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Why does the Torah (תורה) write 'rosheichem shivteichem' instead of the simpler 'roshei shivteichem'? The awkward phrasing teaches that these weren't merely political heads of tribes, but leaders whose personalities molded their entire tribes into tzaddikim—paralleling the Gemara (גמרא) in Chulin that a righteous king makes all his servants righteous. Such transformative leaders rank even above the Sanhedrin in the covenant's hierarchy.
The shiur analyzes a puzzling textual formulation in Parshas Nitzavim (Devarim 29:9), where the Torah (תורה) lists the Jewish people's hierarchy at the covenant: 'Atem nitzavim hayom lifnei Hashem (ה׳) Elokeichem, rosheichem shivteichem, ziknechem, shotreichem, kol ish Yisrael.' Two fundamental difficulties emerge: First, why does the Torah write the awkward construction 'rosheichem shivteichem' (your heads, your tribes) when it could have written the simpler and clearer 'roshei shivteichem' (heads of your tribes) by removing just two letters (the chaf and mem)? Second, why does the order of precedence place tribal heads ('rosheichem shivteichem') before the elders ('ziknechem'), who presumably were the Sanhedrin? It seems counterintuitive that political leaders would outrank Torah scholars. Rashi (רש"י) explains that 'rosheichem shivteichem' means 'rosheichem l'shivteichem'—the heads of your tribes—requiring us to insert an implied lamed (preposition 'of') into the text. Rabbi Zweig questions why the Torah would use such a convoluted formulation requiring an implied letter when it could have written the phrase clearly and precisely with fewer letters by saying 'roshei shivteichem.' This textual awkwardness demands explanation.
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Parshas Nitzavim, Devarim 29:9
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
