Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Re'eh Volume VI/Number 46 (280) 30 Av 5752/August 29, 1992 Rosh Chodosh Elul "Fortunate is a man who listens to Me, and sits by My doors every day, guarding the entrances of My house. Those who find Me have found life, and will obtain favor from Hashem. A sinner damages his soul; those who hate Me love death: (Mishlei 8:34-36). Rabbenu Yonah writes that the first two verses quoted here sing praise of a person who devotes his time to Torah study. By contrast, those who hate the Torah, its teachings, and its ethics will have no peace in this world or the next. These lessons parallel the opening section of our Parasha: "Behold I have placed before you a blessing and a curse." Later (in Parashat Nitzavim) the Torah elaborates: "Life and death I have placed before you, the blessing and the curse." Chazal teach that we are free to choose what we will - life/blessing or death/curse - but Hashem advises (Devarim 30:19), "Choose life so that you and your children may live." The choice described above is what the prophet Yirmiyahu was referring to when he said (Eichah 3:38), "Good and bad do not come from the mouth of the One above." Rather, it is our choice. Therefore, (Eichah 3:39), "What can a person complain about, except each man over his own sins?" What should we do if we have sinned? Yirmiyahu continues (3:40), "Let us search our ways and investigate, and return to Hashem." (D'rashot u'Perushei Rabbenu Yonah Al haTorah) ************************************ "Take care lest you stumble after them, after He has eradicted them from before you..." (12:30) This verse repeats Hashem's warning about following in the path of the Canaanites whom He destroyed. We know that they lost their land, Eretz Yisrael, because of their idolatry and immorality, but how are we to understand this? Were they punished because they directed their service towards gods of wood and stone, but the way they served those gods was not inherently bad, or was it their service itself which Hashem found to be an abomination? May we, in serving Hashem, adopt aspects of their service into our own? No, we may not, for the Torah tells us that their entire service, for example passing their children through fire (see the next verse), was an abomination. Hashem has given us the Torah with its Mitzvot (including specific sacrifices) and we must not add to it or subtract from it. It alone is our guide in serving Hashem. (Ramban) ************************************ "When a prophet will arise among you...." (13:2) When asked the meaning of the Talmudic statement (Baba Bathra 12a), "A wise man is greater than a prophet," R' Avraham ben haRambam explained as follows: The prophet referred to by this statement is not one of the prophets of the 24 books of Tanach, for they were all wise men (and women) in addition to being prophets, and they were certainly greater than someone who is only wise, but not a prophet. Rather, this statement refers to the many people mentioned in Tanach who experienced prophecy briefly, although they were not necessarily wise (see Shmuel I 19:20-21). Why is a wise man superior to them? Because he does not need them, but they do need him; without his wisdom and Torah knowledge these prophets would have no inkling of what is expected of them in this world. Such a prophet is even required to stand in the presence of a wise man, for there is no level higher than that of a Torah scholar. Knowledge of Torah is the ultimate purpose of creation, as Hashem told the prophet (Yirmiyahu 33:25), "If not for My covenant [being kept] day and night, I would not have created heaven and earth." Even the king is required to have a Sefer Torah with him at all times. (Igrot R' Avraham ben haRambam #7) ************************************ The Month of Elul Any intelligent person who is faced with an impending trial before a human judge (whether regarding property, or certainly if it may affect one's very being) will devote both his days and his nights to plan his trial strategy and to seek advice from any expert who will give it. How much more must one do if he is to be judged by the King of Kings regarding his life, his children, and his property; G-d is a judge who knows all secrets, who needs no witnesses or proofs, and who no lawyer other than the "lawyers" called "Teshuva" (repentance) and "good deeds" can sway. There is no question that, to succeed in such a judgement, a person needs a strategy and expert advice. That preparation should take at least 30 days. Beginning with Rosh Chodesh Elul a person should start to awaken from his year- long slumber. The month of Elul is a time when Hashem is willing to forgive, as we see from the fact that He gave Moshe the second "Luchot" (tablets) during Elul. After Moshe ascended Har Sinai on the first of the month, Bnei Yisrael blew the Shofar every day to remind themselves not to sin again as they had with the Golden Calf, and similarly we blow the Shofar during Elul to awaken us to Teshuva. (R' Yitzchak Abohab: Menorat haMa'or, V 2:1) ************************************ [After discussing one of the major sacrifices brought on Yom Kippur, Rambam writes:] Today, when the Bet Hamikdash is not standing and we have no altar to atone for us, we have no means of forgiveness except Teshuva. Repentance atones for all sins. Even if one was evil throughout his whole life, if he did Teshuva before his death, [the Heavenly court] will never remind him of his evil deeds. This is the meaning of the verse, "The evil will not stumble on his evil on the day when he returns from his evil." If a person repents, the arrival of Yom Kippur brings him atonement. (Hil. Teshuva 1:3) ************************************ Biographical Notes on the sources quoted in this issue R' Avraham ben haRambam: born 1186 in Cairo, where his grandfather had settled after being persecuted in Spain; studied under his father, Rambam (Maimonides); was appointed "Naggid" (Chief Rabbi) of Egypt at age 19; answered Halachic questions from all over the Jewish world; little of his writings remain; his best- known work is the ethical treatise haMaspik l'Ovdei Hashem; died 1237. Ramban (R' Moshe ben Nachman): born 1194 in Gerona, Spain; wrote numerous works (beginning at age 15) including commentaries defending early works such as the Halachot (the "Rif") and the Halachot Gedolot (the "Behag") against the criticisms of Ra'avad, R' Zechariah, and Rambam; also wrote a Talmud commentary and many specialized treatises; his Torah commentary is second only to Rashi's in its popularity, and is devoted in large part to clarifying the opinions of Rashi, Rambam, and Ibn Ezra, and often to taking issue with their explanations; in 1263, Ramban was forced to debate an apostasized Jew in the presence of King James of Aragon (Spain); although he was allowed to speak freely during the debate, he was expelled from the kingdom when he continued to state his views afterwards; settled in Acco, Israel, and died there in 1270; R' Yitzchak Luria ("Arizal") stated that Ramban was the last reliable link in the transmission of "Kabbalah" before that wisdom was hidden for several centuries. R' Yitzchak Abohab: Spain, 14th century; wrote Menorat haMaor, a compilation of the Aggadic portions of the Talmud arranged by Mitzvot and ethical topics; little else is known about him; not to be confused with R' Yitzchak Abohab II (1433-1493), teacher of the last generation of Spanish sages such as R' Yitzchak Abarbanel and R' Yaakov Bei Rav. Note: Biographies which have already appeared in this series will not be repeated. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Mishnah Yomit: Parah 7:3-4 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Halachah Yomit: OC/MB 465:2-466:1 (Learn three paragraphs every day) Daf Yomi: Yevamot 62 (Learn two sides of a page every day Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Melachim Umilchemotayhem - Chapter 6 3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Eivel - Chapters 6-8 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh:N167; Su:N166; M:N166; Tu:P173,N362,N364,N363,N365 W:P187,N49,P188,P189,N59; Th:N46,P190,N56,N57,P192,P193 F:P191,P214,N311,N58,P221,N263,N264 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's Hamaayan is sponsored by: The Rotman family in honor of Miriam Marwick's return to Israel ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible