ETERNAL your God, and let it remain there as a witness against you.

27 Well I know how defiant and stiffnecked you are: even now, while I am still alive in your midst, you have been defiant toward GOD; how much more, then, when I am dead!

28 Gather to me all the elders of your tribes and your officials, that I may speak all these words to them and that I may call heaven and earth to witness against them.

30 וַיְדַבֵּר מֹשֶׁה בְּאׇזְנֵי כׇּל קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת דִּבְרֵי הַשִּׁירָה הַזֹּאת עַד תֻּמָּֽם

30 Then Moses recited the words of the following poem to the very end, in the hearing of the whole congregation of Israel.

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Isaiah 55:6–56:8 · 16 verses · Sephardi: Hosea 14:2–14:10

Ashkenazi Reading

Chapter 55

פרק 55

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6 דִּרְשׁוּ יְהֹוָה בְּהִמָּֽצְאוֹ קְרָאֻהוּ בִּֽהְיוֹתוֹ קָרֽוֹב

7 יַעֲזֹב רָשָׁע דַּרְכּוֹ וְאִישׁ אָוֶן מַחְשְׁבֹתָיו וְיָשֹׁב אֶל יְהֹוָה וִֽירַחֲמֵהוּ וְאֶל אֱלֹהֵינוּ כִּֽי יַרְבֶּה לִסְלֽוֹחַ

8 כִּי לֹא מַחְשְׁבוֹתַי מַחְשְׁבוֹתֵיכֶם וְלֹא דַרְכֵיכֶם דְּרָכָי נְאֻם יְהֹוָֽה

9 כִּֽי גָבְהוּ שָׁמַיִם מֵאָרֶץ כֵּן גָּבְהוּ דְרָכַי מִדַּרְכֵיכֶם וּמַחְשְׁבֹתַי מִמַּחְשְׁבֹֽתֵיכֶֽם

10 כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יֵרֵד הַגֶּשֶׁם וְהַשֶּׁלֶג מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם וְשָׁמָּה לֹא יָשׁוּב כִּי אִם הִרְוָה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהוֹלִידָהּ וְהִצְמִיחָהּ וְנָתַן זֶרַע לַזֹּרֵעַ וְלֶחֶם לָאֹכֵֽל

11 כֵּן יִהְיֶה דְבָרִי אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מִפִּי לֹא יָשׁוּב אֵלַי רֵיקָם כִּי אִם עָשָׂה אֶת אֲשֶׁר חָפַצְתִּי וְהִצְלִיחַ אֲשֶׁר שְׁלַחְתִּֽיו

12 כִּֽי בְשִׂמְחָה תֵצֵאוּ וּבְשָׁלוֹם תּוּבָלוּן הֶהָרִים וְהַגְּבָעוֹת יִפְצְחוּ לִפְנֵיכֶם רִנָּה וְכׇל עֲצֵי הַשָּׂדֶה יִמְחֲאוּ כָֽף

13 תַּחַת הַֽנַּעֲצוּץ יַעֲלֶה בְרוֹשׁ (תחת) [וְתַחַת] הַסִּרְפַּד יַעֲלֶה הֲדַס וְהָיָה לַֽיהֹוָה לְשֵׁם לְאוֹת עוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּרֵֽת

6 Seek GOD while you can, Call out while [God] is near.

7 Let the wicked give up their ways, The sinful, their plans; Let each one turn back to GOD So as to be pardoned; To our God, Who freely forgives.

8 For My plans are not your plans, Nor are My ways your ways —declares GOD.

9 But as the heavens are high above the earth, So are My ways high above your ways And My plans above your plans.

10 For as the rain or snow drops from heaven And returns not there, But soaks the earth And makes it bring forth vegetation, Yielding seed for sowing and bread for eating,

11 So is the word that issues from My mouth: It does not come back to Me unfulfilled, But performs what I purpose, Achieves what I sent it to do.

12 Yea, you shall leave in joy and be led home secure. Before you, mount and hill shall shout aloud, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

13 Instead of the brier, a cypress shall rise; Instead of the nettle, a myrtle shall rise. These shall stand as a testimony to GOD, As an everlasting sign that shall not perish.