V’zos HaBracha
Why Don't we Wait for Shabbos to Read Parashas V’zos HaBracha?
Together with the celebration of Shemini Atzeres and Simchas Torah, we read the parashah of V’zos HaBracha. I have always found it interesting that we do not read this parashah on Shabbos, rather it is read during the week on the Chag. Why is this so?
Rav Mordechai Yosef of Izhbitz in Mei HaShiloach teaches us that at the time that Yaakov Avinu went down to Mitzrayim, he had already achieved his Shleimus. Meaning, his mission in this world was complete and the 17 years he spent in Mitzrayim were like Olam Haba for him. It was during this time of Shleimus that Yaakov gave the berachos to his children. Similarly, Moshe Rabbeinu reached a point of Shleimus on the last day of his life at 120 years old. With this Shleimus in hand, Moshe gave a berachah to the Bnei Yisrael.
We have just been through a vigorous teshuvah process: Elul, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkos and culminating today with Hoshanah Rabbah. We have now achieved a certain level of Shleimus. However, we are not on the level of Yaakov Avinu who lived with that Shleimus for 17 years, nor are we on the level of Moshe Rabbeinu, who was called Ish Elokim by Hashem. Therefore, we do not wait until Shabbos to read V’Zos HaBracha. We read V’zos HaBracha immediately after Hoshanah Rabbah. Now we can be recipients of this berachah from a place of wholesomeness and holiness and let it immerse into our lives, even before Shabbos.
Chag Sameach