Parshas Vayeilech and Shabbos Shuvah - The Ripple Effect: Splash Out of Your Bubble or Take it to the Grave

Parshas Vayeilech

and

Shabbos Shuvah

The Ripple Effect:

Splash Out of Your Bubble or Take it to the Grave

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה הִנְּךָ שֹׁכֵב עִם אֲבֹתֶיךָ וְקָם הָעָם הַזֶּה וְזָנָה אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהֵי נֵכַר הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הוּא בָא שָׁמָּה בְּקִרְבּוֹ וַעֲזָבַנִי וְהֵפֵר אֶת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר כָּרַתִּי אִתּוֹ

“Hashem said to Moshe, 'Behold, you will lie with your forefathers, but this people will rise up and stray after gods of that which is foreign to the land, in whose midst it is coming, and it will forsake Me and it will annul my covenant that I have sealed with it.'”

-Vayeilech 31:16

The Gemara¹ relates that a group of heretics asked Rabban Gamliel, “How do you you know that Hashem will resuscitate the dead?” Rabban Gamliel responded with a proof from Torah, a proof from Nevi'im (Prophets), and a proof from K'suvim (Writings)², however the heretics did not accept any of the proofs. The proof that Rabban Gamliel brought from Torah is from this week's parsha. The passuk³ (verse) says that Hashem said to Moshe, “Behold you will lie with your forefathers, but this people will rise up and stray after gods...” This is the way the passuk is conventionally read and indeed the way which the trop (cantillation marks) of the Torah directs us to understand. However, without any punctuation, there is another way to read the passuk, which clearly hints to the concept of techiyas hamaysim (revival of the dead), and that is the following: “Hashem said to Moshe, 'Behold you will lie with your forefathers and get up, but these people will rise up and stray after gods...” Putting the comma after the word “v'kum” (“and will get up”), instead of before, changes the passuk's meaning slightly to be dealing with two separate future events: A time when Moshe will come back from the dead, as well as a time when B'nei Yisroel will sin after entering Eretz Yisroel.

The problem with this Gemara is that the heretics seem to have had good reason not to listen to Rabban Gamliel. Even without knowing what we do of the correct punctuation in the passuk, it would be a stretch to interpret the passuk in the way Rabban Gamliel suggested, because the construction of the rest of the passuk does not allow for such an explanation. The passuk is grammatically written in such a way that the word “v'kum” is clearly attached to the latter part describing the future mistakes of B'nei Yisroel.⁴

The Kli Yakar⁵ offers the following explanation. Oftentimes, we feel as if we are living in a bubble. We think that the things we do and say effect no one but ourselves and those who are directly impacted. Imagine a principal who is lecturing a class not to cheat on tests. He might argue “You are only hurting yourselves”, or may even extend the discipline to say, “Even if one guy cheats, he is effecting his classmates, who might then take cheating more lightly”. However, rarely does the message include the friends of our friends who will in turn be effected, no matter how slightly, and so on. If we stop to think for a moment, there are in fact very few things we do which do not have much broader impacts. A simple good morning or smile to someone does not only change the attitude and behavior of the one giving and receiving the gesture, but also extends to everyone that each of them interact with for the rest of the day. This idea is known as the ripple effect. Just as one could throw a rock in the middle of a lake and watch the continuously spreading ripples, so to a single action – no matter how small – spreads throughout individuals, communities, and countries, for generations.

The Gemara⁶ brings a statement from R' Yehuda in the name of Rav that a person has the ability to live in two worlds simultaneously.⁷ The Gemara explains that this is possible because, for example, when a talmid (student) quotes his deceased rebbe, it is as if the rebbe's lips are moving in the grave.⁸ The fact that someone has passed on does not mean that the ripples he has left to spread, and seeds he has planted, go forgotten. Rather, everything stemming from an individual gets attributed back to that individual.

The same, however, is true for the detriment. Someone who is the cause of others committing aveiros (sins) is responsible for those outcomes as well. And just as a positive ripple effect could be caused by gathering others to do good things, being a role model, or merely encouraging others, so too a negative ripple effect could be caused by doing bad things with others, being a bad example for friends, or merely not giving someone proper mussar (rebuke) at an opportune time. All this gets attributed back to the responsibility of the one who jumped into the water and started the chain reaction.

With this in mind, the Kli Yakar writes that we could now better appreciate the passuk in our parsha, and how it is indeed a valid source for techiyas hamaysim in the Torah without stretching the simple meaning. Hashem was telling Moshe that for now you are going to be resting with your forefathers. However, this people will later stray after other gods, and they will come to awaken you because you will be held responsible. After all, if B'nei Yisroel turn to avoda zarah (idol worship) in the future, that makes Moshe partially responsible for not instilling the message deep enough. So, the passuk is telling us that there will be a later time when Moshe will indeed return in body to us and we will go up to him. This demonstrates an allusion to the concept of techiyas hamaysim from the Torah.

The Gemara⁹ writes that a whole year Hashem only accepts teshuva (repentance) from the rabim (public). However, during the aseres y'mei teshuva (Ten Days of Repentance – starting on Rosh Hashanah and continuing through Yom Kippur), Hashem even accepts the teshuva of a yachid (individual). These are days when Hashem is close to us, looks at us as individuals, and gives us the opportunity to regret the sins of our past and accept on ourselves to do better in the future. However, we must take a moment to reflect what exactly we have done as individuals. We must realize that we do not live in a bubble. Rather, we live in a place where our actions have ripple effects. The consequences we cause will be attributed back to us forever until the time of techiyas hamaysim. Therefore we must make sure that the impacts we create in this world are indeed ones that we want to take to the grave.

May we merit to only be the cause of positive consequences and achieve a closeness with Hashem as he grants us a complete s'licha u'mechila on Yom Kippur.

1Sanhedrin 90b

2The three parts to Tanach. The proof from Torah is from Devarim 31:16, the proof from Nevi'im is from Yeshaya 26:19, and the proof from K'suvim is from Shir HaShirim 7:10

3Devarim 31:16

4On a simple level, the Ibn Ezra (31:16) seems to express this opinion. However, see Avi Eizer (31:16) who writes that it is not possible that the Ibn Ezra would write such a thing which goes against chazal – i.e. the Gemara in Sanhedrin (90b) which clearly brings this passuk as a real proof. The Avi Eizer therefore explains the Ibn Ezra as only asking on the way the trop was placed.

5Devarim 31:16

6Yevamos 96b-97a

7As seen in the passuk in Tehillim (61:5)

8See Shir Hashirim 7:10 which alludes to this, as brought in the Gemara.

9Rosh Hashanah 18a

Photo Credit: via Google Images: http://mycausewater.com/blog/the-ripple-effect/the-ripple-effect-2/

Parshas Nitzavim And Rosh Hashanah - Restart Your Engines

~Thoughts on the Parsha~
Parshas Nitzavim

And

Rosh Hashanah

Restart Your Engines

By: Daniel Listhaus

וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד הֹ' אֱלֹקיךָ וְשָׁמַעְתָּ בְקֹלוֹ כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם אַתָּה וּבָנֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשֶׁךָ

כִּי הַמִּצְוָה הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם לֹא נִפְלֵאת הִוא מִמְּךָ וְלֹא רְחֹקָה הִוא : לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם הִוא לֵאמֹר מִי יַעֲלֶה לָּנוּ הַשָּׁמַיְמָה וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה : וְלֹא מֵעֵבֶר לַיָּם הִוא לֵאמֹר מִי יַעֲבָר לָנוּ אֶל עֵבֶר הַיָּם וְיִקָּחֶהָ לָּנוּ וְיַשְׁמִעֵנוּ אֹתָהּ וְנַעֲשֶׂנָּה : כִּי קָרוֹב אֵלֶיךָ הַדָּבָר מְאֹד בְּפִיךָ וּבִלְבָבְךָ לַעֲשֹׂתוֹ

“And you will return unto Hashem, your G-d, and listen to His voice, according to everything that command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and all your soul.”

“For this commandment, which I command you today, is not hidden from you and is not distant. It is not in the heavens, for you to say, 'Who can ascend to the heavens for us and take it for us, and let us hear it, so that we can perform it?' Nor is it across the sea, for you to say, 'Who can cross to the other side of the sea for us and take it for us, and let us hear it, so that we can perform it?' Rather, the matter is very near to to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to perform it.”

-Nitzavim 30:2;11-14

In this passuk (verse) referring to returning to listening to Hashem, the Torah peculiarly writes that we should return until (“ad”) Hashem, instead of writing that we must return to (“el”) Hashem...” Similarly, the passuk in Hoshea¹ says, “Return, Yisroel, until Hashem your G-d.” The Gemara² teaches that we see from this passuk that teshuvah (repentance) reaches all the way until the Kisei HaKavod (Hashem's Throne of Glory).³ The Orchos Tzadikkim⁴ further demonstrates this from the following fascinating account:⁵

When Moshe ascended to the first firmament he found classes of angels. They opened a Torah scroll before him, read about the first day of Creation, discontinued, and began speaking in praise of Torah. When he ascended to the second level, he found clusters of angels who were reading about the second day of Creation. They then paused, and began speaking in praise of Torah and B'nei Yisroel. When he ascended to the third firmament he found angels and troops, who were reading about the third day of Creation. They then finished, and began speaking in praise of Yerushalayim. When he ascended to the fourth firmament, he found mighty angels, who were reading about the fourth day of Creation. They stopped, and began speaking in praise of Moshiach. When he ascended to the fifth firmament he found camps and camps of angels who were reading about the fifth day of Creation. They discontinued, and began speaking about the anguish of Gehenom. When he ascended to the sixth firmament he found angels who were reading about the sixth day of Creation. They finished, and began to speak about Gan Eden, and to implore Hashem to place the portion of the Jews who follow the Torah and mitzvos in it. When he ascended to the seventh firmament he found Ofanim, Serafim, Galgalim, angels of mercy, angels of loving kindness, and angels of tremble and fear. Immediately Moshe grabbed the Kisei HaKavod. They read about the seventh day of Creation: “Vayechulu...”⁶ (And He completed...). They then stopped and started speaking in praise of teshuva.

The Gemara⁷ mentions seven things which preceded the world: Torah, teshuva, Gan Eden, Gehenom, the Kisei Hakavod, the Beis Hamikdash, and the name of Moshiach. It is no coincidence that this list closely resembles the things which Moshe witnessed being praised by the angels on the various levels of the Heavens. However, we could only appreciate the uniqueness of these seven concepts if we first understand what the point of the world is.

Rashi⁸ writes that the world was created for B'nei Yisroel and the Torah. The sole purpose of this world is for us to follow the path of the Torah and listen to the word of Hashem. With this in mind, we must realize that because Hashem created the world for this purpose, it must be the perfect place to achieve this goal. Every single system, creature, and object created during the seven days of Beraishis (creation) are only for the benefit of man to achieve a close relationship with Hashem. These seven things which were created before the world are the most essential parts to the overall structure, and therefore had to be in place before anything else. Torah is the blueprint and instruction manual of the world. Gehenom, Gan Eden, and the Kisei Hakavod are key elements of the punishment-reward system. The Beis Hamikdash and Moshiach are the place and time we could serve Hashem in the perfect setting. Teshuva is also absolutely necessary because without it, man would not be able to exist for more than a generation.

Of the seven items, teshuva is the most unique. The other six things are necessary because of man. However, the need for teshuva is deeper than that. Teshuva is necessary is order for man to be able to change his ways. In other words, if we were to understand when we say the purpose of the world is for man to mean exactly that and nothing more, then teshuva should not be required for the system. Teshuva may be necessary for people not to die immediately upon sinning, however it does not seem as vital as the other six items created before Creation. The gift of being able to get a second chance seems like it should be considered a bonus. After all, if we have committed horrible sins against Hashem, why should we be able to erase that from the record?

It must be that included in when we say that the point of the world is for man, is the necessity for man to be able to do teshuva. Hashem knows that we are not perfect and that everyone does aveiros (sins). Part of our task in this world is to recognize our mistakes, admit to them, and work on avoiding them in the future. This is not merely a bonus, it is part of the reason we are here.

We all know how hard it is to work up a reputation, and how easy it is to lose it. One might therefore think that when it comes to doing teshuva, the process must be overly difficult and hard to achieve. Yet, as complex as the whole concept of teshuva is to understand, it seems from the Torah that it is actually extremely easy to accomplish. The passukim⁹ in this week's parsha say, “For this commandment, which I command you today, is not hidden from you and is not distant. It is not in the heavens...nor is it across the sea.... Rather, the matter is very near to to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to perform it.” The Ramban¹⁰ explains that these passukim are referring to the mitzva of doing teshuva. After all, there is nothing easier than doing teshuva – it is not something we have to travel for or spend money on, it is merely something we must think and feel.

