We are entering the parashot Nitzavim-Vayelech, which we will read on Shabbat. The opening is familiar: "you are standing today," and the Zohar teaches: "this day is Rosh Hashana."

When Ezra HaSofer fixed the order of the yearly readings, it always came out that Nitzavim falls before Rosh Hashana — sometimes with Vayelech, sometimes alone, but always before. So the Zohar tells us: know that as you read this passage you are meant to feel "you are standing today" — today, on the eve of Rosh Hashana.

Why this order? First for the content: the parasha deals with teshuva — "and you shall return to your heart," "and the Lord your God will bring back your captivity."

Exactly the same happens with Bechukotai: Bamidbar is always read right after it, to separate the curses from the festival of Shavuot.

When, then, was the parasha spoken? On Moshe's last day, the seventh of Adar. How do we prove it? From the next parasha:

Since Moshe passed away at one hundred and twenty and here he says "today," we apply a gezera shava: the "today" of "you are standing today" is that same last day.

It is not only Nitzavim and Vayelech — Haazinu and Vezot HaBeracha as well, obviously. But here is the novelty: part of Ki Tavo was also spoken on that last day. Look at the closing verses of Ki Tavo, after the rebukes end:

The Torah is inviting us to investigate: what event led Moshe, on the last day of his life, just before parting from them, to say this verse? It was an ordinary last day — and suddenly he tells them: I have understood that you are a wise people. What happened that day?

To understand, let us go to Vayelech. Moshe calls Yehoshua, tells him "be strong and courageous," and then it is written:

Let us return to Rashi, in Ki Tavo, on "until this day." Rashi writes: I have heard that on the day Moshe gave the Torah scroll to the sons of Levi — precisely what we just read in Vayelech — he entrusted it to the important ones, those who keep the sacred watch.

Here is a protest against a man — and the man rejoices at it. Instead of being disappointed that his decision is contested, Rashi reports: and Moshe rejoiced at the matter, and said to them:

What we learn here: cleaving to the Lord, cleaving to the Torah, the desire to know Torah — that is what makes you the people of the Lord.

And look at the phrase chosen. With Moshe every word is weighed: lev, the heart, is feeling; da'at, knowledge, is intellect. They are not the same. The wisdom of the Torah is to join the heart to the intellect: to feel what you know.

Moshe rejoiced in that joy, and the Midrash tells what he did at that moment: he stood up and wrote them twelve Torah scrolls, one for each tribe.

And that is why the verse is built as it is: he had one scroll, which he gave to the Kohanim, the sons of Levi. Then came the protest. He understood that all of them wanted it, stood up and wrote twelve scrolls — "and to all the elders of Israel": each tribe received a scroll of its own.

Let us see what Moshe did that day. He rises early, and at once: "and Moshe went and spoke these words to all Israel." How does one speak to all Israel? The Midrash explains that he entered every single tent, personally, looked inside and said: good morning, today I part from you. Then the next tent. And so on, to each one.

He then finishes writing the Torah scroll. But who wrote the closing verses of the Chumash? The Gemara records a dispute.

One view: Moshe cannot have written them, since it says there "and Moshe died there" — if he is dead, how could he write that he is dead? So Yehoshua wrote them.

He finishes writing, hands the scroll to the sons of Levi, the protest takes place — all in the same day. So how does he write twelve Torah scrolls?

And still the same day: the end of Ki Tavo, Nitzavim, Vayelech, Haazinu and Vezot HaBeracha, the blessing he gave to all Israel. Then he parted from them: "and Moshe went up from the plains of Moav to Mount Nevo, to the top of the ridge."

Now the question that must be asked. You know the passage of the Zohar said before the third meal of Shabbat, on the ra'ava de'ra'avin. All week the hour of mincha is an hour of judgment; but at mincha on Shabbat it is the opposite — an hour of mercy, the hour when all wills are received.

The answer given, and with it I close: Moshe's departure must be divided in two. On Friday he did everything described. Then, as Shabbat drew near: "and Moshe went up from the plains of Moav to Mount Nevo." That is the last image Israel keeps of him — at dusk, Moshe climbing toward the mountain, taking his leave.

Up there he does not die at once. The Midrash Petirat Moshe tells the whole struggle: his soul refuses to leave that body, it argues with the angel of death — go away, I am not dying today, I will not leave this body, I am bound to it.

Then: "and Moshe, servant of the Lord, died there… by the mouth of the Lord" — by the divine kiss, as with Aharon HaKohen. This happens at the hour of mincha, on Shabbat, and Israel no longer sees him. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai tells us what took place up there through that whole Shabbat, until the hour of mincha, when he departed. Blessed is the Lord forever, amen and amen.