Rabbi Frand on Parshas Ki Savo
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion:
Tape #204, Giving a Sefer Torah To a Non-Jew. Good Shabbos!
What's The Big Deal About the "First Fruits"?
This week's Parsha contains the Mitzvah of Bikkurim - the Mitzvah of
bringing the first produce from one's crops to Jerusalem. There was
a tremendous fanfare associated with the process of bringing the
First Fruits to Jerusalem. [Bikkurim Chapter 3]
The Mishneh tells us that as Jews from the towns and farms made their
journey to Jerusalem, carrying the Bikkurim, delegations of elders
from the cities on the way would come out to greet them with praises
and psalms to G-d. When they would reach the gates of Jerusalem,
additional verses and praises were recited. It was an elaborate
ceremony.
During the course of the year, other things were brought to Jerusalem
(e.g. -- Ma'aser Sheni, the second tithe). There were also other
gifts that were brought to Jerusalem to be given to the Kohanim. But
we do not find anything akin to the fanfare that was made for those
who brought up Bikkurim.
The Holy Alschich asks, "What is the great tumult about a bit of fruit
that may be worth less than half a dinar?" In other words, what's the
big deal?
To strengthen his question, the Alschich quotes a very famous Medrash
from the beginning of Sefer Bereshis. "In the Beginning (B'Reishis)
G-d created..." There are many Rabbinic opinions about the word
"B'Reishis". One of the opinions is that G-d created the world for
the sake of Israel, which is called "Reishis" (the First one). But
another opinion is that G-d created the world for the sake of Bikkurim
which are called "Reishis" (the first ones). The entire universe was
created just so that the Mitzvah of the First Fruits could be
fulfilled. Again the Alschich asks, "What's the big deal about
Bikkurim?"
Bikkurim does not usually make one's list of "The five most important
Mitzvos in the Torah." And yet, the Medrash in Bereshis lists
Bikkurim as the cause for the creation of the whole world!
The Alschich explains that Bikkurim represents two fundamental
principles that are essential to what Judaism is all about.
A person plants his crops. Farming is one of the most difficult
professions in the world. It is hard, backbreaking work. One plants
in the spring and he does not know what is going to happen to his
crop. There can be droughts, floods, and pests. Everything can go
wrong and so often it does. Here we have a person who was successful
and who has a bountiful crop in front of him. It is very easy for
such a person to think, "MY strength and the power of MY hand, made me
this great wealth" [Devorim 18:17]. I am smart. I toiled. Now I see
the fruits of MY labor.
Bikkurim comes to counter-act such thoughts. Bikkurim come to teach
that it is G-d's land, it is G-d's sustanance, and it is G-d's Hand
who has given us the power to gain weatlh. A person must appreciate
this and recognize the favor.
Bikkurim is about appreciating Who it really belongs to and about
appreciating Who really gives us our sustanance. These concepts are
foundations and fundamentals of the Torah. That is why this mitzvah
of Bikkurim is so special.
A person must realize that it is not his brains, talents, or
cleverness that help him acquire weatlh. Rather it is his "Siyata
D'shmaya" (help from Heaven). It is his "Mazal" (fortune) that G-d
decides to be kind to him.
"Getting The Message" of the Blessings and the Curses
A series of Blessings are mentioned in the preface to the Tochacha.
The Torah says, "And these Blessings will come upon you and they will
reach you (v'hisigucha)" [Devorim 28:2]. Virtually all of the
commentaries are bothered by the expression "v'hisigucha". Would it
not have been sufficient to say, "All these Blessings will come upon you?"
What does "v'hisigucha" (they will reach you) add to this verse? We
have spoken about this question in past years. This year, I will
present an answer from the 'Beis Av', Rav Schlessinger.
The pasuk in Parshas Bechukotai tells us, "And you will eat your bread
and be satisfied" [Vayikra 26:5] Rash"i there cites a Toras Kohanim
that explains the brocha "One will eat a little bit and it will be
blessed in his intestines." That means the blessing is that one will
be psychologically satisfied even though he has physically consumed a
small amount.
