"If in My statutes you will walk and keep My commandments." (26:3)
QUESTION: Why does the parshah start with the word — "im" — "if"?
ANSWER: The Jewish people have gone through many difficult experiences, but Hashem has not forsaken us and has miraculously brought about our salvation.
In Egypt, in the days of Pharaoh, it was through Moshe and Aharon that we were redeemed.
When Haman threatened to annihilate us, Mordechai and Esther appeared, and the Jews were saved.
The redemption from the Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Beit Hamikdash occurred thanks to the assistance of King Artachshasta — Aptaxerxes — son of Queen Esther (see Rosh Hashanah 3b), and the miracle of Chanukah and the redemption from the Greek oppressors occurred through Matityahu and his sons, the Maccabbees.
Now, it is the fervent wish of every Jew that Eliyahu and Mashiach should arrive speedily.
The first letters of the names of each group of redeemers spell the word eim. Thus, the opening pasuk of the parshah is hinting that the way to merit the ultimate eim — the redemption of Eliyahu and Mashiach — is through "bechukotai teileichu ve'et mitzvotai tishmeru" — "walking in My statutes and keeping My commandments."
In Hallel we say "eim habanim semeichah" — "a joyful mother of children." Following the above thought, this may be interpreted to mean that im — when we are rescued by the ones whose initials are alef mem, and particularly the last pair — Eliyahu and Mashiach — "habanim semeichah" — the children (B'nei Yisrael) will be very happy.
"If in My statutes you will walk." (26:3)
QUESTION: Rashi explains that this pasuk is not referring to the fulfillment of mitzvot, but to the study of Torah.
- The mitzvot in the Torah are divided into three categories: eidut (testimonies), mishpatim (civil laws), and chukim (statutes). Since the pasuk is stressing the study of Torah, why are statutes singled out?
- Why does it say "teileichu" — "you will walk" — and not "tilmedu" — "you will study"?
ANSWER: The word
"bechukotai" — "in My statutes" — is related to the word
"chakikah" — "engraved." When one takes a pen and writes on paper, although the ink now adheres to the paper, it is not actually a part of the paper. However, when one engraves on stone or metal, the letters become one with the stone or metal and can never be removed.
This pasuk not only tells us how to study Torah in order to receive the great rewards promised in this parshah, but also how to study. We must toil in the study of Torah until Torah becomes engraved in us.
In addition, one should not be content with the amount of Torah that he has already studied, but "teileichu" — he should keep going higher and higher, from strength to strength, in Torah study.
"If in My statutes you will walk." (26:3)
QUESTION: Rashi explains that this means "shetiheyu ameilim baTorah" — "You shall toil in Torah study." Why does Rashi use the term "ameilim" — toil — and not "oskim" — "engage" — or "lomdim" — "learn" — in relation to G-d's super-rational statutes (chukim)?
ANSWER: In the prayer recited after completing a
Gemara, we say that the advantage of the ones who learn Torah over those who engage in worldly matters is that, "We toil and they toil. We toil and receive reward and they toil and do not receive reward." (See
Berachot 28b.) This is problematic because anyone who works usually receives some sort of payment.
The superior reward for toiling in the Torah can be illustrated with the following parable. In a big company there are many employees, from the chief executive officer to the blue collar workers on the assembly line. Usually the chief executive officer receives a large salary and the blue collar worker often only gets minimum wage. While the blue collar employee on the assembly line puts in a full day with sweat and toil, the chief executive officer is often away on vacation or having a leisurely business lunch.
One may reflect on the injustice of it all: The dedicated employee should receive the generous salary while the chief executive officer should receive nominal compensation for his leisurely work. The fact is that the world recognizes and rewards accomplishment, not effort.
G-d's system of reward is the reverse. If one learns a piece of Gemara quickly and easily, he receives a smaller reward than one who spends much time and struggles with it. Thus, the famed adage: "G-d does not count the folio pages but the hours spent studying."
According to the world's way of thinking, Hashem's approach is "bechukotai" — "My statutes" — something incomprehensible. Rashi is teaching us that if "tiheyu ameilim batorah" — "you will toil in Torah" — then you will receive the maximum reward — in stark contrast to the corporations, whose rewards are based only on accomplishments.
In Pirkei Avot (5:21) Ben Hei Hei says — "Lefum tza'ara agra" — "Commensurate with the effort is the reward." This is illustrated with the following parable. A king, wanting to beautify his chamber, hired four painters, each to paint a mural on one of the walls. He gave them a month to accomplish this task and told them that upon completion, he would review the paintings and place a sack of gems in front of each wall as a reward. The largest sack would be placed near the most beautiful mural, and the others would have smaller sacks in descending order according to the rank of the painting.
Three of the painters worked diligently while the fourth one wasted his time amusing himself. On the last night before the deadline, when the three painters had finished their works and had gone home, the fourth one arrived in the room. He placed a large mirror on his wall so that it reflected the other three paintings. In the morning the king arrived, and after close inspection of the finished art works, he placed sacks of gems in front of the three painted murals and nothing in front of the mirror. Shocked, the artist who placed the mirror exclaimed to the king, "Where is my reward? My mirror is a composite, merging together the other three paintings!"
The king responded, "Indeed, you have received your reward. Gaze in your mirror and you will see the reflection of the three sacks of gems given to the other artists, who toiled with great effort and sincerity while you have done nothing, and merely reflected the results of their initiatives."
The lesson for us is that there is great reward for toil and that we can't fool anyone, especially not Hashem.
"If in My statutes you will walk, and observe My commandments and perform them, then I will give your rains in their time." (26:3-4)
QUESTION: According to Rashi, the proper time for rain is Shabbat night. What is the connection between observing Torah and rain on Shabbat night?
ANSWER: The
Midrash Rabbah (30:9) relates that a heretic asked Rabbi Akiva, if on
Shabbat it is forbidden to transfer something from one domain to another, why does Hashem desecrate the
Shabbat and bring rain from heaven to earth?" Rabbi Akiva responded, "The entire world belongs to Hashem, and thus, the concept of different domains does not apply to Him."
According to a Midrash, Hashem warned the Jewish people that if they do not observe the precepts of the Torah, He will, G-d forbid, "divorce" them. Commentaries question: For a divorce to be valid, the get (bill of divorce) must leave the domain of the husband and enter the domain of the wife. If the entire world belongs to Hashem, how can Hashem possibly divorce the Jewish people? They answer: To make the get valid, it will obviously be necessary for Hashem to give away the earth to the Jewish people. Thus, the get will be given to them on their property.
Consequently, when Torah and mitzvot are not observed, Hashem will be unable to give rain on Friday night without violating Shabbat by bringing rain from His heaven to their earth. Therefore, the Torah states, "If in My statutes you will walk and observe My commandments and perform them, then the heavens and earth are all My domain, and I will be able to provide your rains in their time — on Shabbat night."
"If in My statutes you will walk... Then I will provide your rains in their time... You will eat your bread to satiety." (26:3-5)
QUESTION: What is the connection between these three things?
ANSWER: The
Gemara (
Ta'anit 19b) says that a year when it rains in the proper season is compared to a servant who receives his pay on Sunday. Thus, he has ample time to prepare for the coming
Shabbat, and the dough can be baked properly and eaten properly. A year when the rains are not in their proper season is compared to a servant who receives his pay on Friday. Thus, he is rushed and the dough is neither baked properly nor eaten properly. The Torah is promising us that, "If you will follow My decrees, I will provide your rains in their time; hence you will eat your bread to satiety."
"I will give your rains in their time." (26:4)
QUESTION: Why does it say "gishmeichem" — "your rains" — rather than simply "geshem" — "rain"?
ANSWER: The
Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 27:1) tells us that when Alexander the Great visited a province in Africa, the people came out to greet him with golden apples, golden pomegranates and golden bread. "What is the meaning of this?" he asked, "Do they eat gold in your country?"
They replied: "Is it not so in your country?"
He then said to them, "It is not your possessions I have come to see but your laws."
As they were sitting, two men came before the king of the country for judgment. One said: "Your majesty! I bought a carob tree from this man and in scooping it out I found a treasure therein, so I said to him: 'Take your treasure, for I bought the carob tree not the treasure.' "
The other argued: "Just as you are afraid of risking punishment for robbery, so am I. When I completed the sale I sold you the carob tree and all that is therein."
