Rabbi Frand on Parshas Ki Seitzei
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion:
Tape #203, The Pre-War "Get." Good Shabbos!
The "Easiest of the Easy" and the "Hardest of the Hard"
This week's Parsha, contains the mitzvah of 'Shiluch HaKen.' The
Torah commands us that when one finds a mother bird nesting on her
eggs, if he wants to take the small birds he must first send away
the mother. Only then is he allowed to take the children for
himself [Devorim 22:6-7].
The pasuk [verse] concludes that if one keeps this mitzvah it will
be good for him and he will have length of days. There is only one
other mitzvah in the Torah, which carries this same reward. That is
the mitzvah of Kibud Av v'Em.
The Medrash comments on the fact that both the "easiest of the easy"
(kal she'bekalos) and the "most difficult of the difficult" (chamur
she'bechamuros) have the same reward -- length of days. This teaches
us, says the Medrash, that we do not really know the reward of the
commandments.
Why is the sending away of the mother bird referred to as the easiest
of mitzvot and why is honoring one's parents referred to as the most
difficult of mitzvot?
The sefer Shemen HaTov suggests the following:
The Ramba"n on the Torah tells us that the reason the Torah gave us
the mitzvah of Shiluach HaKen was to train us in the attribute of
mercy. He takes pains to explain that this does not mean that G-d
necessarily has mercy on the animals; what it does mean is that G-d
is concerned that we should be compassionate people. We should train
ourselves in compassion. If one is trained to be compassionate even
to a bird, this will carry over and he will be compassionate to human
beings as well.
If that is the case, this mitzvah is called the easiest of the easy
because it is consistent with human nature. We can all relate to
this mitzvah. We can all relate to the suffering a mother bird would
feel if her children were taken away before her very eyes. We can
understand its rationale. Therefore, it is an easy mitzvah to fulfill.
If this is correct, it would follow that Kibud Av is spoken of as the
most difficult of mitzvos because it goes AGAINST human emotions.
Why does Kibud Av v'Em run against human emotions? Because, the
Rishonim tell us that the basis of the mitzvah of Kibud Av v'em is
the concept of Hakaras HaTov -- showing gratitude. We, as human
beings, do not like to show gratitude. Showing gratitude to someone
is acknowledging that we needed that person. Our egos do not want to
let us believe that.
We want to think that we are independent and can do things ourselves.
To show appreciation means that the other person was needed. Even if
it is possible to show appreciation to a stranger and say "Thank-you"
for an occasional favor, appreciating parents involves dealing with
the fact that, in essence, we owe EVERYTHING to our parents. Our
very life was dependent on them. That is difficult to admit. It is
difficult for us to say, "I owe you everything."
That is why Kibud Av v'Em is "chamur she'bechamuros" -- because it
goes against everything that we would like to believe, as opposed to
Shiluach HaKen which runs in concert with human emotions.
What Brings Amalek?
The parsha ends with the command to remember and eradicate Amalek.
Immediately prior to the mitzvah of eradicating Amalke is the portion
of honest weights and measures.
Rash"i, commenting on the juxtaposition of the two portions, says the
connection is to teach us that if a person is dishonest with weights
and measures, he is going to be attacked by Amalek. According to
this Rash"i, the reason why we suffer at the hands of Amalek is
because of dishonesty.
Parshas Ki Seitzei is actually the second time Amalek is mentioned in
the Torah. Parshas BeShalach contains the first mention of the attack
of Amalek. In the portion that proceeds the section of Amalek in
BeShalach, Klal Yisroel [the Jews] ask the question, "Is there a G-d
in our midst or not?" [Shmos 17:7] The faith of the Jewish people
was lax. What happened? Amalek attacked. Why? Because Amalek
represents that force in the world that does not believe in G-d (v'lo
Yareh Elokim). We see from this portion that Amalek comes as a
result of a lack of faith.
The question arises -- which is it? What brings Amalek -- a lack of
faith or dishonesty and theft?
Rav Moshe Feinstein, z"tl, says that Amalek comes due to a lack of
faith. The portion of dishonest weights and measures is not a
portion that merely deals with theft and dishonesty. Failure to
maintain honest weights and measures only occurs when people are
lacking in faith in G-d!
One who believes in G-d, believes that it is G-d who gives him his
livelihood. Ultimately, no matter how hard we work and how hard we
try, a person's sustenance is determined for him on Rosh HaShanna.
If one believes in that, why should he have crooked weights and
measures? Why is he cheating? What good will an extra dollar do for
a person, if his annual income is already pre-determined?
The problem is that this person does not believe that it is G-d who
gives livelihood. This is not a crime of passion, not a sin of
dishonesty. This is a "theological issue." This person believes he
has to steal to make money!
Therefore both BeShalach and Ki Seitzei are teaching the same lesson.
Amalek comes when one says "Is there a G-d in our midst?" When one's
belief is weak, Amalek comes. And if one thinks he has to cut
corners and cheat to earn a livelihood, then his belief is weak!
The Secret to Eating With Satisfaction
On a related issue, in this week's portion, the Torah tells us that a
worker is allowed to eat food from the field in which he is picking.
The verse uses the expression "You should eat and be satisfied; but
you should not put into your vessel" [Devorim 23:25]. On a simple
level, this is teaching us that while it is OK to eat while working,
one is not allowed to put the picked fruit in his shopping bag or
suitcase for later consumption.
The Mikdash Mordechai says there is a tremendous lesson here: The key
to eating and being satisfied is "do not put in your vessel." If one
thinks he has to stash it away, because he doesn't know what tomorrow
will bring, then he will never be satisfied with what he has.
There is never enough. One who has 100 wants 200. If one doesn't
believe that ultimately, G-d will take care of him, then he will
never be secure. There is never a big enough field. There are never
enough clients. It is never enough.
If one wants to eat and be satisfied and secure, then one has to
believe in the philosophy of not putting in one's vessel. One's
hoarding and stashing away and certainly one's dishonesty will never
make the difference. Therefore Parnossah becomes a matter of belief,
not a matter of honesty.
That is why the Parsha of honest weights is next to the parsha of
Amalek, who represents lack of faith in G-d (v'lo Yoreh Elokim).
Personalities & Sources:
Ramba"n -- (1194-1270) Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman; Gerona, Spain; one of
leading Torah scholars in the Middle Ages.
Rash"i -- (1040-1105) Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki; classical Torah
commentary; Worms, Troyes France.
Rav Moshe Feinstein -- (1895-1986) Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivtha Tifereth
Jerusalem, New York; leading posek of his time.
Mikdash Mordechai -- Rav Mordechai Ilan; contemporary, Israel.
Shemen Hatov -- Rabbi Dov Weinberger; contemporary, Brooklyn, NY
Glossary
Shiluach haKen -- Sending (the mother bird away from) the nest
Kibud Av v'Em -- Honoring Father and Mother
Rishonim -- early ones (classic Jewish commentaries from
approximately 800-1500)
Hakaras HaTov -- recognizing the good (someone has done for you)
Parnossah -- livelihood
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 (#203). The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is:
The Pre-War "Get". The other halachic portions for Parshas Ki Seitzei from the Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