This is the ultimate blessing -- to be satisfied and to realize that
one has been blessed is the Blessing of all Blessings. Sometimes G-d
can shower us with all types of good and riches -- health, family, and
wealth -- but if a person does not realize it, if he is never happy,
if there always needs to be more, if there is a constant chase, then
what good is the blessing? It is meaningless!
A person can be impoverished. He can eat just a little bit (as the
Toras Kohanim states) and if he is satisfied with it, then he has
everything. On the other hand, a person can have fortunes and
success, but if he doesn't realize that he has a bracha, then he is
a poor man.
The pasuk says "Open Your Hand, and satisfy all life, with will"
[Tehillim 145:16]. We say this pasuk (in Ashrei) three times a day.
We understand the words "Poseach es Yadecha, u'Masbia l'chol chai"
(Open your hand and provide sustenance for all life). But what is the
meaning of the word "Ratzon" (with will)? "Ratzon" is that the
recipient will be happy with it, not only physically satisfied, but
psychologically satisfied, as well.
That too, is what the blessing referred to earlier is about. "And all
these Blessings will come upon you...". Fine, but that is not
sufficient. "...and they will reach their purpose (v'hisigucha)." --
the recipient will be happy with the Brocha, with the blessing. He
will realize that it is a blessing. Without that realization, one has
no Brocha.
With this explanation, Rav Schlessinger, also explains the parallel
usage of this word later in the parsha [Devorim 28:15] "... and all
the curses will come upon you, and will reach you (v'hisigucha)."
What does that mean?
That "v'hisigucha" means the same thing. Sometimes a person can have
misfortune and he doesn't even realize it. He doesn't realize what
is happening to him. He doesn't realize how far he has gone. The
curses don't even work! Because he doesn't "get it." He misses the
message of the curse. That is the meaning of "v'hisigucha" in this
context -- "the curse will reach you."
Rav Noach Weinberg tells a story about a long-haired, "hippie" sort
of fellow who walked into his Yeshiva with long hair and the typical
accompanying mode of dress. He told Rav Noach, "I don't need a
Yeshiva, because G-d and I are like this (as he showed his fingers
twisted together to represent a 'twosome')!"
Rav Noach asked, "How do you know that you and G-d are like 'this'?"
The student responded that he was riding his bike along a mountain
road and a truck came along, veered toward him, forcing him off the
cliff with his bike. He saw himself going down the tremendous
embankment and visualized that the end was at hand. All of a sudden,
he saw a branch hanging out of the mountain. He reached out and hung
on, and was saved, walking away without a scratch.
"That's how I know," he said, "that me and G-d are like 'this'!"
Rav Noach then asked him, "Did you ever think about why the truck
knocked you off the cliff? Maybe that is what G-d is trying to
tell you."
This was a person who unfortunately experienced a negative incident -
he seemingly received a kelala - but the message did not reach him.
There was no "v'hisigucha". He didn't "get it." He missed the message.
We must "get the message" from any punishment like he needed to "get the
message" from the incident. The whole incident accomplished nothing.
The blessing of "v'hisigucha" is that when the blessing comes, we should
have the blessing of being satisfied and when the punishment
sometimes, Heaven forbid, must come, let us not miss that message,
either.
Let us hear what the Ribbono shel Olam is trying to tell us!
Personalities & Sources:
Alschich -- Rav Moshe ben Chaim (1521-1593), Safed. Authored Torah
commentary Toras Moshe, first published in Venice 1601.
Rav Schlessinger -- Contemporary Rosh Yeshiva, Israel.
Rav Noach Weinberg -- Contemporary Rosh Yeshiva (Or Sameach), Israel.
Glossary
Bikkurim -- First Fruits
v'HISIGucha -- and it will REACH you
Beracha -- Blessing
Kelala -- Curse
Ribbon shel Olam -- Master of the World
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 (#204). The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is:
Giving A Sefer Torah to a non-Jew?. 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:
