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

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

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

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

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

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

Restore our judges as in former times, and our counsellors as of yore; remove from us sorrow and sighing, and reign over us, You alone, O L-rd, with kindness and compassion, with righteousness and justice. Blessed are You L-rd, King who loves righteousness and justice. (https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/867674/jewish/Translation.htm)
 
V’chane yihi ratzon.
​
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

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

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

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

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

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

Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The halachic imperative to refrain from adding or subtracting from the mitzvot of the Torah is found both in our parasha and in Parashat Re’eh:

Do not add to the word (lo tosifu) which I command you, nor diminish from it (v’lo tigra’u), to observe the commandments of the L-rd your G-d which I command you. (Sefer Devarim 4:2, Parashat Va’etchanan, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
Everything I command you that you shall be careful to do it. You shall neither add to it (lo tosaf), nor subtract from it (v’lo tig’ra). (Sefer Devarim 13:1, Parashat Re’eh)
 
Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon the words of the Midrash Sifrei to Sefer Devarim (Piska 82), suggests the following interpretation of “lo tosaf” — do not add:

You shall neither add to it: [e.g., placing] five chapters in tefillin [instead of four], or [using] five species for the lulav [instead of four], or [reciting] four blessings [instead of three] for the blessing of the kohanim. (13:1)
 
Like the Sifrei, Rashi focuses on the specifics of existing mitzvot. We see this in his above-found explanation of “do not add,” and regarding “nor diminish from it” (4:2), wherein he states: “And so, too, v’lo tigra’u [from it i.e., three instead of four tzitzit or species of plants for the mitzvah of lulav].”
 
Rabbi Naftali Tzvi Yehuda Berlin, known as the Netziv (1817-1893), takes a different approach to our pasukim (verses). In his Torah commentary, Ha’emek Davar on Sefer Devarim 13:1, he emphasizes the difference in language that obtains between verse 4:2 that is written in the plural — “lo tosifu v’lo tigra’u,” and verse 13:1 that is written in the singular — “lo tosaf v’lo tig’ra.” He suggests that verse 4:2 in the plural form is referring to those individuals who might want to “customize” a particular commandment in a heartfelt effort to actualize their overwhelming love of Hashem. In order to prevent this, the Torah employs the plural form, as if to say to klal Yisrael (the Jewish people), “No matter what you may think or feel, you may not alter any mitzvah of the Torah in order to serve your subjective spiritual needs.” After all, did not Dovid HaMelech (King David) declare: “Torat Hashem temimah — Hashem’s Torah is absolutely perfect.” (Sefer Tehillim 19:8)  
 
In contrast, according to the Netziv, the formulation of the prohibition to add or subtract from the Torah that appears in verse 13:1, stated in the singular, contains an entirely new dimension than that found in verse 4:2. It is addressed to Chachmei Yisrael (the Sages of the Jewish people) and, in particular, to the Sanhedrin — the Supreme Court of the Jewish nation:

And here, over and above the well-known warning to individuals to refrain from adding to a positive commandment, we find [a new adjuration issued to] the various Sanhedrins [that will exist throughout history]. Herein, they are hereby warned from adding to that which has been accepted within the Torah SheB’al Peh (Oral Law), whether regarding a positive commandment or a negative prohibition...therefore it is written in the singular form, since every nation is referred to in this fashion [that is, as one entity]. This [grammatical construction] is particularly apropos in the case of the Sanhedrin, since it is the source of the entire nation’s halachic rulings... (Translation and brackets my own)
 
 
In the Netziv’s estimation, bal tosif (you should not add) and bal tigr’a (you should not diminish), therefore, represent a total of two distinct mitzvot that contain two levels of prohibition. The text of Sefer Devarim 4:2 is addressed to individuals among the Jewish people who might seek to alter Torah She’Bichtav (the Written Torah) in order to achieve greater spiritual heights. In contrast, the wording in 13:1 is primarily an admonition to the Sanhedrin to refrain from changing the accepted Massorah (historical transmission) of Torah SheB’al Peh which, like Torah She’Bichtav, was received by Moshe Rabbeinu (our teacher, Moses) on Mount Sinai.
 
With Hashem’s help and our deepest desire, may we strive to fulfill the mitzvot of both Torah She’Bichtav and Torah SheB’al Peh with authenticity and joy, and may this enable us, as individuals and as a nation, to draw ever closer to our Creator. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

Rabbi David Etengoff
​
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Like the Shoah (Holocaust), Tisha b’Av brings us face to face with the problem of evil (theodicy), namely, “If G-d is truly good, why does He allow evil to exist?” In his celebrated essay, “Sacred and Profane, Kodesh and Chol in World Perspective,” my rebbe and mentor, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik zatzal (1903-1993), known as “the Rav” by his students and followers, asserts that this question remains forever unanswered, even though it:

…has tantalized the inquiring mind from time immemorial till the last tragic decade. The acuteness of this problem has grown for the religious person in essence and dimensions. When a minister, rabbi or priest attempt to solve the ancient question of Job’s suffering, through a sermon or lecture, he does not promote religious ends, but on the contrary, does them a disservice. (Gesher, Vol. 3, No. 1, 1966, page 7)
 
He further underscores the nature of the unsolvable problem of theodicy by noting: “The grandeur of religion lies in its mysterium tremendum [great mystery], its magnitude and its ultimate incomprehensibility.” Little wonder, then, that for the Rav, “The beauty of religion with its grandiose vistas reveals itself to men, not in solutions but in problems, not in harmony but in the constant conflict of diversified forces and trends.”

If there is ultimately no answer to the question, “If G-d is truly good, why does He allow evil to exist?,” why does Rabbi Elazar HaKalir ask this question in his introductory words to the second kinah (elegy) that we recite on Tisha b’Av morning?: “How (Eikha) could You rush Your wrath, ruining Your loyal people at the hand of Rome?...” As the Rav notes:

One could ask what right [do] we have to pose such a question to the Almighty. Normally, the halakha does not permit us to ask this type of question; rather it prescribes that we unquestioningly accept the judgement of G-d. We are guided by the concept that a person is required to bless G-d for bad times, for tragedy and misfortune, just as he blesses G-d for good times (Talmud Bavli, Berakhot 54a). When confronted with tragedy, we do not argue with G-d; rather we say, “Blessed is the true Judge.” We do not understand misfortune… we have no right to expect that we will understand.” (This and the following quotation, The Koren Mesoret HaRav Kinot: With Commentary on the Kinot Based Upon the Teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, page 220)
 
The Rav teaches us that Tish b’Av is unique in that it is an exception to this overarching rule:

The case of kinot on Tisha b’Av, however, is an exception to the general rule. We are permitted to ask eikha, because we are following the precedent of Jeremiah the Prophet who posed the question eikha in the book of Lamentations. And Jeremiah posed this question only because he was given a heter, special permission, by G-d Himself...Thus, Rabbi Elazar HaKalir is permitted to address the question eikha to G-d, only because that question was already posed to G-d by Jeremiah in Lamentations.
 
The Rav’s explanation is based upon straightforward logic: Hashem gave the prophet Yirmiyahu a heter (permissibility) to ask “eikha,” and in so doing, we, as his heirs, were given the same right on Tisha b’Av to pose this question. In his posthumous work, The Lord is Righteous in All His Ways: Reflections on the Tish’ah be-Av Kinot, Rav Soloveitchik offers a different, yet complementary, response to his query, “What right [do] we have to pose such a question [eikha] to the Almighty?”

The closeness between Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu [the Holy One blessed be He] and the Jewish people is also strongly reflected in the second kinah we recite on Tish’ah be-Av, “Eikhah atzta ve-appekha” [“How could You rush Your wrath…]. One basic question is asked throughout this kinah, and it is based on one premise, that the relationship between Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu and Yisrael is the closest that can ever be. It is not that Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu likes Yisrael, or even loves Yisrael. It is more than that; theirs is a deep, intense relationship that no human being can destroy or even weaken. (This and the following quotation, page 51)
 
At this juncture, the Rav briefly analyzes the essential nature of the relationship that obtains between Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu and the Jewish people:

…the relationship between Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu and Yisrael is all-embracing, all-inclusive, endless, and without limitation. There is an absolute relationship of love between the Jew and Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu. Nothing can spoil it, nothing can cool it off, nothing can change it. And if it is between the Jew and Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu, it is certainly between Keneset Yisrael [the transhistorical corporate entity of the Jewish people] and Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu.
 
Tisha b’Av is the saddest day of the year. It gives voice to our deepest existential despair and fear as we recount, and re-encounter, the innumerable tragedies that have befallen our people. In the midst of this abject misery, the Rav reminds us that there is always hope for both the individual Jew and Keneset Yisrael ─ yaish tikvah l’Yisrael! ─ for even on this day, all is not lost. Even on this day, when we find ourselves in the throes of national mourning, we can surely rely on the “absolute relationship of love between the Jew and Ha-Kadosh Baruch Hu,” that the Rav describes as “all-embracing, all-inclusive, endless, and without limitation.” These are comforting words indeed ─ words that we surely need to hear.
​
May Hashem, in His boundless love and mercy for the Jewish people, end the Galut (Exile), bring the Mashiach (Messiah) and rebuild the Beit HaMikdash 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 Etengoff and the parasha’s name.

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.

*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
​
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, Moshe ben Itta Golda and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Both our parasha and Parashat Korach contain an expression that refers to Hashem’s unique knowledge of mankind:
 
They [Moshe and Aharon] fell on their faces and said, “O G-d, the G-d of the spirits of all flesh, if one man sins, shall You be angry with the whole congregation?” (Sefer Bamidbar 16:22)
 
“Let the L-rd, the G-d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation” (Sefer Bamidbar 27:16, these, and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)

The original Hebrew for “the G-d of the spirits of all flesh” is “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar.” In the course of his commentary on Parashat Korach, Rashi (1040-1105) bases himself upon Midrash Tanchuma, Parashat Korach 7, and explains our phrase as “He who knows the innermost thoughts of man” (“yoday’ah machshavot”):
 
…But You know the thoughts of man; You know who has committed a sin and who has not committed a sin. You know who has rebelled and who has not rebelled. You know the spirit [i.e. nature] of each one of them. Therefore, the Torah utilizes the expression: “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar” (“the G-d of the spirits of all flesh,” translation my own).

In our parasha, Rashi explicates this expression in a different manner: “...the unique nature of every living person (da’ato shel kol echad v’echad) is manifestly evident before You, O’ Ruler of the world, and [You know] that they are not similar to one another...” (27:16)  In contrast to his first explanation of Elokei haruchot l’kol basar, focusing upon people's thought processes and behaviors, here Rashi emphasizes the mahut adam — Hashem’s knowledge of the fundamental essence of each person and every detail of their being. Taken in tandem, he is teaching us that the Master of the Universe knows all aspects of mankind, including our thoughts, motivations and intentions. In short, He knows the spirit of each of us.
 
In contrast to Rashi’s comments, the beloved Chasidic rebbe, Rav Levi Yitzchak of Berdichev zatzal (1740-1810), one of the greatest advocates of the Jewish people, simultaneously emphasizes and reinterprets the words “l’kol basar” (“all flesh”) that conclude our phrase, “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar:”
A human being is, after all, comprised of flesh and blood. As a result, he has numerous needs that must be fulfilled in pursuit of his livelihood (parnassah). [They are, in fact, so diverse in nature,] that, on occasion, they may very well cause one to be unable to serve Hashem at all times (b’tamidut). (Kedushat Levi, Parashat Pinchas, s.v. yivkode Hashem, this and the following translations my own)
 
Rav Levi Yitzchak recognizes that mankind is imperfect; as such, there will inevitably be times when the pursuit of parnassah will negatively impact our service of Hashem. Based upon his boundless love for the Jewish people, Rav Levi Yitzchak presents this observation in a non-pejorative manner, and intimates that this fundamental human failing should never drive a wedge between the Almighty and His people.
 
Rav Levi Yitzchak extends this notion, suggesting that the ideal Jewish leader, like Hashem Himself, should not only accept man’s inherently flawed nature, but be willing and able to be melamade zechut (find merit) in our actions:
This, then, is the meaning of: “Let the L-rd, the G-d of spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation,” that is, a judge and a leader who will continuously be melamade zechut on the Jewish people — just like You, Hashem, are melamade zechut on an individual who does not continuously serve You [due to the daily demands of making a living].
 
In Rav Levi Yitzchak’s view, Moshe was beseeching Hashem to choose his successor based upon the capacity to find the good in the Jewish people — even when their actions would eventually fall far short of what they ideally should be. In this sense, a true leader of the Jewish people is one who focuses upon the possibilities and promise of our nation, rather than upon our pitfalls. Hashem found this crucial quality in Yehoshua, about whom the Torah states:
The L-rd said to Moses, “Take for yourself Joshua the son of Nun, a man of spirit (ish asher ruach bo), and you shall lay your hand upon him.  And you shall present him before Eleazar the kohen and before the entire congregation, and you shall command him in their presence. You shall bestow some of your majesty upon him so that all the congregation of the children of Israel will take heed.” (27:18-20)
 
Like our teacher Moshe Rabbeinu, Yehoshua was blessed with the capacity to be melamade zechut upon the entire Jewish people. This, I believe, is the meaning of the phrase, “ish asher ruach bo,” that Hashem used when He presented Yehoshua as the next leader of klal Yisrael (the Jewish people). Significantly, “ruach” is the very same word used to describe the Almighty as “Elokei haruchot l’kol basar.”
 
May Hashem continue to be melamade zechut upon us and bring the Masiach (Messiah), the “ish asher ruach bo,” speedily and in our time. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com.
 
*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 
 

Rabbi David Etengoff 
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world. 
 
The most celebrated pasuk (verse) of our parasha is “mah tovu:” “How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!” (Sefer Bamidbar 24:5, this and all Bible and Rashi translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) As early as the beginning of the 15th century, its recitation was common practice within the world of Ashkenazi Jewry: “When entering the synagogue in the morning, is there anyone who does not say ‘mah tovu’ and a few other verses?” (Responsa Maharil, 150:9, Rabbi Yaakov ben Moshe Levi Moelin, 1365-1427)  Closer to our own time, Rabbi Yechiel Michal ben Aharon Yitzhak Halevi Epstein (1829-1908) provides further support for the inclusion of mah tovu in the morning service in his classic work, Aruch HaShulchan, Orech Chaim 46:17: “The text of tefilah (the prayer) to be recited prior to Baruch She’amar is printed in the prayer books. When one initially enters the synagogue he should say, mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov — “How goodly are your tents O Jacob…” 

How and why did our verse achieve this singular placement? This question is particularly significant, since mah tovu contains the words of the sorcerer Bilam, whose goal was to lead the Jewish people away from Hashem, in order to destroy them. Therefore, it seems counterintuitive that Bilam’s statement, regardless of its inspiring content, would become one of the oft-quoted pasukim (verses) of the Jewish people. Indeed, the Maharshal (Rabbi Shlomo Luria, 1510-1573) voiced just such an objection to its recitation: “When I come to synagogue I begin with the verse ‘But as for me, in the abundance of Thy lovingkindness...’ (Sefer Tehillim 5:8) and skip the first verse, mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov, because Bilam first uttered it, and he said it as a curse...” (Responsa Maharshal 64) 

Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 105b, identifies the phrase, “mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov,” with synagogues and houses of Torah study; in so doing, it helps us understand why our pasuk has captured the hearts and minds of our people over the substantive objection of the Maharshal: 

Rabbi Johanan said: From the blessings of that wicked man [Bilam] you may learn his intentions; he wished to curse them so that they [the Jewish people] should possess no synagogues or houses of study, [this is deduced from] “How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob.”… Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: “All of them [the blessings] reverted to a curse, except the synagogues and houses of study, for it is written, ‘But the L-rd, your G-d, did not want to listen to Bilam, so the L-rd, your G-d, transformed the curse into a blessing for you, because the L-rd, your G-d, loves you’ (Sefer Devarim 23:6) – the curse, but not the curses [i.e. only “mah tovu ohalecha Ya’akov” was completely fulfilled as a blessing].” (Translation, The Soncino Talmud, with my underlining and explanatory emendations) 
 
The explanation of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana sheds light on exactly why mah tovu begins our daily morning synagogue experience: It is the one statement of Bilam that began as a curse, but ultimately became a total blessing, and infuses our synagogues and batei midrash (houses of study) with kedushah (holiness) until our own historical moment. Little wonder, then, that the Maharil declared, “When entering the synagogue in the morning, is there anyone who does not say ‘mah tovu’ and a few other verses?” 
 
Rashi (1040-1105), basing himself upon Talmud Bavli, Baba Batra 60a, offers a very different approach to mah tovu: “For he (Bilam) saw that the entrances [of the Jewish people’s tents] were not facing each other.” (With my emendations) On the peshat (direct) level, it appears that even Bilam, the advocate of all manner and variety of salacious behaviors, recognized the kedushah that reigned supreme amongst the Jewish people. Their desire to protect their privacy and family modesty was so intense that they even concealed their tent entrances from one another.  

The great Chasidic rebbe, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman HaLevi Epstein (1751-1823), in his work of Torah analysis, Maor Va’Shemesh, analyzes this Talmudic statement in a highly creative and original fashion.  He suggests that the phrase, “the entrances [of the Jewish people’s tents] were not facing each other,” hides more than its direct meaning reveals: 

We have an overarching rule [regarding the pursuit of authentic Torah-based religiosity]: Each tzaddik (righteous individual) must grasp [and develop] their own manner and approach toward kedushah and create their own unique opening [to the spiritual wellsprings of holiness] for himself (u’patach lo petach l’atzmo), rather than engage in a [mere] “command of the people that has been taught” [that is, someone else’s approach] (See Sefer Yeshayahu 29:13, this and the following translations and additions my own). 
 
Rav Epstein further elaborates upon this metaphorical redefinition of the phrase, “the entrances [of the Jewish people’s tents] were not facing each other:”  

This means that even though one may have seen their rebbe do something, or their friends perform certain actions and behaviors, and he at first glance thinks this is the manner in which he must proceed — this is certainly not the correct approach. Instead, each person must “open their own opening” [and find their own] gates of kedushah for themselves.  
 
At this juncture, Rav Epstein explains that this approach to spirituality will, with the Almighty’s help, enable each person to have the holy Schechinah (Divine Presence) rest upon them: 

This, then, is the meaning to the phrase, “And he (Bilam) saw that the entrances [of the Jewish people’s tents] were not facing each other:” In other words, no one “looked” to walk upon the path of kedushah that their friends had created for themselves. Instead, each person walked solely upon the path they had forged for themselves, and in this way, the spirit of Hashem would rest upon them — that is, the Schechinah rested upon them.  
 
Each of us has the capacity to strengthen our relationship with Hashem, so that we, too, may feel His glorious presence in our lives. He is always waiting for us to do so, for as the Torah teaches us, no matter how far from Him we may be, He has promised us: “And from there you will seek the L-rd your G-d, and you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Sefer Devarim 4:29)  Beyond a doubt, the spiritual journey is the greatest and most important one of our lives. May each of us reach out to Hashem in our own unique manner so that we, too, can declare Mah Tovu! V’chane yihi ratzon. 

Shabbat Shalom 
  
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org  
They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name. 

The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you have family or friends you would like to have added, please do not hesitate to contact me via email mailto:rdbe718@gmail.com. 

*** My audio shiurim for Women on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: http://tinyurl.com/8hsdpyd 

*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link. 
 ​

 
Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
The mitzvah of the Parah Adumah (Red Heifer) is the focal point of the beginning of our parasha:
This is the statute of the Torah that the L-rd commanded, saying, “Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for you a perfectly red unblemished cow, upon which no yoke was laid.” … It shall be an everlasting statute for the children of Israel and for the proselyte who resides in their midst. (Sefer Bamidbar 19:2 and 10, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The goal of this commandment is to purify an individual who has become tamei (ritually impure) as a result of contact with a corpse. It is intrinsically mystifying in nature since, in the course of its fulfillment, the individual who has come into contact with a corpse becomes tahor (ritually pure), whereas the one who assists in the purification process is paradoxically rendered tamei.
 
Sefer Melachim I: 3:12 teaches us that Shlomo Hamelech (King Solomon), the wisest individual who ever lived, was blessed by Hashem with the greatest da’at (native intelligence) and most profound binah (insight into the interrelationship of things) that anyone could ever achieve: “Behold, I have done according to your word; behold, I have given you a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like you before you, nor after you shall any arise like you.” Yet, even he was stymied by the Red Heifer’s irreconcilable contradictions and poignantly lamented: “All this I tested with wisdom; I said, ‘I will become wise,’ but it was far from me.” (Sefer Kohelet 7:23) According to a variety of Midrashim, the word “it” specifically refers to the Parah Adumah.
 
The great 19th century sage, Rabbi Yosef Dov Halevi Soloveitchik zatzal (1820-1892), in his Torah commentary, Beit HaLevi, on Sefer Shemot, Chapter 31, presents an exposition of the Parah Adumah that helps us understand its essential meaning. He notes that the phrase, “this is the statute of the Torah that the L-rd commanded, saying, ‘Speak to the children of Israel and have them take for you a perfectly red unblemished cow...,’” is very unusual, since the Red Heifer is singled out as being the “statute of the Torah.” He therefore asks: “At face value, the Parah Adumah is simply one of the [613] mitzvot of the Torah. Why, therefore, is it given the unusual label of the “statute of the Torah?” His answer expresses his fundamental beliefs regarding the search for the underlying rationale of the mitzvot:
… for it is precisely from the Parah Adumah that it is revealed to man that he, in reality, does not know anything regarding [the true meaning inherent] in any mitzvah of the Torah, since, [as this verse suggests,] the entire Torah is a statute (chukah) [that defies our understanding]. (This and the following translations my own.)
 
Rav Soloveitchik proceeds to elaborate upon this statement:
 
And the explanation of this concept is the following; behold all of the mitzvot are inextricably connected to, and interwoven with, one another. Moreover, each one depends upon the other – just as we find in reference to lowly man who has 248 limbs and 365 sinews – all of whom are attached one to another, and all of whom depend upon one another. This is the case, as well, regarding the mitzvot wherein the 248 Positive Commandments and the 365 Negative Commandments are attached to one another and form one unit. [As a result,] it is impossible to comprehend even one of the mitzvot without understanding all of them. Therefore, when we encounter the Parah Adumah and we do not understand its underlying principle – it is clear that we really know nothing at all [regarding any of the mitzvot].
 
Given these thoughts, the Red Heifer emerges as a protection against man’s natural hubris and potential for intellectual arrogance:
…the Parah Adumah is, therefore, a fence and a protective measure for man who utilizes his intellect (hamitbonane b’sichlo) to examine the reasons inherent in the mitzvot. It prevents him from erring in their regard... and from bursting forth [against the mitzvot] and declaring: “I am the one who knows their rationale!” For were he to do so, he would soon err and add or subtract [from the mitzvot].
 
In Rav Soloveitchik’s view, there is only one way to demonstrate acceptance of, and loyalty to, the commandments:
One must perform all of the mitzvot, with all of their specific details, according to what we have received from our Rabbis according to the overarching rules of the Torah, and the established halacha, without any deviation whatsoever from the words of the Shulchan Aruch. This is the case since he himself recognizes that he does not comprehend the depth of these matters… (Translation and emphasis my own)
 
In sum, the Parah Adumah may be viewed as the mitzvah that provides us with a conceptual model for approaching all of the other mitzvot, as it reminds us, perhaps more than any other commandment, that Hashem is the measure of all things. With the Almighty’s help, may we be zocheh (merit) to serve Him with humility and devotion as we strive to fulfill 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 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 shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.
 
 

Rabbi David Etengoff
 
Dedicated to the sacred memories of my mother, Miriam Tovah bat Aharon Hakohen, father-in-law, Levi ben Yitzhak, sister-in-law, Ruchama Rivka Sondra bat Yechiel, sister, Shulamit bat Menachem, Chana bat Shmuel, Yehonatan Binyamin ben Mordechai Meir Halevi, Shoshana Elka bat Avraham, Tikvah bat Rivka Perel, Peretz ben Chaim, the Kedoshim of Har Nof and Pittsburgh, and the refuah shlaimah of Yakir Ephraim ben Rachel Devorah, Mordechai HaLevi ben Miriam Tovah, and the safety of our brothers and sisters in Israel and around the world.
 
Our parasha contains a rich array of stimulating narratives that challenge our understanding and cry out to us, “Darshani!” (“Interpret me!”)  One of these is known as the “Test of the Matot (Staffs):”

The L-rd spoke to Moses saying: “Speak to the children of Israel and take from them a staff for each father’s house from all the chieftains according to their fathers’ houses; [a total of] twelve staffs, and inscribe each man’s name on his staff. Inscribe Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi, for there is [only] one staff for the head of their fathers’ house. You shall place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting before the [Ark of] the Testimony where I commune with you. The staff of the man whom I will choose will blossom, and I will calm down [turn away] from Myself the complaints of the children of Israel which they are complaining against you.” (Sefer Bamidbar 17:16-20, this and all Bible translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
A direct reading of our passage indicates that the Almighty commanded Moshe to undertake these actions so that, “I [Hashem] will calm down [turn away] from Myself the complaints of the children of Israel which they are complaining against you [Moshe].” Midrash Tanchuma suggests that this process was crucial, since the people were strongly opposed to the Kehunah (Kohanim) being under Aharon’s control (b’yad Aharon). (Parashat Acharei Mot VIII, translation my own) While this interpretation is certainly helpful, it does not explain the underlying reason our ancestors’ passionate resistance to Aharon’s stewardship of the Kehunah.

