![]() Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, Leah bat Shifra and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. According to the first Midrash Rabbah passage on our parasha, Hashem gave all the nations of the world the same opportunities and potential for leadership. This is based upon the notion that G-d’s actions are perfect and His path is just. As such, Hashem provided for the possibility of perfect balance and equality in the world: “The deeds of the [Mighty] Rock are perfect, for all His ways are just; a faithful G-d, without injustice He is righteous and upright.” (Sefer Devarim 32:4) [This may be interpreted as meaning] Hashem did not leave an opening in the World to Come (l’atid lavo) for the idol worshipping nations of the world to bring charges that He had denied them parity with the Jewish people. What did the Holy One blessed be He do to ensure this equality? Just as he provided the Jewish people with kings, wise men and prophets, so, too, did He do so for the idol worshipping nations of the world. (Midrash Rabbah 20:1, this and all translations, brackets and underlining my own, all Torah translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The Midrash continues and notes that just as Hashem gave King Solomon to the Jewish people, he gave Nebuchadnezzar to the nations of the world; the former created the first Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple), whereas the latter destroyed it. Moreover, G-d gave the wise King David great wealth which he used to purchase a House for Him, whereas, when Haman was given a similar fortune, he used it in an attempt to exterminate our nation. Most germane to our parasha, the Creator of the Universe gave Moshe to klal Yisrael (the Jewish people), and Bilam to the idol worshipping nations of the world. Therefore, the Midrash teaches us, “All of the greatness bestowed upon the Jewish people was given in kind to the nations of the world.” At this juncture, the Midrash compares and contrasts the Jewish prophets to their non-Jewish counterparts with regards to their actions and behaviors: See the differences between the prophets of the Jewish people and the prophets of the idol worshippers: The prophets of Israel warned the Jewish people to refrain from engaging in Torah prohibitions. As it is stated, “Now you, son of man, I have made you a lookout for the house of Israel, and you will hear a word from My mouth, and you shall warn them from Me.” (Sefer Yechezkel 33:7) Yet, the [ultimate] prophet who arose from the non-Jews incited promiscuous behaviors [amongst the Jewish people] so that [G-d’s] creations would be destroyed from the world. Moreover, all of the [Jewish] prophets acted with the quality of mercy regarding both the Jewish and the idol-worshipping nations. As a result, Yermiyahu said, “Therefore, my heart shall stir for Moab like flutes, and my heart shall stir for the men of Kir-heres like flutes; because they dealt haughtily.” (Sefer Yermiyahu 48:36) And so, too, did Yechezkel say: “Now you, son of man, lift up a lament about Tyre.” (Sefer Yechezkel 27:2) [Yet,] this hard-hearted individual [Bilam] arose and attempted to destroy an entire nation without cause and without reason. The final chapter of our parasha depicts the licentious acts committed by many of the men of the Generation of the Desert with the daughters of Moab. It is crucial to note that this did not “just happen.” Instead, Chazal (our Sages may their memory be blessed) teach us that these behaviors, and their accompanying idol worship, were meticulously planned and orchestrated by Bilam the sorcerer, to be implemented by Balak the king of Moab: He [Bilam] said to him [Balak, the king of Moab]: “The G-d of these [the Jews] hates profligate and hedonistic behavior. In addition, they have a great desire for linen garments. Come and I will give you advice [as to how to defeat them]. Raise up tents for them enclosed by hangings in which you will place prostitutes, old women without and young women within, to sell them linen garments.” So he [Balak] pitched curtained tents from the snowy mountain [Hermon] as far as Beth ha-Yeshimot [i.e., right from north to south], and placed prostitutes in them — old women without, young women within. And when a Jewish [male] ate, drank, and was joyful, and went for a stroll in the market place, the old woman would say to him, “Do you not desire linen garments?” The old woman offered it at its current value, but the young one for less. This happened two or three times. After that she [the young one] would say to him, “You are now like one of the family, sit down and choose what you like. Gourds of Ammonite wine lay near her, and at that time non-Jewish wine was not yet prohibited. She would then say, “Would you like to drink a cup of wine?” Once he would drink the wine, [and became inebriated – Rashi] his passion would be ignited and he would declare to her, “Listen to me [regarding my request for carnal relations – Rashi]! At that moment, she took out an idol from beneath her clothing and said to him, “Worship this!” “But I am a Jew!” he protested. “Why should this [act] mean anything to you?”’ she rejoined, “The only thing you have to do is defecate before it!” The Jew, however, had no idea that this was its peculiar form of worship [and, therefore, fulfilled her request in order for her to submit to him.] (Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 106a, translation, The Soncino Talmud, with my extensive emendations and brackets.) Our Sages teach us: “There never arose in Israel a prophet like Moshe, but among the nations of the world there did arise; and who is that? Bilam son of Beor” (Midrash Tanaim, Devarim: 34). Bilam’s story, therefore, emerges as one of the greatest examples in history of purposely-squandered potential: Instead of using his prodigious prophetic talents to serve G-d and mankind, Bilam directed his efforts toward the eradication of our people and destruction of all that was good and holy. In short, in his prophecy-for-profit campaign, nothing was more valuable than self-aggrandizement. We have been truly blessed with prophets of truth. May Hashem continue His beneficence by bringing Mashiach Tzidkanu (our Righteous Messiah) to lead our nation and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash, so that His Divine Presence will be manifest amongst us once again. May this take place soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
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Rabbi David Etengoff
