4. Ekev Don’t Begin with the Basics Jewish Life Begins with the Loftiest Ideas—and That’s Fine

Dedicated in loving memory of Harav Menachem Zvi ben Rav Yechiel Yitzchak, .marking his yahrtzeit, 4 Av ,ר׳ מנחם צבי בן ר׳ יחיאל יצחק ז״ל

May the merit of the study worldwide accompany his soul in the world of everlasting life and be a source of blessings to his family with much health, happiness, nachat, and success. [ 54 ]

PARSHA OVERVIEW Ekev

In the parsha of Ekev (“Be‑ inscribed and gave to them cause”), Moses continues following their repentance. his closing address to the Their forty years in the Children of Israel, promis‑ desert, says Moses to the ing them that if they will people, during which G‑d fulfill the commandments sustained them with daily (mitzvot) of the Torah, manna from heaven, was to they will prosper in the teach them “that man does land they are about to not live on bread alone, but conquer and settle, in keep‑ by the utterance of G‑d’s ing with G‑d’s promise to mouth does man live.” their forefathers. Moses describes the Land Moses also rebukes them they are about to enter as for their failings in their “flowing with milk and first generation as a people, honey,” blessed with the recalling their worship of “seven kinds” (wheat, barley, the golden calf; the rebel‑ grapevines, figs, pomegran‑ lion of Korah; the sin of the ates, olive oil, and dates), spies; and their angering of and as the place that is the G‑d at Taveirah, Massah, focus of G‑d’s providence of and Kivrot Hataavah (“The His world. He commands Graves of Lust”). “You have them to destroy the idols of been rebellious against the Land’s former masters, G‑d,” he says to them, “since and to beware lest they be‑ the day I knew you.” But he come haughty and begin to also speaks of G‑d’s forgive‑ believe that “my power and ness of their sins, and of the the might of my hand have Second Tablets that G‑d gotten me this wealth.”

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A key passage in our parsha the adverse results (famine is the second chapter of the and exile) of their neglect. Shema. This passage repeats It is also the source of the fundamental mitzvot the precept of prayer and enumerated in the Shema’s includes a reference to the first chapter and describes resurrection of the dead in the rewards of fulfilling the messianic age. G‑d’s commandments and

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I. PRIORITIZING MITZVOT What Terrified Isaac?

TEXT 1a BEREISHIT (GENESIS) 27:33

וַיֶחֱרַ ד ְיִצחָ ק חֲרָדָ ה ְגדֹלָה עַ ד ְמ אֹד,וַיֹאמֶ ר,מִ י אֵ פֹוא הּוא הַצָ ד צַיִד וַיָבֵ אלִי, וָ אֹכַל מִ ּכֹל ְ טֶרֶם ּבּתָ בֹוא וָאֲבָרֲ כֵ הּו?גַם ּבָ רּוְך ְיִהיֶה:

And Isaac shuddered a great shudder, and he said, “Who then is the one who hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate of everything while you had not yet come, and I blessed him? He, too, shall be blessed.”

TEXT 1b RASHI, AD LOC.

Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (Rashi) “ויחרד”. כתרגומו: ׳ותוה׳, לשון תמיהה. ומדרשו: ראה גיהנם 1040–1105 פתוחה מתחתיו. Most noted biblical and Talmudic commentator. Born in Troyes, France, Rashi studied “And Isaac shuddered”: Explain it as the Targum renders it, in the famed yeshivot of Mainz and Worms. His commentaries which means he was perplexed. The Midrashic ex‑ on the Pentateuch and ”,ותוה“ planation is that he saw Gehinnom opening beneath him. the , which focus on the straightforward meaning of the text, appear in virtually every edition of the Talmud and Bible.

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Story: In the Lion’s Den

TEXT 2 SEFER HATOLDOT ADMUR HAZAKEN, VOL. 4, PP. 560–562

On Wednesday, my turn arrived to be received by the Rebbe for an audience in the Upper Gan Eden. When I entered the Rebbe’s chamber, I was struck with fear and awe by his appearance of his face, his powerful and penetrating glance, and his mighty and deliberate voice, inquiring, “What can I do for you?” But I immediately re‑ covered and calmed myself. I said, “I am an elementary school teacher in my hometown, and I teach my pupils according to the rules of Hebrew grammar. But my fellow teachers oppose me and slander me for it, saying [with sarcasm], ‘Why don’t you teach the pupils the science of linguistics as well!’ “When I offered—as evidence [that a knowledge of grammar is important]—the Rebbe’s new text of the siddur, which follows exactly the rules of grammar, they had nothing to reply. For the public benefit, I request that you give me a letter of reference, which I can use to demonstrate that it is good to teach young children according to the rules of grammar, to accustom them to read correctly, and to teach them Tanakh.” The Rebbe leaned on his forearms for about five minutes. Then, he raised his head, opened his eyes, and said, “You are correct—the hymns and Psalms in the prayers, and especially Keriyat Shema, must be recited with great care, following the rules of grammar. But as for teaching

LESSON 4 / Don’t Begin with the Basics [ 58 ] grammar and linguistics as academic subjects, one must be very cautious about doing such a thing. “In the Heavenly Yeshiva, there are separate halls for each kind of study. And right between the hall of grammar study and the hall of linguistics study stands the hall of those who deliberately misinterpret Scripture. “Now, when one’s soul ascends to Heaven each night to renew its life spirit, the soul rises to the study hall that cor‑ responds to the subject he studied during the day. But occa‑ sionally, one may enter the wrong hall by mistake. Instead of entering the hall of grammar or the hall of linguistics, he may enter the hall of those who deliberately misinter‑ pret Scripture. Therefore, one must be very cautious about studying the subjects of grammar and linguistics.” When he finished speaking, he again leaned on his fore‑ arms, as before. Then, he raised his head, opened his eyes, and asked me how I explain to my pupils the verse, “And Isaac shuddered a great shudder.” “I explain it according to the first interpretation of Rashi, that it means he was astounded,” I replied. “And why don’t you explain it to your pupils according to the second interpretation of Rashi, quoting the Midrash, that he saw Gehinnom opened up beneath him?” he asked. “In my opinion,” I replied, “one shouldn’t fill the pupils’ delicate minds with Agadah in general, and especially with things that might frighten them, such as Gehinnom and the like. Even less should one teach small children things that they can’t even imagine. The pupil will wonder how the large and wide opening of Gehinnom could enter into Isaac’s small room. And how could its fires, which have been constantly blazing for 5555 years, enter the room, and

TORAH STUDIES / SEASON FOUR 5780 [ 59 ] yet Esau and his father Isaac remained alive and were not burned to a crisp?” “And how does the Midrash know that he saw Gehinnom opened up beneath him?” he asked further. I remained silent, making no reply. Obviously, I had no answer. Indeed, is this the first gross exaggeration found in the Midrash and Talmud? When he saw that I remained silent, the Rebbe said, “When Esau entered Isaac’s room, Isaac asked him, ‘Who are you?’ To this, Esau replied, ‘I am Esau, your firstborn son.’ But this was a lie, for he had already sold the birthright to Jacob, in a legal sale with all the required formalities. Now Isaac knew this, and thus he was very frightened by this lie designed to annul something that is valid under Torah law. This caused him to tremble, for telling such a lie resulted in Gehinnom’s opening up beneath him.” When the Rebbe finished speaking, he leaned on his fore‑ arms as he had done before. Then, he raised his head and opened his eyes. It is customary that whenever he receives people, even during the daytime, there are two lit candles, a Chumash, and a Zohar on the table. He now lifted one of the two candles and scrutinized me, after which he said, “You come here from Vilna, but you claim to come from Zamut; you convert little children to the idolatry of Has‑ kalah, but you claim that you are a schoolteacher. [Because of these lies,] Gehinnom opens up beneath you. How many souls have you already destroyed? Yet you continue to rebel. Yes, it’s true: you are a heretic, and anyone who goes down that road will never return!” I quickly fled his chamber. . . .

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The Forgotten Mitzvot

TEXT 3a DEVARIM (DEUTERONOMY) 7:12

ְוהָ היָ עֵ בקֶ ּתִ ְש ְׁמעּון אֵ ת הַ מִ ְשּׁפָ טִ ים הָ אֵ הלֶ ְּושׁמַ ְרּתֶ ם וַ עֲ שִ ׂיתֶ ם אֹתָ ם, ְושָ ׁמַ ר ה’ אֱ ֹלקֶ יָך ְָךל אֶת הַ ְּברִ ית ְואֶת הַחֶסֶד אֲשֶ ׁר ְנִש עּׁבַ לַאֲ בֹתֶ יָך:

And it will be, because you will heed these ordinances and keep them and perform, that the L-rd, your G-d, will keep for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers.

TEXT 3b RASHI, AD LOC.

“והיה עקב תשמעון”. אם המצות הקלות, שאדם דש בעקביו, תשמעון.

“And it will be, because you will heed”: The Hebrew word “ekev” literally means “heel.” The verse speaks of heeding those minor commandments that one [usually] tramples with his heels [i.e., that a person treats as being of mi‑ nor importance].

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Overlooking “Light” Mitzvot

TEXT 4 MIDRASH, TANCHUMA, EKEV SECTION 2

Tanchuma

A Midrashic work bearing the “והיה עקב”. זהו שאמר הכתוב: “למה אירא בימי רע, עון עקבי name of Rabbi Tanchuma, a יסובני”. יתברך שמו של הקדוש ברוך הוא שנתן תורה לישראל 4th-century Talmudic sage .quoted often in this work שיש בה שש מאות ושלוש עשרה מצות, ויש בהן קלות וחמורות. “Midrash” is the designation of a particular genre of rabbinic ומפני שיש בהן מצות קלות שאין בני אדם משגיחין בהן, אלא literature usually forming שמשליכין אותן תחת עקביהן, כלומר שהן קלות — לפיכך היה a running commentary on .specific books of the Bible דוד מתיירא מיום הדין ואומר: ריבונו של עולם, איני מתיירא מן Tanchuma provides textual מצות החמורות שבתורה, שהן חמורות. ממה אני מתיירא? מן exegeses, expounds upon the biblical narrative, and המצות הקלות, שמא עברתי על אחת מהן, אם עשיתי אם לא develops and illustrates moral principles. Tanchuma עשיתי, מפני שהייתה קלה. ואתה אמרת: ״הוי זהיר במצוה קלה is unique in that many of its כבמצוה חמורה״. לכך אמר: “למה אירא בימי רע” וגו’. sections commence with a halachic discussion, which subsequently leads into The verse states, “And it will be [literally, in the heel of] . . .” The nonhalachic teachings. text says, “Why should I fear in the evil days, when the iniquity of my heels encompasses me?” May the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be blessed because He has given a Torah to Is‑ rael in which there are 613 commandments, some of which are light and some weighty. Because some of the commandments are light, people pay no attention to them. Instead, they cast them under their heels [while] saying they are light. For that reason, David was afraid of the Day of Judgment and said, “Master of the world, I am not afraid of the weighty com‑ mandments that are in the Torah, because they are weighty. Of what am I afraid? Of the light commandments, lest I have transgressed one of them, [not knowing] whether I have ful‑ filled it or not fulfilled it, because it is light; for You have said, ‘Be as mindful of the light commandments as of the weighty commandments.’” It therefore says, “Why should I fear in the evil days?”

