REPRIMANDING GREAT AND SMALL ACCORDING TO THEIR LEVEL (by David Hanania Pinto shlita)

t is written, “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak, 30b). This is because the evil inclination is made of fire, and may the earth hear the words of my mouth” as the Sages have said. The way to obtain help against it (Deuteronomy 32:1). This verse is to be understood is to regularly study the holy Torah, for it too is made of as a stern reprimand to those who consider them- fire, as it is written: “Is My word not like a fire, says the Iselves to be great figures, people whose heads reach the L-RD” ( 23:29). In fact a person must realize that heavens, and who think that they already know the entire he is simply being asked to take one small step, for then Torah and therefore nobody can teach them anything. It he will receive Hashem’s help. What can this be compared is precisely such people that Moses addresses by saying, to? It is like a man who lights a great fire. If he slowly “Give ear, O heavens.” In other words: Although you are puts his hand into the fire, it will burn him. However if great individuals, you should still listen to what the Torah he passes his hand through it very quickly, nothing will says, and if you unfortunately fail to listen, know that the happen to him. This is what the Sages meant by saying, haazinu Torah will ask you for an accounting. “Present to Me an opening of repentance no bigger than In fact Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, “A heavenly the eye of a needle.” It signifies that a person only has voice issues from Mount Horev every day, saying: ‘Woe to make a small effort in order to create an opening and 257 to those creatures who neglect the Torah’ ” (Shemot Rabba confront the evil inclination, even though it is made of fire, th 41:7). We must also realize that the very existence of without worrying about being burned. This is because at Oct. 11 08 pride in a person’s heart is an affront to the holy Torah, the very same moment that he makes this effort, Hashem for it cannot endure with such a person, as the Sages have will save him and he will receive a tremendous reward. 12 Tichri 5769 said: “Words of Torah only endure with one who makes When a Torah scholar examines his life and wants to Publication himself as nothing” (Sotah 21b). It is therefore a duty for draw closer to Hashem and reach lofty spiritual heights, HEVRAT PINTO every person to humble himself. Even if he is fully versed he must annul himself completely before Him, just as Under Aegis of in every Torah field, he should listen to and heed words Moses did. By his self-annulment and humility, Moses Rabbi David Hanania of admonition and ethics from another great individual, was able to ascend to Heaven and receive the holy Torah, Pinto Chlita even if he is not as great as himself. This is the sense of as it is written: “You ascended on high; you led captivity 11, rue du plateau the expression, “Give ear, O heavens, va’adabera [and I captive” (Psalms 68:19). 75019 PARIS Tel: +331 42 08 25 40 will speak].” These words are directed to great figures None of this applies for administering rebuke to regular Fax +331 42 08 50 85 who are compared to the heavens. With regards to them, individuals. With regards to them, one must take a com- www.hevratpinto.org terms such as va’adabera (from dibur, to speak harshly) pletely different approach, as we find in the remainder of Responsable of publication are used. The term dibur is used for rebuke, as in the ex- Hanania Soussan the verse: “May the earth hear the words of my mouth” pression: “These are ha’devarim [the words] that Moses (Deuteronomy 32:1). This expression deals with down- spoke” (Deuteronomy 1:1). Rashi states that these to-earth people, those whose lives are focused solely on were words of rebuke. The reason that he used harsh the material concerns of the world. They too must heed The Power of Deception language is that Heaven already had a grievance the voice of the Torah and its rebukes, which must enter against them because of their pride, for they thought their ears and their hearts. This heedfulness will help them See the power of deception, for it that they knew everything and that nobody could shortens the life of man, as it is written: overcome their desires, their love of money, and their teach them anything. Hence we see that their heads character flaws. This will only happen, however, when “Bloody and deceitful men shall not live reached the heavens. out half their days” (Psalms 55:24). Within rebuke is administered to them with respect, as we read: This means that they already perfected their his very own lifetime, a deceitful person Imrei phi (“the words of my mouth”) – by a soft-spoke middot and their deeds, and therefore rebuke had will be scorned by everyone, for