Fear of Heaven

Shavua Tov. There is one more important Pasuk mentioned in Parshat Eikev. That is the one that says, מה ה׳ אלוקיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ה׳, what does Hashem ask of you? Only to fear Hashem, etc. The word מה is interpreted as מאה which is the hint to trying to make 100 Brachot every day.The main message here is what Chazal say, הכל בידי שמים חוץ מיראת שמים, that, in essence, everything is predestined and the only thing that we truly have free will about is whether to fear Hashem or not. This fear is a leap of faith that shows that we truly believe in Hashem.The Alshich explains this point by saying that loving Hashem alone will not bring a person to observe the Mitzvot. The fear of Hashem shows a certain degree of surrender and subservience to Hashem. Such an individual will be afraid to violate the commandments.Rav Elazar זצ״ל used to say that one who is truly religious has two principle beliefs. One, is that he has אמונת חכמים, he has faith in the rabbis. And the second is that he has יראת שמים, fear of Heaven.

Mitzvot for Practice

The second paragraph of Shema is found in this week's Parsha. Even though the third paragraph regarding Tzitzit appears earlier in the Torah in the fourth book of במדבר, Shema first begins with accepting the yoke of Heaven and then the warning against forsaking the commandments. Tzitzit were meant to be a reminder to follow the Torah.In that second paragraph on the words, ושמתם את דברי אלה, that one should place these words on his heart, Rashi brings the Midrash of the ספרי. It says that even after we are exiled, we should be excellent at the observance of Mitzvot. We should continue to wear Tefillin and place Mezuzot on our doors so that we will know what to do when we come back.The Midrash is saying that the Torah was meant to be observed in Eretz Yisrael and outside of Israel we are only commanded to observe so that we won't get out of practice. It's like leaving signs on a long hike so that you can retrace your steps to be sure you will find your way back. Shabbat Shalom

Fear

Moshe's task at the end of his life was to inspire and motivate the nation that they be prepared to inherit the land. The Alshich says that Israel was a gift given to the Jewish people. It became an inheritance when they observed the Mitzvot, which was the ultimate purpose of their receiving Eretz Yisrael.Moshe also addresses the question of fear. He was aware that the Jewish people were entering a place with nations far greater than them. Again, the Alshich points out that there are times when fear is very rational. If one sees he's greatly outnumbered, he has a legitimate reason to be afraid.On the other hand, fear can come out of nowhere and one's fear is really based on one's personal feelings of inadequacy. Whatever the case may be, Moshe is telling the people that they have no reason to express fear of any kind as long as Hashem is close to them. When we have faith, we feel Hashem's protection and we realize that there is nothing to fear.

Hashem Provides

Another famous Pasuk related to the specialness of Eretz Yisrael comes from the words, עיני ה׳ אלוקיך בה מראשית השנה עד אחרית השנה, "the eyes of Hashem are on it from the beginning of the year to the end of the year."Not only is there a special connection between the Land of Israel, Hashem and the Jewish people, but we also learn a lesson regarding Parnassa from this verse.In essence, Hashem decides what our livelihood will be from one Rosh Hashana to the next. This is one of the reasons why Teshuva during the month of Elul is so important. This knowledge that our livelihood is already set for one full year, should give us peace of mind.Our attitude should be that Hashem is taking care of all of our needs. We are meant to be at peace with everything. But since we do not rely on miracles and it is expected that we work diligently at fulfilling our part of the bargain, Hashem will fulfill His.We must also remember that we are למעלה מן הטבע, above nature as a people and with faith, we can overcome everything.

G-d's Country

This week's Parsha is also loaded with information. At the beginning and end of פרשת עקב, there are praises of the Land of Israel. In the first Aliya, we become acquainted with the שבעת המינים, the seven species.We are told that Eretz Yisrael is a land that is not lacking in anything. Chazal say אוירה דארץ ישראל מחכים, the air in Israel makes one wise.In the Talmud, the Amora, אביי, praised the Torah scholars of Israel as being superior to those of Babylonia. The inherent holiness of the land, has a profound effect on every person.The Rabbis further say that one who lives in Israel has all of his sins forgiven. One who lives in Israel is a צדיק, for if he wasn't, the land would not tolerate him and he would be cast out of the land.How fortunate are we who have been blessed to be able to live in G-d's country.

