Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Parashat Bereishit is an endlessly fascinating parasha. While it contains many topics, I find the creation of humankind to be one of the most thought-provoking themes contained therein:

And G-d said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness...” And G-d created man in His image; in the image of G-d He created him; male and female He created them. And the L-rd G-d formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life, and man became a living soul. (Sefer Bereishit 1:26-27, 2:7, this and all Rashi and Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
In his commentary on the phrase, “Let us make man,” Rashi (1040-1105) suggests the following “story behind the story:”

Let us make man: From here we learn the humility of the Holy One, blessed be He. Since man was created in the likeness of the angels, and they would envy him, He consulted them…Let us make man: Even though they [the angels] did not assist Him in His creation, and there is an opportunity for the heretics to rebel (to misconstrue the plural as a basis for their heresies), Scripture did not hesitate to teach proper conduct and the trait of humility...
 
 Rashi notes that the angels were envious and “they did not assist Him [Hashem] in His creation [of humankind].” Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 8:5 elaborates upon the angels’ multi-level reactions, and reveals that in addition to envy, some angels were actually completely hostile to the notion of creating humankind:

Rabbi Simon said: “At the very moment the Holy One blessed be He sought to create the first man, the Ministering Angels gathered together into various groups and caucuses. Some of them declared: ‘Let him be created!’ While others proclaimed: ‘Do not create him!’ This is written in the verse: ‘Chesed (overflowing kindness) and emet (truth) have met [that is, have encountered one another] and tzedek (justice) and shalom (peace) have kissed [that is, met up with each other].’” (Translations my own)
 
At this point, the midrash presents the very different claims of chesed, emet, tzedek and shalom (that is, the positions of the various groups of angels) in order to clearly represent their claims:

Chesed said: “Let him be created! After all, humankind is capable of acting with lovingkindness.” Emet protested: “Do not create him! Humankind is nothing other than a pack of lies!” Tzedek said: “Let him be created! After all, humankind will undertake righteous acts.” Shalom said: “Do not create him! Humankind represents endless fighting [and violence]. What did the Holy One blessed be He do?  He grabbed emet and tossed it to the ground! This is what the verse states: “And He threw emet to the ground.” (Sefer Daniel 8:12)
 
In sum, chesed and tzedek strongly supported the creation of humankind, while emet and shalom were just as equally opposed. The battle of chesed and tzedek versus emet and shalom is echoed in the positions of two great Chasidic rebbes, the Ba’al Shem Tov zatzal (1698-1760) and the Kotzker zatzal (1787-1859). As noted by Rabbi Avraham Yehoshua Heschel zatzal (1907-1972) in the introduction to his work, The Kotzker, the primacy of chesed and tzedek over emet and shalom is the hallmark of the Ba’al Shem Tov: “In this world, chesed stands on a higher level than emet.” In stark contrast, the Kotzker was deeply pained by humankind’s creation, for now “emet remains lying upon the ground.” (Translations my own).  As one might expect, these very different positions of the Ba’al Shem Tov and the Kotzker gave rise to two contrasting kinds of Chasidut: In broad terms, those groups who follow in the footsteps of the Ba’al Shem Tov continue to stress the superiority of chesed over pure emet, whereas those who emulate the Kotzker continue to focus upon the pursuit of absolute and uncompromising emet.
 
As our relationship to emet is profoundly analyzed in the non-Chassidic world as well. One powerful example of this discussion is found in the introduction to Iggrot Moshe, written by one of the greatest poskim (halachic decisors) of the 20th Century, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein’s zatzal (1895-1996). Therein, he differentiates between  ha’emet klapei shamaya (the emet of Heaven) and the emet that man can apprehend:

And, in all humility, it surely appears to me that it was logical and permissible, and even obligatory, for latter halachic experts to decide issues of Jewish Law, even though they were not deemed to have reached the level of halachic decision making and expertise that we find in the generations of the Sages of the Gemara. For in these cases, we can certainly doubt that perhaps [these latter authorities] did not determine the law in congruence with the ha’emet klapei shamaya. Yet, we must remember, that in regards to rendering a practical halachic decision, it has already been stated in the Torah [Sefer Devarim 30:12 and by our Sages in Talmud Bavli, Baba Metziah 59b], “lo ba’Shamayim he” (“it — the Torah — is not in Heaven”). But, rather, the determination of the halacha is according to that which appears to the Torah sage after performing his due diligence and analysis of the Talmud and the opinions of prior halachic experts, according to his intellectual acumen, and with respect and awe for Hashem, may He be blessed. (Translation and brackets my own)
 
In sum, Rav Moshe maintains that even though, more often than not, we are not privy to ha’emet klapei shamaya, we are nonetheless mandated to determine the halacha in accordance with the principles and precedents that form the fabric of halachic jurisprudence, for this is the emet that is accessible to us.
 
Based upon our sources, we are now in a better position to understand the midrash’s phrase, “the Holy One blessed be He...grabbed emet and tossed it to the ground!” Hashem knew that we cannot exist in a world of ha’emet klapei shamaya, for we are finite and incapable of apprehending that which is infinite. Therefore, in order to create a world wherein we could thrive, perfect and ideal emet needed to be set aside.
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may each of us be zocheh (merit) to live lives filled with emet, and the pursuit of chesed, tzedek and shalom. 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.
 
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
One of the high points of Shabbat Chol HaMoed Succot is the reading of Megillat Kohelet, written by Shlomo HaMelech (King Solomon). In many ways, it is a very difficult and challenging work. Moreover, its three-fold repetition of the famous phrase, ‘“Vanity of vanities,’ said Kohelet; ‘all is vanity,”’ (1:2, 2:2 and 12:8) casts a decidedly pessimistic shadow over the entire sefer. Why, then, did Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) choose this megillah to be read during Succot, the most joyous festival of the entire year?
 
I believe that one answer to our question may be found in the penultimate pasuk (verse) of this work: “The end of the matter, after everything has been heard, is to view G-d with  yirah (awe) and keep His commandments, ki zeh kol ha’adam — for this is the essence of man.” (Translation my own). The Midrash Pesikta Zutarta (Lekach Tov) on our verse suggests that the phrase, “the end of the matter, after everything has been heard,” refers to the ultimate wisdom one can acquire, namely, “view G-d with yirah.” It then proceeds to elaborate upon yirah’s significance:

Great is yirah, for Kohelet (that is, Shlomo HaMelech) concluded his two works, Kohelet and Sefer Mishle (Proverbs) by highlighting this term. Here, [in our sefer] it is written: “view G-d with yirah,” and in Sefer Mishle it is written: “a woman who views Hashem with yirah — she is to be praised.” We find this, as well, in reference to Moshe, the epitome of the man of G-d, when he states: “What does the L-rd your G-d ask of you — nothing other than to hold the L-rd your G-d in yirah.” (Sefer Devarim 10:12, all translations my own)
 
We are now able to understand why Chazal ordained the reading of Megillat Kohelet during Succot. In truth, it serves as a counterbalance to the overwhelming joy represented by this chag (festival), the sole time of the year we are commanded, “v’ha’yitah ach sameach” — “and you will only be joyous.” (Sefer Devarim 16:15) While we must celebrate Succot with consummate happiness, the reading of Megillat Kohelet keeps us ever be mindful of Rabbi Eliezer’s celebrated maxim: “Dah lifnei mi atah omade” — “Know before Whom you stand.” (Talmud Bavli, Berachot 28b)  In sum, when our rejoicing on Succot reflects a union of simchah and yirah, then, and only then, can we authentically serve Hashem in the proper manner.
 
The midrash further notes that when our pasuk states, “view G-d with yirah and keep His commandments,” it is teaching us that there is an inextricable link between yirah and mitzvot observance, and that yirah is the very basis of loyalty to the Torah. Moreover, the midrash’s concluding interpretation of the final words of our pasuk, “ki zeh kol ha’adam” as referring to kiyum hamitzvot (fulfillment of the commandments), reveals another layer of meaning, namely, that our unique essence as Jews is ultimately realized by living lives in consonance with Hashem’s Torah hakadoshah (holy Torah). As the text states in Sefer Shemot:

And now, if you obey Me and keep My covenant, you shall be to Me a treasure out of all peoples, for Mine is the entire earth. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of princes and a holy nation... (19:5-6, translation, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The overarching message of the midrash and meaning of our pasuk is now clear: Yirah leads to fulfillment of the mitzvot, which leads to the actualization of our spiritual essence. With Hashem’s help, and our fervent desire, may each of us grow in our yirah of the Almighty, expand our Torah observance, and thereby climb ever upward on our paths to become all that we can be. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Moyadim l’Simcha
​
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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.
 
 

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Some pasukim (verses) of the Hebrew Bible are “luckier” than others. Their frequent repetition has enabled them to become active components in the tefilah (prayer) experience of our people. The beginning of our parasha (Torah portion) contains an example of such an oft-quoted verse: “Ki shame Hashem ekra havu godel l’Elokeinu” (“When I call out the name of the L-rd, ascribe greatness to our G-d;” Sefer Devarim 32:3, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach).
 
The Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 7:1, is an early source that suggests our verse serves as the proof text for Birkat HaTorah (the Torah Blessings):

We have examples in the Torah wherein a bracha is recited before a particular act, whereas a blessing is not found after the completion of the act. What is an example of a blessing found in the Torah that precedes a particular act [that is, in the instance of being called to the Torah – aliyah, and Torah study in general]? “Ki shame Hashem ekra havu godel l’Elokeinu.” (Translation my own)
 
This idea is elaborated upon in a more explicit manner in Talmud Bavli, Berachot 21a: Rav Yehudah said: “From where do we know that the birkat haTorah prior to Torah study is from the Torah itself? It is based upon the verse, ‘Ki shame Hashem ekra havu godel l’Elokeinu.’” (Translation my own)
 
These passages teach us that “Ki shame Hashem ekra havu godel l’Elokeinu” is the origin of the obligation to recite a bracha prior to individual Torah study. This naturally leads us to ask: “Why must Torah study and its public recitation be preceded by a blessing?” I believe we can find an answer to our question by briefly examining a passage found in Talmud Bavli, Nedarim 81a:

For Rab Judah said in Rab’s name: What is meant by, “Who is the wise man, that he may understand this?” [Sefer Yirmiyahu 9:11; that is, “Why were the Land of Israel and the first Beit HaMikdash destroyed in 586 B.C.E.?”] Now, this question was put to the Sages, Prophets, and Ministering Angels, but they could not answer it, until the Almighty Himself did so, as it is written, “And the L-rd said, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein” (Ibid., 12): But is not “have not obeyed my voice” identical with, “neither walked therein?” — Rab Judah said in Rab’s name: “[It means] that they did not first recite a blessing over the Torah.” (Translation, Soncino Talmud, with my emendations)

The Ran (Rabbeinu Nissim of Gerona, 1320–1376), basing himself upon Rabbeinu Yonah (13th century), notes that beyond a doubt, the scholars at the time of the destruction of the first Beit HaMikdash were ever-occupied in dynamic and on-going Torah study. In addition, as far as the Sages, Prophets, and Ministering Angels were collectively concerned, this alone should have been sufficient protection for the Land of Israel and, therefore, it never should have been destroyed. Yet, Hashem knew the absolute truth ─ the story behind the story. Yes, the Sages of the Sixth Century B.C.E. engaged in vigorous Torah interpretation and analysis, and plumbed its very depths. Unfortunately, however, they did not recite a bracha prior to this act. Why was this such a critical omission? The Ran suggests the following penetrating insight:

The Torah was not important in their eyes to the extent that they believed it was deserving of having a blessing recited prior to its study. This was the case, since they did not study it for its own sake (lishmah) [but rather simply out of sheer self-serving intellectual pleasure.] Therefore, they acted in a dismissive manner regarding the recitation of the bracha. This is what the verse means when it states, “neither walked therein.” This means that the Sages of the time lacked the proper intention in their Torah scholarship and failed to study it for its own sake [that is, as a service to Hashem].  (Translation and brackets my own)
 
In many ways, the Ran’s interpretation is a spiritual tour de force. He teaches us that even when a mitzvah is performed in the proper manner and in all its details, if it is not done for the purpose of serving Hashem, it amounts to nothing at all. Moreover, as we have seen, it can lead, G-d forbid, to dire consequences. Therefore, whether we are immersed in learning Torah or the fulfillment of another mitzvah, we must ever remember that we are performing that holy act to serve the Almighty, thereby demonstrating our love and loyalty to Him. With Hashem’s help and guidance and our heartfelt desire, may this be so. 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.
 
 

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda, Yocheved Dafneh bat Dinah Zehavah, Reuven Shmuel ben Leah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Teshuvah, the process of returning to the path of Torah observance, is discussed throughout Rabbinic literature. In particular, Talmud Bavli, Yoma 86a-b presents a number of salient aspects of the power of teshuvah and its unique contribution to Jewish spiritual life, three of which I would like to examine.
 
Rabbi Chama b’Rebbe Chanina said: “Great is teshuvah for it brings refuot (healing) to the world. As the text [Sefer Hoshea 14:5] states: ‘I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely, for My wrath has turned away from him.’” (This and the following Talmud Bavli translations my own, all Bible translations, with my emendations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach.)  In a very real way, Rabbi Chama b’Rebbe Chanina is teaching us that heart-felt teshuvah has the power to completely transform the relationship between the Almighty and the Jewish people from one of great anger to one of ahavah rabbah — overwhelming love. Teshuvah, therefore, has the ability to bring about a reconciliation between the Master of the Universe and our people. Surely, one cannot imagine a more far-reaching refuah than this. In addition, I believe this idea significantly expands the Shemoneh Esrai’s Birkat Refuah to include both physical and spiritual ailments:

Heal us (re’fa’anu), O L-rd, and we will be healed; help us and we will be saved; for You are our praise. Grant complete cure and healing to all our wounds; for You, Almighty King, are a faithful and merciful healer. Blessed are You L-rd, who heals (rofe) the sick of His people Israel.
(This and all Shemoneh Esrai translations, https://www.chabad.org)
 
The next ma’amar (statement) transitions from teshuvah as spiritual refuah to teshuvah as the causal factor in bringing forth the Geulah (Ultimate Redemption):

Rabbi Yonatan said: “Great is teshuvah for it brings the Geulah to the world. As the verse states: ‘And a redeemer shall come to Zion, and to those who repent of transgression (u’l’shavei fesha, that is, do teshuvah) in Jacob, says the L-rd.’” (Sefer Yeshayahu 59:20)
 
In my estimation, Rabbi Yonatan’s insight inspires great hope. After all, we have been waiting for over 2,000 years for the Mashiach (Messiah) to arrive and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple). During this time, we have suffered, and continue to suffer, the trials and tribulations of a world often gone mad with anti-Semitism and the desire to exterminate the Jewish people. Beyond a doubt, it is truly comforting to know that teshuvah has the power to finally bring the Redeemer to Zion and end the bitter years of Galut (Exile). This deep-seated desire is given voice in the Shemoneh Esrai’s Birkat Geulah: “O [Hashem] behold our affliction and wage our battle; redeem us speedily for the sake of Your Name, for You G‑d are the mighty redeemer. Blessed are You L-rd, Redeemer of Israel.”
 
Our third ma’amar introduces the concept that an individual’s teshuvah can literally change the world:

Rabbi Meir was known for saying: “Great is teshuvah, for even as a result of one person undergoing this process [in heartfelt authenticity], the entire world can be forgiven. As the text [Sefer Hoshea 14:5] states: ‘I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely, for My wrath has turned away from him (mimenu).’ It does not say “mai’hem” — from them, but rather, mimenu — from him.
 
The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) echoes Rabbi Meir’s line of reasoning when he writes:
​
If one performs one mitzvah, he tips his balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit, and brings deliverance and salvation to himself and others. As the text states: “A righteous man is the foundation of the world,” (Sefer Mishle 10:25) i.e., he who acted righteously, tipped the balance of the entire world to the side of merit and saved it. (Sefer Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah III:4, translation with my emendations, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
In my view, Rabbi Meir’s ma’amar, coupled with the Rambam’s formulation, enables us to comprehend the true greatness of teshuvah, as these sources teach us that even one person who undertakes the teshuvah process has the ability to tip “his balance and that of the entire world to the side of merit and bring[s] deliverance and salvation to himself and others.” This must surely be one of the reasons why Chazal (our Sages may they be remembered for a blessing) composed Birkat Teshuvah as found in the Shemoneh Esrai:
​
Cause us to return, our Father, to Your Torah; draw us near, our King, to Your service; and bring us back to You in whole-hearted teshuvah. Blessed are You L-rd, who desires teshuvah.
 
