Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Va'etchanan Something for Nothing Volume 23, No. 39 11 Menachem Av 5769 August 1, 2009 Sponsored by Nathan and Rikki Lewin on the yahrzeit of his mother, Peppy Lewin (Pessel bas Naftali a"h) Today's Learning: Ohalot 11:2-3 O.C. 323:2-324:4 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Bava Metzia 98 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Shevuot 16 King Shlomo writes in Mishlei (19:17), "One who is `chonain' / gracious to the poor has lent to Hashem, and He will repay him." Rabbeinu Bachya z"l (Spain; 14th century) explains: In this verse, King Shlomo teaches us the benefit of charity and how great is its reward in this world and the next. It is well-known, R' Bachya continues, that the wealthy tend to place their trust in their wealth or in the large network of friends and acquaintances who gather around them because of their wealth, as we read (Mishlei 14:20), "Those who love the wealthy are many." In contrast, the pauper has no one to turn to except Hashem, for even if he once had friends, they shy away from him because of his poverty. Therefore, King Shlomo teaches us that Hashem loves the one who is despised by others. And, if one is gracious to such a person for no other reason than because Hashem loves him, it is as if one has lent money to Hashem. It follows, further, that Hashem will be "obligated" to repay this "loan." R' Bachya continues: Our verse refers to "One who is `chonain' / gracious to the poor." Why did it not refer to one who is "merachaim" / compassionate to the poor? The answer is that "chonain" comes from the same root as "chinam" / "for free," and it connotes giving something for nothing, even to a person who is undeserving. This is how Hashem acts toward us; after all, we do not deserve anything that Hashem gives us or does for us! It is all given to us for nothing. This, concludes R' Bachya, is the perspective from which all prayer should occur: "I am making requests of you G-d, though I deserve nothing." This is how Moshe Rabbeinu prayed, as we find in the opening verse of our parashah -- "Va'etchanan." ******* "`Let me now cross and see the good Land that is on the other side of the Jordan, this good mountain and the Lebanon.' "But Hashem became angry with me because of you, and He did not listen to me; Hashem said to me, `It is too much for you! Do not continue to speak to Me further about this matter. Ascend to the top of the cliff and raise your eyes westward, northward, southward, and eastward, and see with your eyes, for you shall not cross this Jordan'." (Devarim 3:25-27) R' Joseph B. Soloveitchik z"l (1903-1993) asks: It appears that the instruction to climb to the top of Mount Nevo and look at the Land was somehow an answer to Moshe's request. How so? He explains: Why was Moshe so eager to enter Eretz Yisrael? It was because Hashem had given him a mission to fulfill, and that mission was not yet complete. Hashem had told Moshe early in his career as a prophet (Shmot 6:6-8), "I shall take you out from under the burdens of Egypt; I shall rescue you from their service; I shall redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments; I shall take you to Me for a people . . .; I shall bring you to the land about which I raised My hand to give it to Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov . . ." Moshe had served as G- d's agent to fulfill all of these prophecies except for the last one, "I shall bring you to the land." Now he wanted to finish the job. What did Hashem show Moshe when the latter reached the top of Har Nevo? Rashi z"l (to Devarim 34:1-2) writes: "He showed him all the land of Israel in its prosperity and the oppressors who in future times would oppress it; He showed him the children of Dan practicing idolatry . . . and He showed him also Shimshon who would in the future issue from him (Dan) as a deliverer; He showed him [Naftali's] land both in its prosperity and in its ruin; and He showed him also Devorah and Barak of Kadesh-Naphtali warring with Sisera and his armies; He showed him the land [of Ephraim and Menashe] in its prosperity and in its ruin; and He showed him also Yehoshua who descended from Ephraim warring with the kings of Canaan, and Gideon who descended from Menashe warring with Midian and Amalek; [He showed him the land of] Yehuda in its prosperity and in its ruin; and He showed him also the kings of the house of Yehuda and their victories: [He showed him] the west country, in its prosperity and its ruin. Another explanation [Rashi writes]: He showed him all that would in the future happen to Israel until the latest day, when the dead will again live." In short, R' Soloveitchik explains, Hashem showed Moshe that his work could never be finished. Do you really think that you fulfilled the first four prophecies mentioned above, for example, "I will