Parshiot Matos-Maasei 5783
By Rabbi Daniel Reich
The Jewish people currently find themselves in a period of mandated reflection. The three weeks between the 17th of Tamuz and the 9th of Av are dedicated to mourning the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash and our longing for the rebuilding of the holy temple in Jerusalem. Unfortunately, we are still in exile after many centuries. During these “three weeks,” we take time to reflect on how we can improve ourselves and take steps toward restoring total Jewish sovereignty in Israel, reconnecting with God and to each other as we are meant to do.
The tragedies of the past and the absence of the Beis HaMikdash today call for us to fast four times a year as a means to refocus on God’s path of Torah and expedite the process of redemption. The Rambam (1138-1204), one of the greatest Torah scholars, explains:
“The Sages instituted fasting in the face of any public calamity until mercy is shown to us from Heaven… There are days when all of Israel fasts because of the calamities that occurred on those days, in order to stir the hearts to open the paths of repentance. This serves as a reminder of our evil actions and the actions of our ancestors, which are similar to ours today and caused those afflictions.” (Rambam, Mishneh Torah, Laws of Fasts, Chapter 1, Halacha 4)
It is incumbent upon us to examine the mistakes made 2,000 years ago, leading to the temple’s destruction, which still persist in our generation as the Beis HaMikdash has not been restored. By doing so, we will gain the tools to address our national challenges and bring about the arrival of Mashiach. So, let’s delve into it.
The Talmud discusses a statement by the prophet Jeremiah:
“For Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: What is the meaning of that which is written (Yermiyahu 9:11-12): ‘Who is the wise man who will understand this?’… This matter was asked of the sages and prophets, yet they could not explain it until the Holy One, Blessed is He, Himself explained it, for it is written: ‘And Hashem said: because of their forsaking My Torah…’ Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: ‘It means that they did not first recite a blessing over the Torah.’” (Nedarim 81a)
Wait a moment. Are you telling me that the Temple was destroyed, Jerusalem left desolate, and we endured a 2,000-year exile because we didn’t make a Bracha before learning Torah? How can that be? Firstly, according to the Talmud (Yoma 9b), the destruction of the Temple was not due to a lack of fulfillment of basic fundamental Mitzvot. Presumably, the people at that time did recite blessings before learning Torah. Secondly, even if they didn’t recite the blessing, why would that be a reason to destroy the Temple and expel us from the land of Israel?
Rabbeinu Nissim (1290-1376) provides an answer. He suggests that the generation did, in fact, recite blessings before learning Torah, as any Torah observant person would. However, the problem, according to Ra”n, was that they failed to internalize the message of the blessings in Birchas HaTorah. Over the centuries, our great teachers have offered various interpretations of the lessons that the generation then, and we today, failed to internalize from Birchas HaTorah. To understand one of these fundamental teachings, particularly the one presented by the Degel Machane Ephraim, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Ephraim of Medzhybizh (1748-1800), the Baal Shem Tov’s grandson, we begin with the opening Mitzvah in this week’s Parsha, the laws of oaths and vows.
The Torah grants us a unique ability to impose self-imposed prohibitions through speech alone. For instance, if I want to avoid the temptation of potato chips, I could prohibit them upon myself by declaring, “Potato chips are prohibited to me like sacrosanct meat.” By doing so, potato chips, even with a reliable kosher symbol, become as forbidden to me as ham or bacon. If I were to eat or derive pleasure from potato chips after that point, I would be punished accordingly.
The Talmud discusses a unique scenario related to swearing off benefits from someone, essentially creating a “Halachic restraining order.” What if I vow not to receive any benefit from another person? Would I still be allowed to borrow their Lulav on Sukkot or listen to them blow the Shofar on Rosh Hashanah? The Talmud (Nedarim 16b) states that, indeed, I CAN use their Lulav or listen to them sound the Shofar, even though I vowed against benefiting from them. This is also codified by Rabbi Yosef Karo (1488-1575) in the Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh De’ah 231:13).
But why? Wasn’t I supposed to abstain from any benefit from them? Why am I allowed to shake their Lulav or listen to their Shofar blowing? The Shach (1622-1663), R’ Shabtai HaKohen, one of the foremost Halachists of the 17th century, provides an explanation.
In general, the motivation behind performing Mitzvot is not personal pleasure. We fulfill Mitzvot because God commanded us to do so, regardless of personal benefit. If we happen to derive some pleasure from fulfilling the Mitzvot, that is excellent and certainly desirable. However, the primary focus is on fulfilling Mitzvot because of God’s commandments. Therefore, explains the Shach, one can listen to another person blowing the Shofar, even after vowing not to benefit from them, because listening to the Shofar is a Mitzvah, not a direct benefit.
However, there is one Mitzvah that stands as an exception to this rule. There is one Mitzvah where joy, pleasure, and benefit are integral to its fulfillment: the Mitzvah of learning Torah. Unlike other Mitzvot, part of the essence of Talmud Torah is the pleasure one derives from studying Torah. As King David wrote in Tehilim: “The orders of Hashem are upright, gladdening the heart.” (Psalms 19:9)
Rabbi Avraham Bornsztain (1838-1910), the first Rebbe of the Socatzchover Hasidim, expands on this idea that finding pleasure in learning Torah is the primary fulfillment of the Mitzvah of Talmud Torah. He states: “The essence of the Mitzvah of learning Torah is to be joyous, happy, and enjoy the learning. By learning Torah in this way, it can penetrate our very being. When we derive pleasure from learning Torah, we become attached to it.” (Sefer Aglei Tal, Introduction)
With this in mind, the Degel Machane Ephraim argues that the message of Birchas HaTorah is what we have failed to internalize, leading to the destruction of the Temple and hindering its rebuilding. We have neglected to understand that Torah should be something we joyfully connect with, allowing it to shape us into a loving and caring nation capable of rebuilding the holy Temple in Jerusalem.
The blessing on the Torah reflects this sentiment: “Sweeten, please, Hashem, our God, the words of your Torah, in our mouth and in the mouth of your people the House of Israel, that we may be we — and our offspring and the offspring of your people, the House of Israel, all of us — knowers of your Name and students of your Torah for its own sake. Blessed are you, Hashem, Who teaches Torah to His people Israel.”
We implore God to help us find pleasure in learning Torah because it is through joy that we shift Torah from being a mere intellectual pursuit to something that deeply connects with our hearts and transforms us into better individuals. May we internalize the sweet and profound lessons of Torah, preparing ourselves and each other for complete redemption and the arrival of Mashiach, so that this Tisha B’Av, we may dance together in Yerushalayim!
Rabbi Daniel Reich is the rabbi of Congregation Adat Yeshurun of La Jolla.