The king called one of them aside and said to him: "Have you a son?"
"Yes," he replied.
He called the other and asked him: "Have you a daughter?"
"Yes" he replied.
"Go," said the king to them, "let them get married to one another and thus they can both enjoy the treasure."
Alexander the Great was surprised. "Why are you surprised?" the king asked him. "Have I not judged well?"
"Yes," he assured him.
"If this case had arisen in your country, what would you have done?"
Alexander replied. "We would have removed this man's head and that one's head and the treasure would have gone to the king."
He inquired of Alexander, "Does the sun shine in your country?"
"Yes."
"And does rain fall in your country?"
"Yes."
"Perhaps there are small cattle in your country?"
"Yes."
He then said to Alexander: "O, woe to you! It is because of the merit of the small cattle that the sun shines upon you and the rain falls upon you! For the sake of the small cattle you are saved!" as it is written, "Man and animal do you rescue O' G-d" (Psalms 36:7). The king's message to Alexander was, that when the inhabitants of a country conduct themselves improperly, they are devoid of merit to be helped by Hashem. Their animals, however, did nothing wrong and deserve Hashem's attention. Thus, the inhabitants are helped through the merit of their animals.
Hashem is therefore emphasizing that, "If in My statutes you will walk and observe My commandments, I will provide your rain — the rain you need for your existence — and you will eat your bread — it will be earned in your merit and not in the merit of your animals."
"Five of you will pursue one hundred and one hundred of you will pursue ten thousand and your enemies will fall before you by the sword." (26:8)
QUESTION: If five Jews can pursue one hundred enemies, a ratio of 1:20, should not the text have continued, "one hundred of you shall chase two thousand"? (See Rashi.)
ANSWER: The word
"mikem" is mentioned twice in the
pasuk; however, it appears that there is an inconsistency. In the first half of the
pasuk the word
"mikem" occurs before the number of the pursuers, and in the second half of the
pasuk the word
"mikem" occur after the number of pursuers.
Therefore, the pasuk can be explained to mean that, "veradfu mikem" — "and they will pursue you" — "chamishah mei'ah" — "each five of you, will be pursued by one hundred of them" —"umei'ah mikem" — "and one hundred of you" — "revavah yirdofu" — "will pursue 10,000 of them." Thus, the pasuk is referring to two separate things: 1) their weakness and 2) our strength.
Alternatively, the first part of the pasuk is talking about a group of five "of you" pursuing one hundred "of them." The second part, "umei'ah mikem" means that "one hundred groups [consisting of five people each, a total of 500 people] "revavah yirdofu" — "will pursue ten thousand of them." Thus, in both cases, the ratio is 1:20.
"I broke the staves of your yoke and led you upright." (26:13)
QUESTION: In Birchat Hamazon (Blessing after Meals) we say "HaRachaman Hu yishbor ol galut mei'al tzavareinu veHu yolicheinu komemiyut le'artzeinu" — "May the Merciful One break the yoke of exile from our necks and may He lead us upright to our land." How does the image of returning — "komemiyut" — "upright" — accord with the Gemara (Kedushin 31a) that says it is forbidden for a person to walk four cubits "bekomah zekufah" — "upright"?
ANSWER: Eretz Yisrael is our holy land, and all Jews yearn to live there. Even those who do not reach it during their lifetime will ultimately come there in the days of
techiyat hameitim — the resurrection. However, they will have to roll through the earth until they reach the holy land (see
Bereishit 47:29, Rashi).
Our prayer to Hashem that He "lead us upright to our land" asks that we merit to reach Eretz Yisrael happily and healthily during our lifetime and not, G-d forbid, by rolling through tunnels under the earth to reach it.
"And those who hate you shall rule over you; and you shall flee when none pursue you." (26:17)
QUESTION: This pasuk is part of the tochachah — the curse for not following in the ways of Torah. Would it not be much worse if they were fleeing and someone was really pursuing them?
ANSWER: A pursuer who intends harm is called a
"rodeif." The one being chased is called a
"nirdaf." King Shlomo in Ecclesiastes (3:15) says:
"veha'Elokim yevakeish et nirdaf" —"G-d always seeks the pursued." According the
Midrash Rabbah (27:5) this is true even when a righteous man is running after a wicked man.
