Parshat Devarim

Parshat Devarim

         This week’s parsha marks the beginning of the preparation for the nation to go into the land of Israel. With the people about to enter, Moshe Rabbeinu stands before them, leading them for the last time. Through veiled and sometimes explicit references to past infractions, Moshe scolds the nation and prepares them for their journey ahead.
In his speech, Moshe alludes to the sin of the Meraglim. Within this allusion, he also mentions his fate from the episode of Mei Meriva (the Waters of Strife) where Moshe, instead of speaking to the rock to bring forth water, chose to hit the rock. Moshe was penalized very sternly for this, and was prohibited from entering the land.
         At first glance, we see something peculiar here: when referencing his own punishment, Moshe rebukes the nation saying, “With me as well, HaShem became angry because of you.” This seems uncalled for – why would Moshe blame the nation for his own infraction? Is this the behavior fitting for a man of Moshe’s stature? To blame others for ones own mistakes? We can be sure that Moshe Rabbeinu did not rebuke the people for his own benefit or personal anger towards them. No, if he “blamed” them, it must have been because he had a message for them. What is that message?
         To answer this, we must first understand that there is a concept of cause and effect in the spiritual spheres. There is a famous saying in the name of R’ Yisrael Salanter, “When we here in Lithuania are learning and acting the way we should, there is a Jew in Germany who will decide not to smoke on Shabbat”. The effect that Torah learning has on this world cannot be measured – it can bring health and happiness as well as peace and serenity, as Chazal say, “Talmidei chachamim marbim shalom b’olam (Torah scholars increase peace in the World).” This idea is further explained in Nefesh HaChaim ('שער ג), where Rav Chaim Volozhiner says that the world runs solely on the merit of Talmud Torah – without the Torah the world would cease to exist. Spiritual actions have an incredible impact, even if we can not physically see it.        However, the flip side is that not doing our job properly leads to detrimental consequences in the world. It can cause Jews to give up observance and bring pain and hate to this world. Our actions have tremendous power, and with this power comes tremendous responsibility.
         Perhaps Moshe was trying to relay this message of collective responsibility to the nation. By saying that his own infraction was their fault, he was teaching them that when the communal service of HaShem is low, it has an affect on the entire nation, even the greatest among them.
         This idea can be a source of great chizzuk to us this Tisha B'av. It should steer us away from the negative thought that ones actions will accomplish very little, because we see from here the exact opposite is true. If each one of us takes upon ourselves to love another Jew just a little more, it will have far-reaching effects on the entire nation. If we each do just a little better in our daily actions and personally cry out to HaShem to rebuild the Beit Hamikdash, it can be the catalyst to overarching change in our world. This little bit goes a very long way.
     With your help, we will not have to see a Tish’a B’av this year.
     Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Matot-Masei

Parshat Matot-Masei

Among the many topics discussed in this week's parshiot is the episode of the tribes of Reuven and Gad. Having already conquered and settled the east bank of the land of Israel, Rueven and Gad ask Moshe Rabbeinu if instead of inheriting their share in Israel, they can keep these lands as their share. Moshe castigates the tribes for this request, because it might show the rest of the nation that they are afraid of entering the land, thus repeating the sin of the Meraglim. The tribes vow to Moshe that they will "arm themselves swiftly in the vanguard of the Children of Israel." Hearing this pledge Moshe replies to the tribes, "If you do this thing, if you arm yourselves before HaShem for the battle…..then you shall return (i.e. your land)".

The Abarbanel points out a difference between the pledge of the tribes and Moshe's response: the tribes state that they will fight with their brethren, the children of Israel, yet Moshe responds that they will fight before HaShem. 

It seems that the tribe's affirmation of loyalty was based on the shared bond loyalty to their bothers; they did not want to leave the rest of the nation deserted in war. However Moshe's reply to them is "No, you must fight before HaShem," meaning that the reason for fighting should not be based a feeling of loyalty to the nation, but rather on the obligation to fulfill the will of HaShem. 

This Abarbanel is difficult to understand. Why does it seem that Moshe is reprimanding the tribes for their reason to fight? Are unity and loyalty not a foundation of the Torah? Given the time of year in which we now find ourselves, when we are told of the destructive effects of sinat chinam (baseless hatred) and the importance of ahavat Yisrael (love for fellow Jews), we would think that unity should be a central focus of our lives, and the performance of our mitzvot.

        In order to make sense of this, we must understand what it means to feel unity and compassion. Human definitions of compassion are imprecise, and are subject to societal changes. The absolute guarantee of consistent moral truth is reliance upon the definition of compassion which G-d, the Source of all morality, has set out for us. This is why it was imperative that the tribes enter their mission with the intention of doing HaShem's will, and not what they define as compassionate and correct.

        Sometimes we look at the commandments of the Torah and think "that is not moral" – as though we understand morality better than Hashem does.  But the Torah is the absolute standard of what is true, what is moral, compassionate and kind; it is our complete guide to life and is all-encompassing. That which falls outside the bounds of Torah and Halacha is by definition immoral. With our own subjective standards, we will make mistaken decisions, but when our innermost intention is to do everything "before HaShem," and we act according to the standards set by the Torah, then we can know our actions to be truly correct.  

        This was Moshe's message to the tribes and to us today, that the only way to deepen their brotherly connection is by doing the will of HaShem. May we have the strength in life to make all our decisions according to His Will and may we merit seeing the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash very soon.

Shabbat Shalom

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Naftali Kassorla