(א) וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיְדַבֵּ֛ר אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם בֶּן־מֵאָה֩ וְעֶשְׂרִ֨ים שָׁנָ֤ה אָנֹכִי֙ הַיּ֔וֹם לֹא־אוּכַ֥ל ע֖וֹד לָצֵ֣את וְלָב֑וֹא וַֽה׳ אָמַ֣ר אֵלַ֔י לֹ֥א תַעֲבֹ֖ר אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּ֥ן הַזֶּֽה׃
(1) Now Moshe went
and spoke *went and spoke: Ancient versions read “(When) Moshe finished speaking” (vykl instead of vylk). these words to all Israel;
(2) he said to them:
A hundred and twenty *A hundred and twenty: In the 60-based Mesopotamian number system, this number indicates the maximal duration of life (Tigay). years old am I today;
I am no longer able to go out and to come in,
and YHWH has said to me:
you are not to cross over this Jordan!
(ז) וּמֹשֶׁ֗ה בֶּן־מֵאָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים שָׁנָ֖ה בְּמֹת֑וֹ לֹא־כָהֲתָ֥ה עֵינ֖וֹ וְלֹא־נָ֥ס לֵחֹֽה׃
(7) Now Moshe was a hundred and twenty years old at his death;
his eye had not grown-dim,
his vigor had not fled.
לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא. יָכוֹל שֶׁתָּשַׁשׁ כֹּחוֹ, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר "לֹא כָהֲתָה עֵינוֹ וְלא נָס לֵחֹה", אֶלָּא מַהוּ לא אוכל? אֵינִי רַשַּׁאי, שֶׁנִּטְּלָה מִמֶּנִּי הָרְשׁוּת וְנִתְּנָה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ. דָּ"אַ — לצאת ולבוא. בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּסְתְּמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מָסוֹרוֹת וּמַעְיְנוֹת הַחָכְמָה (סוטה י"ג):
לא אוכל עוד לצאת ולבוא I CAN NO LONGER GO OUT AND COME IN — One might think that this was because his physical strength failed him! Scripture, however, states (Deuteronomy 34:7) “His eye was not dim nor his natural force abated!”
What then is the meaning of לא אוכל? It means: “I am not permitted” (cf. Rashi on Deuteronomy 12:17 and Deuteronomy 24:4), because the power (leadership) is being taken from me and given to Joshua. —
Another explanation of לצאת ולבוא is: I can no more take the lead in the matter of the Law; this teaches us that the traditions and the well-springs of wisdom were stopped up for him (cf. Sotah 13b).
וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם, ...
וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ (סוטה יג) מְלַמֵּד שֶׁנִּסְתַּתְּמוּ מִמֶּנּוּ מַעְיְנוֹת חָכְמָה, וְהָיָה זֶה בְּמַעֲשֶׂה נֵס שֶׁלֹּא יִדְאַג לָתֵת גְּדֻלָּה לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בְּפָנָיו:
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM: ‘I AM A HUNDRED AND TWENTY YEARS OLD THIS DAY.’ ... And our Rabbis have said: “This teaches us that the well-springs of wisdom were stopped for him.” This was a miraculous event in order that Moses should not be troubled [about the transfer of leadership to Joshua] and [G-d] bestowing honor upon Joshua in his [Moses’] presence.
״וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם בֶּן מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה אָנֹכִי הַיּוֹם״, שֶׁאֵין תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר ״הַיּוֹם״: הַיּוֹם מָלְאוּ יָמַי וּשְׁנוֹתַי. לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁלִים שְׁנוֹתֵיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים מִיּוֹם לְיוֹם וּמֵחֹדֶשׁ לְחֹדֶשׁ, דִּכְתִיב: ״אֶת מִסְפַּר יָמֶיךָ אֲמַלֵּא״.
The verse relates what Moses said to the Jewish people at the end of his life: “And he said to them: I am a hundred and twenty years old this day; I can no longer go out and come in; and the Lord has said to me: You shall not go over this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 31:2). The wording is problematic, as there is no need for the verse to state the term “this day.” Moses said it in order to indicate: On this day, my days and years have been completed to be precisely one hundred and twenty, in order to teach you that the Holy One, Blessed be He, completes the years of the righteous from day to day and from month to month, as it is written: “The number of your days I will fill” (Exodus 23:26), indicating that the righteous will live out their years fully.
(לב) מִפְּנֵ֤י שֵׂיבָה֙ תָּק֔וּם וְהָדַרְתָּ֖ פְּנֵ֣י זָקֵ֑ן וְיָרֵ֥אתָ מֵּאֱלֹקֶ֖יךָ אֲנִ֥י ה׳׃ {ס}
(32) You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God: I am ה׳.
