Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ In the last chapter of our parasha, the Torah informs us that Avraham Avinu married Keturah following the death of his beloved wife Sarah: “And Avraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah.” (Sefer Bereishit 25, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In his Commentary on the Torah on this pasuk, and basing himself on Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 61:4, Rashi (1040-1105) notes that Keturah was none other than Hagar. She received this unusual name, since her deeds were as “beautiful as ketoret (incense).” Keturah gave birth to six children, who, in turn, had a number of children of their own. Toward the end of his life, Avraham gave gifts to Keturah’s sons and “sent them away from his son Yitzchak while he [Avraham] was still alive, eastward to the land of the East.” (25:6) In the midst of this narrative, we are met with the following quizzical pasuk: “And Avraham gave (va’yitane) all that he possessed to Yitzchak.” (25:5) This is particularly difficult to understand, since during Eliezer’s presentation to Betuel and Lavan in our sedrah, the Torah had already informed us that Avraham had given Yitzchak his entire estate: “And Sarah, my master’s wife, bore a son to my master after she had become old, and he gave him (va’yitane) all that he possesses.” (24:36). As Rashi explains: “He [Eliezer] showed them [Betuel and Lavan] a gift deed (shtar matanah) [from Avraham to Yitzchak, of all his wealth].” If so, what is the Torah teaching us through this repetition in 25:5? (See Rabbeinu Eliyahu Mizrachi on our verse) In his supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah Commentary, entitled, Gur Aryeh, the Maharal (Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Betzalel, 1526 approx.-1609) on Sefer Bereishit 25:5 provides insight regarding our question. He notes that in Sefer Bereishit 12:12, HaKadosh Baruch Hu promises Avraham Avinu, “v’heyai bracha—and [you shall] be a blessing.” Rashi on this pasuk opines: “The blessings are entrusted into your hand. Until now, they were in My [Hashem’s] hand; I blessed Adam and Noach. From now on, you may bless whomever you wish.” (See, Bereishit Rabbah, 39:11) The Maharal expands on this gloss and suggests, “[Avraham] gave this self-same gift (matanah) to Yitzchak, [that is,] to bless anyone he so desired.” This, then, is the rationale for the Torah’s inclusion of the verse: “And Avraham gave (va’yitane) all that he possessed to Yitzchak,” for now, Yitzchak, as well, was gifted with the power to bless others. Why is the ability to bless others considered a gift? At first glance, this seems to be supported by the wording of 25:5: “And Avraham gave (va’yitane) all that he possessed to Yitzchak,” since matanah is the nounal form of va’yitane, both of which derive from the infinitive, “latet—to give.” While this logic appears convincing, it is important to note that latet does not always connote the idea of a gift. We find, for example, in the first line of the Aleinu: “latet gedulah l’Yotzer Bereishit—to ascribe greatness to the Author of Creation.” Clearly, the acknowledgment of another’s status is not a gift. We are fortunate that the second Sochatchover rebbe, Rabbi Shmuel Bornsztain (1855-1926), shares his deep insights regarding the definitional structure of matanah in his classic work, Shem MiShmuel. In so doing, he explains why the power to bless someone is considered a gift: The expression, “matanah,” refers to something that has no connection whatsoever to the receiver, for if it was directly relevant to the receiver, it would already belong to him, and he would have no need accept it as a gift. This is the brand-new idea (chidush) that Avraham [brought to the world] when he gave the brachot to Yitzchak and utilized the word, “va’yitane.” This means that even though the brachot were not given to him [Yitzchak] m’tzad hadin (based on a legal right), they were nonetheless given to him b’torat matanah (through the conceptual category of a gift). (Parashat V’Zot HaBracha, 1912, translation and brackets my own) In sum, Avraham’s transfer of the power to bless others to Yitzchak was a true gift since it was not his m’tzad hadin. Yitzchak continued this practice when he blessed Ya’akov with a parallel phrase: “Va’yiten HaElokim (may G-d give) you of the dew of the heavens and [of] the fatness of the earth and an abundance of grain and wine.” (Sefer Bereishit 27:28) Ya’akov Avinu then carried this tradition forward in his blessings to each of his sons before his death. Echoes of this act are found, as well, in Moshe’s brachot to the Tribes of the Jewish people before their entry into Eretz Yisrael, and in the stirring words of our nation’ prophets. As Yeshayahu proclaimed so long ago: “And He shall judge between the nations and reprove many peoples, and they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.” (2:4) May the fulfillment of this nevuah come soon and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav
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Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ The stirring drama of Akeidat Yitzchak is one of the most celebrated passages in the Tanach. While much of this storied narrative is accessible, its final pasuk conceals more than it reveals: “And Avraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer Sheva; and Avraham remained in Beer Sheva.” (Sefer Bereishit 22:19, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). The Torah informs us that Avraham Avinu returned to his young men; we know nothing, however, of the whereabouts of Yitzchak Avinu, the survivor of the Akeidah. This leads Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 56:19 to ask, “v’Yitzchak heichan hu—and where was Yitzchak?” In their commentaries on the Torah, the Ibn Ezra (1089-1167), the Radak, (Rabbi David Kimchi, 1160-1235) and the Malbim (Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel Wisser, 1809-1879) explain the absence of Yitzchak from our pasuk in a naturalistic manner. The Ibn Ezra suggests that there was no need to ask this question, since “he was within his own agency,” that is, he was his own person and free to travel wherever he so desired. The Radak opines: “It was not necessary [for the Torah to write] that Yitzchak was with him [Avraham]. [Rather,] it mentions Avraham as he was the ikkar—the essential one.” In sum, these approaches maintain that Yitzchak was certainly with Avraham, the protagonist of Akeidat Yitzchak, and as such, it was unnecessary to mention him in by name. In contrast, the Malbim focuses on a different side of the story, and portrays Yitzchak’s nonappearance in the text as driven by kibbud av v’ame: Sarah lived in Chevron at this time. And when Avraham returned from the Akeidah, he sent Yitzchak to Chevron to notify his mother that he was alive [after having] withstood his great test. Therefore, the text writes that Avraham, alone, returned, and they [Avraham, Yishmael and Eliezer, see Rashi] went to Beer Sheva—whereas Yitzchak went to Chevron. Therefore, [following Sarah’s passing,] there is no mention of Yitzchak coming to eulogize Sarah in Chevron as he already was there. (Translation my own) Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 56:19 follows these true-to-life approaches, as well, in its answer to its question, “v’Yitzchak heichan hu?” and suggests: “Rav Berechiah, in the name of the rabbis of the South, said that [Avraham] sent him [Yitzchak] to learn Torah from Shem.” This response raises two questions: “Why did Avraham send Yitzchak to study precisely at this time?” and, “If Avraham felt this was the moment for Yitzchak to double down on his Torah learning, why did he feel it was necessary to send him somewhere else to learn, rather than teach him himself?” In his Torah commentary, HaEmek Davar, the Netziv (Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin, 1816-1893), in his inimitable manner, simultaneously addresses both queries: It is possible to suggest that since Hashem proclaimed in the penultimate verse of the Akeidah: “eikev asher shamata b’koli—since you have hearkened to My voice,” [22:18] Avraham thought deeply about this statement and realized that it is the will of Hashem for one to be powerfully engaged in words of Torah. Moreover, even though Avraham had learned with him [Yitzchak], nonetheless, he realized that when it comes to depth-level mastery of the words of the Torah, it is better to base one’s learning on what one garners from two places [in this case, from Avraham and the yeshiva of Shem] … (Translation and brackets my own) The Netziv’s trenchant analysis is based on the well-known passage in Chazal: Rav said: Avraham Avinu fulfilled the entire Torah before it was given, as it is stated: “Because [eikev] Avraham hearkened to My voice and kept My charge, My mitzvot, My statutes and My Torahs” (Sefer Bereishit 26:5)… Rav said, and some say Rav Ashi said: Avraham Avinu fulfilled the entire Torah, even the mitzvah of eruv tavshilin, a rabbinic ordinance instituted later, as it is stated: “My Torahs.” Since the term is in the plural, it indicates that Avraham kept two Torahs; one, the Written Torah, and one, the Oral Torah. In the course of fulfilling the Oral Torah, he fulfilled all the details and parameters included therein. (Translation, Talmud Bavli, Yoma 28b, The Koren Talmud Bavli, Rabbi Adin Even-Israel Steinsaltz zatzal editor, with my emendations) I believe that the explanation of what transpired after the Akeidah, as found in Midrash Bereishit Rabbah and the HaEmek Davar, offers us a derech hachaim, a path we can follow when confronting great challenges. Rather than asking “Why did we have to bear this suffering?” Avraham and Yitzchak asked, “What is the proper response to this suffering that will enhance our relationship with Hashem?” Their answer is our guide: Learn Torah! As Dovid HaMelech taught us so long ago, “Torat Hashem temimah meshivat nafesh--The law of Hashem is perfect restoring the soul…” (Sefer Tehillim 19:8) Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ The brit bein habetarim (Covenant of the Pieces), wherein the destiny of the Jewish people was revealed to Avraham Avinu, is introduced by this verse: After these incidents, the word of Hashem came to Avram in a vision, saying, “Fear not, Avram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great,” Sefer Bereishit 15:1, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) This pasuk is unique in that it is the sole encounter between Hashem and Avraham that utilizes the phrase, “in a vision--ba-mahazeh.” Rabbi Don Yitzchak Abarbanel (1437-1508) stresses its singular nature: It is the case that the Torah relates that prophecy was vouchsafed to Avraham on numerous occasions. It never explained, however, on which level of the prophetic experience the prophecy was to be found. For the types of prophecy are of two kinds or varieties: namely, dreams and visions… The terms “mareh” (“visualization”) and “mahazeh” (“vision”) are synonymous. As such, why did the Torah inform us in this particular case that Avraham’s prophecy was specifically a “mahazeh?” After all, this information is irrelevant to the matter at hand. (Commentary on the Torah, Sefer Bereishit 15:1, translation my own) The Abarbanel was not the first interpreter to raise the question as to why the Torah deploys the term “mahazeh.” The Radak (Rabbi David Kimchi, 1160-1235) and the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270) are two classic commentators who addressed this issue. The Radak suggests that the Torah uses mahazeh in order to differentiate the impending prophetic experience from those that had come before: Mahazeh is used in this instance, even though it was never said regarding any matter about which Hashem spoke to him prior to this moment, since this prophecy was not just verbal in nature. Instead, it contained elements of action, namely, Hashem taking Avraham outside, the counting of the stars and the specific matter of the brit bein habetarim. (Commentary on the Torah, Sefer Bereishit 15:1, translation and brackets my own. In sum, Rav Kimchi opines that the Torah employs the term “mahazeh” in order to prepare us for the new kind of prophecy Avraham Avinu was about to experience, a prophecy of words and action, rather than one comprised solely of verbal communication. In contrast to the Radak, the Ramban suggests that the Torah uses our expression to inform us that Avraham was now able to receive Hashem’s message at a new time: “Now Avraham was able to receive d’var Hashem in a vision during the day, whereas at first, his prophecy [like all of the other prophets except Moshe,] had been limited to visualizations of the night.” (Commentary on the Torah, Sefer Bereishit 15:1, translation and brackets my own) My rebbi and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and disciples, takes a different approach regarding “mahazeh” than either the Radak or the Ramban. For the Rav, this term signifies a different category of visionary experience than in the past. Prior to this time, Hashem’s prophecies enabled Avraham to experience the Almighty’s warmth, care, and concern. Now, however, “ba-mahazeh,” Avraham is confronted with distance and separation from the Master of the Universe. In part, the Rav derives this concept based on the absence of the term, “va-yomer,” that is found in all of Avraham’s other prophetic encounters, and the presence of the newly introduced term “d’var Hashem:” The introduction, “hayah d’var Hashem el Avram ba-mahazeh, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision” (Gen. 15:1), is very interesting… Here the Torah omits the term va-yomer, which it had used repeatedly to describe God’s encounters with Abraham and adds the word ba-mahazeh. Va-yomer means a dialogue, a conversation held face to face. God encountered Abraham and addressed Himself to him. D’var Hashem connotes communication from a distance; the message got to Abraham, but indirectly, God was not present. Ba-mahazeh means perspective, vision. Va-yomer is a higher medium of prophecy than d’var Hashem. Here God was a little distant because the message God delivered to him [in the brit bein habetarim] was one of galut, of exile, oppression, humiliation, and suffering. (Abraham’s Journey: Reflections on the Life of the Founding Patriarch, pages 139-140, underlining and brackets my own) The Rav continues his analysis of, “ba-mahazeh,” and suggests: “Before God spoke to him face to face; now, suddenly it is ba-mahazeh, from a distance. The word reaches him from infinity, from God’s transcendent abode.” In other words, for the first time in Avraham’s adult life, he experienced Hashem’s remoteness rather than His immanence. Little wonder, then, that he desperately needed to hear Him declare, “Fear not, Avram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great.” Although we are blessed to have Medinat Yisrael, we live in a world in which the message of Hashem is far too often “one of galut, of exile, oppression, humiliation, and suffering.” As such, like Avraham Avinu, we long to hear the reassuring words: “Fear not, Avram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great.” May the realization of this promise come soon, and in our days. V'chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Rabbi David Etengoff The post-Flood world should have been one wherein mankind felt humbled before the Almighty, as their forebears had so recently survived near-universal decimation. As such, they should have demonstrated hakaret hatov (manifest gratitude) to Him for His great chesed. Instead, we are met with this disturbing pasuk regarding the Tower of Babel: “And they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered [by G-d] upon the face of the entire earth.’” (Sefer Bereishit 11:3-4, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) At this juncture “Hashem descended to see the city and the tower that the sons of man had built.” (11:5) As Rashi (1040-1105) notes, the expression, “the sons of man had built,” is very peculiar: But the sons of whom else [could they have been]? The sons of donkeys and camels? Rather, [this refers to] the sons of the first man (Adam HaRishon), who was ungrateful and said (Sefer Bereishit 3: 12): “The woman whom You gave [to be] with me [she gave me of the tree; so, I ate”]. These, too, were ungrateful in rebelling against the One Who lavished goodness upon them and saved them from the Flood. In sum, Rashi views the actions of the Dor HaHaphlagah (Generation of the Great Dispersion) as paralleling Adam HaRishon’s behavior when asked by Hashem, “Have you eaten from the tree [of knowledge] of which I commanded you not to eat?” (3:11) Rather than taking personal responsibility for violating the one mitzvah entrusted to him, Adam denied his guilt and blamed G-d for having given him Chava; and Chava, in turn, for giving him the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. The Ba’al HaTurim (Rav Ya’akov ben Asher, 1270-1340) supports this perspective when he notes that Adam’s reaction personifies the pasuk (verse), “He who repays evil for good—evil will not depart from his house.” (Sefer Mishle 17:13) Unfortunately, Adam, and the Dor HaHaphlagah, repaid Hashem’s beneficence with ingratitude. Years later, the Dor HaMidbar (the Generation of the Desert) sadly repeated this pattern over and over again. As Tosafot in Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 5a state: “Therefore, [Moshe] labeled them [the Jewish people as practitioners of] kafui tovah, since they refused [to give thanks to Hashem for all of His kindness,] that is, they refused to recognize the good that He had done for them in all these matters.” The Torah Temimah (Rabbi Baruch Halevi Epstein, 1860-1942) expands upon Tosafot’s gloss and suggests that kafui tovah is far more than a failure to recognize the good that someone else has performed for you; instead, it is a conscious rejection of the kindness—as if it never had taken place. The Abarbanel’s (1437-1508) analysis of kafui tovah complements Tosafot’s explication: The evilest of all middot is kafui tovah. This is the case, since when a person recognizes [and gives voice] to the benefit he has received from another individual, he adds to the strength of the benefactor to [continue to] provide him with overflowing kindness, with a full sense of desire and in complete goodness. When, however, the recipient of manifest kindness consciously withholds the requisite recognition of the good that is his benefactor’s due, he weakens his supporter’s strength and aspiration to demonstrate further kindness to him. (Commentary on the Torah, Sefer Shemot, chapter 29, this, and the following translations my own) The Abarbanel cites Rav Ammi’s words in Talmud Bavli, Ta’anit 8a in order to reinforce his exposition of our term: “Rain falls only for the sake of Men of Faith (ba’alei emunah) [that is, trustworthy people],” as it is said, “Truth will sprout from the earth, and righteousness will look down from heaven.” (Sefer Tehillim 85:12, Talmud translation, The Soncino Talmud) In the Abarbanel’s estimation, ba’alei emunah are the people who practice hakaret hatov. As such, he reasons that those who engage in kafui tovah are the same people that our Sages identified as individuals steeped in brazenness and temerity (azut panim), and the ones who cause droughts. This idea is intimated in the text, “And the rains were withheld, and there has been no latter rain…you refused to be ashamed.” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 3:3) Little wonder, then, that the Abarbanel maintains: Everything proceeds as our Sages said: “During the times that the Jewish people fulfill the will of the Omnipresent [that is we guard the Torah and verbalize our hakaret hatov], we add to the power, so to speak, of that which is Above. As the text says, ‘Now, please, let the strength of Hashem be increased, as You spoke…’ (Sefer Bamidbar 14:17) [Conversely,] during the times that the Jewish people fail to fulfill the will of the Almighty, we diminish the power, so to speak, of that which is Above. As the text states, ‘You forgot the [Mighty] Rock Who bore you; you forgot the G-d Who delivered you.’” (Sefer Devarim 32:18) According to Rashi, Tosafot, the Abarbanel and the Torah Temimah, kafui tovah is a reprehensible behavioral trait that manifests itself in a brazen repudiation of the good which either Hashem or an individual has done for us. Its remedy, therefore, must be the polar opposite action, hakaret hatov, wherein we demonstrate heartfelt gratitude to our benefactor through words and deeds. With Hashem’s help, may we master this middah and fulfill Shlomo HaMelech’s stirring counsel: “Kindness and truth shall not leave you; bind them upon your neck, inscribe them upon the tablet of your heart; and find favor and good understanding in the sight of G-d and man.” (Sefer Mishle 3:3-4) V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav 10/9/2023 Parashat Bereishit, 5784, 2023: "To Be Partners with Hashem in Creating the World"Read Nowה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו, כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ Rabbi David Etengoff May Hashem protect our brothers and sisters in Eretz Yisrael, and may He bring a speedy end to this war. V’chane yihi ratzon. Our parasha has always fascinated me. In my view, it contains some of the most thought- provoking and intellectually challenging pasukim in the Torah. One of the most notable examples is the description of humankind’s creation: “And the L-rd G-d formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life (nishmat chayim), and man became a living soul (l’nefesh chaya).” (Sefer Bereishit 2:7, this and the following Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Like the very first verse of the Torah, “In the beginning of G-d’s creation of the heavens and the earth,” our pasuk conceals far more than it reveals. Little wonder, then, that it has captured the attention of our greatest meforshim. Rashi (1040-1105), building upon the translation of Onkelos (35-120 CE), focuses his interpretative efforts on the phrase, “l’nefesh chaya,” and suggests the following analysis: “Cattle and beasts were also called living souls, but this one of man is the most alive of them all, because he was additionally given intelligence and speech.” Somewhat surprisingly, in his monumental work of Torah exegesis entitled “Kli Yakar,” Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 – 1619) completely rejects Rashi’s gloss. Moreover, in his view, nishmat chayim, rather than l’nefesh chaya, is the crucial phrase to grasp in order to understand humankind’s authentic nature: Nishmat chayim must be understood as the eternal rational soul (hanefesh hamaskelet hanetzachi). Come and learn [after all,] who was the One who breathed [into Adam the soul of life]? We, therefore, find that this [the nishmat chayim] refers to a portion of G-dliness (chalek Elokah) from above. (This and the following translations my own) In sum, Rav Luntschitz shifts the emphasis of the pasuk from l’nefesh chaya to nishmat chayim, defines the latter term in an unprecedented manner, and declares it to be a chalek Elokah. Beyond a doubt, this is a theological tour de force. Rav Luntschitz continues his exposition of our verse and notes that Hashem’s overwhelming kindness in providing every person with a nishmat chayim is necessary but insufficient for the achievement of the highest level of humanity. Instead, we must respond in kind, and tirelessly expend our energies in order to reach the heights of that which makes us truly human: This is to say, that although Hashem breathed the eternal rational soul into Adam, nonetheless, man, at the outset of his being, is indistinguishable from any other living soul (nefesh chaya) and is just like the other animals. [As the text states:] “For man is born as a wild donkey.” (Sefer Iyov 11:12) [Moreover,] the essence of man’s perfection (shlaimuto) is contingent upon the diligence of his labors and the degree of good inherent in his choices as he opens his [potentially] intellectually maturing eyes (einei sichlo) while growing in age. At this juncture, Rav Luntschitz clarifies the crux of his presentation: Regarding the beginning of a person’s life – although Hashem has already breathed into an individual the soul of the breath of life (nishmat ruach chayim), this soul will nonetheless never be actualized and will remain solely in potential, unless he will try with depth-level efforts to go to the “head of the troops,” and fight the war of Hashem. If he fails to do so, he will remain in his original animalistic state (that is, ruled by the yetzer harah) and will be the equivalent of an animal…The text reveals this matter to us [through the use of the phrase, “nishmat chayim,”] in order to teach us the [vital] lesson that man should never beguile himself into thinking (lit. “saying”) that he can achieve perfection (shlaimuto) without tremendous effort and persevering exertion…rather, everything depends upon his own actions… In my estimation, Rav Luntschitz’s explication of nishmat chayim is reminiscent of Rabbi Akiva’s famous response to the evil Roman governor, Turnus Rufus, when asked: “If [your] G-d is desirous that man should have a brit milah (ritual circumcision), why does the newborn not exit his mother’s womb in this state?” Rabbi Akiva’s response informs our understanding of the mitzvot until our present moment: “Because the Holy One blessed be He did not give the mitzvot to the Jewish people except to [spiritually] purify them through their performance.” (Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Tazria V, translation my own) Rabbi Akiva is teaching us a fundamental lesson concerning our relationship with the Almighty: A newborn male baby is born in a state of physical imperfection; the mitzvah of brit milah removes this deficiency, and sets him on a lifelong path toward spiritual perfection. Therefore, through the fulfillment of this commandment, we join our Creator and become His partner in Creation (shutaf im HaKadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit). I believe that Rav Luntschitz is teaching us a parallel lesson on the moral–ethical plane of human existence: Just as we perfect the physical body that Hashem has bestowed upon us through the mitzvah of brit milah, and thereby serve as shutfim im HaKadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit, so, too, must we consistently actualize the nishmat chayim that He has given us, in order to be His partners in Creation and ultimately become all that we can be. As the Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) taught us so long ago in a celebrated liturgical poem (piyyut), “My soul thirsts for G-d, for the living G-d, my heart (mind) and my body run to the living G-d.” (Translation my own) With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we ever seek to become His shutfim b’ma’aseh Bereishit. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon HaKohane, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Gittel Malka bat Moshe, Alexander Leib ben Benyamin Yosef, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. We know that the transformation of the second day of Shemini Atzeret into Simchat Torah originated in Babylon. Yet, exactly when this change took place remains lost in the sands of time. As Rabbi Ari Enkin, quoting Rabbi Avraham Yaari’s widely respected work, Toldot Chag Simchat Torah (The History of the Festival of Simchat Torah), notes: The evolution of Simchat Torah as part of the Shemini Atzeret celebrations first originated in Babylon and was not even observed in Israel until the end of the Gaonic period [11th century]. For Babylonian Jewry, Simchat Torah was the celebration of the completion of the annual Torah reading cycle. The Torah had been divided up into 54 separate parshiot, with a different parasha (and sometimes two at a time) being read every Shabbat, thereby completing the entire Torah each year. (http://hirhurim.blogspot.com/2008/10/simchat-torah.html, brackets my own) Significantly, however, the name “Simchat Torah” does not appear in the Babylonian Talmud. This is particularly of note since this work contains material up to and including the Sixth century CE. Therefore, we can readily surmise that Simchat Torah is, in all likelihood, a product of the post-Talmudic period. Rav Amnon Bazak, a noted Rosh Yeshiva at Yeshivat Har Etzion, suggests that the transformation of the second day of Shemini Atzeret into the holiday of Simchat Torah by Babylonian Jewry was part of the overall conceptual transference of the chagim from agriculturally focused to essentially Halakha-based days of celebration: As opposed to the “Biblical Jew,” for whom agriculture stood at the center of existence, the “post-Temple Jew” concentrates his religious life in the proverbial “four cubits of Halakha.” Therefore, the agricultural calendar was replaced by the “Torah calendar.” In this system, the festival of the first harvest (Shavuot), which commemorated the first opportunity to benefit from one’s produce, was transformed into the holiday of Matan Torah [the Giving of the Torah], the first step in the nation’s acceptance of the Torah. Shemini Atzeret, which, for the agrarian society, was celebrated as the end of the year, evolved into the celebration of the completion of the Torah reading, Simchat Torah. (http://vbm-torah.org/sukkot/shmin-bazak.htm, brackets my own) At this juncture, it is clear that the Chachamim of Babylonia Jewry changed the nature of the second day of Shemini Atzeret into a day with its own unique identity and purpose—a day wherein the annual completion of the reading of the Torah was celebrated. Why, however, did Chazal create Simchat Torah? I believe this passage from the Siddur helps answer our question: Therefore, we are obligated to thank You, praise You, glorify You, bless, sanctify, and offer praise and thanks to Your Name. We are fortunate (ashreinu)—how good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our inheritance! (Translation, The Complete ArtScroll Siddur, page 27, with my emendations for clarity and parentheses my own) The first mention of this citation is found in the Gaonic work, Siddur Rav Amram Gaon. We must recognize that Rav Amram did not compose this section. Rather, the overall purpose of his work was to report, and thereby effectively formalize, the liturgical practices prevalent in the Babylonia of his day. As such, the origin of this section predated Rav Amram’s classic work by an indeterminate number of years. In my estimation, Simchat Torah’s underlying rationale is found in the words, “We are fortunate (ashreinu)—how good is our portion, how pleasant our lot, and how beautiful our inheritance”—one of the most popular phrases we sing and dance to during the course of the Hakafot. Ashreinu follows the introductory statement, “we are obligated to thank You, praise You, glorify You, bless, sanctify, and offer praise and thanks to Your Name.” This phrase is, perhaps, one of the preeminent formulations of hakaret hatov in our liturgy. No wonder we are so fortunate! No wonder we give such effusive thanks! Our inheritance (yerushatainu) is the Torah itself, the words of the Creator of the Universe! “Moshe commanded us the Torah, it is the inheritance of the entire congregation of Ya’akov.” (Sefer Devarim 33:4). We can now understand why Simchat Torah was created: Chazal designated this time as a celebration of the Torah, in order to give voice to our innermost feelings of hakaret hatov to the Almighty for giving us this gift. In a word, on Simchat Torah we strive to emulate David HaMelech when he danced with passionate abandon while bringing the Aron Kodesh to Yerushalayim. (Sefer Shmuel II: 6:5). As such, it is the perfect day to fulfill his inspirational words: “Serve Hashem with simcha come before Him with praise.” (Sefer Tehillim 100:2, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) May this Simchat Torah be a special time when we strengthen our connection to Hashem and demonstrate heartfelt hakaret hatov, joy, praise, and love of Him as never before. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon HaKohane, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Gittel Malka bat Moshe, Alexander Leib ben Benyamin Yosef, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. The Festival of Succot contains two major mitzvot, dwelling in the Succah on the night of the 15th of Tishrei, and the taking of the Arba’at HaMinim (the Four Species). These acts are in the halachic category of mitzvot aseh sh’hazman grama (time-bound Positive Commandments). Consequently, while women may fulfill these commandments, they are not obligated to do so. This principle is based on the well-known statement of Chazal: “And in all cases of time-bound Positive Commandments, men are obligated, and women are exempt.” (Mishna Kiddushin 1:7) The following midrashic interpretation of the Arba’at HaMinim is particularly intriguing in light of this ruling: “The fruit of a beautiful tree [etrog],” this refers to Sarah, since the Holy One blessed be He honored her (sh’hidrah, literally, beautified her) with good health in her old age. As the text states: “Now Abraham and Sarah were old, coming on in years…” (Sefer Bereishit 18:11) “Date palm fronds [lulav],” this refers to Rivka, for just like a date palm tree has both fruit and thorns, so, too, did Rivka give birth to a tzadik (Ya’akov) and a ra’asha (Eisav). “A branch of a braided tree [hadas],” this refers to Leah, for just like the hadas is filled with leaves, so, too, was Leah [blessed] with many children. “Willows of the brook [arvei nachal],” this refers to Rachel, for just like the arvei nachal wither before the other Arba’at HaMinim, so, too, did Rachel die before her sister [Leah]. (Midrash Vayikra Rabbah, Parashat Emor 30:10, translation and brackets my own) We are immediately struck by the midrash’s choice of the Emahot as metaphorically representing the Arba’at HaMinim. After all, what is their connection since, as we have seen, women are exempt from mitzvot aseh sh’hazman grama? In my view, the midrash followed this approach in order to teach us a crucial lesson: Judaism is comprised of two beautiful and equally vital Massorot (traditions), the Massorah of the Fathers and the Massorah of the Mothers. Therefore, it is fitting and proper to compare the Emahot to the Arba’at HaMinim. In modern times, there was no greater exponent of this approach than my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers: People are mistaken in thinking that there is only one Massorah and one Massorah community; the community of the fathers. It is not true. We have two massorot, two traditions, two communities, two shalshalot ha-kabbalah [chains of Tradition]—the massorah community of the fathers and that of the mothers…What kind of a Torah does the mother pass on? I admit that I am not able to define precisely the masoretic role of the Jewish mother. Only by circumscription I hope to be able to explain it. Permit me to draw upon my own experiences. At this point we are privy to the Rav’s deepest personal reminiscences of his beloved mother: I used to have long conversations with my mother. In fact, it was a monologue rather than a dialogue. She talked and I “happened” to overhear. What did she talk about? I must use an halakhic term in order to answer this question: she talked me-inyana de-yoma [about the halakhic aspects of a particular holy day]. I used to watch her arranging the house in honor of a holiday. I used to see her recite prayers; I used to watch her recite the sidra [Torah portion] every Friday night and I still remember the nostalgic tune. I learned from her very much. What was the essence of that which the Rav learned from his mother? What gift did she give him that transformed his perception of the world? As he states in his inimitable manner: Most of all I learned that Judaism expresses itself not only in formal compliance with the law but also in a living experience. She taught me that there is a flavor, a scent and warmth to mitzvot. I learned from her the most important thing in life—to feel the presence of the Almighty and the gentle pressure of His hand resting upon my frail shoulders. Without her teachings, which quite often were transmitted to me in silence, I would have grown up a soulless being, dry and insensitive. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, “A Tribute to the Rebbitzen of Talne,” Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought, 1978, Vol. 17, number 2, pages 76-77) It is, and perhaps always has been, the unique privilege of Jewish women to enable our people to “… feel the presence of the Almighty and the gentle pressure of His hand resting upon [our] frail shoulders.” Therefore, when we rejoice with the Arba’at HaMinim this Succot, let us remember the Midrash’s essential and powerful message to embrace both the Massorah of the Mothers and the Massorah of the Fathers, so that we may fulfill this mitzvah as a “living experience” in all its “flavor, scent and warmth.” With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to do so. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach! Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon HaKohane, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Gittel Malka bat Moshe, Alexander Leib ben Benyamin Yosef, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. This Sabbath is Shabbat Shuvah, a time when our spiritual efforts are focused upon teshuvah (returning to Hashem). The Rambam’s (1135-1204) Hilchot Teshuvah is one of the most celebrated works on teshuvah. Therein, he notes that teshuvah is comprised of four essential elements: What constitutes teshuvah? A sinner should abandon his sins and remove them from his thoughts, resolving in his heart never to commit them again, as the text states, “May the wicked abandon his ways....” (Sefer Yeshayahu 55:7) Similarly, he must regret the past, as the text states, “After I returned, I regretted.” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 31:18) … [And] he must verbally confess and state these matters which he resolved in his heart. (II:2, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger). In sum, teshuvah consists of four inextricably connected parts: Abandonment of the sin, regret for having performed the prohibition, confession before Hashem, and heartfelt acceptance and determination that he or she will never commit the transgression again. While nearly all classic halachic authorities accept this definitional structure of teshuvah, they differ as to whether or not there is a mitzvah to engage in the teshuvah process. As is well-known, the Rambam does not consider teshuvah a mitzvah, in and of itself, instead, he conceptualizes it as a complement to vidui (confession): The 73rd mitzvah we are commanded is to verbally acknowledge the sins we have committed before Him, exalted be He, when we come to do teshuvah (to repent). This is vidui (verbal confession), the idea of which is to say, “O Hashem, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed and done ...” (Sefer HaMitzvot, translation, Rabbi Berel Bell) This approach was embraced by a number of illustrious Acharonim (later halachic authorities), including the Avodat HaMelech (1869-1929), the Minchat Chinuch (1800-1874) and Rav Avraham Yitzhak Hakohen Kook (1865-1935), the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine under the British Mandate. In his Commentary on the Torah, the Ramban (1194-1270) champions the contrasting view that teshuvah does, in fact, constitute a mitzvah. His bases this approach on his interpretation of the pasuk: “For this commandment (ki hamitzvah hazot) which I command you this day is not concealed from you, nor is it far away.” (Sefer Devarim 30:11, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In general, Chazal view the phrase, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” as referring to the entire Torah because of its proximity to the expression, “lo bashamayim he” (“it, that is, the Torah, is not in Heaven”), as found in the next verse. The Ramban, however, suggests that this approach is grammatically incorrect, for if “ki hamitzvah hazot” did refer to the totality of the Torah, it should have stated, “kol hamitzvah” (“every commandment”), as we find in the pasuk: “Every commandment (kol hamitzvah) that I command you this day you shall keep to do, that you may live and multiply, and come and possess the land that Hashem swore to your forefathers.” (Sefer Devarim 8:1) Based on this reading, he opines that since the Torah writes, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” it must refer to a single mitzvah, namely, teshuvah: …the expression, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” however, is mentioned in reference to teshuvah, as we find in the [earlier verses of our chapter], “you will consider in your heart (v’hashavota el levavecha) among all the nations where Hashem your G-d has banished you,” (30:1) and you will return to Hashem, your G-d, (v’shavta od Hashem Elokecha) with all your heart and with all your soul (30:2). This [that is, teshuvah,] is the commandment that we are commanded to perform. (Translations, brackets and underlining my own) The single greatest factor militating against the Ramban’s view that teshuvah constitutes a mitzvah is the manner in which teshuvah is presented in these verses. Normally, a commandment is stated in an imperative construct. For example, in reference to Yom Kippur we find: “It is a Shabbat of rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves. It is an eternal statute.” (Sefer Vayikra 16:31) In our verses, however, teshuvah is presented in a narrative format lacking any mandated action. This challenge, however, does not deter the Ramban from maintaining the mitzvah-status of teshuvah, as he suggests that this mode of presentation gives powerful voice to Hashem’s promise that nothing stands in the way of teshuvah, and that in the future, the entire nation will return to Him: And this [mitzvah of teshuvah was stated] in a narrative formulation to hint at the fulfillment of the promise that in the future the matter will be so [that is, the Jewish people will universally undertake the teshuvah process]. The underlying reason for this is to inform us that even if we are scattered about to the very ends of Heaven, and we are under the hegemony of the non-Jews, we will be able to return to Hashem and fulfill all of the mitzvot that “I command you this day.” For the matter of doing teshuvah is not beyond us or distant from us, rather it is very close to us indeed—and we may begin the teshuvah process at any time and in any place… My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, was very fond of the Ramban’s theological positions. Little wonder, then, that he often stresses the idea found in Tachanun that Hashem is the pota’ach yad b’teshuvah (the Holy One blessed be He continuously reaches out to us with the promise of teshuvah). Like the Ramban, the Rav emphasizes that “we may begin the teshuvah process at any time and in any place…” May the time come soon and, in our days, when the Jewish people will join together as one, and return to Hashem in heartfelt teshuvah. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and G’mar Chatimah Tovah Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon HaKohane, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Gittel Malka bat Moshe, Alexander Leib ben Benyamin Yosef, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. This is the time of year when our friends ask: “How are you? Are you ready for another Rosh HaShanah? Can you believe its Rosh HaShanah again?” These, and similar kinds of questions are “on the mark,” and exactly where our thoughts should be. In truth, “How are you?” can be taken either as another blasé social pleasantry—or something far more. In my estimation, we can view it as a modern-day restatement of Hashem’s question to Adam after he violated the one mitzvah that Hashem gave him, namely, the prohibition of eating from the pri eitz hada’at (Tree of Knowledge): “And the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise; so she took of its fruit, and she ate, and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” (Sefer Bereishit 3:6, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) This, in turn, led the Almighty to ask: “Where are you?” (3:9) An odd question by all accounts, since Hashem knew full well where Adam and Chava were located, as such, what was the Holy One Blessed be He really asking? I believe Hashem was asking an existential question, or perhaps, the existential question: “Now that you have sinned against Me, what is your place within the great scheme of Creation? What is your value to the world now that you have torn our covenant asunder?” In short, Hashem was asking some of the very same things we should be asking ourselves in preparation for Rosh HaShanah. These types of questions should motivate us to pause and reflect upon our past actions and spur us on to depth-level change. Moreover, they should lead to the logical conclusion that it is time to do teshuvah. The Rambam (1135-1204) defines teshuvah in this manner: What exactly is teshuvah? [It is the act that demands] the sinner to reject his sin, remove it from his thoughts, and determine in his mind that he will never do it again...So, too, he must feel badly for what he has done in the past...and he must bear testimony to He who knows all secret matters that he will never repeat this sin again... In addition, he must verbally confess [his sin] and speak aloud of those things he has determined in his mind. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 2:2) In sum, the teshuvah process is comprised of:
Authentic teshuvah, therefore, is a holistic process that involves the individual’s entire being. It incorporates a radical shift in the mindset of one who has gone astray so that they will be able to return to the proper path of Torah observance. It requires unflinching honesty and the will to reject rationalizations for our sins. In addition, the ba’al teshuvah (master of teshuvah) needs to feel badly about what he or she has done, reject their prior action, and resolve never to repeat this deed in the future. Lastly, all of this must be accompanied by a heart-felt oral confession before Hashem of what they have done. It stands to reason that the more pronounced a particular sin has become within a person’s repertoire of behaviors, the greater degree of difficulty they will encounter in trying to free themselves from its powerful grip. This is why tefilat tachanun that we recite on Mondays and Thursdays contains the hopeful phrase: “hapoteiach yad b’teshuvah l’kabale poshayim v’chataim—You Who opens a hand for repentance, to welcome rebels and sinners...” (Translation, The Complete ArtScroll Siddur, page 130) In other words, Avinu Malkeinu is at one and the same time, Av HaRachamim, and stands ready to receive our heartfelt teshuvah, in love and divine mercy. Perhaps, most of all, we are not alone in this endeavor, as Yirmiyahu the prophet declared so long ago: “Hashiveinu Hashem alecha v’nashuvah, chadeish yameinu k’kedem—Enable us Hashem to return in teshuvah unto You, and we will return, renew our days [with You] as they were in earlier times.” (Megillat Eicah 5:21, translation, my own) May this time come soon, and in our days. V’chane yihi ratzon. Kativah v’Chatimah Tovah and Shabbat Shalom Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav Rabbi David Etengoff Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon HaKohane, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Gittel Malka bat Moshe, Alexander Leib ben Benyamin Yosef, the Kedoshim of Har Nof, Pittsburgh, and Jersey City, the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the health and safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. This Motzai Shabbat we begin the recitation of Selichot in order to prepare ourselves to meet the Master of the Universe on Rosh Hashanah. As such, it is no mere metaphor that the initial pasukim of our parshiot state: You are all standing this day (atem nitzavim hayom) before Hashem, your G-d, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel, your young children, your women, and your convert who is within your camp both your woodcutters and your water drawers, that you may enter the covenant of Hashem, your G-d, and His oath, which Hashem, your G-d, is making with you this day. (Sefer Devarim 29:9-11, this, and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) As we can readily see, the statement, “You are all standing this day,” is written as “atem nitzavim hayom,” instead of the standard “atem omdim hayom.” This unusual word choice becomes clearer when we examine two instances of the word “n’tziv” (“standing,” and its variants) that appear in Sefer Bereishit. The first concerns Lot and his wife. They are warned not to look behind themselves so as not to behold the destruction that will befall S’dom and Gomorrah (Sefer Bereishit 19:17). Instead of listening to the words of the malach, Lot’s wife casts a furtive glance behind her and is turned into a pillar of salt—a n’tziv melech (19:26). A n’tziv is something permanent and unmoving. It is fixed in place and will remain there forever. Lot’s wife’s transformation from a living and breathing person into a silent pillar of salt is a permanent reminder of her failure to heed the words of the Creator. The second instance of the verb “n’tziv” occurs when Avraham’s servant, Eliezer, is waiting by the well and prays to Hashem to reveal the identity of Yitzchak’s future wife to him. The Torah uses the expression, “Henah anochi nitzav al ain hamayim...Behold I am standing at the well,” (24:13). Here, too, why doesn’t Eliezer simply say: “Henah anochi omed al ain hamayim?” Why does he employ the uncommon verb “nitzav?” I believe that he uses this word to teach us a crucial lesson regarding the nature of emunah. In my estimation, he is publicly proclaiming his loyalty to his master Avraham, and, ultimately, to the Ribono shel Olam (the Master of the Universe). Eliezer had taken a shavuah (oath) that he would expend every possible effort to find Yitzhak a bride from Avraham’s country of origin. Therefore, he did his utmost to fulfill that shavuah and would not be moved right or left for any reason. He had one course and one course only: nitzav—to stand and wait patiently for Hashem's divine revelation to unfold. Thus, like Lot’s wife, he was standing in place, albeit, based upon an entirely different reason. I believe this is why “nitzav,” rather than the common verb “omed,” is used. We can now view the phrase, “atem nitzavim hayom,” as imparting an essential message: No matter how powerful and persuasive certain cultural norms and ideas may be, if they are opposed to the essence of the Torah and Halacha and represent the antithesis of our being an am kodesh (a holy nation) and the am segulah (the Chosen People), then: “atem nitzavim hayom!” In short, no force on earth should ever move us from being nitzavim of emunah (pillars of faith) in the house of Hashem. As Dovid HaMelech said so long-ago: “Achat sha’alti m’ate Hashem oto avekash shivti b'beit Hashem kol yimei chayai...One [thing] I ask of Hashem, that I seek—that I may dwell in the house of Hashem all the days of my life...” (Sefer Tehillim 27:4) This, then, is the goal of our people—to ever be “nitzavim hayom” (standing today), machar (tomorrow) and l’atid lavo (forever more) before Hashem. V’chane yihi ratzon. Shabbat Shalom and Kativah v’chatimah tovah! Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org. Please contact me at rdbe718@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list. *** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd *** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link: The Rav |
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