Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Eikev Volume VI/Number 45 (279) 23 Av 5752/August 22, 1992 Rabbenu Bachya ben Asher writes that all of the promises made by Hashem in this Parasha are promises of physical benefit; the Parasha therefore begins, "It will be 'Eikev' you will listen." "Eikev," among its other meanings, refers to the heel, which is the "end" of the body. Lest one think that the reward for Mitzvot is primarily physical, this Pasuk reminds us that the true payment comes at the end, i.e. in "Olam haBa" - the World-to-Come. This lesson, says Rabbenu Bachya, is also found in Mishlei (Proverbs) which says (4:22), "For they [the Mitzvot] are life for those who find them, for the entire person they are a curse." When a human doctor prescribes a medicine, there are often undesirable side-effects on parts of the body which were not previously ill. The Torah and the Mitzvot, however, are cures for the entire person, including the body - in this world - and the soul - in Olam haBa. Yet, we must be aware that the benefits of Torah do not come automatically. "They are life for those who find them," but if one is not searching, he will not find. (Midrash Rabbenu Bachya) ************************************ "What does Hashem ask of you other than to fear Him....?" (10:12) R' Yehuda HaLevi warns us not to think that Judaism is a religion of the heart or of the mind. Rather, it is a religion of deeds. This is clear from the Torah, a significant part of which describes Mitzvot - some, in great detail - that require action. History shows that the great philosophers of Greece or other societies did not come closer to G-d that the simple Jew who kept the Mitzvot; if Hashem merely wanted our hearts or our minds, such would have been the case. How then are we to understand the above verse? Just as Hashem does not desire our hearts alone, He does not want deeds alone. In fact, it is unlikely that a person would perform the Mitzvot unless he possessed some fear of Heaven. This Pasuk may therefore be speaking to the "beginner" - start with fear of Hashem, love Him, emulate Him, and so on, until you come to keep all of the Mitzvot. (Kuzari I, 99; II, 48) ************************************ "And you will eat and be satiated. Take care lest your hearts be seduced.." (11:15-16) This is one of many verses which warn us of the potential dangers of physical pleasures. What should a person do to protect himself? Chazal say (Avot, ch.3) that if a person eats and does not say a "D'var Torah" (Torah thought) at the table, his meal borders on idolatry. This is precisely because eating is potentially fatal to a person's spirituality, but a simple D'var Torah can put the meal back in perspective, and can even sanctify it. (R' David Avudraham: Avudraham haShalem, "Dinei Birkat haMazon") The same lesson was taught to R' Yosef Karo by the "Maggid" (see page 4) in connection with the verse in our Parasha (8:3), "Man does not live by bread alone; rather by G-d's word man lives." If you think of Divrei Torah even as you chew, your food will have the sanctity of a "Korban" (sacrifice). A person cannot live if he eats bread alone; he must at the same time ingest Hashem's word, i.e. the Torah. (Maggid Mesharim) ************************************ "And He will restrain the heavens, and there will be no rain, and the earth will not yield its produce." (11:17) The Gemara (Ketubot 112a) relates: R' Yehoshua ben Levi went to Gavla (a place), where bunches of grapes grew to the size of calves. R' Yehoshua asked, "Why are there calves among the vines?" "Those are not calves, they are grapes," he was told. Addressing himself to the fruit R' Yehoshua said, "For whom are you growing - for the Arabs who surround us? Hold back your fruit!" The following year, R' Chiya visited Gavla and saw bunches of grapes the size of small goats (smaller than calves). "Why are there kids among the vines?" he asked. "Be silent," he was told, "lest you do to our grapes what your friend before you did." The above Pasuk from our Parasha and the above story can both help us to understand Chazal's teaching that every plant and animal sings "Shirah" (praise) to Hashem, writes R' Moshe m'Trani ("Mabit"). There are two ways to explain this idea. Firstly, Chazal say that every blade of grass has an angel in heaven which tells it to grow, and this presumably applies to other creations as well. Perhaps then, it is that angel which sings praise to Hashem on behalf of the plant or animal which it represents. Secondly, it is possible that plants and animals actually praise Hashem on their own. We know that every plant and animal possesses basic "knowledge" about itself [its generic code] which enables it to grow and even to respond to various stimuli. Furthermore, as the above Pasuk and story demonstrate, plants are capable of obeying commands from Hashem and from Tzaddikim, and of altering their behavior accordingly. Is it then far-fetched to believe that they possess "knowledge" of their Creator, and that they praise Him for His deeds?! (Be'ur haMabit l'Perek Shirah) ************************************ Biographical Notes on the sources quoted in this issue R' Yehuda haLevi: born circa 1080 in Toledo; studied under R' Yitzchak Alfasi ("Rif"); wrote Kuzari, a discussion between a scholar and a potential convert (the King of the Khazars) regarding Jewish beliefs; set out for Israel around 1045, and was last heard from in Damascus; according to legend, he reached Yerushalayim and was trampled to death by an Arab horseman as he knelt to kiss the ground. R' David Avudraham: Lived in Seville, Spain in the 13th or 14th century; some say he was a student of R' Yaakov "Ba'al haTurim"; his work Avudraham is an encyclopedia of the laws, customs, and meanings of the prayers. R' Yosef Karo: born 1488 in Toledo, Spain; fled to Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) with his family; settled in Tzefat in 1535, and was appointed to the rabbinical court of R' Yaakov bei Rav (who may earlier have been R' Yosef's teacher); in 1546, became head of that court and answered questions from as far away as Poland; his works include Kesef Mishneh (on Rambam's code), Bet Yosef (on Arba'ah Turim) and Shulchan Aruch (which together with the glosses of R' Moshe Isserles has become our definitive Halachic code); in the merit of his study of Mishnah, an angel known as a "Maggid" appeared to reveal many secrets of Kabbalah to him; these were published in the work Magid Mesharim; died 1575. Mabit: born to Spanish exiles in Salonika, Greece in 1500; was a descendant of R' Yishaya of Trani (Italy), author of Tosfot Rid; settled in Tzefat, Israel, at age 18, and studied under R' Yaakov bei Rav; succeeded R' Yosef Karo as head of the Tzefat rabbinical court; his works include Bet Elokim (philosophy) and Kiryat Sefer (commentary on Rambam's code); died 1580. CORRECTION: We wrote last week that R' Yehuda Roseannes was a descendant of the Nimukei Yosef and grandfather of R' Yaakov Culi. In fact, he was only R' Yaakov Culi's teacher, and it was R' Culi who was a descendant of the Nimukei Yosef. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Mishnah Yomit: Parah 5:3-4 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Halacha Yomit: OC/MB 460:4-6 (Learn three paragraphs every day) Daf Yomi: Yevamot 55 (Learn two sides of a page every day) Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Eivel - Chapter 13 3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Eidut - Chapters 14-16 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh:N287; Su:N285; M:P180; Tu: 174,N312,N313,N314; W:N318,N319,P210,P211; Th:N195,P37; F:N168 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's Hamaayan is sponsored by: Rabbi and Mrs. Yitzchak Charner in memory of Malka bat R' Yitzchak ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible