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 # 427, Trying
on Suits that May Have Shatnes.
Good Shabbos!
Unusual Spelling Calls Out For Our Attention
This week's parsha contains the mitzvah of sending away the mother bird
prior to taking her chicks or eggs [22:6-7] (Shiluach HaKen). According to
the commentaries, one of the reasons for this Commandment is to teach us
the attribute of compassion. The Ramba"n is careful to explain that this
is not an "animal rights" type of mitzvah. Rather, the Torah is trying to
teach compassion to mankind. If we must have compassion for animals,
certainly we must have compassion for human beings. That is the ultimate
'purpose' of this mitzvah.
The pasuk [verse] begins with the words "Ki Yikareh Kan Tzipor" [when you
happen upon a bird's nest]. We would assume that the word Yikareh [happen
upon] should be spelled with the letter 'Hay' at the end of the word (from
the root Kuf-Reish-Hay [meaning to happen]). However, that is not the way
the word is spelled. The word is spelled with an Aleph at the end -- from
the root Kuf-Reish-Aleph (meaning to call out). There is no doubt that the
intent of the pasuk is that the person happens upon a bird's nest. But,
literally translated, this pasuk reads "If a bird's nest is called out to
you". What is the meaning of this? Why did the Torah use this strange
spelling?
The sefer Kol Dodi offers a beautiful insight regarding this spelling. It
is not every day that one encounters a bird's nest. This is a unique
event. In fact, it is suggested that this Commandment has mystical
benefits (segulah), such that one who is childless should seek to fulfill
it and thereby receive the Heavenly blessing of parenthood. It is
certainly not an everyday event. Who of us can say that we have ever had
the opportunity to fulfill this mitzvah?
A person is walking along and all of a sudden a bird's nest happens to
appear in front of him. This is not just a "happenstance". The mitzvah of
Shiluach HaKen is calling out to him! Perhaps this unusual occurrence is
G-d's way of calling out to the person that he needs personal correction in
his attribute of compassion. If it HAPPENS (yikareh with a Hay) that this
person, of all people, runs into this singular event, then what has really
occurred is a Yikareh with an Aleph -- the teaching of the law of the mother
bird's nest is CALLING OUT to him that he should take note: perhaps his
practice of the attribute of compassion needs improvement.
Many times we miss our messages. They are addressed directly to us, but
they somehow go beyond us. Several decades ago, Reb Dovid Dryen wanted to
start a Kollel in Gateshead, England, a sleepy coal-mining town across the
river from New Castle. He sent out 23 letters to different Rabbis in
England inviting them to come start a Kollel in Gateshead. Out of the 23
letters, 20 Rabbis ignored the invitation and did not respond. Two sent
back polite letters telling him "no". One person said, "I am interested".
That person was Rav Eliyahu Dessler. Rav Dessler met Reb Dovid Dryen,
decided to begin a Kollel in Gateshead and turned it into the premier
place of Torah study in all of Europe. Rav Dessler might have remained a
little Rav in a small shteible in East London for the rest of his life,
had he not answered the letter and gone on to become the "famous Rabbi
Eliyahu Dessler". Rav Dessler later became the spiritual leader (mashgiach
ruchani) in the Ponevitch Yeshiva in Bnei Brak. Rav Dessler authored the
Michtav Eliyahu, which has become a modern day classic. One must wonder --
if he had responded like the other 22 Rabbis, would he have in fact become
the spiritual leader of the Ponevitch Yeshiva and to author the Michtav
Eliyahu? He received a message. He heard the message and he responded.
How many times does opportunity call out to us, but get treated like
happenstance? We just go on with our lives. Many times G-d is telling us
"This is what you need. Here, I am sending you a message. Just listen to
it!"
If You've Got It, Don't Flaunt It
The pasuk says [Devorim 22:10] "Do not plow together with an ox and a
donkey". This is one of several forms of the prohibition of Kilayim - mixing
of species. There is a form of this prohibition that relates to grains and
seeds (Kilaei Zeraim). There is a form of this prohibition relating to
garments (Kilaei Begadim or Shatnez). Finally, this pasuk prohibits the
yoking together of different species of animals.
The Daas Zekeinim meBa'alay Tosfos provide an interesting reason for this
prohibition. A donkey does not chew its cud. An ox, on the other hand, does
chew its cud. The donkey and the ox would be walking along, yoked together,
and the donkey would see the ox chewing and think that it was eating
something. The donkey would become upset: "I missed lunch. When did it
happen?" He would become jealous of the ox, because he would think the ox
was fed and he was not.
In fact, of course, they both had the same lunch. But the ox chews its cud
so it appears to be continuously eating, thus giving the donkey the
misimpression that he has been cheated. According to the Daas Zekeinim, the
Torah is trying to avoid this psychological pain that the donkey would
experience.
Rav Chaim Shmeulivtz says that if the Torah is so worried that we might
cause donkeys to be jealous of their yoke-mates, then how must the Torah
feel about making another human being jealous? However, it can happen very
inadvertently. We might tell our friend about how great things are going,
what a wonderful vacation we had, how wonderful our spouse is, how great
our children are, etc., etc. This other person may, perhaps, not be in the
same situation. He is human. He may experience jealousy and pain. If the
Torah is concerned that we should not stir up the jealousy of a donkey
over a wrong impression, then how much more so must we be sensitive and
careful not to flaunt the goodness with which G-d has perhaps graced us.
Contrary to the American ideal of "If you've got it, flaunt it", the Torah
ideal is "If you've got it, DON'T flaunt it!".
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 (#427). The halachic topics dealt with in the portion of Ki Seitzei
in the Commuter Chavrusah Series are the following:
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.
