​
 
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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, and the Pittsburgh Kedoshim, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah, Yitzhak Moshe Aleksander ben Chayeh Sarah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha begins with the famous words, “And Jacob left Beersheba, and he went to Haran.” (Sefer Bereishit 28:10, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) Jacob’s departure is a direct response to his mother Rebecca’s wishes, and his father Isaac’s earlier two-fold statement:

And Rebecca said to Isaac, “I am disgusted with my life because of the daughters of Heth. If Jacob takes a wife of the daughters of Heth like these, from the daughters of the land, [Canaan] of what use is life to me?” (27:46, brackets my own)
 
And Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and he commanded him and said to him, “You shall not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father, and take yourself from there a wife of the daughters of Laban, your mother's brother.” (28:1-2)
 
Jacob fulfills his filial responsibility with alacrity, and arrives “at the place and lodged there because the sun had set, and he took some of the stones of the place and placed [them] at his head, and he lay down in that place.” In a celebrated gloss in his Commentary on the Torah, Rashi (1040-105) identifies the place cited in this verse as Mount Moriah, the location of both Akeidat Yitzhak (the Binding of Isaac) and the future Beit HaMikdash (Holy Temple). Little wonder, then, that the following miracle took place:

And he dreamt, and behold! a ladder set up on the ground (sulam mutzav artzah) and its top reached to heaven (v’rosho magiya od hashamaimah); and behold, angels of G-d were ascending and descending upon it. And behold, the L-rd was standing over him, and He said, “I am the L-rd, the G-d of Abraham your father, and the G-d of Isaac; the land upon which you are lying, to you I will give it and to your children.” (28:12-13, emendations my own)

It must be noted that our verse contains the sole instance in Tanach of the term “sulam.” Such an unusual word naturally captured the exegetical imaginations of Torah commentators throughout the ages. Thus, we find the following Gematria-based (numerical-based) interpretation of Jacob’s dream by the great Mishnaic period thinker, Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai:

 “And he dreamt:” Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai said: “[The Almighty] showed him [Jacob] Mount Sinai. [What indication do we have in the verse that this is so?] The letter samech in Sinai equals 60, the first and last yud(s) equal 10, and the nune is equivalent to 50. This adds up to 130 – the exact same numerical value of the word “sulam.” In addition, in our verse, we find the expression, “mutzav artzah v’rosho magiya od hashamaimah,” [in regards to the sulam,] and in reference to Mount Sinai we find, “…and the mountain burned with fire up to the midst of the heavens (hashamayim).” (Sefer Devarim 4:11, passage source, Midrash Tanchuma, Solomon Buber edition, Parashat Vayatze VII, translation and brackets my own)
 
In sum, for Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, based upon the relevant numerical equivalents of the Hebrew letters and the linguistic parallels within the verses that he quotes, the sulam is Jacob’s prophetic on-ramp to a vision of the future Revelation at Mount Sinai. We are not surprised, therefore, when Jacob proclaims: “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of G-d, and this is the gate of heaven.” (28:17)
 
Like Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, the 14th century Torah scholar Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher (“the Tur”) was a master of using Gematria to elucidate the Torah’s meaning. In his Commentary on the Torah, he notes that the word “sulam” is also the numerical equivalent of kol (130, voice), and joins this observation with a citation from the first volume of the Zohar, section 266: “The voice of the righteous (tzaddikim) in prayer is the ladder upon which the angels ascend.” Shortly thereafter he states: “Everyone, therefore, who has true intention (kavanah) and heartfelt dedication in their prayers has a ladder with complete rungs upon which the angels will be able to ascend [to Heaven].” According to the Tur’s interpretation of the Zohar, it appears that tzaddikim, by definition, have the ability to imbue their tefilah (prayer) with deep-level kavanah. Moreover, their prayers are so powerful and of such great import to HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One Blessed Be He) that they serve as a vehicle whereupon the angels can travel to heaven.
 
We are neither prophets like Jacob, nor tzaddikim like those referenced in the Zohar. Nonetheless, with Hashem’s help and our most heartfelt desire, we can invest our tefilot with kavanah and a sense of awe and wonder that we, too, are ever standing before the Holy One blessed be He. When we do so, may we, too, build ladders upon which “the angels will be able to ascend [to Heaven].” 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 of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, and the Pittsburgh Kedoshim, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah, Yitzchak Moshe Alexander ben Chayeh Sarah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha contains a crucial narrative in the lives of the Avot (Patriarchs) – a famine in the Land of Israel, and Isaac’s initial desire to follow in his father’s footsteps and travel to Egypt to avoid starvation. In this instance, however, Hashem reveals himself to Isaac and commands him to remain in Eretz Yisrael: “And the L-rd appeared to him, and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land that I will tell you.’” (Sefer Bereishit 26:2, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) In addition to Hashem’s command to “dwell in the land that I will tell you,” He proclaims that Isaac will have numerous offspring, and that the covenant made with Abraham will be fulfilled through him:
Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you, and I will bless you, for to you and to your children will I give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham, your father. And I will multiply your children like the stars of the heavens, and I will give your children all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will bless themselves by your children. (26:3-4, emendations my own)
 
The Torah often refrains from providing a rationale for future events. In our case, however, Hashem explicitly tells Isaac the precise reason why he will receive these multiple berachot (blessings): “Because Abraham hearkened to My voice, and kept My charge (mishmarti), My commandments (mitzvotai), My statutes (chuchotai), and My instructions (torotai).” (26:5)
Rashi explains each of our terms in the following manner:
Mishmarti: [Referring to] decrees to distance [himself] from transgressing the warnings in the Torah, e.g. secondary prohibitions to prevent incest from occurring, and the Rabbinic decrees to safeguard the prohibitions of the Sabbath.
 
Mitzvotai: [Referring to] things, which, had they not been written, would have been fit to be commanded, e.g. [prohibitions against] robbery and bloodshed.
 
Chuchotai: [Referring to] things that the evil inclination and the nations of the world argue against, e.g. [the prohibitions against] eating pork and wearing garments of wool and linen for which no reason [is given], but [which are] the decree of the King and His statutes over His subjects.
 
Torotai: To include the Oral Law, the laws given to Moses from Sinai.
 
Rashi’s analysis is based upon a variety of Rabbinic sources that maintain that Abraham fulfilled the entire Torah, up to and including Rabbinic decrees and enactments – many generations before it was given at Mount Sinai. By way of illustration:
 
Rab said: “Our father Abraham kept the entire Torah, as it is said: ‘Because Abraham hearkened to My voice [kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My instructions].’” (Sefer Bereishit 26:5) …Raba or R. Ashi said: “Abraham, our father, kept even the law concerning the eruv tavshilin as it is said: ‘My Torahs:’ one being the Written Torah, the other the Oral Torah.” (Talmud Bavli, Yoma 28b, translation, The Soncino Talmud, with my emendations to enhance clarity)
 
At this juncture, we may well ask, “Why did Abraham fulfill the Torah if he was not commanded to do so?” My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, guides us toward an answer:
In many respects, G-d was closer to Abraham than He was to Moses. An intangible feeling of tenderness lingers over the relationship of G-d to Abraham. There is the creative ardor, moving devotion and a lack of tension. All that G-d requests of Abraham is destined to promote the latter’s happiness and greatness. (The Emergence of Ethical Man, Michael S. Berger, page 155)
 
The Rav notes that Abraham acquired the moral law, and I believe, by extension, the Halacha, through “the mahazeh, the prophetic vision, not the royal decree [as in the case of Moses].” He continues this theme by suggesting, “There is no imposition of divine authority… Only a bilateral covenant, which binds both man and G-d, was concluded.” According to the Rav, Abraham was Hashem’s friend; thus, once Abraham received his divine prophetic visions, he did everything in his power to comply with the Almighty’s every request:
G-d addresses Himself to Abraham not in the commanding, authoritative tone of the L-rd but in the comradely, friendly manner of a fellow wanderer. He [G-d] wants a covenant with him. G-d, as it were, is lonesome and He is anxious to find a companion. Fellowship between G-d and man is the motto of Abraham’s life. (154-155, all brackets and underlining my own)
 
Rav Soloveitchik’s statement that “G-d, as it were, is lonesome and He is anxious to find a companion” is a theological tour de force, teaching us that as much as we wish to encounter Hashem and draw close to Him, He, too, longs for the Jewish people’s embrace. In many ways, this concept is reminiscent of the first stanza of the stirring liturgical poem, “Yedid Nefesh,” that is often sung in Ashkenazi synagogues during Kabbalat Shabbat, and at Shalosh Seudot:
Beloved of the soul (yedid nefesh), Compassionate Father, draw Your servant to Your Will, then Your servant will hurry like a hart to bow before Your majesty; to him Your friendship will be sweeter than the dripping of the honeycomb and any taste. (Translation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yedid_Nefesh#Text)
 
May we ever strive to emulate Avraham Avinu (our father, Abraham) as we reach out to Hashem, our Yedid Nefesh, with heartfelt tefilot (prayers) and dedication to His holy Torah. 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 of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah, the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world, and the Kedoshim of the Pittsburgh terrorist attack.
 
Our parasha relates the deaths of one of history’s most spiritually-dynamic couples, Sarah and Abraham:

And Sarah died in Kiriath Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan, and Abraham came to eulogize Sarah and to bewail her. (Sefer Bereishit 23:2)
 
And Abraham expired and died in a good old age, old and satisfied, and he was gathered to his people. (25:8, these and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Shortly after the Torah narrates the story of Abraham’s passing, we encounter the following pasuk (verse): “Now it came to pass after Abraham's death, that G-d blessed his son (b’no) Isaac, and Isaac dwelt near Be'er Lachai Ro’i.” (25:11)  Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Lech Lecha IV, notes that prior to Abraham’s arrival on the historical scene, Hashem, and Hashem alone, bestowed brachot (blessings) upon mankind. As proof of this assertion, the Midrash cites the cases of Adam, Eve and Noah, wherein we find: “And G-d blessed them [Adam and Eve], and G-d said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…’” (1:28), “And G-d blessed Noah and his sons, and He said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.’” (9:1) According to the Midrash, this changed at the beginning of Parashat Lech Lecha when Abraham responded to Hashem’s call:

“Go forth from your land and from your birthplace and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you. And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and [you shall] be a blessing (v’heyah bracha).” (Emendations my own)
 
At this juncture, our Midrash suggests that Abraham acquired the ability to bestow a bracha upon others. If that is the case, why did the Almighty, rather than Abraham, bless Isaac in our parasha -13 chapters later? The Midrash suggests the following answer:

Once Isaac was born, Abraham very much wanted to bless him. [Unfortunately, he saw with ruach hakodesh - prophetic insight] that Esau and Jacob were to come forth from Isaac, as such, he refrained from blessing him. At that moment, Abraham declared: “Let the Master of the World come and bless he Whom He so desires.” (Translation and brackets my own)
 
In sum, even though Abraham was given the gift to bless others, he did not bless Isaac, since through ruach hakodesh he knew his  progeny would one day include both Esau and Jacob, and did not want his bracha to rest upon Esau. Abraham therefore declared: “Let the Master of the World come and bless he Whom He so desires.” According to this interpretation, the phrase, “G-d blessed his son (b’no) Isaac,” refers to Abraham as the father, and Isaac as his son.
 
In his Commentary on the Torah, Rabbi Moses Alshich (known as the “Alshich HaKadosh,” 1508-1593) interprets our pasuk, “Now it came to pass after Abraham's death, that G-d blessed his son (b’no) Isaac, and Isaac dwelt near Be'er Lachai Ro’i,” in a very different manner. Although he begins by agreeing with our Midrash that the Almighty gave Abraham the ability to bless others, he diverges by suggesting that, in order to avoid blessing Ishmael in addition to Isaac, Abraham withheld his blessings from his entire family. After Abraham’s passing, Hashem, therefore, directly imparted His bracha to Isaac. Additionally, the Alshich HaKadosh asserts that the word, “b’no,” in the phrase, “G-d blessed his son (b’no) Isaac,” appears to be superfluous, since we certainly know by now that Isaac was Abraham’s son. Why, then, he implicitly asks, does the text add the word, “b’no?” He offers a fascinating response to this question that offers us keen insights into our relationship with the Almighty:

But it may well be said that it is the normal way for one who buries his father to become profoundly saddened - for his father’s shadow has departed from upon him. Yet, when he is a tzaddik (a thoroughly righteous individual), he is not afraid, for he knows he remains a son to Hashem, for He, may He be blessed, will be a father unto him, and he will be His, may He be blessed, son…[This, then is the correct interpretation of the phrase,] “G-d blessed his son (b’no) Isaac,” namely, that after the death of Abraham, Hashem blessed Isaac His son, as if He said to him, “If Abraham has departed, [do not fear,] for you are a son to Me. [Moreover,] I am your Father who exists for all eternity.” Therefore, [the Almighty] blessed him [Isaac] in order to strengthen his heart [and mind so he would be able to successfully continue upon his life’s journey.] (Translation, underlining and brackets my own)
 
Clearly, few of us possess the tziddkut (righteousness) of Yitzhak Avinu (our father, Isaac). Yet, we can all take comfort in knowing that Hashem has told us, “You are children of the L-rd, your G-d.” (Sefer Devarim 14:1) This means that no matter how many challenges and trials we may encounter in our lives, and no matter how dark the night may be, a new dawn of Hashem’s deliverance will surely burst forth. As Ya’akov Avinu (our father, Jacob) taught us so long ago, “For Your salvation, I hope, O’ L-rd!” (Sefer Bereishit 49:18)  May this time come soon and in our days, 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 of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
One of the many famous topics in our parasha is the destruction of the thoroughly wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. As the entire Land of Israel would one day belong to Abraham’s inhabitants, the Almighty sought to inform him of this impending devastation:
And the L-rd said, “Shall I conceal from Abraham what I am doing? … For I have known him (yedativ) because he commands his sons and his household after him, that they should keep the way of the L-rd to perform righteousness and justice, in order that the L-rd bring upon Abraham that which He spoke concerning him.” (Sefer Bereishit 18:17&19, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The word, “yedativ,” is difficult to translate, since this is the sole instance in Tanach wherein it appears. Rashi (1040-1105) suggests two interpretations of the term in his Commentary on the Torah, namely, “beloved” and “knowing”:
​
Yedativ, an expression of love…But, in fact, the primary meaning of them all is none other than an expression of knowing [on the emotional level], for if one loves a person, he draws him near to himself and knows him and is familiar with him. (Brackets my own)
 
Initially, the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270), in his Commentary on the Torah, cites Rashi’s complete explanation of yedativ. He proceeds to reject it, however, and offers his own explication of the term:

In my estimation, the correct meaning of this expression is actual knowledge (sh’he yediyah mammash). Yedativ alludes to this idea, since Hashem’s knowledge (yediyat Hashem) refers to His Divine Providence (hashgacha) in the lower world, which is limited to the protection of general categories of beings [i.e. plants, animals etc.]. This includes mankind who is subject to various occurrences [within the Laws of Nature] that take place at their own time. (This and the following passage, translation my own)
 
For the Ramban, the world at large, including mankind, is protected by general Divine Providence. In contrast, there is category of people who are individually shielded by the Almighty’s hashgacha, namely, His virtuous followers:

But, in the case of one of His righteous ones (chasidav), Hashem pays direct and immediate attention to him, to know him as an individual (hashgacha pratit) so that His protection will permanently cleave to him. Moreover, this [level] of Divine Providence and recognition will never depart from him…As the verse says: “Behold the eye of the L-rd is to those who hold Him in awe, to those who hope for His kindness.” (Sefer Tehillim 33:18, emendation my own)
 
In his Commentary on the Torah, Rabbeinu Bachya ben Asher (1255-1340) references the Ramban’s interpretation of yedativ, and expands upon it in such a manner as to make it accessible to all. He suggests that there are actually two types of hashgacha pratit. On the first level, Hashem knows all people’s actions and thoughts. The second level includes the first, and adds, as well, Hashem’s protection of an individual from harm. It is crucial to note that level one includes all people, as the verses state:

The L-rd looked from heaven; He saw all the sons of men. From His dwelling place He oversees all the inhabitants of the earth. He Who forms their hearts together, Who understands all their deeds. (Sefer Tehillim 33:13-15)
 
The second level, according to Rabbeinu Bachya, excludes most people of the world, Jew and gentile alike, and only includes the tzaddikim – the manifestly righteous:
​
The Holy One blessed be He saves the tzaddikim from the natural occurrences of the world to which the rest of mankind is subject. Moreover, He never rejects His righteous ones and never removes His “eye” from them, rather, His Divine Providence is always with the tzaddik, and will never depart from him. This, then, is the explanation of, “for I have known him (yedativ),” namely, that His providence is upon the tzaddik individually, and the tzaddikim as a category – in order to save them from the trials and tribulations that affect the rest of mankind… (Translation my own)
 
Based upon Rabbeinu Bachya’s deep insights into the Ramban’s explanation of “yedativ,” we are in a much better position to understand how, and why, the Holy One blessed be He treats tzaddikim, such as Abraham, with hashgacha pratit. In a very real sense, these exceptional individuals have reached the level that Dovid HaMelech (King David) describes in Ashrei, as:

The L-rd is near to all who call Him, to all who call Him with sincerity. He does the will of those who fear Him, and He hears their cry and saves them. The L-rd guards all who love Him, and He destroys all the wicked. (Sefer Tehillim 145:18-20)
 
Beyond a doubt, people have changed little from the time of Abraham, and the vast majority of us are not tzaddikim. Nonetheless, if we honestly do our best to “keep the way of the L-rd to perform righteousness and justice,” (18:19) then we will be worthy of the name, “b’nai Avraham” (“the children of Abraham”), and, for this alone, deserving of Hashem’s Divine Providence. With the Almighty’s help and our fervent 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 of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
In addition to the well-known passages regarding brit milah, our parasha contains two other covenants (britot) with Abraham: the celebrated berit bein ha-betarim (Covenant of the Pieces, Sefer Bereishit 15:1-21), and the equally crucial, yet unnamed brit that is found in 17:7. In these three instances, Hashem is He who initiates and defines the terms of the contractual agreements that obtain between the other parties. Fascinatingly, however, even a cursory reading of the relevant introductory pasukim (verses) reveals that in the berit bein ha-betarim, Abraham, alone, is referenced, whereas, in verse 17:7, Abraham and all his future offspring are included as parties to the covenant: 

Berit bein ha-betarim: After these incidents, the word of the L-rd came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Fear not, Abram; I am your Shield; your reward is exceedingly great.” (Sefer Bereishit 15:1, this and all Tanach and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
17:7: And I will establish My covenant between Me and between you and between your children after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be to you for a G-d and to your children after you. (Emendations my own)
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, helps us understand the essence of the berit bein ha-betarim by noting that its scope “was limited to our historical experience,” a position that is strongly supported by the famous verse that refers to our Egyptian bondage: “You shall surely know that your children will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and they will enslave them and oppress them, for four hundred years.” (15:13) In this case, the brit was enacted solely between Hashem and Abraham; Abraham was acting in the role of “the representative and father of a community, a people that makes history,” rather than as the forebear of specific individuals. (Abraham’s Journey: Reflections on the Life of the Founding Patriarch, page 157)
 
In contrast to the berit bein ha-betarim, the covenant found in pasuk 17:7 is very different in its emphasis. Instead of focusing upon the beginning of Jewish history and the Jewish people as history creators, this unnamed brit is future oriented, and assures us that the relationship between Hashem and the Jewish people is l’dorotom l’brit olam ─ eternal. As Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (“the Netziv,” 1816-1893) explains:

[Hashem] promised Avraham that He would unceasingly exercise divine Providence (hashgacha) upon him and upon all his future children, even when we would be in the midst of many foreign nations ─ up to, and including, the fulfillment of our ultimate destiny. (Ha’Amek Davar, Sefer Bereishit, 17:7)
 
When viewed as a single entity, the three britot in our parasha emerge as the foundation of the brit avot (Patriarchal Covenant). Tosafot on Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 54a, s.v. v’Shmuel amar states in the name of Rabbeinu Tam (1100-1171) that, although the Talmudic sage Shmuel declared that zechut avot (the merit of the Patriarchs) had ended during the period of the Tanach, the brit avot is everlasting. As such, according to Tosafot, “we never refer to zechut avot, but, rather, to brit avot” in our prayers and in our times of need. How can we conceptualize the nature of brit avot? Once again we are fortunate in that we can turn to the Rav for guidance:
​
The Patriarchal Covenant apparently imparts teachings to the Jewish people by example rather than by prescription. While the Sinaitic Covenant tells the Jew what to do and how to act as a member of the covenantal community, the Patriarchal Covenant [brit avot] addresses the “I” awareness of the Jew, teaching him how to experience his Jewishness. It sensitizes him in specifically Jewish ways; it expresses attitudes, ideals, and sentiments which still speak to us. It guides our feelings and consciousness rather than our physical acts, for we are duty-bound not only to act as Jews, but to feel as Jews. (Man of Faith in the Modern World: Reflections of the Rav, volume II, page 68, underlining and brackets my own)
 
I believe the Rav is teaching us a profound lesson regarding the depth-level significance of the brit avot. Far too often, we are tempted to think of Judaism solely as a religion that revolves around our rich and comprehensive halachic system. Rav Soloveitchik reminds us, however, that while this component of Judaism is absolutely necessary for the continuation of our people, it is equally vital for each of us to embrace the brit avot, so that “our feelings and consciousness” as Jews are as authentic as the mitzvot the Almighty commanded us on that desolate mountain in the Sinai desert so long ago. This, then, is the power and glory of the brit avot. With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we make it our own. 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 of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai ben Miriam Tovah and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The conclusion of Parashat Bereishit paints a dire picture of mankind’s imminent annihilation:

And the L-rd saw that the evil of man was great in the earth, and every imagination of his heart was only evil all the time. And the L-rd regretted that He had made man upon the earth, and He became grieved in His heart. And the L-rd said, “I will blot out man, whom I created, from upon the face of the earth, from man to cattle to creeping thing, to the fowl of the heavens, for I regret that I made them.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:5-7, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
On the edge of this yawning abyss, a beacon of light pierced the seemingly impenetrable darkness: “But Noach found favor in the eyes of the L-rd.” (Sefer Bereishit 6:8) Noach emerged as the savior of mankind. He “found favor” precisely because he “…was a righteous man, he was perfect in his generations; Noach walked with G-d.” (Sefer Bereishit 5:9)
 
In his Commentary on the Torah, the Ramban (1194-1270) explains why Noach found favor before Hashem:

The reason why Noach found favor in the eyes of Hashem is because all of his actions before Him were pleasant and pleasing. So, too, do we find [in the case of Moses where it states:] “And the L-rd said to Moses: ‘Even this thing that you have spoken, I will do, for you have found favor in My eyes, and I have known you by name.’” (Sefer Shemot 33:17) [Noach, therefore, was similar to Josef] about whom the Torah states: “The L-rd was with Joseph, and He extended charisma to him, and He gave him favor in the eyes of the warden of the prison.” (Sefer Bereishit 39:21)  [In addition, Noach was similar to Esther] regarding whom it states: “… and Esther obtained grace in the eyes of all who beheld her.” (Sefer Megillat Ester 2:15).
 
The Ramban continues his presentation and suggests the following:
​
Noach having found “favor in the eyes of the L-rd” is mentioned in contrast to the actions of his generation, since all of their actions caused despondency before Him, may He be blessed. [In contrast,] it says regarding him [Noach] that his actions were favorable to Him. Afterwards, [the Torah states explicitly] why he [Noach] was considered good before Him, i.e., he was a completely righteous individual. (Translation, and brackets my own)
 
According to the Ramban, Noach was comparable in status to Moshe, Yosef, and Esther. Like these individuals, he was unquestionably a tzaddik (righteous individual), a true hero of the spirit, and a model for us all.
 
The Ramban’s presentation of Noach’s greatness is further enhanced when we realize that he is the sole figure in Tanach to receive the appellation, “ish tzaddik” (Sefer Bereishit 6:9). In addition, within this verse, the Torah extends its praise and calls him “tamim” (“pure and unblemished”). What is the difference between these expressions? Talmud Bavli, Avodah Zarah 6a formulates it in this fashion: “Tzaddik − in his actions (b’ma’asav); tamim – in his ways (b’drachov).” Rashi (1040-1105), commenting upon the Talmud’s explanation of these terms, notes that tzaddik b’ma’asav teaches us that in stark contradistinction to the rest of his generation, Noach did not participate in robbery (chamas), whereas tamim b’drachov specifically refers to his consummate humility (anav v’shafale ruach). In short, both Noach’s behavior and middot (ethical characteristics) were second to none.
 
Given Noach’s stellar persona, Rashi’s midrashically-infused gloss on the phrase, “Noach walked with (et) G-d,” is difficult to understand:

But concerning Abraham, Scripture says “…I am the Almighty G-d; walk before Me (“lefani”) and be perfect.” (Sefer Bereishit 17:1)  Noah required [G-d’s] support to uphold him [in righteousness], but Abraham strengthened himself and walked in his righteousness by himself.
 
The etymological difference between these two pasukim (verses) resides in the use of the word “lefani” (“before Me”) that appears in 17:1, and the expression “et” that is found in 6:9. The Maharal (1520-1609) takes issue with Rashi’s comment. In his commentary on the Torah entitled, “Gur Aryeh,” he emphasizes that there is nothing in the expression “Noach walked with G-d” (“et haElokim hithalech Noach”) that indicates that “the Holy One blessed be He helped Noach” – any more than he helped Abraham. In other words, there is no substantive distinction between “lefani” and “et,” and, by extension, seemingly no difference between Noach and Abraham.
 
Instinctively, however, we know that Noach and Abraham were very different kinds of people. After all, Noach never prayed on behalf of his generation to save them from the impending flood, while 10 generations later, Abraham did precisely this regarding the evil people of S’dom. (Sefer Bereishit 18:23-32)  Yet, if they were both tzaddikim, how can we account for this difference? In his Kedushat Levi, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak ben Meir of Berdichev, Russia (“the Berdichever,” 1740-1810) answers our question in his examination of the first verse of our parasha. He suggests that there are two archetypes of tzaddikim that serve the Creator:

One kind of tzaddik serves the Creator, may He be blessed, with tremendous fervor, yet, he remains focused upon himself and makes no attempt to bring the evil people nearer to the Creator, may He be blessed, to serve Him. Instead, he remains alone in his service to the Creator. (This and the following translations my own)
 
The Berdichever now proceeds to elucidate the qualities of the second type of tzaddik:

[A person in the second category of tzaddikim] serves his Creator and brings back (u’machzir) the evil people of the world [from their evil, i.e. to do teshuvah] so that they, too, can be amongst those who serve the Creator. [Prominent among them] was our father, Abraham, who was responsible for converting people to become converts. (See Midrash Bereishit Rabbah 39:14)
 
In sum, the Berdichever provides us with two models of tzaddikim. The first is completely inner-directed and focused upon his own spiritual growth and relationship with Hashem. The second, as well, serves Hashem with his entire heart and soul, and furthermore fulfills his role as a servant of Hashem by bringing others tachat kanfei HaSchechinah (under the wings of the Almighty). As we have seen, the Berdichever explicitly states that Abraham was the embodiment of the second type of tzaddik. Subsequently, he notes that Noach was unquestionably the representative of the first kind of tzaddik:

Noach, for and by himself alone, sought to serve the Creator, may He be blessed. He did not, however, involve himself with his fellow man to bring them closer to become servants of the Creator blessed be He.
 
Based upon the Berdichever’s trenchant analysis, we are now in a better position to note the differences that obtained between Noach and Abraham, and to understand why the Ramban favorably compared Noach to Moses, Josef, and Esther. I believe that the Berdichever profoundly understood human nature, and rejoiced in the many different kinds of people that are woven into the grand tapestry we call mankind. For this Chasidic master, all people, and all types of tzaddikim, have a role to play in the great drama of life. As such, Noach, in his generation, was exactly the archetype of a tzaddik that was required to ensure the continuation of the human race, while Abraham was the kind of tzaddik that was needed to help the world enhance its connection with the Almighty, and to ultimately found the Jewish people.
 
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 of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha has always fascinated me. In my view, it contains some of the most thought- provoking and intellectually challenging pasukim (verses) in the Torah. One of the most notable examples is the description of man’s creation: “And the L-rd G-d formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life (nishmat chayim), and man became a living soul (l’nefesh chaya).” (Sefer Bereishit 2:7, this and the following Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  Like the very first verse of the Torah, “In the beginning of G-d’s creation of the heavens and the earth,” our pasuk conceals far more than it reveals. Little wonder, then, that it has captured the attention of our greatest meforshim (Tanach interpreters).
 
Rashi (1040-1105), building upon the translation of Onkelos (35-120 CE), focuses part of his interpretative efforts on the phrase, “l’nefesh chaya,” and suggests the following analysis: “Cattle and beasts were also called living souls, but this one of man is the most alive of them all, because he was additionally given intelligence and speech.” Somewhat surprisingly, Rabbi Shlomo Ephraim ben Aaron Luntschitz (1550 – 1619), in his monumental work of Torah exegesis entitled “Kli Yakar,” completely rejects Rashi’s gloss. Moreover, in his view, nishmat chayim, rather than l’nefesh chaya, is the crucial phrase to comprehend in order to understand man’s authentic nature:

Nishmat chayim must be understood as the eternal rational soul (hanefesh hamaskelet hanetzachi).  Come and learn – [after all,] who was the One who breathed [into Adam the soul of life]? We, therefore, find that this [i.e. the nishmat chayim] refers to a portion of
G-dliness (chalek Elokah) from above. (This and the following translations my own)
 
In sum, Rav Luntschitz shifts the emphasis of the pasuk from l’nefesh chaya to nishmat chayim, defines the latter term in an unprecedented manner, and declares it to be a heavenly portion of G-dliness. Beyond a doubt, this is simultaneously an intellectual and theological tour de force.
 
Rav Luntschitz continues his exposition of our verse and notes that Hashem’s overwhelming kindness in providing every person with a nishmat chayim is necessary but insufficient for the achievement of the highest level of humanity. Instead, we must respond in kind, and tirelessly expend our energies in order to reach the heights of that which makes us truly human:

This is to say, that although Hashem breathed the eternal rationale soul into Adam, nonetheless, man, at the outset of his being, is indistinguishable from any other living soul (nefesh chaya) and is just like the other animals. [As the text states:] “For man is born as a wild donkey.” (Sefer Iyov 11:12)  [Moreover,] the essence of man’s perfection (shlaimuto) is contingent upon the diligence of his labors and the degree of good inherent in his choices − as he opens his [potentially] intellectually maturing eyes (einei sichlo) while growing in age.
 
At this juncture, Rav Luntschitz clarifies the thrust of his presentation:

Regarding the beginning of a person’s life – although Hashem has already breathed into an individual the soul of the breath of life (nishmat ruach chayim) – this soul will nonetheless never be actualized and will remain solely in potential, unless he will try with depth-level efforts to go to the “head of the troops,” and fight the war of Hashem. If he fails to do so, he will remain in his original animalistic state (i.e. ruled by the yetzer harah) and will be the equivalent of an animal…The text reveals this matter to us [through the use of the phrase, “nishmat chayim,”] in order to teach us the [vital] lesson that man should never beguile himself into thinking (lit. “saying”) that he can achieve perfection (shlaimuto) without tremendous effort and persevering exertion…rather, everything depends upon his own actions…
 
In my estimation, Rav Luntschitz’s explication of nishmat chayim is reminiscent of Rabbi Akiva’s famous response to the evil Roman governor, Turnus Rufus, when asked: “If [your] G-d is desirous that man should have a brit milah (ritual circumcision), why does the newborn not exit his mother’s womb in this state?” Rabbi Akiva’s response informs our understanding of the mitzvot until our present moment: “Because the Holy One blessed be He did not give the mitzvot to the Jewish people except to [spiritually] purify them through their performance.” (Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Tazria V, translation my own)  Rabbi Akiva is teaching us a fundamental lesson concerning our relationship with the Almighty: A newborn male baby is born in a state of physical imperfection; the mitzvah of brit milah removes this deficiency and sets him on a lifelong path toward spiritual perfection. Therefore, through the fulfillment of this commandment, we join our Creator and become His partner in Creation (shutaf im HaKadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit).
 
I believe that Rav Luntschitz is teaching us a parallel lesson on the moral–ethical plane of human existence: Just as we perfect the physical body that Hashem has bestowed upon us through the mitzvah of brit milah, and thereby serve as shutfim im HaKadosh Baruch Hu b’ma’aseh Bereishit, so, too, must we consistently actualize the nishmat chayim that He has given us, in order to be His partners in Creation and ultimately become all that we can be. As the Ibn Ezra (1089-1167) taught us so long ago in his celebrated liturgical poem (piyyut), “My soul thirsts for G-d, for the living G-d, my heart (mind) and my body run to the living G-d.” (Translation my own)
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we ever seek to become His shutfim b’ma’aseh Bereishit. V’chane yihi ratzon.
​
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Shabbat Chol HaMoed Succot and Shabbat Chol HaMoed Pesach share the same main kriah (Torah reading): Sefer Shemot, Parashat Ki Tisa, 33:12-23 and 34:1-26. The source for these passages is a statement in Talmud Bavli, Megillah 31a: “Rav Huna said in the name of Rav: ‘On the Sabbath which falls on the intermediate days of the festival, whether Passover or Succot, the passage we read from the Torah is ‘Look − you say to me…’” (Translation, The Soncino Talmud, with my emendations)  The rationale for this particular reading initially seems clear, since we find a mention of both Shabbat and the Festivals contained therein:

Six days you may work, and on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing and in harvest you shall rest…The Festival of Unleavened Cakes you shall keep; seven days you shall eat unleavened cakes which I have commanded you…And you shall make for yourself a Festival of Weeks, the first of the wheat harvest, and the festival of the ingathering, at the turn of the year. (Sefer Shemot 34:21, 18, 22, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Rav Ephraim Piekarski notes that these pasukim (verses) contain nearly the exact same wording as earlier verses found in Sefer Shemot, Parashat Mishpatim15:16 and 23:16.
(http://www.haoros.com/Archive/index.asp?kovetz=886&cat=11&haoro=0) He asks, “Why did Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) choose the verses in Parashat Ki Tisa as the kriah for Shabbat Chol HaMoed, rather than those of Parashat Mishpatim?” While Rav Piekarski provides a cogent halachically-based answer, I would like to offer my own response to his question.
 
Our Torah reading for Shabbat Chol HaMoed is comprised of 36 pasukim, of which the first 29 contain no mention of either Shabbat or the Festivals. Instead, they focus upon Moshe’s dialogical encounter with the Almighty following the egregious sin of the Chet HaEgel (Golden Calf), and the receiving of the second set of luchot (Tablets of the Law).
 
Initially, we may be stymied as to why Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) chose these 29 pasukim to be read at this time. Yet, I believe the concept of machshava (thought) links these verses to Shabbat Chol HaMoed. This idea is given powerful voice in Rav Shlomo Alkabetz’s Lecha Dodi when he describes Shabbat as “sof ma’aseh, b’machshava techilah” (“last to be created, yet first in thought”).  As many sources intimate, the nexus between Shabbat and Hashem’s machshava in this Friday evening hymn is hardly accidental. Shabbat, and by extension the Festivals, underscore the unique import of machshava for these holy days, which provide the Jewish people with an unsurpassed opportunity for serious reflection. Moreover, in a very real sense, we emulating Hashem when we apply the thought component on Shabbat and the Festivals.
 
Based upon the singular connection that obtains between Shabbat, the Festivals and machshava, we can better understand why Chazal included the extended dialogue between Hashem and Moshe at the beginning of our Torah reading. Herein, we find a number of crucial spiritual concepts and theological principles that enhance our Shabbat and Yom Tov experience. Allow me to focus upon one of them: “For how then will it be known that I [Moshe] have found favor in Your eyes, I and Your people? Is it not in that You will go with us? Then I and Your people will be distinguished (niflinu) from every [other] nation on the face of the earth.” (Sefer Shemot 33:16) In what way will we be niflinu if Hashem’s Schechinah (Divine Presence) is amongst us? Not surprisingly, this is a question that has captured the hearts and minds of many of our greatest thinkers.
 
Rabbi Meir Leibush ben Yehiel Michel Wisser (known as the “Malbim,” 1809-1879) grapples with our question and provides us with an original answer:

The only way that the Jewish people will be distinguished (niflinu) from the rest of mankind will be if You [Hashem] “will go with us.” This is the case, since all of the other nations of the world are guided by the hand of heavenly beings and angels, whereas we are separate from them in the sense that we are not under the control of any heavenly being or angel. Instead, “the L-rd’s portion is His people Jacob, the lot of His inheritance.” (Sefer Devarim 32:9) – as such, we are guided solely by His providence (hashgachato). (Translation, my own)
 
The Malbim’s interpretation of niflinu is unique. In relatively few words, he reminds us of the exceptional relationship we share with the Almighty that is personified in a verse from a Yom Kippur tefilah we recently sang together: “ki anu amecha v’Atah Elokeinu” (“For we are Your people, and You are our G-d”). In other words, we are the Creator’s am hanivchar (chosen people) and, as such, we and we alone are directly tachat kanfei HaSchechinah (under His divine Providence).
 
What does the expression, “am hanivchar,” mean in a practical sense? In my estimation, the former Chief Rabbi of England, Sir Jonathan Sacks, offers one of the best modern presentations of this concept. He notes that many people are misled into believing that the idea of “choseness” is tantamount to G-d rejecting all the other nations and, consequently, connotes arrogance and elitism. Rabbi Sacks suggests, however, that nothing could be further from the truth: “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) Rabbi Sacks emphasizes a very different approach to understanding our one-of-a kind role in Hashem’s grand plan for mankind. He maintains that our election 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.”
 
We now see that Chazal chose Shabbat Chol HaMoed’s Torah reading, with its seemingly extraneous 29 initial pasukim, precisely because these include multiple yesodei haTorah v’ikarei emunah (fundamental principles of Jewish belief) that this Shabbat uniquely allows us to contemplate. Prominent among these theological principles is the notion of niflinu – am hanivchar. Armed with Rabbi Sacks’ explanation of this concept, may we ever strive to live distinguished lives so that we will serve as role models for all mankind. Then, as Isaiah the prophet taught us so long ago, may we truly be a “light unto nations,” (49:6) and Hashem’s “witnesses” to the entire world. (43:10). With the Almighty’s guidance and our fervent desire, may this be so. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of 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, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shayna Yehudit bat Avraham Manes and Rivka, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, Anshul Pinchas ben Chaya and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
 
The mitzvah of dwelling in the succah initially appears to be quite straightforward. By way of illustration, the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) formulates the obligation in this manner:

What is the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah? One should eat and drink and dwell in the succah for the entire seven-day period both at night and during the day in exactly the same manner that he dwells in his house during the other days of the year. Throughout the entire seven-day period, a person should treat his house as a temporary dwelling and his succah as his permanent dwelling. As it says in the verse: You shall dwell in succot for seven days (Vayikra 23:42). (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Succah 6:5, translation my own)
 
The Rambam’s emphasis is clearly upon the ma’aseh hamitzvah, the actual manner in which the commandment is to be performed. In contrast, the Tur (Rabbi Yaakov ben Asher, 1270-1340) spends a good deal of time in his introduction to Hilchot Succah presenting and analyzing the rationale behind this mitzvah:

“You shall dwell in succot for seven days…in order that you should know throughout the generations that I caused the Jewish people to dwell in succot when I led them out … [from Egypt]” (Vayikra 23:42). The Torah makes the mitzvah of succah dependent upon the Exodus from Egypt. So, too, in the case of many other mitzvot. This is so, since this is a matter that we saw with our eyes and heard with our ears and no one is able to deny it. It teaches us about the truth of the existence of the Creator, may He be exalted, and that He created everything according to His will. It also teaches us that He has the power, the dominion, and the ability, both in the upper and lower worlds, to do with them as He so desires… (Translation my own)
 
The Tur uses this introduction as a podium for presenting the true meaning and significance behind the oft-quoted phrase “zacher l’yitziat mitzraim” (“a reminder of the Exodus from Egypt”) that is found in every single Kiddush that we recite, and alongside many of the mitzvot in the Torah. In addition, he takes this opportunity to stress the conceptual connection that obtains between the mitzvah of succah and such essential theological principles as the existence of the Creator and His omnipotence in both the Heavens and the earth.
 
The Bach (Rabbi Yoel Sirkes, 1551-1640) builds upon the Tur’s analysis in order to reveal the hidden levels of meaning that constitute the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah. He notes that the Tur’s vital point is to be found in his emphasis upon the indispensable role that proper intention (kavanah) plays in performing the mitzvah of succah, namely, viewing the succah as the symbol of yetziat Mitzraim (the Departure from Egypt). The Bach echoes this fundamental notion in his closing comments:

The purpose of the mitzvah of succah is to remember the Departure from Egypt. This is accomplished through one’s dwelling in a succah wherein the shade is greater than the sun. This, in turn, is a reminder of the Clouds of Glory that protected them [the Jewish people] … through their wanderings in the desert. 

​Additionally, he teaches us that the highest form of fulfilling this obligation necessitates careful focus upon the Torah’s phrase, “… in order that you should know throughout the generations that I caused the Jewish people to dwell in succot.” The Bach maintains that this “will enable one to fulfill the mitzvah in its most proper fashion (k’tikunah).” Thus, for the Bach, if one desires to fulfill the mitzvah of dwelling in the succah in its ultimate sense, one must have kavanah (intentionality) regarding two aspects of the mitzvah, namely, its inextricable link to the Exodus and the great kindness of Hashem that enabled us to dwell in succot after He took us out of Egypt.
 