the Holy amira (“utterance”), as it is written: “Thus tomar [shall to be directed to them with harsh language. This One, blessed be He, will publicly expose you say] to the house of Jacob” (Exodus 19:3). Here Rashi is why the Torah addresses a person even if he is the treachery lurking within the hearts of states that gentle language was used, not rebukes or repri- still far from Hashem. and Mar Ukva mands, lest the Torah’s words be rejected. Hence if such those who deceive, as it is written: “He said, “Every man in whom pride dwells, the Holy who walks uprightly walks surely; but he people are addressed with respect, the Torah’s words will One, blessed be He, declares: ‘I and he cannot truly enter their ears. We must realize, however, that it is who perverts his ways shall be discov- both dwell in the world’ ” (Sotah 5a). However if not enough to speak to people in a gentle manner; there ered” (Proverbs 10:9). The Vilna Gaon a person puts the utmost effort into heeding rebuke must also be a willingness to listen on their part. They explained that a person whose heart and working on his faults, especially pride, he will must be attentive so as not to miss a word, and by dint of harbors evil and whose lips speak deceit- receive Hashem’s help, as it is written: “Present to their attentiveness these words will have an influence on fully is perverting his life when he tries to Me an opening of repentance no bigger than the them and they will change their way of life. To what can bring upon his fellow the evil that is in his eye of a needle, and I will widen it into openings this be compared? It is like a person who is told, “If you heart, so that it is not discovered by oth- through which wagons and carriages can pass” (Shir hear a certain number and remember it for a long time, ers. Nevertheless others will find out, for Hashirim Rabba 5:3). Actually, a person must real- you will be rewarded with a large amount of money.” Hashem will make it known. As Midrash ize that he cannot merit anything without Hashem’s Upon hearing this, he will put an immense effort into not Shocher Tov states: “The Holy One, help, as Rabbi Shimon ben Levi said: “Man’s evil forgetting this number, for otherwise he will lose out on blessed be He, does not ask a person for inclination gathers strength against him daily and a fortune! The same applies here: If a person strives with an accounting before making his deeds seeks to slay him…. Were not the Holy One, blessed all his might to create an opening as large as the eye of known.” The evil that he hoped to do to be He, to help him [man], he would not be able to a needle, and he manages to keep it open, he will merit others will end up returning to him. prevail against it, for it is said: ‘The L-RD will not an immense reward. Hashem will widen this opening so – Sefat Tamim forsake him to his hand’ [Psalms 37:33]” (Kiddushin that wagons and carriages can pass through. strange god, the level of pride, then Hashem says: “I and he cannot both dwell in the world.” Such a person is called rah, evil. Hashem says that He alone guides a person. That is, when does Hashem lead History in Light of the Torah and guide him? When he has no strange god with him – when he has no pride – and instead yields before Hashem. In fact the term It is written, “Remember the days of old, consider the years of rah has the same numerical value, according to a certain way of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your counting, as the term ge’eh (“proud”). Who was greater than Moses, elders, and they will tell you” (Deuteronomy 32:7). of whom it is said: “Moses spoke the words of this song into the Rabbi Elchanan Wasserman cited this passage as a teaching for ears of the entire congregation of Israel” (Deuteronomy 31:30)? all the generations. Everything that happens in the world should How could Moses have spoken to each person individually among be studied, just as if it were a passage in the Torah. It is our duty to the myriads of the Children of Israel – to all the men, women, and reflect upon the events occurring in the world in the light of Torah’s children? Here we see the greatness of Moses; we see his humility pronouncements, and to find their root causes. “Consider the years and self-annulment before all Israel, to the point that his words of many generations. Ask your father, and he will show you; your were heard by each of them. His words descended into the heart of elders, and they will tell you.” It is impossible to learn the signifi- every Jew, and everyone knew how to improve his ways and serve cance of a certain era on your own, just as it is impossible to learn a Hashem. We see this among the Children of Israel, as if Moses had difficult concept in the Gemara on your own. One must study with spoken to each person individually. the commentaries of the and the . Similarly, it is impossible for human intelligence to understand G-d’s plans. In A Lack of Understanding order to understand the significance of what is happening, we need It is written, “Am naval [A foolish people], and not wise” (Deu- the commentators: “Ask your father, and he will show you; your teronomy 32:6). elders, and they will tell you.” Our forefathers said that the Haazinu The Ramban explains: “Onkelos rendered this as, ‘A people who song contains all the events in the history of the Jewish people from have received the Torah [and are not wise],’ deriving it from navol the beginning of the world until the coming of the deliverer. Thus tibol [Exodus 18:18], which he translated as ‘you will certainly we read, “When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, become weary.’ Thus the verse is stating: It is a people weary of the when He separated the children of man, He set the borders of the observance of Torah, and they are not wise [enough to realize] that it peoples according to the number of the Children of Israel. For the L- is for their eternal good.” Sometimes we are surprised when we see RD’s portion is His people; Jacob is the measure of His inheritance” the attitude of those who despise Judaism or anything sacred. To such (Deuteronomy 32:8). With these verses, said Rav Elchanan, the Torah people, everything is worthwhile except a connection to religion. Every provides us with an important key for determining the central axis discussion and sacrifice is valuable, until it comes to the subject of around which the world turns. This axis is the Jewish people. In fact religion. This is what the Torah calls a foolish people, those who are it is simple to understand that all created beings came into the world weary of putting an effort into the wisdom of Torah and Judaism. They in order to do Hashem’s will. Now among all the world’s creatures, fail to understand that the Torah was not given to weigh them down, the noblest is man, and among all human beings the noblest are the but rather for their eternal good. Jewish people, who are G-d’s portion in the world. Inevitably, every- – Avi Avraham thing that happens in the world pertains to the Jewish people. Even an earthquake, wherever it happens, is for the Jewish people. The Weakened and Diminished prophet states, “I have eliminated nations, their towers have become It is written, “You weakened the Rock Who gave birth to you, and desolate. … I said, ‘Just fear Me, accept chastisement’ ” (Zephaniah forgot the G-d Who brought you forth” (Deuteronomy 32:18). 3:6-7). Here the Sages teach that no misfortune comes upon the world if not for Israel. These are but illustrations that constitute a concrete The Holy One, blessed be He, created man despite protests from example of how we can consult “the elders” on the history of the the ministering angels, who said to Him: “What is man, that You are world and with regards to every era. Whoever ponders it will have mindful of him?” (Psalms 8:5). Hashem wanted man to take to the the impression of looking into an encyclopedia that will enlighten right path, to observe mitzvot and be useful to all Creation. Therefore him. Such was the conclusion of Rabbi Elchanan. if the Children of Israel sinned and did not properly carry out their task, the entire reason behind man’s creation would have been weakened. – From Kovetz Ma’amarim This is the direct sense of the verse: “You weakened the Rock Who A Pearl From the Rav gave birth to you” – you weakened and diminished the entire reason It is written, “The L-RD alone guided them, and no strange god behind Creation. was with them” (Deuteronomy 32:12). – Ohr HaChaim We need to understand the meaning of this verse, for it is obvi- Everything Depends On Us ous that if Hashem guides Israel, there is no other god with them! It is written, “For it is not an empty thing for you” (Deuteronomy That being said, what is this verse teaching us? We may say that it 32:47). means that Hashem guides the Jewish people and protects them in order for them to acknowledge Him, but only when they humble Rabbeinu Bechaye cites the Midrash in stating that it is not an empty themselves before Him and eliminate pride from their hearts. The thing for you, and if it is empty, then it is because of you. In other words, more a person isolates himself and examines his life, the more he if we do not understand a mitzvah, it is due to a lack of wisdom on our will merit to know Hashem. This is the meaning of the expression part, for we have not reached the necessary level to understand it. “no nechar [strange] god was with them.” The term nechar has the In his book Shaarei Teshuvah (Gate 2, Section 145), Rabbeinu Yona name numerical value (270) as the term rah (“evil”), for there is writes