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Parsha Perspectives

by DOVID BASLAW

אז יבדיל משה שלש ערים בעבר הירדן מזרחה שמש

“Then Moses set aside three cities on the side of the Jordan, on the east.”(Deuteronomy 4:41)

One of the many remarkable qualities that we learn about Moses from this week’s Torah portion is his commitment to every commandment; even those commandments which he knew he would not be alive to witness their implementation. Moses was told that six cities of refuge would have to be designated throughout the areas in which the Jewish People were going to live in order to grant asylum to the unintentional murderer from the revenge of the victim’s nearest of kin. Three such cities would have to be set aside in the currently occupied Transjordan and another three in the land of Israel itself. In his commentary, Rashi writes that Moses was also told that all six cities chosen for refuge would become officially opened for use only after Jewish settlement in the land of Israel (which meant by definition that they would operate only after Moses’s death).

Nevertheless, Moses immediately designated three cities of refuge in the Transjordan, putting his full heart into carrying out the orders he could do while he was still alive.

Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan (known as the “Chafetz Chaim”) writes that the above observation sheds light on the words of the great Torah scholar Rabbi Yochanan, who was known to say that a person should stay with a project even when its end is not in sight. These words are especially relevant, the Chafetz Chaim writes, when we become aware of the fact that we are commanded to guard our tongue from speaking lashon hara, derogatory speech. When considering the intricate guidelines involved, we might rationalize that committing to these laws for the rest of our lives is a lost cause and conclude that there is no value to even bother trying. Rabbi Yochanan therefore urges us to stay the course.

The following parable illustrates this point. A person walking along a beach suddenly notices that a wave just washed up a large number of precious stones and pearls. Would the person question why he should bother to reach down and pick up the precious gems when he couldn’t possibly collect them all before the next wave washes them away? On the contrary, he would make the most of the small window of time that he had to gather whatever he could. Getting started and making the effort to be careful about the words which come out of our mouth is certainly the preferred approach, even if we don’t believe we’ll be able to maintain the highest standard on all occasions.

A similar approach should be taken with every virtuous project. Whether it be an effort to control anger, to become more generous, to build on our Torah knowledge, or to concentrate more intently during prayer, we should put our best foot forward and resolve to make the very best of the opportunity that the present has to offer.

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Parsha Talking Points

by RABBI ELAZAR MEISELS

1. TO SEE IS TO KNOW

“You have been shown so that you should know that Hashem, He is the G-d; there is none [i.e. no power] other than He.” 4:35

You have been shown – When G-d gave the Torah, He opened for them the seven heavens. And just as He exposed the upper spheres, so too, did He open the nether regions below, so that it would be clear to every single Jew that there is only one G-d. – Rashi

You have been shown – While the Jewish people were living in Egypt, they forgot much of what they had been taught by their ancestors and began to worship all sorts of powers and foreign entities. When Moses arrived on the scene, he introduced them to the existence of Hashem, the single source of power in the universe. That message was buttressed by the numerous miracles that were performed in Egypt, the Red Sea, and in the Desert with the Manna, Clouds of Glory etc. Throughout the forty years they spent in the desert, they continued to learn about Him and His ways until they were poised to leave the desert and enter the Land of Israel. This is what Moses meant when he said, “You have been shown…” – Zohar, Parshat Terumah

Noam Megadim adds that the words, “you have been shown to know,” are intended to highlight the idea that they not only knew about the existence of Hashem because they heard about it, but also because they actually witnessed it with their very own eyes. This firsthand experience created a level of awareness of His existence that cannot be paralleled and serves as the basis for our faith since that point in time.

2. THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES

“Hashem commanded us to perform all these statutes, to fear Hashem, our G-d; for our own good, all the days, to give us life, as this very day.” 6:24

All the days – The good that is promised in this verse refers not only to the reward enjoyed on this earth, but also to the true reward that we will reap in Olam Habbah [The World to Come].