Consequently, if the enemies of B'nei Yisrael are really chasing them, G-d forbid, they retain the hope that even if they are wicked Hashem will come to their defense. The curse is that "Those who hate you shall rule over you" and you will be fleeing. However, inherent in the curse is the fact that Hashem will not defend you against them because you are not in the category of "nirdaf," since nobody is actually pursuing you.
"I will make your heaven like iron and your land like copper." (26:19)
QUESTION: Why in the admonition (tochachah) in Devarim does Moshe say the reverse: "Your heavens over you will be copper and the land beneath you will be iron (28:23)?"
ANSWER: This admonition refers to the sins that led to the destruction of the first
Beit Hamikdash, and the one in
Devarim is for the destruction of the second
Beit Hamikdash (see
Ramban).
The first Beit Hamikdash was destroyed because the Jewish people worshipped idols, and the second one was destroyed because of (sinat chinam) unwarranted hatred. Thus, the sins committed in the time of the first Beit Hamikdash were between man and Hashem in Heaven, and the sins in the time of the second Beit Hamikdash were between man and man on earth.
Iron is much stronger than copper. Since the crimes perpetrated during the first Beit Hamikdash were primarily against Heaven, Hashem warned, "I will make your heaven like iron." However, in the second Beit Hamikdash — since the sins were against man on earth, the earth would receive the main blow and "the land beneath you will be iron."
QUESTION: The Gemara (Berachot 6b) says, "The reward for one who makes a chatan rejoice is very great; it is as though he rebuilt one of the destroyed homes of Jerusalem." What is the meaning of this analogy?
ANSWER: The
Gemara (
Yoma 9b) says that the destruction of the
Beit Hamikdash and Jerusalem occurred due to
sinat chinam — unwarranted hatred. Consequently, to merit the rebuilding of the
Beit Hamikdash, ahavat chinam — love without any ulterior motive — is a prerequisite.
One who participates in a wedding and makes the chatan happy demonstrates ahavat Yisrael, the opposite of sinat chinam. He thus offsets the effect of the sinat chinam which caused the destruction, and is credited as though he rebuilt one of the destroyed homes of Jerusalem.
QUESTION: Why is it that someone who makes a chatan happy is considered as having rebuilt one of the destroyed homes of Jerusalem?
ANSWER: The
Gemara (
Yoma 9b) says that the
Beit Hamikdash and Jerusalem were destroyed due to
"sinat chinam" — unwarranted hatred among the Jewish people.
However, the Gemara elsewhere (Shabbat 119b) gives many other reasons for Jerusalem's destruction: desecration of Shabbat, failure to recite Kriat Shema in the designated time, disruption of young children's Torah study, lack of respect for talmidei chachamim, etc.
When the sages say that bringing happiness to the chatan is like rebuilding one of the destroyed homes of Jerusalem, they do not literally mean one home, but rather that one of the causes — sinat chinam — for the destruction of Jerusalem has been removed, thus hastening its rebuilding.
"If despite these you will not be chastised towards Me... and I will strike you, even I, seven ways for your sins" (26:23-24).
QUESTION: The words "gam ani" — "even I" — seem to be superfluous. Should it not have just said, "I will strike you seven ways for your sins"?
ANSWER: When a child is not behaving properly, it is incumbent on the father to admonish him, and at times it is even necessary to hit him. In fact, King Shlomo says, "One who spares his rod, hates his child" (Proverbs 13:24). Nevertheless, regardless of how true this may be, the father who truly loves his child experiences more pain than the child when he has to hit him.
The Jewish people are Hashem's children, and He loves them as much and even more than any father loves his only child. However, He is saying, "Your behavior may compel Me to have to strike you, but, when vehikiti etchem — I shall need to strike you — not only will you feel it, but gam ani — I too — will cry from the pain which will be inflicted on you, for your hurt is My hurt, and your pain is My pain."
"Ten women will bake your bread in one oven, and they will bring back your bread by weight; you will eat and not be sated." (26:26)
QUESTION: According to halachah, (Orach Chaim 507:6) on Yom Tov it is permissible to fill up an oven with loaves of bread even though only one loaf is needed. The reason is that the bread bakes better when the oven is full. If so, what curse is contained in this pasuk?
ANSWER: It is known that when the loaf is still dough, it weighs more than when it rises and is thoroughly baked. Hashem is saying that for failing to follow in the path of the Torah, even when ten women will fill an oven with dough, expecting that the bread should come out well baked, "they will bring back your bread by weight," meaning the loaf will be as heavy as it was when it was originally put in and not baked well at all.
"Then the land will appease its Sabbaths, as long as it lies desolate, and you are in the land of your enemies." (26:34)
QUESTION: In the time of galut the earth rests in order to make up for the years when the Jews did not observe shemittah while living in Eretz Yisrael.
Why is the punishment for violating the laws of shemittah so harsh that the Jews had to go into galut for it?
ANSWER: According to the
Gemara (
Sanhedrin 39a) the
mitzvah of
shemittah teaches us that Hashem is the owner of the land. A Jew who acknowledges this is given the right and privilege of working the land and enjoying its produce. However, a Jew who goes against the will of Hashem by not observing the laws of
shemittah implies that he is the owner of the land and not Hashem. Therefore, Hashem has no choice but to send the Jew into
galut in order to prove that He is the owner of the land.
"I will remember My covenant with Yaakov." (26:42)
QUESTION: Rashi writes, "In five pesukim the name Yaakov is written with an extra vav and Eliyahu is spelled without its usual vav. Yaakov took a letter from the name of Eliyahu as a pledge that he will come and announce the redemption of his children — the revelation of Mashiach." Why did he specifically take the letter vav as a pledge and not any other letter?
ANSWER: In Hebrew the word
"vav" means "a connecting hook," as we find in the Torah:
"vavei ha'amudim" — "the hooks of the pillars" (
Shemot 27:10). The curtains were attached by
"vavim" — "hooks" — to the poles that supported them and in Hebrew a
vav serves the grammatical function of attaching and connecting one word with another. Thus, the
vav symbolizes unity. Our present
galut was caused by
sinat chinam unwarranted hatred and dissension —
(Yoma 9b), and it will be ended when true
ahavat Yisrael and unity will prevail in the Jewish community.
The last Mishnah in Eduyot (8:7) says that Eliyahu's purpose is only to make peace in the world, as the prophet Malachi proclaims: "Behold I will send you Eliyahu the prophet, and he shall turn the heart of fathers to the children and the heart of children to the fathers" (3:23-24). Therefore, Yaakov specifically took a vav from Eliyahu's name as if to symbolize that he should "hook together," that is, speedily reunite the Jewish people, and thus they will merit the immediate coming of Mashiach.
"And I will remember My covenant with Yaakov and also My covenant with Yitzchak, and also My covenant with Avraham I will remember." (26:42)
QUESTION: How is this pasuk consistent with the tochachah — admonition?
ANSWER: Two people once committed a serious crime together. One belonged to a prominent family and had received an excellent education and a good upbringing. His partner was an orphaned village boy who had grown up in poor surroundings and received inadequate schooling. The judge punished the first one very severely and was extremely lenient with the other. "Why are you so harsh only with me?" the first one asked. The judge answered, "Considering the family you come from and the upbringing you received, your crime is much greater."
Hashem is telling the Jewish people, "I remind myself of your great ancestors: Avraham who went into the furnace to sanctify My name, Yitzchak who was ready to offer himself as a sacrifice, and Yaakov who went into galut for Me. Thus, when I think of your pedigree and see you violating Torah, I will hold you responsible to a greater extent and punish you severely."
"But despite all this, while they are in the land of their enemies, I will not reject them, neither will I abhor them, to obliterate them, to annul My covenant with them." (26:44)
QUESTION: The words "ve'af gam zot" — "but despite all this" — seem extra, should the pasuk not have started, "ubeheyotem" — "And while they are"?
ANSWER: The Jewish people have two things working in their favor: One is
"zechut Avot" — the merits of their forefathers; the other is
"brit Avot" — the covenant which Hashem made with them, that He would not destroy their children (see 26:42).
