Parshas Ha'azinu and Rosh Hashanah - Cheating Death

~Thoughts On The Parsha~

Parshas Ha'azinu

And

Rosh Hashanah

Cheating Death

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה לֵאמֹר: עֲלֵה אֶל הַר הָעֲבָרִים הַזֶּה הַר נְבוֹ אֲשֶׁר בְּאֶרֶץ מוֹאָב אֲשֶׁר עַל פְּנֵי יְרֵחוֹ וּרְאֵה אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לַאֲחֻזָּה: וּמֻת בָּהָר אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה עֹלֶה שָׁמָּה וְהֵאָסֵף אֶל עַמֶּיךָ כַּאֲשֶׁר מֵת אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ בְּהֹר הָהָר וַיֵּאָסֶף אֶל עַמָּיו: עַל אֲשֶׁר מְעַלְתֶּם בִּי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּמֵי מְרִיבַת קָדֵשׁ מִדְבַּר צִן עַל אֲשֶׁר לֹא קִדַּשְׁתֶּם אוֹתִי בְּתוֹךְ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: כִּי מִנֶּגֶד תִּרְאֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְשָׁמָּה לֹא תָבוֹא אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

“Hashem spoke to Moshe in the middle of that day, saying, “Ascend to this mount of Avarim, Mount Nevo, which is in the land of Moav, which is before Yericho, and see the land of Canaan that I give to the Children of Israel as an inheritance, and die on the mountain where you will ascend, and be brought in to your people, as Aharon your brother died on Mount Hor, and was brought in to his people, because you trespassed against Me among the Children of Israel. For from a distance shall you see the land, but you shall not enter there, into the land that I give to the Children of Israel. ”

-Devarim 32:48-52

            The passukim describe that Hashem told Moshe that it was time for him to die. However, Moshe’s death would not be like most. Rather, as Rashi[1] comments, Hashem told Moshe that He would merit the same type of death that Aharon had gotten, on which Moshe declared, “Fortunate is the man who dies by this death!” After all, the Gemara[2] describes that there are 903 forms of death which were created in the world. The best form of death is what is called “neshika” (literally: a kiss). This neshika from Hashem is so swift and smooth it like pulling a hair out of milk.[3]

Rashi[4] points out the seemingly unnecessary detail in the passuk that Hashem spoke to Moshe in the middle of that day. There are countless times where the Torah relates Hashem’s speaking to Moshe. However, besides for here, it never indicates the time of day. Why is it that the Torah here adds this detail?

Rashi explains that there are three[5] places in the Torah where this phrase is used in such a circumstance. The first is by the dor hamabul (generation of the flood). Rashi[6] there comments that aside from being wicked and unwilling to do teshuva, the people in Noach’s time had threatened Noach and his family that if they would try to enter the teivah (ark), that they would break down the ark and kill them. In response to this, the passuk describes that Noach and his family went to the teivah “in the middle of that day” in order for Hashem to demonstrate openly and clearly that His word stands and no matter how much the people wanted to harm Noach, they were unable to do so.

The second instance that the Torah notes that an event happened in broad daylight, right in the middle of the day in front of everyone, was during yetziyas Mitzarayim (exodus from Egypt) where the passuk[7] says, “And it was in the brightest part of that day that Hashem took B’nei Yisroel out from Mitzrayim with their legions.” Rashi[8] explains that the Egyptians were saying, “We swear that if we see the B’nei Yisroel trying to leave, we will not allow them; and not only that but we will take swords and weapons and kill them.” Again, in response Hashem specifically took us out smack in the middle of the day as if to declare, “This is my word which stands and whoever thinks they have the power to object, let him come and try to object.”

Similarly in our parsha, Rashi[9] explains that upon hearing that Moshe rabbeinu was on the verge of dying, the B’nei Yisroel wanted to do whatever they could to keep him alive. They declared, “If we see that Moshe is about to die, we will not let him. A man who took us out of Egypt, and parted the Sea for us, and brought down the manna for us and made the pheasants fly to us, and brought the well up for us, and gave us the Torah, we will not let him die.” In response to this too, Hashem said, “Behold I will take him at midday, and whoever thinks they have the power to object, let him come and try.”

On the surface this Rashi is difficult to understand. It is beautiful that the B’nei Yisroel joined together and voiced their appreciation for Moshe and all he did for them as their leader, but what did they think they could do already to prevent Moshe from dying? If Moshe’s time was up it’s up.

There is a joke told of a religious Jew on a plane who had a worried look on his face. The person sitting next to him turns to him and asks, “Why are you so worried?” The Jew responded, “Flying makes me nervous.” “But I thought you Jews are G-d fearing and when your time is up in this world, it’s up?” “That’s all true,” the Jew responds, “But what if the pilot’s time is up?”

Obviously the joke is just a joke and reality is that the details of hashgacha p’ratis (divine providence) do not allow for unnecessary punishments to befall someone. However in concept, it is true that when Hashem decides a person’s time is up, there is not much one could do to stop it. So what exactly did the B’nei Yisroel have in mind as an effective way of keeping Moshe rabeinu from dying?

The Be’er Ba’Sadeh[10] explains that the B’nei Yisroel’s strategy was to daven intensely and cry out in tefillos (prayers) to Hashem that Moshe be kept alive. The Be’er Ba’Sadeh continues and writes that in response to this Hashem had no choice but to suddenly remove the thought from their heads.

Imagine the scene: Moshe announces that Hashem told him it is time for him to die. Then, millions of people join together for the biggest Jewish asifa (gathering) and ready themselves for fervent prayer to knock down the doors of Heaven and change the gezairah (decree) in order to keep Moshe, their leader, alive. Upon seeing this, Hashem interfered and removed the idea of praying for Moshe from their minds.

There are two problems with this Be’er Ba’Sadeh. First, Hashem had already told Moshe he was going to die. It was set in stone, his fate was determined. How could the tefillos of B’nei Yisroel change this? Why didn’t Hashem just ignore their tefillos? Hashem had an agenda and a schedule for Moshe’s death, how could mere davening be a “threat” to that plan?[11]

Second, how could we begin to understand why Hashem would interfere and prevent B’nei Yisroel from davening? He is the last One we would think would try to get in the way of prayer. We pray to Him! People sometimes try to interfere, the yetzer harrah sometimes tries to interfere, but Hashem? Doesn’t he want us learning His Torah and davening to Him – our King – Who is in control of the world? Why would Hashem hinder us from doing what we are essentially here to do?

Perhaps based on these two questions we could extrapolate two fundamental ideas. First, we see from here that indeed tefillos are more than a religious ritual or custom, tefillos create realities. The stronger the power source, the stronger the tefillah. An individual mumbling words is one level, a person davening with kavanah (proper intention) is another level, and a tzibur (public [gathering]) of three million people joining together with one heart, davening intensely with tears creates a reality so powerful that it would break straight through a gezairah of death like a hot knife on butter. No tefillah gets ignored – Hashem created our world intertwined with physicality and spirituality. Just like there is a teva (nature) and system of rules put in place with the physical world, there is also a system in place for the spiritual world. A tefillah cannot be ignored because Hashem wills our tefillos to form kochos (powers) and realities which must have a consequence and effect somewhere. The delivery might not get to the exact address we requested, nor may it be delivered with overnight shipping, but then again how legibly did we right the address on our tefillah package?  Was it clear and neat or in scribbles and scrawls? Did we put enough stamps or just slap on a couple hoping for the best? An individual has the ability to define the power of his tefillah based on his state of mind, kavanos and middos, However even that has its limits. The power of davening with a tzibur grows exponentially. Extremely powerful forces could be emerged from a tzibur davening together. Tefillos which could wipe out entire nations, change gezairos, and save from death.

This was the strategy B’nei Yisroel had in mind. It was a good strategy and would have succeeded. Hashem had to cause them to forget why they were joining together, otherwise their tefillos would have produced such a powerful ko’ach in the world that the calendar date with Moshe’s death written on it would have been ripped to shreds. The question which remains, however, is why did Hashem interfere?

           

The Nefesh Ha’Chayim[12] writes that even amongst the most righteous, who could even achieve a level of never sinning in their entire lives, it is still extremely rare that every single mitzvah and good deed ever done was perfect and absolutely pure with no other thoughts or motives whatsoever. Even the best people are people and have biases or natural leanings based on personality – no matter how small or slight

Sometimes, the imperfect mitzvos or tefillos could be considered “imperfect” for reasons even slighter. It could be that one could think he is doing something good for only the right reasons and he thought it through multiple times, yet he could be missing information or the clear foresight of all its ramifications.

           

This was the situation that the B’nei Yisroel found themselves in. It is true that they were joining together with the best intentions of ha’karas ha'tov and chesed to try to prevent Moshe from dying. However, they were lacking insight to what the ramifications of such a powerful tefillah keeping Moshe rabbeinu alive could have on them and the world. Things would have been extremely different if Moshe would have been alive to be the one to lead us into Eretz Yisroel. Things might have worked out really well and looked good in the short-run, but the long term consequences, which is knowledge and details only Hashem is privy to, were not necessarily good for us as a nation.

There are so many levels co-existing in the world simultaneously. The physical domain itself, the spiritual realms carrying tefillos and learning, the invisible world of tuma’ah and taharah, the world of constantly changing causes and effects to perfectly interact with each individual according to their purpose and tolerance, the world of human choice, and the world of Hashem’s desired outcomes. All are perfectly balanced by the Master of the world Himself. Hashem gave the power of free choice to people. However, free choice does not mean automatic results. A person could decide to go to a party but that does not mean he will necessarily make it there. A phone call, a car issue, a wrong turn, an accident – any number of interferences could be sent his way to prevent him from being at that party. The decision he is responsible, but whether it plays out according to his will depends on a lot more.

From the B’nei Yisroel’s perspective, their davening on behalf of their beloved leader to keep him alive was pure goodness; and indeed that may be true from the perspective of their choice, but not necessarily from the perspective of considering the numerous co-existing worlds which effect so much more. The decision they made, although praiseworthy, did not fit into Hashem’s plans so it had to be stopped. Ignoring their tefillah wouldn’t work because at that point it would be a reality with the power to break the gezairah, so Hashem had to ensure that the tefillah would not be said and therefore caused the B’nei Yisroel to forget the purpose of their gathering.

Rosh Hashanah, the birthday of the world and mankind – created to serve Hashem and to recognize Him as King upon Whom everything is completely dependent – is an idea which demands by definition intense davening. Davening to Hashem, the only One worthy of davening to, because we rely on Him completely and He is the Creator and Master of the world. When we gather as a tzibbur on Rosh Hashanah to praise Hashem and to daven for a good year for all of B’nei Yisroel, there is the greatest opportunity to produce extremely powerful tefillos to protect B’nei Yisroel and deliver what we ask for speedily and to the right address.

            May this Rosh Hashanah be one of gathering of all B’nei Yisroel with one heart as one unit with meaningful tefillos and proper kavanos so that we experience a year of becoming closer to Hashem without the tzaros. May Hashem answer our tefillos and shower us this year with blessings, success, health, and wealth.

K’sivah V’chasima Tovah!

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[1] Devarim 32:50

[2] Berachos 8a

[3] Aharon received this death as well as Miriam. However by Miriam it is not referred to explicitly as neshika out of modesty.

[4] Devarim 32:48

[5] Really, there is a fourth time where the Torah uses such an expression – by Avraham aivinu. See Sifsei CHochomim and Be’er Ba’Sadeh as to why Rashi left this one out.

[6] Rashi Beraishis 7:13

[7] Shemos 12:51

[8] Rashi ibid.

[9] Rashi Devarim 32:48

[10]Devarim ibid.

[11] A third issue with this Be’er Ba’Sadeh is that although it is a nice explanation, it does not seem to be consistent with the other “b’etzem ha’yom ha’zeh” examples which Rashi brings. All the other examples were ones where despite people threatening to try to interfere, Hashem declared “try to stop Me”! Here though is different. Hashem did not allow B’nei Yisroel even try to move ahead with their plan  and then declare that He was going to take Moshe regardless. Rather, that Hashem had to remove the thought from their heads so that they forget what they were going to do to save Moshe.

[12] Nefesh Ha’Chayim 1:6 in the second Ha’gah (gloss)

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