Parshat Ki Teitzei: Destructive Hate

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Ki Teitzei

Destructive Hate

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In this week’s parsha, we learn the commandment that men from Ammon and Moav cannot join the Jewish people. The Torah explains that since Ammon and Moav did not greet the Jews with bread and water, the males can never convert.

My brother, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kassorla שליט״א, expounds upon this portion of the Torah magnificently, and I would like to present his ideas here, in my own words.

Rav Nisson Alpert (in his sefer Limudei Nissan) asks an amazing question: Why should Ammon and Moav be penalized so severely? Is a lack of bringing food and water enough of a sin to bar all future males from joining the Jewish people?

Furthermore, many nations have actually waged war with Klal Yisrael and yet there is no restriction regarding conversion from these nations. Seemingly, instigating a physical war should be considered a more grave sin against the Jewish people than failing to provide amenities. What is the great severity of the issue here?

​Rav Alpert answers that the restriction on conversion for the males of Ammon and Moav was not due solely to the lack of kindness they displayed. Rather, by what they refused to do that revealed a deep-seated hatred.

These powerful feelings blinded them to their better judgment, which would have lead them to seek peace with the Jewish people. Providing the Jews with bread and water would have helped form a strategic alliance with the mightiest nation of the time – the former slaves of Egypt who just overthrew a world power. Ammon and Moav were so consumed by their hatred, that they were willing to sacrifice their own well-being, all in order to actively cause damage to the Jewish people. They were willing to, as they say, “cut their nose to spite their face.”

There are numerous parallels in history; here are just a few:

1) Ferdinand and Isabella expelled a productive class of Jewish citizens from Spain in 1492. It stripped 2% of Spain’s population – the most urbane, educated and affluent inhabitants of the country. At a time when Europe’s economy was shifting from agrarian to industrial, Spain could not afford this loss. It is therefore no coincidence that this marked the end of Spain’s status as a superpower. (Article by Jean-Benoît and Julie Barlow: “1492 Expulsion of the Jews was a Disaster for Spain”)

2) During the waning months of World War II, with things clearly turning against him, Hitler ימח״ש could have devoted his trains to transport more troops to battle the Allies on the fronts – the logical and obvious military strategy.  Instead he chose to use those trains to cart hundreds of thousands of Jews to the death camps. So deep was his hatred.

3) Hamas ימח״ש hide their rockets in schools and hospitals with the hope of Israel retaliating, causing major collateral damage and sacrificing of hundreds of children and the sick. The depravity and evil of this action shows their utter contempt for the Jewish people. All worth it to kill a few Jews.

It is this powerful hatred that Ammon and Moav possessed – a disgust so visceral, so self-consuming, that one is willing to damage oneself, as long as it maligns another. This type of hate is almost impossible to rectify. And surely, if brought into the rest of the nation, would wreak havoc on our nation’s identity. They could never be allowed to join in the covenant with G-d.

At the end of the parsha, we are told never to forget Amalek’s treachery. Picking off the weakest at the back (Devarim 25:18), Amalek is to be wiped off the face of the earth for their actions.

Rashi (Ibid.), quoting the Sifri, presents a famous משל: Amalek is likened to a person who jumped into a scalding hot tub, and though the man was himself badly burned, he nevertheless cooled the water. This is what Amalek did by starting up with Klal Yisrael. For although they got burned in the process, their action caused the other nations of the world to view the Jewish people with less reverence. This is the same type of hatred displayed by Ammon and Moav; they risk personal damage just to spite the Jewish people*.

Tosafot in Menachot (37a) quotes an amazing Midrash Rabbah. The Midrash tells of a person who was born with two heads. They (or he) came before Shlomo HaMelech to adjudicate their case of how to apportion their inheritance — were they two people or one?

The Shita Mekubetzet (Ibid.) adds to the Tosafot that Shlomo did an experiment: he covered one of the heads with a cloth and poured hot water over the other head. When the scalding hot water made contact, both heads began to scream. Shlomo HaMelech said that since one head could feel the pain of the other, they should be considered as one person.

The lesson from this story is clear: if one feels the pain of another, it is a sign that he is so intrinsically connected to him that he is considered one with that person. This is the level of connectedness demanded of all members of Klal Yisrael. In direct contrast to the scalding hate of Amalek, Ammon and Moav – who desire separation and damage to another – we are expected to work in tandem, to bring the Jewish people together as one under Hashem’s dominion.