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, Leah bat Shifra and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Protagoras, the fifth century Greek philosopher, boldly proclaimed: “Man is the measure of all things.” This idea has been championed by many of the Renaissance, Age of Reason, and Enlightenment writers and thinkers and their followers until our present moment. In their view, man’s intellect and inherent abilities are limitless, and nothing can defy his relentless march toward greater progress and unbounded success. In stark contrast, Judaism repudiates this notion in unequivocal terms and declares, “G-d, not man, is the measure of all things and man is but his servant.” The mitzvah of the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer) is found at the beginning of our parasha. It is the greatest example of man’s inability to truly grasp the inherent rationale of Hashem’s commandments. The purpose of this precept is to purify an individual who has become tamei (ritually impure) due to contact with a corpse. Yet, it is intrinsically paradoxical and mystifying, since during the process of its fulfillment, it ritually purifies the impure, while simultaneously rendering impure the ritually pure. Sefer Melachim I: 3:5-12 teaches us that Shlomo Hamelech (King Solomon) was the wisest man who ever lived. He received the greatest da’at (native intelligence) from Hashem. Moreover, with G-d’s help and love, he acquired the most profound binah (insight into the interrelationship of things) that any man could ever achieve. Yet, even though King Solomon was blessed with the most prodigious intellect in history, he was nonetheless stymied by the Red Heifer’s seemingly irreconcilable contradictions. Little wonder, then, that he plaintively and poignantly declared: “All this I tested with wisdom; I said, ‘I will become wise,’ but it was far from me.” (Sefer Kohelet 7:23, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) According to a variety of Midrashim, the word “it” in our verse specifically refers to the mysterious and mystical Parah Adumah, whose meaning proved continuously elusive to the greatest mind in history. Rabbi Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik zatzal (1820-1892) is known to posterity as the “Beit Halevi” after the name of his ground–breaking work of Torah analysis. In his commentary on Sefer Shemot 31, he presents an original and incisive exposition of the Parah Adumah. He notes that the phrase “This is the statute of the Torah (zot chukat haTorah) that the L-rd commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for you a perfectly red unblemished cow...’” is very unusual, since the commandment of the Red Heifer is singled out as being the “statute of the Torah.” The Beit Halevi therefore asks: “At face value, the Parah Adumah is simply one of the [613] Mitzvot of the Torah. Why, therefore, is it given the unusual label of the “statute of the Torah?” His answer expresses some of his fundamental beliefs regarding the our relationship to the Commandments: … for it is precisely from the Parah Adumah that it is revealed to man that he, in reality, does not know anything regarding [the true meaning inherent] in any mitzvah of the Torah, since, [based upon this verse,] the entire Torah is a statute (chukah) [that defies our understanding]. And the explanation of this concept is the following, behold all of the Commandments are inextricably attached to, and interwoven with, one another. Moreover, each one depends upon the other – just as we find in reference to lowly man who has 248 limbs and 365 sinews – all of whom are attached one to another, and all of whom depend upon one another. This is the case, as well, regarding the Mitzvot wherein the 248 Positive Commandments and the 365 Negative Commandments are attached to one another and form one unit. [As a result,] it is impossible to comprehend even one of the Mitzvot without understanding all of them. Therefore, when we encounter the Parah Adumah and we do not understand its underlying principle – it is clear that we really know nothing at all [regarding the mitzvot]. Given the aforementioned, the Red Heifer emerges as a protection against man’s natural hubris and potential intellectual arrogance: …the Parah Adumah is, therefore, a fence and a protective measure for man who utilizes his intellect (hamitbonane b’sichlo) to examine the reasons inherent in the Commandments; to prevent him from erring in their regard if he were to follow his [mere] intellect and thereby burst forth [against the mitzvot] and declare: “I am the one who sees to know their rationale!” In this manner, one would be able to err and add or subtract [from them]. In the Beit Halevi’s view, there is only one way to demonstrate loyalty to, and acceptance of, the Commandments: One must perform all of the mitzvot, with all of their specific details, according to what we have received from our Rabbis according to the overarching rules of the Torah and the established Halacha without any deviation whatsoever from the words of the Shulchan Aruch. This is the case since he himself recognizes that he does not comprehend the depth of these matters… (All translations and emphasis my own) In sum, the Parah Adumah may be viewed as the mitzvah par excellence that teaches us a great deal about all other mitzvot. It reminds us, perhaps more than any other commandment, that G-d is the measure of all things. With the Almighty’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to serve Him with humility, integrity, and heartfelt devotion as we strive to fulfill His majestic and, on occasion, mysterious mitzvot. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. ![]() Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, Leah bat Shifra and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Our parasha, as well as Parashat Pinchas, contain an appellation of Hashem that is found only two times in Tanach: They [Moshe and Aharon] fell on their faces and said, “O G-d, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, if one man sins, shall You be angry with the whole congregation?” (Sefer Bamidbar 16:22) “Let the L-rd, the G-d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Sefer Bamidbar 27:16, these, and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)) The Hebrew original for “the G-d of the spirits of all flesh” is “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar.” Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Korach, 7, explains this phrase as “He who knows the innermost thoughts of man” (“yodayah machshavot”): …But You know the thoughts of man; You know who has committed a sin and who has not committed a sin. You know who has rebelled and who has not rebelled. You know the spirit [i.e. nature] of each and every one of them. Therefore the Torah utilizes the expression: “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar” (“the G-d of the spirits of all flesh,” translation my own). It is fascinating to note that each time the expression “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar ” is employed, it is preceded by two different names of G-d, namely, “A-le,” in our parasha and “Hashem” in Parashat Pinchas. What is the reason for this difference? In our parasha, Moshe was pleading with G-d to save the Jewish people and recognize that, while Korach and his henchmen rebelled against Him, the rest of the nation was not culpable and should be preserved. Since G-d was ready to act with middat hadin (the attribute of strict and swift justice) and eradicate our people, Moshe quite properly addressed him with the name “A-le,” a name that references G-d’s unlimited power and ability. In stark contrast, the verse from Parashat Pinchas portrays Moshe pleading with G-d to provide the people with an appropriate leader to replace him upon his imminent demise. This would be an act of consummate kindness for klal Yisrael (the Jewish nation). Hence, Moshe used the name “Hashem,” since it connotes middat harachamim (the attribute of Divine mercy). I believe that Rashi’s definition of “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar,” i.e. “He who knows the innermost thoughts of man,” is alluded to in Talmud Bavli, Kiddushin 40a in its