Ki Teitzei & The Days of Judgment

ELUL: THE MONTH OF COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS

The Torah Portion of Ki Teitzei

"When you will go out to war against your enemies, and Hashem, Elokecha, will deliver him into your hand, and you will capture its [people as] captives.  And you will see among the captives a woman who is of beautiful form... And she shall shave her head and she shall do (i.e., either cut or grow) her nails...And she shall remove the garment of her captivity...And she shall weep for her father and for her mother for a full month..." (Devorim 21:10-13)

Rashi says that the Torah text is speaking about an optional war.  It is written in the name of the Arizal that the Torah text is hinting about a Baal Teshuva (someone who is repentant for his past sins).  When a man returns in repentance to Hashem, he will "go out to war against his enemies"; the enemies being hinted at here are his evil inclination and the limbs of his body.  "And Hashem, Elokecha, will deliver him into your hand (Devorim 21:10)"; that is, Hashem will deliver your evil inclination into your hand.  Then, "you will capture its captive (Devorim 21:10)"; this means that you will gain control over the limbs of your body.  "And you will see among the captives a woman who is of beautiful form (Devorim 21:11)"; this refers to the Neshama, the soul.  "And she shall shave her head (Devorim 21:12); she (the soul) will remove from herself false beliefs.  "And she shall do (cut or grow) her nails (Devorim 21:12)";  this refers to removing and preventing unnecessary luxuries.  "And she shall remove the garment of her captivity (Devorim 21:13)"; this is the garment which was made from the acts of the sins that he did, as is written (in Zechariah 3:4): "Remove the soiled garments from upon him, and then he said to him: Behold! I have removed your iniquity from upon you".  And afterwards it says, "And she shall weep for her father and for her mother";  her father refers to the Holy One Blessed Be He, and her mother refers to the congregation of Israel (See Berachot 38).  "For a full month (Devorim 21:13)"; this is the month of Elul (according to the Zohar Chadash).  For the entire month of Elul one needs to cry about his sins since because of them he is separated from his father -- the Holy One Blessed Be He, and his mother -- the congregation of Israel.

"And you shall destroy the evil from within the midst of you, and all Israel shall hear and they shall fear." (Devorim 21:21)

Someone who wants his words to have influence, first he needs to fix himself, and afterwards others will accept his words.

"Remember what Amalek did to you..." (Devorim 25:17)

Before the remembrance of Amalek, it is written about the remembrance of what happened to Miriam: "Remember what Hashem Elokecha did to Miriam...." (Devorim 24:9)  The Masters of Mussar (Ethics) explain why these two remembrances are close to one another in the Torah.  It is to tell us, that just as we like to beautify the Mitzvah of remembering Amalek by listening to the Torah Portion of Zachor about Amalek, so too we should beautify the Mitzvah of remembering the story about Miriam, by not speaking or listening to Lashon Hara (derogatory speech).

Regarding the Days of Judgment

"Elokim has ascended with a blast, Hashem, with the sound of the Shofar." (Tehillim 47:6)

It is known that the name Hashem is associated with the trait of Mercy and Compassion, and the name Elokim is associated with the trait of strict Justice. Thus, the explanation of this verse is that "Elokim has ascended", that is, the trait of strict Justice is exchanged by means of the Shofar to Hashem, which is the trait of Mercy and Compassion.

"Had I not  (in Hebrew: Lulei) believed that I would see the goodness of Hashem..." (Tehillim 27:13)

The first word of this verse in Hebrew is "Lulei", which has the same Hebrew letters as the month of Elul.  The implication is that in the month of Elul, we need to strengthen ourselves in faith.

The Rambam on the Shofar

The Rambam's words regarding the Shofar: "Arouse yourselves, sleeping ones from your sleep, and dormant ones awaken from your dormancy, and search out your deeds and return in repentance and remember your Creator."

Rebbe Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev on the Shofar

It is said that Rebbe Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev remarked after the sounding of the Shofar: we blew 200 Shofar blasts on two days (of Rosh Hashana), and we are requesting from the Holy One Blessed Be He only one Shofar blast, and that is the Shofar of Moshiach who will be revealed speedily in our days Amen.

"...He walks along weeping as he carries the bag of seed,  he will come with joyous song as he carries his sheaves."  (Tehillim 126:6)

The Tzaddikim (Righteous Men) explain: "He walks along weeping"-- if a man grumbles and has complaints, then "he carries the bag of seed", that is, he receives a small package.  "He will come with joyous song" -- if a man is happy with his portion, then "he carries his sheaves", that is, he will receive great abundance.

The Torah Portion of Ki Teitzei has 110 verses.  27 positive commandments. 47  negative commandments.Haftora: "Rani Akara" followed by  "Ania Soara" (Yishayahu 54). 

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben Chaim ztz"l
May you all have a  light-filled and happy Shabbat.  Shabbat Shalom.
May you be written and sealed for a Good Year.

Shoftim

The Torah Portion of Shoftim

The Torah Portion of Shoftim ("Judges") always falls on the first Shabbos of the month of Elul, and it is written in the Sefer M'ora Shel Torah, that this is to remind us that we need to pray that our judgment will come out well.

"Judges and officers shall you put in all your gates." (Devorim 16:18)

The Masters of Mussar (Ethics) say that every man needs to make for himself "Judges and officers in all your gates".  The explanation is, in the gates of himself -- for speaking, for seeing, and for eating.

"You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, Elokecha." (Devorim 18:13)

The name "Hashem" is used to indicate G-d's trait of Mercy, and the name "Elokecha" is used to indicate G-d's trait of Strict Justice.  Therefore it is written "You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, Elokecha" -- whether He treats you with the trait of Strict Justice, or whether He treats you with the trait of Mercy, you need to serve Hashem in all situations.

"You shall be wholehearted with Hashem, Elockecha." (Devorim 18:13)

Not only in front of others should you be righteous, but also when you are alone by yourself, and only Hashem Elokecha is there with you, you also need to be righteous and wholehearted. 

Haftora

"Shake the dust from yourself, arise." (Yishayahu 52:2)

The Sages say, this is like a chicken.  The explanation is, that if a chicken is dirty from dust, if you wash her with water, you will just make matters worse because the dirt will penetrate more deeply.  The best advice is that she should clean herself, and she shakes the dust off.  So too, everyone needs to make an effort to shake off his sins from himself, as it is written "If I am not for myself then who will be for me" (Pirkei Avot Chapter 1), and then the Holy One Blessed Be He will help him.

The Torah Portion of Shoftim has 97 verses.  14 commandments. 27  negative commandments.Haftora: "Anochi Anocho" (Yishayahu 51).  

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben Chaim ztz"l


Shabbat Shalom.

Re'eh & The Month of Elul

The Torah Portion of Re'eh 

"See (in Hebrew: Re'eh), I present before you today a blessing and a curse." (Devorim 11:26)

The name of this week's Torah Portion, as well as its first word, is "Re'eh" (in Hebrew).  The letters of the word "Re'eh" in Hebrew are Raish, Aleph, and Hey.  These are the  Roshei Teivot (initial letters) of the Hebrew words: "Re'eh Elul Higia" (in English: "Behold, Elul has arrived!").  They are also the initial letters of the Hebrew words: "Elul Rosh Hashonah". 

"You shall not do so to Hashem, your G-d. Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your G-d, will choose..." (Devorim 12:4-5)

Someone who erases Hashem's name or destroys items in a Bait Knesset (synagogue) transgresses this verse, "You shall not do so to Hashem, your G-d..." (Devorim 12:4).  It is written in the Gemorrah Succah (53a), that at the time that David Hamelech dug deep pits for the Altar, he wrote the Divine Name on a shard of pottery and cast it into the depths, as Achitophel had advised him to do, so that the waters would not flood the world.  And this is hinted at in the verse "You shall not do so to Hashem, your G-d" (Devorim 12:4), but for the Bait HaMikdash (Temple) it is permitted, and that is why the verse after that says, "Rather, only at the place that Hashem, your G-d, will choose..." (Devorim 12:5)

"And the pig, for it has a split hoof, but does not chew the cud, it is impure to you... "(Devorim 12:5)

The Sages say that there is none as wealthy as the pig, and none as poor as the dog.  The simple explanation is that the pig eats all kinds of filth, but the dog is always hungry.  The Gr"a asks, why do the Sages teach us facts about nature?  And he explains, that behold, the negative commandment regarding the pig is wealthy, because there are many that fulfill it, since many Jews avoid eating pig.  But the dog, which hints at the prohibition of Lashon Hara (forbidden speech) is poor, because only a few people carefully observe the prohibition of Lashon Hara.