This lesson of the destructive effects of hate need not be limited to the examples above. This is true as well regarding anger in general. Anger, whether or not it is justified, is still self-defeating. Anger not only negatively impacts our attitudes and relationships; it has also been linked to a myriad of health issues, such as cardiovascular problems and musculoskeletal issues. Bringing this upon ourselves is the most self-defeating thing we can do!

With the month of Elul’s arrival and the dread it brings with it, it is incumbent upon us to join together with mutual respect, to foster love and unity in Klal Yisrael. And through that, may we merit a good judgement personally, as well as nationally, so that the Land of Israel be filled with a full return, with the coming of Mashiach.

Shabbat Shalom

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*Regarding whether an Amalekite can convert to Judaism is subject to a dispute if whether we accept the opinion of Rabbi Eliezer in the Mechilta (end of Beshalach) who prohibits it. The Rambam (Issurei Biah 12:17) famously rules that they are permitted to convert. See the Yeshuot Malko (Likutim 15) who says it is prohibited, but if they were accepted by accident it is permitted. Rav Ovadia Yosef (Chazon Ovadia - Purim pp. 11-15) discusses this, as well as Rav Eliezer Waldenburg (Tzitz Eliezer 13:71)

Parshat Shoftim: A Revelatory Mindset

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Shoftim

A Revelatory Mindset

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In this week’s parsha Moshe delineates further to the Jewish People the path they should follow for the future, preparing them for a reality without him.

Moshe teaches the nation about the concept of נבואה (prophecy) saying:

A prophet from your midst...shall Hashem, your G-d, establish for you – to him shall you hearken...In accordance with all you asked of Hashem (ככל אשר שאלת), your G-d, in Horeb [Har Sinai] on the day of Assembly, saying, “I can no longer hear the voice of Hashem, my G-d, and this great fire I can no longer see, lest I die…” Then Hashem said to me [Moshe], “They have done well in what they have said..I will establish a prophet for them from among their brethren, like you, and I will place My words in his mouth...” (18:15-18)

Moshe tells the nation that the reason they will receive prophets to guide them is due to the fact that during the revelation at Har Sinai, they asked Moshe to serve as the messenger, rather than have Hashem speak to them directly. They said they could not endure under the intensity of G-d’s Presence.

The implication here is that the special gift of נבואה to the Jewish People was a direct result – perhaps even a reward – for the people’s request for a conduit [Moshe]. Why is this so? The people felt they were unable to handle the Divine revelation. Seemingly, G-d could have provided prophets for Klal Yisrael, whether or not they had made this statement at Har Sinai. Couldn’t the זכות of having prophets be independent from the nation’s request? Why was their request a prerequisite for this gift?

I would like to suggest that the statement the Jewish People made was not just a request for a conduit, but perhaps it was also a statement of self-awareness. The Nation came to the important understanding that human beings have limitations; that they cannot fathom the overpowering greatness of G-d, and that in comparison to Him, we are miniscule. Thus, they felt they needed a conduit between them and G-d.

This realization is inherently opposed to the nature of man; we have a drive to build and conquer. We may “bite off more than we can chew,” assuming we are all-powerful. However, when we personally come to a humble perspective, it can open up for us possibilities we never had before.

This lesson was illustrated perfectly in an interview I once heard featuring a top CEO from a Fortune 500 company, who is renowned for his success and business acumen. He was asked to explain the secret to his success. His answer came quickly and confidently. He lamented how in his early years, he thought himself to be flawless – that he could do it all – and he had a hard time delegating tasks to his employees. Inevitably, he would find himself swamped and overwhelmed, scuttling many business opportunities. His success came only after he learned to relinquish control – when, through self introspection, he gained the ability to understand his own limitations and rely on others in the company to fill those gaps. The acceptance of his shortcomings was what lead to his massive success.

This is surely true in our spiritual lives as well; the need to recognize and embrace our limitations can actually be the very thing that leads to success. According to this explanation, we can now better understand why Moshe attributes the giving of prophecy to the nation’s statement at Har Sinai. Their request was integral to receiving this gift.

The job of a נביא is to act as a spiritual guide for the nation. He is someone who is able to discern the particular needs of the people, and tells them how to act accordingly. However, this guidance can only be given to those who realize that they don’t have all the answers themselves. Only to someone seeking to learn and grow, can actually be guided. In order for one to receive that guidance, they must come to understand and accept their limitations, on their own. And once they do, the possibilities for achievement expand. For now they are not acting within their own strengths and limitations; they have the aid of others who can help them reach amazing heights. Moshe, in referencing this episode, imparts to us this important lesson.

It is no coincidence that such a breakthrough in mindset came specifically at the time of our nation’s greatest spiritual peak, and that it merited them a reward of a new level of connection with Hashem.

This lesson is also fitting for the month of Elul while we are engaged in חשבון הנפש (introspection) and thoughts of repentance. In doing so, we will become aware of our shortcomings, but let us not feel discouraged. Rather we can and should be motivated by the fact that this recognition can be a catalyst for growth. It's all in the mindset.

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Re'eh - The Power of Change

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Re’eh

The Power of Change

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Among the many topics covered in this week's parsha is the law of עיר הנדחת (the wayward city) –  a city where the majority of its inhabitants have turned to idolatry. Their punishment is death by the sword; the city is destroyed and their property burned in the city square. And though חז״ל tell us about this type of city לא היה ולא עתידה להיות  (it never was nor will be), still we learn its laws and try to gain insights for ourselves, להגדיל תורה ולהאדירה (Sanhedrin 71a)

There is a fascinating disagreement between the Rambam and the Raavad regarding this wayward city.

The Rambam writes (Avodat Kochavim 4:6):

What is the judgment rendered against עיר הנדחת when all the criteria for that judgment have been met? The supreme Sanhedrin sends [emissaries] who investigate and probe until they have established clear proof that the entire city – or the majority of its inhabitants – have turned to the worship of false gods. Afterwards, they send two Torah sages to warn them and to motivate them to repentance. If they repent, it is good.

The commentaries on the Rambam understand from his words “If they repent, it is good” that if the inhabitants were to repent, even after they have been duly judged for their actions, it would remove their punishment – a notion which has no precedent anywhere else in Halacha (Makkot 13b). Why is this so?

The Raavad, in his gloss on the Rambam, points to this difficulty:

It is well that repentance would help them, but I have not found that repentance should be of value after a warning (התראה) and after the act was committed.

The Raavad asks: how can the repentance of the inhabitants absolve the city from their judgment? Repentance does not absolve oneself from the death penalty and once the Beit Din has come to a conclusion, they must carry it out.

To answer this difficulty the Ralbag (על התורה) gives an amazing insight to this seemingly bizarre ruling of the Rambam. In truth, the Rambam is communicating a deep and profound idea about the concept of repentance. The Ralbag explains that in the Rambam’s view, true repentance is an act that qualitatively changes the essence of the person, to the extent that one becomes a different person. תשובה is a transformative process – not just of cleansing one's sins, but of becoming new, different, and ultimately better.

According to this, says the Ralbag, the wayward city, whose inhabitants have taken upon themselves to repent, has undergone a complete change in identity. The Torah says: “You shall surely smite the inhabitants of that city” (13:16) i.e. That city that has not repented, but now that they have done teshuva, the גזר דין (decree of punishment) that was previously issued, was not said on this "new town." It is as if it was decreed upon a different city altogether! And while this novel idea applies exclusively in regards to the laws of עיר הנדחת, it is nonetheless a true principle about the concept of teshuva.*

This is the power of sincere תשובה; it's not just a path of repentance but of change. A change so vast that it transforms our עצם, our very selves. It redefines our goals, our motivations, and our core of self – to one which desires to lead a richer and more fulfilled life. Then we can come before G-d, declare our new identity, and rededicate ourselves to His will.

Along with the understanding of the immense power of change, should come the feeling of supreme confidence in our ability to change. We can never let the past define our future, for we have the power of the present. We possess the capability to effect our very essence, to break the bonds of our assumed stationary existence and begin again with more vigor.

Our Rabbis refer to תשובה as a gift from G-d. Logically, how can one erase past infractions? How can one effectively “bend time and space” to correct that which has already been done? To change that which was intended as a sin to be considered as if he did a mitzva – זדונות  נעשות כזכויות (Yoma 86b)? But this is the gift which G-d gave us: to mend what was broken and recreate that which was presumed dead. And it is a gift to be cherished.

This is fully in consonance with the Rambam's words elsewhere in the Mishneh Torah (Hilchot Teshuva 7:4-7):

‎ The Ba’al Teshuva must not imagine that, in consequence of the iniquities and sins which he had committed, he is far below the degree of the Righteous; this is not so; rather he is as beloved and as accepted to the Creator as if he had never sinned; indeed his reward will be greater still; for he has tasted sin, and yet has abandoned it, and subdued his evil inclination…‎The same man who, only the day before, was despised, condemned, and rejected by God, is now beloved, accepted, a kin and a favorite [to G-d]...‎How great is repentance! The same man who, the day before, was separated from the Lord, G-d of Israel…is today cleaving unto the Shechinah...

