Rabbi Frand on Parshas Ki Savo
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissochar Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion: Tape# 66, Learning Hebrew. Good Shabbos!
Linkage Between Sinas Chinom and Absence of Simcha
[Between Needless Hatred and Absence of Joy]
At the end of the Tochacha [verses of rebuke in our Parsha], the pasuk
[verse] says that these ninety-eight terrible curses come "as the result of
your not having served the L-rd, your G-d, with joy and with good spirit
(b'simcha u'vtuv leivav) when you had and abundance of everything" [Devorim
28:47]. This is an unbelievable statement. It seems harsh that such
terrible curses should
befall the Jewish people, just because people are lacking what seems to be a
"hidur mitzvah" [glorification of a mitzvah, which is not absolutely
necessary] of observing commandments in a state of joy.
Moreover, there is another difficulty: Our Sages tell us that the Tochacha
that we find at the end of Sefer Vayikra [Leviticus] corresponded
historically to the events of the First Temple period; this Tochacha -- in
Parshas Ki Savo -- is referring to the period leading up to the destruction
of the Second Temple. We all know that the Sages tell us that the reason
the Second Beis HaMikdash was destroyed was because of baseless hatred
(sin'as chinam). So these two teachings of Chaza"l, our Sages, seem
contradictory. What was the reason for the destruction of the second Temple
-- Was it 'baseless hatred' or was it 'failure to serve G-d with joy'?
Perhaps there is no contradiction. The Torah is referring to the underlying
cause of the churban Bayis Sheni [destruction of the Second Temple]. The
underlying cause of the churban Bayis Sheni was lack of Simcha [joy].
Failure to serve G-d with joy, in turn, leads to Sinas Chinam.
What does this mean? Chaza"l say that Talmidei Chachomim [scholars]
increase peace in the world. How is this done? I once saw, written in the
name of
Rav Chatzkel Abramsky, z"tl, that a person who is a Talmid Chachom, in the
real sense of the word, is a person who is at peace with himself. He is
happy and satisfied with what he is accomplishing in life. As a result, he
exudes his inner happiness and inner peace and that has an effect on other
people.
When a person is happy with himself, the feeling is contagious. He is
willing to share that peace and that happiness. Those feelings affect other
people. When a person is not happy with himself, he is miserable and he
dislikes other people's happiness or success. Just as happiness rubs off,
so too unhappiness rubs off and such a person cannot be satisfied with
anyone else's success.
Chaza"l are telling us that because you were not happy with your lot and you
were not b'simcha, therefore the consequence is baseless hatred. When a
person is not happy with himself, he cannot tolerate others having any kind
of happiness either.
There is thus no contradiction. The Second Temple was destroyed because of
Sinas Chinom, but Sinas Chinom results from people who are not happy with
themselves, are not b'simcha, and are not doing mitzvos b'simcha.
A Tale of Two Tochachas
Chaza"l in many places contrast the Tochacha of Parshas Ki Savo with that of
Parshas Bechukosai [end of Leviticus, as above]. There is a significant
difference between the two. At the end of the Tochacha of Parshas
Bechukosai, the Torah ends the Curse with words of consolation: "And I will
remember for them my covenant with Yacov, and even my covenant with
Yitzchak, and even my
covenant with Avraham I will remember, and I will remember the Land"
[Vayikra 26:42].
The Tochacha in this week's Parshas Ki Savo, however, ends off on a terrible
note. "The L-rd will return you to Egypt in boats along the path that I
said to you 'You will no longer see it'; and you will be offered for sale to
your enemies for slaves and handmaidens and no one will even want to buy you(v'ein koneh)." [Devorim 28:68]. That is how the Tochacha ends.
This is strange. At least the Tochacha in Bechukosai ends on a positive
note. G-d promises us that He'll remember us. The Tochacha in Ki Savo ends
with the ominous promise "You'll be sold and people won't even want to buy
you".
The Zohar HaKodosh writes: "This question was asked in the study hall - how
come the Tochacha in this week's parsha has no consolation at the end and
the Tochacha in the book of Vayikra has a consolation at the end?"
Rav Shimeon Bar Yochai provides an answer. The Tochacha in Sefer Vayikra
needs a consolation, but the Tochacha of this week's Sedra needs no
consolation, because included in the words of this week's Tochacha we
already have the biggest comfort.
What is this big comfort? The Zohar HaKodosh explains that the Tochacha in
Parshas Bechukosai contains the terrible words "And if you will walk with me
out of happenstance (keri) so too I will walk with you in a wrath of
happenstance (keri)" [Vayikra 26: 27-28]. My relationship to you, G-d tells
the Jewish people, will be reciprocal. If you show no concern for My
'needs', I will show no concern for your needs. This week's portion,
however, has the comforting expression "The L-rd will smite you..." [Devorim
28:27] - G-d Himself will smite you. This is this biggest consolation.
What is the Zohar HaKodosh saying? Rav Meir Bergman says that the worst
thing that can happen to the Jewish people is that they can be left on their
own. If Klal Yisroel, the Nation of Israel, acts as if the Ribono shel Olam
[Master of the World] is not an integral part of their life, then the Ribono
shel Olam's response will be "I'm going to step back and I'm going to let
Teva (nature, statistics) take its course. Teva will take care of you."
This is
terrible. When that happens, the bond between G-d and Klal Yisroel is
broken. There is no longer that closeness.
However, when the Ribono shel Olam 'smites,' even though it is a 'klap,' a
smack - that in itself is a consolation, because at least we know that there
is that relationship. Albeit it is a relationship of punishment, but it
nevertheless is a relationship. Who feels more alone? The child who gets
spanked when he misbehaves, or the child who has no father, Heaven forbid,
to spank him?
The Tochacha in Bechukosai is the story of a people without a father, Heaven
protect us; a father who stands in the background and lets whatever that
happens, happen. The Tochacha of Ki Savo, however, is "The L-rd will Smite
you" - I'll 'klap' you, but at least you will know that there is someone
concerned and taking care of you. Hitting you, but taking care of you,
nevertheless.
The Talmud says in Brachos [7b]. "A Psalm of David (Mizmor l'Dovid) when he
was fleeing before Avsholom, his son". [Tehillim 3:1] The Gemara asks,
should we call this a Mizmor (Psalm of praise) of Dovid? It should be
called a Dirge of David (Kinah L'Dovid)! The Gemara answers that when G-d
had prophesized to Dovid, "Behold I will raise up evil against you from the
midst of your house" [Shmuel 2 12:11], Dovid feared that it would be a slave
or a mamzer, but when he saw it was his own son, Avshalom, he was greatly
relieved and said a Psalm to G-d.
Rabbi Yonason Eibshitz explains in his Yearos Dvash that for a slave or a
Mamzer to rebel, that is Teva -- that's natural. The last thing Dovid
HaMelech [The King] wanted was that his relationship with G-d would be a
Teva relationship, subjecting him to the whims and statistics of nature.
However, if his own son rebels, it is apparent that the punishment came from
the 'Hand of G-d'. The fact that G-d Himself is doing the punishing,
Himself, is the biggest consolation and source of comfort.
That is why Chaza"l tell us that the Tochacha of Parshas Ki Savo needed no
consolation. Since it was clear that G-d, Himself, was administering the
punishment, we need no consolation. The Tochacha of Vayikra, however, where
G-d 'steps aside' and lets nature take its course, needs consolation.
The Kotzker Rebbe, zt"l, once said that the month in which the most
tragedies befell the Jewish people is called, of all things, the month of
"Av" (father). The Kotzker explained that from a smack, one can recognize a
father. From our extraordinary national tragedies we have built-in
consolation -- we know we still have a Father in Heaven who is concerned
with our behavior.
Glossary
hidur mitzvah -- performance of a command in a particularly meritorious
fashion
mamzer -- bastard
tochacha -- chastisement, particularly the prophetic curses appearing in
parshas Bechukosai and Ki Savo
Beis HaMikdash, Bayis Sheni -- Temple, Second Temple
churban -- destruction
simcha -- joy
sin'as chinam -- baseless hatred
Talmid(ei) Chachom(im) -- literally disciple(s) of the wise; referring
to Torah scholars.
Klal Yisroel -- the Jewish people
Ribono shel Olam -- Master of the Universe
Chas v'sholom; Rachmana Litzlan -- Heaven Forbid; may G-d Save us
Personalities & Sources:
Rav Yechezkel Abramsky -- (1886-1976) Head of London Rabbinical Court,
later made aliyah to Eretz Yisroel where he
headed the Slabodka Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.
Zohar HaKodosh -- collection of sayings and texts found in the
manuscripts of the kabbalists of Safed after the
printing of the Zohar, assembled by R. Avraham b.
Eliezer ha-Levi Berukhim (1515-1593).
Rav Meir Bergman -- Contemporary Bnei Brak, Israel; author of Shaarei
HaOrah.
Kotzker Rebbe -- R. Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (1787-1859); Poland.
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissochar Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion (#66). The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is: #66 is:
Learning Hebrew.
The other halachic portions for Parshas
Ki Savo from the Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
and is available through Project Genesis On-Line Bookstore:
http://books.torah.org/
