Shabbat-B'Shabbato – ParshatShoftim
No 1438: 7Elul 5772 (25August 2012)
AS SHABBAT APPROACHES
"Man is Like a Tree in the Field"[Devarim 20:19] - by Rabbi Mordechai Greenberg, Rosh Yeshiva, Kerem B'Yavne
Beyond the straightforward interpretation of the above passage in the Torah, involving the prohibition of wanton destruction ("bal tashchit"), there is a very deep significance in the comparison of mankind to trees. The name of man ("adam") is derived from the earth ("adamah"). However, one may wonder: Were not all the living creatures created from the earth? As is written, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures" [Bereishit 1:24]. Why is mankind alone named for the earth?
The Maharal of Prague explains that the name of man does not stem from the fact that he was created from the earth but rather because he has the trait of the earth, namely the power to fulfill all of his innate potential. When a seed is planted in the earth it can draw from within all of the potential hidden inside it. In the same way the soul was planted in man, and he must turn the potential into reality. "Man is born as a wild donkey" [Iyov 11:12], and he must transform himself into a man. One who neglects his potential and does not bring his soul to its fullest capacity is like a tree that has no fruit, and there was no reason to create him. And that is why somebody who is not involved in Torah study is called a "boor", like land that is left fallow, which is called "admat boor."
An animal, on the other hand, has no hidden powers. It was created in its final form, and "a one-day-old deer is called a deer" [Bava Kama 65b]. Therefore man who has the properties of the earth is named for the earth, while animals are called "behaima" ("bama" – what does it have?). That is, the animals possess what they have and nothing more. However, a man is like a tree in the field, which is expected to bear fruit – the mitzvot and good deeds. As is written, "Tell a righteous man that he is good, for they will eat the fruits of their endeavors" [Yeshayahu 3:10]... and, "He who yields his fruit at the proper time" [Tehillim 1:3]. At the end of the Torah portion the sages noted with respect to the beheaded calf, "Let the calf which bore no fruit come to atone for the murder of this man, who was interrupted before he could have his own fruits" [Rashi, Devarim 21:4]. The Talmud comes to the conclusion that the murdered man was not given achance to observe the Torah and the mitzvot to the fullest.
However, there are some basic differences between mankind and a tree:
(1) A tree grows it fruit as part of nature, while a man must activate his free choice.
(2) The roots of the tree are underneath it, and it draws its sustenance from the physical earth. Man is an upside-down tree, with roots on top from which he must draw.
Teshuva, repentance, is a return to the Divine source, and this is a process without any end. Therefore both the Maharal and Rav Kook wrote that the concept of perfection does not apply to mankind but only to the Holy One, Blessed be He. Perfection for a man involves a constant advance, a desire and ayearning to be perfect. Therefore it is said that repentance is not only for evil people but also for righteous people, since it does not refer to a bad person becoming good but to rising up from a low level to a higher one, from a minute status to a larger one.
Another point of similarity is related to the winter season. Even though a tree appears dead in the winter, we must not despair, since we can be sure that in the spring it will come to life.
As the month of Elul begins, we read the verse, "Man is like a tree," to remind us of our obligation to further our own development as the new year approaches.
POINT OF VIEW
Anti-Patriotic Jabber- by Rabbi Yisrael Rozen, Dean of the Zomet Institute
"Listen, Yisrael: Today you are close to a war against your enemies. Do not be faint in the heart, do not be afraid, do not panic, and do not break down." [Devarim 20:3].
The Tempest about Attacking Iran
The communications media are filled with tempestuous disputes, analyses, intimidation, and interviews on the subject of an Israeli attack on the Iranian nuclear capabilities. Every "important figure," whether currently in the news or from the past, and certainly every legal expert, has what to say and advise on this subject, and they are especially good at estimating our chances of victory and the dangers involved. Almost all of this jabbering consists of declarations based on imagined truths or the result of self thought and putting on an air of having some inside knowledge. It can be assumed that some of the statements are purposefully misleading, a way of spreading sophisticated misinformation and waging psychological warfare against the enemy. In any case, most of the learned pronunciations are not objective but are tainted by a prior world viewpoint in such matters as left or right politics, security, and peace. This outlook provides the basic source for the weighty proclamations about the availability of American aid, the ballistic front in the missile fights, the expected European reaction, and the price that we will pay for our actions. And everything is spiced with the latest political gravy.
As is well known, the media consumes tons of current data each and every day in order to survive, and it is best for them if the information is dripping in blood and drama. Therefore, they fill their bellies (and their pockets!) with stories and scoops about the "Iranian nuclear devices," and they are overjoyed about every story with information about the lack of preparation of the home front: about public shelters full of mold, about gaps in the distribution of gas masks, about a lack of sufficient beds in hospitals, about the way the price of fuel will reach record highs, and more.
Well, that is the way of the media, and it is also its role and its main challenge: to be involved in what matters to the public, and to raise in the newspapers and on the screens, the airwaves and the internet – all the subjects that are on the agenda of current events and that most interest the people.
Patriotic or Frightening Seasoning
However – and this is my main point today – with respect to subjects that are clearly related to national security, I expect the media to show a patriotic approach. Theconceptof patriotism is not an ugly word even in our era of universality, globalism, and individual rights. The criterion for patriotic media is whether it enhances the national morale or spreads fear and cowardice. It is possible to write a full investigation piece about the home guard, including reports of failures and missing elements, but to do it in a way that improves national morale. It is also possible to write about the very same subject in a way that spreads panic and fear. It is possible to write about what might happen "if and when" Israel attacks in shades of black and dark grey, while it is also possible to emphasize such aspects as volunteer activities, dedication, courage, and so on.
And that illustrates the difference between media having a good influence or a bad one.
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The Torah Violation of Being an "Alarmist"
Sowing a national feeling of fear, especially in the face of an enemy, is an explicit Torah prohibition. Here is what the Rambam wrote with reference to the verse in this week's Torah portion about "one who is afraid and faint in heart" [Devarim 20:8]:
"Anybody who begins to think while at war and frightens himself is violating a negative commandment, as is written, 'Do not be faint in your hearts, do not be afraid, do not panic, do not break down because of them.'[Devarim 20:3]. (As quoted at the beginning of this article.) Not only this, but all the blood of Yisrael hangs around his neck. If one does not fight and does not wage war with all his heart and all his soul, he can be compared to one who spilled the blood of all the others, as is written, 'Let him not melt the hearts of his brothers like his own heart'[20:8]." [Hilchot Melachim 7:15].
Whoever is sensitive can hear in the words of the Rambam that the essence of the prohibition is to refrain from fear. The key phrase is that "one who frightens himself is violating a negative commandment." It is natural to be afraid, and it is often something that cannot be controlled. But for one to "frighten himself" is another matter. This means to agitate the fears and to enhance them by returning to think about them again and again. "What will be? ... What will happen? ... What good can come of it? ... What is the price of such action?"
And I will take this opportunity to add a note of Midrashic interpretation. I suggest that the phrase "to frighten himself" should be viewed in light of the phrase that precedes it: "Anybody who begins to think while at war and frightens himself..." That is, there is no prohibition to think, and in fact we cannot escape having thoughts. But thinking can be done in such a way that it fans the flames into "self frightening." And that is where the prohibition comes. The reason for this prohibition is explicitly given in this week's Torah portion which is quoted at the end of the above halacha: "Let him not melt the hearts of his brothers like his own heart."Personal self-inflicted panic has a way of infecting others and then becoming a public phenomenon.
What is the conclusion? See how serious it is to have the media spend day and night on causing fright and spreading panic.
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So far we have been discussing the communications media, which serves the public by providing discussions and information about current topics. But we cannot leave this subject without pointing an angry finger at the national treason of figures from the political left, who for some reason are called "academic intellectuals." In a public letter, they called for pilots from the Air Force to refuse any command to strike at Iran. It is a shame to waste words on these people, suffice it to quote the verse, "Let the name of the wickedrot away" [Mishlei 10:7].
SOMETHING FOR THE SOUL
Words of Dispute at your Gates- by Rabbi Shlomo Levy, Rosh Yeshivat Hesder Rishon Letzion and Head of the Torah Garin
The following appears in the Zohar Hachadash with reference to the verse, "Evil ones dug pits for me, against Your Torah" [Tehillim 119:85]:
"The angels asked the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the World, You wrote in Your Torah, 'Let its blood be spilled and you shall cover it with dust' [Vayikra 17:13], but here it is written, 'They spilled their blood like water' [Tehillim 79:3]. It is written in Your Torah, "Do not slaughter him and his son in one day' [Vayikra 22:28], but here it is written, 'The sons are slaughtered...'. In Your Torah You wrote, 'The Kohen will give a command and the house will be emptied' [Vayikra 14:36], but here it is written, 'And they burned the House of G-d and destroyed all of its treasures' [Divrei Hayamim II 36:19]."
Indeed, there are difficult questions about how G-d guides the world in a fashion that seems to be contrary to principles in the Torah. How does G-d respond to these claims?
