LESSONS IN HASHKAFA & HALACHA FROM THE PARSHA ...is practical and changes the person who studies it,...

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LESSONS IN HASHKAFA & HALACHA FROM THE PARSHA

יתרו:

When Yisro came, he saw that his esteemed son-in-law was standing the

entire day resolving disputes and solving dilemmas of the Jewish people.

Worried that Moshe was being overworked, Yisro recommended instituting a

system of multiple levels of judges to preside over the B’nei Yisroel, and that

Moshe should only occupy himself with resolving the more difficult cases. At

first Moshe was reluctant to accept Yisro’s advice, but after consulting with the

Ribono shel Olam, Moshe followed his father-in-law’s advice and legislated

Yisro’s suggestion into action.

Yisro might have given good advice, but it is hard to imagine how this

newcomer to Judaism could realize the inherent problems with a system with

which he is not yet familiar. This is aside from the fact that Moshe Rabeinu and

moreover, the Ribono shel Olam seemed to fail to realize. How are we to

understand all of this?

HaRav Uziel Milevsky zt”l explains that ultimately, the original system

where everyone would come to Moshe directly, was just what was in order. Only

he, the greatest teacher who ever lived, could truly educate the masses as to

what is truly the ratzon Hashem. Indeed, when Yisro initially approached

Moshe to recommend his new ideas, Moshe dismissed him and explained that

the people were seeking the word of G-d and he was therefore mistaken. True,

Moshe explained, Yisro’s recommendation was the most viable for a system of

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courts and adjudication. However, since the B’nei Yisroel search for daas

Torah, which is something much higher, the best place to go, is to the top.

Although Yisro initially accepted his answer, as he began to circulate among the

people, he discovered that many of them were agitated while waiting in line. If

these people are seeking truth, Yisro surmised, it shouldn’t bother them to have

to wait their turn. Yisro appreciated the pursuit of emes, and understood that

this wasn’t the true motivation of most of those who sought Moshe’s counsel,

and so, he returned to Moshe to relate his new findings. Not convinced that this

was the case, Moshe turned to the Ribono shel Olam Who confirmed that

Yisro’s assessment was indeed correct.

There are many lessons to be learnt. Pursuit of truth requires patience and

sometimes going to the top. This is also true. However, ultimately this is what is

expected of us as Jews. Both Moshe Rabeinu and Hakadosh Boruch Hu

thought so and only after Yisro asserted that we fell below this expectation,

were adjustment made to the system in place. We live in somewhat of a spoiled

generation when “who can I sue for this?” is almost a knee-jerk reaction.

Instead of fighting in pursuit of what is right, we argue that we are right. We

have lost sight of pursuit of emes and replaced it with molding the Torah to

further our own agendas. This causes us to lose patience with others, with the

system, and with ourselves. A yid must always ask himself ‘what does Hashem



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expect of me?’. If we do so at every juncture, we can attain the level that was

expected of us when we received the Torah at Har Sinai.

ויאמר יתרו ברוך ה' אשר הציל אתכם מיד מצרים וכו':

The Gemara (Sanhedrin 94a) criticizes Moshe Rabeinu and all of K’lal

Yisroel for not saying “boruch Hashem” for being saved from the Mitzrim. Only

Yisro, it seems, came to realize this on his own. This needs to be understood.

Not only did k’lal Yisroel not take their salvation for granted, as if it was

something that was coming to them, but after they crossed through Yam Suf,

they recited the shiras ha’Yam in unison, singing the praises of Hakadosh

Baruch Hu. What then, does the Gemara mean that Yisro was the first one to

say ‘boruch Hashem’ and why should this reflect negatively on the entire Jewish

people?