examination of a verse from Sefer Malachi: “Then the G-d-fearing men spoke to one another, and the L-rd hearkened and heard it. And a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who feared the L-rd and for those who valued His name highly.” (3:16) The Talmud cites this verse and states that from here we may learn the principle that “a positive thought is combined with action” (“machshavah tovah mitzarvah l’ma’aseh). It then asks, what is the content of Malachi’s expression, “for those who valued His name highly?” Rav Assi responds in this manner: “Even if a person thinks about performing a mitzvah, and is prevented from doing so based upon factors beyond his control (v’ne’enas), the Torah accounts [his thoughts] as if he has actually performed the commandment.” (Translation, explication and brackets my own) Rav Assi’s concept is quite powerful and far-reaching in scope. Given that G-d is “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar,” in the sense that Rashi explains, we are fortunate that as long as we have the authentic desire and intention to fulfill a mitzvah, even if the exigencies of the situation do not allow us to do so, the Master of the Universe accounts such positive thoughts to our credit and thereby judges us favorably. Clearly, this is a prime example of G-d’s chane, v’chesed v’rachamim (favor, kindness and mercy). With Hashem’s help, may we ever desire to serve Elokei haruchot l’kol basar through the performance of His mitzvot. Yet, as Rav Assi teaches us, even when our passionate yearnings to fulfill His commandments are thwarted, we can be comforted in knowing that we will nevertheless receive our Creator’s ultimate favor, kindness and mercy. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, Leah bat Shifra and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Our parasha begins with the following three pasukim (verses): The L-rd spoke to Moses saying: “Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel. You shall send one man each for his father’s tribe; each one shall be a chieftain in their midst.” So Moses sent them from the desert of Paran by the word of the L-rd. All of them were men of distinction; they were the heads of the children of Israel. (Sefer Bamidbar 13:1-3, these and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In some ways, these verses are rather mystifying, since we are at a loss as to why Hashem gave Moses this command. After all, the final verse of the previous parasha does not provide us with a context for our pasukim, except in regards to the physical location of the Jewish people at this moment in time: “Then the people departed from Hazeroth, and they camped in the desert of Paran.” (Sefer Bamidbar, 12:16) While we usually learn the “story behind the story” through various Midrashim, in this case, Sefer Devarim fills in the gap in our narrative: And I [Moses] said to you, “You have come to the mountain of the Amorites, which the L-rd, our G-d, is giving us. Behold, the L-rd, your G-d, has set the land before you; go up and possess it, as the L-rd, G-d of your fathers has spoken to you; you shall neither fear nor be dismayed.” And all of you [i.e. the Jewish people] approached me and said, “Let us send men ahead of us so that they will search out the land for us and bring us back word by which route we shall go up, and to which cities we shall come.” And the matter pleased me; so I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe. (1:20-23, brackets my own) In order to more deeply understand how the passages from Sefer Bamidbar and Sefer Devarim dove-tail, we need to imagine how they could be combined: “And the matter pleased me; [and I – Moses - brought it before Hashem who acceded to my request and said to me,] ‘Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel. You shall send one man each for his father’s tribe; each one shall be a chieftain in their midst.’ So I took twelve men from you, one man for each tribe.” At this juncture, we have a much better idea as to what likely took place in the interchange between Hashem and Moses prior to the sending forth of the scouts. There remains one crucial issue: Why did the people and Moses need a reconnaissance mission to search out the land? This question is particularly apropos, since, on numerous occasions, the Almighty had declared the Land of Israel to be “a land flowing with milk and honey” – i.e. perfect in every way. (Sefer Shemot 3:8, 17, 13: 5, 32:3, etc.) This notion lends strong support to Rashi’s (1040-1105) famous explanation of the first words in Sefer Bamidbar 13:2: Send for yourself: “According to your own understanding. I am not commanding you, but if you wish, you may send.” Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Eidels zatzal (1555-1631), known by his Hebrew acronym as the “Maharsha,” builds upon Rashi’s interpretation by noting that Moses’ desire to listen to the Jewish people and send out scouts was actually in opposition to Hashem’s position: This was not the view of the Holy One who had already testified that the Land was good; therefore, the people should have believed Him in this matter. The following statement concerning a [discerning] person metaphorically represents this idea: “Would a person purposely choose a bad portion for himself? [Certainly not!] – All the more so did the Creator [refrain from choosing a poor piece of land] when He selected the Land of Israel [as His special dwelling place and as the land for His chosen people]! … (Chidushei Aggadot, Masechet Sotah 34b, this, and the following translations, brackets and bolding my own) Next, the Maharsha notes an additional problem that had been previously addressed by the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270): “Since it was also Moses’ desire [and not just the request of the people] to send forth the scouts, in what way did the people sin more than he?” After all, Moses had said: “And the matter [to send forth scouts] pleased me.” (Sefer Bamidbar 1:23, brackets my own) The Maharsha summarizes the most salient points of the Ramban’s highly complex response to our question in the following fashion: Even in the wars that were fought with the guarantee of Hashem’s salvation, the Jewish people relied upon normative strategies. As the text states, “A steed is prepared for a day of battle, but the victory is the L-rd’s.” (Sefer Mishle 21:31) The Holy One agreed to such actions as scouting out the terrain, even though He had assured the Jewish people of undeniable victory. This was the case, for example, when Joshua sent forth two tzadikim (righteous individuals) who would never malign the integrity of the Land, namely, Caleb and Phineas, prior to conquering Eretz Yisrael. Moreover, the only reason they were sent was to ascertain the most advantageous points of attack in their war of indisputable victory. [At this juncture we encounter a vital difference between the actions of Joshua and Moses.] In our parasha, Hashem agreed to Moses’ request to send forth men to explore Eretz Yisrael. Moses, however, was unaware that the number and type of men should have been limited to two individuals on the level of righteousness of Caleb and Phineas. As the Torah states, the Holy One told Moses, “Send for yourself men...” – i.e. the smallest number of “men,” being no less two, whose task was not to determine whether or not victory was possible, but rather to find the easiest pathways to the promised triumph. Unfortunately, the Jewish people had a decidedly different intention than the Holy One and Moses. The people demonstrated a fundamental lack of faith in Hashem’s promises, since they demanded empirical proof as to whether the land was “good or bad.” Moses, however, was completely unaware of the true basis for the people’s request to send forth scouts, which is why the Torah states: “And the matter [to send forth scouts] pleased me.” According to the Maharsha’s explanation of our verse, “Send out for yourself men who will scout the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel,” in conjunction with the commentaries of Rashi and the Ramban, we now have a more comprehensive picture of its context and meaning: “Send out for yourself, according to your own understanding, men who will scout the Land of Canaan, since you [Moshe] are unaware of the people’s evil intention and of My [true] understanding and knowledge in this matter…” In sum, the people’s intention from the very beginning was to send out spies, since they questioned the veracity of Hashem’s promise that they would inherit Eretz Yisrael. This revealed a singular chisaron emunah (lack of faith), as it was Hashem, and no other, who had taken them out of Egypt, fed them manna in the wilderness, split the Sea of Reeds, given them the Torah and performed countless other wonders and miracles. In stark contrast, Hashem and Moses sought to send out scouts who would lead the way to certain victory in the Promised Land. With Hashem’s help, may we grow in our emunah (faith) as we strive to emulate Caleb, Phineas, Joshua and Moses. Moreover, may we continue to merit Hashem’s guidance, and live to see the universal recognition of Zechariah’s famous phrase: “Not by military force and not by physical strength, but by My spirit, says the L-rd of Hosts.” (4:6) May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, Leah bat Shifra and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. The end of our parasha contains a very difficult narrative wherein Miriam and Aaron speak against their beloved brother, Moses: Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses regarding the Cushite woman he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman. They said, “Has the L-rd spoken only to Moses? Hasn't He spoken to us too?” And the L-rd heard… The L-rd suddenly said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Go out, all three of you, to the Tent of Meeting!” And all three went out. The L-rd descended in a pillar of cloud and stood at the entrance of the Tent. He called to Aaron and Miriam, and they both went out… With him [Moses] I speak mouth to mouth; in a vision and not in riddles, and he beholds the image of the L-rd. So why were you not afraid to speak against My servant Moses? The wrath of the L-rd flared against them and He left. The cloud departed from above the Tent, and behold, Miriam was afflicted with tzara’ath, [a spiritual malady with physical manifestations] as [white as] snow. Then Aaron turned to Miriam and behold, she was afflicted with tzara’ath. (Sefer Bamidbar 12: 1-10, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, verse selections and brackets my own) At this point in the story, Aaron turns to Moses and implores him to intercede with Hashem on behalf of their sister, Miriam. Moses immediately entreats the Almighty to heal Miriam in the following famous words: “I beseech you, G-d, please heal her.” (12:13) While the English translation is a mere seven word prayer, the original Hebrew is even shorter, “A-le nah refah nah lah.” Moses’ prayer is shockingly short and, seemingly, almost perfunctory in nature. Beyond a doubt, it is certainly not the kind of prayer we would have expected from the greatest prophet of all time when his sister’s life was hanging in the balance. How, then, are we to understand Moses’ mystifying response to Aaron’s desperate plea? Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon two parallel Midrashic passages, suggested the following answer to our question: Please heal her: “Why did Moses not pray at length? So that the Israelites should not say, ‘His sister is in distress, yet he stands and prolongs his prayer.’” At first glance, it seems that this explanation is even more problematic than our original concern. After all, what would have been wrong with Moses extending his prayer – his sister was in dire straits! Moreover, how and when did the Jewish people become the arbiters of appropriate tefilah (prayer) behavior? Moses was the greatest prophet in history; as such, he surely would have known the proper response to Aaron’s request. Why, then, was the potential reaction of the Jewish people a factor in the type and manner of his supplication to the Almighty? Rabbi Ya’akov ben Asher zatzal (1270-1340) is known by posterity as “the Tur” and as the “Ba’al HaTurim,” after the names of his works on Jewish law and Torah analysis. In the latter sefer, he noted that Moses prayed on behalf of others on at least two other occasions wherein those tefilot differed from our instance of “A-le nah refah nah lah”: The L-rd said to Moses, “Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel.” (Sefer Shemot 14:15) [If we look at the word “mah” (“why”) in our verse, we will immediately notice that it is comprised of the letters “mem” and “heh.”] Hashem, [thereby,] intimated to Moses that in the future he would, indeed, cry out to Him [in prayer with and through the letters] “mem” and “heh.” The “mem” signifies the 40 days [i.e. the numerical value of this letter] that he would pray on behalf of the Jewish people [to gain expiation for their grievous sin of the Golden Calf]. The “heh” refers to the five words [i.e. the numerical value of this letter] that he would one day utilize in prayer on behalf of his sister, Miriam: “I beseech you, G-d, please heal her.” (Sefer Bamidbar 12:13) [From here we can learn that] there is a time to shorten and a time to lengthen one’s tefilah. This time, [when the Jewish people were standing before the Sea of Reeds with the Egyptians drawing ever closer behind them,] was not a time for prayer at all! Rather, “Speak to the children of Israel and let them travel!” [This means that it was a time of action rather than petition.] (Commentary to Sefer Shemot 14:15, translation, brackets and parentheses my own) The Ba’al HaTurim is teaching us a crucial lesson regarding when to pray, and the very nature of the prayer experience. Kriyat Yam Suf (the Splitting of the Sea of Reeds) was not a time for prayer; instead, it was a time for straightforward action. As Shlomo Hamelech (King Solomon) taught us so wisely, “[there is] a time to be silent and a time to speak.” (Sefer Kohelet 3:7) Thus, as Hashem taught Moses, Kriyat Yam Suf was the moment to move forward and to jump into the sea, rather than stand and pray on its shore. In stark contrast, the 40 days following the events of the Golden Calf were preeminently days of prayer. Would the promises to the Avot and Emahot (Patriarchs and Matriarchs) be fulfilled, or would we be relegated to the dustbin of history? Would we continue to be Hashem’s truly chosen and unique nation or would we become just one more ancient anthropological footnote? Clearly, the existential future of the Jewish people hung in the balance. At this moment, perhaps more than any other, Moses’ intensives prayers and pleas were absolutely necessary to ensure the continuation of our nation. Therefore, this was the time for Moses “to lengthen his prayer.” In some ways, Miriam’s spiritual-physical crisis emerges as a middle ground regarding the nature of the prayer gesture. It was certainly not a time to be silent; yet, it was equally not the time for effusive and extensive tefilot. On one side, the Jewish people saw this moment as a time for action, similar in kind to their collective Yam Suf experience. Therefore, in their view, Moses should not have prayed at all – instead, he should have actively worked to attenuate the effects of Miriam’s tzara’ath. Alternatively, both Aaron and Moses knew that this precisely the time for the correct form of tefilah. It appears, then, that “A-le nah refah nah lah” emerges as a conceptual compromise that enabled Moses to pray in a manner that was at once fitting and proper, though short in duration. As the Vilna Gaon (Rabbeinu Eliyahu ben Shlomo Zalman, “the Gra,” 1720-1797) noted in a statement attributed to him, the Holy Zohar maintained, “that Moses had a bona fide tradition regarding tefilah – namely, if one were to use the expression ‘nah’ twice in the same prayer it will surely be accepted.” Thus, Moses knew full well that he would be answered, even though his prayer was a mere five words. Like Moses of old, may we, too, be zocheh (merit) to witness the fulfillment of the bracha (blessing) in the Shemoneh Esrai: “Hear our voice, Hashem our G-d, pity and be compassionate to us, and accept – with compassion and favor – our prayer, for You are G-d Who hears prayers and supplications …” (Translation, The Artscroll Siddur) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, Leah bat Shifra, Tzvi Hirsch ben Fayge Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. One of the best-known passages in our parasha, and the entire Torah, is that of Birkat Kohanim (the Blessing of the Kohanim): The L-rd spoke to Moses saying: Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is how you shall bless the children of Israel, saying to them: “May the L-rd bless you and watch over you. May the L-rd cause His countenance to shine to you and favor you. May the L-rd raise His countenance toward you and grant you peace.” They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless them. (Sefer Bamidbar 6:22-27, this and all Torah translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The kohanim’s recitation of this three-fold bracha is simultaneously a holy, dramatic and auspicious moment within the cycle of the tefilot hayom (prayers of the day). In nearly all cases, adults suddenly become quiet and intensely focused upon what is to transpire, while young children run to their fathers to find temporary shelter under their prayer shawls - for even they sense that something quite special is about to take place. These behaviors naturally lead us to ask, “What is the true nature of Birkat Kohanim?” My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as the “Rav” by his followers and disciples, discussed our question in one of his weekly drashot. He noted that the commandment of Birkat Kohanim entails two separate aspects: “the transmission of a direct blessing from G-d and hashra’at ha-Shechinah (the manifestation of Hashem’s presence).” Moreover, the Rav stated that Birkat Kohanim “is a direct meeting with the Shechinah that presents us with an intimate encounter in which we come [so to speak] face to face with G-d.” (These, and all following quotations of the Rav, are from Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Darosh Darash Yosef: Discourses of Rav Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik on the Weekly Parashah, Rabbi Avishai C. David, editor, pages 290-296, brackets my own.) If, as the Rav maintains, Birkat Kohanim is preeminently a time wherein we experience hashra’at ha-Shechinah, how is it possible that nearly any kohen may participate in this mitzvah? After all, it seems logic would dictate that only very holy and righteous kohanim should give this bracha. Fortunately, the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) directly addressed this issue in the Mishneh Torah: Do not wonder: “What good will come from the blessing of this simple person?” for the reception of the blessings is not dependent on the priests, but on the Holy One, blessed be He, as the Torah states: “They shall bestow My Name upon the children of Israel, so that I will bless them.” The priests perform the mitzvah with which they were commanded, and G-d, in His mercies, will bless Israel, as He desires. (Hilchot Tefilah 15:7, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger with my underlining and emendations.) Let us briefly review the salient points that are found in this passage: Almost any kohen is fitting to fulfill the mitzvah of Birkat Kohanim, since “the reception of the blessings is not dependent on the priests, but on the Holy One, blessed be He.” Moreover, and of singular import, the Rambam stresses that the kohanim bestow Hashem’s name upon the Jewish people, i.e. they serve as the viaduct through which the Almighty’s blessing flows, but it is “G-d, in His mercies, [who] will bless Israel, as He desires.” Based upon a careful reading of our passage, we find that this concept is clearly found in the verse wherein it states: “I [G-d] will bless them.” While the Rambam specifically addressed the question of “What good will come from the blessing of this simple person?” his response strongly buttresses the Rav’s assertion that Birkat Kohanim is the time of hashra’at ha-Shechinah – for it is G-d, not man, who actually gives the blessing. Therefore, Rav Soloveitchik maintained: Here the Rambam states clearly that the blessing in Birkat Kohanim comes not from the kohen but directly from G-d. This is why the kohen who recites the blessing does not require any special level of sanctity… Contrary to appearances, Birkat Kohanim is not only a relaying of the heavenly blessing, but also a direct enactment of hashra’at ha-Shechinah. Nesiat kapayim (the “raising of the hands,” as in the priestly blessing) – a face-to-face encounter between G-d and the Jewish people – leads to hashra’at ha-Shechinah. It reflects G-d’s act of extending kindness. (Underlining my own) May it be Hashem’s desire that He will ever extend kindness and mercy to the entire Jewish people, and bless and watch over us. May He cause His countenance to shine upon us and favor us. May the L-rd raise His countenance toward us and grant peace to all of His people. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. ![]() Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) established the yearly calendar in such a manner as to ensure that the public reading of our parasha almost always precedes the Festival of Shavuot. In their divinely inspired wisdom, they perceived an indissoluble conceptual link between Parashat Bamidbar and the giving of the Torah on Shavuot. Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah (1:7) represents one of the best examples of this manner of thought: And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert: Why [did Hashem speak to Moshe] in the Sinai Desert? [Based upon the inclusion of the phrase, “the Sinai Desert,”] our Sages taught that the Torah was given through three different modalities (literally, “three things”]: fire, water and [the medium of] the desert. How do you know that the Torah was given through fire? [The text states,] “And the entire Mount Sinai smoked because the L-rd had descended upon it in fire, and its smoke ascended like the smoke of the kiln, and the entire mountain quaked violently.” (Sefer Shemot 19:18) How do you know that the Torah was given through water? [The text states,] “L-rd, when You went forth out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dripped; also the clouds dripped water.” (Sefer Shoftim 5:4) And how do you know that the Torah was given through [the medium of] the desert? [The text states,] “The L-rd spoke to Moses in the Sinai Desert, in the Tent of Meeting on the first day of the second month, in the second year after the exodus from the land of Egypt, saying.” (Sefer Bamidbar 1:1) And why was the Torah given through these three things? [This comes to teach us] that just like these [three things, i.e. fire, water and desert] are free to all the people of the world, so, too, are the words of the Torah [free to one and all]. As the text states, “Ho! All who thirst, go to water, and whoever has no money, go, buy and eat, and go, buy without money and without a price, wine and milk.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 55:4, these and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press complete Tanach, Midrash translation and brackets my own) After substantiating its assertion that the Torah was given through fire, water and the desert, the Midrash suggests an alternative explanation of the phrase, “And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the Sinai Desert.” In doing so, it imparts the lesson that a person must make himself/herself “like a desert” if he/she wishes to secure Torah knowledge: “Anyone who does not make oneself like an ownerless desert will be unable to acquire wisdom and Torah. Therefore, the Torah states, ‘in the Sinai Desert.’” The value of Torah is inestimable. One of the many sources wherein Chazal gave voice to this idea is the Ahavat Olam blessing of the Evening prayer service: “For they [the words of the Torah] are our life and the length of our days, and about them we will meditate day and night…” (Translation, The Artscroll Siddur with my brackets and emendations) As such, we certainly must do everything in our power to acquire Torah knowledge on the highest possible level. Yet, what does the Midrash mean when it states that in order to gain wisdom and Torah it is necessary to “make oneself like an ownerless desert?” Let us explore the responses to our question given by one of the greatest Chasidic Masters, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk zatzal (known as “The Kotzker Rebbe,” 1787-1859). The Kotzker Rebbe begins his elucidation of our phrase, “make oneself like an ownerless desert,” by citing a complementary Midrashic passage from Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Bamidbar II: When the Holy One blessed be He came to the sea [to give the Torah,] it ran away. As the verse states: “The sea saw and fled…” (Sefer Tehillim 114:3) When He [initially] revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, it, too, fled before Him. As the text says: “The mountains danced like rams [away from Him]...” (Sefer Tehillim 114:4) When He came to the desolate desert, [however,] it received Him and praised Him. As the text states: “The desert and its cities shall raise [their voice]; Kedar shall be inhabited with villages; the rock dwellers shall exult, from the mountain peaks they shall shout.” (Sefer Yeshayahu (42:11) Then the Holy One blessed be He said: “This desert is better than all the other lands, and it is here that I shall build my lodging place for Myself.” He descended therein and everyone and everything became joyous – that the Holy One blessed be He went down thereto. As the verse says: “Desert and wasteland shall rejoice over them, and the plain shall rejoice and shall blossom like a rose.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 35:1, Midrash translation and brackets my own) At this juncture, the Kotzker Rebbe suggests that only a person who rejoices in Hashem like the desert is fitting for the Schechinah (the Divine Presence) to dwell upon him and thereby merit the light of the Torah. Following this initial analysis, the Kotzker Rebbe offers two additional interpretations of the expression, “make oneself like an ownerless desert.” The first focuses upon the manner in which a person should view his or her Torah accomplishments, and the second centers upon the middah (characteristic) of self-reliance and its application to Torah study: Like a desert: Even if one has learned a great deal, and has achieved much in their Torah studies, he must know in his soul that he has not yet attained that of which he is capable. This is just like the desert that has never encountered the hand of man. As such, it remains unworked and unplanted. Like a desert: For it is the case that a person who dwells in the desert is forced to rely upon his own strengths and abilities [in order to survive], since there is no one else to help to help him. [This is equally true for the Torah scholar, i.e., he must expend all of his efforts and exercise all of his abilities if he is to achieve true greatness in his studies. As we learn in Pirkei Avot,] “If I am not for myself, who is for me?” (Source: Itturei Torah, translation and brackets my own) In sum, the Kotzker Rebbe offers three expositions of the phrase, “like an ownerless desert,” that link our parasha to Shavuot and our acceptance of the Torah:
This Shabbat’s Torah reading and the festival of Shavuot offer us opportunities to symbolically re-enter the midbar (desert) so that we may re-experience the majesty of Kabbalat HaTorah (Receiving the Torah). As the Kotzker Rebbe so beautifully taught us, may we make ourselves “like an ownerless desert,” so that these days will be ones wherein we joyously meet and praise Hashem and redouble our efforts to learn and master His holy Torah. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. ![]() Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Our parasha presents shalom (peace) as one of the greatest rewards that we will receive when we live lives dedicated to Hashem’s holy Torah: “And I will grant peace in the Land, and you will lie down with no one to frighten [you] … and no army will pass through your land.” (Sefer Vayikra 26:6, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Significantly, this statement is preceded by these pasukim (verses): If you follow My statutes and observe My commandments and perform them, I will give your rains in their time, the Land will yield its produce, and the tree of the field will give forth its fruit. Your threshing will last until the vintage, and the vintage will last until the sowing; you will eat your food to satiety, and you will live in security in your land. (26:3-5) In a very real sense, this passage serves as a preamble to our pasuk, with its focus upon the promise of a robust physical existence in our Promised Land. As such, it emphasizes ample rain, bountiful produce, abundant fruit, vast quantities of grain, great amounts of wine and “food to satiety.” At the same time, however, the phrase, “and you will live in security in your land,” seems to be almost an afterthought. Therefore, the Torah utilizes our pasuk, “And I will grant peace in the Land, and you will lie down with no one to frighten [you] … and no army will pass through your land,” to underscore the importance of peace in our land. Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on both the Talmud and Midrash, expands upon this idea in the following fashion: And I will grant peace: You might say, “Here is food, and here is drink, but if there is no peace, there is nothing!” Scripture, therefore, states, after all this [blessing], “I will grant peace in the Land.” From here, [we learn] that peace is equal to everything else. And so, [too, this is illustrated in our morning prayers,] when we say: “[Blessed are You, O L-rd…] Who… makes peace and creates everything” [a paraphrase of the verse] (Sefer Yeshiyahu 45:7). In a word, Rashi is teaching us that all the bounty of the world is as naught without shalom, since “it is equal to everything else.” Little wonder, then, that the word, “shalom” is found over a dozen times in the Five Books of the Torah, and many hundreds of times in the words of our Sages. One of the clearest sources within Rabbinic literature that speaks of the ultimate import of shalom is found in the Rambam’s (Maimonides, 1135-1204) Mishneh Torah: If [a person has the opportunity to fulfill only one of two mitzvot,] lighting a lamp for one's home [i.e., Sabbath candles] or lighting a Chanukah lamp - or, alternatively, lighting a lamp for one’s home or reciting kiddush [over wine] - the lamp for one’s home receives priority, since it generates peace within the home (shalom bayto). Herein, given its overarching significance, shalom bayit trumps both the lighting of the Chanukah candles and the recitation of Kiddush that ideally should be said over a glass of wine. Maimonides’ straightforward halachic presentation, however, does not complete his discussion of shalom. Instead, and quite uncharacteristically, he poetically praises the singular significance of peace: [Peace is of primary importance, as reflected by the mitzvah requiring] G-d’s name to be blotted out to create peace between a husband and his wife [in the Sotah rite]. Peace is great, for the entire Torah was given to bring about peace within the world, as [Sefer Mishle 3:17] states: “Its ways [i.e. the Torah’s] are pleasant ways and all its paths are peace.” (Sefer Zemanim, Hilchot Megillah v’Chanukah, 4:14, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, underlining my own) Long ago, Iyov declared, “He [G-d] makes peace in His heights.” (Sefer Iyov 25:2) At some point and time, our Sages added to Iyov’s statement until we have the present-day closing words of many recitations of the Kaddish: “[May] He Who makes peace in His heights, may He, in His compassion, make peace upon us, and upon all the Jewish people.” (Translation, The Artscroll Siddur, with my emendations) Today, in the shadow of the Holocaust, and in the midst of an explosion of nearly universal vitriolic anti-Semitic diatribe, we long for Hashem’s compassion and mercy, and the fulfillment of this prayer, and our pasuk, “And I will grant peace in the Land, and you will lie down with no one to frighten [you] … and no army will pass through your land.” May this time come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom, Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. Sefer Vayikra is the sole book in the Tanach wherein the phrase “v’yarata m’elokecha” (“and you shall fear your G-d”) is found. It appears three times in Parashat Behar and twice in Parashat Kedoshim: 1) You shall not curse a deaf person. You shall not place a stumbling block before a blind person, and you shall fear your G-d. I am the L-rd. (19:14) 2) You shall rise before a venerable person and you shall respect the elderly, and you shall fear your G-d. I am the L-rd. (19:32) 3) And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow Jew, and you shall fear your G-d, for I am the L-rd, your G-d. (25:17) 4) You shall not take from him interest or increase, and you shall fear your G-d, and let your brother live with you. (25:36) 5) You shall not work him with rigor, and you shall fear your G-d. (25:33, these and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, underlining my own) Our five verses refer respectively to: the prohibition of purposely misleading someone to your own financial advantage (lifnei ivare), the obligation to rise before and treat the elderly with respect (mipnei saivah takum), the injunction against vexing your fellow Jew through painful words (ona’at devarim), the ban against charging interest to a fellow Jew (rivet) and the sanction against mistreating a Jewish slave by forcing he or she to perform worthless and unpleasant work (avodah b’farech). At first glance, these mitzvot seem to be conceptually distant and disconnected from one another. Yet, Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon the Sifra, the halachic Midrash to Sefer Vayikra, teaches us that the use of v’yarata m’elokecha inextricably links these pasukim (verses) one to another: and you shall fear your G-d: [Why is this mentioned here?] Because this matter [of misadvising someone] is not discernible by people, whether this person had good or evil intentions, and he can avoid [being recriminated by his victim afterwards] by saying, “I meant well!” Therefore, concerning this, it says, “and you shall fear your G-d,” Who knows your thoughts! Likewise, concerning anything known to the one who does it, but to which no one else is privy, Scripture says, “and you shall fear your G-d.” (Commentary to Sefer Vayikra 19:14, underlining my own) Let us briefly review the salient points in Rashi’s gloss:
The great Chasidic rebbe, Rabbi Yehudah Aryeh Leib Alter (1847-1905), known as the “Sefat Emet” after the name of his commentary on the Torah, analyzes and expands upon Rashi’s analysis of v’yarata m’elokecha in the following manner: It is obvious that through fear [of G-d] one is able to properly fulfill those matters that are not discernible by others. [What is less evident,] however, is that these mitzvot which are solely contingent upon one’s private intentions, will, through their proper performance, enable one to acquire fear [of the Almighty]. This is the case, since when each mitzvah is fulfilled, it alters a person’s actions in a positive fashion. As such, these mitzvot that are contingent upon a person’s innermost thoughts, [when performed correctly,] will repair [any negativity that lurks] in the mind of the one [who performs such a commandment]. So, too, did I hear from my teacher and rebbe [Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Alter, 1798-1866, known as the “Chidushei HaRim,”] zatzal, on the verse, “And you shall not wrong, one man his fellow Jew, and you shall fear your G-d, for I am the L-rd, your G-d.” (Sefer Vayikra 25:17) As he noted, through punctiliously refraining from vexing one’s fellow Jew, one will merit [the acquisition of the characteristic of] fear before the Almighty… (Translation and brackets my own) In many important ways, the Sefat Emet’s explication of Rashi’s commentary on our phrase parallel’s the words of the Rambam (Moses Maimonides, 1135-1204) in The Guide for the Perplexed: This purpose to which I have drawn your attention is the purpose of all the actions prescribed by the Law [i.e. the Torah]. For it is by all the particulars of the actions and through their repetition