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What transforms Moshe from someone who declared "lo ish devarim anochi" to the giver of tochecha in Devarim? The Rambam (רמב"ם)'s formulation "l'hachziro l'mutav" reveals that tochecha isn't mere criticism but active leadership—taking responsibility to guide someone back to the right path. Torah (תורה) learning creates a "kesser" that obligates the learned person to lead others with wisdom and care.
The shiur begins with an analysis of a challenging Midrash Rabbah that connects Moshe's initial claim of not being "ish devarim" in Parashat Shemos with his later role as giver of tochecha in Sefer Devarim. The Midrash states that once Moshe "zachah l'Torah (תורה)," he became capable of giving the rebuke found in "eileh hadvarim." Rabbi Zweig notes that this transformation has nothing to do with a speech impediment being cured at Sinai, but rather represents a fundamental shift in Moshe's capacity for leadership. The key insight emerges from a careful reading of the Rambam (רמב"ם) in Hilchot Deot regarding the mitzvah (מצוה) of tochecha. Rather than simply commanding us to rebuke someone doing wrong, the Rambam uses the phrase "l'hachziro l'mutav" - to return him to good. This formulation reveals that tochecha is not merely about informing someone of their wrongdoing and leaving them to make their own choices. Instead, it obligates the one giving tochecha to take active responsibility for guiding the person back to the correct path, similar to the mitzvah of hashavat aveidah.
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Parshas Devarim 1:1
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