The Sefer Zera Shimshon explains that there is a fundamental difference

between praising Hashem and saying “boruch Hashem”. “Boruch”, he explains

is not a praise per se, but rather an obligation incumbent upon anyone who has

been saved from crisis. This indeed, is the basis of birchas ha’gomel, which is

recited by one who has survived a precarious situation. About birchas ha’gomel,

the gemara (Berachos 54b) says ‘[in] four [types of situations], one is obligated

to thank Hashem”. Among these four are one who travelled overseas or through



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the desert. Although in Talmudic times such travels were wrought with danger,

one who succeeded in his journey could not claim to have escaped the clutches

of death; such travel was somewhat common and by embarking on such a

journey one was not considered tantamount to endangering one’s life.

Nevertheless, it is specifically in these cases that the one is obligated to recite

birchas ha’gomel.

If we carefully examine the wording of the beracha - “ha’gomel la’chayavim

tovos...” ([that Hashem] bestows good on to those who are ‘guilty’) - we can

understand that the main point here is not to praise Hakadosh Baruch Hu for his

salvation, but rather to realize that we were indeed undeserving of being saved.

In other words, k’lal Yisroel may have praised Hakadosh Baruch Hu for their

miraculous salvation. They sang shira “zeh keili v’anveihu”, promising to glorify

G-d and His Torah and mitzvos for taking them out of Mitzrayim “with a bang”,

but they did not understand that on their own merits, they deserved none of this.

Nevertheless, Hakadosh Baruch Hu fulfilled his promise to the Jewish people

and took them out of Mitzrayim. Yisro, saw how Hakadosh Baruch Hu split the

sea in a wondrous way. Perhaps these were indeed great people deserving of

being saved with such grandeur. Shortly thereafter however, the entire nation

came under attack from Amaleik. Then, Yisro realized that K’lal Yisroel wasn’t

deserving of such miracles on their own merits. He came to Moshe and told him

“boruch Hashem”. Thanking Hakadosh Baruch Hu here is an obligation to



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realize that you got more than you deserve. Singing Hashem’s praises is not

nearly enough!

There is a lesson here for all of us. Not matter what difficulties and

challenges life presents us with, we can always find some areas in which we

have clearly received “more than we deserve”. Next time we answer “boruch

Hashem”, let us take the opportunity to understand how indebted we really are.

כנפי נשרים ואבא אתכם אלי'-אתם ראיתם אשר עשיתי למצרים ואשא אתכם על

As introduction to matan Torah, Hashem proclaims that He lifted us up on

the wings of eagles and brought us close to Him. Exactly what this means, is a

matter of discussion. According to the Targum Onkelos, this ”closeness" refers

to avodah, presumably primarily that of korbanos. The Targum Yerushalmi

however, understands that being close to Hashem means learning Torah. Both

of these approaches are understandable, and each one is a unique

manifestation of being close to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. It is the Targum Yonoson?

s translation that begs explanation. He explains that on the night of yetzias

Mitrayim, Hashem lifted up the entire Jewish people and transported them to

Har HaMoriah, the future site of the Beis HaMikdash, so that they could offer

the korban Pesach in that location. After this, Hashem returned them to

Mitrayim and “from there” Hashem brought them close so that we could learn



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His Torah?. This certainly begs explanation: It seems as if the Targum Yonoson

understands that the closeness to Hashem involved both Torah and avodah. It

also appears that the avodah is necessary in order to get to ”Torah". This needs

to be understood and furthermore needs to be reconciled with that which

Chazal tell us that learning Torah is greater (than doing mitzvos) because

learning brings one to fulfilling the mitzvos, and not the other way around. Also,

why was it necessary for Hashem to transport the entire nation to the place

where the Beis HaMikdash would eventually stand and how does this impact on

kabalas ha’Torah as the Targum Yonoson implies?

We would like to suggest the following approach: At first glance, there

seens to be a contradiction in Chazal as to which is greater, talmud Torah, or

mitzvos. On the one hand, the mishna tells us that “Talmud Torah k'neged

kulam" - that Torah is greater than all of the mitzvos. On the other hand,

however, Chazal tells us that talmud Torah is greater because it brings one to

fulfillment of the mitzvos, implying that Torah is only greater because it also

results in mitzvos and has both components. How are we to understand this?

The answer is that ultimately, Torah is primary and is in of itself greater than any

other mitzvah, even if his studies will not be applied on a practical level, for

example, a non-kohein who learns seder koshim. Nevertheless, the actual

study of Torah is greater. The reason why this is so, however, is because Torah

is practical and changes the person who studies it, because it is possible. In



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other words, Torah is not theoretical. It is very real and relevent. However, it is

not just a guide book to know what to do, and is chas v'shalom, not relevent

when it does not apply. Therefore, even when it does not apply on a practical

level, Torah study alone has a real effect on the person learning it and is

therefore greater. Perhaps this was what Hashem meant when he consoled

Avraham by telling him that even when there is no Beis HaMikdash, learning

the parshios of the kobanos is a sufficient "substitute" for offering them.

Yetzias Mitzrayim was a prerequisite for kabalas haTorah. So it seems, was

the first korban Pesach. While Hashem could have merely commanded k’lal

Yisroel to make the very first korban Pesach in Mitzrayim, it wouldn’t be the

same as a korban offered in the Beis HaMikdash. In order to give the Jewish

people to ability to offer a "real" korban, Hakadosh Baruch Hu lifted the entire

nation and transported them to Har HaMoriah. That night, although the Jewish

people were still in golus, they offered a real korban, and from that moment on,

they realized that everything in Torah has the potential to become a reality.

From there, they understood that learning Torah is also very real. In the words

of the Targum Yonoson, “from there, they were able to learn His Torah”.

This is a lesson for all of us. Of course, we need to know what to do first.

There is definite reason to choose to learn somethings over others. But we

need to understand that when we get to a piece of gemara that seems ?

irrelevant?, we are mistaken in our approach to Torah sudy. When Daf Yomi



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begins meseches Pesachim a few weeks after Pesach, we must understand

that it is also a very appropriate time to learn about.

ויתיצבו בתחתית ההר:

Chazal tell us (Shabbos 88a) that before Hashem gave us the Torah, he

picked up the mountain and held it over the people’s heads and announced “..if

you accept the Torah, all will be well, and if not, you will be buried here...” The

Gemara goes on to suggest that since an acceptance made under duress is not

binding, one could therefore be excused from keeping the Torah. Rava,

however explains that this was only true until Purim when k’lal Yisroel re-

accepted the Torah in the times of Esther. Since our acceptance at that time

was not forced, K’lal Yisroel became obligated to keep the Torah.

HaRav Eliyahu Meir Bloch zt”l explains the Gemara metaphorically. When

the Jewish people stood at the foot of Har Sinai, they had just witnessed the ten

makos, were then removed from the clutches of their oppressors, and crossed

through the sea, on a path of dry land. Over the seven weeks leading up to

Matan Torah, they climbed up fifty rungs of ladder of kedusha and tahara. They

saw Hakadosh Boruch Hu’s presence and heard His voice. Things were so

obvious, that K’lal Yisroel had no choice other than to accept the Torah. It was



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as if they had the mountain held over their head.

(continued...)

This was very good for those who were there. They would spend the next

40 years led by Moshe Rabeinu, and sustained by the mahn. They lived very

spiritual lives, on a day-to-day basis, almost like malachim. But this was not to

last forever. Eventually, the Jewish people would turn to living “ordinary” lives,

functioning in this world, living like the rest of the human race. How is it possible

for one to live in this world and keep Torah at the same time? This is a very

arduous task indeed. We could easily claim that we only accepted the Torah

under “ideal conditions”, but in our current situation. Mordechai and Esther

taught us otherwise. They showed us that even in golus, when we are

oppressed, we can feel Hakadosh Boruch Hu’s presence and see His hand. If

so, the observance and study of Torah is just as important. The Jewish people

heard their message and accepted the Torah as binding even when our

relationship with Hashem is hidden from our eyes. Nevertheless, through Torah,

we can achieve closeness with Him.