Who May Own Land in Israel

One final point from פרשת ואתחנן. At the end of the Parsha, we have the words, לא תחנם. Rashi translates these words as saying לא תיתן להם חניה בארץ. We translate this to mean that we are not allowed to give idol worshippers ownership of land of any size in Eretz Yisrael.There are many instances brought in the Talmud where it is important to liberate lands that were confiscated from Jews by various oppressive groups passing through IsraelThose who are permitted to own land in Israel included the גר תושב who we might today call a Noachide as he observes the Seven Noachide Laws. He has also abandoned idolatry.The גר צדק who takes upon himself all 613 Mitzvot as well as a born Jew may also have the privilege of owning land in Israel.

Shema Yisrael

The first paragraph of שמע is also in this week's Parsha. Aside from it being a great affirmation of faith, it also contains seven important Torah commandments.1. The oneness of G-d. There can only be one G-d and never more than one.2. The commandment to love Hashem from the words ואהבת את ה׳ אלקיך3. Study Torah regularly which is learned from ושננתם לבניך. How are we to teach our children if we don't study ourselves?4. The Mitzva to wear Tefillin on our arms5. The Mitzva to wear Tefillin on our heads.6. The Torah commandment to recite the שמע when we lie down and rise up. Morning and night.7. The commandment to place a Mezuza on our door posts and on our gates.

Complacency and Exile

The Torah reading for Tisha B'Av morning began with the words, כי תוליד בנים that was taken from this week's Parsha. It is a warning from Moshe Rabbeinu not to get too "comfortable" in the land.During the reign of Yehoshua, the people all continued to observe the Torah. As the generations became "old" as the Torah uses the word, ונושנתם, it meant they were farther away in years from having witnessed the miracles of previous generations.This led to complacency and the tendency of crediting their successes to themselves and not to Hashem's kindness. It never bodes well when we take Hashem out of the equation. Moshe follows with the warning that if this takes place, you will be sent out of the land and be scattered among the nations. He further warns that you will remain few in numbers when you are forced to live among the nations.The bright spot of this rebuke is that if you truly seek out Hashem, even in places far away from Israel, Hashem will not forsake you. Teshuva will bring us back to the land and our former glory.

Truth of Judaism

Parshat ואתחנן is full of numerous laws mixed with a little bit of philosophy. In essence, Moshe Rabbeinu is showing the truth of Judaism as compared to other religions.He reminds the people all of the outstanding miracles they witnessed in Egypt with the ten plagues, splitting of the Red Sea, and the revelation at Sinai.Moshe says flat out that no nation or religion can make the claim of the truth of their religion as Judaism can. Can any nation claim that their G-d took one nation from the midst of another with signs and wonders as He did for עם ישראל. Can any nation claim that every single member actually heard Hashem speak, as you saw and heard.The Kuzari uses this line of reasoning as evidentiary proof of the truth of Judaism as well. He adds that the Christians and Muslims both acknowledge that the events in the Torah are true.We only need to study Torah in order to reinforce our convictions and beliefs.

Truth of Judaism

Parshat ואתחנן is full of numerous laws mixed with a little bit of philosophy. In essence, Moshe Rabbeinu is showing the truth of Judaism as compared to other religions.He reminds the people all of the outstanding miracles they witnessed in Egypt with the ten plagues, splitting of the Red Sea, and the revelation at Sinai.Moshe says flat out that no nation or religion can make the claim of the truth of their religion as Judaism can. Can any nation claim that their G-d took one nation from the midst of another with signs and wonders as He did for עם ישראל. Can any nation claim that every single member actually heard Hashem speak, as you saw and heard.The Kuzari uses this line of reasoning as evidentiary proof of the truth of Judaism as well. He adds that the Christians and Muslims both acknowledge that the events in the Torah are true.We only need to study Torah in order to reinforce our convictions and beliefs.