"The Holy One, Blessed be He, replied: Is there any peace in the world? If there is no peace, there is nothing."
In Yalkutei Torah, the ARI explains that the source of this Midrash is in this week's portion. Here is what he writes:
"Here is where the Torah hints to us, in the verse, 'If a matter of judgment is beyond you, between blood and blood' – that is, spilled blood – 'between judgment and judgment – hinting at a father and a son – 'and between one blemish and another' – that is, the Kohen will give a command. The response to all of this is, 'words of dispute at your gates' [Devarim 17:8]. All of these problems are the result of disputes and a lack of peace among the people. The end of the verse is, 'Rise up to the place which your G-d will choose' – to Jerusalem. In the city everybody gathers and the Torah joins them together and brings peace."
The mitzvot mentioned above – covering the blood of a slaughtered animal, not slaughtering a father and a son on the same day, and the possibility of clearing out a house before declaring it impure –are an expression of mercy. But at a time of disagreements, when there are disputes at your gates, these mitzvot reverse their meaning and they become an expression of harsh judgment in all its power.
A Dispute Destroys Everything
Take a look at the phenomenon described in the Midrash, blood being spilled like water. This is a desecration of the honor of man and the image of G-d that he represents. The phenomenon of fathers and sons who are slaughtered together represents a complete breakdown of society, with nothing left behind. Burning the houses together with their contents symbolizes complete destruction of the physical possessions.
Thus, we see that arguments lead to unusual punishment, not in the normal sense of the word but rather general destruction. Why is this so?
The answer to this question is related to the characteristics of a dispute. An argument is never a sin by a single person. By its very nature, it is a sin by the community as a whole, something which destroys the fiber of social life. Therefore, in measure for measure, the heavenly punishment is destruction of society, including the family structure and all the physical property.
How is this done? "The blood is spilled like water. Just as an argument is an expression of disparagement and a decrease of the honor of mankind and acts to forget that a human being was created in the image of G-d, so the destruction takes on a form that eradicates the human image of G-d.
"There were no Gossipers among Them"
As opposed to the above, the good trait of peace can protect and guard over the structure of society. Here is what the sages wrote:
"Rabbi Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The babies in the time of David, before they had begun to taste the flavor of sin, knew how to interpret the Torah, with forty-nine ways to declare something impure and forty-nine ways to declare it pure. And David prayed for them, saying, 'You, G-d, guard over them, save each one from such a generation' [Tehillim 12:8]. But after all of this praise, when they went to war some of them fell, because there were gossipers among them. That is what David said: 'My soul is among lions' – this refers to Avner and Amsha, who were lions in Torah – 'I lie between men who are on fire' – these are Doeg and Achitofel, who were excited about slander – 'their tongue is a sharp sword' [57:5] – these are the Zifim, as is written, 'when the Zifim came and told Shaul' [54:2]. At that moment, David said, 'G-d, rise up to the heavens' [57:12] – remove the Shechina from among them. However, in the generation of Achav all the people worshipped idols, but since there were no gossipers among them they would go to war and be victorious."
Thus we can see the wonderful benefit of the trait of peace. Even those who worshipped idols would be victorious in war because they lived in peace with each other.
A WOMAN'S ANGLE
Just Don't Touch the Bread! - by Molly Green, Author and Journalist, Beitar
At five in the morning, she is already awake and standing on her feet, stretching out her laborer's hands to accept yesterday's bread from the bakery which is willing to donate it to her. She is a mother of ten who wakes up once a week at four in the morning and travels far away to the bakery in order to gather the remains of bread from the previous day. By six o'clock dozens of people crowd around the entrance of the building where she lives, and there she gives them the bread.
No, she is not a member of the top percentile, which would give her extra time for philanthropic activities. She is a simple woman who works hard for her living, but she manages to find time and a warm corner in her heart to perform this kind act for the needy people.
"It breaks my heart to see all these people come to take yesterday's stale bread," she confides to me. "These are mainly people who work for their livelihood. They are not unemployed or homeless."
Last Friday I went to help her with the distribution, and I was amazed to see how right she was. "I am a security guard at a shopping center, and I barely make the minimum wage. I have three children who need to eat, but where will I get the money?" ... "I work in the administration of local schools," a single mother whose husband disappeared and left her without any child support said to me, "I do not have any bread for my own daughter!"
* * * * * *
I returned home after the distribution, shocked by what I had seen, and then I heard the news: The price of bread has increased! What an example of terrible timing! Just before the return to school, just before it will be necessary to make piles of sandwiches, such a basic food item becomes more expensive.