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II. MITZVOT AND THEIR REWARDS Unknown Consequences

TEXT 5a (ETHICS OF THE FATHERS) 2:1

Ethics of the Fathers (Pirkei Avot) והוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבחמורה, שאין אתה יודע מתן שכרן A 6-chapter work on Jewish של מצוות. ethics that is studied widely by Jewish communities, especially during the summer. And be careful with a light commandment as with a grave The first 5 chapters are from the Mishnah, tractate Avot. one, for you know not the reward for the fulfillment of Avot differs from the rest of the Mishnah in that it does the commandments. not focus on legal subjects; it is a collection of the sages’ wisdom on topics related to character development, ethics, healthy living, piety, and the study of Torah. TEXT 5b MAIMONIDES, AD LOC. Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides, Rambam) 1204–1135 וביאור זה הענין כאשר אומר, והוא: שהתורה כולה, ממנה מצות

,Halachist, philosopher, author עשה וממנה מצות לא תעשה. ואמנם, מצות לא תעשה באר and physician. Maimonides הכתוב העונש על כל אחת מהן — מלבד המעט מהן; וחייב על was born in Córdoba, Spain. After the conquest of Córdoba קצתם המיתות, ועל קצתם הכרת, ומיתה בידי שמים ומלקות. by the Almohads, he fled וידענו מעונשי מצות לא תעשה כולם, מה מהם איסורם גדול Spain and eventually settled in Cairo, Egypt. There, he ומה מהם למטה ממנו . . . became the leader of the Jewish community and served אבל מצות עשה — לא התבאר שכר כל אחת מהן, מה היא אצל as court physician to the vizier of Egypt. He is most noted ה׳ יתברך. וכל זה, כדי שלא נדע איזו מצוה צריך מאוד לשמרה for authoring the Mishneh ואיזו מצוה למטה הימנה. אבל צוה לעשות ענין פלוני ופלוני, ולא Torah, an encyclopedic ;arrangement of Jewish law הודיע שכר איזה משניהם יותר גדול אצל ה׳ יתברך, ומפני זה and for his philosophical .work, Guide for the Perplexed צריך להיזהר עליהם כולם. His rulings on Jewish law are integral to the formation of halachic consensus.

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The explanation is as follows: The Torah contains posi‑ tive commandments and negative commandments. With regard to negative commandments, Scripture enumerated the punishment of each one, save for a few of them. Some incur the death penalty, some of them incur excision and death at the hand of Heaven, while others result in lashes. From all of these punishments, we can infer which prohibi‑ tions are severe and which ones of them are not as severe. . . . With regard to the positive commandments, however, Scripture does not specify the reward. The reason for this is so that we do not know which commandment requires more adherence than the other. Rather, G-d instructed us to do various commandments without telling us the reward for any of them; accordingly, we are to treat them all with equal scrupulousness.

A Matter of Debate: Do We Really Not Know the Reward of Mitzvot?

TEXT 6a Babylonian Talmud TALMUD TRACTATE SUKKAH, 25A A literary work of monumental proportions that draws upon the legal, spiritual, intellectual, ethical, and historical העוסק במצוה פטור מן המצוה. traditions of Judaism. The 37 tractates of the Babylonian One who is involved in [performing] a commandment is Talmud contain the teachings of the Jewish sages from the exempt from [another] commandment. period after the destruction of the 2nd Temple through the 5th century CE. It has served as the primary vehicle for the transmission of the Oral Law and the education of Jews over the centuries; it is the entry point for all subsequent legal, ethical, and theological Jewish scholarship.

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TEXT 6b MAIMONIDES, IBID.

ומפני זה העיקר אמרו: ״העוסק במצוה פטור מן המצוה״, מבלתי הקשה בין המצות אשר הוא מתעסק בה, ובין האחרת אשר תבצר ממנו.

Based on this principle, our sages stated that “One who is involved in [performing] a commandment is exempt from [another] commandment,” without comparing [the weight of] the commandment that he is involved in to the other one from which he is refraining.

TEXT 6c MAIMONIDES, IBID.

ולזה גם כן אמרו: ״אין מעבירין על המצות״, רצה לומר: כשיזדמן לך מעשה מצוה — לא תעבירהו ותניחהו לעשות מצוה אחרת.

