Parshas Vayeira - As a Matter of Opinion

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Vayeira

As a Matter of Opinion

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיִּגַּשׁ אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמַר הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה צַדִּיק עִם רָשָׁע: אוּלַי יֵשׁ חֲמִשִּׁים צַדִּיקִם בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר הַאַף תִּסְפֶּה וְלֹאתִשָּׂא לַמָּקוֹם לְמַעַן חֲמִשִּׁים הַצַּדִּיקִם אֲשֶׁר בְּקִרְבָּהּ: חָלִלָה לְּךָ מֵעֲשׂת כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה לְהָמִית צַדִּיק עִםרָשָׁע וְהָיָה כַצַּדִּיק כָּרָשָׁע חָלִלָה לָּךְ הֲשֹׁפֵט כָּל הָאָרֶץ לֹא יַעֲשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט

“Avraham came forward and said, 'Will You even destroy the righteous with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty righteous men in the midst of the city; will You even destroy and not forgive the place for the sake of the fifty righteous men who are in its midst? It would be sacrilege to You to do such a thing, to bring death upon righteous with wicked; so the righteous will be like the wicked. It would be sacrilege to You! Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?”

-Vayeira 18:23-25

            In the beginning of parshas Vayeira^[1], the Torah describes that Avraham was sitting by the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Avraham, the tremendous ba'al chesed, was desperately awaiting guests even though he had just had his bris milah (circumcision) and was still in pain.^[2] In order to appease Avraham, Hashem sent three malachim (angels) in the form of men for Avraham to entertain. Rashi^[3] tells us that each of these three malachim had come for a distinct purpose. One was to tell Sarah that she would give birth in a year, one was to heal Avraham, and one was overturn Sodom. After the first two had completed their missions, Rashi^[4] relates that the third malach delayed going to Sodom in order to give Avraham the chance to ask Hashem for mercy.

            Indeed, after the malachim had left Avraham's tent, Hashem told Avraham that he was planning on destroying Sodom. Avraham's immediate response to this, however, seems quite aggressive. Avraham responded, “Perhaps there are fifty righteous people in the midst of the city; would You even obliterate, and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people that are within it? It would be sacrilege to You to do such a thing, to bring death upon righteous with the wicked...Shall the Judge of all the earth not do justice?”^[5]

            The fact that this sounds to us as a bold statement to make to Hashem, and that it does not seem to match with Avraham's usual humble personality,^[6] is beyond the scope of this d'var Torah. Let us just focus on the actual argument that Avraham was making.

            Rashi^[7] explains that Avraham's argument was the following: “It is profane for You. For people will say, 'Such is His craft! He washes away everything, righteous and wicked. So did You do to the generation of the mabul (flood) and to the generation of Migdal Bavel (Tower of Babylon).'”

            This Rashi is extremely difficult to understand. Why was Avraham so worried that such a thing would occur? The history text books were not as large then as they are now. Certainly the two major events covered in any school curriculum were the mabul and the dor haflaga (Generation of the Dispersion by the Tower of Babylon). Everyone knew the story of Noach's family and how they were saved in the teivah (ark) with all the animals. Additionally, everyone was aware of the fact that there were no casualties as a result of building Migdal Bavel, other than the fact that, consequently, the world was divided into seventy languages. So, what was Avraham so worried about? Why was he afraid that if Hashem would kill the righteous with the wicked in Sodom, that people would start to say that Hashem also killed the righteous with the wicked by the mabul and dor haflaga?

            In 2006, Brendan Nyhan and Jason Reifler created various fake newspaper articles – each one was written to confirm some widespread misconception or rumor, which people had formed strong opinions about. For example, in one article they wrote that the United States had indeed found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. After giving this article to some people to read, they would then give them a version of a “corrected” paper saying that there was a mistake, and that in reality the weapons of mass destruction were never found. In this research study, Nyhan and Reifler discovered that those who supported the war actually continued to agree with the first article – despite the fact that a second article was given to them specifically correcting that error. Also, those who were opposed to the war, said that they were all along skeptical of the first article and therefore never completely accepted its contents as accurate.

            This is something that we do on a daily basis. When we weigh ourselves on the scale and are happy with the results – we jump off smiling. Yet, when we are upset with the numbers, we get off, reset the scale, and try again with absolute perfect balance. When playing baseball and running to first, the runner honestly swears that he got there first, while the first baseman equally assures everyone that he touched the base first with the ball and that the runner is out. All of these scenarios demonstrate that the assumptions we make and opinions we believe take a strong hold on us; even to the extreme that we will see facts erroneously and remember events differently. 

            The Orchos Tzadikkim^[8] discusses the importance of memory.^[9] Although the author writes that it is obvious that the world would not be able to run properly without people remembering, the Orchos Tzadikkim goes through several examples. The last example he gives is the following: “And when one goes to testify before Beis Din (court) regarding that which he saw and knows, he must be extremely careful to remember correctly, and not subtract nor add on that which he saw and knows”.

            In this chapter, the Orchos Tzadikkim is not discussing liars or people who are out to get others because of anger or jealousy. Those middos (character traits) are reserved for other chapters. If so, that the Orchos Tzadikkim is solely dealing with memory, then how could we understand why the Orchos Tzadikkim feels it necessary to warn us to be careful to remember correctly and not add or subtract from what one saw and knows? If we are dealing with an honest person who knows precisely what occurred, why should there be a worry that he may add or subtract to what he saw and knows?

            Perhaps the Orchos Tzadikkim is alluding to this point of human nature we are discussing. Even an honest person who thinks he knows what he saw must be careful not to allow his opinion to get in the way, thereby distorting the facts. If we allow our beliefs and personal opinions to be at the forefront of our minds, then what we are essentially doing is causing ourselves to constantly be looking at the world with colored glasses over our eyes. Such a person who allows facts to be tainted by personal opinion cannot be trusted to deliver accurate facts.

            Perhaps this is what Avraham was worried about. Hashem needed to destroy Sodom because its sins became too great for the world to sustain^[10]. The destruction of Sodom and Amorah was going to be a lesson to the world to wake up and realize that such wickedness would not be tolerated. If Hashem were to destroy the righteous with the wicked in such a situation, Avraham was concerned that a strong opinion would be formed in the mind of the world as a whole. People would see that the righteous too were killed and say about Hashem that, “Such is His craft! He washes away everything, righteous and wicked. So did You do to the dor ha'mabul and so to the dor haflaga.” People would begin to subconsciously distort the facts of the past in order to fit them with their opinions of the present. Avraham, who knew that Hashem's judgment comes from absolute truth and righteousness,^[11] could not stand for such a belief to enter the world.

            This exact concept actually reappears later in parshas Vayeira as well. After the destruction of Sodom, Avraham traveled to Gerar. Upon entering, Avraham experienced déjà vu as Sarah was once again taken to the king's palace.^[12] When Avimelech, king of Gerar was suddenly struck with a deathly plague, he called out to Hashem, “My Lord, will you slay a nation even though it is righteous? Did he [Avraham] himself not tell me that: 'She is my sister'...”^[13]. Rashi^[14] on this passuk comments that Avimelech was really saying the following, “I have done nothing wrong. I was under the impression that Sarah was Avraham's sister, yet You want to kill me for trying to marry her? Perhaps this is Your practice, to destroy people for no reason. So did You do to the dor ha'mabul and the dor haflaga. I say that you slew them for no reason just as You will slay me [for no reason].”

            In the end of the day, though, Avimelech was saved from the plague. So, what happened to his “strong belief” that all the history books were wrong? Did he or did he not believe that everyone in Noach's time was also righteous, and that all the participants during the dor haflaga were killed without record? What happened to the “I say that you slew them for no reason...”? Why were these differences in recalling the past dependent on something that would occur in the present? Clearly, Avimelech was not threatening Hashem that he would start pretending that Hashem was an unfair G-d, rather, Avimelech was just thinking out loud that if Hashem is willing to destroy innocent people, then that is what must have happened during the past events as well. Avimelech, without realizing, was on the verge of becoming a different person solely because on his newly formed opinion. He would therefore also have a different perspective and memory on the past – even if it would mean subconsciously making up parts of history.

            This is the inferred lesson we could learn from Avraham's discussion with Hashem. Human's are easily swayed by opinions. The power of opinion and preconceived notions are such that we are even willing, subconsciously, to remember facts differently in order to fit them into our opinions and beliefs. This is something which is a middah and could be worked on. Zechira (remembering) is the safeguard for emes (truth and reality). This means that even if we are honest, good people we still must make sure that we remember things objectively, and not clouded by our thoughts and opinions. We must work on this aspect of this middah in order to ensure that we are not limiting ourselves to a perspective influenced by our views and beliefs. This is the only way we could be sure that we are really seeing what we think we see, and really know what we think we know.

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[1]    Beraishis 18:1-2

[2]    Rashi Beraishis 18:1

[3]    Beraishis 18:2

[4]    Beraishis 19:1

[5]    Beraishis 23-25

[6]    See Beraishis 18:27, where Avraham, just two passukim (verses) later, humbly says that he is of but dust and ash.

[7]    Rashi Beraishis 18:25

[8]    Orchos Tzadikkim: Sha'ar HaZechira - (Gate 19: The Gate of Remembrance)

[9]    It is difficult to understand how memory is a character trait that could be worked on and perfected. Memory is something we may associate with height or IQ level – that people are born with different set capabilities. However, from the fact it is in Orchos Tzadikkim it must be it is really something that could be worked on. See the section on my blog titled “Sha'ar Hazechira” for a possible explanation. Also see my d'var Torah to Parshas Korach – Remember to Remember for another possible approach.

[10]  Bereishis 18:20

[11]  Tehillim 19:10

[12]  An almost identical episode occurred in parshas Lech Lecha 12:10-20

[13]  Beraishis 20:4-5

[14]  Beraishis 20:4

Parshas Lech Lecha - Test by Design

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Lech Lecha

Test by Design

By: Daniel Listhaus

 וַה' אָמַר אֶל אַבְרָם אַחֲרֵי הִפָּרֶד לוֹט מֵעִמּוֹ שָׂא נָא עֵינֶיךָ וּרְאֵה מִן הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה שָׁם צָפֹנָה וָנֶגְבָּה וָקֵדְמָה וָיָמָּה: כִּי אֶת כָּל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה רֹאֶה לְךָ אֶתְּנֶנָּה וּלְזַרְעֲךָ עַד עוֹלָם:

“Hashem said to Avram after Lot had parted from him, ‘Raise now your eyes and look out from where you are: northward, southward, eastward, and westward. For all the land that you see, to you will I give it, and to your descendants forever. ”

-Lech Lecha 13:14-15

            The Torah[1] relates that Lot’s shepherds of Lot started quarreling with the Avraham’s shepherds. Rashi[2] explains that the cause of the dispute was that Lot’s shepherds would graze their cattle in the fields of others, and Avrahams’s shepherds would rebuke them saying that they were stealing by allowing their animals to graze in other’s fields. However, Lot’s shepherds would just rationalize and retort that the land [Eretz Yisroel] was promised to Avraham, and being that he has no heir, Lot’s family would inherit it so it is not really stealing. This of course was nothing more than a rationalization because as the next passuk (verse) says, “The Canaanite and Perizzite were then dwelling in the land”, so Avraham did not yet have possession of it. As we know, this argument resulted in Lot separating from Avraham and moving to Sodom.

            The passuk[3] tells us that right after Lot parted from Avraham, Hashem came to Avraham and told him to look around in all four directions, that all the land he could see will be his and his descendents forever. Rashi[4] is bothered by why the Torah feels it necessary to stress the fact that it was specifically right after Lot left Avraham that Hashem came to speak to him. Rashi answers that the entire time Lot was with Avraham, Hashem did not speak to Avraham because Lot was wicked.

            The S’forno, however, has a different approach. The S’forno[5] writes that the reason Hashem waited to tell this to Avraham until after Lot left was because Hashem was concerned that had He come to Avraham while Lot was still around, the reinforced message that Eretz Yisroel would be given to Avraham would have caused Lot and his shepherds to become haughty and feel that they already owned the place and make themselves comfortable, stealing whatever they wanted. Therefore, Hashem waited for Lot to leave before he spoke to Avraham and showed him all the land He promised to him and his descendents.

            The obvious problem with this S’forno is that Hashem’s plan did not seem to work. The S’forno is saying that Hashem waited for lot to leave Avraham in order to speak to him because He did not want Lot to come to steal. However, that happened anyway! The whole reason why Lot and Avraham split up was because of the fighting that Avraham’s shepherds had with Lot’s to try to get them to stop stealing others’ property. So what did Hashem gain – so to speak – by waiting for Lot to leave in order to speak to Avraham? It seems like either way Lot ended up feeling that he had divine rights to Eretz Yisroel?

            The purpose of life and G-d’s role in this world are topics that have been debated by philosophers for centuries. There are so many levels of belief each varying when it comes to understanding these core questions. Some believe that the world was created by accident and that humans are a product of chance. Therefore, by definition, life has no purpose, ethics, morals, or expectations other than those made up by man in order to live together under the same sky. Others believe that G-d put us here for His entertainment, which does not either even deserve a refutation. We as Jews however not only hold onto Judaism – the Torah she’bichsacv (Written Torah), the Torah she’ba’al peh (Oral Torah), and our mesorah (tradition) – as a religion, but rather even more, that it contains in it the chochmah (wisdom) and insight into the purpose of mankind and the world as a whole with an order and system to everything – even including things as basic as thought, speech and the most mundane of actions such as which shoe lace to tie first. Not only is the world and everything in it purposeful, but Hashem’s involvement is intricate and intimate.

            As a person lives through life, he or she is inevitably met with struggles and challenges. Sometimes these challenges are in the form of a spiritual struggle bein adom l’makom. Other times it is an interpersonal struggle bein adom l’chaveiro. Sometimes we are challenged financially, sometimes physically, and other times mentally or emotionally. And often times we could even prove to be our own worst enemies and have internal struggles which eat us up alive.

