Hamaayan / The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Nitzavim - Vayeilech Volume 24, No. 46 25 Elul Av 5770 September 4, 2010 Today's Learning: Tanach: Divrei Hayamim 15-16 Demai 1:1-2 O.C. 537:13-15 Daf Yomi (Bavli): Avodah Zarah 21 Daf Yomi (Yerushalmi): Terumot 20 The Midrash Rabbah on this week's parashah asks: When one wants to read from the Torah, how does he recite a blessing? Our Sages taught: He should recite a berachah before and after. Before--because we read (Tehilim 119:12), "Baruch attah Hashem, teach me Your laws." First, "Baruch attah Hashem"--a blessing, then, "teach me Your laws." After-- because Moshe Rabbeinu uttered a blessing at the end of the Torah. [According to the commentary Tiferet Zion, this refers to Devarim 33:2.] The midrash continues: If you have a need to recite a berachah on the Torah, I too will bless you, as it is written (Shmot 20:21), "In every place where I will mention My Name, I will come to you and bless you." [Tiferet Zion explains: This refers to a person who is called for an aliyah, so that he is reciting the berachah involuntarily. Because this circumstance was not brought about by the person himself, but by G-d, who caused him to be called, the verse refers to it as "every place where I will mention My Name.] The midrash continues by discussing the loftiness of the Torah, and states: The angels desired the Torah, but it was hidden from them. But from you it is not hidden, as it is written (in our parashah-30:11), "For this commandment that I command you today--it is not hidden from you." [Until here from the midrash] R' Yitzchak Ze'ev Yadler z"l (1843-1917; Yerushalayim) explains the end of the above midrash as follows: The midrash was bothered by the verse's reference to the entire Torah as a single commandment. Therefore the midrash explains that while the Torah has many separate mitzvot--the purpose of each of which is to subdue or purify a different trait or attribute of a person--their inner significance is only one thing--to raise mankind above the level of the angels to appreciate what the Zohar refers to as the Oneness of G-d and the Torah. (Tiferet Zion) ******** "You will return until Hashem, your Elokim." (30:2) R' Moshe Zvi Neriyah z"l (1913-1995; rosh yeshiva in Kfar Ha'roeh, Israel, and one of the early leaders of the Bnei Akiva youth movement) wonders: Is this verse referring to a place to which one returns, as the word "until" implies? He explains: The result of the teshuvah process is that G-d forms man anew. He continues: Teshuvah is remarkable; had Hashem not told us that it is effective, we would never have imagined it on our own. Doing teshuvah is logical, but that teshuvah is accepted is not. How can one just erase the past and be born anew?! We find a number of verses that refer to teshuvah using the metaphor of a purification process, for example (Vayikra 16:30) "For on this day he shall provide atonement for you to cleanse you; from all your sins before Hashem shall you be cleansed" and (Yirmiyah 17:13) "Hashem, mikveh of Israel!" This is because we can grasp the concept of purification by analogy to physical cleansing. In turn, this assists us in grasping the cleansing and renewing effect of teshuvah. With this we can understand as well the "place" to which one returns when he repents. It is not a physical place but rather the "point" from which one was created. (Me'orot Neriyah: Elul-Tishrei p.19) ******** "Hashem, your G-d -- He will cross before you; He will destroy these nations from before you . . ." (31:3) In light of this promise, why did Bnei Yisrael carry weapons in their war against the Seven Canaanite Nation? R' Dov Berish Gottlieb z"l (Sieniawa, Poland; died 1801) explains: Sometimes there is a state of "hester panim" (literally, "concealing of the face") in which, because of a sin, man is abandoned to the forces of nature and chance. Therefore, one who goes to battle without weapons is endangering his life and is called a fool. We find similarly that Yaakov Avinu was afraid lest a sin cause him to fall into the hands of Esav (see Rashi to Bereishit 32:10). Accordingly, one must guard himself against accidental injury lest at that moment G-d is hiding from him because of some sin. Even the smallest sin can cause Hashem to hide Himself and, if at the moment that a person is distant from G-d some misfortune occurs, a person can be in danger. The remedy is that in every time of trouble, a person should repent to remove the hester panim from himself. (Quoted in Shomer Ha'pardes: Yesodei Ha'Torah