Close To Torah

This Parsha concludes the Sefer of Shemos. After each Chumash is completed, the congregation declares “Chazak…!” What is the meaning of this custom? Also, close examination of the five verses which conclude the Five Books of the Torah reveals an intriguing connection between all of them. All of the verses discuss the prospect of challenge….

Beraishis concludes (50:26) with the plunging of the Jews into the Egyptian exile mentioning the death of Yosef, his being embalmed and his placement in a coffin left in Egypt.

Shemos (our Parsha) concludes (40:38) by discussing the Cloud of Glory and fire that accompanied the Jews throughout their struggle-filled travels in the desert.

Vayikra concludes (27:34) with the curses of Parshas Bechukosia and the words: “These are the commandments which Hashem commanded Moshe to tell the Jews, at Mount Sinai.”

Bamidbar ends (36:13) with all of the challenges recounted about the Jew’s forty year journey in the desert and with the words: “These are the laws and statutes that Hashem commanded through Moshe to tell the Jews in the planes of Moav by the Jordan river.”

Devarim ends the entire Torah (34:12) with the heartfelt verse discussing, “all of the great might and awesome feats of Hashem that Moshe carried out in front of the Jews.” Chazal reference this to the sin of the Golden Calf, a disturbingly anti-climactical way to end the Torah?!

The running theme here is one of challenge and unrelenting perseverance. Yosef set the motion for the Jews to survive in Egypt. He ensured that the tribe of Levi would be exempt from the work and that the Jews could perform circumcision unhindered. He passed on to his children the faith that Hashem would one day redeem them. He made them promise to carry his bones out with them. The Torah serves as the ultimate guide for our daily inspiration. The majority of verses in the Torah begin with the letter Vav. This letter means “hook” which signifies connection, flow, continuance. The Torah shows us how to move forward in life. The last verse is meant specifically as the parting advice, the summary as to how to stay strong and focused in the times of challenge. Hashem sends many challenges into our lives and it is only thorough these tests that we bring out our otherwise dormant greatness.

Shemos ends with a reference to the difficult travels in the wilderness. But there is inspiration as well. The verse mentions the Cloud of Glory which Hashem sent to show His presence and protection over us. It was a wink from Hashem that He cares for us and wants to be with us. This is the greatest form of reassurance and inspiration.

Vayikra ends with the strong punishments that befall the nation that does not follow the Torah. Bamidbar discusses the 40 year punishment of the wilderness. The concluding words of both Books puts it all in perspective. Only one that is committed to the statutes that Hashem gave to us at Sinai will find success and happiness.

The Torah concludes (Vzos HaBracha) by discussing the greatest national failure, the sin of the Golden Calf where Moshe was forced to smash the Luchos. Why are we bringing up this catastrophe? The answer is because despite however low we fall and after any failure we have, Hashem always waits for us to return and embrace Him. This is His greatness and His awesome actions which the verse describes. A most powerful and relevant message indeed! This is what “Chazak Chazak V’NisChazaik!” expresses. Strengthen yourself, and when you fall again, find the strength to move forward… when you do this despite the challenges, you will become invigorated and strengthened. May Hashem grant us the understanding and appreciation in how to gain inspiration from our life situations and how to persevere and find success!

The Torah (35:27) tells us that the Nisiim, the Jewish leaders of the 12 tribes, brought the stones for the Choshen. This seems to be a generous and special gift. However, Rashi quotes Chazal who question why their name (והנשיאם) is spelled missing one letter Yud (והנשאם). Rashi says that this is to signify that they were lazy in their service of Hashem and therefore they lost one letter from their name. They said, “let the Jews bring all of the materials and whatever is missing, we will sponsor.” Although this sounds like a wonderful offer and any fundraiser nowadays would be forever grateful to have such a promise, Hashem saw that in their hearts, this statement came from laziness and thus they were punished. It has always bothered me to understand what precisely they did wrong. Also, what does it show to be missing one Yud from their name?

Upon contemplation, what emerges is two things, firstly, that instead of joining with the nation’s enthusiastic donations, the Nisiim removed themselves from the crowd. They held themselves to be separate. Secondly, their statement showed that they did not believe in the nation’s ability to perform. There obviously was enough gold, silver and materials in the Jew’s possession, it was simply a question of whether the people could part with it and dedicate it to Hashem. The Nisiim showed that they did not believe in the Nation and expected them to fall short.

The Maharal explains that the number ten represents unity and completion. There were Ten Commandments with which Hashem created the world, Ten Plagues that expressed Hashem’s complete control over nature, and Ten Commandments at Sinai that brought the Torah to us. The letter Yud equals ten numerically. The omission of a Yud from the Nisiim’s name showed that their action was a large fault in their unity with the other Jews. They had pulled away from the Jews and had manifest contempt and judgment towards their fellow brothers.

When they repented, Hashem gave them the perfect opportunity to show their new perspective. He sent them the 12 stones to be placed inside the Choshen, breastplate, of the Kohen Gadol. The significance of this placement is striking and revealing. The fact that there were 12 stones, one for each tribe, showed the lesson of appreciating and being a part of the Jewish collective nation. The fact that it was worn by Aharon HaKohen, the man who embodied peace and unity among the nation, only strengthened the message. The way that the Choshen worked was that when someone asked the Kohen Gadol a question, the answer would appear through an array of various letters lighting up. That means that each of the 12 stones needed to work together to spell out the message. This once again expresses the significance of unity among the nation. The Nisiim made a full correction of their original sin.

I am learning the prayer of Aleinu L’ishabeich with my Tefillah class and we pointed out a most beautiful insight. The end of davening is adorned with this heartfelt proclamation of utter thanks to Hashem. Why then is it begun in the plural: “It is upon us to praise the Master of the world.” Would it not be better expressed as an individual proclamation: “It is upon me to praise…”? The answer is in line with the above stated concept. The ultimate praise for Hashem, and for any parent, is to see His children working together. The climax of davening is to reach the level of love, acceptance, and unity with others, so that we can praise Hashem together. There is no sweeter and more meaningful praise than when groups, families, and an entire Nation praises Hashem with passion and gratitude!

It is a famous rule that the building of the Mishkan does not push off the laws of Shabbos. More so, we actually learn the prohibitions of Shabbos from the building of the Mishkan. Anything that was considered a melacha, constructive action, in the Mishkan is prohibited on Shabbos (Shabbos 96b). This week’s Parsha recounts the terrible sin of the Golden Calf which seems to be deeply connected to the Mishkan and Shabbos which are both discussed at length in the Parsha as well.

The Midrash tells us that Klal Yisrael heard about Olam Habah from Hashem and they asked to taste a sample of it. Hashem responded by telling them, “for this reason I gave you Shabbos.” The 10 Commandments are found in the Torah twice, in Parshas Yisro and VaEschanan. In Parshas VaEschanan (Devarim 5:12), when Shabbos is commanded, it states, “Keep the Shabbos as Hashem your God commanded you.” In the 10 Commandments’ first appearance in Yisro, it omits any reason as to why one should keep Shabbos. The Aruch HaShulchan (Orach Chaim 1; Rabbi Yechiel Michel Epstein, 1829-1908) is perplexed by this and he provides a powerful answer that I believe ties everything together.

He answers that the first Luchos were given at Har Sinai but were smashed due to the Jew’s sinning with the Golden Calf. The second Luchos were given 80 days later when the Jews received atonement and Hashem gave them a second chance. The change in the wording became necessary after the sin of the Golden Calf. There are two major benefits of Shabbos, the first is the physical and mental rest and comfort that it brings. The second is the spiritual connection that Shabbos opens up between us and Hashem. Before the sin of the Golden Calf, the Jews were on the level of serving Hashem l’shem shamayim, with full devotion and focus on fulfilling His will, therefore, any commandment that was given was self-understood that its purpose was to forge a bond between Klal Yisrael and Hashem. After the sin, Hashem had to remind the Jews, keep Shabbos, not just for selfish personal reasons, but rather do it in order to develop our relationship and connection, “as I commanded you,” do it because you want to connect and follow me!

