יראה

One of the most famous verses of the Torah is מה ה׳ אלוקיך שואל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ה׳ אלוקיך, “What does Hashem, your G-d ask of you but to fear Hashem, your G-d.” We learn from here the importance of fearing Hashem. The Netivot Shalom describes different aspects of this Mitzva. Aside from יראת ה׳, there is also יראת החטא, יראת העונש, and יראת הרוממות. The first type of יראת החטא, refers to where an individual is in a state where he tries to be conscientious in avoiding sinning. He tries to pay close attention to his actions so that he does not come to transgress. The יראת העונש is an awareness of the consequences of violating the Torah. There is a very definite punitive system in the Torah, that serves as a deterrent to sin. It appears that the highest level of יראה, is יראת הרוממות, fear of Hashem’s exaltedness.This is where there is a clear recognition of where we stand in relation to G-d. When we are aware of our own vulnerabilities, and the greatness of Hashem, we can truly fulfill the Mitzva of יראת ה׳.

Don’t Take Mitzvot Lightly

Shavua Tov. Rashi, on the first Pasuk in today’s Parsha, points out the importance of not taking any Mitzvot lightly. One must view the seemingly less significant Mitzvot in the same manner as the more serious Mitzvot. This is stated clearly in Pirkei Avot that we should act in this manner, for nobody truly knows the reward of Mitzvot. The Netivot Shalom describes the light Mitzvot as the ones that we tend to take for granted. The מסילת ישרים says that two examples of Mitzvot taken for granted are אהבת ה׳, love of G-d, and יראת ה׳, fear of G-d. Virtually every Jew will say that loving and fearing Hashem, are very important commandments. But ask them when the last time was that they did a self check on how well they were doing in these areas, and they will admit that it’s been a while. This is what the Parsha is saying. Don’t take any of the Mitzvot for granted. Protection is granted to the one who diligently observes all of the Torah.

קדש עצמך במותר

This week we read פרשת עקב, which is filled with moral lessons of discipline. One of these lessons comes from the word, “עקב” itself. The Netivot Shalom points out that we must change around the letters of this word to “ק” then “ע” and then “ב”. What we are left with is the idea of קדש עצמך במותר, sanctify yourself with what is permitted. This coincides with the teaching of the Rambam, that it is wrong not to partake of the pleasures of this world. We are encouraged to fall in love and get married. We are allowed to live in a nice house, and where nice clothes. The message here is that these apparent worldly pleasures are permitted to us, when we sanctify them. This sanctification comes when we do everything in line with the Torah. Every mundane act becomes holy when G-d becomes part of the equation. We don’t sleep or exercise only because we enjoy sleep and exercise. We sanctify these two activities so that we will have healthy bodies, to “walk” and not crawl in the ways of Hashem . This is the lesson of עקב, to find a way to sanctify Hashem with what is permitted, by never forgetting that we are in this world to serve Him in all that we do.

Sleeping Late

There is a Torah commandment to recite the שמע when we lie down, בשכבך, and when we rise up, ובקומך. This refers to the nighttime שמע and the morning שמע. There is great discussion in the Gemara as to the exact times to perform this Mitzva. The evening שמע is less problematic as it can be said as long as it is night. It is preferable to say it from צאת הכוכבים, when the stars come out until midnight. But the Mitzva can still be fulfilled as long as it’s before עמוד השחר, daybreak. The morning שמע is based on the time that most people wake up. And since most Jews were farmers, it was common to arise early in the morning. Only a king was afforded the luxury of sleeping late, which was three hours after sunrise. We do follow this three hour rule, but it is calculated in a more complicated manner. The זמן קריאת שמע is clearly available on most Jewish calendars. What all of this means is that a sincere, religious Jew, can never sleep late unless he wakes up briefly to say שמע and pray. This is an important Mitzva but not as easy as it looks!

Torah Study

The first chapter of קריאת שמע has numerous, important Torah commandments. There is the Mitzva of תפילין and מזוזה, as well as the Oneness and love of Hashem. We learn from the words, ושננתם לבניך, “And teach your children,” the Mitzva of studying and teaching Torah. If we don’t study Torah ourselves, how will we be capable of teaching our children. The Rabbis learn that the word בניך, can also refer to תלמידיך, your students. And we also find that תלמידיך, are also referred to as “your sons.” When one studies, he will learn more about the ways of Hashem. The חינוך says that an unlearned person is not much higher than a בהמה, an animal. Torah study is such a cornerstone of Judaism, that we teach a child the first sentence of שמע, and תורה צוה לנו משה, as soon as he can speak. Nobody is exempt from Torah study. Both the rich and poor must study. And this obligation to study Torah is with us until we die. We must be disciplined to study by day and by night. We must have definite time periods for the study of Torah. The Rabbis say that one must not say כשאפנה אשנה, when I have time, I will study. שמא לא תפנה, for perhaps, he will never have time. Our love for Torah study, is the main reason Judaism has been kept alive through our long exile. We must be diligent in our Torah study, and share our knowledge with others. Torah study is indeed a pillar of Judaism.

