Parsha Patners Ekev 2009

PARSHAS EIKEV | 18 AV 5769 | 8 AUGUST 2009

Parsha Perspectives '‫ועתה ישראל מה ה' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ה‬ ‫אלקיך ללכת בכל דרכיו ולאהבה אתו ולעבד את ה' אלקיך‬ ‫בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך‬ “And now Israel, what does Hashem your G-d request from you except to fear Hashem your G-d, to walk in all His ways and to love Him and to serve Hashem your G-d with all your heart and all your soul.” (Devarim 10:12)

I

t seems almost impossible to figure out just what Hashem wants from us. The verse at first indicates some small and manageable request - and then piles on a long list of the greatest of expectations. Is that all that is requested of us, to reach the heights of human achievement? It’s like if someone asked you to give him a ride to the corner, and then he gave you directions to take him cross country. One of the more famous stories told by Rebbe Nachman of Breslov may help to illustrate the intention of the verse. There was a prince who was so thoroughly convinced that he was a turkey that he behaved just like a turkey. Naked he clucked around on the floor all day, picking up minute kernels of grain with his mouth and making turkeylike noises all the while. The poor king was beside himself with grief and frustration. All the king’s advisers could not convince the prince that he was something other than a turkey.

One day, one of the king’s wisest men appeared on the floor next to the prince, and he too had shed his clothing. The prince looked at him with skepticism as both of them hunted and pecked for grain on the floor. Then the wise man put on his socks, and the prince told him, “Aha, so you’re not really a turkey!” The wise man told him, “Of course I am a turkey, but a turkey can still wear socks.” Soon the prince was also wearing socks. The next day, the wise man put on a shirt, and the prince accused him once more of only

RABB I LAB EL LAM

pretending to be a turkey, to which the wise man replied, “A turkey can wear a shirt and still be a turkey.” The prince too put on a shirt. The next day, it happened again with pants. Then the wise man sat at the table and reminded the prince that a turkey can sit at a table. In the end, the prince was eating, drinking, and conversing with princely manners, because a turkey can also behave like a prince. We can only assume that eventually the prince began to feel more aristocratic than fowl-like. The Ohr HaChaim explains that our verse is speaking about a progression of steps. One level is called “fear of Hashem your G-d” and the other is “love of Hashem. He explains that first a person does actions animated by fear, compelled by duty or principle, and then he is a candidate to walk in the ways of Hashem. Eventually, one can come to love Hashem and to serve Him with heart and soul. One starts out doing things only because he must and ultimately it metamorphoses into more. The Ohr HaChaim points out that this is why the verse starts, “And now what does Hashem ask from you except to fear Hashem your G-d….” From the moment the prince put on those socks, he was already no longer a turkey, but rather royalty in training. Rabbi Lam can be reached at: [email protected]

Talking Points 1. WHAT A LAND “For Hashem, your Lord, is bringing you to a good land. A land with flowing streams and underground springs gushing out in valley and mountain. It is a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates; a land of oil-olives and honey. It is a land where you will eat bread in abundance, and you will lack for nothing; a land whose stones are iron, and from whose mountains you will mine copper.” 8:7-10 A good land – This land has a stunning array of positive attributes unlike any other land. The verse then enumerates five of these positive attributes, separating each of them with the word, “land.” Sforno A land with flowing streams – There will be abundant fresh water sources like streams and springs, instead of the lesser quality seas and swamps. A land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates – These are basic foodstuffs required for any functioning civilization. A land of oil-olives, and honey – These are delicacies fit for royalty. A land in which bread will be eaten in abundance – Money will be abundant and will enable you to purchase food in profusion. A land whose stones are iron – Construction will be easy as the land will abound in stones which are hard, attractive, and in all ways ideal for building.

The verse only enumerates seven species of food, but Rabbi Yosef Bechor Shor points out that these species include many others that aren’t explicitly mentioned in the verse as well. For example, the verse mentions only two forms of grain when in reality there are five primary species of grain. Honey, as well, should not be understood to include only honey, but all forms of sweet food such as that obtained from a bee, dates, figs, and more. Understood thusly, the blessings of the Land of Israel are truly without a peer.

2. AT YOUR SERVICE “And should you thoroughly abide by My commandments that I am commanding you

VA’ESCHANAN

today - to love Hashem, your G-d, and to serve Him with all your hearts and with your entire souls.” 11:13 With all your hearts – With the service of the heart, and this refers to prayer, for prayer is entitled “service.” – Rashi You should know that the power of prayer is so great that it can even override the laws of nature. Our sages tell us that the reason the Matriarchs were originally barren was because G-d very much desired their prayers, and it was through those prayers that they were healed from their barren state; an act that contravened the rules of natures. – Rabbeinu Bachya

Terming prayer a “service of the heart” indicates that it’s no easy feat to deliver a proper prayer and requires serious effort. This is because it is not sufficient to merely recite the words at breakneck speed. Rather, one must also concentrate on the meaning of the words and emotionally engage himself in the prayer. A young man once complained to the Rebbe of Kotzk that his head hurt him too much to allow him to pray. The Rebbe gazed at him unimpressed, and said, “My good friend, our Sages taught us that prayer is a service of the heart, not the head. Your heart feels fine, so there’s no reason not to pray.”