As we dwell in our succot this chag (holiday), may Hashem fulfill the beautiful words found in our Friday night tefilot (prayers): “And spread over us the succah of Your peace. Blessed are You Hashem, Who spreads the succah of peace upon us and upon all His people Israel and upon Jerusalem.” V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria of 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, Chaim Mordechai Hakohen ben Natan Yitzchak, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Avraham Yechezkel ben Yaakov Halevy, Shayna Yehudit bat Avraham Manes and Rivka, and Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Eliezer ben Sarah, Anshul Pinchas ben Chaya and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
This Sabbath is Shabbat Shuvah, a time when many of our spiritual efforts are focused upon teshuvah (returning to Hashem). One of the most celebrated works on teshuvah is the Rambam’s (Maimonides, 1135-1204) Hilchot Teshuvah. Therein, he notes that teshuvah is comprised of four essential elements:

What constitutes Teshuvah? A sinner should abandon his sins and remove them from his thoughts, resolving in his heart never to commit them again, as the text states, “May the wicked abandon his ways....” (Sefer Yeshayahu 55:7)  Similarly, he must regret the past, as the text states, “After I returned, I regretted.” (Sefer Yirmiyahu 31:18) … [And] he must verbally confess and state these matters which he resolved in his heart. (II:2, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger).
 
In sum, teshuvah consists of four inextricably connected parts: Abandonment of the sin, regret for having performed the prohibition, confession before Hashem, and heartfelt acceptance and determination that he or she will never commit the transgression again.
 
While nearly all classic halachic authorities accept this definitional structure of teshuvah as formulated by the Rambam, they differ as to whether or not there is a mitzvah to engage in the teshuvah process. Quite famously, the Rambam does not consider teshuvah a mitzvah in and of itself; instead, he conceptualizes it as a complement to vidui (confession):

The 73rd mitzvah we are commanded is to verbally acknowledge the sins we have committed before G-d (exalted be He), when we come to do teshuvah (to repent). This is vidui (verbal confession), the idea of which is to say, “O G-d, I have sinned, I have committed iniquity, I have transgressed and done ...” (Sefer HaMitzvot, translation, Rabbi Berel Bell)
 
This approach was embraced by a number of illustrious Acharonim (later halachic authorities), including the Avodat HaMelech (1869-1929), the Minchat Chinuch (1800-1874) and Rav Avraham Yitzhak Hakohen Kook (1865-1935), the first Chief Rabbi of Palestine under the British Mandate.
 
In contrast, the Ramban (Nachmanides, 1194-1270), in his Commentary on the Torah, champions the view that teshuvah does constitute a mitzvah. This position is based upon his interpretation of the pasuk (verse): “For this commandment (ki hamitzvah hazot) which I command you this day is not concealed from you, nor is it far away.” (Sefer Devarim 30:11, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)  The general consensus of Chazal (our Sages of blessed memory) is that the phrase, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” refers to the entire Torah because of its proximity to the expression, “lo bashamayim he” (“it, i.e. the Torah, is not in Heaven”), as found in the next verse. (See Talmud Bavli, Baba Metzia 59b) The Ramban, however, suggests that this approach is grammatically incorrect, for if “ki hamitzvah hazot” did refer to the totality of the Torah, it should have stated, “kol hamitzvah” (“every commandment”), as we find in the pasuk: “Every commandment (kol hamitzvah) that I command you this day you shall keep to do, that you may live and multiply, and come and possess the land that the L-rd swore to your forefathers.” (Sefer Devarim 8:1)  Consequently, asserts the Ramban, since the Torah writes, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” it must refer to a single mitzvah, namely, teshuvah:

…the expression, “ki hamitzvah hazot,” however, is mentioned in reference to teshuvah, as we find in the [earlier verses of our chapter], “you will consider in your heart (v’hashavota el levavecha) among all the nations where the L-rd your G-d has banished you,” (30:1) and you will return to the L-rd, your G-d, (v’shavta od Hashem Elokecha) with all your heart and with all your soul (30:2).  This [i.e. teshuvah] is the commandment that we are commanded to perform. (This, and the following translations, brackets and underlining my own)
 
The single greatest factor militating against the Ramban’s view that teshuvah constitutes a mitzvah, and one that was often cited by his critics, is the manner in which teshuvah is referenced in these verses. Normally, a commandment is stated in an imperative formulation. For example, in reference to Yom Kippur we find: “It is a Sabbath of rest for you, and you shall afflict yourselves. It is an eternal statute.” (Sefer Vayikra 16:31) In our verses, however, teshuvah is presented in a narrative and descriptive format that is devoid of any mandated action. This challenge, however, does not deter the Ramban from advocating the mitzvah-status of teshuvah. Rather, he maintains that the narrative presentation of this mitzvah gives powerful voice to Hashem’s promise that nothing ever stands in the way of teshuvah, and that in the future, the entire nation will return to Him:

And this [mitzvah of teshuvah was stated] in a narrative construction to hint at the fulfillment of the promise that in the future the matter will be so [i.e. the Jewish people will universally undertake the teshuvah process]. The underlying reason for this is to inform us that even if we are scattered about to the very ends of Heaven, and we are under the hegemony of the non-Jews, we will be able to return to Hashem and fulfill all of the mitzvot that “I command you this day.” For the matter of doing teshuvah is not beyond us or distant from us, rather it is very close to us indeed − and we may begin the teshuvah process at any time and in any place…
 
My rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, was very fond of the Ramban’s theological positions. Little wonder, then, that he often stressed the idea found in the Tachanun prayer (Supplications), that Hashem is the pota’ach yad b’teshuvah (G-d continuously reaches out to us with the promise of teshuvah). Like the Ramban, the Rav never ceased to emphasize that “we may begin the teshuvah process at any time and in any place…”
​
May the time come soon and, in our days, when the entire Jewish people will join together to return to Hashem with our complete hearts and souls. As the prophet Jeremiah so famously said, “Return us to You, O L-rd, that we may return! Renew our days as of old.” (Sefer Eichah 5:21) 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 of 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.