דבקות

Moshe Rabbeinu tells the Jewish nation, ואתם הדבקים בה׳ אלוקיכם חיים כולכם היום, “And those that cleave to Hashem are alive today.” Here we have a reference to the term, “דבקות”, cleaving to G-d. One explanation of how we achieve דבקות is by marrying off our daughter to a תלמיד חכם, or by being close to a תלמיד חכם. This is as though we are cleaving to the שכינה. the Divine Presence. The Netivot Shalom says that when one believes that even when one has a sharp sword on his neck, and he does not despair from Hashem’s mercy, this is דבקות. The אבן עזרא adds his definition of דבקות by saying, “The root of all of the Mitzvot is to get to the level of loving Hashem with all of one’s soul, and having דבקות בה׳. The goal of the commandments is to get to דבקות. When we get to this level, we are really alive!

Mitzvot Only Observed in the Land of Israel

Shavua Tov. The Gemara in מסכת סוטה says that the reason why Moshe Rabbeinu pleaded with Hashem to enter Eretz Yisrael was simply because there was the potential to observe more Mitzvot there. The תורה תמימה points out that this was the reason why the great leaders of Israel, likewise desired to enter Israel. It was because of the opportunity to fulfill more Mitzvot. We also see this idea regarding the Canaanite slave. He takes upon himself the observance of the same Mitzvot as a woman. If his master takes him out of Israel, he must immediately be freed. Even this slave, does not wish to be deprived of the Mitzvot that can only be observed in Israel. There are still many laws today that fall into this category. Many are related to the laws of planting and תרומות ומעשרות, laws of tithing. But the most obvious Mitzva, is the Mitzva to live in Israel. This is what Moshe Rabbeinu prayed for.

Shabbat of Comfort

We are now entering a new phase in the Jewish calendar. Aside from being fifty days away from Rosh Hashana, we begin the שבעה דנחמתא, the seven weeks of comfort. This Shabbat is known as שבת נחמו, the Shabbat of comfort, as this Haftarah begins with the words, נחמו נחמו, be comforted. There are six more Haftarot of comfort that follow. The Netivot Shalom calls פרשת ואתחנן, the heart of the Book of Devarim. This is mainly because the Ten Commandments and the first chapter of שמע is found in it. On Tisha B’Av, we read a section from ואתחנן, beginning with the words, כי תוליד בנים, that was a warning from Moshe Rabbeinu of what might take place in the future if the Jewish people forsake the Torah. He implores the nation to stay strong and never forget all that they had witnessed. No religion began with the signs, wonders, and revelations directly from G-d as the Jewish people saw with their own eyes. They were also assured that no matter what happens, Hashem will never forsake us. It is clear that this a Shabbat of comfort.

Embracing Cherubs

There is an interesting Midrash that says that when the Babylonians came into the Holy of Holies when they were destroying our Temple, they saw an amazing sight. The כרובים, Cherubs, that were affixed on the Holy Ark, were seen embracing one another. This was puzzling because the כרובים would not face one another when the people were not fulfilling the will of G-d. If we were now going into Exile, it was obvious that we were not doing G-d’s will. The Netivot Shalom explains this strange phenomenon in that it was to be viewed as a sign that despite our going into Exile, His love for us would not falter. One of the messages of Tisha B’Av is the realization of Hashem’s abundant kindness. Our survival these past 1950 years, is nothing short of miraculous. There were those who said that a greater miracle than the splitting of the Red Sea, was our survival. We are now more ready than ever for Mashiach and the Third Temple, when Tisha B’Av will become a festival. Meanwhile, fast begins at 7:40 p.m. and ends Thursday at 8:00. צום קל

Arrogance of Spies

In פרשת דברים, Moshe spoke about the tragic episode of the spies. Their betrayal of Hashem which led to בכיה של חינם, crying for nothing, took place on Tisha B’Av. This is one of the reasons why we fast. But the real lesson to be learned from the spies, is that despite the fact that those who cried, admitted their sin, it was not enough. The Torah tells us that shortly after this episode, a group of Jews, against Moshe’s wishes, decided to try and conquer the land prematurely. They were known as the מעפילים. They were ambushed and killed, as it was not the correct time to enter Israel. Many commentators point out that their apology was meaningless. We see this by their believing that they could enter early. This showed that they never truly abandoned their arrogance. This is what got them in trouble in the first place, and led to their ultimate downfall. Our Rabbis constantly warn us of the detrimental aspect of arrogance. It is a very horrible Midah, character trait, that is far more destructive than we realize.