Although to point to a single idea and declare it as the purpose of life is way beyond the scope of this d’var Torah, what we could do as at least understand that there is a purpose which exists and that life’s challenges are not only a necessary means to achieve that purpose, but that life’s challenges are actually hand-picked for us individually by Hashem Himself. Hashem understands our nature perfectly, for he created us. Therefore it is He alone who is able to construct the perfect challenges for us to overcome and grow from. Hashem knows the different measures of the various middos (character traits) He injected in each person individually. Each person has his or her own breaking point, level of patience, degree of frustration and anger, etc. All of these aspects are taken into account and used to create the perfect test for us to grow in the areas we struggle in. Hashem sends us these purposely and they are only meant to help us. The key to it all, though, is the understanding that Hashem never sends us something that is impossible for us to overcome. Yes, things may be extremely difficult, and yes we will fail many times. However, Hashem never sets us up for guaranteed failure. Every nisayon (test) is with the trust and hope that we will make the right decisions and overcome it.

            Perhaps with this we could better understand the S’forno. Lot was clearly someone who was wicked and although he would never be able to withstand the types of tests that Avraham was challenged with, he was given his own little challenge – not to succumb to his rationalizations and thievery. Hashem sent Lot this test and alas he failed. However, the nisayon given to him was one he could have won; and had he passed the test and not succumbed to his wickedness, he would have grown and become a better person. However, had Hashem come to reinforce the message to Avraham, that he was to receive Eretz Yisroel, while Lot was still around, then Lot’s test would have become inaccurate and unfair because it would have been too difficult for him to hold himself back from stealing; and Hashem does not give us tests that we cannot pass.

            We must realize that Hashem is not out to get us and that all nisyonos sent our way are ones we are capable of passing. Bearing this in mind as we meet our challenges in whichever form they take, we could perhaps tip the scale in our favor and start off with a positive attitude and an even better shot at winning.

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[1] Beraishis 13:7

[2] Rashi ibid.

[3] Beraishis 13:14

[4] Rashi ibid.

[5] Ibid. 

Parshas Noach - Peace Is Not So Easily Disturbed

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Noach

Peace Is Not So Easily Disturbed

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיְהִי כָל הָאָרֶץ שָׂפָה אֶחָת וּדְבָרִים אֲחָדִים

“The whole earth was of one language and of unified words.”

-Noach 11:1

The Torah[1] tells us that a mere 340 years after the mabbul (great flood), the people of the world joined together with a plan of action to rebel against Hashem. As Rashi[2] elaborates, the people blasphemously declared, “G-d does not have the right to select the Higher realms for Himself alone. We will go up to the firmament and wage war with him”. In response to their thoughts and actions, Hashem said, “Behold one people, and there is one language for all of them, and this is what they begin to do! And now, should it not be withheld from them all they proposed to do? Come, let us descend and confuse their language, that they should not understand one another’s language.”

Rashi[3] points out that the sin of the dor haflagah (Generation of the Disunion) by building Migdal Bavel (Tower of Babylon) and arrogantly rebelling against Hashem was a far worse sin than the sins committed by the dor ha’mabul (Generation of the Flood). After all, the members of the dor haflagah went against fundamental beliefs in Hashem, whereas the people living at the time of the mabul just had no respect for one another. With this difference in mind it is difficult to understand why it is that the dor ha’mabul was completely obliterated from the world while those who lived during the dor haflagah were kept alive. Rashi explains that the reason for this is because there was a big difference between the two generations. The people living during the dor ha’mabul were robbers and there was much hostility between them, whereas the dor haflagah behaved toward one another amiably. This teaches us the amount of credit that Hashem gives those who are at peace as opposed to those who are constantly engaged in conflict.

As one reads about the actual punishment given to the dor haflagah and the immediate results of the punishment a question comes to mind. Rashi[4] tells us that immediately after Hashem confused their languages, things quickly went out of control. As Rashi writes, “This one would ask for a brick, and that one would bring him plaster, and the first one would rise against him and split open his head for not bringing him the brick he asked for.” The question which begs to be asked is why would Hashem punish the dor haflagah in this way by not only foiling their plans but also ruining the peace that they had maintained, which Hashem Himself commended? The fact that the dor haflagah got along well with each other was their one redeeming quality which was the reason Hashem chose not to wipe them out as He had done during the dor ha’mabul. So why did Hashem’s intervention to stop them from building Migdal Bavel have to include disturbing the peace? Instead of causing them to not speak the same language why not stop them through others means such as making them forget what they were doing, cause them to get sick, or turn the ground into quicksand and cause their project to repeatedly fail until they give up? Surely Hashem could have chosen one of countless other ways to ruin their agenda without disturbing the peace and putting into motion a community of conflicts harboring thieves and murderers as the dor ha’mabul had been?