The Medrash¹¹ writes that Shlomo Hamelech said seven things about a lazy person, but what Moshe said was greater than all of them. Shlomo Hamelech relates in Mishlei¹² the extent that laziness could take control over a person. One tells the lazy person, “Your rebbe (teacher) is in your state. Get up so you could learn with him.” He responds, “Perhaps there is a lion on the path. How could I take any chances?” The man then comes back and says, “He is in your town! Get up so you could go to him.” The lazy man again retorts, “Perhaps there is a lion right here in the streets.” The friend comes back later and says, “Your rebbe is staying right next door!” The lazy man counters, “Perhaps the lion is right outside.” The friend comes back later and says, “He is is staying in this building.” The lazy man just rolls his eyes and says back, “If I get up to go to him, I will probably find his door locked.” The friend responds, “The door is open!” The lazy man, now trapped in a corner, replies, “Either way I am tired and just want to sleep some more.”

We are all too familiar with the rationalizations that come to mind when we are feeling lazy. However, when it comes to teshuva there is no excuse. It is all in “your mouth and in your heart”. As the Ramban¹³ writes. “All that is required is for us to admit our sins with our mouth and accept upon ourselves in our hearts to not do them in the future.” At any time, we are able to stop and start anew. All we have to do is want to change – admit to what was done and promise to try our hardest to discontinue the sins of our past.

Teshuva is something which is built into the bloodstream of the world. It is essential to the world because it is essential for mankind. The world is our arena where we work on ourselves and become closer to Hashem. Hashem, of course, knows that man will sin. However, for the one who is willing to change, there is still hope. Nothing keeps us from doing teshuva. There are no lions or thieves on the road, nor locked doors in our way that keep us from restarting our engines. All we have to do is want to become closer to Hashem by admitting our mistakes and trying to stay away from them in the future, and we are back on track with a growing relationship with Hashem.

Rosh Hashna is a time of internalizing that which is read and praised on the highest level of shamayim – recognizing Hashem as King of the world¹⁴ and spending time doing teshuva. It is the day the world was created for man's sake to become close to Hashem and recognize Him as King. This is our responsibility as humans, and therefore the purpose of the world.

We are now living in a time which sounds like a re-run of the story of yetziyas Mitzrayim. The future will look back at these days and read in their history books how Hashem showed Himself publicly and brought earthquakes, hurricanes, volcanoes, and terror to the world while the Pharoahs kept repeating, “Who is Hashem that I should listen to His voice...?”¹⁵ Now more than ever it is difficult to firmly believe in Hashem's Kingship over the world. We have the technology to control things around the globe with only a tap on the phone. However, for those who keep their emunah and bitachon in Hashem, the story will end the same way as it did thousands of years ago. There will soon be miracles as great as Krias Yam Suf (the splitting of the sea), and a time when the shechinas Hashem returns to B'nei Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel.

May Hashem help us maximize this period of Dirshu Hashem Behimatzo and re-accept us as His children and servants while we re-accept Him as our Father and King.

1Hoshea 14:2

2Yoma 86a-b

3See also S'forno 30:2

4Sha'ar HaTeshuva

5Translation based on Feldheim's English Orchos Tzadikkim

6Beraishis 2:1

7Pesachim 54a

8Beraishis 1:1

9Devarim 30:11-14

10Devarim 30:11. See also Kli Yakar in his second approach to this passuk.

11Devarim Rabbah 8:6 (on this passuk [30:11])

12Mishlei 26:13 (twice) , 22:13, 26:14, 6:9, 26:15, and 20:4

13Devarim 30:11. See also Kli Yakar (30:11) and S'forno (30:14)

14As Shabbos.is all about; realizing that Hashem is the creator and controller of the world.

15Shemos 5:2

Photo Credit: http://www.sevacall.com/blog/2013/05/s/auto-repair/auto-key-wont-turn-in-ignition/

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

~Thoughts on the Parsha~
Parshas Nitzavim

To Fear or Not to Fear,That is the Question

By: Daniel Listhaus

רְאֵה נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַיּוֹם אֶת הַחַיִּים וְאֶת הַטּוֹב וְאֶת הַמָּוֶת וְאֶת הָרָע

הַעִידֹתִי בָכֶם הַיּוֹם אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ הַחַיִּים וְהַמָּוֶת נָתַתִּי לְפָנֶיךָ הַבְּרָכָה וְהַקְּלָלָה וּבָחַרְתָּ בַּחַיִּים לְמַעַן תִּחְיֶה אַתָּה וְזַרְעֶךָ

“See - I have placed before you today life and good, and death and evil...”