According to the Gemara (Shabbat 55a, see also Tosafot) zechut Avot is no longer available. We have used up whatever credit we can claim on their behalf. However, brit Avot — the covenant Hashem made with our forefathers — can never cease.
The word "zot" is an acronym for zechut avot tamah — "the credit of our forefathers merits is exhausted." The Torah is telling us: "ve'af gam zot" — even when we can no longer draw on the merits of our forefathers' — Hashem will not obliterate the Jewish people, because He does not want "lehafeir briti itam" — to annul the brit — covenant — He made with them — our forefathers, the Patriarchs.
"If in My statutes you walk ... And I led you erect ... And if you will not listen to Me ... By the hand of Moshe." (26:3,13-14,46)
QUESTION: Why do the berachot start with an alef (im) and end with a taf (kom'miut) while the admonition starts with a vav (v'im) and ends with a hei (Moshe)?
ANSWER: The Hebrew
alef-beit starts with
alef and ends with
taf, and is the basis for the language of our Torah. The letters
vav and
hei are the last two letters of the Tetragrammaton — Hashem's holy four-letter name. The Torah is hinting that for studying and observing the entire Torah from
alef to
taf, we will merit the greatest material and spiritual blessings.
On the other hand, by starting the tochachah with a "vav" and concluding it with a "hei" the Torah is hinting, that even when the Jewish people may, G-d forbid, violate Torah, Hashem will not forsake them. His Divine presence will continue to be with them and watch over them. As it is written, "imo Anochi betzarah" — "I will be with him (the Jewish people) in trouble" (Psalms 91:15), waiting patiently for them to do teshuvah.
"If a man articulates a vow to G-d regarding the valuation of living beings" (27:2)
QUESTION: Why does the parshah of human valuations (arachin) follow the tochachah — the listing of calamities which will happen to the Jewish people for not observing Torah and mitzvot?
ANSWER: One who reads through the
tochachah may, G-d forbid, become very discouraged. He may conclude that Jews who transgress are indeed worthless. To negate such a thought, the Torah places the
parshah of
arachin — valuation of humans — immediately after the
tochachah, to emphasize that, regardless of a Jew's behavior, he always has value in Hashem's eyes.
"And any tithe of cattle and sheep, whatever passes under the rod, the tenth shall be holy to G-d." (27:32)
QUESTION: During the days of the Roman government, ten sages were put to death. The Roman King had seen in the Torah that the punishment for kidnapping and selling a person is death (Shemot 21:16). He asked the sages, "If a man kidnapped and sold one of his brothers of the Children of Israel, what is the law?" They replied, "That thief shall die." The Roman King then sentenced the sages to death for the kidnapping and selling of Yoseph.
When Yosef was sold, only nine brothers were present (Reuven had returned home and Binyamin did not participate). Why were ten sages killed?
ANSWER: According to the
Midrash the brothers had agreed not to reveal to Yaakov the whereabouts of Yosef and had made Hashem a party to the agreement (see Rashi,
Bereishit 37:33). The Roman King thus calculated that
ten (counting Hashem) had cooperated in the kidnapping; and therefore he killed
ten sages.
Commentaries ask why was Rabbi Akiva among the ten sages killed since he was a descendant of converts and his ancestors had taken no part in the kidnapping.
The answer given is that Rabbi Akiva was punished on behalf of Hashem, who participated in the kidnapping by not revealing to Yaakov the whereabouts of Yosef.
The words "Vechol ma'asar" are an acronym for veyeid'u kulam — "let it be known to all" — laah meit Akiva — "the reason for the death of Akiva," — she'hayah roeh — "who was a shepherd of — "bakar vatzon" — "cattle and sheep." The pasuk continues "kol asher ya'avor" — "all those who died" (literally "went under") — "tachat hashavet" — "represented one of the tribes (the shevatim)." But Rabbi Akiva had no relationship to the tribes, so why was he killed? We must conclude that "ha'asiri" — "the tenth" sage, that is, Rabbi Akiva — was "kodesh laHashem" — martyred on behalf of Hashem.
QUESTION: Why was Rabbi Akiva selected to be the one martyred on behalf of Hashem?