Imagine the scene which Rashi illustrated that occurred at Migdal Bavel seconds after Hashem confused their languages. One person, who suddenly finds himself only able to speak Chinese, asks for a brick. The other, suddenly only able to comprehend Swahili, looks at his friend with a look of absolute confusion but makes an effort and brings him plaster. Caught in frustration and rage, the Chinese-speaking asker kills his friend for not getting him what he had asked for. Why should that have happened? These two guys were friends with each other just moments earlier and they both understood quite well what had happened at this point – Hashem had intervened and caused them all to only remember how to speak one language[5] – each different from each other. If so, why could they not just understand this and stop the project with the realization that they would be unable to effectively continue? Why did they begin fighting with one another?

Perhaps the answer is quite simple. Hashem did not cause them to become hostile toward each other; all Hashem did was foil their plans by making them all understand different languages. The result of them becoming argumentative and hot-tempered was something which had really been there all along. Their conflicts were put aside and their patience with each other lasted as long as they had a common goal that they needed each other’s help with. However the peace was selfish. It may have been a better environment than the one generated from the dor ha’mabul, but it was only on the surface. As soon as Hashem removed their ability to complete their plans, they went back to their default of allowing their extreme selfishness – a selfishness encapsulated by the event of a clear inability to communicate leading to murder – to express itself openly. It’s not that Hashem punished above and beyond and not only ruined their blasphemous scheme but also disturbed the peace, rather it was the foiling of the plan alone which lifted the temporary peace which the people had as they put aside their conflicts to join for a common goal. Although that temporary serenity might have been enough for them to escape total annihilation that the dor ha’mabul received, it was still not real shalom (peace), because had it been real shalom, the friendships and peace would have held despite the language barriers.[6]

            This idea is one we should think about regarding our own relationships. Are our current relationships being maintained only because of selfish reasons or a common goal? What would happen if the goal would be reached or abandoned? What would happen if there would be a miscommunication, would things be worked out or would the parties just blame each other? Is the relationship weakly surviving remaining as a step above conflict in order to fight a common enemy or is the relationship thriving irrespective of anything other than pure love and care for the other?

Unfortunately through the ages K’lal Yisroel has needed constant reminders via attacks on Jews, albeit out of love of Hashem, that we as a nation are not segmented but rather one unit. Now as the extreme Arab community threatens us again, as crazy as they are and as horrible as the actions they do, the one good that comes out is that they remind us loud and clear that they are not makpid (particular) what country a Jew comes from or what his or her background might be. We must adopt this policy upon ourselves as well – except with its application to peace and not twisted violence. We must love and care for all of K’lal Yisroel not just during the times when we have selfish ulterior motives or when we share a common goal or enemy, but rather by default. It should not be an external factor uniting us, as was the case by the dor haflagah, instead we should feel internally and eternally united on levels much deeper than any worldly shared goal or common enemy.

May Hashem help us keep in mind, as we daven and learn for peace in Yerushalayim and the world, that despite the 12 windows which could be found in our shuls and batei medrashos representing the different angles and personalities of the shevatim (tribes), that all the tefillos (prayers) go to the same place. We all have our slight differences in minhagim (customs) and mehalchim (ways) how we best serve Hashem, learn His Torah, and lead our lives, but deep down we must never forget that we are all one unit and that when there is any sort of tension within the unit, it is on each person to take responsibility out of love and care and not selfishly transfer the blame upon others. In this zechus (merit) of uniting out of love and not just as a result of sharing a common enemy may Hashem see that His children are indeed ready to greet the Moshiach.

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[1] Beraishis 11:1

[2] Rashi ibid.

[3] Rashi Beraishis 11:9

[4] Rashi Beraishis 11:7

[5] See Chizkuni who writes that Hashem didn’t create the 70 languages then and there, rather all languages already existed and everyone spoke and fully understood all the languages. When Hashem confused the languages He caused each person to forget all languages except one.  

[6] This is what the passuk means when it describes their unity as, “…of one language and of unified words…” It was the words alone which unified them. 

Parshas Beraishis - Human DNA and the First Mutation

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Beraishis

Human DNA and the First Mutation

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם

“And G-d created man in his image, in the image of G-d He created him....”

-Beraishis 1:27

Where did we come from? What is our purpose? Is our universe even real? Do we have free will? These are questions which mankind has debated for thousands of years. Philosophers wrote books, religions were started, and tens of billions of dollars spent toward research. Indeed these questions are quite intriguing to intellectuals; however as many truths and derivatives of facts that could be gleaned from numbers and science, the most basic place to start one’s research would be in Beraishis. The early parshiyos of sefer Beraishis, and in particular parshas Beraishis, discuss a time period before the Jews receiving the Torah[1], a time before Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, a time which man, for a little while, lived in a slightly different world. Of course, one could only look to Bereishis for such answers if one accepts the fact that the Torah is from G-d. We have proofs that the Torah is indeed from Hashem, but more importantly – we have a mesorah that this is the case going back to our millions of forefathers who stood at Har Sinai receiving it.

