Parashat Re’eh, 5773, 2013:

On Being G-d’s Chosen Nation

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, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

You are a nation consecrated to G-d your L-rd. G-d has chosen you from all nations on the face of the earth to be His own special nation. (Sefer Devarim 14:2, Parashat Re’eh, this, and all Torah translations, Rav Aryeh Kaplan zatzal, The Living Torah)

The election of the Jewish people (bechirat Yisrael) is a fundamental concept in understanding our relationship with G-d. This idea is repeated in a number of places in the Siddur. As a result, it has become one of the best-known principles of Jewish thought:

• Habocher b’amo Yisrael b’ahavah (He who chose His people Israel in love; blessing before the recitation of the Shema)
• Ki banu bacharta v’otonu kidashta mikol ha’amim (…for He has chosen us and sanctified us above all other nations; Friday night Kiddush)
• Asher bachar banu mikol am v’romemanu mikol lashon (…Who has chosen us from all peoples and raised us above all nations; Festival Evening Kiddush)
• Asher bachar banu mikol ha’amim v’natan lanu et Torato (…Who has chosen us from all the nations and given us His Torah; blessing before the Reading of the Torah)

What, however, does it mean to be Hashem’s chosen nation and precious treasure (Am Hanivchar, Am Segulah)? Chief Rabbi of the United Kingdom, Rabbi Sir Jonathan Henry Sacks, formulated his response to our question in the following manner: “Do not think that G-d choosing one people means He rejects every other people. Absolutely not! That was never our way. And that is why, again and again and again, G-d, the prophets say, is not our G-d only.” (Public lecture: “Jewish Identity - The Concept of a Chosen People,” May 8, 2001) Rather than an arrogant and elitist rejection of the other nations of the world, Rav Sacks presents an entirely different approach to understanding our unique role in Hashem’s grand plan for mankind. He maintains that our choseness enables us to bring Hashem’s message to the world: “… the Jewish story, in its unique particularity, is the human story in its universality. If we would have been everyone in general, we would never have been somebody in particular. And if we hadn't been somebody in particular, we would never have a message for humanity in general.” (Ibid.) In other words, our choseness allows us to spread G-d’s message of hope and everlasting peace to the nations of the world. It does not, however, make us “better than” anyone else.

Rav Shimson Raphael Hirsch (1808-188) foreshadowed Rav Sacks in his dismissal of the “better than” approach in his understanding of the terms “bechirat Yisrael” and “Am Segulah.” Rather than a rejection of non-Jews, he translates this concept into a statement of the Jewish people’s extraordinary responsibility to Hashem. The Jewish people are more responsible to Hashem than any other nation. The Sinaitic Covenant (Kabbalat HaTorah) did not somehow mysteriously alter our biology so that we became genetically different than the rest of mankind. Instead, Kabbalat HaTorah placed the ol malchut Shamayim, the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven (G-d’s will), uniquely upon us. Our responsibilities and obligations toward Hashem are, therefore, different in kind and degree than those of the rest of mankind. In a word, we Jews are blessed with 613 commandments, whereas the nations of the world have but seven.

Now that I have briefly presented an approach as to how to understand the content of the term “Chosen People,” allow me to ask a seemingly straightforward question: “Why did Hashem choose us? After all, “It was not because you had greater numbers than all the other nations that G-d embraced you and chose you; you are among the smallest of all the nations.” (Sefer Devarim 7:7) Rabbinic literature provides us with different responses to our question. I will focus on three of them. The first answer is that we, to the exclusion of all other nations, accepted the Torah - even though every other people had the opportunity to do so:

The nations will then contend: “L-rd of the Universe, have You given us the Torah, and have we declined to accept it?” But how can they argue in this way, seeing that it is written, “The L-rd came from Sinai and rose from Seir unto them, He shined forth from Mount Paran?” [Sefer Devarim 33:2]  And it is also written, “G-d came from Teman.” [Habakkuk 3:3]. What did He seek in Seir, and what did He seek in Mount Paran? — R. Johanan says: This teaches us that the Holy One, blessed be He, offered the Torah to every nation and every tongue, but none accepted it, until He came to Israel who received it. [How, then, can they say that the Torah was not offered to them?] Their contention will be this: “Did we accept it and fail to observe it?” But surely the obvious rejoinder to this plea would be: “Then why did you not accept it?” (Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 2b, translation, Soncino Talmud with my emendations to enhance readability)

