Parshas Devarim
Deuteronomy 1:1 -3:22

WORDS ©

By Dr. Akiva G. Belk

This study of mysticism in Hebrew Gematria is dedicated in the loving memory of Mr. Paul Sakash, may he rest in peace.

It is not by chance that the concluding parsha of BaMidbar, Parshas Masei, covers Aharon's death. Nor is it by chance that the fifth book of the Torah and the first parsha of the fifth book is entitled Devarim. Yet this is strange because the actual word used in the Torah is Ha Devarim. The Ha is represented by the letter Hey in front of the word Devarim. The Hey changes the meaning of Devarim, meaning "Words", to Ha Devarim, meaning "The Words." The question MUST be asked, Why is the Hey not included in the title of Devarim?

The Bais is included in Bereishis... Genesis 1:1
The Vav is included in Vayera... Genesis 18:1
The Vav is included in VayYetzei... Genesis 28:10
The Vav, meaning "and" and the Yud, representing "He {Yaakov}" are both included in Vayishlach... Genesis 32:4
The Vav is included in Vayeishev... Genesis 37:1
The Vav and the Yud are both included in Vayigash... Genesis 44:18
The Vav and the Yud are both included in Vayechi... Genesis 47:28

The Vav is included in Va'eira... Exodus 6:2
The Bais is included in Beshalach... Exodus 13:17

The Hey is excluded from Mishpatim... Exodus 21:1

The Vav and the Yud are both included in Vayakel... Exodus 35:1
The Vav and the Yud are both included in Vayikro... Leviticus 1:1

The Hey is excluded from Shemini... Leviticus 9:1

The Hey is excluded from Metzoro... Leviticus 14:1

The Bais is not excluded from Behar... Leviticus 25:1
The Bais is not excluded from Bechukosai... Leviticus 26:3

The Bais is not excluded from BaMidbar... Numbers 1:1
The Bais is not excluded from Beha'aloscha... Numbers 8:1

The Hey is excluded from Matos... Numbers 30:2

The Vav, Aleph and Sav are not excluded from Va'eschanan... Deuteronomy 3:23

The Vav and the Yud are both included in Vayeilech... Deuteronomy 31:1

The Vav and the Hey are both included in Vezos Habracha... Deuteronomy 33:1

 

The point is that the Bais and the Vav are included while the Hey is excluded. The only exception to this is the last parsha in Devarim when the Hey begins a second word, not the first. So it is proper not to include the Hey in Devarim. The precedent was established in Exodus 21:1, Leviticus 9:1 and Leviticus 14:1. This being the situation the Gematria for Devarim is 256 which is also the Gematria for Aharon, Moshe's brother, the first Kohen Godal.

We see a glimpse of the connection in Parshas Shemos, "Moshe said to Hashem, 'I beg You Hashem, I am not a man of words -- {DEVARIM} not since yesterday, not since the day before -- not from the time you [first] spoke to Your servant, for I am clumsy [slow] of mouth [speech] and clumsy [slow] of tongue [ language].'

Hashem said to him, 'Who gave man a mouth, or who makes [a person] dumb or deaf? [Who makes a person] see or makes him blind? Is it not I -- Hashem? Now go, I will be with your mouth, and teach you what to say.'

[Moshe] said, 'I beg You Hashem [my Master] please send the one You usually send.'

Hashem displayed anger toward Moshe and said, 'Is not Aharon, the Levite, your brother? I know that he knows how to speak. Behold he is setting out to meet you, and when he sees you he will rejoice in his heart. You will speak {the words} to him and put the words {HA - DEVARIM} in his mouth. I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what to do. He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and you will be his master...'" Exodus 4:10 -16

Now we return to the first paragraph. Aharon, Moshe's spokesman {whose Gematria is 256} is now deceased, may he rest in peace. So in a way of remembrance to Moshe's brother, to his spokesman, to the Kohen Godal of Yisroel, Hashem has Moshe entitle this fifth book appropriately DEVARIM. Devarim, Devarim is the very next parsha after Aharon's passing. {Numbers 33:39} Aharon was the outward display of DEVARIM, "the {spoken} words" of Hashem.

From Right to Left:

Aharon {Ah Hah Ron}
256 = Nun = 50 + Reish = 200 + Hey = 5 + Aleph = 1

Devarim {Di Vaw Reem}
256 = Mem = 40 + Yud = 10 + Reish = 200 + Bais = 2 + Dalet = 4

Now the passage that Devarim is taken from in Deuteronomy 1:1 is actually Ha Di Vaw Reem which corresponds to what Hashem said above, You {Moshe} will speak to him {Aharon} and put the words {HA - DEVARIM} in his mouth. Exodus 4:15 Devarim is in reference to this original passage. We see a repeat of this in Exodus 7:1.

Dear reader, we see this in action in Exodus 4:30, "And Aharon spake all the words {HA DEVARIM} which Hashem had spoken to Moshe, and he did the signs in the sight of the people." And in Leviticus 8:36, "So Aharon and his sons did all things which Hashem commanded by the hand of Moshe."

Again we read above in Exodus 4:15 that Hashem said to Moshe, "You will speak {Vi Dee Bahr Taw / the words} to him {Aharon} and put the words {HA DEVARIM} in his mouth. The Gematria of Vi Dee Bahr Taw, meaning "and words," is 612. This is in reference to Bi Rees, meaning "Covenant", which also has the Gematria of 612.

Both Vi Dee Bahr Taw and Bi Rees are preceded by Torah which is the Gematria of 611 and both are followed by the commands of the Torah which are 613.

Torah = 611 - Vi Dee Bahr Taw and Bi Rees = 612 - Mitvahs = 613

When Moshe and Aharon were sent to Pharaoh we see a glimpse of the power and impact of Vi Dee Bahr Taw. Pharaoh said, "Who is Hashem that I should obey his voice, to let Yisroel go? I do not know Hashem, nor will I let [the B'nei] Yisroel go." Exodus 5:2

This loose, disrespectful statement was followed by the plagues of blood, frogs, lice and wild animals. Next we read, "Hashem said to Moshe, 'Go to Pharaoh and say to him {Vi Dee Bahr Taw} "This is what Hashem, G-d of the Hebrews has said,...'" Exodus 9:1 The message here is not just one of "ALLOW MY PEOPLE TO SERVE ME!!!" In other words, let My people receive the Torah {611} and observe my commands {Mitzvohs 613}. Hashem was saying to Pharaoh 'Let My people observe their Covenant with Me.'

So in this example we see both Gematrias of Vi Dee Bahr Taw and Bi Rees in relationship to the Torah and in relationship to fulfilling the Mitzvohs.

 

Vi Dee Bahr Taw
612 = Sav = 400 + Reish = 200 + Bais = 2 + Dalet = 4 + Vav = 6

Bi Rees
612 = Sav = 400 + Yud = 10 + Reish = 200 + Bais = 2

Holy reader, both Vi Dee Bahr Taw and Di Vaw Reem mean words. Both are in reference to the words that Hashem has commanded Moshe to give to his spokesman Aharon.

To us the challenge is also given in the Shema, "You are to teach them to your children and you are to discuss them {Vi Dee Bahr Taw / "the words"} when you sit at home, and when you journey on the road, when you go to sleep, and when you arise. You are to tie them as a sign on your arm and they are to be totafos between your eyes. You are to write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gateposts." Deuteronomy 6:7-9

Wishing you the best,

Dr. Akiva G. Belk


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