May the time come soon and in our days, when the entire Jewish people will stand shoulder to shoulder as one, and recite Yirmiyahu’s stirring verse: “Hashiveinu Hashem alecha v’nashuvah, chadash yameinu k’kedem” — “Help us to return to You, Hashem, in teshuvah and we will return and renew our days as of old.” (Megillat Eichah V:21)  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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Shabbat Parashat Nitzavim is the concluding parasha of the Jewish calendar year, and an ideal time to engage in depth-level introspection. On this final Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah, many of us reflect upon our past shortcomings, and intensify our efforts to improve our behaviors in order to strengthen our connection with Hashem. This parallels the idea that is subtly given voice in the first pasuk (verse) of our parasha, spoken to our ancestors prior to entering Eretz Yisrael: “You are all (kulchem) standing (nitzavim) this day before the L-rd, your G-d, the leaders of your tribes, your elders and your officers, every man of Israel.” (Sefer Devarim 29:9, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The Midrash Pesikta Zutarta (Lekach Tov) on our parasha analyzes a number of salient themes in our verse. It begins by recognizing that this is not the first time the Torah utilizes a version of the term “nitzavim.” Prior instances of nitzavim-related terminologies, like that of our parasha, reflect powerful transformational moments in our nation’s history, namely, Kriyat Yam Suf (Splitting of the Sea of Reeds) and Kabbalat HaTorah (The Receiving of the Torah):

Moshe said to them [the Jewish people]: “Come and hear [literally, “see”] and I will tell you of other times when you stood firm [as you are so doing at this moment]. The first took place at the Sea [of Reeds], as the text states: ‘Stand firm (hityatzvu) and see the
L-rd's salvation that He will wreak for you today...’ (Sefer Shemot 14:13) Subsequently, you stood firm [in your resolve] to receive the Torah. As it is said: ‘Moses brought the people out toward G-d from the camp, and they stood (vayityatzvu) at the bottom of the mountain.’” (Sefer Shemot 19:17, this, and the following citations are from the 1546 Venice edition of Pesikta Zutarta, translations and brackets my own)
 
Based upon the Midrash’s citations, we can readily see the singular import of “nitzavim” and its textual variants, as they herald crucial events that have shaped the very essence of our people. The Midrash continues by clarifying who was present at the covenant enacted on the Plains of Moav that is front and center in our parasha, and enables us to better grasp the meaning of our pasuk:

And you should know that the spirits and souls (rucham u’nishmatam) of both the departed (meitim) of the Jewish people, and those of all future generations (dorot he’atidot l’avo), are standing here [on the Plains of Moav] with us today. As our verse declares: “You are all (kulchem) standing (nitzavim) this day before the L-rd, your G-d.”
 
This interpretation foreshadows two verses we encounter a few pasukim later in our parasha: “But not only with you am I making this covenant and this oath, but with those standing here with us today before the L-rd, our G-d, and [also] with those who are not here with us, this day.” (Sefer Devarim 29:13-14)  Our Midrash straightforwardly asserts that “those who are not here with us, this day” refers to both the meitim and the dorot he’atidot l’avo. I find this interpretation to be particularly significant, since, in my estimation, it forever connects us to the great chain of Jewish being that began with Avraham and continues until our own historical moment.
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, notes that Avraham was directly tasked by the Almighty with: “...the formation and education of a covenantal community that would be close to G-d and follow a new way of life... [and, in so doing, forge] a special relationship to G-d.” (Abraham’s Journey: Reflections on the Life of the Founding Patriarch, page 158, brackets my own)  What is the essence of the covenantal community that Avraham created? According to the Rav in his classic philosophical work, “U’vikashtem Misham” (“And From There You Shall Seek”), it is comprised of two complementary aspects, Knesset Yisrael and Adat Yisrael:

Knesset Yisrael (the Community of Israel) – its definition: the inextricable connection between the first and last generations of prophet and listener, of Torah scholar and student, of the Revelation of G-d’s Divine Presence in the earliest lights of dawn, and the eschatological vision on that day to come. The Community of Israel is also Adat Yisrael (the Congregation of Israel). It incorporates in its innermost being the ancient and true testimony of the myriad visions that have never been obliterated in the depths of the past, the continuity of history, and the unceasing transmission of the Revelation from generation to generation. (Page 66, translation, underlining and parentheses my own)
 
In sum, Avraham founded a covenantal community linking all Jews — past, present and future — to one another for all time. Therefore, the prophets and their adherents (that is, the entire Jewish nation), Torah scholars and their students, are eternally bound together by both the “unceasing transmission of the Revelation” at Mount Sinai, and Judaism’s Messianic vision of enduring peace for all mankind.
 
Just as the entire Jewish people for all time were standing before Hashem at Kriyat Yam Suf, Kabbalat HaTorah and on the Plains of Moav, so, too, will we stand before the King of kings this Rosh Hashanah. With Hashem’s unending kindness and mercy, may we, and all the Jewish people, be written in the Sefer HaChaim (Book of Life) for a New Year filled with all of His blessings. 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, Chaya Sarah bat Reb Yechezkel Shraga, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha contains a passage that has gained considerable fame due to its inclusion in the Haggadah:
​
And you shall call out and say before the L-rd, your G-d, “An Aramean [sought to] destroy my forefather, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a small number of people, and there, he became a great, mighty, and numerous nation. And the Egyptians treated us cruelly and afflicted us, and they imposed hard labor upon us. So, we cried out to the L-rd, G-d of our fathers, and the L-rd heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the L-rd brought us out from Egypt with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, with great awe, and with signs and wonders.” (Sefer Devarim 26:5-8. All Bible translations The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The recitation of this Exodus-themed passage constitutes the mitzvah of Mikrah Bikkurim (the Declaration of the First Fruits), and is performed when we fulfill the commandment of bringing the Bikkurim to the Beit Hamikdash (Holy Temple) in Jerusalem. The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) formulates it in this manner:
 