The Mishkan and Shabbos represent the same theme, both are places where we connect with Hashem in the most real and intimate way. This is the precise theme of Olam Habah. Hashem put us in this world in order to build closeness with Him and to ultimately earn our place close to Him in Olam Habah. The Golden Calf stood in direct opposition to this goal. It is no surprise that the Zohar tells us that Talmedei Chachamim live their week with the Kedusha of Shabbos and the Gemara (B”B 17a) tells us that Tzaddikim live life on earth as if they are already in Olam Habah. Both of these statements hint to the closeness and pleasure that one can achieve in this world when connecting to Hashem. May we merit to feel the radiance of Shabbos and the connection with Hashem!

The Kohanim had special clothing that they had to wear in the Beis HaMikdash. The first three (pants, robe, hat) of the standard four vestments were white and royal and covered the Kohen’s body from head to toe. The last vestment was the Avnet, the belt. Its purpose was not simply to hold the robe closed, for if so, there would be no need for it to be 32 amos (over 60 feet) long! What is this all about?

The Sefer HaChinuch wrote his monumental work with the goal of teaching the beautiful lessons of the Torah while extrapolating upon the 613 Mitzvos. He was perplexed with the belts magnanimous length and he offered the following explanation for it. With a belt that long and the inability to shorten it, the Kohanim were forced to wrap it many times around their waists. This being done, formed a large protrusion of fluffy material around their waist which their hands would gently brush against as they moved about. This was used as a constant physical reminder that they were present in the holiest place on earth and had to act accordingly! When they felt their belt, it stimulated a reframe to concentrate on where they were.

Indeed, we too have such a built-in reminder as the verse describes that whenever we see our Tzitzis, we are to remember all of the Mitzvos of Hashem. Speaking of reminders, we also wear a Yarmulka which reminds us to think about Hashem above us. These Mitzvos often stimulate the question as to why women do not don Tzitzis and a Yarmulka as men do? The answer lies in the very names of male and female. The Hebrew word for male, “זכר, zachor” means “to remember” for males often need to be reminded of their responsibilities…. “honey, please remember to take out the garbage… fix the leak, pick up the groceries…” The Hebrew word for female, “נקבה, Nikeyva” comes from the root of “deep internalization”. Women are naturally faithful and dedicated. Thus, a woman carries Hashem in her heart and mind and does not need a constant reminder as Tzitzis and Yarmulka. Donning one would be like her writing a note to herself reminding her to remember to love her husband or children. A man on the other hand, is well suited and advised to write a note to himself to remember his wife’s birthday and their anniversary. Men don’t pretend to be forgetful (usually), it is just that their natural mind is best suited for focused concentration and it can be challenging for them to be as versatile as a woman in remembering details. Hence, women do not need to wear a Yarmulka and Tzitzis, whereas men need the constant reminder. Indeed, we learn from our Parsha that having positive physical reminders can be a most useful tool in serving Hashem. Many great people would save their Lulav, Matzah and other objects used for Mitzvos to be able to look back upon during the year and re-experience the feelings of inspiration that they took from special times in their lives. May we all merit to make our own reminders to keep our inspiration strong as well.

In examining the contents that were stored inside the holiest item in the Mishkan, a fascinating observation emerges. The Aron was adorned with two beautiful Kerubim on top representing the relationship and bond between Hashem and Klal Yisrael. When the Jews connected with Hashem, the Kerubim faced one another. When the Jews turned away from Him, the Kerubim reflected this as well. Inside the Aron were three items. Bava Basra (14a) tells us that the Aron contained: A Sefer Torah, the first set of smashed Luchos and the second set of intact Luchos. What is this all about? Why weren’t the first Luchos simply buried or hidden away, why did they have to be placed inside the Aron, especially considering the negative story behind the smashing of the first Luchos?

I believe that this is precisely the point. The Aron was the holiest item in the Mishkan as it represented the bond between Hashem and Klal Yisrael. Just like any healthy relationship, there are ups and there are downs! Klal Yisrael were taken out of Egypt and shown the greatness and love of Hashem. They were brought to Har Sinai to receive the Torah and behold, they served the Eigel HaZahav and turned their backs on Hashem. Chazal compare this sin to a bride being unfaithful while under the Chupa. Yet still despite the great sin and mistreatment of Hashem, when they repented, Hashem embraced the nation and took them back. Hashem promised never to forsake us.

Rabbi Shlomo Wolbe zt”l (1914 – 2005) quotes from the Sefer HaYashar that all people and relationships go through a cycle of “Yimei HaAhava vYimei HaSinah, days of love and days of hate.” This is not a new thing. Life has ups and downs. Rabbi Wolbe points out that one who strengthens himself at the time of challenge and still remains strong to what he knows is truth, achieves tremendous growth in the process. Another point he makes is that one should savor the moments of inspiration and make sure that they will be mentally and emotionally stored away so that they can help carry one through the dark days.

The three items in the Aron show this exact message. The broken Luchos represent the days of hate where things are rough and the feelings may wane. The second set of intact Luchos represent the days of love where the world is bright and full of love. The Sefer Torah represents the force that binds the two. The Torah is the expression of our unwavering bond with Hashem. The power of commitment and total dedication despite all obstacles. This is one of the messages that the contents of the Aron conveys. May we all merit to use this knowledge when developing our friendships and relationships with others!

The first Rashi in our Parsha has always caught my interest to strive to understand his words. Parshas Yisro talks about judging Jewish law and the Mizbeiach, the Altar, and Mishpatim talks about laws. The connection implies that the Jewish Supreme Court should be located near the Mizbeiach in the Beis HaMikdash. What does this mean and why is this so important to be hinted to now?

Laws and statutes are a universal proponent of society. In fact, both Jews and non-Jews are expected to abide by dinim, laws, as it is one of the seven primary Noahide responsibilities. However, a close look at the construct of the Jewish laws will show their difference from secular laws. Most secular laws revolve around the premise of selfish motives and personal rights. Laws focus on my own freedom to say, think and act in any way that I chose, and you can’t stop me. I can do as I please. However, this right may cause me danger if it were to be extended too far by someone else as it would imply that anyone could do crimes against me. Thus in order to protect myself, I agree that it is illegal to murder, steal or hurt others. This is the state which Pirkei Avos (3:2) describes, “without man’s fear of the court’s punishment, one would swallow his friend alive!” The greatest motivation for some people is that of understanding that they will be jailed for hurting others.

The Torah’s laws may occasionally seem to overlap in what is called for, however, its essence is from a totally different perspective. The Torah focuses on man’s responsibility towards others. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Seek peace and find ways to help others. This is an entirely different approach. This stark difference imbues the Torah laws with sanctity and greatness. Following the Torah is not just a last ditch effort to produce a functional society, rather, it is the underlining altruistic plan for creating caring and productive people. The Torah brings perfection to the entire world!

Just as the Beis HaMikdash was a holy place, so too it was most apropos that the Jewish court should share that sacred space and goal of perfecting the world in a spiritual and altruistic way. This is the most important introduction to learning the entire set of Jewish laws set out in our Parsha. We must recognize the holiness of the Mitzvos!

The Baal Haturim has trained us to seek out an explanation for times that the Torah uses similar wording to describe diverse topics. In our Parsha, Yisro came to visit Moshe and saw that there were lines of people waiting to have their case judged by Moshe. Yisro openly questioned Moshe’s allowance of such a thing (Shemos 18:17): “לא טוב הדבר, this is not good!” The only other time that we find such an expression in the Torah is when Hashem created Adam and stated (Berieshis 2:18), “לא טוב, it is not good for man to be alone; I (Hashem) will make for him a helpmate.” Now, what do the two have to do with each other?

Upon contemplation, the first thing that I connected was the advent of marriage and a critical in-law! But there is really a beautiful lesson to be seen here. Hashem created a helpmate for Adam so that together they could work through the challenges of life and help each other maximize their potential. A man and woman have the ability to work together and to spur each other on to grow to great spiritual heights. One of the most powerful ways that this takes place is through the cooperation between them. Each person knows that the other can help out and assist.

A study was done involving four hundred people in which one man and one woman were put in a room together and given five minutes to memories one hundred unrelated words on a wide range of topics. Half of the subjects were married to one another and the other half were men and women who had just met for the first time then and there. The married people were able to get the task done significantly better than the random men and women. Researchers concluded based on questionnaires the reason for this. The married people knew each other’s strong and weak points and thus were able to compensate for one another. The non-couples lost all of their time trying to memorize everything by themselves, an impossible task.

When Moshe was the sole judge of the Jewish nation, Yisro saw that it was not working that way. People were tied up in line all day and it was taking a toll on Moshe as well. Yisro taught Moshe the secret of dividing chores. Yisro said, “you can’t do this alone, you need to get other judges to help you out.” When people come together, great things are accomplished. Hashem told Moshe to listen to Yisro for his advice was precise and on the mark! In fact, Yisro specifically got his name (Yeser, to add) because his proper thinking got an entire Chapter added to the Torah in which Moshe was told to appoint judges. Even though he had seven names, the one consistently used for him was the one that signified one of his greatest accomplishments: teaching the lesson of people working together! This is what marriage and this week’s Parsha have in common. It is no surprise that we find the Ten Commandments and the Jews standing at Mount Sinai in our Parsha as well. The greatest of a true Torah home is one where the spouses work together to serve Hashem!

When fighting against Amalek at the end of the Parsha, we find a fascinating phenomenon. When Moshe held his hands up above his head, the Jews began to win; when he became weak and couldn’t hold them up, the Jews began to lose. I have always been struck by the contrast that the Nazi party (Amalek) seemed to use the same hand gesture to express its strength. A hail Hitler salute was represented by an outstretched arm above head level. What is this all about?

I have mentioned numerous times the powerful statement of Rav Shach zt”l (1899-2001) that I heard told over by Rabbi Noach Weinberg zt”l. “If Hitler was able to brutally kill six million Jews, then imagine what one person can build!” There is much to be learned from Hitler’s ability to motivate and captivate an entire country. The verse (Tehillim 119:98) tells us to “learn from our enemy” and apply his tactics to implement self-improvement. When I went to the Holocaust Museum in D.C. this past summer I learned tremendous lessons by visiting the new exhibit that outlined the Nazi propaganda techniques. I learned about the strong human desire for success and affiliation and the ways that these powers can be tapped into and used to motivate people to do great things. There is power and brilliance in the system and I pray that it only be used for good things from now on.

The hands represent man’s action. The head represents man’s understanding. The Jewish people accepted the Torah and said, “Naaseh V’Nishmah, we will do and understand.” This declaration granted them tremendous merit (Shabbos 88a). The Jews put action and subservience first, before human comprehension. They said, “we trust Hashem and His commandments and we are ready to wholeheartedly dedicate ourselves to him even if we don’t yet understand each detail. The hand going above the head shows that we will act (hands) according to Hashem’s dictates, even if our head is below the action and does not (yet) fully fathom the concept and its reasoning. This brought victory to the Jews, as the Mishna (Rosh Hashanah 3:8) says, “when they subjugated their hearts to Hashem, they won.” Conversely, the head above the hand is what Amalek stands for. Amalek (עמלק) strives to put doubt in the human mind. They say that if my intellect doesn’t understand it, I don’t have to follow it. The numerical value of thier name (240) is the same as doubt (ספק= 240). That is why when Moshe’s hands were below his head, which represents human intellect above subservience to God, Amalek became victorious.

The Nazi’s knew of the power of total subservience. From the time a child entered school he was taught to revere and respect the Nazi party. Many of the children blindly jumped onto the bandwagon of the chant, “Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fhrer, One People, One Nation, One Leader!” The Nazi’s took full advantage of their understanding of human nature. They put their actions (hand) above their head (understanding) in total alliance with Hitler. We are able to fight this by passionately dedicating ourselves to serve Hashem, who we know has only the best in store for us and deserves our full trust.

One who studies the persecution the Jews have suffered throughout the years will notice a pattern. From the incidents of Purim, to the tragic events of the Holocaust we see how dangerous integration with our host countries can be. Attaining high positions in the kingdom of Spain, and acceptance to the prominent universities of pre-war Germany was an easy feat. It was a time when the Jews identified with their German “heritage” more than the religion of their ancestors. They tried as much as possible to integrate to their surroundings. Following this period was a dark age. Decrees were enacted, and murder in cold blood soon followed in their wake.