Judges

When Moshe Rabbeinu recounted events that took place in the desert, he told of the need to get help from others who would act as judges. He then focused on the proper conduct of a judge in Israel. The responsibility of judging was enormous. They were commanded not to take bribes or show favoritism to the rich or poor. They were told that it was their job to settle disputes between a man and his brother, and between the convert. The Gemara in יבמות learns from the fact that the convert is mentioned together with the subject of judges, that the only acceptable conversion, would be in front of a Beit Din of three judges. A declaration בינו ובין עצמו, done by himself, alone, is not considered a valid conversion. The Rabbis tell us that when a judge judges fairly, he becomes a partner with HaShem, who is the One and only true judge.

Forces of Evil

The Torah tells us that Moshe Rabbeinu gathered the nation אחרי הכותו את סיחון, after he smote Sichon, the king of אמורי and Og, king of בשן. The Netivot Shalom said that these verses were necessary as a prerequisite to Moshe’s final address. They represented his ability to smash the negative forces in the world. These forces are sometimes referred to as the סיטרא אחרא, or the כח הקליפה, the force of the shell. There was then, and still exists today, two very powerful forces; those of good, and those of evil. When we do Mitzvot, we become attached to Good. When we sin, we distance ourselves and are in danger of being pulled to the negative side. The Sefer Hachinuch goes further when it goes into details about witchcraft. When speaking about sorcery and demons, the חינוך says that one of their main characteristics is that they are totally destructive. They tear down and do not rebuild. They disrupt the balance in the world between the higher and lower worlds. (Kind of sounds like Leftists, doesn’t it?) Moshe Rabbeinu realized all of this, and needed to be certain that these forces of evil were put to rest, so that he could elevate the nation, spiritually.

Moshe’s Leadership

Shavua Tov. The very first Pasuk of פרשת דברים, has a double meaning. On the one hand, there is a subtle reference by Moshe Rabbeinu to the various locations where the Jewish people had sinned. He refers to a place called, “די זהב.” There is no such place but it is a reference to the sin of the Golden Calf, where there was די זהב, enough gold. Moshe wants the people to know that despite the fact that they turned away from Hashem, they were not forsaken. They should also feel remorse for such a transgression. But, on the other hand, the Gemara in Berachot said that when Moshe spoke to G-d, he tried to reduce the gravity of the sin, by even sounding a bit disrespectful to HaShem. He says that the nation was not so much to blame, because it was not their idea to ask for gold from the Egyptians. If they didn’t have any gold, they would not have had the means to sin. This shows the kind of leader Moshe was. He motivated the people to go higher, but he also defended them at all times. He had the qualities to emulate in a true leader.

Shabbat Chazon

This coming Shabbat is called שבת חזון. It is the third Haftarah of פורענותא, punishment and rebuke. We read from the Book of Isaiah, where the prophet gives strong rebuke for turning away from Hashem. Shabbat Chazon is always read with פרשת דברים. This Parsha is also one of rebuke. The Netivot Shalom says that really פרשת ואתחנן is the לב התורה. It is the heart of the Torah because it contains the first paragraph of שמע as well as the Ten Commandments. It was not read as the first Parsha in דברים, because first needed to prepare the nation by teaching them that in order to receive the Torah as well as ארץ ישראל, it could only come about through הכנעה and ענווה, surrender and humility. Another reason why דברים is read during the Nine Days is that there is the reminder that HaShem will never forsake us. Just as He was with us in Egypt and our Exile, He will never forsake us. This is a time for soul searching and reflection. It is a time that we should try to reach higher levels of holiness, to prepare us for the גאולה, redemption that is knocking on the door. We need to prove our worthiness for this blessed time. Shabbat Chazon is meant for making such preparations.

Cities of Refuge

The case of the ערי מקלט was mentioned in last week’s Parsha. There was a commandment to set up cities of refuge for the accidental killer. The specifics of the law are that we are referring to one who had no intention to kill, but did display a certain degree of negligence. The Torah gives the example of the blade of an ax flying off accidentally, killing an innocent victim. The negligence was that the ax should have been examined and tightened before use. There is a strange Halacha associated with this. If the victim was known to be an enemy of the ax holder, the killer would not be allowed the safety of the עיר מקלט. Somehow, because it is someone that he dislikes and is not speaking to, the “accident” is no longer viewed as an accident. This is difficult to understand but we must assume that the Torah’s wisdom is far greater than our own.