The 132nd [positive] mitzvah is that we are commanded when bringing Bikkurim to make a proclamation regarding the kindness that G‑d has bestowed upon us. Namely: How He saved us from the early difficulties [forced upon] our patriarch Ya’akov and from the slavery and afflictions of the Egyptians, to thank Him for all this, and to ask that He continue His blessings forever. The source of this commandment is G‑d’s statement, “You shall then make the following declaration before G‑d your L‑rd: ‘An Aramean tried to destroy my ancestor....’” until the end of the entire section. This mitzvah is called Mikra Bikkurim. (Sefer HaMitzvot, translation, Rabbi Berel Bell, with my emendations)
 
According to the Rambam, Mikra Bikkurim may be conceptualized as “a proclamation regarding the kindness that G‑d has bestowed upon us.” How was this proclamation performed? At first, the mavi Bikkurim (individual bringing the Bikkurim) was obligated to read the declaration cited above, plus two more verses, in the original Hebrew. If, however, he was unable to do so, the Kohane would read each word aloud and the mavi Bikkurim would repeat after him. Over time, many people ceased to bring Bikkurim because they were embarrassed to engage in this rote repetition. At that juncture, our Sages ruled that going forward, the Kohane would read the passage, and all mavi’ei Bikkurim would repeat after him — including those who were capable of correctly reading it themselves. In this way, everyone would feel comfortable when bringing the Bikkurim to the Beit HaMikdash, and no one would be embarrassed by their illiteracy. (Mishnah Bikkurim, III:7, according to the explanations of Rav Ovadiah Bartenura and the Tifferet Yisrael)
 
This Rabbinic enactment to prevent the embarrassment of the unlettered among the mavi’ei Bikkurim is in consonance with the Torah prohibition that forbids us from humiliating one another, that is, “melavane p’nai chaveiro b’rabim” — the public embarrassment of a fellow Jew. The Rambam codified this halacha in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Deot 6:8:

… it is forbidden for a person to embarrass a [fellow] Jew. How much more so [is it forbidden to embarrass him] in public...it is a great sin. Our Sages said: “A person who embarrasses a colleague in public does not have a share in the World to Come.” Therefore, a person should be careful not to embarrass a colleague - whether of greater or lesser stature - in public, and not to call him a name, which embarrasses him, or to relate a matter that brings him shame in his presence. (Translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
Not too surprisingly, many sources in Rabbinic literature give voice to the seriousness of this aveirah (sin). By way of illustration, we find the following well-known statement in Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers): “Rabbi Elazar of Modi’in would say: ‘One who...humiliates his friend in public — although he may possess Torah knowledge and good deeds, has no share in the World to Come.’” (III:11, translation, Rabbi Yosef Marcus)  Then, too, Talmud Bavli, tractate Babba Metziah, views this sin as the equivalent of engaging in forbidden relations:

All those who go to Gehenom will eventually arise — except for three [whose behaviors are so reprehensible] that they go down to Gehenom and never arise, and these are they: One who is physically intimate with another man’s wife, the melavane p’nai chaveiro b’rabim, and the person who gives their fellow Jew a pejorative [and destructive] nickname. (58b, translation and brackets my own)
 
It is crucial to note that the Talmud’s statement, “they go down to Gehenom and never arise,” is applicable only if a person steadfastly refuses to engage in the teshuvah (repentance) process. For as the Rambam teaches us, “nothing can stand in the way of teshuvah:”
​
When does the statement that these individuals do not have a portion in the world to come apply? When they die without having repented. However, if such a person repents from his wicked deeds and dies as a Baal-Teshuvah [penitent], he will merit the world to come, for nothing can stand in the way of Teshuvah. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah III:14, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
We are nearing the end of Elul and the onset of the Selichot period (Penitential Prayers). Both of these events remind us of the need to spiritually prepare for the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), and redouble our efforts to connect with the Almighty. This is most surely the time for us to try to act toward others as we long to be treated — with chane, v’chesed, v’rachamim (grace, kindness and mercy). It is comforting to know that if we have failed to do so, even if we have committed the serious sin of melavane p’nai chaveiro b’rabim, we should never lose hope. As the Rambam assures us, if we undertake heartfelt teshuvah, the Holy One blessed be He will surely forgive us. 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Shichaha, the commandment to leave behind a forgotten sheaf of grain for the needs of the poor, is a key agriculturally-based mitzvah that appears in our parasha:

When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to take it; it shall be [left] for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow, so that the
L-rd, your G-d, will bless you in all that you do. (Sefer Devarim 24:19, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) formulates our mitzvah in the following manner:

The 122nd mitzvah that we are commanded is to leave over the sheaves which were forgotten (shichaha) during the harvest process. The source of this commandment is G‑d’s statement, “[When you reap your harvest] and forget a sheaf in the field, you may not go back for it. It must be left for the stranger, the orphan, and the widow.” This phrase, “It must be left for the stranger, the orphan, and widow,” constitutes the positive commandment to leave over [these forgotten sheaves] ...The Biblical requirement applies only in Eretz Yisrael. (Sefer HaMitzvot, Positive Commandment 122, translation, Rabbi Berel Bell, with my emendations)
 
The anonymous author of the Sefer HaChinuch (13th century) sheds light upon the underlying rationale of this commandment, and enables us to gain a deeper appreciation of its singular import:

Regarding the fundamental basis of the commandment: When the poor and destitute... in their [grinding] poverty look at the produce [of the field] in a [desperate and] dependent manner — while gazing upon the field’s owner sheaving their sheaves...they [consequently] think in their [heart of] hearts:  “Who will give [in order] that it will be like this for me, [so that, I, too, can] gather sheaves into my house, for if I could bring [in even] one [sheaf], I would rejoice in it.” As such, [this commandment stems] from His kindnesses towards His creatures, may He be blessed, in order to fulfill their desire when it so happens that the owner of the field forgets it [the sheaves].
(Commandment 592, translations, https://www.sefaria.org/, with my emendations)
 
Thus far, the Sefer HaChinuch has focused upon Hashem’s great kindness in providing for the overwhelming needs of His creations, in this case, through the agency of the owner of the field. This is congruent with the celebrated pasuk (verse) that we recite three times a day in Ashrei: “You open Your hand and satisfy every living thing [with] its desire.” (Sefer Tehillim 145:16)  At the same time, our anonymous author emphasizes the benefits that accrue to the owner of the field:

There is also a benefit for the owner of the field, in that he acquires through this a goodly soul; for truly through the trait of generosity and a blessed soul that does not place its heart upon the forgotten sheaf and leaves it to the destitute - on those with such a soul - does the blessing of G-d descend forever.
 
I believe the Sefer HaChinuch is teaching us a profound two-fold lesson: The mitzvah of shichaha simultaneously provides for the vital needs of the most vulnerable in society, and positively shapes the moral and spiritual persona of the one who fulfills this commandment. This is particularly the case since the arena of action regarding this commandment, unlike most mitzvot, is one of pure accident. The owner of the field must choose to respond in a precisely prescribed manner wherein he disregards the financial loss pursuant to the forgotten sheaf and leaves it, instead, for the needy. This notion is given powerful voice in the following story:

The following incident occurred to a righteous individual (chasid echad) who forgot a sheaf of grain in the midst of his field. He said to his son: “Go and offer a steer as a completely burnt offering and another steer as a free-will celebratory offering in my name.” His son then said to him: “Father, what have you seen in this mitzvah that causes you to rejoice more so on its behalf than any other mitzvah that is stated in the Torah?” He responded to him: “The Omnipresent One (HaMakom) gave us the majority of the Torah’s mitzvot to be performed in a planful manner (l’da’atainu); this commandment, [however,] was given to us to be performed solely in an unplanned scenario. This is the case, since if we purposefully [and consciously leave sheaves in the field] in order to attempt to fulfill this mitzvah before the Omnipresent, it will not account to us as a fulfillment of the commandment...
 
At this juncture, the chasid echad explains to his son the ultimate reason for his overwhelming joy in fulfilling this mitzvah:
​
The Torah states concerning this commandment: “so that the L-rd, your G-d, will bless you in all that you do” — that is, the text establishes a [special] bracha (blessing) for one who fulfills this commandment. Can we not, therefore, establish a kal v’chomer (that is, “if this is the case, certainly that is the case”) statement regarding these matters? Namely: Since it is true that an individual who does not intend to acquire merit [as in shichaha] nonetheless achieves reward to the point that the Torah considers it as if this was his intention all along, all the more so would this be so regarding one who is well-aware that his actions will bring him reward [and will ultimately receive that which is promised]. (Tosefta Masechet Pe’ah, Professor Saul Lieberman edition, III:8, translation and brackets my own)
 
In sum, the chasid echad ecstatically performed the mitzvah of shichaha, and demonstrated his joy by having his son bring offerings on his behalf, since for this holy person, the mitzvah of shichaha provided proof that Hashem is He Who promises and surely fulfills.
 
May each of us merit the reward that the Holy One blessed be He has promised us, both in this world and in the world to come. As we encounter in one of the concluding verses of Yigdal: “Gomel l’ish chesed k’mif’alo” — “He bestows kindness [reward] upon an individual according to his actions.” 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha begins with the celebrated words: “Shoftim v’shotrim teeten lecha b’chol sh’arecha...” (“You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities,” Sefer Devarim 16:18, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach). The establishment of a properly functioning judicial system is a constitutive element of all civilized societies. Little wonder, then, that this mitzvah is equally incumbent upon the Jewish nation and the nations of the world (as one of the sheva mitzvot b’nai Noach, Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 56a)
 
Shoftim — judges — are the backbone of every legal system. Yitro, Moshe’s father-in-law, recognized this essential concept early on in the parasha that bears his name:

Now listen to me [Yitro]. I will advise you [Moshe], and may the L-rd be with you...But you shall choose out of the entire nation men of substance (anshei chayil), G-d fearers (yirai Elokim), men of truth (anshei emet), who hate monetary gain (sonai batza), and you shall appoint over them [Israel] leaders over thousands, leaders over hundreds, leaders over fifties, and leaders over tens. And they shall judge the people at all times, and it shall be that any major matter they shall bring to you, and they themselves shall judge every minor matter, thereby making it easier for you, and they shall bear [the burden] with you. (Sefer Shemot 18:19,21-22)
 
In the course of Yitro’s description of the essential characteristics of every judge, we encounter four personality traits:  anshei chayil, yirai Elokim, anshei emet and sonai batza. Basing himself upon the Mechilta and other Rabbinic sources, Rashi (1040-1105), in his Commentary on the Torah, explains three of these terms, as the fourth, “yirai Elokim,” may be understood in its normative sense:

men of substance: Anshei chayil, wealthy men, who do not have to flatter or show favoritism.
men of truth: Anshei emet, these are people who keep their promises, upon whose words one may rely, and thereby, their commands will be obeyed.
who hate monetary gain: Sonai batza, who hate [to have] their own property in litigation, like [the Talmudic adage] that we say: Any judge from whom money is exacted through litigation is not [fit to be] a judge.
 