For our own good – Since mitzvot emanate from the Almighty, they are completely good and no undesirable consequences can result from their performance. Even where they appear incomprehensible to human intelligence, they’re still intended for our good. – Ramban (Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman, Nachmanides)

Our sages tell us that there is no reward for the fulfillment of mitzvot in this world. This is because the reward for a mitzvah is so great that the material world simply cannot offer adequate compensation for it. Instead, we must wait until the World to Come, where the soul can properly be satisfied as well. Any benefit that mitzvah observance offers us during our lifetime is only a fringe benefit designed to make it easier for us to observe even more mitzvot, but they do not diminish in any way from the true remuneration that awaits us in the World to Come.

3. UNTYING THE NOT

“You shall not intermarry with them; you shall not give your daughter to his son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son. For he will turn your son away from Me, and they will worship the gods of others; then G-d’s anger will flare up against you, and He will destroy you speedily.” 7:3,4

You shall not intermarry with them – In truth, the reference to marriage is not literal since a marriage between a Jew and a non-Jew is not halachically valid. What the verse means to preclude is a marriage-like arrangement between the two. – Rambam, Hilchos Issurei Biah 12:1r

For he will turn your son away from me – If the son of the gentile will marry your daughter, he will turn away your son (i.e. your grandson) whom your daughter will bear for him, from following after Me. From this we derive that your daughter’s son, who is born of a gentile father, is considered your son [i.e. a Jew]; but your son’s son, born of a non-Jewish woman, is not considered your son, but rather her son. Proof of this is that the Torah does not write: “Do not take his daughter for your son,” because she will turn your grandson away from Me. It only says that he, the non-Jew will turn your son away from Me.

Notably, the Torah does not merely prohibit intermarriage, but it also provides us a rationale for the prohibition. It is not because non-Jews are inferior, look different, or unrefined. Rather, the Torah emphasizes that it is based upon the fact that a Jew is expected to live a life dedicated to fulfilling the will of G-d to the maximum of our ability. Marrying a person who does not share our commitment to Judaism is a surefire means of ensuring that this lofty expectation will not be met. The Torah adds that where the non-Jewish spouse is the woman, there is an added problem that the children will not even be Jewish.

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Partner Talk

LOW-KEY DONKEY

by RABBI ELAZAR MEISELS

Dear Rabbi,

Much of what I know is from my Hebrew school days which were largely stories and Jewish mythology. What I’m asking may be elementary, but if you’ll oblige me with a response, I’ll be very grateful. Whenever folks speak of Mashiach coming they describe him riding on a donkey. I was wondering whether that was legend or myth, and what it symbolizes? Surely, if he’s as great as they make him out to be, he’ll be capable of getting something more practical for transportation?

Many thanks,
Morris L.

Dear Rabbi,

In Hebrew school we recently learned that Mashiach will arrive on a donkey. I asked my teacher if there was something we could do to help get him better transportation and she suggested that I write a rabbi and ask him this question. My mom is part of Partners in Torah, and she said I should write you.

Beverly S.,
age 11

Morris and Beverly,

Your questions couldn’t have come at a better time, because Jewish tradition teaches that Mashiach is born on Tisha B’Av (the ninth day of the month of Av), which just passed last Sunday. Surely, this is as good a time as any to try and understand our hallowed traditions on the subject.

The idea that the Mashiach will arrive on a donkey is found in a verse [Zachariah 9:9] that reads, “Rejoice mightily, O’ daughter of Zion…for behold your king will come to you, righteous and triumphant is he, a humble man riding upon a donkey…” Rashi and other commentators explain that the donkey is chosen not because it’s the best he can afford, but rather, because it represents the concept of humility which he will exemplify in his behavior. Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi) adds that it will also serve to demonstrate that we will not need horses, chariots, or any other implements of war, since Mashiach will succeed in uniting mankind through peaceful overtures instead.

I’d like to add another idea which I believe dovetails nicely with Rashi’s explanation that the donkey symbolizes humility, and which will answer Beverly’s question as well.