The nations of the world rejected the mitzvos of the Torah and the responsibility of being the “chosen nation”, however there was no reason to objectively reject the notion that G-d created the world. In fact, a majority of the world believes that G-d created the world. We do not impose the 613 mitzvos on the nations and they are not only not expected to keep them, but interestingly not allowed to keep them. The Torah as the blueprint of the world is not biased or pointing toward a religion but rather relates the will of Hashem and the systems and rules with which He chose to run the world. Therefore, the Torah, and particularly parshas Beraishis should speak to the world at large objectively and give insight to the world we live in and man’s purpose.  

The first Rashi[2] on chumash points out from Rebbe Yitzchak that as rich and fundamental as the Torah is with regards to relating Jewish history and the history of mankind, that is not its primary purpose. Therefore, we would think that really the Torah should have begun with the first commandment given to B’nei Yisroel.[3] However, instead the Torah begins with creation in order to make clear to the nations of the world that Hashem is the Creator of the world and, by definition, has the “right” to decide what to do with it. The example Rashi gives is one we could certainly relate to especially during our times, that if the nations of the world stand up and say “You are bandits, for you (Jews) conquered the lands of the seven nations (i.e- Israel)”, the response to the nations is simple, “The whole world belongs to G-d. He created it and He gave it to the one found proper in His eyes. By His wish He gave it to them and by His wish He took it from them and gave it to us.” Indeed from the first time we entered Eretz Yisroel until today our own existence and the existence of Jews in Eretz Yisroel has prevailed and thrived despite having constantly been threatened. The statistics are stacked against us but Hashem wills us to be here and therefore we are here. This is the lesson of the Torah opening with Beraishis – that there is a Creator with an agenda and a will and no matter what others may think, that ratson will always prevail.

This concept is one that obviously includes more than merely a response to our enemies who think they could go against the will of G-d. It extends to all matters of philosophy, reason, and understanding. No matter how illogical or unfair as things might appear, we as human beings cannot trust our own perspective of how things should work or what should be. All questions and theories that people come up with must initiate with a sense of humility that the Creator has the answers to all and that when things begin to not make sense that it is a limit within human understanding. Man was created by G-d with specific functions, abilities, and limits. It would be a huge error for even the smartest to think that he or she has a level of intelligence comparable to G-d; for being the smartest by definition means that there is a scale, and if there is a scale there are limits. G-d’s wisdom is not confined by levels or bound by descriptions, rather G-d’s wisdom is a limitless, infinite wisdom which the human brain was never programmed to comprehend.

The Derech Hashem[4] writes that man was created in order to cleave to Hashem. Despite what animal rights activists may believe, it is fundamental that man is the only creature in the history of the world to have been created exactly situated between perfection and deficiency with the power to earn perfection. This is what G-d’s desire was and therefore He gave mankind free will in order to be able to choose. The bechira given to man was a gift of being able to choose either side knowingly and willingly. Bechira was necessarily given to mankind because G-d’s will was that man be balanced between good and evil and not be compelled to either in order for him to incline himself in whichever direction he chooses. For this reason man was created with a yetzer tov and a yetzer ra (good and evil inclinations). Any attempt to understand bechira in more detail must therefore be guided by two firm principles. One, that Hashem’s will was to give us bechira and therefore despite our questions or the effort one would have to put into researching the subject, what we do in fact have must be bechira. Second, that our understanding is limited and that we must be comfortable with the fact that we may not be programmed to comprehend the full concept of bechira.

In order for this balance between good and evil within man to be best achieved, Hashem created man to simultaneously consist of these two opposing forces as represented by man’s physical self and spiritual self. Man’s physical self made from earth is naturally drawn towards the material; while man’s spiritual self – the soul – is naturally attracted to the spiritual. When one side is victorious it has the ability not just to pull itself toward it side, but to pull its opponent with it as well.

            Man was created in this way on the sixth day of creation – the pinnacle of the creation itself. However, man was also radically changed that day just hours later. The perfectly balanced man and environment was indeed how Adom was created and placed in the world. Adom should have chosen good and allowed his spiritual side to overcome his physical forever. However, when Adom and Chava ate from the Eitz Ha’da’as, a great change took place which transformed both man and the world.[5] Man himself along with the environment became infused with a weighted side of evil. This caused the initial system to change to an alternative – but also built in – one which requires man to die and the world to come to an end before the world of achieving pure closeness and cleaving to Hashem.

