Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Yishmael’s behavior at the moment he is about to die of thirst presents us with a number of interpretative challenges: “And Elokim heard kol ha’na’ar (the lad’s voice), and an angel of Elokim called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What is troubling you, Hagar? Fear not, for Elokim has heard kol ha’na’ar ba’asher hu sham (in the place where he is).’” (Sefer Bereishit 21:17, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The terms, “kol ha’na’ar” and “ba’asher hu sham” are very difficult to understand. Does kol ha’na’ar refer to Yishmael’s voice, his cry, or something else entirely? Then, too, ba’asher hu sham seems unnecessary on every level, for after all, where else would Hashem have heard Yishmael other than the “place where he is?”

Midrash Pirkei d’ Rabi Eliezer, contextualizes and explains the phrase, “kol ha’na’ar” in this manner:

Yishmael’s very being was exhausted from thirst, and that point, he went and he threw himself under one of the desert bushes. [He then] said: “Master of all worlds! If You have the desire to give me water to drink, give me water to drink and do not allow my soul to depart from me as a result of the extreme thirst I am suffering; for death from thirst is different from and more difficult than all other forms of death!” And the Holy One blessed be He heard his tefilah, as the texts states: “And Elokim heard kol ha’na’ar.” (Chapter 30, translation my own)
 
According to the midrash, “kol ha’na’ar” refers to the heartfelt tefilah Yishmael uttered at his moment of mortal danger. As such, it teaches us something of universal value: Yishmael’s personal prayer experience, and its positive outcome, is available to everyone. David HaMelech gave voice to this idea when he famously declared, “Hashem is near to all who call Him, to all who call upon Him with truth.” (Sefer Tehillim 145:18)
 
At first glance, ba’asher hu sham does not seem connected to kol ha’na’ar and appears completely unnecessary. If so, why is it found in our pasuk? Perhaps this question is one of the reasons Rashi (1040-1105) suggests this interpretation:

Where he is: According to the deeds that he does now he is judged and not according to what he is destined to do (Talmud Bavli, Rosh Hashanah 16b). For the ministering angels acted as accusers and said: “O’ Lord of the Universe, for one [that is, Yishmael’s descendants] who is destined to kill Your children with thirst, You are bringing up a well?!” And He answered them, “What is he now, righteous or wicked?” They replied, “righteous.” He said to them, “According to his present deeds I judge him” (Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 53:14). And that is the meaning of “where he is.”
 
In one deft stroke, Rashi’s midrashically-infused analysis teaches us that ba’asher hu sham does not refer to a physical location; rather, it is a description of Yishmael’s existential state at the moment of uttering his tefilah to the Almighty. Consequently, kol ha’na’ar and ba’asher hu sham are closely interwoven, as each advances the understanding of the other. Knowing that Hashem judges us according to our present deeds, instead of any future missteps we may take, infuses us with a sense of security and the ongoing opportunity to draw near to Him through heartfelt mitzvot observance and tefilah. As Shlomo HaMelech taught us some 3,000 years ago: “The end of the matter, everything having been heard, treat Hashem with awe and keep His commandments, for this is the ultimate purpose of man.” (Sefer Kohelet 12:13) 
​
May we ever know that Hashem hears and answers, our tefilot. This thought is given powerful voice in one of the brachot of the daily Shemoneh Esrei: “Hear our voice, Hashem our God, pity and be compassionate to us, and accept—with compassion and favor—our prayer, for God Who hears prayers and supplications are You…” (Translation, The Artscroll Siddur) V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The tragic failures of Adam and Chava, the Dor HaMabul, and Noach enable us to appreciate the unmatched greatness of Avraham Avinu. His spiritual drive led him to discover the truth of Hashem’s existence that had been lost in the sands of time. His “classroom” for so doing was Nature and the Cosmos, and his rebbe was HaKadosh Baruch Hu. My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), presented this idea in his celebrated essay, The Lonely Man of Faith:

Abraham, the knight of faith, according to our tradition, sought and discovered God in the starlit heavens of Mesopotamia. Yet, he felt an intense loneliness and could not find solace in the silent companionship of God, whose image was reflected in the boundless stretches of the cosmos. Only when he met God on earth as Father, Brother, and Friend—not only along the uncharted astral routes—did he feel redeemed. Our sages said that before Abraham appeared majestas dei [the majesty of God] was reflected only by the distant heavens, and it was a mute nature which “spoke” of the glory of God. It was Abraham who “crowned” Him the God of earth, i.e., the God of men. (Kindle edition, pages 47-48, underlining and brackets my own)
 
Make no mistake about it: Avraham was an authentic religious revolutionary who repudiated the underlying “religious” axioms and behavioral norms of the nations among whom he lived. Based on his unceasing efforts, Hashem and His Divine will, rather than idolatry and immorality, would become the brilliant new light that would penetrate the nearly impenetrable darkness of his time. Avraham recognized, as Yeshayahu the prophet taught us so many years later: “shehame mishtachavim l’hevel v’rik, u’mitpallim el ale lo yoshiyah—For they bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to a god which helps not.” (Aleinu Leshaba’ach based on Sefer Yeshayahu 45:20, translation, Artscroll Tanach).
 