ANSWER: The
Gemara (Pesachim 22b) says that Shimon Ha'amsuni had a practice of interpreting every occurrence of the word
"et" in the Torah to mean a reference to something additional. When he reached the
pasuk, "Et Hashem Elokecha tira" — "Hashem, your G-d, shall you fear"
(Devarim 10:20), he stopped because what could there be in addition to G-d? Rabbi Akiva interpreted the word
"et" as including
talmidei chachamim — Torah scholars. Since it was Rabbi Akiva who equated Torah scholars with Hashem, he was the one selected to represent Hashem.
The Gemara (Berachot 61b) says that while Rabbi Akiva was being put to death, he recited the Shema, and when he said the word "echad" he expired. A voice emanated from heaven and said, "Lucky are you Rabbi Akiva that your soul 'went out' with 'echad.'" In light of the above, we may say that the voice also meant, "Lucky are you Rabbi Akiva that your soul went out on behalf of 'echad' — Hashem — the One and only One."
"It and its exchange shall be holy... these are the commandments which G-d commanded Moshe... on Mount Sinai." (27:33-34)
QUESTION: What is the connection between the laws of temurah (an exchange animal) and Mount Sinai?
ANSWER: Hashem originally gave Moshe the ten commandments engraved on two tablets of stone. When Moshe came down from heaven and saw the golden calf, he broke the tablets. Hashem told Moshe to hew out a second set of tablets in exchange and bring them up to Mount Sinai. Thus, the second set of tablets were like a
temurah (exchange) for the first set of tablets. According to the
Gemara (Bava Batra 14b), both sets of tablets were holy and placed together in the Ark.
From the holiness of the two sets of tablets given on Mount Sinai, we can also learn that both the animal originally sanctified and the exchange animal are holy.
"These are the commandments that G-d commanded Moshe to the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai." (27:34)
QUESTION: The Gemara (Megillah 2b) derives from the words "eileh hamitzvot" — "these are the commandments" — that a prophet cannot add anything to Torah. If so, the Gemara asks, what right did the prophets have to add to the alef-beit the final letters mem, nun, tzaddik, pei, chaf? The Gemara answers that this is merely the reinstating of something forgotten. Why did they find it necessary to reinstate the five letters mem, nun, tzaddik, pei, chaf?
ANSWER: According to the
Yalkut Shimoni (
Bereishit 12:64) there are five letters which are used twice in a phrase or word to indicate an expression of redemption.
With a double chaf Hashem redeemed Avraham from Ur Kasdim and said to him lech lecha mei'artzecha — "go for yourself from your land" (Bereishit 12:1).
With a double mem Yitzchak was redeemed from the hands of the Philistines who said to him, leich mei'imanu — "Go away from us [for you have become mightier than we]" (Bereishit 25:16).
With a double nun Yaakov was saved from the hands of Eisav when he prayed hatzileini na — "Rescue me, please, [from the hands of my brother from the hand of Eisav]" (Bereishit 32:12).
With a double pei the Jewish people were redeemed from Egyptian bondage, as Hashem said pakod pakaditi — "I have surely remembered you [and what is done to you in Egypt]" (Shemot 3:16).
With the double tzaddik Hashem will ultimately redeem the Jewish people through Mashiach, as the prophet says, hinei ish Tzemach sh'mo u'mi'tachtiv yitzmach — "Behold there is a man whose name is Tzemach and he will flourish in his place [and he shall build the temple of G-d]" (Zechariah 6:12).
After many years of exile and oppression by the nations of the world, the Jewish people started to forget about the coming of Mashiach and began to think that they were destined to remain in exile forever. Therefore, to awaken them, the prophets reinstated mem, nun, tzaddik, pei, chaf to make them aware that He redeemed our ancestors in the past and He will speedily send Mashiach and the complete redemption.
The prophet says "From the uttermost part of the earth, have we heard songs, glory to the righteous" (Isaiah 24:16).
In light of the above, the prophet's message can be explained as follows: The word mi'kanaf has all the letters of mem, nun, tzaddik, pei, chaf except the tzaddik From the four redemptions alluded to by the letters of the word mi'kanaf which the world has already experienced, we hear songs that there will also be "tzvi" — glory — "Latzaddik" — to the redemption alluded to in the letter tzaddik — the coming of the righteous Mashiach speedily in our time.
"These are the commandments that G-d commanded Moshe to the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai." (27:34)
QUESTION: The Gemara (Megillah 2b) derives from the words "eileh hamitzvot" — "these are the commandments" — that a prophet cannot add anything to Torah. If so, the Gemara asks, what right did the prophets have to add to the alef-beit the final letters mem, nun, tzaddik, pei, chaf? The Gemara answers that this is merely the reinstating of something forgotten.
Why does the Gemara list the letters mem, nun, tzaddik, pei, chaf in that order and not in their proper order according to the alef-beit (kaf, mem, nun pei tzaddik)?
ANSWER: In Hebrew the prophets are referred to as
"tzofayich" — "Your watchmen" (Isaiah 52:8). Since it was the prophets who reinstated these letters to the
alef-beit, they are listed in this way so that the word
"tzofayich" is alluded to by the last three letters.
Alternatively, according to this order, the mem-nun together add up to 90, which is also the value of the tzaddik, and the pei-chaf add up to 100. Thus, these five letters have the same numerical value as Hashem melech — "G-d is the King" — 90 — Hashem malach — "G-d was the King" — 90 — and Hashem yim'loch — "G-d will be the King [for ever]" — 100.
The tzaddik is for "Tzemach," which refers to the redemption through Mashiach. According to the Gemara (Sanhedrin 98b) his name will be Menachem, which has the same numerical value as of "Tzemach" — 138. (See Ibn Ezra, Zecharia 3:8.) It is common practice for the most venerable person in a group to be seated in the middle (see Gemara Megillah 21b). Therefore the redemption through Mashiach, the greatest redemption of all, is in the middle, flanked by the other redemptions.
In the alef-beit the letters alef-tet correspond to the numbers 1-9, and yud-tzaddik correspond to 10-90. The letters kuf-taf correspond to 100-400 and the final letters chaf, mem, nun, pei tzaddik correspond to the numbers 500-900, forming a complete sequence of 100's (see Sukkah 52b Rashi). Thus, with these letters, the cycle of the alef-beit is complete and comes back to alef, which represents "Alufo Shel Olam" — "the One and Only Master of the Universe" — alluding to "Ani rishon ve'Ani acharon" — "I am first and I am last" (Isaiah 44:6).
"These are the commandments that G-d commanded Moshe to the Children of Israel on Mount Sinai." (27:34)
QUESTION: To show that the Torah never ends, it is customary to connect the end with the beginning. In Chumash Vayikra, what is the connection between the concluding words, "behar Sinai" and the beginning words, "Vayikra el Moshe"?
ANSWER: One of the reasons that the opening word of
Chumash Vayikra is spelled with a small
alef is the following: Hashem's prophecy to Bilaam begins with
"Vayikar" — without an
alef — implying a chance encounter. While Hashem had a reason to speak to him, He did not do so lovingly (see
Bamidar 23:4).
In his profound humility, Moshe wished to describe Hashem's revelation to him with the same subdued word ("vayikar") used for Bilaam — without an alef — but Hashem instructed him to include the alef as an expression of affection. Too humble to do so wholeheartedly, Moshe wrote a small alef (Ba'al Haturim).
One may wonder how Moshe reached his great humility. The opening statement of Pirkei Avot is: "Moshe kibeil Torah miSinai" — "Moshe received the Torah from Sinai." The Lubavitcher Rebbe asks that, grammatically, it should have stated, "Moshe received the Torah al Sinai — on Sinai," and explains that the word "Torah" is derived from the word "hora'ah" — teaching and guidance (see Zohar Vol. 3, 53b), and the Mishnah is conveying the message that Moshe received Torah — a guiding lesson — from Sinai on the subject of humility.
As Hashem was preparing to give the Torah, the big mountains conceitedly exclaimed, "Due to our prominence, the Torah should be given on us!" Hashem disregarded them and chose Sinai, which was the lowest of all the mountains, thus emphasizing humility, a necessary prerequisite for Torah. (See Sotah 5a.)
Consequently, because of "behar Sinai" — the giving of the Torah on Mount Sinai — Moshe surmised the importance of humility and wrote "Vayikra" with a small alef.
Behar