Vayeilech: Zemer of the Week

חֲזַק חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזֵּק – Chazak Chazak v’Nitchazek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2kAvGTqmIE

חֲזַק חֲזַק וְנִתְחַזֵּק

“Be strong, be strong, and let us strengthen one another.”

In Vayeilech, Moshe tells Yehoshua and the people, “Chazak v’ematz”—“Be strong and courageous” (Devarim 31:6–7, 23). This charge is central to Vayeilech: as Moshe departs, the people must move forward with confidence.

For us, every change – new school year, new grade, new job or position, new challenge – requires courage. This song calls us to support one another so no one faces transitions alone.

At your table, ask: What’s one time you felt stronger because someone else encouraged you?

If you prefer a traditional zemer:

The zemer for this week: א-ל מסתתר

The first letters of the stanzas of the zemer form the author’s name, אברהם מימין , followed by the word חזק as the first word of the last stanza.  The author was a follower of the Arizal and lived from 1522-1570.

Central elements of this parsha include Hashem’s concealing himself from us, Moshe’s conveying the written Torah to the leaders of Bnei Yisrael, the gathering of Bnei Yisrael to hear and learn the Torah, and Moshe’s exhortation to the next generation to be strong in the face of their enemies.

Some of the zemer’s connections to the parsha:

• Title and first 2 words of the zemer:

“א-ל מסתתר” (“G-d conceals Himself”) – In the parsha, Hashem tells Moshe that after Bnei Yisrael sin,
“ואנכי הסתר אסתיר פני” (“I will surely conceal My face” – Devarim 31:18).

•  “ב” stanza:

“תורתך הקדומה” (“Your pre-existing Torah”) and
1^st “מ” stanza:
“מאין תמורה” (“The unequalled [Torah]”) – In this parsha, Moshe wrote down the Torah and gave it to the kohanim and zekeinim (Devarim 31:9).

• 3^rd “מ” stanza:

“יניקת הנביאים” (“The nurture of the prophets” – Artscroll quotes the Damesek Eliezer as saying that this phrase refers to the prophets Moshe and Aharon, who nurtured Bnei Yisrael to the point where the nation could enter Eretz Yisroel without them.

• “נ” stanza:

“כנסת ישראל” (“The gathered of Israel”) – A core mitzvah in this parsha is הקהל, in which all members of Bnei Yisrael – men, women, and children – were gathered to hear and learn the words of the Torah (Devarim 31:12).

• 1^st word of last stanza:

“חזק” (“Strong”) – Moshe tells Bnei Yisrael that when it comes to confronting their enemies, they should “חזקו ואמצו” (“Be strong and courageous” – Devarim 31:6).

• In the next pasuk, he likewise tells his successor, Yehoshua, “חזק ואמץ” (Devarim 31:7, and then repeats it toward the end of the parsha in Devarim 31:23).

Aseret Yemei Teshuva bonus:

• 2^nd “מ” stanza:

“מי א-ל כמוך” (“Who is like You, Hashem?”) – According to Artscroll, the original source of this verse is from Sefer Micha, where it praises Hashem for His willingness to forgive sins.

• Likewise, in the same stanza of the zemer, it refers to Hashem as the One Who is “תפילות שומע” (“Listens to prayers”).