Yesterday hated, condemned and forgotten. But today? Today he is beloved, today he is cherished, and today he is greater than the wholly Righteous. This is the power of change!

As we approach the month of Elul, with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur around the corner, we should inculcate this heartening message to give us new vigor, energy and belief in ourselves and our potential. Too often, opportunities for growth evaporate when they run up against our negative or jaded attitudes. We mustn't let those debilitating thoughts prevent us from actualizing our goals.

Shabbat Shalom

*See שו״ת נודע ביהודה קמא או״ח לה; however see the חיד״א in ספר עין זוכר ערך מלקות אות כ׳ who argues.

Parshat Eikev: The King and His Prince

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Eikev

The King and His Prince

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Featured in this week's parsha is one of the most famous sets of verses in the Torah: והיה אם שמוע, the second paragraph in the Shema prayer which is recited every morning and evening. Holding a significant place in our daily lives, it is written in our tefillin and affixed to the doorposts of every room in our homes.

In this section, Rashi (Devarim 11:17) explains the verse: ואבדתם מהרה מעל הארץ הטבה אשר ה׳ נתן לכם – “And [then] you will be swiftly banished from on the good Land which Hashem gives you” with a משל (parable) from the Sifri:

This is compared to a king who sent his son to a place where there was a party. Before he went, he sat and instructed the son. He warned him, “Don’t eat more than you need, so that you will come home clean!” The son paid no heed to his father's instruction; he ate and drank more than he should have. He then vomited, and soiled [the clothes of] all the others at the party. The partygoers then grabbed him by his hands and his feet and dumped him behind the palace.

This parable brings out tremendous depth hinted to in the nuances of the pesukim, and I would like to attempt to illustrate them based on several ideas from Rav Yechiel Yitzchok Perr שליט״א.

Firstly, the King sits down with his son, connoting the gravity of what he is about to relay. This is the meaning of G-d’s warning: השמרו לכם – “guard yourselves” (11:16). This verse is bound on our arms and heads, and posted at every door of our homes, to emphasize the seriousness with which this warning is given to us.

The son is sent to a party. A party is a pleasant place to be, with a myriad of good things to eat. Just as the King to his son, G-d tells the Jewish people that the Land of Israel is bountiful and enjoyable. It is a nice place, with plenty of good things to eat: “For Hashem your G-d is bringing you to a good Land, a Land with rivers of water, springs and fountains coming forth in the valleys and mountains. A Land of wheat and barley, vines and figs and pomegranates; a Land of olive oil and honey; a Land in which not in poverty will you eat bread; you will lack nothing in it. A Land whose stones are iron and from whose mountains you will mine copper”(8:7-10).

It seems from the parable that the King knows his son has a sensitive stomach. Surely he saw from experience that when the son overindulges, it does not end well. So too, G-d knows that we have sinned prior in the wilderness. The King warns his son that he should eat only to satisfaction, and not overeat. Similarly, this warning posted on the door posts and worn on muscle and mind, is not only a warning against being seduced into idolatry, as the simple reading of the verse implies. Rather it is a warning against being seduced into materialism, “eating and being satisfied” (Rashi 11:15). Seeking more than we need and becoming addicted to acquisitions will turn us away from G-d.

The משל draws to a close with the other partygoers becoming soiled and thus throwing the Prince out. The Land of Israel too, when soiled, spits out its inhabitants. As we had been warned: “So that the Land shall not vomit you out for making it unclean – just as it vomited out the nation [which was there] before you” (Vayikra 18:28). Our removal from the Land is a direct result of our negative actions, and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

However, with all this, the parable ends on a comforting note. The soiled and insulted guests do indeed throw the Prince out, but they fling him only behind the palace. Behind the palace – not too far from his father, the King. Not too far for the King to find us, when He, Our Father and King, comes looking for his beloved son.

The messages contained in these verses are clearly vital for us to recall all day, everyday. We are struck with reminders as we begin our day, enter and exit our homes, and go to bed at night. It behooves each and every one of us to understand and internalize what is being relayed here and to personally apply these messages to our daily lives.