The connection between the acceptance of the Torah and our election is made even more explicit in the following passage from Midrash Bamidbar Rabbah 14:10: “And why did the Holy One blessed be He choose them [i.e. the Jews]? All of the other nations denigrated the Torah and did not want to accept it. But [they, i.e. the Jews] wanted it and chose [to follow] the Holy One blessed be He and His Torah…”

The second approach as to why Hashem chose us is found in Midrash Tanchuma (Buber), Parashat Naso 13. Herein, the emphasis is placed upon our being the heirs of the Avot and Emahot (Patriarchs and Matriarchs, i.e. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah), who personified truth and holiness:

And I chose you because you are the heirs of truth (Hebrew: “sheatem m’zera emet”). As the text states: “And I planted you from the best vine, entirely of truthful seed.” (Sefer Yermiahu 2:21) Moreover, it is also written: “…in you did Hashem your G-d choose,” (Sefer Devarim 7:6) – Even in the future I will never choose anyone other than you [i.e. the Jews] because you come from holy origins. As the text states: “They will not struggle needlessly or create in vain, for they are the offspring of the blessed ones of Hashem.” (Sefer Yeshiyahu 65:23, all translations my own)

 
The final answer to the question “Why did Hashem chose us?” is in some ways the most direct and compelling. Quite simply, G-d loved and continues to love us: “Why did the Holy One blessed be He choose you [i.e. the Jews]? – He did this because He loved you. As the Torah states: ‘It was because of G-d's love for you…’” (Midrash Tanchuma, Buber, Parashat Bamidbar 20) In other words, according to this Midrash, our election is a result of pure and direct Divine grace – of chane, v’chesed, v’rachamim – rather than the result of any actions or merits on our part. With the exception of the Torah, bechirat Yisrael, therefore, emerges as the greatest and most beneficent gift in all of recorded history.

With Hashem’s help, may we live lives filled with demonstrable kindness and mercy to our fellow Jews and to all mankind. Moreover, may our actions ever prove that we are the Am Hanivchar and the Am Segulah. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

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 [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” 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. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

Parashat Eikev 5773, 2013:

Rabbi David Etengoff

Understanding Ahavat Hashem (The Love of G-d)

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, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

The Torah obligation to love the Holy One blessed be He is stated nine different times in the Chamisha Chumshei Torah (Five Books of the Torah). Quite intriguingly, every instance of this mitzvah is found in Sefer Devarim – including four separate occurrences in our parasha:

And now, O Israel, what does the L-rd, your G-d, demand of you? Only to fear the L-rd, your G-d, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to worship the L-rd, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul (10:12) [Therefore] you shall love the L-rd, your G-d, keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments, all the days. (11:1) And it will be, if you hearken to My commandments that I command you this day to love the L-rd, your G-d, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul (11:13) 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 (11:22) (These, and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)

The Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) codifies this commandment in the following formulation: “It is a mitzvah to love and fear this glorious and awesome G-d, as [Deuteronomy 6:5] states: ‘And you shall love G-d, your L-rd’ and, as [Deuteronomy 6:13] states: ‘Fear G-d, your L-rd.’” (Mishneh Torah, Yesodei HaTorah 2:1, this and all Mishneh Torah translations are by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)

Many of us understand what it means to love a fellow human being. Yet, how can finite man learn to love infinite G-d? How can man begin to know Hashem, so that he may love Him? These questions seem paradoxical in their very nature. Here, too, however, the Rambam provides a ready answer:

What is the path [to attain] love and fear of Him? When a person contemplates His wondrous and great deeds and creations and appreciates His infinite wisdom that surpasses all comparison, he will immediately love, praise, and glorify [Him], yearning with tremendous desire to know [G-d’s] great name, as David stated: “My soul thirsts for the L-rd, for the living G-d”[Psalms 42:3]. (Ibid. , 2:2)

In sum, by encountering and appreciating Nature in all of its myriad power and beauty, and by studying Hashem’s holy Torah, man “will immediately love, praise, and glorify [Him], yearning with tremendous desire to know [G-d’s] great name.”

To what extent ought we to “yearn with tremendous desire to know G-d’s great name?” Maimonides answers this question in prose worthy of the most inspired poet:

What is the proper [degree] of love? That a person should love G-d with a very great and exceeding love until his soul is bound up in the love of G-d. Thus, he will always be obsessed with this love as if he is lovesick. [A lovesick person's] thoughts are never diverted from the love of that woman. He is always obsessed with her; when he sits down, when he gets up, when he eats and drinks. With an even greater [love], the love for G-d should be [implanted] in the hearts of those who love Him and are obsessed with Him at all times as we are commanded [Deuteronomy 6:5: “Love G-d...] with all your heart and with all soul.” King Solomon suggested this concept [Song of Songs 2:5] when he stated, as a metaphor: “I am lovesick.” [Indeed,] the totality of the Song of Songs is a parable describing [this love]. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 10:3, with my translation emendations to enhance readability)

To summarize the two key elements in the Rambam’s presentation: “A person should love G-d with a very great and exceeding love until his soul is bound up in the love of G-d,” and man must be so obsessed with his love of the Almighty that his waking moments are dedicated solely to Him and recognition of His glory.

My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, while singularly influenced by the rationalism of the Rambam, chose as well, to describe man’s yearning for Hashem in Kabbalistic metaphors:

Man approaches God at a rapid pace, where all his being, beset by the torment of fiery longing, is tensed toward the encounter with his divine lover. He is swept away by the surge of his yearning and carried aloft to the Infinite. Man’s being draws him with enchanted supernatural cords toward his God, who is the source of being. (And From There You Shall Seek, translation, Naomi Goldblum, page 69)

At this point we have:

·      Established that ahavat Hashem is a mitzvah m’doraita (Torah obligation)

·      Examined the affective and cognitive triggers that lead one to love G-d

·      Demonstrated the unlimited desire and longing for Hashem that one is obligated to nurture within the deepest recesses of his being.

The key word and concept in the act of fulfilling ahavat Hashem is ahavah (love). Love, after all, is an emotion, and like all emotions, it is definitionally subjective in nature. If that is the case, are there means of expressing love for G-d that are universally accessible by all?  Once again, Maimonides provides us with a practical guide for this perplexing question:

The Sages of the previous generations declared: Should one say: “I will study Torah in order that I become wealthy, in order that I be called a Rabbi, or in order that I receive reward in the world to come?” The Torah teaches [Deuteronomy 11:13]: “[If you are careful to observe My commandments...] to love G-d;” [implying] that all that you do should only be done out of love. The Sages also said: [Psalms 112:1 instructs:] “Desire His commandments greatly.” [Desire His commandments] and not the reward [which comes from] His commandments. In a similar manner, the great Sages would command the more understanding and brilliant among their students in private: “Do not be like servants who serve their master [for the sake of receiving a reward].” Rather, since He is the Master, it is fitting to serve Him; i.e., serve [Him] out of love. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Teshuvah 10:4)

Herein the Rambam provides us with a clear roadmap for actualizing the commandment of ahavat Hashem. The essential point is clear: One is obligated to serve Hashem and perform His mitzvot precisely because He, in His supernal wisdom, commanded us to do so. In other words, while all commandments surely have their reward, ideally one does not fulfill a mitzvah to receive the same – but instead seeks to demonstrate his love and affection for the Almighty purely by fulfilling His will.

The most famous verse pertaining to ahavat Hashem, “And you shall love the L-rd, your G- d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means,” does not appear in our parasha. Instead, it is found in Parashat Vaetchanan as the second verse of Shema Yisrael. Fascinatingly, Rabbeinu Yaakov ben Asher (1269-1340, known as “the Tur”) notes that the Hebrew word, “v’ahavta” (“and you shall love”) contains the same letters as “ha’avot” (“the Forefathers”). Furthermore, he demonstrates, via textual proofs, that loving Hashem “with all your heart” was uniquely fulfilled by Avraham, “with all your soul,” was preeminently realized by Yitzhak, and “with all your means,” was one of the hallmarks of our father, Yaakov. Therefore, if we strive to emulate the lives of Avraham, Yitzhak, Yaakov, Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah, we will surely be on the proper path of authentically fulfilling ahavat Hashem. With Hashem’s help may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

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 [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” 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. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

Parashat Vaetchanan – Shabbat Nachamu, 5773, 2013:

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
"Understanding the Essence of Shema Yisrael”
 
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, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.
 
Hear, O Israel: The L-rd is our G-d; the L-rd is one. And you shall love the L-rd, your G-d, with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your means. And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart. And you shall teach them to your sons and speak of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk on the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up. (Sefer Devarim 6:4-7, this, and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
 
The commandment of Kriat Shema (the recitation of Shema Yisrael), as found in our parasha, is probably the best-known mitzvah of the Torah. After all, nearly everyone is familiar with the reading of its text, whether it is said privately or in the synagogue. Then, too, many people are taught these words shortly after they begin to speak. Kriat Shema has the potential, therefore, to help define our Jewish identity and to serve as a “spiritual GPS” in guiding us toward forging a vital and authentic relationship with Hashem.
 
Unfortunately, however, it is precisely our familiarity with this commandment that often leads to rote and robotic recitations of its words. This tendency obscures the significance and purpose of this mitzvah, and desensitizes us to its stature and meaning. Regrettably, we are not alone in our failures. Long ago, in the eighth century BCE, Yeshiyahu (Isaiah) proclaimed our errors in this regard: “And the L-rd said: ‘Because this people has come near; with their mouth and with their lips they honor Me, but their heart they draw far away from Me, and their fear of Me has become a command of people, which has been taught (mitzvat anashim m’lumdah).’” (29:13) Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yechiel Michel (1809-1879), known as “the Malbim,” explained Yeshiyahu’s words in the following fashion:

There are those who perform the mitzvot solely because this is what they have become accustomed to do since their youth and they are used to performing them. They perform them without any cognitive gesture (kavanah) and without thought – even though they may know that they are commandments from G-d. They, however, do not perform them in any way, shape, or form because Hashem commanded them to do so. Instead, they perform them because this is what they were dictated to do by their teachers and parents. They [the mitzvot] are performed without any understanding and are mere mechanical actions reinforced by past rote behaviors… (Commentary to Sefer Yeshiyahu 29:13, translation and brackets my own).
 
Allow me to briefly explicate Rav Meir Leibush’s deeply insightful words:
 
1)    There is a significant group of people who perform the commandments simply because they have been doing so since their youth and they feel comfortable in doing so.

2)    These individuals may know that the mitzvot are from G-d, yet, this is not why they perform them. “Instead, they perform them because this is what they were dictated to do by their teachers and parents.”

3)    Such individuals often perform the commandments without kavanah and in a thoughtless manner. As a result, “[the mitzvot] are performed without any understanding and are mere mechanical actions reinforced by past rote behaviors…”
 
Given the Malbim’s trenchant analysis of the behavior of a identifiable part of klal Yisrael (the Jewish people), and the singular import of Kriat Shema, it seems to me that we need to reexamine the essential concepts that are inherent in this mitzvah. Time and space constraints, however, will only allow us to analyze the famous first pasuk (verse): “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad.” (“Hear, O Israel: The L-rd is our G-d; the L-rd is one.”)
 
I believe that the first thing we need to ask ourselves before we recite the Shema is, “What are we trying to accomplish by its recitation?” On those rare occasions when we actually think about this question, our immediate reaction is most likely, “I am trying to fulfill a commandment.” This is all well and good, and it is certainly a necessary part of what we should be thinking and feeling when we say Shema, since in a small way it is an antidote to what Isaiah called mitzvat anashim m’lumdah. It is, however, insufficient in that it does not differentiate the Shema from the other mitzvot. In addition, this answer does not explain why hundreds of thousands, if not millions of Jews throughout history, have died with the words, “Shema Yisrael Hashem Elokeinu Hashem echad” upon their lips while sanctifying G-d’s name (al kiddush Hashem). Clearly, there is something unique about this most famous of all pasukim (verses).
 
As always, we must turn to Chazal (our Sages of Blessed memory) to guide us on our journey of understanding and discovery. They labeled the recitation of our verse (i.e. Shema Yisrael…) kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim (the volitional acceptance of the kingship of Heaven). This phrase appears 29 times in classic Rabbinic literature (Mishnah, Talmud, and Midrash). In nearly every instance, it refers to the recognition and acknowledgment of G-d’s existence, and His role as the Commander (Metzaveh) of the mitzvot. Now that we have briefly defined this term and noted its referent, it is time to try to grasp its conceptual meaning
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, subjected the term “kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim” to a penetrating and systematic analysis in his posthumously published work entitled, “Worship of the Heart: Essays on Jewish Prayer.” Therein, he suggests that both the Shema and tefillah (prayer) fall under the category of “subjective halakhic norm”:

A subjective halakhic norm, in contradistinction to the objective [i.e. donning Tefillin, sitting in the Succah etc.], signifies mitzvot realized through an inner experience, in a state of mind, in a spiritual act, in a thought, a feeling, or a volition. Although the Halakhah, being very distrustful of human subjective life because of its vagueness, transience and volatility, has introduced, even in the realm of subjective norms, concrete media through which an inward religious experience manifests itself, the real essence of the subjective mitzvah is confined to the spiritual component. (Page 88, brackets and underlining my own)
 
Since the quintessence of Kriat Shema is the fulfillment of the mitzvah “through an inner experience,” it stands to reason that the kind of kavanah that is necessary to achieve this goal is quite different than that which is found in reference to other, objective, mitzvot. Hence the Rav suggests:

Kavvanah, while reading Shema or praying, is not to be equated with ordinary intention. It is rather identical with meditation, spiritual surrender, or the turning and directing of the heart unto the L-rd. For it is the heart, and not the lips, which is called upon to turn toward G-d in the morning and in the evening. Most halakhic authorities concur.. that the technical reading of the Shema is not enough. The inward turning to G-d is of utmost significance. Thus, the Halakhah teaches that if one fails to direct his heart unto the L-rd while reading the Shema – his obligation remains unfulfilled. (Page 89, underlining my own)
 
In sum, Kriat Shema is a subjective halachic norm whose fulfillment is achieved through an inward turning to G-d in a deeply personal manner that results in a uniquely spiritual gesture. Therefore, “lip-service” is insufficient to achieve kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim and prevents an individual from fulfilling his mitzvah:

…the kavvanah in regard to Shema and tefillah  forms the core of the accomplishment, the central idea and the intrinsic content of the mitzvah. It is not a mere modality, expressing only the “how” of the mitzvah-fulfillment (as it does in other mitzvot), but rather is identical with the very substance and essence of the commandment. It implies, instead of imperativistic intentionality, a full-fledged, all-embracing and all-penetrating experience of G-d. (Ibid. , underlining my own)
 
In addition, the Rav notes that kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim is both an “intellectual as well as a volitional gesture.” (p. 97) What is the content of this “intellectual gesture?”

It asserts itself in an act of comprehension and asserts knowledge of G-d in the form of creed. Free assent to this creed comprises the inner essence of accepting the yoke of Heaven. (Ibid.)
 
One should not think, however, that the kind of knowledge necessary to properly fulfill Kriat Shema is beyond the reach of the average Jew. A person does not need philosophical and theological training to fulfill his/her mitzvah of Shema:

The term “knowledge,” in this connection, should not be confused with formal, dogmatic, soulless and “cold” speculation, with abstract deductions devoid of life and warmth, or with assent as a hollow meaningless acceptance. Neither is knowledge in our case just an opinion (however cogent and valid) nor is assent a mere nod of the head…Both knowledge and assent must be realized as an immediate awareness, a glowing and vivid experience, something real and dynamic, an ideal effort toward a Divinely organized and morally inspired existence, the adventure of a heroic life. (Ibid.)
 
We are now prepared to ask the most essential question of all, “Given the above, what is the content of the phrase ‘kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim?’” Here, too, Rabbi Soloveitchik serves as a ready guide:

“Accepting the yoke of Heaven” is not tantamount to entering the Divine presence. The state of reading Shema is not identical with that single mood in which man is driven into the company of G-d [i.e. tefillah]. It is rather a sedate, placid experience. No encounter takes place. The element of the dialogue is lacking in this ritual. It expresses itself more in the form of declaration, confession, profession of faith…Of course, G-d is also experienced when one reads Shema, but not in a sense of fellowship or communion via the grammatical thou [as found in tefillah]. G-d, in the experience of reading Shema, is “He,” the third person, the remote transcendent Being Whose yoke we do accept, Whose will we must abide, Whose might we respect and fear, Whose authority we acknowledge, yet into Whose presence we must not venture, Whose Being is hidden from us. The emphasis in Shema [in contrast to tefillah] is found in the phrase malkhut Shamayim (the kingdom of Heaven), the majesty of G-d, majestas Dei, whose main attribute is inaccessibility and remoteness on the one hand, and absolute might and power on the other. (Pages 96-97, brackets my own)
 
We are now in a position of understanding the constitutive elements of Kriat Shema, and by extension, kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim. As we have seen, this mitzvah is a “subjective halakhic norm” that demands a unique level of kavanah that differs in kind and degree from the kavanah of mitzvot that comprise the category of “objective halakhic norms.” Moreover, this commandment is a statement of belief based upon knowledge that is universally accessible to all – including those lacking sophisticated philosophical and theological training. Perhaps most all, kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim is expressed in our recognition of G-d’s majesty and the knowledge that, in His transcendence and power, He forever remains l’aylah u’l’aylah mikol birchata v’shirata (beyond all blessing and songs of praise).
 
