Rabbi Frand on Parshas Behar
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah portion: Tape #
238, Onoas D'vorim: Snide Remarks. Good Shabbos!
The Connection Between Shmitah and Ona'ah -- Both Monetary and Verbal
This week's parsha contains two prohibitions which are called "Ona'ah"
[cheating]. There is "Ona'ah" in monetary matters [Vayikra 25:14] and there
is "Ona'ah" in verbal matters [Vayikra 25:17].
The Sefer Beis Av comments on the Torah's placement of the prohibition of
Ona'ah in the middle of the laws of the Shmitah [Sabbatical Year].
The lesson of the Sabbatical Year is the lesson of belief in G-d. Every
seven years, Shmitah reminds us that it is the Master of the World who is
really in charge.
When we go to school, receive an education, go into business, earn money,
become successful and receive a paycheck every week, we can very easily
begin to think that WE are earning the money. We all know that this is not
the case. A person's financial allotment is predetermined on Rosh HaShannah
[Beitzah 16a]. We need to go through the motions, we must perform the
hishtadlus -- the necessary activities, but in the final analysis, it is G-d
who gives us the paycheck.
The most dramatic living example of this concept is the command of Shmitah.
Shmitah is a tremendous trial. A farmer knows that without planting and
harvesting, there will be no food. And yet somehow, the Jewish people
continue to exist. This is the lesson of Belief in G-d -- that one's
livelihood is dependent on the one 'Who opens His Hand and gives to all
living creatures that which they desire' [Tehillim 145:16].
When a person cheats someone else, it is apparent that he thinks that he is
the one who controls his own livelihood. If he thinks he can go ahead and
get an extra $100, or $200, or $1000 out of the deal -- then he has an
incentive to cheat. But if a person firmly believes that it is G-d who
provides the livelihood -- and if it is not mere lip service -- then there
is absolutely no reason in the world to cheat. He might get an extra $500
now, but if 3 weeks from now his car transmission goes bad and it costs him
$500, he will not be $500 ahead of the game. G-d has His ways.
Therefore, it is very appropriate that the prohibition of cheating other
people in monetary dealings is located right here in the middle of the
section of Shmitah, which teaches that it is G-d who provides all
livelihoods.
But let us go one step further and also explain why the prohibition of
Speech Ona'ah is located in the Shmitah portion.
What does the snide, cutting, and insulting remark have to do with Shmitah?
Such remarks have nothing to do with livelihood or paychecks. Offhand, we
would assume that such remarks have nothing to do with Faith or Trust in
G-d. Why are the laws of Speech Ona'ah located in the midst of the portion
relating to the Sabbatical Year?
I once heard from the Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yaakov Weinberg, ZT"L, that the root
cause of snide and cutting remarks ultimately is related to the lesson of
Shmitah. When we put someone down and insult him, the underlying attitude
that is always behind our action is that "He does not belong; he should not
be getting so much honor; I am smarter than him; I am better than him". The
motivation behind the snide remark is a lack of satisfaction with one's own
portion in life. It demonstrates a lack of belief that G-d put me where He
wants me to be -- that where I am, how much money I make, and the position
that I occupy in the community is based upon what G-d feels is best for me.
If one truly believed all those things, there would be no room for jealousy
or unreasoned hatred. If I would believe that everything was part of the
Grand Plan, I would accept it much more readily. There would be no room for
insults or snide remarks.
Verbal Ona'ah stems from the fact that I do not truly believe that the
Master of the World is fully in charge. The bottom line, in its most basic
form, is that the snide remark stems from a lack of Faith. Therefore, it is
fully appropriate for Verbal Ona'ah to appear in the section of Shmitah --
the fundamental Torah section relating to Faith.
Snide Remarks Have a Chilling Potential
I would just like to conclude with an incident involving snide remarks.
There was once a Rav who was given a position in a very prominent city. He
arrived in the city to a great welcome, greeted by signs reading "Blessed
are you in your coming in" [Devorim 28:6]. In honor of the inauguration he
gave an inaugural lecture.
A young, brilliant 20-year-old, recently married student was sitting there
with his proud father-in-law. As soon as the Rav began saying the shiur, the
young genius started peppering him with questions and contradictions until
he finally stumped the Rav. The beaming father-in-law was thrilled. He said,
"Maybe they'll have to put up posters 'Blessed are you in your going out
[ibid.]'".
The end of the story was that this young genius never had children. Of
course, we do not know why, but that is what a remark can sometimes do. It
was a sharp remark. It was a clever remark. It was a 'chap'. But such snide
one liners that everyone gets such a chuckle out of, at someone else's
expense, can be very expensive indeed! We never know how costly they might
end up being -- to the one who made them.
All the gates are closed except for the gates of tears flowing from a person
who has been victim of teasing [Bava Metzia 59b]. Those tears go straight up
to G-d. Those remarks are fun. Everyone enjoys them. They are so clever. But
they sometimes come at a very heavy price.
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher
Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah portion (#238).
The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is: Onoas D'vorim: Snide
Remarks. The other halachic portions for Behar-Bechukosai 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 your local Hebrew book store or from Project Genesis, 1-410-654-1799.
