Divrei Torah Parshas R'ei
Divrei Torah Parshas R'ei
Torah Table of Contents
Defending Am Yisrael, The Rebbe Shlita in Ma'amarei Oraysoh* Elul - The Friendly Month, The Rebbe Shlita in Ma'amarei Oraysoh The Unity of Bracha, Imrei Aish, from Alei Deshe. Dwelling in the "Inheritance" of Eretz Yisrael.
excerpted from a ma'amar by the Rebbe Shlita, Ma'amarei Oraysoh, Parshas Re'eh
"Re'eh Anochi nosein lifneichem hayom bracha u'klala - Behold / see I [Anochi] have given before you today a blessing and a curse." [Devarim, 11:26]
The Ba'al HaTurim explains that "Re'eh Anochi" alludes to the Aseres HaDibros [Ten Commandments] that begin with "Anochi" [I am G-d].
This can be explained, says the Rebbe Shlita, according to the Midrash [Shemos Rabba 43:5]. The Midrash points out that by giving the first commandment of "Anochi Hashem Elokecha - I am the L-rd your G-d" in the singular [Elokecha and not Elokeichem**], Hashem gave an opening for Moshe Rabbeinu to defend the Jewish People, and help them repent and atone for their sins. When they made the Egel HaZahav [the Golden Calf], Moshe Rabbeinu said to Hashem, "Master of the World! At Sinai You said, 'Anochi Hashem Elokecha.' 'Elokeichem' You did not say. You [therefore] did not command them, but only me."
This argument, however, only has validity as long as Moshe Rabbeinu is alive, since he is the one who transmits the mitzvos [commandments]. But "today", when Moshe is to depart from this world and will no longer be transmitting the mitzvos, one cannot defend the Jewish People any more by saying, "You commanded me and not them."
Therefore, Moshe Rabbeinu warns them, "Look at Anochi" - make sure to keep this commandment from now on, for from "today" I cannot defend you with the claim that you weren't commanded. For the Torah is eternal, and from now on you are obligated [to keep this mitzva].
With this, adds the Rebbe Shlita, we can understand an otherwise puzzling Midrash [Yalkut Reuveni]. "When Moshe Rabbeinu heard 'Anochi' and 'Lo Yihiyeh Lecha' [the first two commandments], he made the blessing, 'shelo asani goy - [thanking G-d for] not making me a gentile.' The connection between the blessing and these two commandments is difficult to understand.
But with the above and the following Midrash [Vayikra Rabba, 4:6], it makes sense. Esav's household consisted of six souls, but they are referred to in the plural: nefashos [souls]; whereas Yaakov Avinu's household of seventy souls is referred to in the singular, nefesh [soul]. The Midrash explains that this is because the members of Esav's household worshipped many gods, while Yaakov Avinu's household worshipped the One G-d, so they were described as being one "soul". (While Esav and Yaakov were both sons of Yitzchak Avinu, Esav became the forefather of the Roman/Christian world, while Yaakov [Yisrael] Avinu became the father of the Jewish People).
So when Moshe Rabbeinu heard the command of "Anochi Hashem Elokecha" with "Elokecha" in the singular, he appreciated not having been created as a non-Jew. For if the Jewish People were divided like the goyim [non-Jews], Hashem would have had to use the word, "Elokeichem" in the first commandment. Moshe thus would not have had the defense that they [the Jews] were not commanded. Now that they are viewed as "one soul," Hashem was able to command them in the singular, giving rise to their [later] defense.
NOTES:
*Am Yisrael - the Jewish People
**In English, there is a distinction in the possessive in the first person [mine, ours] and the third person [his/hers, theirs] but not in the third person [both yours]. Hebrew does make such a distinction. Thus, "Elokecha" means your [singular] G-d, whereas "Elokeichem" means your [plural] G-d.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
excerpted from a ma'amar by the Rebbe Shlita in Ma'amarei Oraysoh, Parshas R'ei
A major aspect of Divine service [avodas Hashem] in the month of Elul is dibbuk chaverim, strengthening and developing our friendships. Everything depends on this, and it paves the way for proper teshuva [repentance] in this month. It is well known that the Arizal promoted the custom of saying, before the daily Shacharis [morning] prayers, that one accepts upon himself the positive mitzva of "V'Ahavta L'Reiacha Kamocha," loving one's fellow man as himself [Vayikra, 19:18].
Just as this practice is a preparation for tefilla [prayer] on a daily basis, so is Elul the month-long preparation for the prayers and Divine service of the Yamim Noraim [High Holy Days]. So the avoda of Elul is to perfect this mitzva of loving one's fellow man. This is even hinted at in the verse itself - the first letter of each word of "V'Ahavta L'Reiacha Kamocha Ani Hashem" is equal in gematria to "Elul". In addition, the first letters of the verse in Megillas Esther [9:22], Eesh L'Reiahu Umatanos L'Evyonim [each man to his fellow, and gifts to the poor] spell out Elul, signifying the main aspect of Divine service for this month.
There is a popular saying, "In Elul, even the fish in the sea tremble." The Rebbe Shlita questions the significance of this, since the fish's very existence is in cold water [of course they tremble!]. One could answer that it is known that although even the animals perverted their ways at the time of the Great Flood [Mabul, Parshas Noach], the fish did not sin then, and were therefore not punished. Nevertheless, in Elul, they too tremble, because of the fear of the Divine Judgment about to take place.