For this reason, our sages also stated, “We do not pass up a ,” meaning to say that when you chance upon the opportunity to perform a mitzvah, do not pass it up for the chance to do another mitzvah [rather fulfill the mitzvah at hand].

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The Problem from Shiluach Haken

TEXT 7 TALMUD TRACTATE CHULIN, 142A

לא יטול אדם אם על בנים, אפילו לטהר את המצורע. ומה אם מצוה קלה שהיא כאיסר, אמרה תורה: “למען ייטב לך והארכת ימים”, קל וחומר על מצות חמורות שבתורה.

If with regard to the sending away of the mother bird, which is a mitzvah whose performance is simple, as it entails a loss of no more than an isar [i.e., the value of the mother bird], the Torah says, “That it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days,” certainly the reward for fulfilling a demanding mitzvah is even greater!

TEXT 8a RABBI YEHUDAH LOEW, TIFERET YISRAEL, CH. 61 Rabbi Yehudah Loew (Maharal of Prague) 1525–1609 מה קל וחומר יש? הרי אין אנו יודעים מתן שכרן של מצות, וכיון Talmudist and philosopher. Maharal rose to prominence שאין אנו יודעים מתן שכרן של מצות, אין ללמוד קל וחומר as leader of the famed Jewish community of Prague. He למצות חמורות? is the author of more than a dozen works of original What is the logical progression here? After all, we do not philosophic thought, including Tiferet Yisrael know the reward of mitzvot, so how can we make an argu‑ and Netsach Yisrael. He also authored Gur Aryeh, a ment that pits lighter mitzvot against more severe ones? supercommentary to Rashi’s biblical commentary; and a commentary on the nonlegal passages of the Talmud. He is buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery of Prague.

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The Many Components of a Mitzvah’s Reward

TEXT 8b RABBI YEHUDAH LOEW, IBID.

אבל פירוש זה הוא, כי במצות יש שני דברים: האחד, מצד בחינת החומר שיש במצוה שהוא קשה על האדם ביותר מאוד, ואין ספק כי השכר על זה יותר גדול מן המצוה הקלה שאינה קשה על האדם. אבל בצד בחינת המצוה עצמה, אפשר שיותר שכר יש על הקלה מצד עצמה ממה שיש בחמורה מצד עצמה. ובשילוח הקן כתיב: ״שלח תשלח וגו’ למען ייטב לך״, ופירוש ״למען ייטב לך״ — אף על גב שאני אומר לשלח האם ויש לך הפסד, מה בשביל הפסד זה שהוא קטן כתיב: ״למען ייטב לך והארכת ימים״, קל וחומר למצוה חמורה שיש בו הפסד הרבה שהשכר הוא יותר גדול, ושכר זה בודאי יותר גדול בחמורה מבקלה, שהרי ״לפום צערא אגרא״. אבל מצד עצם המצוה שיש שכר עליה, הוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבמצוה חמורה . . . כי המצות אינם שוים בשכרן, כי אפשר שעל מצוה קלה שכר גדול יותר מן החמורה, כי המצוה היא הצירוף שמצרפת האדם . . . ואם המצות לא היה רק לקיים קיבוץ וסדר המדינה או תקון האדם, כמו שהרבה אנשים היו נותנים טעם במצות . . . בודאי יש לעמוד על זה, איזה מצוה יש בה תועלת יותר מן האחרת וכמה השכר יותר מן האחרת, אבל המצות הם אלקיות ומצרפות האדם עד שיש לאדם דבקות בו, ולא נוכל לדעת איזו מן המצות בה הצירוף יותר, כי יש מצוה קלה שהצירוף הזה אשר אמרנו יותר מן החמורה. אבל מכל מקום אין עליך לומר כלל שאין תולה לגמרי במה שהמצוה היא קשה על האדם, שזה אינו, שודאי כאשר הוא מקיים המצוה שהיא קשה יותר על האדם — מורה זה על שהוא אוהב ה׳ יתברך בכל לבו ולפום צערא אגרא, רק כי אפשר הוא שיהיה השכר על המצוה הקלה יותר ממה שהוא על מצוה החמורה, מצד המצוה בעצמה שהיא מצרפת האדם . . .

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כלל הדבר, במה שהמצות מביאים אל האדם החיבור והדביקות בו יתברך, לכך לא נוכל לדעת ולהבין איזה מצות סיבה לדביקות הוא יותר ואיזה פחות, ולפיכך אמרו: ״הוי זהיר במצוה קלה כבחמורה וכו’״, וזהו שורש גדול בתורה, אשר בני אדם אינם נזהרים במצות קלות עם העלם השכר והעלם העונש, שאפשר שהשכר עליה כגדולה שבגדולות, והעונש גם כן כגדולה שבגדולות, ודבר זה מבואר.

The explanation is as follows: There are two elements to every mitzvah. When speaking to the level of difficulty required for mitzvah observance, some mitzvot are more challenging than others, and there’s no doubt that such mitzvot warrant greater reward than other mitzvot that are not as difficult to fulfill. But then there’s the mitzvah itself [independent of how much energy is needed to fulfill it], and from that perspective, it is entirely possible that an easier mitzvah is inherently more worthy of reward than a more challenging mitzvah. With regard to the mitzvah of sending away the mother bird, Scripture promises reward, “So that it be good for you.” What these words mean is that if a relatively easy mitzvah such as sending away the mother bird, which incurs only small losses, fetches such a great reward, certainly a more challenging mitzvah with greater losses fetches an even greater reward—for reward is commensurate to effort. But when speaking of the mitzvah itself, and the inherent reward it carries [independent of the efforts expended for its fulfillment], a person ought to be as scrupulous with a light mitzvah as he is with a more severe one. . . . Mitzvot are not inherently equal in the rewards they carry, and it can very well be that a lighter mitzvah carries greater reward

LESSON 4 / Don’t Begin with the Basics [ 68 ] than a more severe one, for a mitzvah is something that purifies the person. . . . If the mitzvot were simply rules of convention to keep soci‑ ety in check or to better the human race as many do indeed explain, . . . then there would indeed be room to judge which mitzvot have more purpose and which ones carry greater reward. But the reality is that mitzvot are [much more than just social conventions; they are] G-dly instructions that refine the person and connect him with G-d. We cannot know which mitzvot refine the person more, as it is entirely possible that a light mitzvah greatly refines the person, more so than a severe mitzvah. This is not to say that the degree of difficulty in perfor‑ mance has no implications. Of course, when a person fulfills a mitzvah that is very challenging for him, that demonstrates a profound love for G-d, and he is rewarded accordingly. All we are saying is that it’s possible that a lighter mitzvah can have greater reward in the sense that the mitzvah refines its performer to a greater degree. This is the point: The mitzvot forge a connection between the person who fulfills it and G-d. As such, it’s impossible to know which mitzvot will trigger a stronger connection and which ones less so. Thus, our sages said, “And be care‑ ful with a light commandment as with a grave one, etc.” This is a fundamental principle in Torah, as many are not careful with lighter mitzvot, assuming that the reward and punishment are not so great. The truth, however, is not like that, as explained.

TORAH STUDIES / SEASON FOUR 5780 [ 69 ]

III. THE CHASIDIC APPROACH Mitzvah=Connection

TEXT 9 RABBI SHNEUR ZALMAN OF LIADI, LIKUTEI TORAH, BECHUKOTAI 45C

Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi והוא כוונת המצוה, שהוא להמשיך אורו יתברך למטה על ידי כלי (Alter Rebbe) 1812–1745 המצוה והתורה הלזו, והוא לשון ״צוותא״, לשון חיבור.

