The Path to Follow Mishpatim 376 a Hevrat Pinto Publication
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The Path To Follow Mishpatim 376 A Hevrat Pinto Publication Under the Direction of Rabbi David H. Pinto Shlita www.hevratpinto.org | [email protected] th th Editor-in-Chief: Hanania Soussan Shvat 24 5771 - January 29 2011 32 rue du Plateau 75019 Paris, France • Tel: +331 48 03 53 89 • Fax: +331 42 06 00 33 Rabbi David Pinto Shlita The Principles Of The Fear Of Heaven is written, “Ve’eleh [And these] are the ordinances that you shall place He Will Eventually Return before them” (Shemot 21:1). Rashi explains: “Wherever eleh [these] is This is what Rashi is alluding to by saying that ve’eleh adds to what was previously used, it replaces what was previously stated; ve’eleh [and these] adds to stated. That is, just as the previous laws were given on Sinai, these were also given what was previously stated. Just as what was previously stated was from on Sinai, meaning that a person must not say: “I will fulfill the 613 mitzvot given by Sinai, these were also from Sinai.” In reality, how could anything think of G-d, but I won’t bother with the fences that the Sages added to the Torah mitzvot.” Itnot observing the social laws, even if they were not given on Sinai? In fact why does Just as it is a person’s duty to fulfill the mitzvot written in the Torah, it is also his the Torah need to tell us that just as the other laws were given on Sinai, these were duty to fulfill the decrees of the Sages, which were also given to Moshe on Sinai. If also given on Sinai? someone fulfills mitzvot as is, he will eventually grow accustomed to them, as it is The words of the Zohar also require an explanation: “These are the rules concerning written: “like rote learning” (Isaiah 29:13). If a person adds more stringencies to the reincarnation, the judgments of the souls, by which each of them receives its Torah’s mitzvot than what is written, he will never observe mitzvot by rote in his life, appropriate punishment” (Zohar II:94a). The comparison made by the Zohar between for a new mitzvah will present itself to him each day. the social laws and reincarnation is equally mysterious, all of which we will attempt to Let us therefore say that whoever fails to heed the decrees of the Sages, it is as if explain as best possible. he has done nothing, for he will end up transgressing the essence of the Torah. At Our Sages say: “Rabbi Nehemiah explained, ‘The advantage of land is supreme’ that point, his soul will be reincarnated and return to this world because he did not [Kohelet 5:8] means that even things which appear to you as additions to the actual pay attention to all the mitzvot. This is what Rashi was thinking of when he said that revelation – for example, the laws of fringes, tefillin, and mezuzah – are also included ve’eleh adds to what was previous stated (i.e., that the decrees of the Sages are also in the revelation, as may be inferred from the fact that it says, ‘Hashem gave me from Sinai), and one who ignores them will eventually return to this world. Hence the the two stone tablets, inscribed with the finger of G-d, and upon them according Zohar states that it deals with the rules of reincarnation. to all the words that Hashem spoke’ [Devarim 9:10]. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi Rashi also gives us some advice on how to avoid the rote fulfillment of mitzvot. The explained: ‘It says, “upon them according to all the words,” and it is also written, term eleh replaces what comes before it, and ve’eleh comes to add to what was “all the commandment that I command you” [ibid. 8:1]. … [This implies that every previously said. Every day, a person must ascend to a higher level than the previous teaching,] even what a faithful student in the future will say before his teacher, were day, and yesterday’s service should seem of little value to him. Likewise in regards all conveyed to Moshe on Sinai’ ” (Vayikra Rabba 22:1). to serving Hashem, his service of the previous day should seem as if it was done Our Sages have explicitly said that every halachic teaching from Torah scholars in by rote. That said, how can it replace what came before? By adding to what came every generation was conveyed to Moshe on Sinai. Therefore why does Rashi feel before. the need to specifically tell us this about the social laws? It seems that he had another intention, namely to teach us about man’s duty in this world, for the evil inclination Boasting Brings Destruction will sometimes try to seduce man and distance him from Hashem’s mitzvot by telling The passage on the social laws comes immediately after the passage dealing with him: “You only have to fulfill what was explicitly given on Sinai. Anything that was not the laws of the Altar. This tells us that just as the Torah prohibited the use of a given on Sinai, you do not have to fulfill.” metal sword to cut stones for the Altar, commanding the building of an Altar of earth, What do we find that was not specifically given on Sinai, and yet we are still obligated likewise man (who resembles the Altar) must not seek to boast of the Torah. Instead to fulfill? These are the fences established by Torah scholars in every generation, he must conduct himself with humility, like earth, which is lowly. fences meant to distance man from sin. It is forbidden to study Torah in order to gain the respect of others, as it is written: “Do Regarding the statement, “Make a fence around the Torah” (Pirkei Avoth 1:1), not make it [the Torah] a crown for self-glory, nor a spade with which to dig” (Pirkei Rabbeinu Yonah comments: “As it is said, ‘You shall safeguard My charge’ [Vayikra Avoth 4:5). Now a sword represents pride (Devarim 33:29), the term cherev (sword) 18:30]. ‘Provide a charge to My charge’ [Yebamot 21a]. Fences are an excellent, being derived from the same root as churban (destruction), for one who boasts of his essential protection for mitzvot, preventing G-d-fearing people from stumbling over Torah study brings destruction, as Rashi explains: “The Altar makes peace between them. These fences are decrees instituted by our Sages. One who acts in accordance Israel and their Father in Heaven, therefore the cutter and destroyer shall not come with these decrees shows a greater love for G-d than one who observes only Torah upon it” (Rashi on Shemot 20:22). If it is a question of greatness, just as the first mitzvot. … Taking special care to observe them indicates greater reverence for came from Sinai, these also come from Sinai. Now Sinai symbolizes self-annulment, the fear of Heaven than observing a mitzvah itself. One who only keeps the basic for Mount Sinai merited the honor of the Torah being given upon it, for it had humbled mitzvah as outlined in the Torah, without the rabbinical decrees that protect him from itself before Hashem. transgressing it…is not concerned with breaking fences, despite the verse telling us: From here we learn that if a person observes the decrees enacted by the Torah ‘One who breaks a fence will be bitten by a snake’ [Kohelet 10:8]. The words of the scholars in every generation, and if he conducts himself with humility and adds Sages are a foundation and support for the fear of Heaven, which is the essence of stringencies and fences to the mitzvot, this provides solid proof that he fears G-d. the world and the basis for all good attributes, whereas all the mitzvot are secondary This is because his deeds prove that he recognizes that the entire Torah was given to it.” on Sinai, including the words of the Sages, and that they are part of its essence. Concerning the Parsha The Great Benefits of Chesed It is written, “When you lend money to My people, to the poor The Chafetz Chaim replied, “I do not know any segulot. However among you…” (Shemot 22:24). my advice is that you open a gemach [free-loan fund] in town, and perhaps by the merit of the chesed you will do for others, Hashem will Throughout his life, Rabbi Israel Meir HaCohen Zatzal of Radin do good to you and grant you offspring.” (famous for his book Chafetz Chaim) concerned himself with chesed, which was in his blood and in his soul. He was constantly looking for The man followed the Rav’s advice and immediately invested his ways to perform chesed, be it with his person or with his money, and time and energy into performing deeds of chesed. He established he even felt the need to write an entire book on the subject. Indeed, a free-loan fund and began lending people money in exchange for it is every Jew’s responsibility to strengthen himself in this virtue. He guarantees. Every three years he also committed himself, upon the entitled his book Ahavat Chesed (“Love of Lovingkindness”), a well- reading of the verse “when you lend money to My people,” to hosting deserved name, for it infuses its readers with a love for chesed and a mitzvah meal for all the members of the community in order to its reward in the World to Come.