about a person who says things about the Torah that are not true, nothing worse than pride. If a person wants to arrive at the level of a a person who has the audacity to lie about the Torah. Such a person will say, “These verses and stories in the Torah serve no purpose.” He thinks this way because of his pride, because he cannot understand the Reasons for the Mitzvot Torah’s meaning. With regards to such a person, it is written: “For it is not an empty thing for you,” and our Sages added: “If it is empty, No Injustice it is from you” (Yerushalmi, Ketubot, end of ch. 8). That is, we have It is written, “A faithful G-d, without injustice; righteous and failed to explain the point being made. fair is He” (Deuteronomy 32:4). In his book Ha’amek Davar, the Netziv explains: “The Torah is tell- This verse contains a mitzvah from this week’s parsha: When seeing ing us that we should understand every detail in Scripture; we must everything that happens, we must believe that there is no injustice in the not think that anything has been written by chance. Concerning the world, that Hashem is righteous and fair. You are righteous, Hashem, expression, ‘It is not an empty thing for you,’ the Torah states that if and Your judgments are fair. In his commentary on the Mishnah (tractate it is empty, it is because of you. It is your own fault that you do not Berachot), the Rambam states: “A faithful G-d, without injustice. Man has understand the Torah’s verses, for you did not put enough effort into it. We must examine every small detail in Torah.” no way of understanding either the justice or the judgments of G-d, for no man has the intelligence that can encompass that of Hashem. Scripture In his book Seder HaYom, Rabbeinu Moshe ben Machir writes has informed us that our minds have no way of understanding the wisdom that the principles of Judaism and its secrets are not easily revealed and justice of His decisions in all that He does or will do, for it is stated: to people. They can only be understood after an enormous amount of ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than study, both day and night, and by eating bread dipped in salt, drinking your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’ [Isaiah 55:9].” water in small measure, and giving oneself over entirely to Torah study, as it is written: “When a man dies in a tent” (Numbers 19:14). We must These concepts are found in the Torah, and they must be studied. The never let our minds turn away from it, in rising, lying down, and in Radak explains the verse near the end of Malachi (“Then those who journeying. A man with these virtues will certainly attain everything feared the L-RD spoke to one another”) as follows: “When those who he desires, for just as he pursues and loves Torah, it will pursue and fear Hashem will hear what is said by those who do not understand His reveal itself to him, delivering its treasure-trove of secrets to him. All ways and His judgments, they will encourage one another in these areas his desires cannot compare to it, and he will study everything it says and speak among themselves until they realize, by their own intelligence, with great attention, counting all its words and letters. If there seems that all His ways are just and that He is a faithful G-d, without injustice.” to be an extra word or letter in some passage, he will ask what this Although we do not understand everything, there is one thing that we addition means. This is because it is not an empty thing, and if it is certainly do understand, namely that everything around us was made for empty, it is because of us. It means that we have not put enough effort our good and to enable us to live until the present day. Therefore it is also into understanding its teachings, words that are pure and refined to obvious that even what does not appear to us as such is for our good and the highest degree. enables us to live. The Chafetz Chaim illustrated this concept by saying that when a fool sees an extremely large and complex machine, he will A Torah of Life put his finger on a certain bolt and say, “What’s this,” as if he understands It is written, “For it is not an empty thing for you, for it is your everything else about the machine. As for the wise, they remain silent as life, and through this matter you shall prolong your days” (Deu- soon as they see something that surpasses their own understanding. They teronomy 32:47). suddenly realize that wisdom is still far from them. The most intelligent Our teacher the Ya’avetz, among the exiles of Spain, wrote in his approach, from our point of view, would be to remain silent. We, the commentary on Pirkei Avoth: “We must think about this. Could anyone small ones, understand nothing. We must realize that there is a faithful possibly imagine that the word of