Avraham transformed the entire world by introducing the one true God to humankind. This remarkable individual forever altered the history of world. As such, he was, and will ever be, every Jew’s religious model and mentor. Moreover, Avraham’s entrance on the grand stage of world history was a great comfort for Hashem. He was the first person to faithfully rise above each trial he encountered, while worshipping the Almighty in ultimate love and heartfelt devotion. Little wonder then, that Hashem called him both Avraham avdi (Avraham My servant, Sefer Bereishit 26:24), and Avraham ohavi (Avraham My beloved friend, Sefer Yeshiyahu 41:8). At long last, Hakadosh Baruch Hu had a beloved compatriot who loved, served Him and publicized His presence before the entire world.
 
With the Almighty’s help, may we emulate Avraham Avinu and proclaim His glory before one and all. As the Aleinu teaches us: “Aleinu leshaba’ach l’Adon hakol, l’tate gedulah l’Yotzer bereishit—It is our duty to praise the Master of all, to ascribe greatness to the Master of primeval creation…” V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
A number of them may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Parashat Noach is preeminently the story of the Flood that destroyed the majority of life on earth. Noach and his immediate family were saved via thee Ark, however, since “he was a righteous man who was perfect in his generations [and] found favor in the eyes of Hashem.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:8,9) Upon emerging from the Ark, Hashem uttered the following eternal oath: “I will no longer curse the earth because of man, ki yetzer lev ha’adam rah—for the inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth—and I will no longer smite all living things as I have done.” (8:21, this and the following Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach with my emendations) The phrase, ki yetzer lev ha’adam rah parallels an earlier expression in the Torah preceding Hashem’s decision to destroy the world by the Flood: “And Hashem saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, v’chol yetzer machshavat libo—and every inclination of his heart—was only rah (evil) all the time.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:5) Both these verses connect the word “yetzer” to the word “rah,” and thereby introduce us to the concept of the yetzer harah (the evil inclination).
 
Yetzer harah is an often used but rarely understood expression. Fortunately, Talmud Bavli, Succah 52a helps us better understand this term:

Rabbi Avira or, as some say, Rabbi Joshua ben Levi, made the following exposition: The yetzer harah has seven names. The Holy One, blessed be He, called it rah (Evil)...Moshe called it aral (the Uncircumcised)…David called it tamei (Ritually Unclean)…[King] Solomon called it sonei (the Enemy)…Isaiah called it the michshol (Stumbling-Block)...Ezekiel called it even (Stone)...Joel called it the tzefoni (Hidden One)…(Translation, The Soncino Talmud with my emendations)
 
Rav Ya’akov Ettlinger (1798-1871) explains that these names for the yetzer harah may actually be understood as “seven different aspects that cause the yetzer harah to be such a monumental challenge for the Jewish people.” (Aruch L’Ner, Succah 52a, this and the following translations and summary my own) He then proceeds to explain each name and its underlying significance. Rah teaches us that the inclination to do evil is the source of all varieties of sins and can bring us to terrible forms of death. Moreover, “there is no kind of evil greater than this, which is why the Holy One blessed be He called it rah.” Aral indicates the aspect of the human personality that, “stands before that which is good, to prevent it from entering the hearts of humankind...” Tamei refers to the ability of the yetzer harah to “render impure even those holy and pure thoughts that have already entered a person’s mind...” Sonei “not only affects one who seeks to be under its influence; rather it lies in wait in order to capture a person’s very soul, just as an enemy would do to another...”  Michshol exemplifies the yetzer harah’s ability to injure even someone who can resist obvious forms of evil, as “it continuously schemes and harasses such a person in subtle ways just like a stumbling block in the road can easily cause one to trip and fall when they are unaware of its presence...” Even reflects the “physical” characteristic of the yetzer harah, in the sense that it is “hard and heavy like a stone.” Finally, tzefoni:
​
...refers to that aspect of the evil inclination that is hidden within the heart of a person until they fail to recognize it is lurking within them...As a result, a person might very well think that they are performing a mitzvah, when, in fact, they do not know that they are being driven by the advice of the yetzer harah that has totally penetrated their very essence. Therefore, a person must ever be on guard and must take the necessary steps to recognize the hidden actions of the yetzer harah.
 