מפני שיבה תקום. יָכוֹל זָקֵן אַשְׁמַאי, תַּ"ל זָקֵן, אֵין זָקֵן אֶלָּא שֶׁקָּנָה חָכְמָה (קידושין ל"ב):
מפני שיבה תקום THOU SHALT RISE UP BEFORE A HOARY HEAD — One might think this reverence is also due to an ignorant old man! Scripture however says זקן — "thou shalt honour the face of the ״זקן — and זקן denotes only one who has acquired wisdom (Sifra, Kedoshim, Chapter 7 12;Kiddushin 32b).
וטעם להזכיר מפני שיבה תקום. בעבור המת כי הזקן קרוב למיתה כי גופו כמת נחשב והנה טעמו כל זקן וכל איש שיבה:
[THOU SHALT RISE UP BEFORE THE HOARY HEAD.] Scripture mentions the hoary head because it earlier mentioned the dead and the aged are close to death, for the bodies of the old are considered dead. Note, our verse refers to all the old and to every hoary head. Contrary to the opinion that our verse refers only to an old man who has acquired wisdom. See Kiddushin 32b. Also see Rashi.
לכבד החכמים, שנאמר: "מפני שיבה תקום" (ויקרא יט, לב).
To honor the Sages, as [Leviticus 19:32] states: "Rise before an elder."
(ט) אַֽל־תַּ֭שְׁלִיכֵנִי לְעֵ֣ת זִקְנָ֑ה כִּכְל֥וֹת כֹּ֝חִ֗י אַֽל־תַּעַזְבֵֽנִי׃
(9) Do not cast me off in old age; when my strength fails, do not forsake me!
(צד)שְׁמַע קוֹלֵֽנוּ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ חוּס וְרַחֵם עָלֵֽינוּ וְקַבֵּל בְּרַחֲמִים וּבְרָצוֹן אֶת תְּפִלָּתֵֽנוּ: הֲשִׁיבֵֽנוּ ה׳ אֵלֶֽיךָ וְנָשֽׁוּבָה
(צה) חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵֽינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם: אֲמָרֵֽינוּ הַאֲזִֽינָה ה׳ בִּֽינָה הֲגִיגֵֽנוּ: יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִֽינוּ וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבֵּֽנוּ לְפָנֶֽיךָ ה׳ צוּרֵֽנוּ וְגוֹאֲלֵֽנוּ: אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵֽנוּ מִלְּפָנֶֽיךָ וְרֽוּחַ קָדְשְׁךָ אַל תִּקַּח מִמֶּֽנּוּ: אַל תַּשְׁלִיכֵֽנוּ לְעֵת זִקְנָה כִּכְלוֹת כֹּחֵֽנוּ אַל תַּעַזְבֵֽנוּ: אַל תַּעַזְבֵֽנוּ ה׳ אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ אַל תִּרְחַק מִמֶּֽנּוּ: עֲשֵׂה עִמָּֽנוּ אוֹת לְטוֹבָה וְיִרְאוּ שׂוֹנְאֵֽינוּ וְיֵבֽשׁוּ כִּי אַתָּה ה׳ עֲזַרְתָּֽנוּ וְנִחַמְתָּֽנוּ: כִּי לְךָ ה׳ הוֹחָֽלְנוּ אַתָּה תַעֲנֶה אדושם אֱלֹקֵֽינוּ:
(94)Hear our voice, Adonoy, our God; spare us and have compassion on us, and accept our prayers mercifully and willingly. Lead us back to You, Adonoy and we shall find the way back;
(95) renew our days as of old. Give ear to our words, Adonoy! Consider our meditations. May the words of our mouths be acceptable — and the thoughts of our hearts—before You, Adonoy, our Rock, and our Redeemer. Cast us not away from Your Presence, and Your holy spirit take not from us. Do not cast us off in time of old age, when our strength fails, do not forsake us. Forsake us not, Adonoy, our God, be not far removed from us. Give us a sign of Your goodness that our enemies may see it and be ashamed; for You, Adonoy, have helped us and comforted us. For You, Adonoy, do we wait, You will answer us, our Master, our God.
Why are the elderly are typically not included in the list of at-risk community members?
In his book Justice Nicholas Wolterstorff coins a great phrase to highlight the concerns in the Old Testament to care and seek justice for the weak and vulnerable. Wolterstorff calls these vulnerable groups "the quartet of the vulnerable": the poor, the foreigner residing within your borders, the orphan and the widow see.
