HaMaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Shoftim Volume V, Number 43 (229) 7 Elul 5751/August 17, 1991 "Revei'i D/Nechemata" Parasha Overview This Parasha deals with the appointment of judges, kings, and prophets whose task is to enforce the Mitzvot and rebuke Bnei Yisrael for their failings. Additionally, the Parasha discusses many of the laws that come into play when the nation goes out to war. All of these may be interpreted not only literally ("P'shat"), but on the level of "D'rash" (allegory), where they are related to the month of Elul, in which this Parasha is always read. [Commentators note that since the Torah is eternal, in generations in which there is no Torah-oriented Jewish state, the Torah's laws of war must be interpreted primarily in regard to spiritual battles. (See Ohr Gedalyahu, "Elul section 4)] Besides the many physical wars which the Jewish people have been forced to wage, every Jew wages a constant spiritual war against the "Yetzer Hara" (evil inclination). But never is this war more heated than during Elul, when, in preparation for the Day of Judgement on Rosh Hashana, each person takes stock of his actions and looks for ways in which to improve himself. These spiritual wars share strategy with our physical battles. For example, just as the Torah commands that in time of war we blow the Shofar to awaken us to pray for G-d's mercy) see Bamidbar 10:9 and Ibn Ezra there), so during Elul we blow the Shofar to awaken ourselves from our spiritual slumber. R' Yechezkel Levenstein states (based on a Midrash) that just as a person can sleep so deeply that he would not even feel a surgeon's blade, so the soul's sleep can be so complete that one does not notice that the Yetzer Hara is destroying it. How can one be awakened? For precisely this purpose Hashem gave us prophets and spiritual leaders, for their rebuke can direct us on the correct path. ************************************* Towards the end of this Parasha we find some of the laws of war, and the prohibition against needlessly destroying the environment. But beyond the plain meaning of these verses (Devarim 20:19-20), the Vilna Gaon finds the following allegorical interpretation: "When you will besiege a city for many days in order to fight it" - These are G-d's words to the Yetzer Hara and Heavenly prosecutor. "[M]any days" refers to the days of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Although they are only three days, they seem like "many" because they are so difficult, for they are the days on which the prosecutor's attack on Bnei Yisrael is the strongest. "Do not destroy its trees by raising an ax against them" - The trees, i.e. those who support Torah scholars (see Mishlei 3:18) are to be protected from the attribute of strict justice. "For you will eat from it" - The entire world including you, the Heavenly prosecutor, exists only through the merit of the Torah scholar, and in turn- "Man is but a tree of the field" - "Man", i.e. the Torah scholar, is able to exist only because of the trees, i.e. those who support Torah. "Only that which you are certain is not a fruit tree" - i.e. one who does not support Torah, "That one you may destroy and cut off" - "destroy" in this world, and "cut off" from the next world (G-d forbid). The sacrifice, and consequently, the reward, of one who supports Torah is so great that the sage, Rav Pappa, could not believe it possible, says the Gemara (Baba Batra 73b, according to Vilna Gaon's commentary). For this reason, we find that when the tribes of Yissachar and Zevulun are mentioned in the Torah, Zevulun usually comes first. While Yissachar produced many Torah scholars, Zevulun was completely devoted to supporting those sages, and is entitled to much of the credit for those scholars accomplishments. About people like Zevulun the Mishnah says, "Who is brave? One who reins in his desires." The people of Zevulun could have pursued many luxuries, but they chose instead to support Torah. (R' Eliyahu of Vilna: Be'ur Al Kamah Aggadot) ************************************* The Study of Mishnah The Gemara (Kidushin 30a) learns from a verse that- A person should divide his years - one-third for "Mikra" [Bible], one-third for "Mishnah", and one-third for "Talmud" [the reasons behind the Mishnah, as in our Gemara.] Does one then know how many years he will live? Rather, let him divide his days. Rashi explains that a person should study Mikra two days a week, and so with Mishnah and Gemara. Tosfot argues, saying that one should divide each day in three parts. In any case, concludes Rabbenu Tam, now that we have the "Talmud Bavli" (Babylonian Talmud) which incorporates Mikra, Mishnah, and Gemara, we can fulfill all three obligations by studying that one work. R' Tam's statement, coupled with several Talmudic statements which appear to deprecate the study of Mishnah without Gemara (see for example Sotah 22a), caused such study to be neglected for many centuries. However, in the 16th century, several leading sages took up the Mishnah's cause and succeeded in reinstituting its widespread study. Most notable among these were the Maharal of Prague (ca. 1512-1609) and R' Yosef Caro (1488-1575; author of Shulchan Aruch and numerous other works). The primary argument offered against the study of Mishnah is that its statements are too broad, and that without the Gemara, one cannot know how to behave in practice. Those who favor the study of Mishnah acknowledge this fact, but argue that Mishnah study is necessary both as an introduction to Talmud tractates not yet studied, and as a quick review of tractates already completed. This is particularly true today, wrote R' Yom Tov Heller in 1597, when Mishnah commentaries such as "Rambam" and "Bartenura" encapsulate the highlights of the Gemara's discussion. (R' Yom Tov was a disciple of Maharal, and with the latter's encouragement wrote the Mishnah commentary Tosfot Yom Tov.) The study of Mishnah was particularly popular among the Kabbalists of the 16th century (e.g. R' Yosef Caro, R' Moshe Kordevero, and the "Arizal") for they sought ways to hasten the arrival of Mashiach. The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 7:3) states: "R' Huna says, 'Thee redemption will only occur in the merit of Mishnah study'." Maharal explains (D'rush L'Shabbat HaGadol) that just as the discussion in the Gemara appears to be random, with one thought leading to another without premeditation, so in our exile, Jewish communities appear to be strewn about randomly without any order or reason. In the future, however, the order with which Hashem runs the world will become clear, and this will come about through the study of Mishnah, whose order is clear. Several Kabbalists - best known among them, R' Yosef Caro - reported that in the merit of the Mishnayot they had studied, angels were sent from Heaven to teach them Torah. R' Yosef Caro's work Maggid Mesharim is a compilation of such an angel's lectures. How should Mishnah be studied? Ideally, write many authorities, it should be memorized. (Mishnah is, after all, the outline of the "Oral Law".) Among Kabbalists, Friday was considered a particularly propitious time for studying Mishnah. As for quantity, Maharal recommended one chapter a day, while R' Chaim of Volozhin (died 1821) suggested eighteen chapters, but added that understanding a little bit is preferable to merely reading through the entire body of Mishnayot. "Mishnah Yomit" (The Daily Mishnah), a popular program in recent decades, encourages Jews the world over to study the same two paragraphs of Mishnah on any given day. Readers of HaMaayan can find each Shabbat's Mishnah Yomit listed on the announcement page of each issue, and are encouraged to follow the program by studying two Mishnayot each day of the week. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Daily Mishnah Arachin 8:2-3 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Daily Halacha Orach Chaim (Mishnah Berura) 302:13-303:2 (Learn three paragraphs each day) Daf Yomi Yoma 14 (Learn two sides of a page each day) Pirkei Avot Chapter 6 (Learn one chapter each Shabbat afternoon during the summer) Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Tum'at Tzara'at - Chapter 13 3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Shealah V'Pikadon - Chapters 6-8 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh:P242;Su:P197,N234;M:P142;Tu:N239 W:P199,N240;Th:N241,N242;F:N235 ************************************* The hard copy distribution of this week's HaMaayan is sponsored by: The Meth Family in honor of Nachum's birthday ******************** Posted by Alan Broder, ajb@grebyn.com (uunet!grebyn!ajb), who should be contacted to request back issues of HaMaayan or to get on or off the direct email mailing list. Shlomo Katz can not receive EMAIL, however I will pass on any comment forwarded to me, or alternately, send your comments care of yehuda@gwuvm.bitnet