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Mesukim Midevash II Pekudim, Hashem Appointing Him to a but Were Blind

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Mesukim Midevash II Pekudim, Hashem Appointing Him to a but Were Blind Vaeschanan 5764 Volume I Number 38 מתוקים מדבש Dei’ah, Binah and Haskel on the weekly parashah RABBI MICHA BERGER Bemachashavah Techilah udaism has numerous words for Jerusalem. When they reached Har They said to him: “Akiva, you have particular ideals; there is the HaTzofim [the first point from which consoled us; Akiva, you have consoled Jtzadik, the chasid, the ba’al one can see the Temple Mount] they us.” (Makkos 24a-25b) rent their garments. When they teshuvah, etc... But does it have a When Rabbi Eliezer became ill, his reached the Har HaBayis, they saw a word for idealism itself – for the students went to visit him. He said to fox leaving the [site of] the kodesh ha- inherent value of a burning desire to them, “There is great anger in the kodashim [the innermost sanctum of pursue an ideal? world” [referring to Hashem’s giving the Temple]. They began crying, but This question is quite important. If power to the Romans]. They started to Rabbi Akiva laughed. there is no word for idealism in lashon cry, except Rabbi Akiva who laughed. hakodesh, neither in biblical Hebrew They said to him, “Why do you They said to him, “Why do you nor rabbinic idiom, how can we argue laugh?” He responded, “Why do you laugh?” He answered them, “And why that Judaism has such a value? cry?” do you cry?” They said to him, “Is it I think we can identify such a term. They said to him, “The site about possible that one sees the scroll of the And our story starts with R’ Saadia which it is written: ‘The foreigner who Torah in pain, and we do not weep?” Gaon’s analysis of laughter. approaches shall be put to death’ He responded, “It is for that reason (Numbers 1) – now foxes walk there, that I laughed. As long as I saw my I and we shall not cry?” rebbe, that his wine did not turn sour, It happened that Rabban Gamliel, He said to them, “Therefore I his flax did not get smitten, his oil did Rabbi Elazar Ben Azarya, Rabbi laugh. For it is written, ‘I called upon not spoil, and honey did not crystallize, Yehoshua and Rabbi Akiva were reliable witnesses – Uriyah the Kohen, I could say that perhaps ch”v rebbe walking along the road and heard the and Zechariah ben Yevarecheihu’ had received his world [now, not in the sound of the Roman masses from (Yishayahu 8:2). What does Uriyah world-to-come]. But now that I see that Pelitus, one hundred and twenty mil have to do with Zechariah – Uriyah rebbe suffers, I am happy.” [Rabbi away. They began crying, but Rabbi [lived] during the First Temple Eliezer] said to [Rabbi Akiva], “Did I Akiva laughed. [period], whereas Zechariah [lived] neglect any matter of the Torah [for They asked him, ”Why do you during the Second Temple [era]! which I now suffer]?” [Rabbi Akiva] laugh?” He said to them, “And you, Rather, the verse hinges the prophecy said to him, “Our rebbe, you taught us, why do you cry?” of Zechariah on the prophecy of ‘For there is no righteous man on They said to him, “These pagans, Uriyah. In [a prophecy of] Uriyah it is earth who does good without sinning.’ who bow to images and bring offerings written, ‘Therefore, because of you (Koheles 7:20)” (Sanhedrin 101a) to idolatry, dwell in security and Zion shall be plowed as a field,’ There are three famous stories of tranquility, whereas we – the house (Michah 3) and in [a prophecy of] the tears shortly after the fall of the [that is] the footstool of our God has Zechariah it is written, ‘There shall yet Temple in which R’ Akiva laughs: been burned by fire. Shall we not be old men and women in the squares upon hearing Romans on the attack cry?” of Jerusalem.’ (Zechariah 7) So long miles away, upon seeing foxes running He said to them, “It is for that as Uriyah’s prophecy was unfulfilled, in and out amongst the ruins on the reason that I laugh. If this is how it is I feared lest Zechariah’s prophecy will Temple Mount, and when he witnessed for those who violate His will, then all not be fulfilled. Now that Uriyah’s R’ Eliezer’s suffering from disease. the more so for those who perform His prophecy has been fulfilled, it is And in all three cases the Sages ask will! certain that Zechariah’s prophecy will why, how can he laugh at such an be fulfilled.” apparently inappropriate time? One time, they were ascending to 2 Mesukim Midevash II pekudim, Hashem appointing him to a but were blind. R’ Saadia Gaon defines laughter as higher role. On the opposite end of the the reaction people have to a sudden “Ivdu es Hashem besimchah – spectrum is the navi. He can see the realization of an underlying truth. Serve Hashem in/with simchah”5 is to inner truth. The Sifri writes6 that What qualifies as a punchline to a joke serve Him while keeping the ideal in Moshe Rabbeinu alone was able to say is a sentence that forces you to recast focus, a call to idealism. The person “Zeh hadavar” (this is the idea); other and reassess how you understood the who is oveid besimchah is yashar. He prophets only had “Koh amar story until then. The need for sudden- not only performs mitzvos, he not only Hashem” (“like this”, not “this”, G-d ness is why timing is so crucial to does so with the contentment of said). Moshe’s special prophecy was comedy. knowing that he is accomplishing a that of “Moshe avdi – My servant And so, when R’ Akiva suddenly higher purpose, but he is an eved, fully Moshe”, the one who was oveid saw a truth, he laughed. committed and subservient to that besimcha. But any prophecy can only ideal. come when the person is besimchah. R’ Saadia adds that “simchah” is This was a reason that Yitz- the kind of happiness most chak asked Eisav to bring him related laughter. “Yesharim” (straight ones), Rav game before blessing him, so According to R’ Samson Saadia Gaon continues, are those that the berachah could be Raphael Hirsch’s usual spoken prophetically. The 1 who see through to the inner truth. ability to see “koh” is from a \שמח\ , etymological rules would be a more intensive/ position of simchah. The latter, R’ There are three steps: the yashar .\שמה\ active form of Which brings us to Parashas Hirsch tells us, is the root from which works toward the underlying truth, Devarim’s7 and Megillas Eichah’s cry we get “sheim” (to name). Under- even if he is still struggling and “Eichah? – How can it be?” which the standing how something’s underlying searching for what that truth is. With Gemara relates back to G-d’s call to reality fits its relationship is comp- the perception of the truth comes Adam, “Ayekah? – Where are you?” arable to naming it. simchah bechelko, the happiness of knowing one’s role in life and of Hashem did not ask Adam only for his Ben Zoma tells us, “Eizehu ashir? location, but also “Where is your Hasamei’ach bechelko. – Who is everything that occurs to him. Last, there is the single-minded pursuit of ‘koh’, your ‘like this’, the ideal you wealthy? One who is samei’ach with pursue?” Without “zeh devar Ha- his lot.”2 The ashir is happy with what the eved, the person who lives only for that goal. shem”, without even “koh amar Ha- he has because he knows why he has shem” there can be no simchah, no ish what he does, and why he does not II yashar. Only the eichah of those who have what he does not. He understands For three of the four occurrences of refuse to see. The peh preceeds the why his lot is distinctly his. the alef-beis in Megillas Eichah, the ayin. The sin of the meraglim survived “Yesharim” (straight ones), Rav acrostics in chapters 2 through 4, the down to the generation of Yirmiyahu. Saadia Gaon continues, are those who letter peh precedes ayin. Why? “Mishenichnas Adar marbim be- see through to this inner truth, who Chazal relate this to the first simchah – when Adar enters, we in- head straight (yashar) for it without calamity of Tisha B’av, the meraglim crease our simchah.” Adar, the month taking detours or compromises. Which (the spies sent by the exodus of Purim, of seeing Hashem in the is why “Or zaru’ah latzadik, ulyishrei generation to Israel). They put their mundane, will necessarily cause an leiv simchah – A light is sown for the peh before their einayim, their mouths increase of simchah. “Mishenichnas Av righteous, and simchah for the before their eyes. But the meraglim did mema’atim besimchah – when Av 3 yesharim of heart.” Mitzvos are the not lie; they truly described what they enters, we reduce simchah.” Av is a means: “Pekudei Hashem yesharim, actually saw. There really were giants month of aveilus, of morning. Aveilus mesamchei leiv... – The appointments and strong walled cities and abnor- is being in a state of aval, of “but”. A of Hashem are yesharim, they bring mally large fruit, etc... time when simchah eludes us because 4 simchah to the heart....” The yashar What they lacked was simchah – we cannot reconcile the truth with the sees mitzvos not as duties, but as knowledge of the underlying truth. very real experience of tragedy, an Without that, the meraglim recon- experience that cannot be simply swept 1 See also R' Matisyahu Clark's "Etymological structed what they could from the under the rug or explained away.
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