However, the Rebbe Shlita concludes, we can answer somewhat differently. The fish survive by feeding on each other - the larger fish swallow the smaller. This is quite the opposite of dibbuk chaverim. So even though this is how the Creator made them, nonetheless, their deeds are far from perfect. Therefore, they tremble in the month of Elul, in which the avoda is that of dibbuk chaverim.
That being the case, what redeeming factor can we find for these poor fish? Just about every other food substance has a mitzva associated with it - grains, vegetables and fruit have Terumos, Ma'aseros, etc. [the mitzvos of tithing various agricultural produce]; while meat and fowl have the mitzva of shechita [ritual slaughter before being permitted to be eaten]. Since the fish were left without a mitzva, our Sages ordained that we should eat them on Shabbos, to fulfill the mitzva of Oneg Shabbos [having pleasure on Shabbos]. Thus the fish, too, can attain their perfection.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
Based on the Imrei Aish, as found in Alei Deshe, Parshas Ra'ei
"R'ei Anochi Nosen Lifneichem Hayom Bracha U'Klala - See, I have placed before you this day [both] Blessing and Curse." (Dvarim 11:26)
The Imrei Aish is bothered by a basic question in grammar - why is the word R'ei singular, while the word Lifneichem is in the plural form? The answer provides us with a vivid understanding of what receiving Bracha and Klala (Divine blessing and curse) are all about.
The Imrei Aish explains that, as we all know, Hashem is the true source of Good for the World, and it is His Will to shower the entirety of His creation with that Goodness - equally for all. But not all facets of creation are capable of receiving that Goodness equally, some prepare themselves more than others, turning themselves into better, more "roomy" receptacles. Similarly, the sun shines equally upon all, but some have more advanced and sophisticated ways to use the sun's energy than others. The degree of usage/benefit is dependent on the degree of preparation.
Thus, R'ei, See - Observe and understand that Hashem wants to Provide His Good equally for all. But when that Goodness "arrives" lifneichem - before you - then the reception of that Goodness depends on the degree of preparation of each individual, which by its very nature is plural. Indeed, for some, the shower of Hashem's Goodness will be a blessing, while for others who lack the proper preparation, it may turn out to be a curse.
Translated by Reb Eliezer Weger of Rechovot, a Modzitzer Chasid
based on ma'amarim in Nechmad MiZahav, Pe'er Mikdoshim and MiShiri Ahodenu
Now you have not yet come to the resting place and the inheritance that
Hashem your G-d is giving you." [Devarim, 12:9]
"For Sichon, the king of the Emorites...
And Og, the king of Bashan...
And [You] gave [us] their land as an inheritance...
An inheritance for Israel, His servant...
In our lowliness, He remembered us...
And redeemed us from our oppressors,
for His lovingkindness endures forever." [Tehillim, 136:19-24]
Rashi explains that the nachala - inheritance - in our verse refers to Yerushalayim (this can also be found in the Gemara, Zevachim 119a). Rebbe Yechezkel of Kuzmir explains that Hashem's granting us the lands of Sichon and Og, on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, was a tremendous chessed. This was because what was originally to be outside the borders of [Biblical] Eretz Yisrael [chutz la'Aretz] became a nachala - equivalent to Yerushalayim. "An inheritance for Israel, His servant..." If one truly serves Hashem, says Rebbe Yechezkel, his own home can become a nachala - equivalent to that of Eretz Yisrael. (Rebbe Yechezkel was known to have said this about his own home.) The verse in Tehillim goes on to say that "in our lowliness, He [Hashem] remembered us" - that even in our lowly state, Hashem remembered us by giving us this opportunity [to turn our homes into Eretz Yisrael].
The next verse, "And redeemed us from our oppressors," uses the Hebrew term "prika" for redemption, which also means to unload a burden. The Gemara (Baba Metzia 32) teaches us that the mitzva of prika is for free - one isn't allowed to be compensated for it. The prophet Yeshayahu [52:3] also tells us, "You were sold for free, and for no money will you be redeemed." Rebbe Yechezkel goes on to say that Hashem has to redeem us first [even if we don't deserve it]. This can be seen from the Yerushalmi (Bikkurim, 3:3) where Hashem says, "I was the One Who fulfilled the mitzva of standing before an elder/sage first." Therefore, Reb Chazkel concludes, even if we don't have too many mitzvos and good deeds, Hashem has to redeem us [prika] from our oppressors. "His lovingkindness endures forever," means that Hashem treats us with chessed and gives us an unsolicited, completely free gift.
The Gemara (Brachos, 57b) tells us that a pleasant dwelling expands one's mind [da'as]. The Imrei Aish says that this must refer to a dwelling in Eretz Yisrael, because the Gemara (Kesuvos, 110b) says that whoever dwells outside of Eretz Yisrael [chutz la'Aretz] is likened to one who has no G-d [chas v'shalom]. The Imrei Aish asks - how can that be a pleasant dwelling? Therefore, Eretz Yisrael, about which it says, "The eyes of Hashem are upon it at all times, from the beginning to the end of the year" (Devarim, 11:12), and whoever dwells in it is considered as if he has a G-d, must certainly be the place about which our Sages say expands one's mind. This is because one can dwell and live in it with an expanded da'as.
Translated by Reb Yitzchak Dorfman of Yerushalayim, a Modzitzer Chassid