We must leave Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Succos with the good feeling that the world was created for us and that we are not only zocheh b’din, but zocheh l’din  - the fact itself that we are judged comes with the privilege of being the only species on Earth with the ability to have free choice and bear responsibility for our decision and actions. This was Hashem’s will whether we are able to understand the details or not. What we must understand is that He only wants us to cling to Him by our own choice and allows for our mistakes and teshuva in order to do good for us and allow us to connect to Him. The worst decision in history happened that day when Adom chose to disobey the command of Hashem and eat from the Eitz Ha’da’as and we are forced to live in a temporary body and world because of that mistake. However, our general role remains the same – to use our ko’ach ha’bechira to choose the side of our yetzer tov and give power to our neshama to elevate our guf to the highest degree it can. There is much work to be done and our task became harder on our first day of existence, but we are still here and capable of doing what Hashem expects of us – each accomplishing our own missions as well as being a part of the bigger picture to make sure that others could accomplish theirs.

May Hashem help all of K’lal Yisroel to follow in His ways with the humility that His will supersedes our understanding of His will. With this in mind may we help each other accomplish what we are here to accomplish which and to try to choose the side of our neshama and yetzer tov.

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[1] The Torah itself though was created before the world

[2] Beraishis 1:1

[3] The commandment of declaring Nissan as the first month (Shemos 12:2)

[4] Derech Hashem 3:1

[5] Derech Hashem 3:5

Succos (Parshas Vezos Haberachah and Parshas Beraishis) - The Heart of it All

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Vezos Haberachah,

Succos,

and

Parshas Beraishis

The Heart of it All

By: Daniel Listhaus

וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמֹשֶׁה אֲשֶׁר יְדָעוֹ ה' פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים: לְכָל הָאֹתוֹת וְהַמּוֹפְתִים אֲשֶׁר שְׁלָחוֹ ה'  לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם לְפַרְעֹה וּלְכָל עֲבָדָיו וּלְכָל אַרְצוֹ: וּלְכֹל הַיָּד הַחֲזָקָה וּלְכֹל הַמּוֹרָא הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה מֹשֶׁה לְעֵינֵי כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל

“Never again has there arisen in Israel a prophet like Moshe, whom Hashem had known face to face; for all the signs and wonders that Hashem sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his slaves and all his land, and for all the strong hand and for all the great awesomeness that Moshe performed before the eyes of all Israel.”

-Vezos Haberachah 34:10-12

וַיִּבְרָא אֱלֹקים אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ בְּצֶלֶם אֱלֹקים בָּרָא אֹתוֹ זָכָר וּנְקֵבָה בָּרָא אֹתָם

“And G-d created man in his image, in the image of G-d He created him....”

-Beraishis 1:27

            This last passuk (verse) of the Torah discusses one of the most fundamental beliefs of Judaism – the testimony by Hashem, that Moshe was the greatest navi (prophet) to ever live. The Rambam includes this in his Thirteen Principles of Faith^[1], and it is paralleled by the seventh verse of Yigdal^[2]. However, beneath the surface, there is yet another fundamental belief contained in this passuk.

            The Kli Yakar^[3] writes that the reason why the Torah begins with the letter “beis” and ends with the letter “lamed” is because these two letters are the only letters which could form words when combining them with any of the letters of Hashem's name. Hashem's Great Name is composed of the letters “yud”, “hey”, and “vuv”. One could add a “beis” or a “lamed” to any of these letters and get the following words:  “bee” (in Me), “bo” (in Him), “bah” (in Her); “lee” (to Me), “lo” (to Him), and “lah” (to Her). These are the only two letters in the Aleph Beis with this capability.

           

            The Kli Yakar continues to explain that these permutations are very significant. Hashem says “bee” - the whole world is dependent on Me. We, as His creations, announce “bo and bah”, declaring that the world is indeed dependent on Him^[4]. Also, Hashem says “lee” - the whole universe belongs to Me; while we state “lo” and “lah”, that the whole universe belongs to Him.

            These two ideas are really one, and are intertwined on a deep level. The whole world is His not just because Hashem created it, but because the whole world is dependent on Hashem. This is the idea of yichud Hashem – the axiom that Hashem is One. There is nothing external to Hashem's existence. The entire universe is a part of Him because it is completely powerless without the will of Hashem keeping it being. This is the yesod (foundation) of the whole Torah. Perhaps this is further hinted to by these first and last letters of the Torah - “lamed” and “beis”, which themselves form the word leiv (heart). Realizing and appreciating the Oneness of Hashem is the heart of the Torah.