Chasidic rebbe, halachic authority, and founder of the The purpose of all mitzvot is to draw down the light of G-d Chabad movement. The Alter below through the material tools of Torah and mitzvot, as Rebbe was born in Liozna, Belarus, and was among the is signified by the word “mitzvah,” which can translate as principal students of the Magid of Mezeritch. His numerous “connection” [tzavta]. works include the Tanya, an early classic containing the fundamentals of Chabad Chasidism; and HaRav, an expanded and reworked code of Jewish law. TEXT 10a Rabbi Menachem THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, Mendel Schneerson TORAT MENACHEM 7 (5713:1), P. 275 1902–1994

The towering Jewish leader of the 20th century, known ”,as “the Lubavitcher Rebbe והמשל לזה — מחכם גדול המצוה לאיש פשוט לעשות איזה דבר or simply as “the Rebbe.” Born in southern Ukraine, the עבורו: חכם גדול שכל מהותו הוא ענין החכמה והשכל — הרי איש Rebbe escaped Nazi-occupied פשוט שאינו עוסק במושכלות, לא זו בלבד שאינו תופס מקום Europe, arriving in the U.S. in June 1941. The Rebbe אצלו, אלא עוד זאת, כאילו אינו בעולם כלל, שכן, אצל חכם גדול, inspired and guided the revival מציאות שאינה שכל אינה נחשבת למציאות כלל. אמנם, כאשר of traditional Judaism after ,the European devastation החכם מצַוה לאיש פשוט לעשות איזה דבר בשבילו, והאיש impacting virtually every Jewish community the פשוט מקיים את ציווי החכם — אף שמקיימו לפי כחו — אזי world over. The Rebbe נעשה צוותא וחיבור בין האיש הפשוט להחכם גדול. often emphasized that the performance of just one ודוגמתו בנמשל בנוגע לקיום המצוות — שאף על פי שמציאות additional good deed could .usher in the era of Mashiach הנבראים אינה בערך כלל אליו יתברך, וגם קיום המצוות שלהם The Rebbe’s scholarly talks אינו אלא לפי כחם, מכל מקום, נעשה על ידי זה צוותא וחיבור and writings have been printed .in more than 200 volumes עם הקדוש ברוך הוא.

LESSON 4 / Don’t Begin with the Basics [ 70 ]

An analogy for this is when an exceedingly wise person asks a very simple person to do something for him. Now, for this academic, a simpleton who doesn’t engage in any sort of studies or intellectual pursuit really has no place at all in his world. In the academic’s world, it’s as if the simpleton doesn’t exist. After all, anything unrelated to academia and knowledge is simply insignificant in his world. However, when the academic instructs the simpleton to do something for him, and the latter carries it out, a connec‑ tion between them has now been formed. This is a metaphor for the power of a mitzvah: There is simply no relative link between us and G-d. Yet the mitzvot we do—albeit on our material terms—forge a connection between us and G-d.

TEXT 10b THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, IBID., P. 274

פעם אחת, בצאת אדמו”ר הזקן מחדרו, שמע את זוגתו הרבנית משוחחת עם כמה נשים, ואומרת אודותיו: “מיינער זאָ גט” . . . ויאמר אדמו”ר הזקן — בניגון, כדרכו: “מיט איין מצוה בין איך דיינער, מיט מצוות וויפעל איז מען דעם אויבערשטנ’ס”, ונשען על מזוזת הפתח, און האט זיך פאַ ר’דביקות.

The Alter Rebbe once left his room and heard his wife speaking with some other ladies. In the course of her conversation, she mentioned her husband, saying, “Mine says . . .”

TORAH STUDIES / SEASON FOUR 5780 [ 71 ]

The Alter Rebbe commented with his trademark singsong voice, “I am yours with one mitzvah [marriage], how many mitzvot, then, does it take to become G-d’s?!” He then leaned on the doorway and entered into a trance- like contemplation.

The Purpose of Mitzvot

TEXT 11a THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, LIKUTEI SICHOT 19, P. 91

די נקודה פון אלע מצות — מצוה מלשון צוותא וחיבור — וואס דורך מצות ווערט מען צוגעבונדן מיט עצמות ומהות אין סוף ברוך הוא — איז בא אלע מצות גלייך, אן קיין אונטערשייד צווישן מצות חמורות און מצות קלות, ״ראש״ אדער ״עקב״.