Jewish Pride

We are now beginning the period called שבעה דנחמתא, the seven weeks of comfort, that end with Rosh Hashanah. Each Haftarah will have words of consolation and hope following the heavy period of the "three weeks." This Shabbat is known as Shabbat Nachamu, the Shabbat of comfort.The parallel to the Haftarot is the final rebuke and charge that Moshe gave the nation before his death.There is an interesting point in the Alshich on the Pasuk in this week's Torah reading. It is written that the nations of the world will marvel at our חוקים, the laws that don't have a reason. Moshe is reassuring the people that this will be the response to our many laws-especially the ones that are not easily able to be comprehended. The people were afraid that they would be mocked by the other nations for our strange laws and customs. Moshe guarantees that this will be a source of admiration among the nations.We must never be afraid to show pride in our Jewishness and its observances. Otherwise, we could turn into self hating Jews!

Tisha B'Av Laws

Don't forget that one must stop eating on Saturday night before sunset. It's best to stop a few minutes before at 7:20. One should change to non-leather shoes after 7:50. After 8:03 one should say ברוך המבדיל בין קודש לחול and recite the Bracha בורא מאורי האש on artificial light.From Saturday night until 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, one should act as if he is sitting Shiva. He sits on a low chair and does not greet people. From 1:00, we begin anticipating the Redemption and are in a lesser state of mourning.This Shabbat is called Shabbat Chazon as we read the third prophecy of rebuke. Some refrain from learning Torah from Chatzot on Shabbat. We all Daven Mincha early so that there is plenty of time for our סעודה המפסקת. We are allowed to eat meat and drink wine at this meal. Shabbat Shalom and may we see the גאולה speedily.

Apathy

The section in Masechet Gittin that discusses several pages of details regarding the destruction of the two Temples, begins and ends with tragic stories. There is an overall message from these stories.The first story dealt with the feast where Bar Kamtza was mistakenly invited by his enemy. Although there are many aspects to the story, the shame and humiliation Bar Kamtza had to endure was most troubling to the Rabbis.The final story involved a wealthy apprentice who literally took his mentor's wife from him. To add insult to his pain, the mentor was forced to wait on his apprentice and his former wife. His grief was so great that his tears streamed into their drinks when he was serving them.The two stories point to the Rabbis who were present or had knowledge of both incidents and did nothing. The Talmud seems to say that the apathy of the Rabbis in not trying to right the wrongs was the cause for the destruction of the two Temples. Apathy and the inability to feel someone else's pain is inexcusable.

Adding Holiness

The Tanya speaks about serving Hashem in thought, speech, and action. The idea of action manifests itself in doing such Mitzvot as putting on Tefillin or actually running to physically help a person in need.The Mitzvot of action are necessary in order to bring light into a world of darkness. It allows the blessed light of the Ein Sof to come into the world.The Tanya repeatedly speaks about the need to elevate the animal soul in man that longs for physical pleasures. The best way to combat this is to actually take physical objects and turn them into holiness.An example would be to take the skins of a Kosher animal and turn it into parchment. What was once actually a part of a physical animal is now a Mezuza or Torah. The skins that once had no holiness are now extremely holy.It is our task to try and change the physical and mundane into sanctity.The concept of Mashiach is to fill the world with holiness. When he comes, the world will go from materialistic to spiritual as the entire earth will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem. This is what we are really praying for when we long for the coming of the Mashiach.

Cities of Refuge

An interesting final point of Parshat Masei is the idea of cities of refuge. Just like the main highways alert people of where hospitals are located, people were alerted to where the closest city of refuge was located.There are certain parallels to what allows one to be protected by such a city. For example, the amount of negligence involved in a car accident would determine whether one gets such protection or not.If he drove while intoxicated it would be called קרוב למזיד, close to malice, which is almost murder. He would be at the mercy of the גורל הדם, avenger of blood. If it was a complete accident with no negligence at all, he would go free. But if there was some greater care that he should have taken but didn't, he would go to the city of refuge.This would be similar to chopping down a tree without checking if the blade of the ax was on tightly. If the blade flew off and someone was killed by the flying blade, the city of refuge would be the solution until the Kohen Gadol passes away.

