Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Shoftim 4 Elul 5753/August 21, 1993 From our archives.... Parashat Shoftim contains fourteen positive commandments and 27 negative injunctions. These include the positive commandment to obey the Sanhedrin and the elders of the generation, as well as the negative injunction, "Do not turn away from that which they will command to you, neither towards the right nor towards the left." (17:11) Many people, especially those who have grown up in a democratic society, do not realize to what extent G-d demands that we follow the words of our Rabbis and sages. Rashi, in interpreting the above verse, writes: "[Obey them] even if they tell you that right is left and left is right." Ramban elaborates and explains that, although we may sometimes be certain that the Rabbis have erred -- just as we know without question which side is right and which is left -- nevertheless, G-d demands that we follow the teachings and instructions of true Torah-authorities. One of the laws in this week's Parasha is that the Bet Din must execute a Jew who is caught worshipping idols. Chazal teach that this can occur in two circumstances: first, a person may be caught performing the service that is unique to a given idol (e.g. there was one idol whose worship involved sweeping the floor in front of it), or, alternatively, a transgressor might bow down to the idol. While the former behavior is punishable only if it is the correct service for the idol in question, the latter is forbidden before all idols. This is not to say that the Torah disdains all bowing or kneeling in prayer. Kneeling was part of the Yom Kippur service in the Bet HaMikdash (and, hence, in our Yom Kippur Mussaf), and bowing is part of every Shemoneh Esreh recitation. However, there are Halachic restrictions dictating when and where one may not bow or kneel. For example, kneeling on any stone floor is forbidden. The efficacy of kneeling during prayer is learned from Moshe's response to Korach. The Torah (Bimidbar 16:22) says that, upon hearing Korach's accusations, Moshe "fell on his face." Several commentators state that he was praying. (Ibn Ezra; R' Bachya). In Parashat Eikev, as Moshe tells of the three 40-day periods that he spent on Har Sinai, he describes them as follows: "When I ascended the mountain to take the tablets of stone....I sat on the mountain for forty days and forty nights..." (Devarim (9:9). [The second time:] "I fell on my face for forty days and forty nights..." (9:18). [The third time:] "And I stood on the mountain as for the first days, forty days and forty nights..." (10:10). On these verses, Rabbenu Bachya comments: From here Chazal derived a strategy for prayer. One should pray sitting, he should pray standing, and he should pray bowed down. The Halachic Code, Tur, notes that this is, in fact, our practice with regard to the prayer known as Tachanun. First we bow our heads on our arms, then we sit up straight, and finally, when we reach the verse, "And we do not know what to do, so our eyes are towards You," we stand. This expresses our plea to G-d that we have prayed in every way that we know how, and we now place ourselves in His hands. (Siddur Commentators emphasize the potential power of the Tachanun prayer, coming, as it does, immediately after the Shemoneh Esrei which is the spiritual "high" of the whole Shacharit service. This explains the Halacha that talking is forbidden between Shemoneh Esrei and Tachanun, for such an interruption would sever the latter prayer from whatever spiritual level was attained during the former prayer. (Chayei Adam quoting Shitah Mekubetzet). This idea is illustrated by the following story from the Talmud (Baba Metzia 59b): After a protracted Halachic dispute [which is described in the Gemara], the Sanhedrin was forced to excommunicate R' Eliezer, one of the disputants. Caught in the middle of these events was Ima Shalom, the wife of R' Eliezer and the sister of Rabban Gamliel, the Sanhedrin's president. The Gemara says that Ima Shalom thereafter prevented her husband from "falling on his face," fearing that any expression of suffering by that Tzaddik would have terrible consequences for Rabban Gamliel. [Even though Rabban Gamliel had only done what his position required, Hashem always responds in some way to the suffering of a Tzaddik.] Is it possible, asks the Shitah Mekubetzet, that Ima Shalom actually supervised her husband all day in order to prevent him from bowing in prayer? Rather, this refers to the lesson described above. Ima Shalom would wait while her husband recited Shemoneh Esrei, and then, before he could begin Tachanun, she would interrupt him. Even if he did later recite that prayer [which describes the suffering of David HaMelech and, more generally, of any petitioner], it would be with less spiritual "power."] Why is a prayer recited while bowing so effective? For three reasons, says Rabbenu Bachya. First, it is a sign that the petitioner humbles himself before G-d. We read in Sh'mot (3:6) that Moshe covered his face rather than see the revelation of G-d's glory. This is because one who is truly awed by another does not dare look at him. Second, bowing one's head is a sign of regret and submission. Thus we signal that we have sinned before G-d and seek His mercy. Finally, bowing shows that we place ourselves completely in G- d's hands. If one is bowed and his eyes are closed, he is completely helpless. He cannot see where he is going, nor can he defend himself from attack. Hashem, however, protects us in all circumstances. ************************************ Reishit Chochmah by R' Eliyahu de Vidas R' Eliyahu ben Moshe de Vidas was born in Tzefat (where he later studied under R' Moshe Cordevero (1522-1570)), and died in Chevron. His best known work, Reishit Chochmah, is one of the most popular and revered Mussar classics. The title, "Reishit Cochmah," means "The beginning of wisdom," and is based on the verse (Tehilim 111:10), "The beginning of wisdom is the fear of G-d." In this work, R' Eliyahu stresses the Biblical and Midrashic sources of his lessons, feeling that the mere words of the Prophets and the sages would be more influential than any moral-philosopher could hope to be in molding the character and aspirations of the reader. However, R' Eliyahu does draw freely from earlier Mussar works such has Chovot HaLevavot and Sha'arei Teshuva. Perhaps the most "revolutionary" feature of Reishit Chochmah is its extensive use of quotations from the Zohar, the Midrash which is one of the primary texts for the study of Kabbalah. Many later Mussar works followed in R' Eliyahu's footsteps, making use of such excerpts and attempting to teach ethics from the mystical, as well as philosophical viewpoint. (A notable example of such a work, and one which quotes extensively from Reishit Chochmah as well, is Shnei Luchot HaBrit - better known as the "Shlah HaKadosh" - by R' Yeshaya Horowitz. Like Chovot HaLevavot, after which it is likely patterned, Reishit Chochmah is divided into sections covering such subjects as "Yir'ah" (Fear or awe of G-d), "Ahavah" (Love of G-d), "Kedushah" (Sanctity), and "Anavah" (Humility). Additionally, the work contains several appendices. One is a summary of selected topics from the works of R' Yisrael al-Nakava (died 1391). R' Yisrael's work was otherwise unknown until its publication from manuscript in 1929. (Based in part on The Early Acharonim) ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Kilayim 9:9-10 O.C. 665:2-667:1 Sotah 32 Yerushalmi - Terumot 47 Rambam - Ch/Day - Hilchot Erchin Vcharamim - Ch. 4 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this weeks Hamaayan is sponsored by: Dr. and Mrs. Robert Klein in memory of father Dr. Ernst Shlomo Kaplowitz ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible