Parshas Shoftim



This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.





Question:



"When you lay siege to a city and wage war against it a long time to capture it, do not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them, for from it you will eat, and you shall not cut it down; is the tree of the field a man that it should enter the siege before you? However, if you know that a tree does not produce food, then until you have subjugated [the city], you may destroy [the tree] or cut off [what you need] to build siege machinery against the city waging war with you" (Deuteronomy 20:19-20, translation according to Rashi).



Elsewhere in Scripture we see humans and trees discusses together. See for example Job 14:7-14 and Psalms chapter 1. So are we like trees or not like trees?







Judaism, Faith, and the Future



"Among you, there shall not be found anyone who passes his son or daughter through fire, who practices stick divination, who divines auspicious times, who divines by omens, who practices witchcraft, who uses incantations, who consults mediums and oracles, or who attempts to communicate with the dead. Anyone involved in these practices is repulsive to God, and it was because of repulsive practices such as these that God your Lord is driving out [these nations] before you. You must be totally whole-hearted with Hashem your G-d" (Deuteronomy 18:10-13).



The last verse of the passage, comprising the powerful requirement "to be whole-hearted (tamim) with Hashem your G-d" ( תָּמִים תִּהְיֶה עִם יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ) is the source for my blog's name ( http://tamimah.blogspot.com/).



What exactly does it mean to be "whole-hearted with Hashem"?



Rashi says:



Be wholehearted with Hashem, your G-d: Conduct yourself with Him with simplicity and depend on Him, and do not inquire of the future; rather, accept whatever happens to you with [unadulterated] simplicity and then, you will be with Him and to His portion. — [Sifrei]



[[See also the Ramban who regards this as a positive commandment. However, while I think one can read him as agreeing with Rashi, it seems to me that Reb Moshe certainly understands Rashi in way that makes him distinct from and irreconcilable with the Ramban.]]



From this, the great Reb Moshe Feinstein comments "[W]e must overcome our natural curiosity to know what the future holds. Not only may we not query diviners, sorcerers, or astrologers, but we actually do not have any permission to know what will happen" (Reb Moshe, 246)



[[While one could say that Reb Moshe would distinguish between "astrologers" who learn the future through supernatural means and say meteorologists (weathermen) who use science, I am unsure he would make such a distinction, however, see first question. It would be very worthwhile to see the Hebrew. This is especially the case because the Artscroll flap says the Reb Moshe actually wrote Darash Moshe, it was not transcribed by students. From the way it is written, Reb Moshe says that there is a natural course of events. (See also Ramban as a Guide by R. Moshe Eisemann, p 79 where he discusses the Chazon Ish.) Even if he held that we can listen to scientists, he would not give it absolute certainty. One must also ask if Reb Moshe holds like the Chazon Ish or like the Chovos HaLevavos/Rabbenu Yona/Rabbenu Bachya ben Asher.]]



A corollary of this is that "A person may not hold back from attempting an urgent and important task, such as founding a yeshiva, just because common sense tells him that he cannot possibly raise enough money that such a task requires, and he may not despair from doing anything. If it is an urgent and important need, he must do it, even though he knows that in the natural course of events there is no future in it" (ibid. 246-247, emphasis added).



I remember reading somewhere that when asked to found the Gateshold Kollel (center for advanced Talmudic students for married men) in England, Rav Dessler agreed saying that it was too important not to try.



It would seem to me that Reb Moshe would say we must emulate Queen Esther, who, regarding the danger in speaking to the king Achashverosh, she said "Go, assemble all the Jews who are present in Shushan and fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, day and night; also I and my maidens will fast in a like manner; then I will go to the king contrary to the law, and if I perish, I perish" (Esther 4:16).



G-d frequently demands of us and we must do His bidding, despite the fact that we have no idea whether we will succeed or fail.



Food for Thought and Discussion:



Reb Moshe has stated that for important tasks, we must take action regardless of the chances of success. However, many prohibitions are based upon slim chances of success and possible future problems. For example, there is a rule that one cannot give over 20% of his or her income to charity because we fear that the giver may become poor and require charity. (I even read that Reb Moshe did not waive this prohibition for rich individuals because they too could become poor.) Where do we draw the line and say one must act and where do we say to other issues into consideration?
Are there any actions that you could do but don't because you are worried about failure?


[[Reb Moshe cites Chazal who say that one who asks about food the next day is of weak faith. Reb Moshe certainly understood and lived this Chazal literally. See Rav Aharon Lichteinstein soft of discuss this Chazal at http://www.vbm-torah.org/archive/ral2-hes.htm. If we take this Chazal literally, (and I have strong urge not to but it could be my yetzer harah) it seems to be one could say that the disagreement over hesder is to what extant we acknowledge a bediavad situation. Rav Aharon says people don't have that faith and thus must serve. Others say, true, we don't have that faith but we should capitulate and make sure that we never have that faith.]]



[[See also http://tamimah.blogspot.com/2006/03/purim-this-is-in-merit-of-my.html and http://tamimah.blogspot.com/2006/05/parshas-beharbechokosai-this-is-in.html and http://tamimah.blogspot.com/2005/11/parshat-lech-lecha-question-this-week.html]]



Sources:

Artscroll Darash Moshe, Volume 2, by Reb Moshe Feinstein, translated by Rabbis Eliezer Eisenberg and Yisroel Weiss, prepared for publication by Rabbi Yosaif Asher Weiss



Have a good Shabbas
Mordechai

Parshas Re’eh



This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.





Question:



“Take a [second] tithe of all the seed crops that come forth in the field each year. You must eat this before God your Lord in the place that He will choose as dedicated to His name. [There you shall eat] the [second] tithe of your grain, wine and oil, as well as the first-born of your cattle and smaller animals. You will then learn to remain in awe of God your Lord for all time” (Deuteronomy 14:22-23).



How does one learn to remain in awe of G-d by eating food “before G-d”?







The Implication of Brother and Sisterhood



In this week’s Torah portion, we are told “You are children of Hashem your G-d” (Deuteronomy 14:1).



What are the implications of being G-d’s children?



Certainly there is the fact that G-d loves us, truly loves us and wants only the best for us. Even when this is not apparent, it is true.



However, I heard Rabbi Paysach Krohn, in the Chofetz Chaim video shown on Tisha B’Av, draw another profound idea from this verse. If we are G-d’s children, then we are all also brothers and sisters; we must love each, cry for each other, and provide for each other. When things go well for our siblings, we must rejoice with them and when tragedy strikes, we must feel each others’ pain as if it is our own.



Rabbi Krohn said we pray in plural for the same reason. True concern for another means, in addition to other actions, prayer. We always request from G-d, not only for ourselves, but for others.



And there are tragic consequences when we fail to truly join with others. Rav Soloveitchik says that this was Job’s sin. Sure, he prayed, but only for his family (Job 1:5) and never for others. G-d only restored Job’s position “when he prayed for his friend” (Job 42:10). (Lonely Man of Faith, 58, Fate and Destiny, 13-17). This applies not only to prayer but to all acts of kindness.



Rabbi Krohn illustrated this with a story.



There once was a poor family. This family was so poor that the father requested that his two oldest sons leave and make a living for themselves so the rest of the family could get by. One brother was extremely successful and became the head of a large business. The other could struggled for survival. As time went on, the successful brother began to forget his background and when his eventually came to request employed, he had forgotten that he had even had a brother and sent his brother away. Later, both brothers received a letter that their father was deathly ill and both traveled to be with their father. After spending some time together, the successful brother realized that his father had not spoken a word to him and, with tears dripping down his cheeks from the pain that he was being ignored, cried to his father for him to speak to him. The father replied, if you do not have a brother, you are not my son.



We must be everybody’s sister and brother.



Have a good Shabbas
Mordechai

Parshas Ekev

This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.




Aish HaTorah produced a short movie about media fraud in the current conflict. http://www.aish.com/movies/PhotoFraud.asp
Unfortunately, they don't provide us with very much information to verify their claims, or even that media organizations showed these photos. One must be skeptical but if true, it would not be the first time reporting agencies have done these things.



Question:



Deuteronomy 9:7-10:11 is all out of order. Why?





Blessings, Idolatry, and Human Greatness





Jews make all sorts of blessings. We bless before eating, after eating, before fulfilling commandments, on seeing rainbows, smelling spices, and more. But what does it mean to bless G-d? Are we proclaiming G-d as blessed? If so, would not proclaiming G-d as blessed imply that His being blessed is dependant on us? Can G-d's being blessed be dependant on us? In short, what are we doing when we make blessings?



Our first point of reference must be the Torah:



"Safeguard the commandments of God your Lord, so that you will walk in His ways and remain in awe of Him. For God your Lord is bringing you to a good land - a land with flowing streams, and underground springs gushing out in valley and mountain. It is a land of wheat, barley, grapes, figs and pomegranates - a land of oil-olives and honey-[dates]. It is a land where you will not eat rationed bread, and you will not lack anything - a land whose stones are iron, and from whose mountains you will quarry copper. And you will eat and be satisfied, and you must bless God your Lord for the good land that He has given you. Be careful that you not forget God your Lord, not keeping His commandments, decrees and laws, which I am prescribing to you today" (Deuteronomy 8:6-11).



This passage (for whose division I based on Nechama, 90-91) from this week's Torah reading, Ekev, contains the commandment of Grace after Meals, birkas hamazon, the only blessing explicitly mandated by the Torah. In fact, the Sages, when instituting the blessings, modeled them after Grace after Meals. Thus, it would seem that one way to understand the nature of blessings is by studying this passage containing Grace after Meals.



The Torah, after telling the Jews to keep the commandments because G-d is brining them into the land of Israel, a truly wonderful land, mandates that we bless G-d for the land. The simple reading of this passage would indicate that Grace after Meals is an obligation mandated by simple gratitude, G-d is giving us this land and we must thank Him. However, the Torah warns us "Be careful that you not forget God your Lord, not keeping His commandments, decrees and laws, which I am prescribing to you today" (Deuteronomy 8:11). Clearly, the wonders of the Land of Israel pose some spiritual danger to us which G-d expects us to overcome, and given its placement, it seems that the blessing Grace after Means is essential in our victory over this hazard. So what is the danger and what role does a blessing play in overcoming it.



This challenge seems to be based on the supreme quality of the Land of Israel, its delicious fruits, rich mines, and fertile soil; all gifts to us from G-d. According to Nechama Leibowitz, the fear is that instead of viewing everything as acts of G-d's love, looking at the plentitude we see the unrestrained indulgences in pleasure of idolatry (Leibowitz, 92).



Such a philosophy, of seeing the world as only a means for fulfilling our selfish desires for infatuation, in essence worship of pleasures, is, according to our great teacher, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch, the cause for idolatry (R. Hirsch, 78-80).



Opposing this is the Jewish view which says that G-d's kindness requires humans to, utilizing these new gifts, renew efforts to serve G-d (R. Soloveitchik ?). According to Rav Hirsch, a bracha, blessing, is an impetus to such action. He says "Barech means 'to bless,' i.e., to give or wish success to someone's undertaking or circumstances. Livarech Hashem accordingly means to bless God, i.e., to further or wish for the fulfillment of His Will, that is, to fulfill His Will or to utter one's resolve to act for its fulfillment" (R. Hirsch, 59).



Thus, by making the blessing of Grace after Meals, we will Endeavour to fulfill G-d's will contained in the Torah and will use all the gifts and pleasures of the land for that sole purpose. According to Rav Hirsch, this is our measurement in this world:



"[T]here is an inner criterion by which to judge a man's greatness, which differs from case: not the sum total of his achievements and the amount of resources with which he has been endowed, but whether he has used them to the best of his ability to do God's Will… Thus happiness and perfection consist of using all one's outer and inner possessions in fullest measure according to God's Will-which alone is what makes man great" (R. Hirsch, 57-58).



Sources:

The Nineteen Letters by R. Hirsch

Studies in Devarim by Nechama Leibowitz

Fate and Destiny by Rav Soloveitchik



[[R. Aaron Twerski's introduction to Artscroll Brachos, page 28. The essential difference seems to me is that Rav Hirsch focuses on human duty while those other sources focus on human dependency. I think the latter might be based on the Ramban at the end of Bo, this requires more thought. See also R. Elias who tries to partially reconcile them on 70-71. I am unsure if it works. Anyway, those other sources may fit into the overall context of Deuteronomy 8, both after and maybe even before, and other places in Tanach, but not that specific section as Nechama Leibowitz demonstrates that there is a clear difference between 8:7-10 and 8:12-18. Rav Soloveitchik may combine them both, see TLMoF note on page 78 (Three Leaf) but I am unsure.]]



Have a good Shabbas
Mordechai

Parshas Va'eschanan



This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.



A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.





Question:



"When you have children and grandchildren, and have been established in the land for a long time, you might become decadent and make a statue of some image, committing an evil act in the eyes of God your Lord and making Him angry. I call heaven and earth as witnesses for you today that you will then quickly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to occupy. You will not remain there very long, since you will be utterly destroyed" (Deuteronomy 4:25-26).



How do we resolve this contradiction?









Judaism, Sacrifices, and Pleasure v.s. Pain?



Although perhaps one should not objectively favor different sections of the Torah, subjectively liking some things over others is understood. I have always loved this week's parshah. In my opinion, it is extremely beautiful and it contains famous passages such as the Shema and the Ten Commandments. If one does not normally read over the weekly Torah portion, if one has the time this, I highly suggest doing. Its Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11. One can go to http://bible.ort.org/books/pentd2.asp?ACTION=displaypage&BOOK=5&CHAPTER=3 for a very readable translation.



As mentioned, this week's Torah portion contains the famous commandment "You shall love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your resources" (Deuteronomy 6:5).



This passage raises many questions, what does it mean to love G-d, how can G-d command emotions, how does one come to love G-d, etc. These questions are not the focus of this devar Torah.



The Rambam describes love of G-d as follows:

"What is appropriate love? This is an extremely strong and profound love of God, so that one's soul is committed to the love of God and that one will be so preoccupied with it that one will appear to be lovesick, in which one's mind is perpetually occupied at all times with a particular woman. Apart from this, one's love of God has to be absolute and continuous, as we have been commanded: '...with all your heart and with all your soul.' Solomon said by way of example, 'For I am sick with love.' The entire Song Of Songs is exemplary of this concept [of the love of God]" (Hilchos Teshuvas 10:3).



According to the Rambam, loving G-d is an emotion, an emotion which controls our very being. And since true love (not infatuation) is extremely pleasurable, loving G-d must be even more pleasurable. Additionally, given that the Rambam said it must be "absolute and continuous", it logically follows that:



"The love of the Holy One, Blessed be He, will not be anchored in the human heart until man is completely enraptured by it and abandons everything else in the world other than it" (Hilchos Teshuva 10:6).



The Torah's command to love G-d requires us to abandon all else in the world. It is clear that loving G-d demands from us sacrifices, very real sacrifices. It requires pain.



But wait a sec! If loving G-d is pleasurable, how can it require pain? Are they not opposites?!



No they are not teaches Reb Noah Weinberg, founder of Aish HaTorah. Pleasure and pain go hand in hand, just ask parent! You see, if you ask a parent what his or her greatest pleasure is, you will undoubtedly hear his or her children. Ask the same parent what causes him or her the most pain and you will hear the same thing, the children! Its like the old saying, no pain no gain. Ok. So what's the opposite of pleasure? In truth, the opposite of pleasure is comfort for comfort's sake, sitting around doing nothing. Everything worthwhile requires pain. ( http://www.aish.com/literacy/judaism123/Five_Levels_of_Pleasure.asp)



But one can ask, since the Rambam says that loving G-d requires abandoning everything else, is there anything else in life that is worthwhile? Perhaps not but loving G-d according to the Rambam clearly requires one to enjoy life (Hilchos Deos 3:1).



There are many joys in life and G-d wants to experience them. And these true joys require pain.



I highly suggest others read http://www.aish.com/literacy/judaism123/Five_Levels_of_Pleasure.asp which Reb Noah Weinberg discusses different levels of pleasures and how to achieve them.



We Jews are to seek true pleasure. Yes, it requires pain but so what!



Shlomo Horowitz said that Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg said "It is hard to be a good Jew, but boy is it worth it!" ( http://burgncsy.org/index.php/weblog/comments/being_a_jew_is_a_great_deal_of_work_and_sacrifice/)



[[Halakhic Man, note 4, and pages 76-77]]



Have a good Shabbas
Mordechai

Tisha B’Av – The Fast of the Ninth of Av

This is in the merit of my grandmother Esther bat Mazal. May she have a speedy and complete recovery.

A note: Comments within double brackets, [[abc]], are notes I write for myself so that when I look back later on the topics I discussed, I see all the sources I looked at and how I understood them. Readers are encouraged to skip them.


Israeli Chief Rabbis Urge us to Fast:
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1153292056542&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

“The chief rabbis of Israel called this week on secular Jews to join their religious brethren in fasting on Tisha Be'av as a way of showing solidarity and unity at a time of war.

"Those brothers and sisters who usually do not fast should make a special effort to do so this year to express the pain of those adversely affected by the war," wrote Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar.
The fast begins at sundown on Wednesday night and ends on Thursday at about 8 p.m.

"The Israeli nation is connected one to the other by mutual responsibility, the rabbis wrote." On this day, a national day of mourning, it is especially important to show and express our pain and hurt over the dissension that caused the destruction of the Temple."”


From www.Artscroll.com:
PRAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WITH THIS FREE DOWNLOAD
As the situation in Israel grows more acute and our brothers and sisters are showered with missiles, a call has been issued calling for the daily recitation of Tehillim / Psalms by every Jew. We are urged to devote at least a few minutes a day to pray for our brethren and specifically to recite Psalms 20, 83, 121, 130 and 142.
In order to facilitate these meaningful prayers, we are providing a FREE DOWNLOAD of the recommended Psalms, excerpted from the Schottenstein Edition Interlinear Psalms.
We hope that the unity and prayers of the Jewish people in this troubled time will bring peace and security to our people wherever they may be.

Their downloads are found at http://www.artscroll.com/itehillim.html#tehillim.


Aish.com produced a short two minute film about the current Mid-East Conflict. Its perhaps a bit simplistic but it clear presentation of its logical arguments (something typically sorely lacking) in my opinion makes it very worthwhile watching. http://www.aish.com/movies/Lebanon.asp




Beyond the Letter of the Law and the Spiritual Jerusalem

Marking the date for the destruction of both Temples, the Ninth of Av is the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, and it continues to be the date for other tragedies. See http://www.ou.org/about/judaism/bhyom/hebrew/av.htm for a partial list of terrible events which occurred on Tisha B’Av.

This is a time when we must truly morn and cry over what has befallen us and mend our ways. Specifically, in accordance with our Sages’ teaching that “Any generation which does not witness the rebuilding of the Temple is considered as if it destroyed it” (Medrish Psalms 137:10), we ourselves must depart from the sins which caused the Temple’s destruction, sins which we ourselves commit. So what caused the destruction? What must we correct?

There are actually many different reasons given by our Sages for the destruction. See http://www.ou.org/publications/ja/5764/5764summ/LEGALEAS.PDF. I however would like to focus on one specific reason:

Rabbi Yohanan said: “Jerusalem was only destroyed because they acted in accordance with Torah law but did not go beyond the letter of the law” (Bava Metzia 30b). (Tosafos understands this to refer to the destruction of the Second Temple)

[[Without that Tosafos, I would have guessed it referred to Jerusalem’s destruction after the Bar Kochba revolt]]

I have chosen to focus on this reason because Rashi and Ramban understand the verse from this week’s parshah “Do what is upright and good in the eyes of G-d” (Deuteronomy 6:18) to refer to going beyond one’s legal obligations.

Why should it be that failing to go beyond the letter of the law caused the destruction of Jerusalem?

I believe it is connected to something inherent in the nature of the land of Israel. Rabbi Moshe Eisemann cites a medrish which says that Jerusalem will expand as far as Demesek (not necessarily Damascus, possibly a location to its north). When challenged on the basis of a verse, the Medrish responds and concludes “In the future, the land of Israel will become wider and wider as it moves ‘upwards’ and will appear like a fig tree that is narrow on the bottom and wider at its crown and [in this manner] the gates of Jerusalem will reach Demesek” (Harp Strings and Heart Strings, by R. Moshe Eisemann, page 21, citing Sifrei 1 to Deuteronomy).

What exactly does this medrish mean? Will Israel look like a tree? Will Jerusalem expand into Syria? Rabbi Eisemann explains that there are two Lands of Israel, two Jerusalems. One is physical, the other spiritual. While the physical Land and City are fixed in place, their spiritual counterparts are “limitless.”

So too with going beyond the letter of the law. Rav Soloveitchik, in his eulogy for the Talner Rebbetzin said “Kindness is not always identical with greatness. As long as kindness is rational, logically warranted and justified by normal considerations, it does not have to be equated with greatness. When does kindness turn into greatness? When kindness reaches the dimension of the absurd and becomes hesed which, according to Maimonides, connotes exaggeration, too much, unwarranted and unnecessary… The more absurd, the greater the deed” (Tradition 17:2, page 81)

Rav Soloveitchik provides an example:
“’Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said: ‘quick, three measures of choice flour! Kneed, and make cakes!’’ [Genesis 18:6] Why was Sarah supposed to do all that? Sarah was not an idler. She was involved, doing her own work. Why should Sarah interrupt her activity and bake cakes for three Bedouins whom Abraham had invited? Was it not paradoxical to expect Sarah to comply with such a request? And yet Sarah did not resent it at all. She interrupted her work and got busy baking cakes” (ibid).


Going beyond the letter of the law is limitless and ridiculous from a purely utilitarian perspective. And yet, that is what is expected of us. The Land of Israel is limitless and its spiritual potential simply boggles the mind. I think the reason why Jerusalem was destroyed for failing to go beyond the letter of the law is that the Land of Israel and going beyond the letter of the law ipso facto, by their very nature, must go hand in hand! When one is lacking, so is the other. It is our task to rebuild Jerusalem and the Holy Land and this can only be accomplished by exceeding our duties and simply doing the absurd.



For more great information about the Ninth of Av: Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice-president of the Orthodox Union, leads every year a powerful exploration of the meaning of many Kinos, poems of lament, which we recite on the Ninth of Av. Past years’ videos can be found online at http://www.ou.org/yerushalayim/tishabav/default.htm.


Have a meaningful and easy fast,
Mordechai


Some information about Talner (Chernobyl) Chassidim http://www.geocities.com/azgrabe/TolnerRebbes.html

Some autobiographical information about Rabbi Moshe Eisemann http://www.yeshivakishiniev.org/about.htm