Perashsat Vayelekh

Perashsat Vayelekh

Movement connotes progress. When we use the expression we are “on the move”, it usually means we are advancing, we are progressing and we are evolving. To walk also indicates movement and advancement. 
 
Perashat Vayelekh meaning, ‘and he walks’, narrates the last day of Moshe on Earth. At 120 years of age, Moshe walks throughout the entire camp and visits all the 12 Tribes; he gives them his last will and testament and a copy of the Torah to each tribe. He warns them of all the calamities that they will bring upon themselves if they don’t keep and commit to all the stipulations of the Torah - the Covenant.  The Torah scroll that he gives them will stand as a witness to his words. 
 
It is interesting to note that Moshe, in his last day of life, is described as “Vayelekh” - ‘and he walks’, as though he is advancing, progressing or evolving. In the physical world in which we live in, we have the idea that as long as we are living a ‘quality-of-life,’ then we are moving; we are advancing; we are evolving. The moment we become sedentary, we have slowed down that advancement, and the moment we depart this world, we have arrested it completely. Yet, about Moshe it says “Vayelekh” - ‘and he walks’.
 
In Judaism, we believe that life on Earth is only part of a greater life, of an eternal life. The physical life that we have in this world is just a passageway, a bridge to connect to the spiritual life awaiting us in the next world. Therefore, throughout our lives we continue advancing, progressing and evolving. It doesn’t matter the ‘quality-of-life’ or the speed and how hectic, or not, life may be.  Life, physical and spiritual that does not include evolvement, advancement and progress is not called living. Even on the last day of his life, Moshe was portrayed as ‘Walking’; not referring to the fact that he, especially, unlike the average human being of his age, was described as, “his eyes had not dimmed and his vigor had not diminished.”  Indeed, Moshe was ‘walking’ - he was advancing, progressing and evolving from this physical life to the spiritual life as found in the next world. 
 
This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Teshuba, the Sabbath of Return, the Sabbath of Repentance or Penitence. Every year, the Shabbat between Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur is known as Shabbat Teshuba, which is part of the 10 Days of Repentance. The days in which we do introspection and retrospection of our actions throughout the past year and the past in general. 
 
In our spiritual, moral and ethical development, like in life, we ought to advance, progress and evolve. We need to “walk” and move. If we remain in a standstill, we are indeed regressing. There is no standing still in life; if there is no moving ahead, there is regression. It is like standing on an escalator or a moving walkway in reverse, unless we walk ahead, we will be returned; we will regress.
 
As we usher Yom Kippur this week, when we will be standing in front of the Heavenly Tribunal facing our destiny, we need to show if we have advanced, evolved and progressed in our spiritual life. Did we ‘walk’? did we advance, did we progress, in our moral and ethical living? Did our good deeds and acts of benevolence increase?  Did our commitments to our Torah and Jewish values advance and become strengthened? Did we fulfill our promises and assurances? 
 
If the answer to all, those questions is ‘yes’, then we have ‘walked’, progressed, advanced and lived. If our answer is ‘no’, then we have regressed and backslid - we have not lived. 
 
Let us hope and pray that our supplications to the A-mighty during these days of, “remember us for life,” or, “inscribe us for life,” will be hearkened to by G-d and harmonized by our actions.