There are times throughout the year when we feel closer to the Ribono shel

Olam. Purim, Pesach and the entire month of Tishrei can be very spiritually

uplifting. But then there are the long, drawn out winters, when save for the light

of our Chanuka menorah, we get lost in the routines of life and we feel less

connected to Hashem than we do at these other times. Let us remember the



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lesson of Purim, and the importance of limud ha’Torah at these times. Then we

can merit to hear the voice of Hashem at Matan Torah, all year long!

בתחתית ההר:...

The Torah recounts how the entire Jewish People stood at the foot of Har

Sinai to receive the Torah. From the posuk however, it sounds as if the B'nei

Yisroel stood under the mountain. Indeed, the Gemara (Shabbos 88a) tells us

that Hakadosh Boruch Hu actually picked up the mountain and held it over our

heads and threatened to bury the entire nation underneath if they would not

accept the Torah. While this "behavior" needs to be understood in and of itself,

it is quite perplexing why the Ribono shel Olam would need to force an entire

nation who just embraced the acceptance of Torah when they exclaimed

"na'aseh v'nishma" expressing their desire for Torah, no questions asked.

The Sefer Panim Yafos suggests the following approach: Although the

Jewish people expressed their tremendous love for Hakadosh Boruch Hu by

agreeing to enter into a relationship with no questions asked, Hashem wanted

to show us that His love for us was even greater; that of the love a father has

for his children. In most relationships, one person cannot force the other to do

anything without jeopardizing the strength of the relationship. A father however,

can. His love is so great that he can sometimes act with force. Even if his



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children do not understand, they know that their father is acting out of love and

concern. When it came time for kabalas ha'Torah, Hakadosh Boruch Hu wanted

to impress this message upon us, that we should realize that any difficulties we

undergo in life stem from Hashem's tremendous love for us. There is another

message here too. The Panim Yafos notes that when a person begins to teach

others he naturally desists from learning from others. This happens primarily

because as one begins to influence others, he becomes slightly arrogant of his

own accomplishments. Only Moshe Rabeinu who was anav mi'kol adam (the

humblest of men) was spared from this. Even Yehoshua would have developed

a certain amount of ga'avah had he not maintained a constant presence in the

tent of Moshe. This phenomenon should present a difficulty for all of us

because, Jews are teachers. As parents, we are teachers. As friends and

neighbors we teach others (or at least we should) on a constant basis.

Therefore, we all run the risk of arrogance, so Hakadosh Boruch Hu wanted to

remind us of our inferiority from the outset. Holding a mountain over our heads

He warned us to never forget that being submissive is an absolute prerequisite

for constant growth in Torah.

Those who learn daf yomi recently learned how R' Eliezer never answered

a question that he didn't hear from his rebbe and would instead make

seemingly irrelevant statements. The Maharsha there explains that all of his

answers were really some sort of a remez (hint) to the true answer. In



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meseches Berachos, the Maharsha himself writes that R’ Eliezer only

maintained this practice while his rebbe was still alive. After he passed on

though, R’ Eliezer did indeed answer any questions posed to him, regardless of

whether or not he had heard the answer directly from his rebbe. Perhaps R’

Eliezer’s conduct was motivated by an effort to keep his rebbe in mind, always

maintaining himself as a talmid, thereby distancing himself from ga’avah.

ויאמר משה אל ה' לא יוכל העם וכו':

Hashem told Moshe Rabeinu to warn B’nei Yisroel not to approach the

mountain during Matan Torah. Moshe responded that since Hashem had

already told B’nei Yisroel not to do this, they could not go up on the mountain.

The words lo yachol (they cannot) are problematic. While B’nei Yisroel were

forbiden from climbing up the mountain, they certainly were physically capable

of doing so.

HaRav Mordechai Gifter zt”l explains that Hashem’s commands are not

simply instructions to be followed; they represent reality. The generation that

stood at the foot of Har Sinai realized this truth. Thus, B'nei Yisroel truly felt that

when Hashem forbade something it became an actual physical impossibility not

to comply with such a command. Aveiros occur only when we fail to view Torah

and mitzvos as a reality of life.