In sum, Yitro suggests that judges must be honest and independent individuals upon whom one may rely to “judge the people at all times” in a straightforward manner, representing the highest standards of yirai Elokim. These ideas are further elaborated upon in the first chapter of Sefer Devarim in Moshe’s words to his beloved nation:

Prepare for yourselves wise (chachamim) and understanding men (nevonim), known among your tribes, and I will make them heads over you. And I commanded your judges at that time, saying, “Hear [disputes] between your brothers and judge justly between a man and his brother, and between his litigant. You shall not favor persons in judgment; [rather] you shall hear the small just as the great; you shall not fear any man, for the judgment is upon the L-rd, and the case that is too difficult for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.” (13,16)
 
Moshe’s additions to Yitro’s thoughts are exceptionally important. We are now informed that over and above the attributes cited by Yitro, authentic Jewish judges must be highly accomplished intellectually, that is, chachamim and nevonim. Then, too, they are obligated to “judge justly between a man and his brother, and between his litigant,” in a completely impartial manner. As the Torah states: “You shall not favor persons in judgment; [rather] you shall hear the small just as the great; you shall not fear any man, for the judgment is upon the L-rd...”
 
Our parasha continues the Torah’s analysis of judges stressing the crucial element of rendering a righteous judgment:

You shall set up judges and law enforcement officials for yourself in all your cities that the L-rd, your G-d, is giving you, for your tribes, and they shall judge the people [with] righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show favoritism, and you shall not take a bribe, for bribery blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts just words. Justice, justice shall you pursue, that you may live and possess the land the L-rd, your
G-d, is giving you.
 
“Justice, justice shall you pursue,” is one of the best-known phrases in the Torah. Indeed, for many, Judaism’s concept of tzedek (justice) is one of its greatest contributions to the world at large. Associate Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, gave voice to this perception in her speech on Holocaust Memorial Day, April 22, 2004:

My heritage as a Jew and my occupation as a judge fit together symmetrically. The demand for justice runs through the entirety of Jewish history and Jewish tradition. I take pride in and draw strength from my heritage, as signs in my chambers attest: a large silver mezuzah on my door post, … on three walls, in artists’ renditions of Hebrew letters, the command from Deuteronomy: “Tzedek, tzedek, tirdof” — “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” Those words are ever-present reminders of what judges must do that they “may thrive.” (http://www.ushmm.org/remember/days-of-remembrance/past-days-of-remembrance/2004-days-of-remembrance/ruth-bader-ginsburg)
 
With Hashem’s unending mercy, may the time come soon and in our days, when our Sages’ words in the Amidah (silent prayer) will be fulfilled and serve as a clarion call to all mankind:

Restore our judges as in former times, and our counsellors as of yore; remove from us sorrow and sighing, and reign over us, You alone, O L-rd, with kindness and compassion, with righteousness and justice. Blessed are You L-rd, King who loves righteousness and justice. (https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/867674/jewish/Translation.htm)
 
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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The mitzvah of tzedakah — the equitable distribution of financial resources to the vulnerable among us — is one of the focal points of our parasha:

If there will be among you a needy person, from one of your brothers in one of your cities, in your land the L-rd your G-d is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not close your hand from your needy brother. Rather, you shall open your hand to him... (Sefer Devarim 15:7-8, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), explains in the name of his paternal grandfather, Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zatzal (1853-1918), that the phrase, “you shall open your hand to him” constitutes the mitzvat aseh, the positive commandment, that obligates an individual to distribute tzedakah to the poor. (Chumash Mesoras HaRav, Sefer Devarim, page 128)  As such, the preceding expression, “you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not close your hand from your needy brother,” comprises the mitzvat lo ta’aseh, the prohibition against acting in a miserly manner toward a fellow Jew in need.  As the Rambam zatzal (Maimonides, 1135-1204) states:

It is a positive commandment to give tzedakah to the poor among the Jewish people, according to what is appropriate for the poor person, if this is within the financial capacity of the donor, as [the text] states: “You shall open your hand to him.”
 
Anyone who sees a poor person asking and turns his eyes away from him and does not give him tzedakah transgresses a negative commandment, as [the text] states: “you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not close your hand from your needy brother.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Matnot Aniyim 7:1-2, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger with my emendations)
 
In his Torah commentary Tzror HaMor on our passage, the great Sephardic exegete, Rabbi Avraham Saba zatzal (1440-1508), builds upon these two mitzvot as a platform for developing our middot — ethical characteristics:

For what am I and what is my [so-called] strength? For it is surely the case that He [Hashem] is the One Who gives the strength [to people] so that they may perform meritorious acts. This is precisely why the Torah text states: “you shall open your hand to him,” and that you should pay no heed to any hardness of your heart [that would prevent you from fulfilling this commandment]. You absolutely must, therefore, open up your hand [to satisfy the tzedakah needs of your fellow Jew] — just as Hashem opens up His hand [to provide for the needs of all those in want]. (Translations and brackets my own)
 
Herein, Rav Saba teaches us that everything in this world, including our personal powers and abilities, are gifts from the Almighty.  Moreover, he emphasizes the notion that when we respond positively to the needs of others, we emulate our Creator’s actions, an idea that is writ large in Ashrei: “You [Hashem] open Your hand and satisfy every living thing [with] its desire.” (Sefer Tehillim 145:16)
 
Thus far, Rav Saba has primarily focused upon the underlying nature of the pota’ach yado — an individual who gives tzedakah. Yet, how are we to understand the kofetz yado — one who is unwilling to give tzedakah to their fellow Jew? We are indeed fortunate that Rav Saba answers this question:

Our Sages teach us [Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 10a] that one who closes his hand and refuses to give [tzedakah] to the poor is like an idol worshipper. [What is the proof for this assertion?] The text states here [in our parasha]: “Beware, lest there be in your heart an unfaithful thought (davar v’liya’al)...and you will begrudge your needy brother and not give him” (15:9), which is preceded by the phrase: “Unfaithful men (b’nai v’liya’al) have gone forth from among you and have led the inhabitants of their city astray, saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods, which you have not known.’’ (13:14)  Just as [the first instance of v’liya’al] refers to idol worship, so, too, [does v’liya’al in reference to one who refuses to give tzedakah] teach us that he is like one who is engaged in idol worship.
 