The Talmud [Sanhedrin 98a] points out that although the aforementioned verse claims that he will arrive on a donkey, a different verse in Scriptures [Daniel 7:13] writes, “I was watching in night visions and behold, with the clouds of heaven, someone like a man came…” This verse claims that he’ll be delivered by a heavenly cloud and leaves out all mention of the donkey? The Talmud resolves this apparent contradiction by explaining that it depends on how meritorious the Jewish people are at the time of his coming. If they’re truly deserving of his appearance, he’ll arrive on a cloud, speedily, and with great miracles. If they’re personally undeserving of his arrival and only relying upon the merits of the patriarchs, then his appearance will take on the form of a humble man riding slowly on a simple and humble donkey. It will take much longer for him to arrive and it will serve as a message to the Jewish people that his presence will require much hard work to rectify our sorry spiritual state.

This explanation by the Talmud is illuminated even further by the words of the Midrash, alleging that Mashiach’s donkey is the very same donkey that Abraham used to travel to the site of Akeidat Yitzchak [The Binding of Isaac], and that Moses used to return to Egypt to redeem the Jews from their enslavement. Many commentators explain that this Midrash is not to be understood literally. Rather, that the redemption at the hands of the Mashiach will be in the merit of the self-sacrifice of Abraham and Isaac at the incident of Akeidat Yitzchak, which was deposited for use by their descendants in times of great need. Should the Mashiach require the use of a donkey to make his appearance, indicates that his arrival is only thanks to the merits of the Patriarchs and the sacrifices they made on our behalf. Of course, this will only be necessary if we haven’t amassed sufficient merits of our own and be forced to resort to those of the Patriarchs.

Thus, it appears that there is something that we can do to ensure that his arrival occurs in a more majestic fashion than just a humble donkey. If we work to amass sufficient merits to legitimately earn his arrival, it will surely occur in miraculous fashion and the donkey will be forgotten. Front row seats however, may be a bit harder to obtain, but I’m still working on it…

Best Regards,
R’ Elazar Meisels

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Soul Talk

The Midrash (Eichah 1:65) states that when the Jewish nation sinned, it was both punished and ultimately consoled through the very means of the original transgression. For example, the people sinned with their mouths, as the verse (Yeshayah 9:16) laments: וכל פה דבר נבלה, every mouth utters degeneracy. They were thus punished: ויאכלו את ישראל בכל פה, they have consumed Israel with every mouth (ibid. verse 11). Their consolation will be through their mouths: אז ימלא שחוק פינו, Then our mouth will be filled with laughter (Tehillim 126:2).

The Midrash concludes: They sinned doubly, as the verse says (Eichah 1:8), חטא חטאה ירושלים, Jerusalem sinned greatly (using the word חטא, sin, twice). They were doubly punished (Yeshayah 40:2): For she has received double for all her sins from the hand of Hashem. They will be doubly comforted, as it says: “Comfort, comfort My people,” says your G-d.

Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (in Darash Moshe) wonders what the Midrash is referring to when it says that the Jewish people sinned doubly. He explains that the sin was double in that first they sinned by transgressing the commands of Hashem. The second part of their sin was not realizing that what they were doing was wrong! They thought that their behavior was acceptable — even good.

It is true, says Rabbi Feinstein, that someone who sins because he is under the mistaken notion that a particular activity is permissible (although, in truth, it is not) has the halachic status of a shogeig, an inadvertent sinner. However, in one way, one who thinks that a sin is permissible is even worse off than an intentional sinner. One who sins intentionally at least knows that he has done wrong, and should he regret his actions, he can endeavor to repent. One who is not even aware that he has transgressed can never, by definition, repent from his sin, for repentance requires knowledge and repudiation of the untoward behavior.

Thus, Jerusalem’s sin was double in that the people did not learn from their leaders — the Torah scholars and prophets of the generation. They were therefore not aware of their sins, and thus in a situation where they could not come to repentance.