This, then, is the mitzvah of Kriat Shema and a path for understanding the nature of kabbalat ol malchut Shamayim. May Hashem give us the wisdom to incorporate these principles of understanding in our daily prayers, so that our tefillah can be invested with new meaning and purpose. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

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 [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” 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. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

*** Follow my Twitter postings at @Torahtech 613 and @theRavzatzal

                        Parashat Devarim – Tisha b’Av 5773, 2013

                               The Tragedy of Silence

                                    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, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

Within the Jewish exegetical tradition of Torah explication, one of the oft-found modes of analysis is that of s’michut (juxtaposition) of parshiot and pasukim (Torah sections and verses). Our Sages found substantive meaning in both the actual content of a verse and its placement within the Torah. Our parasha contains a telling example of this investigative approach: “So it was, when all the men of war finished dying from among the people, that the L-rd spoke to me saying.” (Sefer Devarim 2:16-17, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaic Press Complete Tanach) Herein, Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) ask: “What may be learned from the s’michut of these two verses?” i.e. “What is the connection between ‘all the men of war finished dying from among the people,’ and ‘the L-rd spoke to me saying’?”

Our question is addressed in both the Talmud Yerushalmi (Ta’anit 3:4) and Bavli (Ta’anit 30b). The Yerushalmi states:

Rabbi Zeira said in the name of Rabbi Chanina: “What can be done by the greatest leaders of the generation (gedolei hador) when it is recognized that the community is judged on the basis of the majority? We find this idea exemplified in that for all 38 years that the Jewish people were treated as outcasts (nidui’im) [i.e. from the time of the Episode of the Spies] Hashem did not speak to Moshe [in a warm and collegial manner]. As the Torah states: “So it was, when all the men of war finished dying from among the people.” What is written immediately thereafter? “That the L-rd spoke to me saying.” (Translation and brackets my own)

The Bavli’s passage, while somewhat terse in comparison to the Yerushalmi, nonetheless manages to convey the same essential meaning:

Until the Generation of the Desert completely passed away – Hashem’s word was not with Moshe. As the Torah states: “So it was, when all the men of war finished dying from among the people, that the L-rd spoke to me saying.” – [Finally,] unto me [on a personal basis] was the Word revealed. (Translation and brackets my own)

Rabbi Baruch Halevi Epstein (1860-1941), in his monumental commentary on the Torah entitled, “Torah Temimah,” provides us with the following illuminating explanation of this Talmudic portion:

Even though numerous Commandments were stated to Moshe during that time [i.e. the 38 years following the Episode of the Spies], the commentators explain that until this moment [the passing of the entire Generation of the Desert], the Call from Hashem was not one of love and closeness. This was the case since G-d, so to speak, was not pleased by the actions of the Generation of the Desert. (Translation and brackets my own)

In sum, a partial hester panim (hiding of Hashem’s “Face”) descended upon the relationship that obtained between Hashem and Moshe. True, G-d continued to speak to Moshe; yet, this communication was quite business-like in nature and devoid of the expressions of affection, love, and reassurance that Moshe both needed and had come to expect from the Almighty.

One can only imagine the pain, sorrow, and depth-level loneliness that Moshe experienced when the Holy One Blessed be He no longer acted toward him as his Yedid Nefesh (Beloved of his Soul). My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, in his best-known essay, “The Lonely Man of Faith,” expresses what Moshe felt at this time:

The role of the man of faith, whose religious experience is fraught with inner conflicts and incongruities, who oscillates between ecstasy in God’s companionship and despair when he feels abandoned by God, and who is torn asunder by the heightened contrast between self-appreciation and abnegation, has been a difficult one since the times of Abraham and Moses. (Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought, vol. VII, no. 2, 1965, page 6, underlining my own)

