Parashas Devarim - Rebuke before death

This week's Dvar Torah has been sponsored for:
Refua Shelema: Leah Ayala Bas Yehudis
May you have health, happiness, and success!
(If you would like to sponsor a Dvar Torah, feel free to email me: SharingTorah@gmail.com)
__________________________________________

Sefer Devarim (the 5th and final volume of the Torah) is a review of what happened in the last volumes but also includes at least 70 new halachas!

Moshe’s life was soon coming to an end, and he asked Hashem if he could review the entire Torah with Bnei Yisroel before his passing. He wanted to clarify any difficulties they might have had, and to thoroughly teach them the halachas. [1]

Moshe thought, “If I don’t instill the fear of God in them, they won’t perform the mitzvos properly. Therefore, I will start with reproof.”[2] Moshe’s reproof wasn’t strong and hurtful, rather soft and hinted.

Rashi says that Moshe specifically rebuked Bnei Yisroel before his death because Yaakov Avinu rebuked his sons shortly before his death too. [3] Yaakov said, “Reuvein, my son, I will tell you why I did not admonish you all these years; because I did not want you to desert me and go join my brother Eisov.” [4]

Rashi continues to say (quoting the Sifri - another commentary) that there are four reasons as to why a person shouldn’t rebuke anyone until before his death:

1. So that he doesn’t continuously rebuke the same person.
2. So that his friend isn’t embarrassed when he sees him.
3. So that the sinner doesn’t bear a grudge against him.
4. So that he doesn’t defend his innocence violently, leading to anger.

It seems that from this Sifri, that the best time for rebuking is only before death; however, there is a mitzvah in the Torah that states, “You shall certainly rebuke your friend.” [5] How does he then explain this mitzvah brought in Vayikra? I want to answer, perhaps, Moshe was worried Bnei Yisroel would not have taken his rebuke, therefore, he waited until his death because getting rebuke from someone who is about to die is taken seriously and the rebuke is more powerful.

The mitzvah of rebuking is so important, the Gemara teaches that tzaddikim are held responsible for the sins of a wicked person (if the tzaddik doesn’t rebuke the sinner when it is needed.) [6] On the other hand, Chazal teach us, “Just like there’s a mitzvah to say words that will be heard, similarly, there’s a mitzvah not to say things that won't be heard." If a person has reason to suspect that his words will fall upon deaf ears, then he should remain silent and not offer any criticism.

Moshe himself wasn’t sure whether Bnei Yisroel were ready to hear his reproof or not. Therefore he only hinted it to them calmly, mentioning every place they had transgressed without giving exact details.

The Chafetz Chaim suggests that when rebuking someone, it should be done with patience and sincerity.

Have a wonderful Shabbos and Bein Hazamanim,
Nisso

[1] Rokeach
[2] Devarim Rabba 1:6
[3] Rashi 1:3
[4] Bereishis 49:3
[5] Vayikra 19:17
[6] Shabbos 55