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זכור את יום השבת לקדשו:

There is a major difference between the mitzva of Shabbos as it exists in

the first set of luchos to the way it appears in parshas Va’eschanan, as written

on the second set of luchos. Aside from the use of the word “shamor” in place of

“zachor”, the Torah seems to emphasize a different reason for the mitzva of

Shabbos. In the first set of luchos, the Torah explains that Hashem created the

world in six days and therefore we should observe Shabbos on the seventh day.

In parshas Va’eschanan, however, the Torah stresses that we should observe

Shabbos because Hakadosh Baruch Hu took us out of Mitzrayim. Furthermore,

according to halacha, mentioning yetzias Mitzrayim in Kiddush on Shabbos is

essential and if one omits it, he has not fulfilled his obligation of kiddush. Also, a

midrash states that while one must mention yetzias mitzrayim in Kiddush, he

need not mention the events of kri’as yam suf. This is somewhat puzzling and

raises several questions - why would one think that he needs to mention krias

yam suf in Kiddush, and why in fact is one obligated to mention yetzias

mitzrayim in Kiddush?

The Sheim Mi’Shmuel offers the following approach: The kedusha of

Shabbos can be experienced in two ways. The first approach is that there are

six days of preparation that lead up to Shabbos, and the more a person puts in

to preparing for the coming Shabbos, the more kedusha he will feel when

Shabbos arrives. The second approach is that the day of Shabbos inherently



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contains kedusha including the ability to impart a certain level of that kedusha

into the coming week. The difference between these two approaches, therefore,

is whether the kedusha of Shabbos is earned through our efforts during the

week or rather is inherent.

The Sheim Mi’Shmuel explains that at Matan Torah, K’lal Yisroel was on the

level to bring kedushas Shabbos upon themselves. As the week progressed,

they climbed many spiritual madreigos, thereby increasing the level of kedusha

for the coming Shabbos. At that time, Shabbos was truly a zecher l’ma’aseh

Bereishis. Just as the creation of the world culminated in the very first Shabbos,

so too the avodah of every Jew during the week culminated in the kedusha of

Shabbos. Kri’as Yam Suf is also symbolic of this idea; after seven days of

“yetzias Mitzrayim” and most of the first week of Sefiras Ha’Omer, K’lal Yisroel

had worked towards something. After the cheit ha’eigel however, K’lal Yisroel

fell to a point where it could no longer generate kedusha on its own. The Jews

were on such a low spiritual level that without Hashem’s help they would not

have been able to experience the kedusha of Shabbos. Therefore, Hakadosh

Baruch Hu gave the kedusha of Shabbos to K’lal Yisroel as a matnas chinam

(free gift). This gift was so infused with holiness that klal Yisroel was able to

draw some of its kedusha into the coming week. This idea very much

resembles the exodus from Mitzrayim, where klal Yisroel was on the 49th level

of tumah, the bottom rung of the ladder. Hashem as a chesed took us out



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although we were not worthy, and from that point we began our spiritual

housecleaning as we worked towards Matan Torah. To this day, Shabbos

contains this same element of matnas chinam, since we are not capable of

generating the kedusha of Shabbos on our own. We must internalize this idea

in order to inspire us to continue working on our avodah, and it is for this reason

that we are required to mention Yetzias Mitzrayim (which represents our

avodah) in kiddush on Shabbos, but we are not obligated to mention Krias Yam

Suf (which represents a level of service that higher than we practically can

attain).

Perhaps with this, we can understand why the Torah uses the word zachor

in the first luchos and shamor in the second (and not the other way around). We

find that the word zachor indicates a preparation for Shabbos in advance (see

Beitza 15b), and perhaps the word shamor indicates guarding what we have

[already received] and that the matnas chinam of kedushas Shabbos that we

receive each week needs to be fully appreciated and applied thoughtfully to the

following week.



LESSONS IN HASHKAFA & HALACHA FROM THE PARSHA ...is practical and changes the person who studies it,...

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