Rabbi's Sermons

Shabbat shalom!

In this week's Torah reading, Parashat Haazinu, we read the story of Moses on Mount Nebo. A week ago, during the Torah reading on the first day of Rosh Hashana, we read the story of Hagar in the desert. They are, apparently, two unrelated stories; however, the two have something in common. In both, the Hebrew word – MINEGUED, meaning – "in front", is very significant.

Parashat "Haazinu" is, essentially, a great piece of poetry. It is Moses' farewell song; it is a sad poem, of his final days. The poem ends in Deuteronomy 32 with the famous words: "⁴⁹ Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab that is opposite Jericho, and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession", and ends the chapter saying: “⁵² Yet thou shalt see the land before thee, but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which I give the children of Israel”. Moses was condemned to stand MINEGUED – in front of the land: to climb Mount Nebo, and when he arrived, to take a look at the Promised Land, a future he would never be part of.

Why does the text say – MINEGUED – "in front of"? Standing in front is a call to stop, to make a mental and spiritual reflection, to face your own limitations. Even Moshe Rabbeinu despite all his greatness could not live more than 120 years, he was ultimately a human being, who did mistakes, who was not immortal, and who could not achieve everything he wanted. Moses' "MINEGUED" – was Mount Nevo, itself.

On Rosh Hashana, we read in the Torah, about Hagar and her expulsion, along with her son, Ishmael. Let us remember, that Abraham expelled Hagar, his concubine, who wandered in the desert until she ran out of water supply. Hagar in despair, without knowing the way, without water in the burning desert and having her son Ishmael with her. She was defeated, she reached the threshold of human capacity, and she was helpless. The Biblical text in Genesis 21 describes it, dramatically: “¹⁵ And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs, ¹⁶ And she went and sat in front of him MINEGUED, a good way off, as it were, a bowshot; for she said, ‘Let me not see the death of the child’”. And she sat in front of him MINEGUED and lifted up her voice and wept".

Here, as well, the word – MINEGUED – "in front of", symbolizes the recognition of the limits of human capacity. But suddenly, a miracle happened. The words in which the Torah chooses to describe the miracle, are as a great surprise, as it is written: “¹⁹ And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink". The miracle that is explained, by what is written literally, was not the miraculous creation of a well of water out of nothing, nor was it a pitcher of water which has descended from heaven or that it miraculously started to rain, at the right moment. The miracle was simply allowing her to see the water that was already there, to "open her eyes", to have the ability to see a well of water, just in time, in moments of such despair and helplessness.

This is the – MINEGUED of Hagar, or in Mount Nebo. This simple word is the call for a person to believe, not in supernatural miracles, but simply, in having the ability to open the eyes. MINEGUED is the call to believe in our ability to find strength, physical, mental and spiritual, to face situations, that up until now, seemed impossible to solve, a terrible illness, a war, a death of a beloved one. It is the – MINEGUED, that calls us to action, to insist to take another step, to open our eyes.

This is a beautiful concept for examination of the conscience, in which we will be in between the: “MINEGUED of Moses” and the “MINEGUED of Hagar”. The “MINEGUED of Moses”, those will be moments, in which we must evaluate our actions, accept our limitations, and wait only for mercy. But we may also have the "MINEGUED of Hagar" situations, in which we must simply open our eyes, and not give up, even when the situation seems hopeless, Just ACT!

On this Shabbat, after Yom Kipur and just a couple of days to Sucot, I wish you all the courage and wisdom to be MINEGUED, and to know how to accept our limitations, but also, how to insist and repair our lives. Knowing how to push yourself, as well as, when to back off.

I raise a prayer, knowing that we all share great expectations for a better year 5786, in which our eyes shall be open, in hopes and expectations of finding a well of good life, peace, health and abundant blessings.

Shabat Shalom!

Rabbi David Laor

October 3^rd 2025