The Month of Elul

The Hebrew letters of the name of the month of Elul are: Aleph Lamed Vuv Lamed.  These are the Roshei Teivot (initial letters) of the Hebrew words: "L'Bracha V'lo L'Klala" (in English: "For a blessing and not a curse").  They are also  the initial letters of the Hebrew words: "L'Chaim V'lo L'Mavet" (in English: "For life and not for death").  And they are also the initial letters of the Hebrew words: "L'Sova V'lo L'Razon" (in English: "For satisfaction and not for starvation").

Shofar

On the first day of Elul we begin to sound the Shofar.  The explanation of the Hebrew word Shofar is that it is similar to the Hebrew word  "Shifru", (in English: to improve), i.e., we need to improve our deeds.

"Of David, Hashem is my light and my salvation" (Tehillim 27:1)

On the  first day of Elul we begin to say the  psalm "L'dodi Hashem Ori V'yishi" (Tehillim 27:1 -- in English "Of David, Hashem is my light and my salvation") until Simchat Torah.  According to the Midrash, the word "Ori" (in English; "my light") in this Psalm refers to Rosh Hashana.  The word "V'yishi" (in English: "my salvation") refers to Yom Kippur.  "Ki Yitzpinaini B'Succoh" (Tehillim 27:5 -- in English, "For he will hide me in his Succah") refers to Succot.  
   

The Torah Portion of Re'eh has 126 verses.  17 commandments. 37  negative commandments.  Haftora: "Hashamayim Kisi" (Yishayahu 66). 

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben Chaim ztz"l

Shabbat Shalom.

Eikev & Shabbat Mevorchim Elul

Eikev 

"And it will be that because of your listening to these ordinances, and your observing and performing them; then Hashem, your G-d, will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that He swore to your forefathers." (Devorim 7:12)

"And it will be" is a language of happiness.  "Because of'" (in Hebrew: Eikev) hints to the end of days [since the word Eikev in Hebrew is related to the Hebrew word for "footstep", and the end of days is also referred to as the footsteps of Mashiach].  There will be great happiness before the coming of the Mashiach, because there will an awakening of Teshuva (repentance).

"A land of wheat and barley, and grape, and fig, and pomegranate; a land of oil-olives and honey." (Devorim 8:8)

The Tzala"ch asks, there is a  law regarding the Sheva Minim (the seven kinds of fruits for which Israel is praised) which are written in this verse, that what comes earlier in the verse takes precedence when deciding which fruit to say a blessing on first.  This presents a difficulty, since the Torah needs to tell us the list of the fruits, and perhaps all of them are equal in value; and  if so, what is the proof that any of them take precedence?  And he explains, that there was no reason for the Torah to write the word "land" a second time in this verse, except to hint to us here the law of precedence (when making a blessing).

"A land of wheat and barley, and grape, and fig, and pomegranate; a land of oil-olives and honey." (Devorim 8:8)

The Rav of Brisk said that if the Torah tells us a list, then that in and of itself is a law of precedence.  And if the Torah wanted that things wouldn't be in a particular order, in another place it would have stated a list in a different order.  For example, "These are Moshe and Aharon" (Shemot 6:27) and "These are Aharon and Moshe" (Shemot 6:26), to show us that they are equal in importance.  And so we have found regarding the daughters of Tzelophad, that the Torah wrote two lists to show us that they are equal in their righteousness.