That is why, concludes Rabbi Feinstein, they also required a double comfort. The prophet would first have to open their hearts to teach them the truth, what is right and what is wrong. Once that was completed, the full comfort could be achieved when they repented, returning from their habitual wrongdoing to the path of the Torah.

There is an important lesson here. Many times people are not even aware that what they are doing is incorrect — either because they do not know that it is forbidden, or because they do not realize that their behavior negatively impacts someone else. One must understand that the first step in correcting one’s actions is to scrutinize them to determine if they are proper, both in the context of the Torah’s dictates and in the context of interpersonal relationships.

With permission from Artscroll’s Daily Dose

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Table Talk

FOR DISCUSSION AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE

א) The Torah commands (4:39) a person to know that Hashem is G-d in the Heavens and the earth, and there is no other power besides from Him. If the mitzvah is to ‘Know” Him, why is this mitzvah known as emunah – belief – instead of yediah – knowledge? (Rabbi Chaim Soloveitchik quoted in Toras Chaim)

ב) Rashi explains (6:5) that the Torah requires a person to love Hashem with his entire heart, soul, and resources because there are some people to whom their possessions are more valuable than their lives (souls). How could this be possible? (Mayan Beis HaShoeiva by Rabbi Shimon Schwab)

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Hey I Never Knew That

Amazing Insights About the Weekly Parsha

by OZER ALPORT

1) Q: The Midrash (Yalkut shimoni Devorim 940) tells us that Moses petitioned Hashem 515 times in an attempt to convince him to rescind his decree and permit Moses to enter the land of Israel. Where is this seemingly arbitrary number alluded to?

A: The Midrash states that this is hinted to in the Torah itself, as the numerical value of the name of our parsha ואתחנן – and I beseeched – is 515. Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Falk, better-known as the P’nei Yehoshua (Berachos 32a), suggests that this figure may also be mathematically derived. Rashi writes (3:23) that Moses began to entreat Hashem after conquering the lands of Sichon and Og. Because he was permitted to enter their lands, which would later possess some of the holiness of the land of Israel, he thought that perhaps Hashem had revoked His oath prohibiting Moses from entering the land of Israel. The Talmud (Bava Basra 121a) teaches that Hashem told Moses on 15 Av that they would be victorious in this battle.

From 15 Av until the day of Moses’s death, 7 Adar, there are 200 days. If Moses implored Hashem during each of the 3 daily prayers, he would have petitioned a total of 600 times. However, one is forbidden to pray for his personal needs on Shabbat. Subtracting the three prayers which he wasn’t able to say on each Shabbat, of which there were 28 during this period, leaves a total of 516 prayers. However, prophecy didn’t return to Moses on 15 Av until the morning. From the morning of 15 Av until his death on 7 Adar at the time of the afternoon prayers, it comes out that Moses indeed prayed precisely 515 prayers!

2) Q: In listing the people who are permitted to return home from the battle front, the Torah includes (20:8) one who is afraid and weak-hearted. Rashi explains that this refers to a person who is fearful that the sins which are in his hand will cause him to die in the battle. It is difficult to understand the use of this peculiar expression. In what way is it possible for sins to be in one’s hand more than they are in his heart or on his soul? Further, one of the examples given (Menachos 36a) of such a sin is a person who speaks in between putting the tefillin on his arm and placing the tefillin on his head, a mitzvah which is mentioned in Parshat Va’eschanan, as atonement for the sin appears to be readily achievable – he need only confess and change his ways – why would he be afraid of dying?

A: Rabbi Shalom Schwadron suggests that our Sages chose the expression that the sin is “in his hand” to hint to the fact that he knows that his behavior is wrong yet, figuratively, still “holds” on to it. Though he is intellectually cognizant of his impropriety and chooses not to change his ways, he fears that he will be punished as a result. As we approach the upcoming month of Elul, the time when we prepare ourselves for Rosh Hashanah, we must realize that force of habit can be our worst enemy. Genuine introspection and personal evaluation can help loosen the grip we have on the “sins in our hands.”

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Parsha Summary

Parsha Summaries are coming soon!