V'ikarei Ha'dat p.113) ******** Teshuvah According to the Ashkenazic custom, the recitation of selichot will begin this motzei Shabbat. (According to the Sephardic custom, it began on Rosh Chodesh Elul.) Poskim / halachic authorities state that one should devote extra time to prayer during Elul even at the expense of one's Torah study (see Sha'arei Teshuvah 581:1). This requires explanation, for is not Torah study at the very top in the hierarchy of mitzvot? R' Yaakov Yerucham Wreschner shlita (Bnei Brak, Israel) suggests the following answer: We learn in Pirkei Avot (1:2), "The world stands on three things: on Torah, on avodah / the Temple service and prayer, and on gemilut chassadim / acts of kindness." R' Eliyahu z"l (the Vilna Gaon; 1720-1797) writes in his Torah commentary Aderet Eliyahu (Parashat Ha'azinu) that each of these three stands in opposition to one of the three cardinal sins: idolatry, adultery and murder. He explains that there are three types of perfection for which a person must strive: 1) perfection of his soul; 2) perfection of his relationship with G-d; and 3) perfection of his relationship with his fellow men. These correspond respectively to: 1) Torah, 2) prayer, and 3) acts of kindness. Likewise, they correspond respectively to: 1) not committing adultery; 2) not worshiping idols; and 3) not committing murder. (R' Wreschner explains that the contrast between Torah and adultery is found in our Sages' teaching that the way to clear one's mind of lewd or lustful thoughts is to fill it with Torah thoughts.) R' Wreschner continues: The month of Elul is noted in Jewish history as the time when Bnei Yisrael repented for the sin of the golden calf. This is one reason why we blow the shofar all month, i.e., because our ancestors blew the shofar as a reminder that Moshe would return from Har Sinai and they should not give up hope and make an idol as they had the first time. [Moshe ascended to Har Sinai for the third time on Rosh Chodesh Elul and returned with the second Tablets on Yom Kippur.] Therefore, since prayer stands in contrast to idolatry, we recite extra prayers during this month, even at the expense of Torah study. R' Wreschner concludes: Although we are far from idolatry per se, there are many sins--for example, anger--which our Sages say are equivalent to idolatry. (Seder Yaakov: Introduction) ******** More than a Day of Rest A midrash states: Three testify about each other -- Hashem, the Jewish People, and Shabbat. Hashem and the Jewish People testify that Shabbat is a day of "menuchah" (literally, "rest"). What is the significance of this testimony? The truth seems simple enough--if we rest on Shabbat, it will be a day of menuchah; if we don't, it will not be! R' Yehuda Adil z"l (1757-1828; maggid meisharim / preacher in Slonim, Russia) explains: One might have argued that the Torah established Shabbat as a day of mandatory vacation, a day of rest to ensure that, no matter how hard we work, we would always take some time off to rejuvenate. However, there are many indications in the Torah that this is not correct, most obviously, that it would be counterproductive to sentence someone to death by stoning for failing to take vacation. Moreover, why is all of mankind not commanded to rest one day a week?! Clearly, there is more to Shabbat than physical rest and relaxation. Rather, the purpose of Shabbat is to envelop ourselves in kedushah / holiness. This is why the Torah says (Shmot 31:13), "You shall speak to Bnei Yisrael saying, `Only this! You must observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you for your generations, to know that I am Hashem, Who makes you holy." Keep only this Shabbat; resting on an alternative day of the week is not a substitute. This aspect of Shabbbat is only for the Jewish People, as we recite in the Shabbat minchah prayer, "A day of menuchah and kedushah You gave to Your nation." We read in Sefer Yirmiyah that Baruch ben Neriah, the prophet Yirmiyah's secretary, bemoaned the fact that he had not attained prophecy himself. He said (45:3), "I have not found `menuchah'." This verse illustrates that the word "menuchah" does not refer to physical rest alone, but rather to lofty spiritual attainment. [The use of the word "menuchah" for both concepts indicates that resting one's mind from day- to-day matters is a prerequisite to spiritual attainment.] This is what we speak of when we say in Shabbat minchah that the day is a "menuchah sheleimah" / "a complete menuchah" - not just a day of rest. (Afikei Yehudah: Drush Mei Menuchot)