rescue"? Hashem asked him. There will be other rescues that will be required in the future. You, however, were only created to live in a certain time period and to fulfill the role assigned to you in that era. Entering Eretz Yisrael and "finishing" the job is not part of your mission. (Derashot Ha'rav p. 73) ******** "But you who cling to Hashem, your G-d -- you are all alive today." (4:4) R' Naftali Herz Wiesel z"l (18th German rabbi and prolific author) asks: To whom else would Moshe be speaking if not to the living? Rather, Moshe is teaching that one is truly alive only when he clings to Hashem. What exactly is involved in the mitzvah of clinging to Hashem? R' Wiesel explains: This commandment instructs those who are wise and understanding to prepare to attach themselves to the Ohr Elyon / The Light Above at any and all times. It means devoting one's mind to pure thoughts relating to love and awe of G-d. It means elevating one's thoughts above the mundane thoughts of the world, as if G-d is hovering over one's self. R' Wiesel adds: This mitzvah requires preparation, for (as we read in Tehilim 24:3), "Who may ascend to the mountain of Hashem, and who may stand in the place of His sanctity?" Only a person who has awe of G-d within him, who loves Hashem with his entire heart, who studies Torah, who serves G-d with his entire soul, and who understands the concept of yirat Hashem and the teachings of the Sages--after all this, one can begin to prepare himself to cling to Hashem, each person according to his ability. (Gan Na'ul) ******** "You shall know this day and take to your heart that Hashem, He is the G-d -- in heaven above and on the earth below -- there is none other." (4:39) R' Yishayah Halevi Horowitz z"l (rabbi in Prague and Yerushalayim; died 1630) writes: This verse requires us to know G-d in our hearts as a result of investigation, in addition to believing in Him as a result of the received tradition. This also is alluded to in the verse (Divrei Hayamim I 28:9), "Know the G-d of your father," i.e., in addition to the fact that you have received a tradition from your father, know G-d yourself. Likewise, the verse (Shmot 15:2), "This is my G-d, and I will adorn Him; the G-d of my father, and I will exalt Him." He is my G-d, and He also is my father's G-d. Moreover, writes R' Horowitz, if I only know the G-d of my father, but have not discovered Him on my own as well, then the verse tells us that G-d will be too exalted--i.e., distant--from me. [Therefore, R' Horowitz adds, one is obligated to study the work Chovot Ha'levavot, especially the section entitled Sha'ar Ha'yichud, where the existence and uniqueness of G-d is proven.] (Asarah Ma'amarot, Ma'amar Rishon) R' Tzaddok Hakohen z"l (1823-1900; one of the leading thinkers of the chassidic movement) offers a very different explanation. Our belief, he writes, is based on our tradition regarding the revelation at Har Sinai. We have no use for philosophical speculation of the sort advocated by the Chovot Ha'levavot. Our verse, which commands us to know that Hashem is the sole G-d in heaven above and on the earth below and that there is none other is teaching only that we should reflect on the lessons of the Revelation at Har Sinai. (Quoted in Ba'mesilah Na'aleh p.451) ******** This Week in History, Halachah, and Minhag 10 Av: Birthday and yahrzeit of Yissachar, son Yaakov Avinu and Leah Imeinu. On this date in 5066 (1306), the Jews were expelled from France, and on this date in 5258 (1498), the Jews were expelled from Portugal. (Luach Davar B'ito p.1236) Shabbat Nachamu: One should be extra joyous on this Shabbat as on a yom tov. (Derashot R"Y ibn Shuiv; Yosef Ometz 894) Some have the custom to leave the flowers that were placed in shul for Shavuot in place until after this Shabbat. (Luach Davar B'ito p.1038) 11 Av 5493 (1733): On this date, Persian armies were turned away from Baghdad. The Jews of Baghdad celebrated this date as Purim Baghdad. On this date in 5750 (1990), Iraq invaded Kuwait, beginning the first Gulf War (in which Iraq fired scud missiles at Israel causing miraculously few casualties). (Luach Davar B'ito p.1239) 15 Av ("Tu B'Av"): Tachanun is not recited today. The Mishnah at the end of Masechet Ta'anit records that this day and Yom Kippur are the two happiest days on the Jewish calendar. The Gemara (Ta'anit 31a) states that one who does not increase his Torah learning, beginning on this date, shortens his own life, G-d forbid. Commentaries explain that by this point in the summer, the days are noticeably shorter and the nights longer, and that extra time in the evening should be devoted to Torah study. R' Mendel of Rimanov z"l states that the person who will lead the prayers on the High Holidays should take care that not one day passes between now and Yom Kippur on which he does not study Gemara. (Luach Davar B'ito p.1247)