that some excellent men obtain such training that they achieve human perfection, so that they fear, and are in dread and in awe of, G-d, may He be exalted, and know Who it is that is with them and as a result act subsequently as they ought to… I refer to the fear of Him, may He be exalted, and the awe before His command. It [i.e. the Torah] says: “If you do not observe to fulfill all the words of this Torah, which are written in this scroll, to fear this glorious and awesome name, the L-rd, your G-d.” (Sefer Devarim 28:58) Consider how it is explicitly stated for your benefit that the intention of all the words of this Law is one end, namely, in order that you will fear the Name. The fact that this end is achieved through actions, you can learn from its dictum in this verse: “If you do not observe to fulfill all the words of this Torah…” For it has already been made clear that this refers to actions prescribed by commandments and prohibitions… fear is achieved by means of all actions prescribed by the Law, as we have explained. (Moses Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed, III:52, translation, Shlomo Pines, pages 629-630, brackets and underlining my own) In sum, for both the Rambam and the Sefat Emet, mitzvot actions lead to the acquisition of the spiritual and behavioral quality of yirat Hashem. The Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) notes that the word “nora” (“awesome”) precedes David Hamelch’s famous statement, “The beginning of Torah knowledge is yirat Hashem…” (Sefer Tehillim 111:10). Therefore, he suggests that one may legitimately translate yirat Hashem as “awe,” as well as “fear,” of Hashem. As such, may it be His will and our fervent desire that our authentic and heartfelt fulfillment of Hashem’s commandments will lead us to view Him in awe, and bring us closer to His holy Torah. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. ![]() Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, HaRav Yosef Shemuel ben HaRav Reuven Aharon, David ben Elazar Yehoshua, the refuah shlaimah of Devorah bat Chana, and Yitzhak Akiva ben Malka, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. One of the most unusual textual juxtapositions in our parasha occurs at the onset of the Torah’s discussion of the Mo’adim (the Festivals, Sefer Vayikra, chapter 23). The first two verses state: And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to the children of Israel and say to them: ‘[These are] the L-rd's appointed [holy days] that you shall designate as holy occasions. These are My appointed [holy days].’” (These and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Since the Jewish people are commanded to designate certain specific days as holy occasions (mikra’ei kodesh), one would naturally expect the following verse to speak about one of the festivals, such as Passover or Succot. The very next pasuk (verse), however, focuses upon Shabbat: “[For] six days, work may be performed, but on the seventh day, it is a complete rest day, a holy occasion; you shall not perform any work. It is a Sabbath to the L-rd in all your dwelling places.” On the surface, this pasuk certainly seems to be out of place. After all, G-d, not man, sanctifies Shabbat, as we find in a very famous passage in Parashat Bereishit: Now the heavens and the earth were completed and all their host. And G-d completed on the seventh day His work that He did, and He abstained on the seventh day from all His work that He did. And G-d blessed the seventh day and He hallowed it, for thereon He abstained from all His work that G-d created to do. (2:1-3, underlining my own) Not too surprisingly, a number of Torah commentators have addressed this exegetical problem. Rashi (1040-1105), based upon the Sifra, the halachic Midrash to Sefer Vayikra, explains the placement of Shabbat at the beginning of the presentation of the Mo’adim in the following fashion: Why does the Sabbath [designated by G-d,] appear here amidst the festivals? To teach you that whoever desecrates the festivals is considered [to have transgressed as severely] as if he had desecrated the Sabbath, and that whoever fulfills the festivals is considered as if he has fulfilled the Sabbath, [and his reward is as great]. In sum, Rashi presents the classic opinion that, in some very significant ways, the Mo’adim are equivalent to Shabbat, even though it is man, rather than G-d, who designates the actual calendrical dates of the mikra’ei kodesh. Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky zatzal (1891-1986) takes a different approach than that of Rashi in his response to “Why does the Sabbath appear amidst the festivals?” His answer is at one and the same time sociological and spiritual in nature: It appears to me that all nations and ethnicities have their different festivals and appointed times. Given that this is the case, in order to prevent us from erring and thinking that our festivals are no different in kind or degree from those of the other nations of the world, the Torah begins with the notion that without the Shabbat there would be no importance whatsoever to the Mo’adim. The reason for this is eminently clear – for without the declaration of the holiness of Shabbat [by Hashem], no holiness would inhere in the Mo’adim. (Emet l’Yaakov, Parashat Emor 23:2, translation and brackets my own) Thus, for Rav Kamenetsky, the holiness of Shabbat imbues the Mo’adim with their singular status and holiness. True, the Jewish people declare the dates for the onset of the mikra’ei kodesh; yet, their kedushah (holiness) ultimately derives from the Shabbat itself. Rabbi Nissan Alpert zatzal (1928-1986) was one of the great roshei yeshivah of Yeshivat Rabbi Yitzhak Elhanan and one of the greatest students of Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal (1895-1986). In his posthumously published work of Torah analysis entitled Limudei Nissan, Rav Alpert presented an independent examination of Shabbat’s connection to the Mo’adim that at once parallels and expands upon Rav Kamenetsky’s conceptualization: [The reason why Shabbat appears in the midst of the festivals] is to emphasize that it is the mother of all the Mo’adim, and the holiness of these [appointed] times flows from Shabbat. By way of explanation, this means that it is possible to extend the holiness of Shabbat to the other Mo’adim. It is as if Hashem said, “I have sanctified the Shabbat, now, I give you [the Jewish people] the power and the permission to consecrate the rest of the appointed times.” Moreover, just as it is the purpose of the Shabbat to cease from the creative activities of the workweek through complete and total [spiritual] relaxation in order to draw near to Hashem, so, too, this should be our orientation on the other yamim tovim. In other words, our actions and behaviors on these days should be aimed at strengthening our faith and trust in Hashem. (Parashat Emor, page 50, s.v. v’nireh li, translation and brackets my own) Let us briefly review the far-reaching themes in Rav Alpert’s compelling answer to our question:
Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org They may also be found on YUTorah.org using the search criteria of Etengoff and the parasha’s name. The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]. *** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. |
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