The Nine Days

Tonight is Rosh Chodesh that begins the nine days. This means that we must stop eating meat as of 7:30 p.m. The other customs of mourning also begins tonight.In essence, the period of the three weeks is a period where we increase mourning. The peak is the first half of Tisha B'Av where we take on the behavior of one who is sitting Shiva.When mourning for a loved one, it is the most intense during the first three days and then the Shiva and Shloshim and the twelve months.During the Nine Days the custom of mourning for the Temple also includes bathing and doing laundry. There are leniencies regarding both nowadays. Regarding laundry, there isn't the same implication of freshly laundered clothes as people have washing machines and dryers. Certainly someone with small children can do laundry as they will run out of clothes.Regarding bathing, Israel's climate demands that we be able to remove perspiration and consider our hygiene and our surroundings. If one needs to rinse himself off in lukewarm water and it's not for pleasure, there are those that would allow such showers.

Mitzvot of Action

The Tanya speaks of how it is necessary to serve Hashem with thought, speech, and action. Thought and speech can be done without leaving one's home. One can study Torah and be involved in intense prayer and he will feel a strong connection to Hashem.The aspect of action is extremely important in raising the level of spirituality of not only himself but of the entire world as well. The Tanya makes many references to the animal soul within man that can be conquered with Mitzvot of action. Even a simple act like putting on Tefillin, serves the dual purpose of minimizing the strength of the animal soul, and brings light to the world.The world is on a very low spiritual level and it is the task of every Jew to bring light to all of the darkness that exists. The Mitzvot of action which also includes acts of Chesed and giving, serve to bring light to the world. We are in a situation where people even confuse the darkness and call it light. The Mitzvot done with our bodies that are seen, helps to also bring clarity of what is good and evil.The Tanya is telling us that we must be complete servants of Hashem through thoughts, speech, and action.

Walking Backwards

The Talmud in Masechet Yoma 53b discusses the route that the Kohen Gadol took when he entered the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur. There were actually two curtains in the second Temple and the High Priest walked in between them as he entered.The interesting point that is emphasized by the Gemara is that the Kohen Gadol had to retrace his steps and walk backwards as he left the Holy of Holies. It would not be respectful for him to turn his back on such a holy place.This is the reason why we have the custom of taking leave of the Kotel by walking backwards and not turning our backs to a sacred place.The Talmud adds that we are to apply this as well when we take leave of being in the presence of a Tzaddik or great Torah scroll. We don't turn our face to him but we take leave by walking backwards. Rav Elazar Abuchatzeira זצ״ל, whose fifth Yahrtzeit is today was such a Tzaddik and scholar who deserved this kind of reverence and respect. May his memory be for a blessing.

Bad Choices

Another point related to the destruction of the second Temple was the problem from within the Jewish community between the rabbis and the "Biryonim" also known as the Zealots.The Zealots felt that the only way to deal with the Romans was to fight them. They felt that this was the only solution. The rabbis told them that it would not help as the decree was made and they would not succeed.Meanwhile, three wealthy Jews, Kalba Savua, Nakdimon Ben Gurion, and Ben Tzitzit Hakest were willing to open their storehouses to sustain the Jews of Jerusalem. They were willing to open their storehouses and felt their supplies could last twenty one years.The Zealots, in their great zeal and their absolute certainty in the correctness of their cause, burned down these storehouses and brought horrible famine to Jerusalem.We need to be so careful that everything we do is for the sake of Heaven. We must not get caught up in the "cause" for it may not end up as we thought it would. The end does not justify the means; especially when the means brings great harm along the way.

Complacency and Arrogance

The section in the Talmud in Masechet Gittin that discusses the destruction of the Temple for several pages, seems to have a recurring theme.Complacency and arrogance are such destructive characteristics. The Jewish people were guilty of this when they thought that they were in a good way with the Romans. They assumed that they were on such good terms that they would never be harmed.Certain individuals such as Titus attributed their own success to themselves and learned the hard way that even a tiny gnat was capable of defeating him and literally drive him mad.It is a very dangerous thing when we attribute our successes to ourselves and fail to acknowledge Hashem's blessing. Anything positive that we are able to do is all a gift from G-d. We are often reminded that our physical strength and accomplishments, our wisdom and our wealth all come from G-d. If we ever allow ourselves to think it is us alone that accomplishes, we will learn that this is not the case.