Tag: Bechukosai

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Behar & Bechukosai – Emulating Hashem by Learning the Depth of Torah


The second parsha of this week’s Torah portions of Behar and Bechukosai, which are the conclusion of Sefer Vayikra begins, “If you will follow My decrees and observe My mitzvos and perform them” (Vayikra 26:3).
The Sforno commenting on “observe My mitzvos”: “Behold the keeping of mitzvos is watching over them in a way that they perform them and understand their intent. This can only be done with in-depth clarity, as Chazal say [in a Sifri (Re’eh 77)] keeping it is learning it. If you say that this is the case then if you act in the ways of Hashem which includes the part of the actions of His Torah, and you go into depths of the profundity of the mitzvos, to know how to perform them and what is here their purpose, in this way you will perfect His intent of them being created in the image of Hashem and His likeness.” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
It sounds from this Sforno that the only way to perfect ourselves as tzelem Elokim, people who were created in the image of Hashem, is by learning Torah b’iyun, in great depth and then applying what we learn. Why is great depth needed to be considered walking in His ways, emulating Hashem, and perfecting the purpose of one’s existence?

There are two parts of Torah learning, iyun and bekius, depth and breadth. The expanse or breadth of Torah is so vast, and of course Hashem perfectly knows it; so why isn’t that emphasized as or at least part of perfecting one’s image of Hashem, to help one emulate His Creator? Just as Hashem knows the breadth of Torah in its entirety, because He is the All Knowing and author of the Torah; so too, we should know every aspect of it in its entirety so what is the stress the Sforno has on the depth of Torah, the iyun aspect, the profundity?

It must be that delving into the depths if of Torah is the main way of emulating Hashem and completing our perfection as a tzelem Elokim, our quality over animals that we were made in Hashem’s likeness, in terms of Torah learning. A proof that iyun is the main learning that emulates Hashem is a famous statement quoted from the Zohar in parshas Teruma הסתכל באורייתא וברא עלמא “Hashem gazed in the Torah and created the world.” The word for ‘gaze’ in Hebrew is ‘histakel,’ which connotes staring, focusing. He didn’t just look into the Torah and create the world; there was a focus, a concentration into the inner working of the Torah, in order to create the world. This is similarly expressed in the Medrish Rabba in Breishis (1:1, 3:5 and 64:8) multiple times where it says Hashem was engrossed in the Torah in order to create the world. The word engrossed in Hebrew is ‘osek,’ the same term that we use every day in the blessing for learning Torah. This word connotes a focus and concentration into the study of Torah, which is only done through in-depth learning. Therefore, it must be that in order to create the world Hashem didn’t just peruse through the Torah at a glance of its breadth but delved deep into the depths of Torah in order to draw out the perfect world from these manuscripts.

What we learn from here is that in-depth learning isn’t important just because it will give more clarity towards serving Hashem using His handbook for mankind. But it’s also the means of perfecting ourselves and using the gift, our soul, the tzelem Elokim in the best manner possible and is the best way to be able to emulate Hashem, since He did the same thing when using the blueprints of creation to create the world.

It is also important to learn bekius, the breadth or expanse of Torah too in order to gain a well-rounded education of Torah knowledge becuase that will help with understanding the profubdity and depth of the Torah, but we see here a clear message of the significance and magnitude of learning b’iyun, the depth of Torah knowledge.

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Bechukosai – Yerushalayim: Center of Torah Learning

This dvar Torah is dedicated in memory of Todd Miller a”h upon the occasion of his yahretzeit this past week and a continued refuah shleima for my father, Moshe Chaim ben Raizel, may he get better soon.

This week we conclude the book of Vayikra. Towards the end of this Torah portion of Bechukosai we find the mitzvah of maaser biheima, tithing of domesticated animals. This is one of three mitzvos that one has to go to Yerushalayim and eat the food that had been separated. The other two are maaser sheini, second tithes of produce, and nata revai, fruit from the 4th year after a tree was planted. A tenth of one’s herd must be brought to Yerushalayim, the blood and chelev, non-kosher fats, were sacrificed on the alter in the Beis Hamikdash and the meat had to be eaten in Yerushalayim by those who brought it.
 The Sefer Hachinuch gives a reason behind this mitzvah (#356): “The root of the mitzvah is that Hashem chose the nation of Israel and desired for the sake of His righteousness that all of them are involved in learning Torah and knowing His Name. In His wisdom He set up this mitzvah so that they will learn to take mussar, for G-D knows that most people are pulled after their lowly physical state, since they are physical, and they don’t give their souls over to the pursuit of toiling in Torah and constant involvement in thereof, therefore He set up with His intellect and at least gave them a central location where everyone knows His words of Torah. Though there is no doubt that everyone sets up their home where they have to earn a living, therefore when every person brings up the tithes of their sheep and cattle every year to the place where people are involved in wisdom and Torah, which is Yerushalayim, the place where the Sanhedrin, high court, those that know knowledge and understand education, and so to tithes of grain are brought there 4 out of 7 years that lead up to shemita, the sabbatical year, as is known that maaser sheni is eaten there, as well as nata revai is also eaten there, therefore the owner of the money that was set aside to redeem and eat these mitzvos, will have a chance to learn Torah or he sends one of his children to learn there while eating from all the produce that must be redeemed. In this way, there will be in every Jewish house a wise person who knows Torah, who learned it with wisdom in every household. Then the whole land will be filled with the knowledge of Hashem. If there would only be one sage in each city or even ten, there would still be many people in each city, especially the women and children who would only visit them maybe once a year, or even if they go to their Torah classes once a week, by the time they get home it goes in one ear and out the other, but if there is a teacher in each and every household who lives there day in and day out evening, morning, and afternoon, who is always being cautious with what they are doing then everyone, men, women and children will be more observant. There won’t be any accidental or purposeful sin found amongst them. They will merit the fulfillment of the pasuk, ‘I will place My dwelling inside you… and you will be for Me a nation and I will be for you G-d.'” (Click here for Hebrew text.)
 Hashem in His incredibly, deep wisdom set up a system to ensure the continuity of Torah learning on a deep level, with a way for each and every household to be involved and active in such an education and upbringing.  But why does it have to revolve around the element of food to ensure its success? Exactly what is the precise teaching and mussar haskel, lesson in character development, that Hashem was trying to teach us?

Today we see that Yerushalayim is the center of Torah education. Many of our children, post high school, attend yeshivas and seminaries for at least one year and hopefully come back changed with a better foundation in Torah observance and appreciation of the Torah, which will be the basis for the rest of their lives when raising a family. However, to ensure this would be a guaranteed life-changer as the Sefer Hachinuch describes, why couldn’t Hashem create a mandatory draft, a mitzvah for at least one person in every household to spend a few years in yeshiva, with mandatory follow-up conventions and refresher courses in Yerushalayim which would produce the same results as bringing the tithes of livestock and produce, as well as fruits from the fourth year of a tree’s growth, to be only eaten in Yerushalayim in order to have a reason to go there to learn? Why is a connection needed between eating these foods and learning in Yerushalayim in order for the continuity of Torah observance to be a success?

However, as the Sefer Hachinuch points out, in Hashem’s infinite wisdom He wanted to ensure that this plan is done correctly and He knows that people on some level, if possible, would look to find ways to dodge a draft. Therefore, as a moral lesson, knowing the ways the physical human being works, and what he is drawn to, Hashem connected one’s livelihood or means of physical survival with his ultimate success in walking in the ways of Hashem and ensuring that one’s family will also properly perform Hashem’s will. Therefore, Hashem created these 3 mitzvos of maaser sheni, maaser biheima, and nata revai, as means to ensure every Jewish family will send household members to Yerushalayim to learn Hashem’s Torah, the guidebook for life, so that they can then go home and lead their families properly in Hashem’s service. It is interesting to note that most yeshivas and seminaries now a days provide food for their students but it would seem back in the day that the parents would provide the food, i.e. the meat from maaser biheima, and the produce from maaser sheni and neta revai, when they sent their children to yeshiva in Yerushalayim as the Sefer Hachinuch points out here and the Moshav Zekeinim points out in parshas Re’eh (14:23) by the mitzvah of maser sheni.

The lesson here is that to ensure success it is a smart thing to recognize our weaknesses and frailties and figure out how to incorporate them into doing what is right in this way one’s plans will be fulfilled, like in this case by the plan of of ensuring every Jew to be a true servant of Hashem.