            The Nefesh Hachayim^[5] explains that this is why Hashem is called “Elokim”. The word Elokim means – Powers. This Name of Hashem refers to the fact that Hashem is Master and Controller of all Powers. As the Nefesh Hachayim describes, when a man completes a building, he could walk away and the structure will remain by itself. Hashem's creations, however, exist only because Hashem continuously recreates them every moment. This is something that we say and prove each day in birkas kriyas shema: “In His goodness He renews daily, perpetually, the work of creation. As it says^[6], '[Give thanks] to Him Who makes the great luminaries, for His kindness endures forever.'” Chazal say that Hashem is consistently recreating the world, as the passuk alludes to by saying that Hashem makes the great luminaries (present tense), instead of writing that Hashem made the great luminaries (past tense).

            If in fact the name Elokim refers to this facet of Hashem, we must try to understand the fundamental passuk in Beraishis which describes that Hashem created man “b'tzelem Elokim” (in the image of Hashem [Elokim]). What does it mean to be created “in the image of Hashem”, and why does the passuk specifically use the name “Elokim” to illustrate that man was created in the image of Hashem?

            In order to understand why the Torah specifically chose to describe man as a “tzelem Elokim”, we must first realize the power which is contained within humans. The Nefesh Hachayim^[7] explains that the things which people say and think about have big ramifications in our physical world, as well as myriads of spiritual worlds, which we create and effect. When we say good things about people and think Holy thoughts, we are builders. However, when we, chas v'shalom, speak lashon harah and think bad thoughts, we do more damage than those who destroyed the Beis Hamikdash.

            Words are the building blocks of creation.^[8] Throughout Parshas Beraishis, every time Hashem created something during the sheishes y'mei beraishis (the six days of creation), it is always prefaced with, “And Hashem said...”^[9]. This is also something we declare every day in davening - “Baruch she'amar ve'haya ha'olam”^[10] (Blessed is He Who spoke, and the world came into being).

            Humans were created by Hashem to contain a balance of a guf (body) and a neshama (soul). The responsibility that comes with this is tremendous. It is our task to ensure that the physical actions we do in this world are not ones which will cause negative ripples in the spiritual realms. We have a power within us which is similar to Elokim; the ability to create things which are dependent on us. We have the ability to create and change myriads of worlds with our devarim (words) and machshavos (thoughts).^[11]

            The chag of Succos is very different from Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur we strive for Holiness like a malach (angel). We do not eat, drink, or get benefit from other physical pleasures. Instead we spend day and night davening to Hashem, declaring His kingship, and asking for forgiveness. Succos, on the other hand, is z'man simchaseinu - a time of joy. Succos is all about taking physical items and infusing kedusha in them. We sit in the succah, shake the lulav and esrog, and sing of the greatness of Hashem, His Torah, and His chosen people on simchas Torah.

            This is why Succos is so special, because it pinpoints and positively feeds this uniqueness of man. It gives us a head start for the upcoming year by allowing us to transport the intangible kedusha into the world, thereby uplifting the world in Holiness.

            May Hashem help us keep the closeness with Him that we achieve over this Succos, Shemini Atzeres, and Simchas Torah for the entire year, in order that we should maximize our power of “tzelem Elokim” that is infused within us.

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[1]    This is the seventh Ani Ma'amin

[2]    Yigdal could be found in the Siddur at the beginning of Shacharis.

[3]    Devarim 34:12

[4]    The Kli Yakar explains that the reason for both the masculine and feminine terminology is because of Kabbalistic reasons.

[5]    Sha'ar 1: Perek 2

[6]    Tehillim 136:7

[7]    Sha'ar 1: Perek 3

[8]    This concept is also alluded to in the Lashon HaKodesh (Biblical Hebrew Language). The Hebrew word for “word” and the word for a “thing” are the same – “davar”. The reason for this is because words and things are really one and the same, since words create things.

[9]    See also Avos 5:1 which mentions this and asks why Hashem did not just create the whole world with one saying instead of ten separate times.

[10]  P'sukei D'zimrah in Shacharis

[11]  Interestingly, Rashi (Beraishis 1:28) writes that although everything was created by Hashem through speech, man was actually created with Hashem's Hands – so to speak. The Gra (Gur Aryeh Beraishis 1:27) comments that because Hashem created man with His hands, we are much closer to Him than other creations. With this idea, perhaps the reason Hashem created us with His hands is in order that we should ourselves have the ability to create with our speech. Things created with Hashem's words could not themselves create. Man however, is much closer to Hashem and has this ability. Furthermore, Rashi (Vezos Haberachah 34:12) reminds us that Moshe received the Eseres Hadibros in his hands. Perhaps this too is symbolic that Hashem gave over a power of speech (the dibros) into the hands of the chachomim and B'nei Yisroel to interpret with s'vara (logic) and the sh'losh esreh middos she'hatorah nidreshes ba'hen (Thirteen rules through which the Torah is explained) using our speech and thought.