Hashem is empty, such that the Torah G-d, without injustice, Who is righteous and fair. had to explicitly state that it is not empty? What this means, however, is – Avi Avraham that everything that apparently works in this world does not stem from a source that is beyond man’s ability to understand, and this includes all eshet hayil religions and sciences of non-Jews. They have no influence on man’s nature. Instead they constitute superficial wisdom, and when a person The Greatness of Hospitality leaves this world, he remains empty. Such is not the case with regards to the Torah. It constitutes the perfection of man’s very nature, not what A woman is the key to the home, which is why she excels in the area is outside of him. When the Torah states that it is not an empty thing of hospitality. When guests come to the home, they must be warmly for him, it means that “it is your life” – it is your very essence. welcomed, and food must quickly be set out for them if they are poor, since they may be hungry and too ashamed to ask for food. We are to Overview of the Parsha greet them with a pleasant face, not a frown, and we should conceal Parsha Haazinu continues the account given in Parsha Re’eh: Mo- whatever worries we have at heart. We should act as if we are rich, even ses gives the Children of Israel a song and a law that will exist for if we are poor, and we should console our guests with words and thereby all time. The song is divided into six parts: (1) Introduction (vv.1-3); encourage them. We should not mention our own concerns to them, lest (2) Hashem’s ways (vv.4-14); (3) The sins committed against Him they become worried that we are speaking this way because of them, in (vv.15-18); (4) Hashem hides His face (vv.19-35); (5) Reconciliation which case we may lose our entire reward. When serving food to guests, (vv.36-43); and (6) The attribution of the song to Moses and Joshua we should express regret that we have not given them more to eat, as it (vv.44-47). At the end of the parsha, we find a statement similar to is written: “If you…offer your soul to the hungry” (Isaiah 58:9-10). In the one given in Parsha Pinchas, namely that Moses is commanded to other words, show him that you really care. climb Mount Nebo so he can see the land before dying. – Menorat HaMaor Your Eyes Shall Behold Your Teacher The Deeds of the Great

Rabbi Saadia Gaon Proper Behavior Precedes Torah The story of Rabbi Saadia Gaon’s disciples, who found their teacher The Gemara states, “It was said of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakai that no man mortifying himself in the snow, was made famous in books of Mussar. ever gave him a greeting first, not even a heathen in the street” (Berachot 17a). When they asked him why he was doing this, Rabbi Saadia Gaon said We also read, “When he prayed with the congregation, Rabbi Akiva used to cut it short and finish in order not to inconvenience the congregation. Yet that he tried to strengthen himself in the service of Hashem each day, when he prayed by himself, a man would leave him in one corner and find and therefore he realized that the way he previously served Him was him later in another, on account of his many genuflexions and prostrations” lacking. Thus each day he felt the need to repent for the day before, (ibid. 31a). The Gemara also states: “Rabbi Yochanan used to rise before the since he had not progressed enough in the service of G-d. Rabbi Saadia aged heathen, saying: ‘How many troubles have passed over them!’ Rabba Gaon, who was of Egyptian origin, was a descendant of Rabbi Chanina would not rise up, yet he showed them respect. used to give his hand ben Dosa, among the descendants of Shiloh the son of Judah. He was a to the aged. Rabba sent his messengers. Rabbi Nachman sent his guardsmen” great gaon in wisdom, and he wrote a Torah commentary that has been (Kiddushin 33a). “Rabbi Shimon ben Halafta took his leave from Rabbi. cited by renowned Torah scholars. Rabbi Saadia Gaon also wrote a poem Said Rabbi to his son: ‘Go along with him, that he may bless you.’ Said based on the letters the Torah’s letters, from aleph to tav, a poem that [Rabbi Shimon] to him: ‘May it be [Heaven’s] pleasure that you shame not comprises all the mitzvot in the Torah according to the order of the Ten or feel shame yourself.’ When he came to his father, he asked him: ‘What Commandments. In it he joked: Rabbi Saadia Gaon asked a tailor who did he say to you?’ He replied: ‘He made some commonplace remark to me.’ visited him how many stitches he had sewn on that day, and the tailor Said [Rabbi] to his son: ‘He blessed you with the blessing with which the replied: “Tell me the number of letters in the Torah!” Rabbi Saadia Gaon Holy One blessed Israel twice over, for it is written: “You shall eat, eating bitterly regretted that nobody had ever asked him that question, one that and being satisfied, and you will praise the Name of the L-RD your G-d… he could not answer. and My people will never be ashamed. Then you will know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the L-RD your G-d – there is none other – and This bothered him for several days, for he did not know how to cal- My people will never be ashamed” [Joel 2:26-27]’ ” (Moed Katan 9b). The culate the number. He finally used Hashem’s Name for this purpose, blessing of, “My people will never be ashamed” is repeated in order to teach and an angel came and revealed the answer to him, which made him us that we will not shame others or be shamed ourselves. tremendously happy. Rabbeinu Tam wrote, “Rabbi Saadia Gaon, by Rabbi Jeremiah asked Rabbi , “Is Lydda not a part of Judah?” “Yes,” whose words we live, left us the secret to intercalating the years.” Rabbi he replied. Rabbi Jeremiah continued: “Then why do they not intercalate the Saadia Gaon also wrote a book of responsa, a book concerning the laws year there?” Rabbi Zeira replied, “Because they are obstinate and unskillful of purity, and a book entitled Emunot VeDeot. In addition to his books in the law.” At that point Rabbi Zeira’s expression changed, for Rabbi Chiya Shirat HaMikra, HaPedut VeHaPurkan, and Sod HaIbur, he also enacted and Rabbi Judah ben Pazi, who were from Lydda, were standing behind Dinim and Halachot. The Maharam Recanati cites many of Rabbi Saadia them. Rabbi Zeira then scolded Rabbi Jeremiah: “Have you not seen these Gaon’s explanations in his writings. Sages? Why did you ask your questions now, in such a way that you brought – Shem HaGedolim shame to these Torah scholars in their presence? You should not have asked now!” – Hizaharu Bichvod Chaverechem A True Story In the Light of the Haftorah Rejoicing in the Torah Searching for His Father It is written, “May my utterance flow like the dew” (Deuter- It is written, “Return, O Israel, to the L-RD your G-d, for you onomy 32:2). have stumbled in your iniquity” (Hosea 14:2). Rashi comments, “Flow like the dew – with which everyone re- Rabbi Binyamin Shikovsky Zatzal, known as the Maggid of Kelm, climbed joices.” the podium at the great synagogue of Tel Aviv. He said, “My friends, as I The gaon Rabbi Hillel Kagan Zatzal noticed that a student from the arrived in synagogue I met a small boy who was sobbing. ‘What is your Horodna yeshiva failed to attend a class given by the gaon Rabbi Shemuel name?’ I asked him. ‘Israelik,’ he said. ‘And why are you crying?’ The child Rosowski Zatzal. When he asked him about it, the student replied that he replied with an innocence that was choked by tears: ‘I don’t know where my father is.’ Trying to calm the boy, I suggested that I go with him to look for did not understand the subject matter. Rabbi Hillel then brought the stu- his father outside, but the child’s tears only increased. ‘I already looked for dent into his office and thoroughly reviewed Rabbi Shemuel’s course with him outside, and he’s not there!’ When I asked him where he had looked, him. While standing, Rabbi Hillel passionately explained the question that and why he was in synagogue, the child gave me an answer that touched my the student found difficult to understand. After finishing, he turned to him heart. He said, ‘I already looked for him on Herzl Street and Bialik Street. I and asked, “Do you understand the question?” The student nodded his also passed through Echad HaAm and Scheinkein, but I didn’t find him. So head in agreement and asked to hear the answer. Rabbi Hillel then said, I decided to look for him here in synagogue.’ ” “No, you don’t understand! If you did, you would be happy. I’ll explain The Maggid continued his account with a trembling voice: “You hear, the question once again.” After doing so, he asked the student: “Now my friends, Israelik lost his father. Yet it wasn’t only small Israelik that lost do you understand?” He replied, “Of course,” and then he repeated the his father, but big Israel as well. He also turned to Herzl and Bialik in order question to prove that he understood it. Yet Rabbi Shemuel cut him off: to find him, but without success. On the contrary, he ended up even further “If you understand the question, then why aren’t you happy?” He then away. He also tried to find his way in other places, yet failed to find what he was looking for. Israel, the time has come to look in synagogue. Return, O explained it again and again, until he saw a slight smile on the student’s Israel, and come home. Return to Hashem your G-d, for you have stumbled face. At that point Rabbi Hillel said, “Now you understand!” in your iniquity. Every other path that you have tried has brought you noth- – Zecher Hillel ing. Therefore I beg you, return!” – Beit Yaakov