UPHOLDING AND
UPKEEPING: PARSHAT KI TAVO
Shira Smiles shiur
– 2020/5780
Adapted by Channie
Koplowitz Stein
As Bnei Yisroel is about to enter Eretz
Yisroel, Moshe continues with his final message to the Nation. Putting half the
people on Har Grizim and the other half on Har Eival, Moshe proceeds to first
tell the people all the blessings they will receive for following Hashem’s
commands. He then follows by cursing those who transgress specific commands,
concluding with, “Accursed in the one who will not uphold/yakim the
words of the Torah to perform them.” If this is merely a summary of all the
concluding verses, it would be redundant, and the Torah only adds words when
there is an additional message to be learned. So what are we to extrapolate
from this “redundancy?”
Rav
Reiss in Meirosh Tzurim offers an explanation focusing on the mindset of
the sinner. Since we are all human, we are subject to err and to sin. However,
when we sin purposely, in defiance of Hashem’s command, rather than through
error or through human frailty, this curse will apply. Further, continues Rabbi
Reiss citing the Malbim whose ideas develop in the backdrop of the
Enlightenment, the curse also applies to upkeep/lekayeim the laws of He
Who is Chai Vekayom/eternally alive and relevant, in contradistinction
to those who would say some of the mitzvoth do not apply “in this day and age.”
In
a related vein, Rabbeinu Yonah explains that there are people who are generally
very observant, who do teshuvah when they sin, but cannot accept one particular
mitzvah or prohibition. To the Chofetz Chaim, a common area of faltering is in
the laws of Shemirat Haloshon/guarding one’s tongue against improper
speech, especially about others. If one denies the importance of this or of any
mitzvah as either irrelevant or just impossible to maintain, one is “throwing
off the yoke of Heaven,” rebelling against God, and incurring this curse.
In
this month of Elul, our minds goes to the acronym of (E)Ani Ledodi (U)Vedodi
Li/I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me. But our relationship
to Hakodosh Boruch Hu must be more than just feeling the love. As Rabbi Meir Chodosh
cited in the Ohel Mosh says, it must include a sense of responsibility
to serve Hashem as his Master. One is not free to merely try. One must commit,
even with the possibility of failure.
This
idea of submitting to Hakodosh Boruch Hu in all areas runs counter to man’s
general psychological bent, writes Rabbi Gamliel Rabinowitz citing the Chazon
Ish. Man wants to be free and unrestrained. But we must learn to do what
Hashem wants and to live by His rules. After all, even an exclusive country
club has clearly defined rules for membership. If you do not abide by those
rules, your membership will be revoked. And we are members of a very exclusive
club, the only Nation that Hashem chose and designated for membership. This is
what Elul and the shofar are for, to wake us up so that we want to follow the
rules because we love being part of this membership. And if I mess up, I will
apologize, do teshuvah, immediately to remain in good standing, for only a fool
would delay and incur the possibility of suffering the consequences, adds Rabbi
Beyfus.
In
this month of Elul, when we try to improve our character and reinforce our
relationship with Hashem, we may want to start by going through each moment of
our day to see how our performance could improve, whether in our interactions
with our family and friends or in our mitzvah observance, suggests Rabbi
Gamliel Rabinowitz in Tiv Hamoadim. In the process, though, be aware to
avoid an all or nothing attitude. Start with a small, easy step and build on
that, teaches us Rabbi Wagschall.
Life
is full of challenges. We will undoubtedly fall, but we must be involved in the
process and continue in our struggle, for ultimate success is a gift only
Hakodosh Boruch Hu can grant, adds Rabbi Lugassi in Mimayanei Hayeshuah.
Rabbi Lugassi here refers to a “vort” from Rabbi Biederman. We are called
Yisroel because Yaakov Avinu struggled with the angel/soriso im E-lokhim,
not because Yaakov succeeded, the concluding phrase, vatuchol. A tzadik
will fall seven times. He is called a tzadik/a righteous one because after each
fall, he rises and tries again. Real victory, as the Steipler Gaon tells us, is
in the determination to get up in spite of the fall. If what you have
undertaken proves too difficult, start with an even smaller step. After all,
our verse says, “Cursed is the one who will not yokim/raise up, the
Torah, and himself to perform its mitzvoth.” Your attitude may not be, I will
observe the mitzvoth I would like to perform, those that I find easy. That is
not the attitude of a true servant, certainly not of a true servant of Hashem.