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Va'etchanan: A Humble Request

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Rabbi Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Va’etchanan

A Humble Request

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נחום בן פנחס הלוי ז״ל

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This week's parsha opens with Moshe beseeching G-d to allow him enter into the Land of Israel. ואתחנן אל ה׳ בעת ההיא לאמור - “I implored G-d at that time, saying…”(3:23) Moshe prays to G-d 515 times (the numerical value of ואתחנן) to annul His decree and let him join the Jewish people. Ultimately G-d denies his request saying: “It is too much for you! Do not speak to Me further about this matter.” (Ibid. 26)

Rashi (Ibid. 23), quoting the Midrash Tanchuma, describes the nature of the request that Moshe made, hinted to in the word ואתחנן (I implored):

Forms of the word חנון (imploring) in all places in which they appear in the Torah mean nothing but granting or requesting a gift for free (מתנת חינם); that although the righteous [Moshe] could make their request relying on their merits, they seek from G-d nothing but a gift without payment…

Moshe, instead of asking that his wish be granted on account of his past merits, asks G-d to give to him “for free.” The basic understanding of this Midrash implies that Moshe, in couching his request like this, was behaving righteously. The commentators explain that Moshe was acting humbly by praying in this way.

A closer look could bring us to a certain difficulty. Ultimately, what is Moshe requesting? For G-d to annul His decree – a decree that will affect the Jewish people for millennia. This is seemingly not a small request, thus we can ask the question: How is it a display of humility for Moshe to ask G-d to abrogate His will, without relying on some of his merit?

By way of example, if we were to observe someone marching into a store and asking to take one of the most expensive items – for free – it would first appear as though he’s a very haughty man making an absurd request. We may then deduce that this person has a very close relationship with the owner – perhaps as a good friend or an investor or partner in the business. But if there is no basis, to view it as a display of humility? Certainly not! To the contrary – to ask without some merit is not humble, but quite presumptuous!

Therefore, how can we understand why Moshe would make a request from G-d, not relying on any merit, but instead as a “freebie” – a מתנת חינם – and it would be labeled as humble?

There is a famous concept that we find applied to our forefathers, specifically Yaakov Avinu: שמא יגרום החטא – “Lest the sin cause...” (Brachot 4a, Sanhedrin 98b, Sotah 36a). Our forefathers did not rely on their merits alone, for they were concerned that their sins would remove the efficacy of that merit.

The commentators explain that this came out of a deep sense of humility, a doubt that their deeds are ever perfect, and a recognition that there is always room to improve. (Obviously, in comparing our actions to theirs, they are paragons of perfection.) Thus they felt: How can we present our merits as a currency to G-d, when there is always the possibility that we are lacking?

Perhaps this is also what Moshe’s request was based on. He was not approaching G-d out of a sense of “heimeshkeit” – an assumed familiarity with G-d. Rather it was rooted in the recognition of Man’s ultimate lack in relation to G-d. Meaning, that Moshe did not feel that his actions were up to par to request such a great thing, thus leaving him with only one option: to beseech G-d purely out of His abundant beneficence.

Of course Moshe had ample merits to draw from, but he was also channeling something much deeper in this humble request: that in the grand scheme, in relation to G-d and His glory, we can never feel that we have true merit. We can never feel that our deeds are enough. Moshe, known as the humblest of men, understood in his humility that there is always a need to grow.

I would like to suggest  that Moshe's request for a מתנת חינם came out of a deep sense of something I call, “Healthy Spiritual Self-Doubt” which is integral in spurring a person to higher levels of Avodat Hashem. This spiritual doubt can be summed up in a powerful line I once heard in the name of Rav Yisrael Salanter: “The moment you feel comfortable in your observance, is the moment you've never been farther from G-d.” The true process of creating a relationship with G-d, is in the act of reaching out to G-d. But this grasping for Him will not come out of a feeling of complacency; it comes out a feeling of lack.* When he realizes what he is lacking, he reaches out to G-d to find completion.

A person can never become stagnant with their spiritual muscles; and just like with physical muscles, if they remain dormant, they will succumb to atrophy. He must always be stretching his limits ever-so-much, so that he is striving and growing higher each day.

This is an important lesson for us to take with us as we go through the summer months, a time where it is important to relax and re-energize – but never to come to a full stop. For it is also a time filled with tremendous potential. We should take those opportunities and grow from them.

Shabbat Shalom

*It is important to note that this self-doubt is not meant to be confused with anxiety from a sense of existential unhappiness or feelings of unfulfillment. Rather, it is a general perspective on life of being דואג that if we don't stand guard, we will lose all our gains. This is coupled with remaining confident in ourselves and our capabilities. This proper perspective should spark a fire of desire in a person to become closer to G-d.