"A land of wheat and barley, and grape, and fig, and pomegranate; a land of oil-olives and honey." (Devorim 8:8)

The Rebbe told to his Students that the seeds of the fruit are a Siman (a sign to remember the order of precedence when saying a blessing on the fruits):
1.  "Olive" - It has only one seed.
2.  "Date" (which is referred to as honey in the verse) - It has a seed with a crack, so it is like two.
3.  "Grape" - When grapes have seeds, they have three seeds, so that is the third.  (And also the word for Grape in Hebrew is "Gefen", which starts with the letter Gimel, the third letter in the Hebrew alphabet.)
4.  "Fig" - It has many tiny seeds, so that is the fourth.
5.  "Pomegranate" - It has many large seeds, so that is the fifth.

"...A land whose stones are iron and from whose mountains you will mine copper." (Devorim 8:9)

The Targum Yonatan says (in the translation of this verse to Aramaic): "A land in which its Sages declare decrees which are  clear like iron, and its Students ask questions which are marked  like copper."  And it has been asked, why does this belong in the middle of verses that are speaking about the praises of the fruit of the Land of Israel?  The explanation is thus: by means of increasing his eating, a man comes to forget the Torah and its Mitzvot, as it is written: "Yeshurun became fat and kicked - you grew fat, you became thick, you became covered -- and he forsook G-d his Maker..." (Devorim 32:15) But when eating of the fruit of the Land of Israel, on the contrary, there is an increase of Holiness, as it is written by the  Ba"ch in Orach Chaim, Siman 208, that the Holiness of the Land emanates from the Holiness of the Upper Land (in the Heavenly Realms), and this emanates also into the Land's fruits which draw their Holiness from the Holiness of the Shechina (Divine Presence) which dwells within the midst of the Land.  And therefore we say "and we will eat from its fruits and be satisfied from its goodness", because by eating from its fruits we are nourished from the Holiness of the Shechina and from its Purity and we are satisfied from its Goodness.  And there are those that add, that the Sages say that the Land of  Israel is higher than all the other lands, and this is a hint that the earthiness, that is to say the  materialism, of Israel is higher in its level than that of the other lands because it adds Holiness to the person.

"You will eat and you will be satisfied and you will bless Hashem, your G-d, for the good land that He gave you."  (Devorim 8:10)

The Rishonim (Early Ones) ask, why didn't they establish a blessing about Birkat HaMazon, "Who has sanctified us with His commandments, and commanded us to bless Birkat HaMazon"?  And the explanation is, that they didn't esablish a blessing on another blessing, because if they did so there would be no end to the matter, for similarly one would also need  to say another blessing on the blessing that was made.  And the "Sfat Emet" explains, that Birkat HaMazon is a blessing about gratitude, and everyone understands that on eating it is necessary to give thanks, and this is not just a matter of sanctity which would require one to say "Who has sancitified us...", and therefore they didn't establish the saying of the blessing "Who has sanctified us...".

"And now Israel, what does Hashem your G-d ask of you..."  (Devorim 10:12)

From this verse, the Rabbis said (in Menachot 43:2) that a man is required to say 100 blessings every day.  For they said, don't read "Mah" (in English: "what") but "Meah" (in English: "100").  That is to say, "a hundred Hashem your G-d asks of you".

"And now Israel, what does Hashem your G-d ask of you..." (Devorim 10:12)

The word "what" is a language of humility, as in the verse "and what are we" (Shemot 16:7).  One needs to behave with humility.

"And now.." (Devorim 10:12)

Also, the fact that it is written "and now", means that one always needs to say "and now"-- from now it is necessary to serve Hashem.  For the Evil Inclination alwasy causes a person to despair, and it is necessary to tell oneself, from now I am beginning, just like we say at the end of the Ashrei prayer "from now until forever", immediately "from now" I will begin again.
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The Shabbat of the Torah Portion of Eikev is Shabbat Mevorchim for the Month of Elul.

The Gaon the Tzaddik R' Yisrael Salant ztz"l said that it used to be in Israel that when the announcement of the sancitification of the month of Elul was heard, every person was trembling with fear.

The Torah Portion of Eikev has 111 verses.   6 commandments. 2  negative commandments.Haftora: "Vatomer Tzion" (Yishayahu 49). 

L'ilui Neshamat HaGaon HaTzaddik R' Gershon Avigdor Ben Chaim ztz"l

Shabbat Shalom.