Given the Rav’s analysis, the Moshe we encounter following the debacle of the Spies is that of a truly existentially lonely individual who often felt adrift in the maelstrom of his life. Rabbi Soloveitchik portrays this state of being in the following fashion:

… companionship and friendship do not alleviate the passional experience of loneliness which trails me constantly. I am lonely because at times I feel rejected and thrust away by everybody, not excluding my most intimate friends, and the words of the Psalmist “My father and my mother have forsaken me” ring quite often in my ears like the plaintive cooing of the turtledove. It is a strange, alas, absurd experience engendering sharp, enervating pain… I despair because I am lonely, and hence, feel frustrated. (Ibid., pages 6-7)

We are now in the period of the Nine Days leading up to another commemoration of Tisha b’Av. With the loss of the Holy Temple and the heartrending pain of waiting another year for for the realization of the prophecy, “And a redeemer shall come to Zion” (Sefer Yeshiyahu 59:20), many of us feel an all-enveloping tragedy of silence. Then, too, King David’s words “For my father and my mother have forsaken me” (Sefer Tehillim 27:10) surely reverberate incessantly in our ears, just as they did for Rav Soloveitchik. Like Moshe of old, we long for rapprochement with our Yedid Nefesh so that sounds of silence may finally and ultimately be stilled. Therefore, let us fervently pray: “Hashiveinu Hashem alechah v’nashuvah chadash yemeinu kekedem” (“Enable us to return to You Hashem and we will return, renew our days as they were in former times,” Megilat Eichah 5:21). V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom and a truly meaningful fast,

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

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 [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” 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. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org

                        Parshiot Matot-Maasay 5773, 2013

                Parnasah, Possessions and Priorities

                               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, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

Contrary to widespread practices found in many Jewish communities, a man is obligated to provide for the financial needs of his family, i.e. to “make a parnasah.” Rabbeinu Yosef ben Ephraim Karo (1488-1575) in his Shulchan Aruch, Orech Chaim 155, first discussed the mitzvah for a man to go from the Beit Hakenesset (Shul), where he has prayed, to the Beit Hamidrash (Study Hall) where he is duty-bound to learn Torah. Immediately thereafter, in Section 156, he discusses the obligation of masah u’matan (literally, “doing business” and in the wider sense, “making a living”). Approximately 275 years later, Rabbeinu Yechiel Michal ben Aharon Yitzhak Halevi Epstein (1829-1908), in his halachic magnum opus entitled Aruch Hashulchan, formulated the first halacha in this section in the following manner:

Afterwards [i.e., after praying and learning Torah] he should go to his business [literally iskuv] since all Torah that is not combined with work will ultimately become null and void and bring about sin. This is the case since poverty drives a man insane and removes him from his connection to his Creator. It is very positive for one to have a trade (literally umanut)…Many, however, err in this matter and say that having a trade is an embarrassment. [This is not the case] since many of the Mishnaic and Talmudic period Sages were artisans and craftsman. Midrash Rabbah Bereshit states: “Work is more beloved than the merit of one’s forefathers (literally zechut avot) since the merit of one’s forefathers protects one’s money while work saves souls [i.e., adds to one’s psychological and spiritual well-being]… Therefore, it is a tremendous level for one to financially support himself via the work of his own hands. As the verse states: “If you eat the toil of your hands, you are praiseworthy, and it is good for you” [Sefer Tehillim, 128:2, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach]. It is praiseworthy for you in this world and good for you in the World to Come where everything is good. (Translation and brackets my own)

Clearly, then, a man is obligated to work to support his family. Moreover, he is required to provide for them to the best of his ability and to use all of his kishronot (native gifts and talents) to do so.

Given the above, it is difficult to understand why Moshe changed the order of the words of b’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven when they approached him concerning their idea of settling on the far-side of the Jordan River:

The descendants of Reuben and Gad had an abundance of livestock very numerous and they saw the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead, and behold, the place was a place for livestock. The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben came, and they spoke to Moses and to Eleazar the Kohen and to the princes of the community, saying, “Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, and Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon, the land that the L-rd struck down before the congregation of Israel is a land for livestock, and your servants have livestock.” They said, “If it pleases you, let this land be given to your servants as a heritage; do not take us across the Jordan.” (Sefer Bamidbar 32:1-5)

At this point, Moshe berates them for seemingly abandoning their brethren’s cause of conquering the Land of Canaan (verses 6-15). B’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven then respond in the following manner (16-19):

They approached him and said, “We will build sheepfolds for our livestock here and cities for our children. We will then arm ourselves quickly [and go] before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place. Our children will reside in the fortified cities on account of the inhabitants of the land. We shall not return to our homes until each of the children of Israel has taken possession of his inheritance. For we will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on the east bank of the Jordan.”