How exactly is the kofetz yado like an idol worshipper? Rav Sabba provides us with the following trenchant psychological analysis:

...for when such an individual closes his hand and refrains from giving to the poor, he begins to feel that everything belongs to him, and that it is his strength and power — kocho v’otzem yado — that creates his wealth. This feeling grows until he rejects Hashem, who continuously provides him with the ability to develop and maintain his wealth. This, in turn, leads him to repudiate the totality of the Torah; as such, it is as if he is an idol worshipper.
 
In sum, according to Rav Sabba, the pota’ach yado is an individual who is keenly aware that m’ate Hashem hayitah zot —everything is ultimately from the Almighty. Since this is the case, we must recognize that we are the stewards of the prosperity He bestows upon us, and willingly share these funds with others less fortunate than ourselves. In so doing, we emulate the Creator and demonstrate our loyalty to His Torah.
 
In stark contrast, the kofetz yado, by refusing to give tzedakah, is like an idol worshipper who rejects Hashem and His holy Torah. Since he maintains that all the earthly goods he has acquired are the result of his native abilities and ongoing efforts, he comes to believe that leit din v’leit dayan — there is no judgment and no Judge.
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we ever be counted among those who give tzedakah with open hearts and open hands. And may the zechut (merit) of fulfilling this mitzvah help bring the entire Jewish people closer to the presence of the Almighty in our lives. 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.

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Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
At the end of our parasha, we find a verse that contains some of the most important theological concepts of Judaism: “For if you keep all these commandments which I command you to do them, to love the L-rd, your G-d, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave to Him.” (Sefer Devarim 11:22, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Herein we find the obligations to fulfill Hashem’s mitzvot, love Him, draw close to Him, and “walk in all His ways” — “lalechect bechol d’rachov.”
 
The commandment lalechect bechol d’rachov is found in various textual formulations no less than eight times throughout Sefer Devarim. This repetition is very significant, since it is an accepted principle of Torah exegesis that multiple instances of a phrase or a word demonstrate its singular import. If this is true regarding a word or a phrase, it is certainly the case regarding a mitzvah.
 
The Sifrei on Sefer Devarim helps define the parameters of this mitzvah. In so doing, it helps  us understand the classic Jewish emphasis upon sensitivity to others, and our people’s desire to help the vulnerable among us:

It is surely the case that just as the Omnipresent One is called, “merciful” so, too, should you be merciful.  [Just as] the Holy One blessed be He is called, “gracious” so, too, should you act graciously [toward others]. As the text states: “The L-rd is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and of great kindness.” (Sefer Tehillim 145:8) … The Omnipresent One is called “the Righteous One, as the text states: “For the L-rd is righteous; He loves [workers of] righteousness, whose faces approve of the straight [way]. (Ibid., 11:7), so, too, should you be righteous. The Omnipresent One is called, “the Kind One,” as the text states: “...I will not let My anger rest upon you, for I am kind, says the L-rd; I will not bear a grudge forever.” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 3:12, with my emendation)  So, too, should you be kind [to others]. (Piska 49, translation and brackets my own)
 
Herein, the Sifrei presents a number of Hashem’s attributes of action that are found throughout the Tanach, and urges us to behave in exactly the same manner. This idea is classically known as imitatio Dei (the emulation of the Almighty), and receives its most celebrated presentation in the following Talmudic passage:

Just as Hashem clothed the naked [in the case of Adam and Chava] … so, too, should you clothe the naked. Just as Hashem visited the sick [in the case of Avraham after his brit milah] … so, too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He comforted the mourners [in the case of Yitzhak after Avraham’s passing] … so, too, should you comfort the mourners. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He buried the dead [in the case of Moshe] … so, too, should you bury the dead. (Talmud Bavli, Sotah 14a, translation my own)
 
This statement is the basis for a famous halachic ruling of the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) that defines many of the essentials of Jewish communal life:

It is a positive commandment of Rabbinic origin to visit the sick, comfort mourners, to prepare for a funeral, prepare a bride, accompany guests, attend to all the needs of a burial, carry a corpse on one’s shoulders, walk before the bier, mourn, dig a grave, and bury the dead, and also to bring joy to a bride and groom and help them in all their needs. These are deeds of kindness that one carries out with his person that have no limit.” (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Avel 14:1, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
Closer to our own time, my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, adds an entirely new dimension to our understanding of this commandment:

We have an obligation to imitate G-d, and by offering Him appropriate praise, we learn about and appreciate His attributes. The desire to be like Him, to fashion our deeds after a Divine design, is understandable if seen against the background of a relationship based on a passionate love. This emotion expresses itself in an overpowering longing for the complete identification of the lover with the beloved. (Out of the Whirlwind: Essays on Mourning, Suffering and the Human Condition, pages 197-198, underlining my own)
 
The Rav teaches us that we are not merely required to “fashion our deeds after a Divine design.” Far more profoundly, we yearn to do so, because of our overwhelming love of the Master of the Universe, Who is our Yedid Nefesh — the Beloved of our Soul.
 
With Hashem’s eternal kindness as our guide, may we ever strive to fulfill the mitzvah of lalechect bechol d’rachov, and thereby demonstrate our deep and enduring love for 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:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women 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.