3. BABY EINSTEIN OR BABY MOSES? “And you shall teach them to your sons to speak in them when you sit at home, and when you journey on the road, and when you go to sleep, and when you arise.” 11:19

RABB I ELAZAR MEISELS

to speak in them.” He is obligated to hire a teacher to teach him Torah. One whose father did not teach him, is obligated to teach himself. The obligation to teach one’s son begins from the time that the child learns how to speak. – Maimonides, Hilchos Talmud Torah 1:1-6

There are many aspects to the obligation to teach Torah to one’s children, but one that is especially prominent is the importance of starting when the child is very young. It appears that this is due to more than just the fact that the Torah is too vast to acquire in a mere few years of study. Rather, the Torah is acutely aware of the fact that once a child grows up, if he has not already established a firm foundation of Torah, it will be very difficult to establish one later. Only by dedicatedly inculcating it in a child from a very early age can one reasonably expect the child to conform with its dictates in adulthood. It is no small wonder that Jewish parents have sacrificed so much over the ages to ensure that their children merit a proper Jewish education long before their secular training gets underway.

Rabbi Meisels can be reached at [email protected]

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To speak in them – From the time that the son is able to speak, teach him the verse, “Moshe instructed us in the Torah…” so that this develops his speech. From here it is said that when an infant begins speaking, his father should converse with him in the Holy Tongue, and teach him Torah. – Rashi

Rabbi Elazar Meisels 732-917-6370 (Sunday & Tuesday 8:00—11:00 pm, and Thursday 10:00am—12:00 noon) [email protected]

Alternatively, one may teach the child to recite one of the verses of the Shema – Rabbeinu Bachya

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You shall teach them to your sons – Although a young child is exempt from the obligation to study Torah, his father is obligated to teach him Torah as it is written, “And you shall teach them to your sons

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THE RABBI SAID...

RABB I ELAZAR MEISELS

Dear Rabbi, My religious friends consult with their rabbis on any number of issues. I can understand why a rabbi is consulted on matters of Jewish law, but why do they turn to rabbis to discuss their personal issues? Don’t get me wrong, I have met many, very wise rabbis, and have no problem asking any wise person for advice. But it seems that they would sooner turn to a rabbi than to wise friends or family members. Does the religion somehow say that a rabbi’s advice has special value? Thank you, Fred S. Dear Fred, Your question is one that I’m sure many of our readers have thought about, and I appreciate the opportunity to explain. There is no question that in long-ago times, a person faced with a vexing problem would go to a prophet and seek advice which was obtained through Divine inspiration. An example of this is the incident in which the Matriarch Rebecca sought the counsel of Shem and Eber to resolve her confusion over the unusual activity of her fetus. “And the children clashed within her; and she said: ‘If this is so, why did I desire this?’ And she went to inquire of the Lord.” Rashi explains that she went to the study-house of Shem and Eber to discuss the matter with them. It is clear that this was a common practice in later generations as well, as the verse in the Book of Samuel [9:9] says, “In earlier times in Israel, when a man went to inquire of G-d, he would say thus: ‘Come and let us go to the seer,’ for he that is now called a prophet, was beforetime called a seer.” However, this practice of inquiring of a prophet came to a halt with the destruction of the First Temple, but as the Talmud notes, it didn’t cease entirely. “Rav Avdimi of Chaifa said, ‘From the day that the Holy Temple was destroyed, prophecy was taken from the prophets and given to the wise men.’ Are wise men not prophets? This is what was intended by that statement, ‘Although it was taken from the prophets, it was not also removed from the wise men.’” (Tractate Bava Basra 12a)

Rabbi Moshe Sofer, also known as the Chasam Sofer explains this to mean that although G-d no longer endowed prophets with clear Divine inspiration to convey His words and message, wise men are nonetheless still endowed with special insight to accurately perceive His will at times and use that to guide others. This is part of what lies behind the tendency to discuss matters with a wise scholar, although not necessarily do all ordained rabbis meet this criteria. It is not a product of ordination per se, so much as it is a product of great scholarship, piety, and common sense. However, there are other reasons as well, for this practice, a few of which I’ll mention here. 1. Experience: A seasoned rabbi has dealt with numerous people in a wide variety of life situations, and as a result has a wealth of experience. Even if he himself is unsuited for the difficult task of counseling, a rabbi is often familiar with counselors who have proven themselves capable of meeting the unique needs of the Jewish community. 2. Objectivity: When seeking advice, one of the most important qualifications to seek in an advisor is objectivity. In fact, the Torah specifically prohibits one from offering advice that is not in the best interests of the one seeking it and refers to one who engages in such practice as a “devious evil-doer.” A qualified rabbi, trained to distinguish between biased and unbiased opinions, is not the only source, but certainly a worthy source of objective opinions. 3. Truth: The study of Torah and specifically

