Rosh Hashanah and Parshas Ha'azinu - Rock and Role-Model

Rosh Hashanah

and

Parshas Ha'azinu

Rock and Role-Model

By: Daniel Listhaus

“The Rock, perfect is His work, for all His ways are justice; a G-d, faithful, without iniquity. “Righteous”, and it is proper.”

-Ha'azinu 32:4

Rashi¹ explains this passuk as dealing with the concept of middah-k'neged-middah, that Hashem punishes and rewards accordingly, in exact measure-for-measure. This does not mean that the punishment or reward must come directly after each action is done, only that, ultimately, each person will receive exactly the verdict he deserves.

However, there is another way to learn this passuk. This passuk, in the beginning of shiras Ha'azinu, is actually quite similar to one of the p'sukkim in shiras Chanah². When Chanah davened to Hashem for a child, she said, “There is none Holy as Hashem, for there is none beside Him; nor is there any rock like our G-d.” The Gemara³ makes a limud from here that the words ein tzur k'elokeinu (there is no rock like our G-d), could also be read as ein tzy'er k'elokeinu (there is no painter like our G-d). As the Gemara explains, the ways of Hashem are very different from man. A man draws a painting on a wall but cannot breathe breath into it, nor house within it a soul. Hashem, however, creates a body within a body and breathes into it life, a soul, and all the systems contained within the body. We can borrow this explanation for our passuk as well. The Rock, perfect is His work. Hashem is perfect and, therefore, His creations are perfect. What is the prime example of an unbelievably perfect creation? Man. After all, this was the example that came to the Gemara's mind.

There is a famous, general question which many ask: If Hashem is so perfect, what went wrong with the creation of man? Granted, man has the potential for greatness and closeness to Hashem, but that is not man's only facet, nor the direction which the majority choose. With the Gemara we just discussed, this question only becomes more compelling. The Gemara compliments, so to speak, Hashem's consummate artistic abilities with an example of something we consider far from perfect. Of all examples the Gemara could have given to describe the perfect and wondrous creations of Hashem, why offer man as the premier example? Better to use a tree, the sun, or any creature which does nothing but blindly follow Hashem's orders?

It must be that there is a basic assumption in the question which is false. The question assumes that man is an imperfect creation; but that is only a half-truth. Man could be imperfect, but be a perfect creation. Allow me to explain. Man was created exactly the way Hashem intended. We are made to be molded with our learning, experiences, and decisions we make on a constant basis⁴. The Derech Hashem⁵ discusses how the entire world was made for man. The world we live in is the perfect habitat for us to utilize our bechira and choose to either follow the path of Torah and yiras shamayim or, chas v'shalom, evil and death. It is our task to use this battleground to exercise and create a strong relationship with Hashem.

Rosh Hashanah is a time when the world was completed and man man was created. That first Rosh Hashanah was when it became clear that sof ma'aseh b'machashave techilah⁶. Therefore, although really the whole world is being re-created consistently every moment⁷, Rosh Hashanah, like every Jewish Holiday, re-establishes the same atmosphere in the air which was present at the time that the event occurred. Therefore, it is a time of judgment with big ramifications: Do each of us, as individuals, fit back into the world for the coming year? The litmus test is to reflect on the past and see how we did during the past year. Each of us is like a share of stock of the biggest corporation known to man: The World. If the stock does poorly, then the problem must be resolved as soon as possible, before the whole corporation falls to pieces. If our recent history reflects a downward-sloping line with a momentum which is bound to continue, Hashem removes us from His system. The only way to convince Hashem that we deserve to remain and continue to exercise our privileges to grow in this world, is to prove to Him that we will be an asset to His plan and serve Him as our King. We must assure Hashem that we will do what He wants and expects of us.

What is it, though, that Hashem expects from us? When we declare Hashem's Kingship countless times from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur, what exactly are we saying that convinces Hashem that we are on the right track?

Perhaps we can achieve a clearer understanding based on the following. The Alter of Slabodka, in his sefer, Ohr HaTzafun⁸ is bothered by what seems to be a contradiction in Nach⁹. The Tanach relates in sefer Ezra¹⁰, that Ezra called out to Hashem: “My G-d, I am embarrassed and ashamed to lift my face to you, my G-d – for our iniquities have multiplied over our heads and our sins extend to the heaven.” Ezra was not some ordinary person who did sins on a daily basis. On the contrary, he was so filled with kedusha and taharah that chazal teach us¹¹ that he was fit to receive the Torah from Har Sinai. Yet, his attitude regarding teshuva was certainly one of seriousness, crying, and mourning. The passuk in sefer Nechemiah, however, takes a very different perspective on Rosh Hashanah. The passuk¹² says, “...do not be sad; for the joy of Hashem is your strength.” Seemingly, according to sefer Nechemiah, the way to teshuvah on Rosh Hashanah is not through crying or mourning, but rather through the joy of Hashem. What does this mean? How could we understand this very different approach?

The Alter answers that man was created b'tzelem Elokim (in the image of Hashem). Rashi¹³ explains this to mean, “To understand and to gain wisdom”. We have the potential to be even greater than the malachim (angels). Even though Adam HaRishon sinned in Gan Eden, still, deep down in our essence, the power of tzelem Elokim still exists. Our job on this world is to tap into that and sharpen our tzelem Elokim.

The Gemara¹⁴ introduces a dispute regarding what the words “zeh keili v'anveihu”¹⁵ (This is my G-d and I will build Him a sanctuary) are meant to teach us. One of the opinions is Abba Shaul¹⁶, who interprets the word “v'anveihu” to mean “and I will emulate Him”. As he explains, “Just as Hashem is merciful and gracious, so too we must be merciful and gracious”. The thirteen attributes of Hashem¹⁷, which we will say many, many times over until motzei Yom Kippur, are meant for us to copy and instill within ourselves.

This is our challenge on Rosh Hashanah. We must adopt the thirteen attributes in order to show Hashem that we are fit to remain in His system and become closer to Him during the year to come. This is why the main theme of Rosh Hashanah is declaring Hashem as King. Hashem is our Master and it is our job to live up to our tzelem Elokim, and practice the thirteen middos of Hashem.

The passuk in Nechemiah is teaching us that the purpose of the world, which we commemorate and re-live every year on Rosh Hashana, is for man to serve Hashem. The means through which man serves Hashem is by realizing we are created b'tzelem Elokim, and by trying to achieve the understanding and wisdom of Hashem. This can only be done through copying His middos.

Hashem, the Rock, whose work is perfect, is our role model. It is our job to emulate Him and live up to our privilege of being created b'tzelem Elokim. Let us strive to adopt the thirteen middos of Hashem this Rosh Hashanah and merit the attitude of Nechemiah, “...do not be sad; for the joy of Hashem is your strength”.

1Devarim 32:4

2Shmuel Alef 2:2

3Berachos 10a

4Especially the one real choice of whether to fear Hashem or not, as we discussed in parshas Nitzavim

5Section 1, Chapters 2-3

6Lecha Dodi in kabbalas Shabbos. This phrase means that the end result of a project is what the designer had in mind from the beginning. (For example: Just like a zoo sets up trees, foliage, and water-holes – not for each of those things themselves, but rather with a plan to have a proper habitat for the animals to live in. So too, looking back after the six days of creation it is clear that the world was created for nothing other than man.)

7As we say in birkas kriyas Shema: mechadeish b'chol yom tamid ma'aseh bereishis.

8Cheilek Gimmel: Avodaseinu B'Rosh Hashanah

9Nach is an acronym for Nevi'yim and K'suvim (Prophets and Writings).

10Ezra 9:6

11Gemara Sanhedrin 21b

12Nechemiah 8:10

13Beraishis 1:26

14Shabbos 133b

15Shemos 15:2; In Az Yashir – part of shacharis p'sukei d'zimrah

16The other opinion is that “this is my G-d an I will beautify Him” - The famous limud which tells us to look for the most beautiful ways to do mitzvos (nice lulav and esrog, nice pair of tefillin, etc.)

17Shemos 34:6-7

Parshas Nitzavim - To Fear or Not to Fear, That is the Question

Parshas Nitzavim-Vayeilech

To Fear or Not to Fear,That is the Question

By: Daniel Listhaus

“I call the heavens and the earth to bear witness against you: I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life, so that you and your offspring shall live - to love Hashem your G-d, to listen to His voice and to cleave to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days...”

-Nitzavim 30:19-20

The Gemara¹ quotes Rebbe Chanina as saying, “Everything is in the hands of Heaven except for the fear of Heaven”. This seems to mean that the only thing left for us to control is the single choice of whether to fear Hashem or not. How could this be? We strongly believe that man was given bechira (free choice). So how could we say that there is really only one area in which we have a say? If this were true, it greatly limits our privilege of bechira.

However, we cannot argue on the Gemara. So, it must be, that in reality there is only one choice to make in life – to fear Hashem or not to fear Hashem. And once this decision is made, our future intentions and further decisions will be by-products.

Following this approach, however, one runs into a couple of major problems from this week's parsha. Reb Itzele Petterburg² points out, in his work Sha'arei Ohr³, that the passuk says, “I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life.” This passuk raises many issues which need to be dealt with.

Imagine you go to a restaurant for dinner one night. The waiter comes over to you and says, “Welcome. There are two options on the menu tonight: A nice juicy steak or poisoned soup. By the way, I would recommend the steak”. Although technically the waiter is offering you a choice, in reality this choice does not exist. No one in their right mind would take the poisonous dish. Yet, this waiter not only believes he is giving a choice, but is even naive enough to think that the customer might actually choose the worse choice. As he says, “I would recommend the steak.”

Although this story seems totally absurd, it is strikingly similar to the one in this week's parsha. Hashem tells us that he has “placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life”. Is this the “major bechira” we have, which makes us superior to animals? The Torah sets up the two options in such an unfair way – life versus death. Why is the choice set up in this manner? Would anyone really choose life over death? Of course not! Death is so unappealing to us that this choice is not really a choice at all. In order to realistically give a choice between two options, the two options must be equal. So if Hashem is offering a choice, it must be that they are equal. How could we understand this?

Furthermore, why is it necessary for Hashem to assist us and offer his advice, “and you shall choose life”? Firstly, the choice seems clear enough for us that we should not need any hints. Secondly, if we were to somehow see from the passuk that the choice is not one which is so obvious, then this is cheating! If, in fact, everything is in the hands of Hashem except for fear of Him, why is Hashem aiding us in the major decision of bechira which we are supposed to be making for ourselves? If the decision is really one that takes contemplation and effort, using our koach ha-bechirah, then why is Hashem winking at us, so to speak, when he mentions the choice He really wants us to choose?

To make things even worse, the Sifrei on this passuk says the following, “The Torah says that 'Behold I have placed before you life and death...' so I might have thought that there is really an option and that we could choose whichever we want. Therefore, the passuk continues and says, “And you shall choose life”.

What is this Sifrei saying? Why would we think that Hashem would actually not mind if we chose death? Did we not accept the Torah on Har Sinai? Do we really need Hashem to tell us to chose the juicy steak instead of the poisoned soup?

The Sha'arei Ohr discusses these questions and writes the following. Really, we should have no other thoughts other than to be filled with yiras shamayim (fear of Heaven). We should live a life scared out of our mind to do anything wrong. We should be trembling over where we stand in Hashem's punishment and reward system, or even better – solely because of Hashem's greatness and expectations. However, the reality is that we do not have such a feeling. Instead, we follow after what we desire, even if it leads us towards death and curse. This is because Hashem removes from us the logical fear that we should have after knowing that there is a punishment and reward system set up. Once Hashem does this, the path that leads to death actually appears to us just as appetizing as the path that leads to life.

If so, we actually do have a good claim of, “Well, if Hashem gave us both options, then we should be able to choose either one”. If both paths seem the same to us, how will we tell the difference? We could sit and rationalize all day about anything, claiming, and honestly thinking, that it is what Hashem wants from us. If Hashem removed from us the ability to actually see “death”, what chance do we have coming out making the right decision? This, Reb Itzele explains, is why the passuk continues to say, “And you shall choose life”. Our job as humans with free choice is to want to do the right thing. If we take the time to analyze and think deeply into every decision we make with an honest, internal desire to do things for the sake of Hashem, then Hashem assures us that he will make it clear to us which way to follow.

The challenge of bechira is the initial decision of whether to care about yiras Hashem or not. It is very easy for one to choose not to care, and rationalize a life of disasters without realizing that he has chosen a life of death. However, if one takes the time and energy to think through one's actions and decide if each one is ratzon Hashem or not, he has, by definition, made a real decision to live a life of yiras shamayim. Once this initial decision is made, Hashem tells us that we will indeed choose life. Meaning, Hashem will remove the fog and ensure that we indeed uncover the right path.

With this way of learning, we can now better understand the true meaning behind the Gemara in Berachos and the passuk in this week's parsha. The only real choice we need to make is – To fear or not to fear Hashem. The choice is not as “clear cut” as the Torah makes it sound, for indeed, the path that leads to death is quite deceiving. The choice is actually one we must think about and decide. One who lets his body decide for itself, will end up on the wrong path. But, the one who cares and spends the time to contemplate what is the will of Hashem, is promised that he will indeed uncover, “and you shall choose life”.

With Rosh Hashana approaching, let us make a conscious decision to start the new year with a direction of searching for the will of Hashem in our actions, thoughts, and attitudes. In this way, we will merit the promise of the passuk that we will indeed choose life.

1Berachos 33b

2A talmid (disciple) of Rabbi Yisroel Salanter (Father of the mussar-movement)

3Sha'arei Ohr (in Sefer Ohr Yisroel) Chapter 3

Parshas Ki Savo - Stop, Drop, and "Four Score and Seven Years Ago..."

Parshas Ki Savo

Stop, Drop, and “Four Score and Seven Years Ago...”

By: Daniel Listhaus

“It will be when you enter the land that Hashem...gives you as an inheritance...that you shall take the first of every fruit of the ground that you bring in your land that Hashem...gives you...”

-Ki Savo 26:1-2

The parsha starts off with a rather unusual process. After dwelling in Eretz Yisroel, one must bring his first fruits to the kohen. The Torah¹ relates that each person comes before the kohen and says, “I declare today to Hashem, your G-d, that I have come to the land that Hashem swore to our forefathers to give us.” The kohen then places the basket of bikkurim (first fruits) before the mizbeach Hashem (altar of Hashem) and the individual then continues with a whole Gettysburg address:

“An Aramaean (referring to Lavan) would have destroyed my father, and he descended to Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation – great, strong, and numerous. The Egyptians mistreated and afflicted us, and placed hard work upon us. Then we cried out to Hashem, the G-d of our forefathers, and Hashem heard our voice and saw our affliction, our travails, and our oppression. Hashem took us out of Egypt with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm, with great awesomeness, and with signs and with wonders. He brought us to this place, and He gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And now, behold! I have brought the first fruit of the ground that you have given me, Hashem!”²

There are a couple of intriguing aspects to this procedure. Firstly, these passukim sound like something that should be part of the Pesach seder (which they are), not something that should be said when bringing first fruits to the kohen. What is the connection between the bringing of the new fruits and recalling a history of all that Hashem has done for us.

Secondly, why does the kohen have to suffer through this so many times just to get a basket of fruit? Let each man say it for himself when he is gathering the fruits into the basket. Why does this speech have to be said, specifically, to the kohen?

I think that we could come to better understand all of this if we recognize two areas of human nature. We live in a world of cause-and-effect; the actions we do seem to create real consequences. Imagine the following: You invest a tremendous effort going through school, go through the strains of finding a job, finally get a job, and work hard. Then, your first pay-check comes and you hold it up high, saying, “Yeah! Now I could go spend some of the money that I made!” One could get so caught up thinking that since he had to work hard to see the desired consequence, he must have been in control from the onset. The Torah³ warns against this reasoning, as it says, “...And your heart will grow haughty and you will forget Hashem your G-d...and you will say in your heart: My power and the might of my hand have wrought this wealth for me. Then you shall remember Hashem your G-d, for it is He who gives you the strength to amass wealth....” We cannot allow ourselves to be swallowed by hindsight bias. Rather, we must stop and think about the fact that it is not really us who causes things to happen, it is really all through the yad Hashem (hand of Hashem). Thinking otherwise would be misuse of the middah of gaivah. We would be serving ourselves instead of Hashem, which is why a ba'al gaivah is considered to be doing avodah zarah⁴.

This is exactly the purpose of this long monologue the Torah commands. We enter into Eretz Yisroel, fight battles, and work hard on our land. Now we finally get to benefit from the fruits of our labor, and we are forced to stop and think – “Wait. How did I get to this point of being able to benefit from my fruits?” We must therefore go back and remind ourselves how it was all through the guidance of Hashem which got us to where we now stand.

This is the first step. Stop and think who it really is controlling the world as a whole, and each and every person's individual life. However, as we see from the parsha of bikkurim, to just stop and think is not enough, we must actually verbalize our thoughts and say it to the kohen. Why is this necessary?

There is a pretty vague Rashi which comments on the passuk, “and you shall say to the kohen”. Rashi⁵ writes, “To show that you are not unappreciative”. The Sifrei⁶ comments that Rashi is telling us that the reason we must actually say this speech in front of an individual, is because that is the only real way to express appreciation. The Hebrew word for 'thanks' is hoda'ah,which is also the same word for 'admit'⁷. This is not a coincidence. When one thanks someone else, one is essentially admitting that he needed their help and depended on them. Therefore, a true expression of thanks only comes through subjugating oneself – by admitting his feelings to another person. Therefore, in order to demonstrate that the feeling of appreciation to Hashem is real, we must speak out our thanks to His representative, the kohen.

This concept that a true hoda'ah must be done verbally, is something that used to be relevant on a daily basis. In previous times, before the mass-production of siddurim, the role of the chazzan was slightly different. The members of the shul would listen carefully to every word the chazzan said, and it would be as if he recited the tefillos himself. This works through the principle of shome'ah k'oneh (hearing is like answering). This principle allows one to fulfill his or her obligation by listening and having in mind to someone else doing so. However, despite the many areas we use this rule, when it comes to the paragraph of modim (“we thank you...”) in shemoneh esreh, it is not enough for one to merely listen to the words of the chazzan. Instead, each and every individual must recite his own personal modim. This is why now-a-days when the chazzan goes over shemoneh esreh, even though we no longer have in mind to be yotzei with him, we also say our own modim, just as it used to be done.

This is the lesson of the parsha – we must stop, and drop any illusions that we may have that we are actually in control of our lives and determine the outcomes of our actions. Then, it is time to roll out the script and verbalize an admittance to Hashem, because as Rashi says, that is the only way to really show that you have an appreciation for all that He does for you.

1Devarim 26:3

2Devarim 26:5-10

3Devarim 8:14-18

4Orchos Tzadikkim: Sha'ar HaGaivah

5Devarim 26:3

6Sifrei 299

7This is why Jews are called “Yehudim” (which comes from the same root: hoda'ah) because it is our job to constantly recognize, thank, and admit to our dependency on Hashem. Our day starts with this theme every morning, as we say, “Modeh ani l'fanecha” - “I give thanks/admit before you...”.

Parshas Ki Seitzei - Same Difference

Parshas Ki Seitzei

Kavod Ha'adom vs. Kavod Hashem

Same Difference

By: Daniel Listhaus

“If a man will have committed a sin whose judgment is death and he shall be put to death, and you shall hang him on a wooden beam. His body shall not remain for the night on the wooden beam, rather you shall surely bury him on that day, for a hanging person is an insult of Hashem...”

-Ki Seitzei 21:22-23

Rashi¹ comments that we do not leave the body hanging because man is made in the image of Hashem, and the Jews are His sons. To leave a body hanging would therefore be a degradation of the King. Rashi continues and gives the following moshol (parable): There were two identical twin brothers. One became a king, while the other became involved in thievery and was hung. Whoever would see him hanging would say, “The king is hanging!”

There are a couple of questions here which beg to be asked on this Rashi. Granted, man was created with the image of Hashem and we are His children. However, at the end of the day, this guy did an aveirah deserving of death². Last week's parsha stated many times that we should show no mercy to those deserving of punishment for not following the laws of the Torah³. Why is it then that, when it comes to keeping the man hanging, the Torah suddenly seems to show mercy for his corpse? Furthermore, if we take everything Rashi says literally, then this whole concept seems difficult to understand. Is it really true that if one will see a man hanging that he will say about it that Hashem is hanging? Certainly not! So what exactly is going on here? What is the underlying reason why we do not leave the man hanging? And how could we understand Rashi's concern of people immediately associating man with Hashem?

Later on in the parsha, the passukim resume dealing with the halachos (laws) of going out to battle. The passuk⁴ tells us that there is a commandment for each soldier who goes out to battle to carry a shovel, in addition to the rest of his weaponry. The reason for this, as the Torah itself tells us, is in order to be able to use it to dig and cover one's excrement.

Let us think for a moment about this strange mitzva. It does not take a military expert to know that when going to battle one must pack only essentials. A gun⁵ is a good idea. A canteen of water is a good idea. A heavy solid metal shovel is not a bad idea...it is a TERRIBLE idea! Why tire out an entire army by making each soldier carry such an instrument?⁶

Furthermore, the Gemara⁷ learns out an amazing limud from this passuk. The passuk says, “There should be a spade among your weaponry”. The Hebrew word for “your weaponry” is “A'zei'ne'cha” which is very similar to the word for “your ears” - “A'za'ne'cha”. With this, the Gemara goes on to say a halacha; that we learn from here that if someone is about to hear something which is not nice [such as lashon harah or nivul peh], one should put his fingers – which are shaped as spades – into his ears.

There is obviously a connection between this halacha and the halacha that each soldier must carry a spade into battle, based on the similarity of words. This alone would certainly allow chazal to make their limud. However, is there perhaps a deeper connection linking these seemingly very different halachos together?

Perhaps there is an common denominator between the hanging man, digging excrement, and listening to evil speech. Let us start our analysis with the shovel one is required to carry during battle. From the fact that the Torah demands that it be part of the weaponry, it must be because it is just as important as the weaponry. We could try to understand this based on the following. We know that there are two elements to everything we do: our hishtadlus – the effort we put in, and siyata d'shmaya – aid from Hashem. Certainly the weaponry we bring with us to battle is the hishtadlus we put in. The shovel, on the other hand, is our symbol for siyata d'shmaya. The halacha⁸ is that it is assur (forbidden) to daven in front of excrement, since it is unfitting for Hashem to come to such a place. Since it is through tefillah that we ask for siyata d'shmaya, a spade or shovel is certainly a necessity in order to be able to utilize our real weapon - davening. Looking at this in a broader sense, another way of presenting this idea is that in order to create an environment of kavod Hashem (honor/respect of Hashem), a necessary prerequisite is the practicing of kavod ha'briyos (respect of creations [i.e. humans]).

Perhaps this is the underlying theme behind the hanging man, digging excrement, and listening to evil speech. All three are commandments guarding the basics of kavod ha'adom (respect of mankind). It is forbidden to say or listen to lashon harah because it is fundamentally disregarding others. Forgetting to exercise kavod ha'adom during battle has a direct positive correlation with not showing kavod Hashem. Therefore, the shechina will not fight alongside the hishtadlus of the army. The same is true when it comes to the death penalty. If the Torah demands the death of an individual, it is certainly mandatory to do so, and, as the Torah says, with showing no mercy. However, when it comes to leaving the corpse hanging – a most degrading thing, Hashem says you have gone too far. As Rashi⁹ states, “Leaving the corpse hanging is a degradation to the King, for man is made in the likeness of His image”. Again, we see that not showing proper kavod ha'adom automatically means not recognizing proper kavod Hashem.

Respect for humans is something so basic and so necessary, it is required to be rehearsed even during the hardest of times. Without it – and therefore without the basic understanding of chashivus ha'adom (greatness of man) – Hashem will not come to help.

Why is this so? Why is it that kavod ha'adom and kavod Hashem are so closely interconnected?

The Alter of Slabodka writes in his incredible work, Ohr HaTzafun¹⁰, that the passuk in Beraishis tells us that Hashem created man in His image and His likeness. Hashem created man as his own miniature world¹¹. Just as the world has a King – Hashem, so too each of our own little worlds has a king – the neshama which Hashem breathed into us. The neshama, which connects every person with Hashem, is so precious that when man was created, the melachim wanted to sing praises¹².

The Gemara¹³ relates the famous story of a man who came to Hillel and asked him to teach him the whole Torah while standing on one foot. Hillel responded, “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. That is the whole Torah while the rest is commentary; go and learn it.” Hashem, and his Torah, is the source for all kavod. Yet, man resembles Hashem and therefore, kavod ha'adom and kavod Hashem overlap on many fronts. This is why the Gemara¹⁴ has a whole discussion as to which laws we would push away if they would conflict with kavod habriyos. At one point the Gemara even wants to say that kavod habriyos is docheh (supersedes [literally: push away]) even a lo sa'aseh (negative commandment)! This is not because kavod habriyos is better than the Torah, rather because it is the Torah and is kavod Hashem.¹⁵ When one honors his fellow man (for the proper reasons), he is in essence honoring Hashem. It is based on this that Rabbi Akiva taught¹⁶, “v'ahavta l'rei'acha ka'mocha zeh k'lal gadol ba'torah – You shall love your fellow as yourself. This is a great rule in the Torah.”.

Anything that goes contrary to the axiom of “v'ahavta l'rei'acha ka'mocha 101” - the basic principle of loving one's friends as one loves oneself - is by definition against the Torah. It disregards kavod ha'adom and therefore, by definition, kavod Hashem as well. This is why we cannot leave the corpse hanging, must carry a shovel into battle, and are required to stick our fingers in our ears when we are at risk of hearing lashon harah.

An even more basic element contained in v'ahavta l'rei'acha kamocha is that each of us has an obligation to love ourselves¹⁷. Only once we respect ourselves for being created in the image of Hashem, could we be prepared to respect others. And only once we have an appreciation for others, could we be ready to honor Hashem. In this way, kavod ha'adom is not just a prerequisite to kavod Hashem, but is really itself kavod Hashem.

1Devarim 21:23

2Not to mention the process it takes to actually prove someone deserving of the death penalty. The person has to have been warned, and the two people who witnessed him doing it anyway go through a strenuous cross examination by Beis Din to verify that their stories match. The Mishna in Makkos 7a states that because of this process, a Beis Din that killed more than one man every seventy years was known as a “bloody Beis Din”.

3Devarim 18:6-7, Devarim 18:12, and specifically in Devarim 19:13

4Devarim 23:14

5They probably had more swords, spears, and bows and arrows than guns, but that is beside the point.

6The seriousness of the commandment that each solider must carry a shovel, could be seen quite clearly because Rashi explains the passuk to mean, “Take the shovel besides the other implements you use”. The Be'er B'sadeh comments that Rashi uses the word besides instead of in addition to in order to bring out the following point: Even though the solider has other instruments with him which could perhaps be used to dig holes in the ground as well, still, do not rely on those tools because sometimes in battle the ground will be hard and one may choose not to put so much pressure on his weapons and will therefore not make a deep enough hole to fully cover his excrement.

7Kesuvos 5a-5b

8Shulchan Aruch Ohr HaChayim Siman 79

9Devarim 21:23

10Cheilek Alef: “D'mus Ha'adom”

11See commentaries on Koheles 9:14 as well as Orchos Tzadikkim: Sha'ar Yiras Shamayim

12Bereishis Rabbah 8

13Shabbos 31a

14Berachos 19b

15And even according to the end of the Gemara that kavod habriyos is only docheh a de'rabannan b'kum ve'asheh and de'oraisah only by a shev ve'al ta'aseh, we only come to that conclusion by learning it from a passuk, which the Gemara explains is coming to teach that if there would be a chilul Hashem, we do whatever we must to stop it. But this further agrees with our point. Kavod habriyos and kavod Hashem are the same. So in cases where doing kavod habriyos may cause chilul Hashem, then obviously that would not fall under the category of kavod habriyos.

16Toras Kohanim and Rashi on Vayikra 19:18

17This is obvious because how could we love others as we do ourselves, if we do not love ourselves.