Elul is the month of trying, of pushing ourselves to observing the 613 rules
that constitute the bylaws of our “club.”
The
Ramban offers an additional perspective on the pivotal word yokim.
Ramban translates the word as “to establish, to fortify.” He explains that if
one has the opportunity to strengthen the Torah observance of another Jew, to
teach him and help him and others and influence them toward Torah or mitzvah
observance, and he refuses to do so, he has transgressed this command. As
Rabbi Scheinerman points out in Ohel Moshe, each of us has a sphere of
influence that extends beyond an immediate family or classroom. People observe
us wherever we are, in a supermarket, on public transportation, entering a
restaurant, and take their cues from what we do and how we act. We must
recognize the impact we may have on others wherever we are. [IE. It must be
kosher; it’s in her shopping cart, etc. CKS] A loyal servant works diligently
and urges others to do so, even as they are slacking off. Writes Rabbi Lopian
in Lev Eliahu. Are you working for your own benefit, or for that of your
Boss?
There
are many ways we can return “lost souls” to their rightful Owner, to Hashem.
Rabbi Frand points out that during the time the Mishkan in Shiloh was
the center of Jewish life, Elkanah would go up to Yerushalayim for the
festivals, each time taking a different route so that he could influence others
to join him. For this devotion in publicizing the mitzvah and urging others to
perform the mitzvah, Elkanah merited the son, the Prophet Shmuel. The
obligation to support Torah observance and learning extends to supporting Torah
institutions and Torah students as well, adds the Ohel Moshe. You can
help others to learn through using your body (tutoring, helping with fund
raising activities), your soul, as well as with your money. In this context,
Rabbi Reiss makes an interesting observation. Our Sages note that a person is
known by [how he acts] with his cup [when he’s had too much to drink], with his
“pocket,” and when he’s angry. We can tell a lot about a person’s values by
observing what he spends his money on. Supporting Torah financially tells
everyone that you value Torah.
Ramban
offers another, literal, explanation of this verse. “Whoever does not stand up
or raise up the Torah” is subject to this curse. This is the posuk the Gemorrah
Yerushalmi cites as the source for the Chazan (or designated member of the
community) to lift up to Torah in shul after the Torah reading for all to see
its writing, men and women, people on the right and on the left. And the
Congregation should give the Torah proper honor by standing and not speaking at
this time, instructs us Rabbi Reiss.
Mizkeinim
Esbonan
explains why Hagbeh/lifting up the Torah scroll is so important. This
act signifies the centrality of Torah in our lives. It is raised from the Bimah
traditionally located in the center of the shul and raised to all sides
equally, signifying that the people at front of the shul are no more important
than those in back or on the sides, no more important that the women and
children in the Ezras Noshim. [In 2016, I visited the Cochin Synagogue
in Moshav Nevatim with the Eretz Yisroel Movement. The shul, a copy of their
shul in India and including many of the original, physical structures of that
shul, features two bimahs. The one in the center of the men’s section is
where the chazan stands to lead the congregation in prayer. But there is a
second bimah higher up, right near the women’s section. After the Torah
is removed from the Ark and is carried through the men’s section, the Torah is
carried up to the second bimah where the women will clearly hear the
Torah reading and see the Torah. CKS] Further, the Torah should be central not
only physically, but in every stage of a Jew’s life. A Jew connects to the
Torah by getting an aliyah at each milestone and significant time in his life,
from Bar Mitzvah, to marriage, to becoming a father, to the yahrtzeit of
his loved ones.
There
are two types of people, notes Rabbi Grosbard. There are those who are yirei
Hashem/God fearing. When a mitzvah opportunity comes their way, they
immediately commit and start doing it. They are written in God’s Book of
Remembrance. In contrast, are those who are choshvei Shemo/think of His
Name and admit the opportunity, but do not begin executing it. Here the yetzer
horo has the opportunity to step in and deflect the person from completing
the mitzvah. While there is some merit in thought, it is the fulfillment, the yokim,
that merits the full reward.
It
is important to think of ways to increase kavod haTorah/honor of Torah
and to actualize the potential of our Torah and mitzvah intentions, writes
Rabbi Wolbe. And the month of Elul, adds the Tosher Rebbe, is the time with
greater power to uphold and establish Torat Hashem.