Forty Two Journeys

Regarding פרשת מסעי, we are given an accounting of forty two different locations that בני ישראל traveled during their forty years in the desert. It is interesting to note that most of the traveling was done during the first and last year of their forty year journey. Likewise, the sins took place during the first and last year of their stay. We are told that they camped in a place called Kadesh for nineteen of those middle thirty eight years, that were relatively quiet. The Netivot Shalom says that every person goes through forty two journeys in his lifetime. Sometimes there are many journeys bunched together. At others, there may be several years of calm and tranquility. We are to be aware that every journey is meant to be a stepping stone for further growth and self improvement. Regardless of our age, we are in this world to constantly work on ourselves. We are to keep a distance from those who stagnate and are complacent. The ultimate journey is the one that if we merit it, will bring us to Mashiach and עולם הבא. We must not falter in our mission as part of עם ישראל.

Holy War

The war waged against Midian was not an ordinary war. It was a battle between the forces of holiness and the forces of impurity. For this reason, Moshe Rabbeinu selected 1000 holy men from each of the twelve tribes. In addition, Pinchas went out to battle, to finish what he had started. They also brought the Holy Ark to battle along with the ציץ, the headband of the Kohein Gadol. Moshe used all the spiritual ammunition at his disposal. The Netivot Shalom adds that these soldiers fought with their תפילין on, and they were all very learned. None of them put on their של ראש before their של יד. They were victorious to the point that there were no casualties. And they were able to kill Bilaam, who was in the neighborhood waiting to be paid for the damage he inflicted on the Jews. We must never minimize the power that comes when we maintain our level of holiness. Cleaving to G-d, helps us to win all the battles that life sends our way.

Being Clean

Moshe Rabbeinu made a deal with the two and a half tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe. They would be given land on the east side of the Jordan, if they would first help fight to conquer the land. Moshe uses the words, והייתם נקיים, and you will be clean, if their part of the bargain was fulfilled. The Gemara spoke of two families that were given important positions in the time of the Beit Hamikdash. They both took great care to be “clean” in their honored roles. The Beit Garmoo Family were charged with the task of baking the לחם הפנים, the showbread, in the Temple. They were very gifted in knowing how to prepare this bread. In their effort to be “clean”, no such bread was ever seen in their home. The same was true of the Beit Avtinus Family. They knew the secrets as to how to prepare the קטורת for Temple service. They, too, were “clean” in not having such קטורת in their home. This was a lesson for all people in high positions to make sure that they would not take what didn’t belong to them.

Keep Your Word

Shavua Tov. The reason given for our first Parsha today, being called מטות, is to teach that the ראשי המטות, the heads of the tribes, were qualified to nullify vows. The idea here was to give an option to get out of vows that a person regretted making. This is also why we have the ceremony called התרת נדרים on Erev Rosh Hashanah to exempt us from vows made that were unfulfilled. According to the ספר החינוך, Parshat מטות has only two laws. One is the positive commandment to nullify unwanted vows, and the other is a negative commandment not to leave vows and promises unfulfilled. This means that we are to keep our word and anything we promise or verbally commit ourselves to do, we must do. The punishment for transgressing this commandment and not doing what we promised, is listed as a לאו- a violation of a negative commandment. It falls under the category of a לאו שאין בו מעשה, a negative commandment for which there is no action, (speech is not considered an action.) Therefore, no lashes are given but the violation of a negative commandment is added to our record in שמים.

Power of Speech

This week we complete the Book of Bamidbar with the reading of מטות-מסעי. We are in the second week of ג׳ דפורענותא, the three Shabbats of rebuke in the Haftarah. Parshat מטות begins with the subject of making vows and fulfilling them. The Netivot Shalom has an interesting take on the words, לא יחל דברו, that one should not make his words profane, and he should fulfill all that comes out of his mouth. We learn from here the power of speech. Words that come out of our mouths can be holy when used for making blessings, or reciting our prayers. Discussing Torah thoughts is also a positive use of speech. The Torah is warning us not to make our speech profane. We can do this by speaking Lashon Hara, or using vulgar language. This might also explain why Kol Nidrei is considered one of the most sacred prayers of the year. We cannot enter the Fast of Yom Kippur with the knowledge that we did not fulfill all that we said we would. The goal is never to even conduct שיחת חולין, mundane conversation. The great Torah giants were careful with their words. We must emulate their example and use the power of speech for good.