The point of all mitzvot—the word “mitzvah” connoting “connection,” as it were—is that through mitzvot we become connected to G-d Himself. This notion is equally true with every mitzvah, without any distinction between “severe” vs. “light” mitzvot, or “head” [mitzvot] vs. “heel” [mitzvot].

LESSON 4 / Don’t Begin with the Basics [ 72 ]

Why the Alter Rebbe Was Right—A New Way of Thinking

TEXT 11b THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, IBID., P. 90

זיין טענה איז: אמת אז די אלע ענינים דארף מען טאקע מקיים זיין, אבער ער האלט נאך ניט דערביי, דארף ער טאן און גיין מיט א סדר. א משך זמן בענינים עקריים . . . און נאכדעם . . . הוספות שלאחרי זה . . . און נאכדעם — וועט ער אנהייבן פון לפנים משורת הדין, אן ענין פון חסידות וכו’. ער זאגט זיך ניט אפ פון קיין זאך חס ושלום, אבער אלץ דארף גיין מיט א סדר. — מ’האט אמאל גערעדט מיט איינעם וועגן אהבת ישראל באופן דלפנים משורת הדין וכו’ — זאגט ער עס איז ניט קיין סדר. און ער האט אויף דעם א גרייטן משל: איינער גייט אין גאס אן שיך, אן א העמד וכו’ — אבער ער טראגט אויפן האלז א “טאי”...

His claim is: Yes, it’s true that we have to fulfill everything— but I’m not there yet! Things must progress in order: let’s spend some time on the basics; . . . after that we’ll add some more, . . . and after that, we’ll start working on matters that are beyond the letter of the law, or matters of extra piety. He doesn’t, G-d forbid, negate anything per se; rather, he simply claims that things must progress more organically. Someone was once speaking with another about ahavat Yis- rael in a way that goes beyond the letter of the law, and the latter responded, “This doesn’t follow protocol.” To boot, he had a ready analogy, “If one goes about in the streets without shoes, without a shirt—would it make sense to go around with a tie? . . .”

TORAH STUDIES / SEASON FOUR 5780 [ 73 ]

TEXT 11c THE REBBE, RABBI MENACHEM MENDEL SCHNEERSON, IBID., PP. 91–92

אין דעם ענין האט ניט קיין ארט צו טראכטן וועגן א סדר, פון ראש מיט עקב . . . וויבאלד ער ווייס אז מיט דעם פארבינדט ער זיך מיט עצמות ומהות אין סוף ברוך הוא . . . דער תנאי פון קבלת התורה און אידישקייט איז נעשה קודם לנשמע . . . היפך הסדר . . . מען דארף אנהויבן דוקא מיט אמונה וקבלת עול און ניט מיט שכל; אויך די ענינים המובנים בשכל דארף מען טאן מיט קבלת עול. און אזוי איז אויך אין ענין החינוך: מען דארף דערציילן קינדער ענינים פון מופתים, וואס זיינען העכער פון שכל, דאס פלאנצט איין אין זיי אמונה. און די טענות אז דאס איז ניט קיין סדר, און לאיזה צורך דארף מען אנהויבן מיט ענינים המבהילים את הרעיון והדומה — קומען פון דעם יצר הרע.

When it comes to these matters, there’s no space to think about progressions or about the head versus the heel . . . for we know that with a mitzvah, a person connects with the very core of G-d Himself. . . . The first prerequisite for Torah and Judaism is “we will do” before “we will understand” . . . —not exactly the natural progression. . . . We must begin with faith and acceptance, and not with rationale; even those matters that do indeed make sense ought to be infused with a simple sense of acceptance. We must approach education this way as well: We must tell our children all about miracles and matters that indeed defy reason, and that anchor faith within them. As to the naysayers who claim that it’s not a natural progression, and why are you bothering small children with matters that defy reason, etc.—know that it’s all from the evil inclination.

LESSON 4 / Don’t Begin with the Basics