We are fortunate that Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk zatzal (1843-1926) addresses this issue in his classic work, Meshech Chachmah, and, in so doing, enables us to understand the “story behind the story.” In his view, the people’s negative attitude toward Aharon being granted the Kehunah was fomented by none other than Korach and his band of rebels:

For the error of Korach and his followers was that they thought the Kehunah was not a matter of segulah (unique choice by Hashem) and [genealogical endowment] to Aharon’s descendants. [Instead, they thought it was] solely a matter of the [present Kohanim’s] ability to effectively carry out the actions that they were called upon to perform (kishron pe’ulah) — which had put them in good stead in conjunction with their elevated status. If so, over time when the Kohanim would eventually sin, or the majority of the people would [potentially] achieve higher levels of kedushah (holiness) than the Kohanim, then [they thought the Kehunah could be wrested from Aharon’s future offspring] and others more deserving of this honor would join the Kehunah... (Parashat Korach 17:17, this and all translations and brackets my own)
 
Rav Meir Simcha’s position is clear: The error of Korach and his followers regarding the status of the Kohanim and the Kehunah was predicated upon a radical misconception, namely, that the Kehunah was a meritocracy, rather than a segulah and eternal covenant between Hashem and Aharon’s biological heirs. This notion is explicitly stated in reference to Pinchas, wherein we find: “Therefore, say, ‘I [Hashem] hereby give him [Pinchas] My covenant of peace. It shall be for him and for his descendants after him [as] an eternal covenant of Kehunah (brit kehunat olam)...’” (Sefer Bamidbar 25:13)
 
Rav Meir Simcha continues his presentation by alluding to the following pasukim (verses) in our parasha that describe the manifest miracle that took place concerning Aharon’s staff:

Moses spoke to the children of Israel, and all their chieftains gave him a staff for each chieftain according to their fathers’ houses, [a total of] twelve staffs, and Aaron’s staff was amidst their staffs. Moses placed the staffs before the L-rd in the Tent of the Testimony. And on the following day Moses came to the Tent of Testimony, and behold, Aaron's staff for the house of Levi had blossomed! It gave forth blossoms, sprouted buds, and produced ripe almonds. (17:21-23)
 
 
Rav Meir Simcha suggests that this kind of nes (miracle) which utilized common everyday objects, yet took them above the laws of nature, was necessary in order to provide incontrovertible proof that Aharon was uniquely both:

genealogically and [through] Hashem’s Divine choice (tevi v’seguli’i) [the progenitor of the Kohanim] — just like we find in reference to the election of the Jewish people [as the Chosen People]. [Moreover, we must ever remember] that the Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He would never replace us [with any other nation], which is the case, as well, regarding Aharon [and his future descendants], for their covenant, too, is everlasting in nature (literally a “covenant of salt,” brit melach).
 
Rav Meir Simcha concludes that just as Hashem chose the Jewish people as His segulah nation, so, too, did He choose Aharon and his descendants to be the Kohanim. As such, Korach’s idea to replace Aharon and the other Kohanim violated Hashem’s will, and His holy Torah.
 
While the Kehunah specifically rests with Aharon and his descendants, our Sages have taught us that it is laudatory for all the nations of the world to emulate the Kohanim and Levi’im, and in so doing, they will be rewarded by the Almighty. The Rambam (1135-1204) was one of the greatest scholars to give voice to this idea:

Not only the tribe of Levi, but any one of the inhabitants of the world whose spirit generously motivates him and understands with his wisdom [how] to set himself aside and stand before G-d to serve Him and minister to Him and to know G-d, proceeding justly as G-d made him … is as sanctified as the holy of holies. G-d will be His portion and heritage forever and will provide what is sufficient for him in this world, just like He provides for the Kohanim and the Levi’im. (Mishneh Torah, Hilchot Shemitah v’Yovel 13:13, translation, Rabbi Eliyahu Touger)
 
May we be counted among those who, as the Rambam describes, develop such closeness to Hashem that we become a kingdom of Kohanim, dedicating ourselves to sanctifying His holy Name throughout the entire world. Then, with the Almighty’s help and our fervent desire, may we participate in the realization of Zechariah’s grand vision: “And the L-rd shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall the L-rd be one, and His Name one.” (Sefer Zechariah 14:9)  May this time come soon and in our days, v’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
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They may also be found on http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
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*** 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.