The Jews were praised for three things during the Egyptian exile. They did not change their names, style of clothing, and they spoke in their mother tongue. Their separation from the Egyptians caused a heavenly distinction above (Shemos 11:6-7). In all the plagues there was a clear distinction between the Jews and Egyptians. There was nothing an Egyptian could have done to circumvent the affliction. For instance in the infection of the Nile with blood, if a Jew and Egyptian were sharing the same cup one would have blood, while the other had fresh clear water.

Hashem chose us as his unique nation, enabling us to achieve closeness to him like no other people. The Torah warns us to be holy, just like Hashem is (Vaykira 20:26). Rashi explains that if we are separate from the other nations, then we can enjoy that closeness. If not, we face exile from the Holy Land.

After the plague of darkness Pharaoh called for Moshe. He announced that the Jews were free to go, but the livestock must remain behind. The reply he received from Moshe was “The livestock will ‘go with us’” (Shemos 10:24, 26). The Malbim tells us from here we can learn an imperative aspect of serving Hashem. The animals were willing to go for the chance of being slaughtered to Hashem as a sacrifice. From here we should take rebuke, and honor Hashem with similar sacrifice.

The world around us seems pleasant and inviting. Jews are free to live without the obstacles of previous generations. They are not banned from the social life of society around them. There are no obstructions preventing Jews from universities. On the contrary, assimilation is accepted and encouraged. It is hard to decline such “pleasant hospitality”, refusing such “politeness”. The sacrifices involved are difficult, especially when the danger is not immediately tangible. One who is careful and on guard has nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Each day we come closer to our redemption. Surely we will welcome a barrier and heavenly protection when the plague strikes our tormenters. This may only come if we keep our side, retaining the holiness and loftiness of the Jew. Then Hashem will protect us both from harm in this world, and the next. When Moshiach arrives where would you prefer to be found?

Moshe made it very clear to Pharaoh who would be leaving Egypt. Pharaoh granted permission for the adults to leave, however, the children had to remain. His intention was obvious as he knew that there can be no nation without the continuation of the children. The parents would never agree to leave. Moshe replied, “With our youth and elders we will leave… (Shemos 10:9).” I have always strived to delve into the depth of that which Chazal teach us that Pharaoh represents the Yetzer Harah. How does this translate to us?

The Yetzer Harah wishes to get children to sin for numerous reasons. Firstly, he wants them to be in the habit of sinning. Secondly, and more dangerously, he wants them to have guilty feelings for what they did and to feel hopeless and trapped in his clutches and thus to give up and never try to escape.

There are two ways to fight this. The first is to always know that one can do Teshuva at any time in his life. It is never too late to change. I once read Rabbi Avi Schulman’s response to someone who gave him the excuse of, “you can’t teach old dogs new tricks” trying to justify why he could not change. “You are a human being, not a dog! Living a life of Torah, Mitzvos and middos isn’t a trick, it’s an important goal!”

The second way to fight the Yetzer Harah is to think ahead in the future. I want to look back on my life from now on as successful and fulfilling. You can’t change the past, but you can make your future! Chazal (Sukka 53a) tell us that the holy Rabbis would say, “praiseworthy is someone whose childhood does not bring him embarrassment in his adulthood… and praiseworthy is someone that at least has the ability to use his adulthood to gain forgiveness for his childhood!

Indeed, human development expert Erik Erikson (1902-1994), known for his theory on social development of human beings, had this same insight. His Jewish roots served him well in the academic world (he is most famous for coining the phrase “identity crisis”). Erikson defined the elder years as a struggle between integrity vs. despair. The main determining factor of one’s happiness was whether he or she was satisfied or dissatisfied with what they have accomplished or failed to accomplish within their lifetime.

I believe that Moshe was telling Pharaoh (the Yetzer Harah): “We serve Hashem during our time of youth and old age. We strive to bring our accomplishments with us as we move forward in life. We find fulfillment in building from our youth into our personal development and age advancements!”