After 40 years in the desert, we’re finally coming home!

The Jewish people are finally, after 40 long years, making ready to enter the land of Israel.

Most of the generation that left Egypt is gone, buried in unmarked graves in the desert, and their children, the second generation, born free in the desert, are preparing at last to cross the Jordan and enter the land.

There will be no more manna from heaven, and no heavenly clouds or pillars of fire to guard them on their journey; they will have to fight, and even die, for the right to call this small piece of land their home.

They will encounter seven pagan nations who are no strangers to pain and cruelty, and whose history and culture are full of wars and violence and even child-sacrifice as a part of their society.

So one would expect that Moshe, their leader, who will not accompany them, would take this opportunity to share words of power and inspiration, designed to motivate this younger generation meet the tests that lie ahead.

But that isn’t quite what Moshe has planned….

The ninth chapter of Devarim (Deuteronomy) starts out well enough:

“Hear O’ Israel: you are crossing over the Jordan on this day to come and dispossess nations that are greater and mightier than you… know therefore on this day, that hashem (G-d) your G-d, He will go before you with a consuming fire, and He will destroy them, and you shall inherit (this land)….” (Devarim 9:1-3)

Inspirational words, for an inspirational moment; but then, somehow Moshe seems to get all bent out of shape, as his speech takes an entirely different direction:

“Do not say in your heart, when Hashem your G-d thrusts them (the Canaanites) out from before you, saying: ‘in my righteousness G-d has brought me forth to9i inherit this land’… not in your righteousness nor for the straightness of your heart do you come toi inherit their land, but (rather) for the wickedness of these nations does hashem your G-d thrust them out from before you, in order to fulfill the word which He swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov.” (Devarim 9:4-5)