Rav Ettlinger’s trenchant analysis of the yetzer harah goes a long way in helping us understand why it is such a formidable foe, and why we must ever be ready to face it head-on and avoid all-too-ready rationalizations. As Hashem told Cain so long ago, “Is it not so that if you improve, it will be forgiven you? If you do not improve, however, at the entrance, sin is lying, and to you is its longing, but you can rule over it.” (Sefer Bereishit 4:7)
 
With Hashem’s help, may we be zocheh to fulfill Dovid HaMelech’s inspiring words: “Sur m’rah v’aseh tov, turn away from evil and do good...” (Sefer Tehillim 34:15) V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
​
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

​
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The Torah begins with the well-known words, “Bereishit bara Elokim ate hashamayim v’ate ha’aretz.” Our classic meforshim disagree as to the meaning of “bereishit.” Does it mean “b’techilah, in the beginning,” or “bishvil hareishit, for that which is first?” Rashi (1040-1105) hints at this difficulty in his first gloss in his Commentary on the Torah: “Ain hamikra hazeh omare elah darshani, this text proclaims nothing other than, ‘Interpret me!’” Next, he cites a section in Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 1:4 that suggests, “bishvil hareishit,” is the correct interpretation of our text: “bishvil haTorah sh’nikrate reishit darko, u’bishvil Yisrael sh’nikrau reishit tevuato, for the Torah that is called ‘the beginning of His way,’ and for the Jewish people who are called ‘the first of His grain.’” This reading of Rashi’s gloss is supported by one of his most celebrated supercommentators, Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi (1455-1525): “The letter ‘bet’ at the beginning of ‘bereishit’ is like the bet found in the verse, ‘va’ya’a’vod Ya’akov b’Rachel, and Ya’akov worked [in order] for Rachel [to become his wife].’” (29:20)
 
The Maharal of Prague (died 1609) is another great Rashi super commentator. In his classic work, Gur Aryeh, he cites Rashi’s focus upon Torah and the Jewish people as the reason for Creation and notes that it is crucial to examine his choices. After all, opines the Maharal, is it not the case that “all actions of Hashem are for His own sake…” (Sefer Mishle 16:4)  Moreover, it states in Talmud Bavli, Yoma 38a: “Everything that has been created in this world was created for the Holy One blessed be He, and for His glory was it created.” Then, too, did not Yeshayahu the prophet proclaim: “Everything that is called in my name was created in My honor.” (33:7) In sum, why did Rashi limit his gloss to Torah and the Jewish nation and exclude other aspects of the Universe, when the rationale for the creation of the world logically should have included everything the Almighty created?
 
The Maharal’s answer speaks to the essence of the unique relationship that obtains between Hashem and the Jewish people:

There is no honor from the created entities except when they fulfill His mitzvot and serve Him; and this is only possible with the Jewish nation, regarding whom it is said: “I formed this people in order that they would speak of My praise.” (Sefer Yeshayahu 33:21) … And the Jewish people do not serve the Holy One blessed be He except through His mitzvot when they fulfill His Torah. This, then, is [why Rashi so clearly emphasized], the world was created bishvil Yisrael, for the Jewish people and bishvil haTorah, for the Torah … (Translation my own)
 
Based upon the Maharal’s trenchant analysis we now understand why Rashi underscored Torah and the Jewish people as the underlying cause for the creation of the world. As Yeshayahu prophesized, our nation was created to praise the Almighty; and as the Maharal notes, this can only be achieved through the Torah and the fulfillment of the mitzvot.
 
David HaMelech declared in Sefer Tehillim 35:10, “kol atzmotai tomarnah, all of my bones will say, ‘Hashem who is like You?’” I believe his message is unmistakable in its meaning, namely, that our very beings praise Hashem when we venerate Him through the performance of the mitzvot found in His holy Torah. As such, let us remember Rashi’s words, “bishvil haTorah u’bishvil Yisrael” did the Holy One blessed be He create the Universe, and may they ever be our guide as we strive to honor and serve Him. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

Rabbi David Etengoff

ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The public reading of Megillat Kohelet is one of the highlights of Shabbat Chol Hamoed Succot.  One of its standout passages contains the first eight verses of chapter three:

Everything has an appointed season (l’kol zeman), and there is a time for every matter (v’ate l’kol chafetz) under the heaven. A time to give birth and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot that which is planted. A time to kill and a time to heal; a time to break and a time to build. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time of wailing and a time of dancing. A time to cast stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing. A time to seek and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away. A time to rend and a time to sew; a time to be silent and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate; a time for war and a time for peace. (This, and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
A straightforward reading of the verse, “Everything has an appointed season (l’kol zeman), and there is a time for every matter (v’ate l’kol chafetz) under the heaven,” suggests that it is a preface to the various times found in the subsequent pasukim. The Maharal of Prague (Rabbi Yehudah Loew ben Bezalel, d. 1609), however, maintains that it is far more than an introduction to the rest of the chapter. Moreover, he maintains that “l’kol zeman” and “v’ate l’kol chafetz” refer to entirely different subjects: the former emphasizes physical objects and actions, and the latter focuses upon the intellect:

Those matters that are [discussed in Midrash Kohelet Rabbah on our verse] are physical in nature, including Adam entering Gan Eden and his exit therefrom, the destruction of the world [at the time of Noach] and its repopulation, and Avraham’s brit milah. The body is subject to time. It is fitting, therefore, to use the expression, “l’kol zeman,” when referring to these matters. In contrast, something that is purely intellectual in nature, [as signified by “v’ate l’kol chafetz] namely, Kabbalat HaTorah, is removed in its very essence from all physical matter and is not time-bound..” (Sefer Tiferet Yisrael, Chapter 25, this, and the following translation and textual notations my own)
 
The Maharal further expands upon his fascinating analysis in this manner: “This means that the matter [Torah] is completely of the intellect and, therefore, it is not under the control of time. As such, it is permanently in the present (b’atah), even in regards as to when it was given [at Har Sinai] at that particular time…” This  powerful concept enables us to understand why the phrase, “asher anochi metzavecha hayom” (“that I am commanding you this day”), is found no less than 19 times in Sefer Shemot and Sefer Devarim regarding the Torah and its mitzvot. As Rashi (1040-1105) so beautifully explains, “They (the words of the Torah) should not appear to you as an antiquated edict that no one cares about, but as a new one, which everyone rushes to read.” (Sefer Devarim 6:6)
 
We will soon be celebrating Simchat Torah. With Hashem’s help, may this joyous day be one wherein we recognize the timeless nature of the Torah viewing it as a new and precious gift each and every day. V’chane yihi ratzon.
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

​















Rabbi David Etengoff
  
The expression, “b’etzem hayom hazeh,” introduces the tragic narrative that portrays Moshe’s impending death: “And Hashem spoke to Moshe on that very day (b’etzem hayom hazeh), saying: “Go up this Mount Avarim [to] Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is facing Jericho, and see the Land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel as a possession.” (Sefer Devarim, 32:48-49, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on Midrash Sifrei, notes that our expression is used when Hashem’s authority is challenged and the futility that accompanies such an act:

And Hashem spoke to Moshe on that very day: …  here (Sefer Devarim 32:48), regarding Moses’ death, the Torah states, “on that very day (בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה).” B’nai Yisrael said, “We swear by such and such, that if we notice Moshe [ascending the mountain to die], we will not let him do so! The man who brought us out of Egypt, divided the Red Sea for us, brought the manna down for us, made flocks of quails fly over to us, brought up the well for us, and gave us the Torah—we will not let him!” Thereupon, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said: “I will have Moshe ascend the mountain [to his resting place] in the middle of the day!”
 
What should our ancestors have done for Moshe instead of rebelling against the Almighty? My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as the “Rav” by his students and disciples, suggested this response:

It was not the fault of the Jewish people that Moses made a mistake [by striking the rock instead of speaking to it, Sefer Bamidbar 20:8-13)]. But had the people possessed a sensitivity and love for Moses similar to the love that Moses felt for them, they would have torn the decree into shreds. It was their fault… When he was told that he would not enter the Land of Israel, Moses pleaded for forgiveness. Had the people joined him in prayer, the Holy One would have been forced to respond. But they did not join. Thus, we read in Parashat Va-etchanan that with tears in his eyes Moses tells them, “Va-etchanan” (Devrim 3:23): I prayed alone. It was not va-nitchanan, we prayed. I was a lonely solitary prayerful person; I prayed, no one else joined in with me. (Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Vision and Leadership: Reflections on Joseph and Moses, editors, David Shatz, Joel B. Wolowelsky, and Reuven Ziegler, page 212, underlining, brackets and bolding my own)
 
The Rav’s answer is so heart-wrenching that it brings one to tears. The depth of Moshe’s love for Am Yisrael was nearly unrequited. Moshe had sacrificed every aspect of his personal happiness to serve his people. He divorced his wife, was a stranger to his children and lived alone. All of this was so he could be ready to communicate with Hashem at a moment’s notice, and quite often, on the nation’s behalf. Yet, where was their recognition for Moshe’s total self-sacrifice? Why did they abandon him? Why did they fail to join him in tefilah? The Rav explained this disconnect between Moshe and his beloved people in this manner:

Moses was too great for his generation. He rose high above them. His vision was too penetrating, his depth superhuman, his sweep too high. They could not follow him; they failed to understand him. Had they understood and appreciated him … Moses would have been admitted to the Promised Land. The people’s guilt consisted in their not opening up to Moses’ influence, in resisting his redemptive and cathartic power, in not being willing to become his disciples. Of course, Moses suffered the consequences. (Page, 214)
 