Talmudic law is essentially an exercise in thinking through issues on the deepest levels imaginable, in order to arrive at a logical and truthful conclusion. Even seemingly compelling and logical solutions are discarded in the face of the slightest challenge. This rigorous pursuit of the truth renders the rabbi an excellent advisor as he possesses the ability to help the advice-seeker separate fact from fiction. 4. Divine Assistance: Although rabbis are not prophets and cannot predict the future, it is traditionally believed that those who accept upon themselves the mantel of communal responsibility are recipients of an extra measure of Divine assistance which renders them capable of offering Divinely inspired advice. Of course, not all communal leaders are equally endowed with this inspiration, nor are their words foolproof by any means. As a general rule, it is important to note that when seeking advice, one isn’t merely choosing to discard his natural ability to rationalize and contemplate the situation. Rather, only after considering the matter at length and narrowing it down to its essential components, should advice be sought. Even then, it is crucial to ensure that the issue is well-presented to the rabbi to increase the likelihood of receiving sound and practical advice. Regards, Rabbi Elazar Meisels Rabbi Meisels can be reached at [email protected]

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Soul Talk TABLE TALK FOR DISCUSSION AROUND THE SHABBAT TABLE RABBI LABEL LAM “And it will be that if you hearken to My commandments that I command you today, to love Hashem, your G-d, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I shall provide rain for your Land in its proper time, the early and the late rains, that you may gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil. I shall provide grass in your field for your cattle and you will eat and be satisfied” (Devarim 1:13-15). The message is clear. There is an obvious cause-and-effect linkage outlined in the second paragraph of the Shema. In return for

being

devoted

commandments, abundance

of

we

adherents are

material

to

promised

good.

This

G-d’s an may

encourage us to try to live up the standards of Torah, but it is also somewhat troublesome for a number of reasons.

‫)א‬

If one does the mitzvos with these rewards in mind, can he or she really be serving G-d with his or her whole heart and soul?

‫)ב‬

Why doesn’t this promise of a reward contradict the ideal taught in Pirkei Avot (1:3): “Be not like servants who

serve their master in anticipation of a reward. Rather, be like servants who serve their master not for the sake of receiving a reward”?

The Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto) writes that one way to express one’s fear of Hashem is to avoid sin and to become afraid to sin. Rabbi Moshe Feinstein writes (Igros Moshe, Yoreh Deah 1:156) that just as it is a mitzvah to see a mitzvah being done and to be involved in it, so too it is a transgression to witness a sin being performed, where one can avoid this. By watching a violation of G-d’s Torah, he writes, you are watching Him being dealt with disrespectfully and humiliated. This can negatively impact your own service of G-d, because, on some level, you lose a measure of respect for G-d as well. According to Panim Yafos, this is the explanation of Chazal’s (The Sages’) statement: ‘‘Why was the section of the nazirite laws placed next to the laws of sotah, the suspected adulterous wife? To tell us that anyone who sees the sotah in her disgrace should abstain from wine (one of the nazirite laws), since wine leads to adultery’’ (Rashi, Bamidbar 6:2). Panim Yafos asks: We would have thought the opposite? Wouldn’t someone who sees a sinner like the sotah being humiliated become inspired to not dare come close to transgression? If you saw your co-worker being reprimanded for coming late, wouldn’t you be extra careful not to come late yourself? So why does the Torah suggest that witnessing the sotah’s embarrassment will make a person more afraid that he will sin? Why would one establish safeguards to avoid sin by refraining from wine, once he has seen a violation of the Torah in the sotah? The answer is that our preconceived notion is not true. In reality, witnessing sin, no matter if

we see the sinner being degraded or not, weakens our spirituality. Whenever someone ‘‘breaks the rules’’ — in whatever setting — inevitably the rules become less hallowed in our eyes, and it’s only a matter of time until ‘‘breaking the rules’’ becomes the rule. This is true regarding the Torah as well. Witnessing a breach in G-d’s mitzvos automatically removes levels of respect and awe that we have for His commandments. We subconsciously feel that the transgression is no longer untouchable, and although we may never dream of doing it, it becomes a possibility. Once the slippery slope of possibility has been opened, terrible results will inevitably occur. To prevent this, one who witnesses the punishment of the sotah decides to enter the institution of the nazirite vows. He realizes that he temporarily needs special laws of holiness in order to return to his former state of awe for G-d’s laws and commandments, which has been weakened in his eye. Environment plays a vital role in human development. There is no way of denying this fact. Rambam (Maimonides) writes that it is the way of humankind to be drawn after the manners and actions of friends and countrymen. Therefore, one should connect with and befriend righteous people in order to learn from their ways, and distance himself from wicked people. Rambam does not even bring a source from a verse in the Torah as a proof of this, for it is a simple fact of life. We must always remember that what we see is what we get — even inside our minds and souls. With permission from Artscroll’s Daily Dose