Rabbi David Schwartz
Parshat Yitro
The Ma’ayanei shel Torah quotes Rabbi Chaim Berlin that “p’shara - compromise” is referred to as peace, and it is to this peace that the Torah refers in Shmot 18:23. However, compromise requires that the judges not know that one side is correct. Only by eliminating Moshe from being the one making the decisions were compromise and peace possible. This provides an interesting interpretation to Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya’s statement. If we only had the mitzvot, with their clear lines, we might think that every decision in life is obvious, but the Torah, which includes everything that we read that comes between the mitzvot, highlights how hard it is to tell right from wrong. G-d wanted to emphasize this grey to help facilitate compromise, and by doing so, all of Israel could be judged meritorious, as we become capable of finding p’shara - compromise. As we hear Rabbi Chananya’s statement, may we find the humility to always be open to compromise.
Parshat Mishpatim
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok m’Berditchev (1740-1809) in his Kedushas Levi notes that Shmot 24:17 provides a method for evaluating whether G-d is happy with one’s worship. When one feels a sense of excitement in fulfilling G-d’s will, one can be assured that one’s efforts are appreciated. This is the meaning of “u’mareih k’vod Hashem, k’eish ochelet.” Literally, “The appearance of G-d’s glory was like a devouring fire,” but metaphorically, “How does G-d’s glory appear (indicating proper service)? When that service comes out as a burning fire.” This highlights the greatness of G-d’s gift to us of the breadth of mitzvot. Everyone can find a mitzva that moves them with a burning fire. As we hear Rabbi Chananya and think about this G-d’s graciousness in providing us with numerous mitzvot, may we find the strength to perform all of G-d’s mitzvot with the passion of a burning fire.
Parshat Tetzaveh
The Dubna Maggid wonders why Aharon was appointed as Kohen Gadol rather than Moshe, and he suggests that the Kohen Gadol needed to be someone closer in level to the people. Just as you wouldn’t have a professor teach kindergarten, we need a Kohen Gadol with whom we can relate. Indeed, G-d explains to Moshe that just as G-d needed Moshe to convey the Torah to the Jewish people, Moshe needs Aharon to assist the Jewish people in doing teshuva. This need for teshuva reflects the fact that we are not robots that could be programmed to perform mitzvot by simply list a set of rules. We need the framework of the Torah to motivate us. The Torah does so by detailing the foundation of our nation family in Bereishit, the formation of our nation through the Exodus in Shmot, the imperative to be holy in Vayikra, the recognition of sin and the possibility of redemption in Bamidbar, and the mission of nationhood detailed in Devarim. Together, this Torah framework motivates us to perform the mitzvot that are detailed. As a result, one can understand why Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya emphasizes the combination of Torah u’Mitzvot. We need the Torah as a means to motivate our performance of mitzvot and to receive the resulting reward. May we find such inspiration as we hear Rabbi Chananya.
Parshat Yitro
The Ma’ayanei shel Torah quotes Rabbi Chaim Berlin that “p’shara - compromise” is referred to as peace, and it is to this peace that the Torah refers in Shmot 18:23. However, compromise requires that the judges not know that one side is correct. Only by eliminating Moshe from being the one making the decisions were compromise and peace possible. This provides an interesting interpretation to Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya’s statement. If we only had the mitzvot, with their clear lines, we might think that every decision in life is obvious, but the Torah, which includes everything that we read that comes between the mitzvot, highlights how hard it is to tell right from wrong. G-d wanted to emphasize this grey to help facilitate compromise, and by doing so, all of Israel could be judged meritorious, as we become capable of finding p’shara - compromise. As we hear Rabbi Chananya’s statement, may we find the humility to always be open to compromise.
Parshat Mishpatim
Rabbi Levi Yitzchok m’Berditchev (1740-1809) in his Kedushas Levi notes that Shmot 24:17 provides a method for evaluating whether G-d is happy with one’s worship. When one feels a sense of excitement in fulfilling G-d’s will, one can be assured that one’s efforts are appreciated. This is the meaning of “u’mareih k’vod Hashem, k’eish ochelet.” Literally, “The appearance of G-d’s glory was like a devouring fire,” but metaphorically, “How does G-d’s glory appear (indicating proper service)? When that service comes out as a burning fire.” This highlights the greatness of G-d’s gift to us of the breadth of mitzvot. Everyone can find a mitzva that moves them with a burning fire. As we hear Rabbi Chananya and think about this G-d’s graciousness in providing us with numerous mitzvot, may we find the strength to perform all of G-d’s mitzvot with the passion of a burning fire.
Parshat Tetzaveh
The Dubna Maggid wonders why Aharon was appointed as Kohen Gadol rather than Moshe, and he suggests that the Kohen Gadol needed to be someone closer in level to the people. Just as you wouldn’t have a professor teach kindergarten, we need a Kohen Gadol with whom we can relate. Indeed, G-d explains to Moshe that just as G-d needed Moshe to convey the Torah to the Jewish people, Moshe needs Aharon to assist the Jewish people in doing teshuva. This need for teshuva reflects the fact that we are not robots that could be programmed to perform mitzvot by simply list a set of rules. We need the framework of the Torah to motivate us. The Torah does so by detailing the foundation of our nation family in Bereishit, the formation of our nation through the Exodus in Shmot, the imperative to be holy in Vayikra, the recognition of sin and the possibility of redemption in Bamidbar, and the mission of nationhood detailed in Devarim. Together, this Torah framework motivates us to perform the mitzvot that are detailed. As a result, one can understand why Rabbi Chananya ben Akashya emphasizes the combination of Torah u’Mitzvot. We need the Torah as a means to motivate our performance of mitzvot and to receive the resulting reward. May we find such inspiration as we hear Rabbi Chananya.