The quartet is mentioned, in bits and pieces, all through the Old Testament. One passage where the whole quartet appears:
(ט) כֹּ֥ה אָמַ֛ר ה׳ צְבָא֖וֹת לֵאמֹ֑ר מִשְׁפַּ֤ט אֱמֶת֙ שְׁפֹ֔טוּ וְחֶ֣סֶד וְרַֽחֲמִ֔ים עֲשׂ֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ אֶת־אָחִֽיו׃ (י) וְאַלְמָנָ֧ה וְיָת֛וֹם גֵּ֥ר וְעָנִ֖י אַֽל־תַּעֲשֹׁ֑קוּ וְרָעַת֙ אִ֣ישׁ אָחִ֔יו אַֽל־תַּחְשְׁב֖וּ בִּלְבַבְכֶֽם׃
(9) Thus said GOD of Hosts: Execute true justice; deal loyally and compassionately with one another. (10) Do not defraud the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and the poor; and do not plot evil against one another.—
Rabbi Sacks from Yom Kippur Machzor:
Do not cast us away in our old age. One of the most poignant lines of all. Every civilization has valued the vigorous, the strong, those who can fight battles, win wars, farm fields and work. Judaism, however, believes that the test of a civilization is how it treats the very young and the very old. "Who do you wish to take with you?" asked Pharaoh of Moses when he asked to be allowed to leave Egypt. "We will go with our young and our old Moses replied (Ex. 10:9). It was an answer Pharaoh could not understand.
The paradox of history is that a civilization is tested not by its strength but how it values the weak; nor by its wealth but how it treats the poor. A nation becomes invulnerable when it cares for the vulnerable: the orphan, the widow, the stranger, and the old. "Stand before a hoary head and honor the presence of the old," says the Torah (Lev. 19:32). For the old have wisdom; they have experience; they are our living connection with the past. And they are human; they remain the image and likeness of God; they deserve dignity and we, like God, must grant it to them. "The [whole] tablets and the broken tablets lay in the Ark," said the sages, referring to the Ark of the Covenant that traveled with the Israelites in the wilderness as well as in the Holy Land. The "broken tablets, they said, refer to the elderly who have forgotten what once they knew (Berakhot 8b). They too were given a place of honor.
(יב) בִּישִׁישִׁ֥ים חׇכְמָ֑ה וְאֹ֖רֶךְ יָמִ֣ים תְּבוּנָֽה׃
(12) Is wisdom in the aged And understanding in the long-lived?
† יָשִׁישׁadj. aged, only Jb (NH once יָשִׁישִׁיםold, venerable men, Levy Jastr);—abs. יָשִׁישׁJb 15:10; pl. יְשִׁישִׁים32:6 + 2 times;—aged, as pred. adj. Jb 32:6 (opp. צָעִיר לְיָמִים); as subst. 15:10 (‖ שָׂב); 29:8 (opp. נערים); בִּישִׁישִׁים חָכְמָה12:12among aged men is wisdom (‖ אֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָה).
kash and kashish
Categories: Parashat Shelach, Parashat Shemot
A reader asked if there was a connection between the verb קשש - "to gather", and kashish קשיש - "elderly." I didn't think it was likely, but according to Klein's etymologies, they are related.
Klein writes that the root קשש means "to gather, assemble (especially straw or stubble.)" We find this root in the story of the מקושש עצים mekoshesh etzim - "the stick gatherer" (Bamidbar 15:32-36), as well as the description of the Israelite slaves "gathering stubble [kash] for straw [teven]" לְקֹשֵׁשׁ קַשׁ לַתֶּבֶן (Shemot 5:12).
Klein provides this etymology:
Related to Syriac קַשׁ, Arab. qashsha (= he collected, gathered). The original meaning probably was ‘to become dry’. Compare. Arab. qashsha in the sense ‘became dry, dried up, shriveled up, withered’.
He writes that this is the root of kash קש - "straw." In modern Hebrew, as in English, kash refers to both straw as "dried stalks of grain" and "a thin, hollow tube for drinking." The latter (the drinking straw), however, is often called a kashit קשית.
Klein then goes on to say that the root קשש can also mean "to grow old", and comes from the earlier sense "to become dry, wither, fade." This gives us the word kashish - "old, elderly."
Ben-Yehuda, however, says that perhaps kashish comes from the root קשה kasheh - "hard." So instead of an elderly person being like someone who has withered and faded, this kashish has been hardened, and strengthened, by the challenges of life. This is also the approach of Jastrow, who brings support from Shabbat 53a, where it says that animals can go out into the public domain on Shabbat with "splints" keshishin. These splints were meant to straighten the fracture, to make it stiff (kasheh).
But kashish itself doesn't actually mean "elderly" in its first appearances in Rabbinic Hebrew, just "older." So an older brother is referred to as kashish (Targum to Melachim I 2:22) even though he wasn't older.
But in today's Hebrew it doesn't have that meaning, and "older than" is usually mevugar מבוגר. And kashish is specifically someone elderly. (This is similar to the English word "senior," which first meant "older" and then "elderly.") But even though kashish means elderly today, each of us, as we get older, can decide whether that will mean "withering away" or "becoming strengthened." see
