Reasons for the Mitzvot Man Began to Profane Shabbat, but That Too Was Useless

AN ALL OUT WAR AGAINST PRIDE (BY RABBI DAVID Hanania Pinto shlita) is written, “It will be when you enter the land that was a wandering Aramean, and he went down into Egypt…. the L-RD your G-d gives you…you shall take of The Egyptians mistreated us and afflicted us, and they the first of every fruit of the ground…and you placed hard work upon us” (Deuteronomy 26:5-6). As such shall put it in a basket and go to the place that they would never forget their past, when they were slaves the L-RD your G-d will choose to make His Name in Egypt, nor the fact that they inherited the land due to the Irest there.t You shall come to the priest who will be in those merit of the holy Patriarchs, though only on condition that days…and the priest shall take the basket from your hand” they study Torah and perform mitzvot. Therefore everything (Deuteronomy 26:1-4). the Children of Israel had was given to them entirely as a We know just how powerful the evil inclination is, for it can gift, which would obviously lead them to humility, the opposite KI TAVO infuse a person’s heart with pride in order to chase him from of pride, which destroys all that is good within people. This this world. As the Sages have said, “Envy, lust, and honor- is why they went to the Temple with their baskets in hand seeking drive a man from the world” (Perkei Avoth 4:21). As to thank Hashem for having led them to the land of their 254 such, not only will a person lose this world, but the World forefathers, as it is written: “He brought us to this place and th to Come as well. gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And Sept. 20 08 In fact the Holy One, blessed be He, detests the proud, now, behold, I have brought the first fruits of the ground that 20 Elul 5768 as it is written: “Every haughty person is an abomination to You have given me, O L-RD” (vv.9-10). By thanking Hashem the L-RD” (Proverbs 16:5). for all the good that He did for them, they never entertained Publication Although he was a great hero, King David’s heart did not HEVRAT PINTO forbidden thoughts such as, “My power and the might of my wax proud. Instead he regarded himself as nothing, as he Under Aegis of hand have gotten me this wealth.” said: “I am a worm and not a man, the scorn of humanity, RABBI David HANANIA This is some of the advice that the Torah gives a person in despised of people” (Psalms 22:7). He also said, “My heart Pinto CHLita order to prevent pride from making its way into him and caus- was not proud, and my eyes were not haughty” (ibid. 131:1). 11, rue du plateau ing him to lose the world. In general, when a person becomes 75019 PARIS He fully realized that all he possessed originated from Hashem, which is why he fought against the evil inclination wealthy and his thoughts focus on his business, he begins to Tel: +331 42 08 25 40 study less Torah. In fact the wealthier he becomes, the further Fax +331 42 08 50 85 as it tried to convince him to take advantage of the honor he strays from the words of Torah. Pride certainly comes to www.hevratpinto.org bestowed upon him by the Holy One, blessed be He. In fact King David chose to devote all his abilities and strength to occupy the space created by the diminishment of his study, increasing the glory of Hashem. in which case he is liable to entertain wicked thoughts. When the Children of Israel were about to enter the land of Because of our many sins, today the Temple no longer Don’t Ruin the Tools of Israel, a land flowing with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8) – “a stands. Therefore the place where a tzaddik lives is like the Your Trade land where you will eat bread without poverty; you will lack Temple, and the tzaddik is like the High Priest who officiates It is known that every artist or nothing there” (Deuteronomy 8:9) – the Holy One, blessed there. When a person learns how to serve Hashem from the craftsman, regardless of how skilled, be He, was concerned that wealth would lead the people tzaddik, it is as if he had brought an offering to the Temple. will be unable to make something to become proud and forget their Creator. As we read, Furthermore, when we bring a gift to the tzaddik and see “Yeshurun became fat and kicked – you became fat, you without the tools of his trade. The how he serves Hashem in a completely unselfish way, our became thick, you became corpulent – and it deserted G-d carpenter needs a hammer, nails, hearts will begin to melt. We will then repent and become its Maker” (ibid. 32:15). various saws, and a host of other completely different people. In that case it is like bringing the things. The painter needs a canvas, Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, reminded them not first fruits to the Temple, as the Sages have said: “One who brushes, and of course paint. The to forget that they had been slaves in Egypt for 400 years. brings a gift to a scholar, it is as if he had offered first fruits” The land of Israel had not been given to them on account instrument of a Jew is his ability to (Ketubot 105b). This is the meaning of the verse, “When of their own merit, but because of the Patriarchs Abraham, speak. By the power of his words, you enter the land that the L-RD your G-d gives you” – re- words of holiness, a Jew is capable Isaac, and Jacob, who had wholeheartedly served Hashem member that it is only your land when you follow the path of of creating supernal worlds and holy by completely yielding to Him. Thus they had no reason to the Patriarchs, and remember that you were a stranger for angels. That is how powerful speech grow proud, especially since the gift of the land was based 400 years. The land does not belong to you – for “the land is! True, no artist or craftsman would on the condition that Jews study Torah and observe mitzvot. is Mine” (Leviticus 25:23), and I gave it to your fathers “and dare ruin the tools of his trade with Otherwise the Holy One, blessed be He, would take it from his own hands. Yet it often happens them and send them into exile. their descendants after them” (Deuteronomy 1:8) – but only on condition that they do not grow proud on account of their that a Jew will ruin the primary tool of This idea is alluded to in the expression ki tavo (“when you his trade, the ability to speak, on his enter” [Deuteronomy 26:1]), the word tavo having a numerical wealth. Let them not think that the power of their own hand own. How? By speaking forbidden value of 403. Of this amount, 400 corresponds to the years has brought them this. words. By speaking Lashon Harah of oppression they endured, as it is written: “Your offspring Above all, from here a person must learn that if he was and uttering slander, which damage shall be aliens in a land not their own…and they will oppress poor and has become rich, he must remember his poverty. the power that Hashem placed in them 400 years” (Genesis 15:13), while 3 corresponds to the He must remember that it was only because of Hashem’s man. Yes, a craftsman can indeed three Patriarchs, to whom Hashem promised the land after compassion and the merit of the holy Patriarchs that he was destroy the tools of his own trade! the exile in Egypt. given this gift. Hence he has no reason to grow proud, for – Chafetz Chaim on the Torah, This is why Hashem commanded that the first fruits be just as Hashem made him wealthy, so too can He reclaim Parsha Bamidbar brought to the Temple and that people declare, “My father this wealth if he fails to follow the right path. on us for numerous years changed our character for the worse, and we lost patience with others. We acted wickedly and cruelly towards one another. Having Everything, Yet Having Nothing The Greatest of All Blessings It is written, “The L-RD will send in your midst curse, confusion…” It is written, “All these blessings will come upon you and overtake (Deuteronomy 28:20). you if you will listen to the voice of the L-RD your G-d” (Deuteronomy Rashi explains: “Curse – similar to ‘an affliction that causes loss’ 28:2). [Leviticus 13:51]. Confusion – the sound of panic.” Rabbi Yaakov Loeberbaum of Lisa (the author of Netivot HaMishpat) This is one of the verses of rebuke, dealing with a sense of loss, a noted that our Sages have said: “There is no reward for mitzvot in this sense of confusion and anxiety. A person can experience such feelings world” (Kiddushin 39b). It follows that all the good that the Holy One, despite lacking nothing. To understand how this can happen, let us look blessed be He, pours upon those who perform mitzvot is solely meant to at a story drawn from Yalkut Shimoni (Mishlei 950).

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