RABBI DAVID ETENGOFF: PARASHAT HASHAVUAH
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770

1/23/2012

Parashat Bo 5772, 2012

0 Comments

Read Now
 
_  Parashat Bo 5772, 2012:

Achieving True Spiritual Growth

Rabbi David Etengoff

 

Dedicated to the sacred memories of my sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra, my sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, and Shifra bat Chaim Alter, and the refuah shlaimah of Yosef Shmuel ben Miriam.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Torah is the interweaving of “ethical” and “ritual” laws. For example, at the beginning of Parashat Kedoshim, we are met with the general commandment to be “holy,” the mitzvah of Kibud Av v’Am (parental respect), and almost immediately thereafter by laws referring to sacrificial offerings. The juxtaposition of these commandments contains a vital message, namely, “ethics” and “ritual” are inseparable. Together they form the constitutive elements from which Judaism is fashioned.

The indissoluble interconnectivity of all mitzvot is a central theme of the Sefer Hachinuch’s philosophy of commandments. This anonymous 13th Century work sheds light, as well, on a particular mitzvah that is found in our parsha. During the Torah’s enumeration of the requirements of the Korban Pesach (Paschal Lamb), we find: “Ba’bait echad yah’achal lo totzi min habait min habasar chutzah, v’etzem lo tishbaru bo” (“In one house it shall be eaten, you may not take any of the meat outside from the house; and you shall not break its bone”). Initially, one would expect the Sefer Hachinuchto provide a purely halachic exposition regarding the breaking of the bone of the Paschal Lamb. Normally, this would encompass such elements as: What constitutes a break, and the time frame of the prohibition. Fascinatingly, however, this commandment becomes the platform whereupon the Sefer Hachinuch presents one of his fundamental concepts of Torah analysis, namely, “based upon the actions and symbolic gestures that we perform, a matter [i.e. concept, idea] will become permanently fixed in our souls [and mind].” As the Sefer Hachinuch states:

At the root of the precept lies the purpose to have us remember the miracles of Egypt… This is also a branch [corollary] of the above root purpose: For it is not a way of honor for royal princes and counselors of the land to scrape the bones and break them like dogs. This is fit only for the hungry poor of the people to do. Therefore at the beginning of our emergence to become the treasured choice of all the nations, a kingdom of kohanim and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6), and again every year at the same time, it is fitting for us to perform deeds, which reflect the great degree of excellence to which we rose at that hour. Through the action and symbol that we perform, we set this matter in our souls permanently.  (Sefer haHinnuch: The Book of [Mitzvah] Education, translation, Charles Wengrov, page 118)

As his examination of our mitzvah proceeds apace, the Sefer Hachinuch addresses the questions: “How do we become who we are?” and “How can we become who we would like to be?” He answers both of these in the following manner: “Hatah ozencha u’shma, alamedcha l’hoil b’Torah ub’mizvot. Da ki ha’adam nifal kfi peulotov, v’libo vchol machshavotov tamid achar maasav sh’hu oseh bahem inm tov v’im ra” (“Listen with deep contemplation and I will teach you how to reach high levels in Torah and mitzvot; know that man is affected by his actions [becomes the result of his actions] and that his heart and all of his thoughts continuously follow the actions that he performs whether they will be good or evil”). In other words, man’s behaviors shape his past, present, and future, and serve as determinants of who he will become. By way of illustration, if I act with chesed (kindness), I will ultimately become kindly in both my demeanor and personality. Sadly, the opposite formulation is no less the case.

The theological and philosophical touchstone for the Sefer Hachinuch’s persuasive position is clearly the Rambam (Maimonides, 1135-1204) in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Deot 1:7. Therein we find:

How should a person comport himself in these [positive] temperaments until they become fixed in him? He should perform these ideal behaviors (hadeot haemtziot) and repeat them a second and third time and continuously repeat them until they will become easy for him to perform. At that point, they will not be burdensome and they will become entrenched in his soul. (Translation my own)

In addition, the Rambam notes in Hilchot Deot 1:5 the manner whereby we can fulfill the commandment of v’halachta b’drachov (walking in G-d’s path, Sefer Devarim 28:9). He bases this on the well-known passage from Talmud Bavli, Sotah 14a:

Just as Hashem clothed the naked [in the case of Adam and Chava]… so, too, should you clothe the naked. Just as Hashem visited the sick [in the case of Avraham after his brit milah]…so, too, should you visit the sick. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He comforted the mourners [in the case of Yitzhak after Avraham’s passing]…so, too, should you comfort the mourners. Just as the Holy One Blessed be He buried the dead [in the case of Moshe Rabbeinu]…so, too, should you bury the dead. (Translation my own)

When taken in tandem, the Sefer Hachinuch and the Rambam provide us with a true derech hachaim (path of holy life) and a clear roadmap for achieving our spiritual potential. As always, however, we need Hashem’s help to enable us to make these changes. We need to call upon Him in the famous words of Megilat Eichah 5:21: “Hasheveinu Hashem alecha v’nashuvah. chadashe yameinu kekedem.” (“Cause us to return to You Hashem and we will return, renew our days as they were in ancient times.”) With His help, may we have the ability and desire to alter our negative behaviors, realize our true potential, and become more than who we are today. V’chane yihi ratzon.

Shabbat Shalom

Past drashot may be found at my 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 rdbe718@gmail.com.

My audio shiurim on Tefilah and Haskafah may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/7sp5vt3

I have recently 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 account: @theRavZatzal.

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

    Author

    Talmid of Rabbi Soloveitchik zatzal

    Categories

    All
    Parashat Hashavuah

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog: Rabbi David Etengoff: Parashat HaShavuah
  • Sefer Bereishit 5782&5783
  • Sefer Shemot 5782&5783
  • Sefer Vayikra 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5782&5783
  • Sefer Devarim 5782&5783
  • Sefer Bereishit 5780& 5781
  • Sefer Shemot 5780&5781
  • Sefer Vayikra 5780&5781
  • Sefer Bamidbar 578&5781
  • Sefer Devarim 578&5781
  • Sefer Bereishit 5778&5779
  • Sefer Shemot 5778&5779
  • Sefer Vayikra 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5778&5779
  • Sefer Devarim 5778&5779
  • Sefer Bereishit 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bereishit 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bereishit 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bereishit 5771&5770
  • Sefer Shemot 5776&5777
  • Sefer Shemot 5774&5775
  • Sefer Shemot 5772&5773
  • Sefer Shemot 5771&5770
  • Sefer Vayikra 5776&5777
  • Sefer Vayikra 5774&5775
  • Sefer Vayikra 5772&5773
  • Sefer Vayikra 5771&5770
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5776&5777
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5774&5775
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5772&5773
  • Sefer Bamidbar 5771&5770
  • Sefer Devarim 5776&5777
  • Sefer Devarim 5774&5775
  • Sefer Devarim 5772&5773
  • Sefer Devarim 5771&5770