​Parashat Devarim 5786, 2026:
 
To Protect the Widows and Orphans
 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
 
This week’s haftarah is taken from the first chapter of Sefer Yeshayahu. As befitting the Shabbat immediately before Tisha b’Av, much of its message is somber and filled with powerful rebuke:

You, [the Jewish people,] shall no longer bring vain meal-offerings, it is smoke of abomination to Me; New Moons and Sabbaths, calling convocations, I cannot [bear] iniquity with assembly. Your New Moons and your appointed seasons My soul hates, they are a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing [them]. And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you, even when you pray at length, I do not hear; your hands are full of blood. (13-15, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The phrase, “I will hide My eyes from you, even when you pray at length,” is particularly frightening, since it portends a period of hester panim, of Hashem hiding Himself from His people. Sadly, the Torah warned us long before Yeshayahu’s prophecy that this would be the case if we would serve other gods and forsake Hashem:

And Hashem said to Moshe: Behold, you are [about to] lie with your forefathers, and this nation will rise up and stray after the gods of the nations of the land, into which they are coming. And they will forsake Me and violate My covenant which I made with them. And My fury will rage against them on that day, and I will abandon them and hide My face from them…And I will hide My face on that day (v’anochi hastir astir panai ba’yom hahu), because of all the evil they have committed, when they turned to other gods. (Sefer Devarim 31:16-18)
 
The standard remedy against the hester panim depicted in this passage is to reject every form of avodah zarah and live lives based upon heartfelt loyalty to Hashem and His Torah. Yeshayahu, however, focuses upon a different approach to ending hester panim that is infused with the recognition of the existential plight of the disenfranchised among our nation, and the fundamental elements of social justice: “Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the robbed, perform justice for the orphan, and plead the case of the widow.” (1:17)
 
Yeshayahu was acutely aware of the vulnerability of orphans and widows, and the continuous psychological dangers they encounter. Consequently, he focused upon their marked need for justice and protection in the midst of harsh and uncaring environments. In so doing, he channeled pasukim in Sefer Shemot that demand equitable treatment for society’s most endangered members: “You shall not oppress any widow or orphan. If you oppress him, [beware,] for if he cries out to Me, I will surely hear his cry.” (22:21-22)
 
Iyov, as well, emphasized the singular import of protecting our community’s downtrodden, and proclaims his upright behavior:

For I would deliver the poor who cried out, and the orphan, and one who had no one to help him. The blessing of the lost one would come upon me, and I would make the widow’s heart sing for joy. I put on righteousness and it clothed me; like a coat, and a turban was my judgment. (Sefer Iyov 29:12-14)
 
Given these sources, it is little wonder that the Rambam (1135-1240) codified our obligations to orphans and widows in this manner:
 
A person is obligated to show great care for orphans and widows because their spirits are very low and their feelings are depressed. This applies even if they are wealthy. We are commanded to [show this attention] even to a king’s widow and his orphans as is [suggested by the text] “You shall not oppress any widow or orphan.” (Sefer Shemot 22:21, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De’ot 6:10, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
The Rambam now addresses how we should act toward orphans and widows and demonstrate the requisite degree of sensitivity:

How should one deal with them? One should only speak to them gently and treat them only with honor. One should not cause pain to their persons with [overbearing] work or aggravate their feelings with harsh words and [one should] show more consideration for their financial interests than for one's own…There is a covenant between them and He who spoke and created the world that whenever they cry out because they have been wronged, they will be answered as [the text] states: “for if he cries out to Me, I will surely hear his cry.” (Sefer Shemot 22: 22)
 
As noted by Rashi (1040-1105) in his commentary on Sefer Shemot 22:21, the obligation to speak to people in a sensitive manner and treat them with honor and dignity applies to everyone, not just the orphan and widow. If so, he asks, why are these individuals so prominently singled out for exceptionally considerate treatment? The Mechilta informs his answer: “since they [widows and orphans] are weak and [they] are frequently oppressed.” In sum, the Torah urges us to be sympathetic to the psychological needs of all people, and all the more so, to those within society who all too often suffer at the hands of others.
 
We can now better understand Yeshayahu’s exhortation to “Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the robbed, perform justice for the orphan, and plead the case of the widow,” and why it is such an appropriate pasuk immediately before Tisha b’Av. Yeshayahu knew that in order for our nation to truly reconcile with the Almighty and create a spiritually meaningful relationship with Him, we must change our behavior toward the most defenseless members of our nation. No one, he proclaimed, regardless of their personal status, should ever be marginalized or treated as second-class members of the Jewish people, for, in truth, we are all cherished by the Master of the Universe.
 
With Hashem’s help and blessing, may we live lives in accord with Yeshayahu’s powerful message, and may this be our final Tisha b’Av in Galut. V’chane yihi ratzon.   
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
​
Many may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

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​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
 
Parashat Matot contains an unusual pasuk: “Eleazar the Kohane said to the soldiers returning from battle, ‘This is the statute that Hashem commanded Moshe.’” (Sefer Bamidbar 31:21, this, and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Eleazar’s sudden and unprecedented role as the teacher of our nation is very perplexing. Since Moshe was the rebbe par excellence, and the one commanded by Hashem, why was Eleazar suddenly tasked with teaching “the statute that Hashem commanded Moshe” to Klal Yisrael? Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon Midrash Sifrei Matot 48, suggests this answer:

Eleazar the Kohane: Since Moshe came to a state of anger, he came to err, as the laws of purging gentile vessels eluded him. [Therefore, Eleazar had to teach them.] A similar incident happened on the eighth day of the investiture [of the Kohanim], as it says, “He [Moshe] became angry with Eleazar and Ithamar” (Sefer Vayikra 10:16); he came to a state of anger, so he came to err. Similarly, in the episode of “Now listen, you rebels… and struck the rock” (Sefer Bamidbar 20:10-11); through anger, he came to err. (Brackets my own)
 
A parallel passage as to why Eleazar suddenly became the provisional rebbe of the Jewish people is found in Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 66b:

Reish Lakish said: “Regarding every man who becomes angry, if he is a Sage, his wisdom departs from him … [we learn this] from Moshe. For it is written, “Moshe became angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had returned from the campaign of war,” (Sefer Bamidbar 31:14) and it is written, “Eleazar the Kohane said to the soldiers returning from battle, ‘This is the statute that Hashem commanded Moshe.’” (Sefer Bamidbar 31:21) From this it follows that [the halacha of koshering vessels that was presented to the Jewish people by Elazar] had been forgotten by Moshe. (Translation, The Soncino Talmud with my emendations)
 
The message is clear: Anger causes wisdom to depart from a person and subsequently causes him to err. If this could happen to Moshe, the greatest of all the prophets, it is certainly something that can happen to the rest of Klal Yisrael. Little wonder, then, that the Rambam (1135-1204) completely rejects anger:

Anger is also an exceptionally bad quality. It is fitting and proper that one move away from it and adopt the opposite extreme. He should school himself not to become angry even when it is fitting to be angry… The early Sages said: “Anyone who becomes angry is like one who worships idols.” They also said: “Whenever one becomes angry, if he is a wise man, his wisdom leaves him; if he is a prophet, his prophecy leaves him.” The life of the irate is not true life. Therefore, they have directed that one distance himself from anger and accustom himself not to feel any reaction, even to things which provoke anger. This is the good path. (Mishneh Torah, Sefer Ma’ada, Hilchot De’ot 2:3, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger, underlining my own)
 
The Ramban (1194-1270), as well, focuses upon the negative impact of anger in his famous Iggeret HaRamban:

“Hear, my son, the instruction of your father and don't forsake the teaching of your mother.” (Sefer Mishle1:8). Get into the habit of always speaking calmly to everyone. This will prevent you from anger, a serious character flaw that causes people to sin. As our Rabbis said (Talmud Bavli Nedarim 22a): “Whoever flares up in anger is subject to the discipline of Gehinnom,” as it is says in (Sefer Kohelet 12:10), “Cast out anger from your heart, and [by doing this] remove evil from your flesh.” “Evil” here means Gehinnom, as we read (Sefer Mishle 16:4): “... and the wicked are destined for the day of evil.” Once you have distanced yourself from anger, the quality of humility will enter your heart. This radiant quality is the finest of all admirable traits: ‘Following humility comes the fear of Hashem.” (Sefer Mishle 22:4, the passage’s translation with my emendations, http://www.pirchei.com/specials/ramban/ramban.htm)
 
In consonance with the Rambam, the Ramban views anger as “a serious character flaw;” he diverges from the Rambam, however, by emphasizing anger’s role in causing people to sin. On the positive side, one who rejects anger will be able to embrace the path of humility, which, in turn, leads to awe of Hashem and ultimately, loyalty to His Mitzvot. With Hashem’s help, may we be counted among those who achieve this goal. V’chane yihi ratzon.
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Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org

Many may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:[email protected]
​
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: https://www.box.com/s/7bf01f9abcabf02e25c3
 
*** I have posted 164+ of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.