~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~
Parshas Ki Savo
The Three Lively Hallows:
Reign in the Rain Versus
Formation Skydiving
By: Daniel Listhaus
יִפְתַּח ה' לְךָ אֶת אוֹצָרוֹ הַטּוֹב אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם לָתֵת
מְטַר אַרְצְךָ בְּעִתּוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ אֵת כָּל מַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶךָ וְהִלְוִיתָ
גּוֹיִם רַבִּים וְאַתָּה לֹא תִלְוֶה
“Hashem shall open
for you His storehouse of goodness, the heavens, to provide rain for your land
in its time, and to bless all your handiwork; you shall lend to many nations,
but you shall not borrow.”
-Ki Savo 28:12
Immediately after the Torah lists
the curses of those who violate various mitzvos, the Torah writes about
the goodness that comes when we in fact listen to the word of Hashem and follow
His commandments.[1]
The passuk describes that one of the rewards we receive from listening
to Hashem is that Hashem will open His storehouse and allow it to rain. The
Torah here is clearly communicating the connection between the world of ruchniyus
(spirituality) and gashmiyus (material). The fact that there are
physical ramifications based on whether we listen to Hashem or not, is no doubt
a promise that only Hashem Himself could guarantee.
The Gemara[2]
quotes Rabbi Yochanan as saying that there are three keys which Hashem has kept
in His own hands and has not entrusted to any messenger:[3] the Key of Rain, the Key
of Childbirth, and the Key of techiyas ha'meisim (the Revival of the
Dead). The mishna[4]
says that we mention the power of rain in the second beracha of shemoneh
esreh – the beracha known as 'gevuros' (G-d's might). It is
no coincidence that the other two main topics we mention in this beracha are
the facts that Hashem is the One Who sustains life and Who is able to revive
the dead. We refer to Hashem as gibbur (strong) because of His power to
sustain life, control rain, and revive the dead.
What is the connection between these
three powers of Hashem? And why is rain different than other areas of nature in
that it comes only during times when we are following the word of Hashem?
The Gemara vaguely explains
that the reason the power of rain is mentioned specifically in this beracha is
because it is equivalent to resurrecting the dead. The meforshim (commentaries)
explain that the common denominator between the three keys of reviving the
dead, childbirth, and rain is that they all provide life. However, even with
this commonality, if one were asked to design a logo representing the power of
Hashem, certainly of these three things one would choose to depict an image
representing techiyas ha'meisim. After all, revival of the dead is
something completely out of this world! It is something beyond comprehension
and any scientific explanation. Childbirth may be a close second-place but
leaving aside the miraculous aspects of childbirth, starting with where the neshama
(soul) comes into the picture if it is external to DNA, most of the process is understandable and
predictable. Rain seems by far the “easiest” feat for Hashem to do. Rain is
just so normal and happens so often that it almost seems ridiculous to
associate this with Hashem being a “gibbur”. So is there perhaps a
deeper understanding in the connection of these three keys which we use to
define Hashem as the ultimate gibbur?
Additionally, the mishna[5]
states, “Who is strong (gibbur)? One who conquers his personal
inclination”. Is there a connection between why we refer to Hashem as the
ultimate gibbur and what the mishna states defines a person as a gibbur?
There is no question that skydiving
is quite a thrilling sport. However, those who just do not get excited enough
while free falling through the air and remain clear-headed and bored, often
enjoy to go skydiving in groups and do what is called formation skydiving. A
group of people jumping out of a plane right after another will be falling
pretty close to each other and could easily collide. The game is to instead
turn in different ways in the air to direct yourself and catch up to the rest
of the group and then hold hands or grips on the skydiving suits to form
various mid-air formations. Although the risks of this sport are obvious to
all, when it comes to “sky diving” raindrops, it is a completely different
story. The medrash[6]
relates that Hashem appoints a malach over each and every drop of rain.
Despite the fact that the drops fall a great distance from very high up, the
drops never attach to each other. Rather each and every droplet of rain is
controlled by a specific ratzon (will) of Hashem to serve a unique
purpose in the exact location it falls in. There is not even one drop of rain
that falls without a specific instruction and intention from Hashem.
This is precisely the common
denominator between the three keys. All three represent the fact that all of
life is dependent on nothing other than Hashem Himself. In order for anything
to exist at any given point it has to be connected to Hashem's ratzon to
exist – for Hashem is the only source of life, as He is Life itself. These
three keys demonstrate this point that Hashem is the ultimate gibbur on
Whom everything else is dependent. He intentionally sustains us by willing us
to be in this world, and could bring a person back even after death, as well as
is the source of life for every aspect of all His creations. Everything is here
for a purpose and everything is here only because of Hashem's ratzon.
With this understanding, we could
perhaps better appreciate the connection in this week's parsha between
the spiritual realm and the physical world. If we listen to Hashem and keep His
mitzvos, we become attached to Hashem Himself and He in turn showers us
back with life. Indeed the Torah and mitzvos are our life as we
say every night during ma'ariv,[7]
“...For they [the Torah and mitzvos] are our life and the length of our
days and about them we will contemplate day and night....” Our task is to keep
the Torah and mitzvos, conquer our yetzer harrah (evil
inclination) and become a gibbur. In turn, Hashem deals with us as a gibbur
and allows us to attach ourselves to Him.
As we head into the second half of
the month of Ellul and get closer to Rosh Hashanah we must start thinking
about the fact that Hashem is the Melech (King) over the entire world.
Not merely a Ruler Who has subjects that must listen because they live within
His land, but a King whose people must obey because they exist only through His
will. We must utilize our bechira (free choice) to want to become gibborim
and choose life as the passuk[8]
says, “u'v'charta b'chayim” - and you should choose life.
With this in mind may we merit to
achieve what we ask Hashem for in Shemoneh Esreh during the eseres
y'mei teshuvah (10 days of repentance from Rosh Hashanah through Yom
Kippur) – “zachreinu l'chayim melech chafetz ba'chayim, v'chas'veinu
b'sefer ha'chayim, l'mancha Elokim chaim” - Remember us for life, O King
Who desires life, and inscribes us in the Book of Life – for your sake, O
Living G-d.
[1] This is then followed by the main part of
the tochacha, which describes the horrors that will come if we do
not listen to the mitzvos.
[2] Ta'anis 2a
[3] The rishonim ask that we see in tanach
that there were indeed people who who seem to have had control over one or
more of these 'keys'. See Rashi there who learns that Hashem never gave
over all three keys at the same time to one person. Tosfos maintain that
the Gemara means that although Hashem has granted some people control
over these keys, He never gave a key indefinitely. Others learn that Hashem
never gave more than one key to the same person at the same time.
[4] Berachos 33a (Mishnayos Berachos 5:2)
[5] Avos 4:1
[6] Devarim Rabbah 7:6
[7] Evening Prayer
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