As the Rav notes, it is incredibly tragic that our forebears failed to advocate on Moshe’s behalf before the Master of the Universe:
​
[For] if Benei Yisrael had proven themselves worthy of communing with Moses, of being his disciples, if they had displayed the intellectual and emotional capacity to receive and absorb Torat Moshe [and prayed on his behalf], then Moses would have entered and conquered the Promised Land, and he would have been anointed as the King Messiah. Jewish history would have found its realization and fulfillment immediately upon entering the land. (Page, 214)
 
Sadly, our nation continues to wait for Mashiach and the “realization and fulfillment” of Jewish history. Let us hope and pray that he will not tarry long, and Zechariah the prophet’s vision will be fulfilled soon and in our days: “And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall Hashem be one, and His name one.” (Sefer Zechariah 14:9) V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
There is a popular saying regarding familiar pasukim: “If Rashi wrote about it, it is shagur b’pive ha’am—it is something that people know.” One such example is found in Sefer Bereishit: “These are the generations of Noach; Noach was a righteous man he was perfect b’dorotov—in his generations; Noach walked with Elokim.” (6:9, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach, with my emendations) Rashi famously comments:

in his generations. Some of our Sages interpret it [the word בְּדֹרֹתָיו] favorably: How much more so if he had lived in a generation of righteous people, he would have been even more righteous. Others interpret it derogatorily: In comparison to his generation, he was righteous, but if he had been in Avraham’s generation, he would not have been considered of any importance. [Sanhedrin 108a, Bereishit Rabbah 30:9, Midrash Tanchuma Noach 5]
 
Rashi underscores the significance of this interpretation in his next gloss:
​
Noach walked with Elokim. But concerning Avraham, the Torah says [24:40]: “[Hashem] before Whom I walked.” Noach required [Hashem’s] support to uphold him [in righteousness], but Avraham strengthened himself and walked in his righteousness by himself. [Midrash Tanchuma, Noach 5]
 
Hashem’s earlier words to Avram (Avraham), in contrast, underscore this analysis: “And Avram was ninety-nine years old, and Hashem appeared to Avram, and He said to him, ‘I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be perfect.’” In sum, one of Avraham’s defining characteristics was his ability to walk before Hashem, without any support from Him, and attain perfection. Little wonder then, that Avraham, and Avraham alone, is called “Ohavi, he who loved Me.” (Sefer Yeshayahu, 41:8)

Significantly, our parasha contains several pasukim wherein we find a variation of the infinitive, “lalechet—to walk or go:”

“Vayelech Moshe --And Moshe went, and he spoke the following words to all Israel.” (Sefer Devarim 31:1)
 
… for Hashem, Elokecha, Hu haholech imach —He is the One Who goes with you [Jewish people]. He will neither fail you, nor forsake you. (31:6)
 
… Hashem Hu haholech lefanecha--He is the One Who goes before you (Yehoshua); He will be with you; He will neither fail you, nor forsake you. (31:8)
 
A careful reading of 31:6 reveals that the descendants of the Dor HaMidbar who entered Eretz Yisrael were very much like Noach in the sense that Hashem walked with them. In other words, they did not have sufficient spiritual strength to survive the idol worshipping enticements of the surrounding native peoples on their own, and instead, they needed Hashem’s direct support.
 
Yehoshua, however, was on a very different level, in that “Hu haholech lefanecha,” Hashem went before him and taught him how to lead the Jewish people. Little wonder, then, that the people who entered Eretz Yisrael remained loyal to Hashem until after Yehoshua’s children passed away, in deference to the great leader’s spiritual stature.
 
Moshe Rabbeinu attained the highest level of all: “Vayelech Moshe --And Moshe went, and he spoke the following words to all Israel.” Moshe needed no support from Hashem to perform his holy mission as the greatest navi the world has ever known. In the final analysis, his entire being was engaged in performing one glorious task, namely, to bring the Torah and emunat Hashem to Klal Yisrael. As the Gemara teaches us: “Moshe v’Torato emet--Moshe and his Torah are the ultimate truth.” (Baba Batra 74a:)
 
Shabbat Shalom and Kativah v’Chatimah Tovah
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Parashat Nitzavim contains a celebrated pasuk that proclaims the accessibility of the Torah: “Lo bashamayim he—It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us and fetch it for us, to tell [it] to us, so that we can fulfill it?’” (Sefer Devarim 30:12, this and all Torah and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself on Talmud Bavli Eruvin 55a, analyzes the phrase “lo bashamayim he” on the peshat level: “For if it were in heaven, you would have to climb up after it [in order] to learn it.” In a word, nothing whatsoever should stand in the way of the mitzvah of limud Torah.
 
Chazal view lo bashamayim he as the underpinning of one of the most crucial ideas in Judaism, namely, the eternality of the Torah. This idea is given powerful voice in a famous passage in Talmud Bavli, Baba Metziah 59b:

On that day R. Eliezer brought forward every imaginable argument [in a highly technical dispute regarding ritual purity and impurity], but they [the other Sages] did not accept them… [Said Rabbi Eliezer:] “If the halacha agrees with me, let it be proved from Heaven!” Whereupon a Heavenly Voice (bat kol) cried out: “Why do you dispute with R. Eliezer, seeing that in all matters the halacha agrees with him!” But R. Yehoshua arose and exclaimed: “Lo bashamayim he!” What did he mean by this? Said R. Yirmiyahu: That the Torah had already been given at Mount Sinai; we pay no attention to a Heavenly Voice (bat kol), because You [Hashem] have long since written in the Torah at Mount Sinai (Sefer Shemot 23:2), “One must follow the majority opinion.” (Translation, The Soncino Talmud with my brackets and emendations)
 
This section is nothing less than amazing. In one fell swoop, it denies any possibility of a post-Sinaitic Torah Revelation. Moreover, it demonstrates that human reason, in conjunction with the accepted principles of Torah exegesis and majority rule, is the sole determinant in any halachic dispute—even if one of the disputants is a bat kol! Rav Moshe Feinstein zatzal (1895-1986) drew upon this interpretation of lo bashamayim he in his analysis of Chazal’s power to determine the halacha:

The Holy One blessed be He gave the Torah to the Jewish people to act according to that which they will understand of the Written Law, and that which was given to them orally (ba’al peh) at Mount Sinai, based upon [the limits of] their comprehension. Moreover, the Holy One never explained nor determined the actual practice of the laws of the Torah, since lo bashamayim he; instead, He agreed from the outset to the understanding and explanations of the Torah Sages… even if this was possibly not in accord with the Holy One blessed be He’s understanding. (Iggerot Moshe, Introduction, translation, brackets and underlining my own)
 
The fundamental import of lo bashamayim he is also the focus of Talmud Bavli, Temurah 16a:

Rav Yehudah stated in the name of Shmuel: Three thousand halachot were forgotten during the period of mourning for Moshe. They said to Yehoshua: “Ask!” He replied: “Lo bashamayim he.” They [the Jewish people] said to Shmuel [the prophet]: “Ask!” He replied: “Aleh HaMitzvot--These are the commandments,” (Sefer Vayikra 27:34) suggesting [that since the Mitzvot have been given] no prophet at this time has the right to introduce anything new [to the Torah]… They [the Jewish people] said to Pinchas: “Ask!” He replied to them: “Lo bashamayim he.” They said to Elazar: “Ask!” He replied: “Aleh HaMitzvot,” suggesting that no prophet at this time has the right to introduce anything new. (Translation, The Soncino Talmud with my emendations)
 
A careful reading of this passage reveals that we have two answers to our ancestors’ demand “Ask!”  Yehoshua and Pinchas both responded with “Lo bashamayim he,” whereas Shmuel and Elazar declared “Aleh HaMitzvot.” At first blush it seems that these replies differ widely from one another, yet, in his commentary on this Gemara, the Maharsha (Rav Shmuel Eidels, 1555-1631) views them as complementary statements:
​
When the Jewish people requested Yehoshua to “ask,” they wanted him to inquire from Heaven itself to make known to him the halachot that had been forgotten. He then told them lo bashamayim he, for since the time of Moshe’s death, the Torah no longer granted us the permission to ask Heaven directly to clarify doubts [and questions that may arise] …Yet, the Torah did give [Chazal] permission to determine unclear matters in accordance with the principle of majority rule—as found in Moshe’s Torah.
 
And this is the same response that was given by Shmuel… namely, no prophet at this time has the right to introduce anything new [to the Torah]. This means, that since the time of Moshe’s death, no prophet was allowed to create something new [based upon a revelation] from Heaven, for the power to legislate whether something was ritually impure or pure was now given over to the Sages contingent upon the principle of majority rule. (Translation my own)
 
Based upon our sources, the concept of lo bashamayim he in conjunction with the principle of majority rule, represent the gold standard for halachic rulings from the moment of the Revelation at Har Sinai. As Rav Feinstein zatzal said: “The Holy One never explained nor determined the actual practice of the laws of the Torah, since lo bashamayim he; instead, He agreed from the outset to the understanding and explanations of the Torah Sages.” This is reminiscent of Hashem’s charge to Adam HaRishon when he became the steward of the world: “Now the Lord o-d took the man, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it.” (Sefer Bereishit 2:15) Just as Adam was tasked with protecting the entire world, so, too, are we obligated to study and guard Hashem’s holy Torah. With the Holy One’s bracha, and our fervent desire, may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom, Kativah v’Chatimah Tovah
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

Rabbi David Etengoff

ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
One of the many mitzvot that is found in our parasha is vidui ma’aser (the Declaration of Tithing):

When you have finished tithing all the tithes of your produce in the third year, the year of the tithe, you shall give [them] to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that they can eat to satiety in your cities. Then you shall say before Hashem, your God, “I have removed the holy [portion] from the house, and I have also given it to the Levite, the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, according to all Your commandment that You commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, nor have I forgotten [them].” (Sefer Devarim 26:12-13, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The Rambam (1135-1204) formulates our mitzvah in this manner:

The 131st mitzvah that we are commanded is to make a proclamation of the kindness God has bestowed upon us; and that we have separated the obligatory ma’asrot and terumot (types of tithes). We must verbally affirm our separation from them just as we have physically removed them from our premises. This is called vidui ma’aser. The source of this commandment is God’s statement, “And you must declare before Hashem, your God: ‘I have removed all the sacred portions from my house; I have given the appropriate ones to the Levite and to the orphan and widow....’” (Sefer HaMitzvot, 131, translation, Rabbi Reuven Bell, with my emendations)
 
In sum, according to the Rambam, vidui ma’aser is simultaneously hakaret hatov to the Almighty for His beneficence, and a review of the separation, and distribution, of the various tithes we have performed.
 
In his analysis of our mitzvah, the Sefer HaChinuch explains the underlying rationale of the phrase, “Then you shall say before the Hashem, your God,” in a novel manner:
At the root of the precept lies the point that the unique characteristic of man and the great element of his glory is the power of speech; in this he is superior to all [other] species of creatures. For as regards the other functions, other animals also behave as he does. For this reason, there are a great many people who are more fearful of desecrating their speech, which is the great element of distinction in them, than of sinning in action. (Sefer HaChinuch, Mitzvah 607, translation, Charles Wengrov, with my emendations)
 
While the singular import of human speech is a crucial idea, it is somewhat unclear how this concept contributes to our understanding of vidui ma’aser. Fortunately, the Sefer HaChinuch elaborates upon his previous statement:

Now, inasmuch as the manner of tithes and t’rumah is a great thing… it was out of His kindness toward us, in order that we should not sin about them, to adjure us about them to separate them, and then not to have benefit from them through any action; and that we should attest about ourselves, with our mouth, at the Sanctuary that we were not deceitful about them and did not detain anything of them—all this in order that we should be most careful in the matter.
 
Fascinatingly, the explanations of both the Rambam and the Sefer HaChinuch focus upon Hashem’s kindness in conjunction with the obligation of verbal attestation of tithes. Maimonides interprets “the kindness God has bestowed upon us” in reference to the bounty of the fields. In contrast, the Sefer HaChinuch stresses Hashem’s kindness toward us, “in order that we should not sin about them, [the tithes].” As such, he underscores the uniqueness of human speech to enable us to understand the crucial role of oral testimony in guarding the integrity of the tithes, which is the essential purpose and fulfillment of this mitzvah.
 
The Sefer HaChinuch’s discussion of the extraordinary significance of human speech is reminiscent of Onkelos’ explication of, “He [God] breathed into his [Adams’s] nostrils the soul of life, and man became a living soul,” (Sefer Bereishit 2:7) wherein he renders the expression, “and man became a living soul,” as “and man became a speaking being” (v’havat b’adam l’ruach m’mal’lah). In other words, for Onkelos, the distinctive marker that separates humankind from the rest of Creation is our ability to communicate through intelligently conceived speech.

I believe the emphasis placed upon the power of speech by both Onkelos and the Sefer HaChinuch is particularly apropos for the month of Elul and the upcoming period of the Yamim Noraim. My suggestion is strongly supported by the “Al Chet” of Yom Kippur, wherein nine of its 44 statements focus upon abusing the power of speech:
​
For the sin that we have sinned before You with the utterance of the lips.
For the sin that we have sinned before You through speech.
For the sin that we have sinned before You through insincere confession.
For the sin that we have sinned before You through foolish speech.
For the sin that we have sinned before You through impure lips.
For the sin that we have sinned before You through evil talk.
For the sin that we have sinned before You with the idle chatter of our lips.
For the sin that we have sinned before You by gossip mongering.
For the sin that we have sinned before You through vain oath-taking.
(Translation, the Artscroll Machzor)
 
The Al Chet informs us of the great obligation to harness the power of speech in a wise and discerning manner. Our option is clear: We can either use it for mitzvot like vidui ma’aser, and as a vehicle of meaningful communication with others, or chas v’shalom, for the nine sins cited herein. Elul is preeminently the time when we make choices. As Shlomo HaMelech said so long ago: “mavet v’chaim b’yad lashon—death and life are on the tip of the tongue.” (Sefer Mishle 18:21) With Hashem’s help, may we choose life, v’chane yihi ratzon.
​
Shabbat Shalom and kativah v’chatimah tovah.
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
There are two mitzvot in the Torah whose fulfillment promises arichut hayamim, long life: Kibbud av v’ame, honoring one’s parents and shiluach haken, sending away the mother bird from her nest:

Honor your father and your mother as Hashem commanded you, l’ma’an yarichune yamecha, in order that your days be lengthened, and that it may go well with you on the land that Hashem your God, is giving you. (Sefer Devarim 5:16)
 
You shall send away the mother, and [then] you may take the young for yourself, in order that it should be good for you, v’ha’arachta yamim, and you should lengthen your days. (Sefer Devarim 22:7, these and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Both mitzvot contain the parallel phrases l’ma’an yarichune yamecha and v’ha’arachta yamim. This is particularly fascinating, since kibbud av v’ame is widely viewed by Chazal as a mitzvah chamurah, a difficult and often challenging commandment, whereas shiluach haken is a relatively easy mitzvah to perform. Nonetheless, the Torah associates both with long and good lives. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons that Rabbi Yitzchak declared:

Everything that you have been told to do in the Torah, you must keep [and perform, as] you do not know through which commandment you will acquire life. There are instances wherein the reward is [written] next to it and there are cases where the reward will only be realized in the future... (Midrash Yalkut Shimoni, Sefer Mishle, 937, translation my own)
 
A straightforward reading of the Torah’s expressions, l’ma’an yarichune yamecha and v’ha’arachta yamim, in juxtaposition to kibbud av v’ame and shiluach haken, suggests that long and good lives will be the natural outcome of fulfilling these commandments. Yet, this is not the case in every scenario, as depicted in the following story regarding the once great Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah (Acher), the close colleague of Rabbi Akiva and the rebbe of Rabbi Meir:

Once he was sitting and learning in the Ginnosar Valley and he saw a man climb to the top of a palm tree and take the mother bird and her young [at the same time], and he went down from there in peace. The next day he saw another man climb to the top of a palm tree, send away the mother and take the young, and when he went down from there, a snake bit him and he died. Scripture states, “You shall send away the mother, and [then] you may take the young for yourself, in order that it should be good for you, and you should lengthen your days.” (Sefer Devarim 22:7). [At this point he thought to himself:] Where is the good of this man? Where is the long life of this man? (Talmud Yerushalmi, Chagigah II:1, translation, http://cojs.org/jerusalem_talmud_haggigah_2-1, with my brackets and emendations,)
 
This story is cited by the Talmud Yerushalmi as one of the reasons Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah rebelled against Hashem and His Torah. At face value, where, indeed, was “the good of this man...[and] the long life of this man?” The answer to this difficult question is found in the conclusion of our passage: “He did not know that Rabbi Ya’akov had previously explained that ‘in order that it should be good for you’ refers to olam habah, the world to come that is all good, and ‘and you should lengthen your days’ refers to l’atid sh’kulo aruch, the future [end of days] that is everlasting.” In other words, although it appears that the Torah is guaranteeing arichut hayamim as a result of fulfilling the mitzvot of kibbud av v’ame and shiluach haken, this is not the case. Instead, the ultimate positive outcome of these mitzvot will not be realized until the time of olam habah and l’atid sh’kulo aruch.
 
Tragically, the great Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah was not privy to Rabbi Ya’akov’s interpretation of this aspect of schar v’onesh (reward and punishment) for, in all probability, if he had known and internalized this analysis, he would never have become “Acher—the Other.” As my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993) teaches us, the true Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah:

… never sinned, never betrayed Knesset Yisrael, never identified with the Romans, and never sought to tear Jewish children away from Torah and the fear of Heaven. It was another person, Acher, who was the traitor… All the while, the real Elisha remained hidden in the depths of his personality, an Elisha who never betrayed God or the Jewish people but was a hostage of the pseudo-personality that was Acher. (This and the following quotation prepared from a 1961 public lecture in Yiddish by Professor Barry Landy of Cambridge, U.K)
 
Why did Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah become entrenched in his Acher persona? The Rav suggests that although he acknowledged Hashem’s power, he failed to recognize the power within himself:
​
Do you know why Elisha rebelled against the Creator, in spite of his greatness in Torah? Because he did not appreciate his own strength, and thus betrayed God. It is as if to say, Elisha knew God’s power, but he did not know his own power to overcome his outer Acher, and thus he turned away from God. His own weak self-awareness and his failure to “know himself” were the real cause of his tragic sin.
 
Today is a little less than three weeks before Rosh Hashanah, when the entire world will stand in judgment before the Master of the Universe. It is an awe-inspiring time when we may question if we honestly have the power within ourselves to change for the better. Therefore, with Hashem’s help, may we recognize our true inner strength and return to Him in authentic teshuvah. As Yermiyahu the navi said so long ago: “Hashiveinu Hashem alecha v’nashuvah, chadeish yameinu k’kedem.” (Megillat Eichah 5:21)
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** 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.