“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 30:16; 19-20

Rashi¹ comments that Hashem places two choices before us – good and evil – of which we must choose one. The consequences are clearly defined. Choosing good results in life, and choosing evil results in death. Furthermore, as the Torah continues, it is our responsibility to choose life. Rashi on this passuk offers a moshol (parable). He writes that Hashem instructs us to choose life just like a person says to his son, 'Choose for yourself a nice portion in my estate,” and he then directs him to the nicest portion, and says to him, “Select for yourself this one...”

These passukim and Rashi are difficult to understand for a number of reasons. First, it sounds from the Torah that there is only one choice we have to make in life. Similarly, the Gemara² 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 believe that an integral part of the purpose of our existence is that man was given bechira (free choice). If so, how could we say that there is really only one area in which our decisions have control over? If this is indeed true, it seems that our privilege of bechira is greatly limited.

Moreover, this single decision we have to make does not seem to require too much judgment. The aforementioned passuk says, “I have placed life and death before you, blessing and curse; and you shall choose life.” Imagine one goes to a restaurant for dinner one night. The waiter comes over and says, “Welcome. There are two options on the menu tonight: A nice juicy steak or poisoned soup.” He then continues, “By the way, I would recommend the steak”. Although technically the waiter is offering a choice, there is no question that 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 given us an option to choose either life or death, a blessing or a curse, and that we should 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 death over life? 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 items, 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, given this simple decision, why is it necessary for Hashem to assist us and offer His advice that we should choose life? 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 by 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? Do we really need Hashem to tell us to choose the juicy steak instead of the poisoned soup?

The Sha'arei Ohr³ is bothered by many of these questions and answers based on the following approach. Logically speaking, anyone who grows up in a religious Jewish home should be constantly trembling our of fear of Hashem. After all, one who spends time thinking about and truly realizes the fact that he is living in a world with a defined punishment and reward system, should really be too scared to do anything wrong. However, as we very well know, 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 this logical fear that we should have after knowing that there is a punishment and reward system set up. Once Hashem does this, the battlefield is even. Now that all things are equal, the path that leads to death actually appears just as appetizing to us 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 could we tell the difference? The Sha'arei Ohr explains that this 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. Indeed there is only one real choice we need to make – To fear or not to fear Hashem. This decision is what creates a mold within our minds to then apply to every future decision one makes. Every thought and action which fits the mold is good, while the ones which do not lead one to death.

The choice is not as clear cut as the Torah makes it sound, for indeed, the path that leads to death is well disguised. 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 wanting to lead a life incorporating 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.

1Devarim 30:15

2Berachos 33b

3Sha'arei Ohr 3

Photo Credit: via Google Images http://www.shipulski.com/2012/04/11/choose-your-path/

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

וְהָיָה כִּי תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר הֹ' אֱלֹקיךָ נֹתֵן לְךָ נַחֲלָה וִירִשְׁתָּהּ וְיָשַׁבְתָּ בָּהּ: וְלָקַחְתָּ מֵרֵאשִׁית כָּל פְּרִי הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר תָּבִיא מֵאַרְצְךָ אֲשֶׁר ה' אֱלֹקיךָ נֹתֵן לָךְ וְשַׂמְתָּ בַטֶּנֶא וְהָלַכְתָּ אֶל הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִבְחַר הֹ' אֱלֹקיךָ לְשַׁכֵּן שְׁמוֹ שָׁם

“It will be when you enter the land that Hashem, your G-d, gives you as an inheritance, and you take possession of it, and dwell in it, that you shall take the first of every fruit of the ground that you bring in from your land that Hashem, your G-d gives you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that Hashem, your G-d, will choose, to make His Name rest there.”

-Ki Savo 26:1-2

The parsha starts off with a rather unusual process. After dwelling in Eretz Yisroel, one must bring his bikkurim (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 before the mizbeach Hashem (altar of Hashem) and the individual then continues with a whole Gettysburg address:

“An Aramaean² 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!”³

There are a couple of intriguing aspects to this procedure. First, these passukim (verses) sound like something that should be part of the Pesach seder⁴, 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?

Furthermore, 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 in his field when he is gathering the fruits into the basket. Why does this speech have to be said in front of someone else?

Perhaps we could come to better understand all of this if we recognize a common fault in human nature. As humans, we are susceptible to fall victim to what is called Hindsight Bias. The concept of Hindsight Bias is the idea that there is a tendency for humans to view a known outcome as having been the most probable outcome since the onset. In other words, people often look back at a series of events and see the order and cause-and-effect relationship which exists between past events, and subsequently think about how predictable the outcome was all along. In 1975, Baruch Fischoff set off to demonstrate this idea with the following study. Fischoff gathered a group of students and provided a historical case which they were unaware of. Some of these groups he told what the real historical outcomes were, while others he did not. For example, he told them about the Anglo-Nepalese War - a fight which took place in the early 1800's between the British and the Gurkhas. He then gave them a few choices of possible outcomes and asked them what they thought was the consequence of that particular war. The results he found were that most of those to whom he had told the real outcome, said that they would have indeed assumed that to be the most likely outcome. However, those who he had not told did not guess the real outcome any more than any of the other choices.

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 Torah⁵ though 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 this haughtiness. 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).

We often get stuck in this aspect of the Hindsight Bias in that we could look back at events which really only occurred because Hashem worked them out for us. Yet, we fail to see Hashem as part of our lives and instead attribute the past to the most probable series of outcomes.

There is a story told about an atheist who was late to an important appointment. Upon reaching the parking lot to the office complex, he noticed that all the parking spaces were full. In desperation, he said, “Please G-d let there be an extra space for me so I could make it in time for my meeting.” At that moment, a car pulled out of a space right in front. The man pulled into the spot and finished his first and last prayer saying, “Never mind, I found one.”

A person who does not want to recognize Hashem as part of his life will indeed never see Him. However, it is our job to realize that Hashem is not merely the borei (creator) of the world, but also the manhig (director).⁶ Hashem plays a personal role in each of our lives, and it is our job to acknowledge this. Thinking otherwise constitutes a misuse of the middah (trait) of gaivah (haughtiness) and is comparable to worshiping ourselves, instead of Hashem. This is why a ba'al gaivah is considered to be doing avodah zarah⁷.

Perhaps this is exactly the purpose of the long monologue the Torah commands us to say when we bring bikkurim. We enter into Eretz Yisroel, fight battles, and work hard on our land. When we finally get to the point of benefiting from the fruits of our labor, there are two approaches we could take. One perspective is to look back with a false sense of hindsight and say how everything that occurred was in fact the most probable outcome to have happened. However, this approach is full of sheker (falseness). Instead, the view we must adopt is one of realizing Hashem's integral role in our everyday lives. Each person must take his first fruits and stop to think, “How did I get to this point of being able to benefit from my fruits?” We must go back and remind ourselves how it was all through the guidance of Hashem which got us to where we now stand.⁸

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?

Rashi⁹ comments that when the Torah commands each person to say the aforementioned speech to the kohen, the reason for it is to show that you are not unappreciative. This Rashi is pretty vague but is based on a Sifrei¹⁰ 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'¹¹. 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 by humbling oneself – by admitting his feelings to another person. Therefore, upon bringing the bikkurim, in order to demonstrate that the feeling of appreciation to Hashem is real, each person must speak out his thanks to Hashem's representative, the kohen.¹²

This concept that a true hoda'ah must be done verbally, is something that used to be relevant on a daily basis. Before the mass-production of siddurim, the role of the chazzan was slightly different than it is now. Members of a shul would listen carefully to every word the chazzan recited, and it would be as if he had said the tefillos himself. This works through the principle of shome'ah k'oneh (hearing is like answering). This principle allows one to listen and have in mind to be yotzei (fulfill one's obligation) with 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 the lesson of the parsha – we must take a moment to 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 of thanks 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

2The mainstream understanding follows Rashi's opinion (26:5) that this refers to Lavan. See Rashbam there who holds it refers to Avraham's father Terach.

3Devarim 26:5-10

4Which they are (in the Maggid section).

5Devarim 8:14-18

6See the thirteenth Ani Ma'amin (Thirteen Principles of Faith).

7Orchos Tzadikkim: Sha'ar HaGaivah

8See also Sifsei Chachomim (Devarim 26:3)

9Devarim 26:3

10Sifrei 299-301

11This 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. In fact, our day starts with this theme every morning, as we say, “Modeh ani l'fanecha” - “I give thanks/admit before you...”.

12Chizkuni (Devarim 26:4)