Moshe then appears to accept the pledge of b’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven to participate in conquering the Land of Canaan, thereby not forsaking the needs of the rest of the people. In Moshe’s response to them, however, he changes their order of operations in a subtle, yet highly meaningful way (20-27):

Moses said to them, "If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves for battle before the L-rd, and your armed force crosses the Jordan before the L-rd until He has driven out His enemies before Him, and the Land will be conquered before the L-rd, afterwards you may return, and you shall be freed [of your obligation] from the L-rd and from Israel, and this land will become your heritage before the L-rd. But, if you do not do so, behold, you will have sinned against the L-rd, and be aware of your sin which will find you. So build yourselves cities for your children and enclosures for your sheep, and what has proceeded from your mouth you shall do.” The descendants of Gad and the descendants of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying, “Your servants will do as my master commands. Our children and our wives, our livestock and our cattle will remain there, in the cities of Gilead. But your servants will cross over all who are armed for combat before the L-rd, for the battle, as my master has spoken.” (Emphasis my own)

Let us review the textual change. In verse 16, b’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven initially state: “We will build sheepfolds for our livestock here and cities for our children.” In verse 24, Moshe reverses this order and states: “So build yourselves cities for your children and enclosures for your sheep….” B’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven then accept Moshe’s modification and state: “Our children and our wives, our livestock and our cattle will remain there….”

What has actually taken place in the above interchange? What is its significance? What can we learn from this? Quite simply, b’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven placed their initial emphasis upon their livestock, the physical manifestation of their wealth, rather than upon their children and wives. Moshe, however, acting as the true rebbi (teacher) he was, modeled a very different approach for them. He emphasized the children and wives first, rather than possessions. He made it crystal clear that their priorities were completely askew. In this way, Moshe ingeniously taught that one works for his family, which is of primary importance, and that parnasah is in service to its needs. Rashi (1040-1105), quoting the Midrash Tanchuma (VII) on verse 16, underscores this point when he states:

We shall build sheepfolds for our livestock here: They were more concerned about their possessions than about their sons and daughters, since they mentioned their livestock before [mentioning] their children. Moses said to them, “Not so! Treat the fundamental as a fundamental, and the matter of secondary importance as a matter of secondary importance. First ‘build cities for your children,’ and afterwards ‘enclosures for your sheep’”

Rabbi Hershel Schachter shlita, Rosh Hayeshiva of Yeshivat Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan, in a 2005 drasha on our parasha, noted the communal ramifications of the initial thinking of b’nai Gad and b’nai Reuven:

On a communal level, we have lost our bearings regarding what is a normal and proper lifestyle, and what is an opulent and improper one. In that context, some Orthodox people spend large sums of money on non-essentials without making yeshiva tuition a top priority, and consequently want to send their children to public school to save money. We, too, need Moshe Rabbeinu’s rebuke! What an unfortunate confusion of priorities! Our children are immeasurably more valuable than our homes and all other material possessions.

Each month in the Birkat HaChodesh (Blessing for the New Month), we beseech Hashem for a month filled with goodness and blessing. We also beg Him for long, peaceful, and good lives. In addition, we specifically request from our Creator “chaim shel parnasah,” a life wherein we can have successful livelihoods and financially sustain our families. Many of us, thank G-d, have been zocheh (merited) to have these requests fulfilled. In comparison to many of our ancestors, we live like kings. Yet, we must ever be vigilant to ensure that we do not misappropriate and abuse Hashem’s beneficence. We must always remember why and before whom we labor. May Hashem always provide us with parnasah, and the wisdom to seek the right priorities, so that our families may lead lives dedicated to His holy Torah. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom,

Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

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 [email protected].

*** My audio shiurim for Women on “Tefilah: Haskafah and Analysis,” 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. They are available here: http://tinyurl.com/82pgvfn.

** Follow new postings on my Twitter accounts: @theRavZatzal and @Torahtech613.

*** Interested in 21st Century Jewish Education? See my blog: http://21stcenturyjewisheducation.org