Parshat Devarim - Rebuke and Encouragement
by Rabbi Lobel

(Deuteronomy; Chapter 1, Verse 1) These are the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel, across the Jordan, in the wilderness, in the Plain, opposite Reeds, between Parran and between Tophel, and Hatseroth and Dee-zhav.

Moses, in the last days of his life, intended to rebuke the children of Israel. The Torah, in the first verse of Deuteronomy, vaguely lists all places where Israel angered G-d.

Nachmandies (Introduction to Deuteronomy) explains that when Moses rebuked Israel for their sins, Moses also made the point that G-d, when punishing Israel, showed mercy and kindness. Israel needed to understand, at the time of rebuke that, no matter the sin, G-d will always show mercy and kindness.

Nachmandies’ comment seems perplexing since it would make more sense to rebuke a person without lessening the punishment. When Moses reminds Israel of G-d's mercy, he is also telling Israel that even when they sin there is less to worry because G-d will show kindness and mercy. If Moses would have just rebuked Israel, without mentioning G-d's mercy, the rebuke would have been more effective; Israel would have taken the punishments at face value and become more fearful of G-d.

However, the Children of Israel would have rejected Moses’ rebuke if there had not been words of encouragement; without words of comfort, the rebuke would have been too harsh to bear. Through mercy and kindness, Moses gave the Jews the strength they needed to take his rebuke to heart.