In (Deuteronomy 30:12-14), we find the verse, "It is not in the heavens… It is not beyond the sea… Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it." This passage, explored in Devarim Rabbah, isn't just about following commandments. It's about the accessibility of wisdom, of connection, of mitzvot (good deeds and commandments).
The verse seems simple, but the Rabbis unpack it with layers of meaning. One interpretation addresses the fear that, after Moses, another leader might bring a new, improved Torah from heaven. Moses reassures them: "It is not in the heavens," meaning that the Torah is complete. Nothing remained in Heaven (Devarim Rabbah 8).
And it's not just about the text itself. Rabbi Ḥanina suggests that the Torah, and everything needed to fulfill it – humility, righteousness, uprightness, and the reward for doing so – were all given together (Devarim Rabbah 8). The tools are there, waiting for us to use them.
But what about those who seek guidance elsewhere? Shmuel offers another perspective, saying that the Torah "cannot be found among the astrologers, whose craft is in the heavens" (Devarim Rabbah 8). Now, Shmuel himself was known to dabble in astrology! When challenged on this, he explained that he only consulted the stars when he wasn't engaged in Torah study – like when he was in the bathhouse (Devarim Rabbah 8). (A subtle reminder that Torah study isn't exactly bathhouse-appropriate!). The point is clear: true wisdom isn't found in external sources, but within the Torah itself.
So, if it's not in the heavens, and not across the sea, where is it? Moses tells the people that it is near, "in your mouth and in your heart to perform it." (Deuteronomy 30:14). But what does that really mean?
The Rabbis in Devarim Rabbah use the example of an idler to illustrate this point. It’s a bit of a comedic, yet poignant, character study.
The Rabbis contrast Moses' teaching with the excuses of a lazy person, drawing on examples from the Book of Proverbs (Devarim Rabbah 8). When told to learn from a teacher in the city, the idler claims to fear a lion on the way. When the teacher is closer, in the neighborhood, the idler still fears a lion outside. Even when the teacher lives next door, the idler finds excuses: the door might be locked, or even if it's open, he would rather sleep.
This culminates with the image of the idler too lazy to even bring food to his own mouth! As (Proverbs 26:15) puts it: “The idler buries his hand in the dish; he is too weary to return it to his mouth." Finally, Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai equates the idler to someone who neglects Torah study in their youth and then seeks it in old age, finding nothing (Devarim Rabbah 8).
Moses' words are "greater than all of them," because he emphasizes that the matter is near: "in your mouth and in your heart to perform it" – just take the matter out of your mouth (Devarim Rabbah 8). It's a powerful reminder that the ability to connect with something greater, to live a more meaningful life, isn't some grand, unattainable quest. It's right here, within us. The potential for action, for growth, for understanding, is accessible now.
So, what does this mean for us today? Maybe it's a call to stop searching for answers in the stars, or waiting for a divine messenger, or making excuses. Maybe it's an invitation to look inward, to recognize the potential within ourselves, and to simply…begin. The mitzvah, the wisdom, the path forward, is closer than we think. It's in our mouths, in our hearts, waiting to be acted upon.
“It is not in the heavens, to say: Who will ascend for us to the heavens, and take it for us, and communicate it to us, that we will perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:12). Another matter, “for [this] mitzva…it is not in the heavens” – Moses said to them: ‘So you will not say: Another Moses will stand and bring us another Torah from Heaven, I am already informing you: “It is not in the heavens,” as nothing of it remained in Heaven.’ Another matter, Rabbi Ḥanina said: It and all the tools of its craft were given; its humility, its righteousness, its uprightness, and the giving of its reward. Another matter, what is “it is not in the heavens”? Shmuel said: The Torah cannot be found among the astrologers, whose craft is in the heavens. They said to Shmuel: ‘But you are an astrologer and a Torah giant.’ He said to them: ‘I would look into astrology only when I was unoccupied in Torah. When? It is when I would enter the bathhouse.’11One is not allowed to study Torah in the bathhouse. “And it is not across the sea, to say: Who will cross for us to the other side of the sea and take it for us, and communicate it to us that we will perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:13). “Rather the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to perform it” (Deuteronomy 30:14). Another matter, “it is not in the heavens” – they said: ‘Our master, Moses, you are saying: “It is not in the heavens” and “it is not across the sea.” Where is it?’ He said to them: ‘It is is a place that is near: “in your mouth and in your heart to perform it.” It is not distant from you, it is near to you.’ Another matter, “in your mouth and in your heart to perform it” – the Rabbis said: Solomon said seven matters regarding the idler, but what Moses said was greater than all of them. How so? They said to the idler: ‘Your teacher is in the city, go and learn Torah from him.’ He answers them and says to them: ‘I am afraid of the lion on the way.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The idler says: There is a lion on the way” (Proverbs 26:13). They said to him: ‘Your teacher is in the neighborhood, get up and go to him.’ He says to them: ‘I am afraid that there might be a lion outside,’ as it is stated: “A lion in the streets” (Proverbs 26:13). They said to him: ‘He is residing next to your house.’ He said to them: ‘But the lion is outside,’ as it is stated: “The idler says: There is a lion in the street” (Proverbs 22:13). They said to him: ‘Inside the house.’ He said to them: ‘But if I go and find the door [of his room] locked, I will need to come back.’ They said to him: ‘It is open.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The door turns on its hinges, and the idler is on his bed” (Proverbs 26:14). Ultimately, he did not know what to answer. He said to them: ‘Whether the door is open or locked, I wish to sleep a bit longer.’ From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “How long will you lie down, idler? [When will you arise from your sleep?]” (Proverbs 6:9). He awakened from his sleep in the morning, they placed before him to eat. He was too lazy to put it in his mouth. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “The idler inserts his hand into the dish; he is too weary to return it to his mouth” (Proverbs 26:15). Which is the seventh? “From the winter, the idler will not plow; he will ask at harvest, and there is nothing” (Proverbs 20:4). What is, “from the winter, the idler will not plow”? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: This is one who does not study Torah in his youth and seeks to study in his old age, but is unable to do so. That is, “he will ask at harvest, and there is nothing.” But what Moses said was greater than all of them. From where is it derived? “Rather, the matter is very near to you, in your mouth and in your heart to perform it” – take the matter out of your mouth.
