Transcript
Good morning, בוקר טוב boker tov. Welcome back to Parsha Perspectives for today. This week we have the privilege of reading and learning פרשת שופטים Parshas Shoftim. We continue with Moshe's charge to the Jewish people on this last day of his life. His fantastic מוסר musar, his message of what life is all about, how to live life to its fullest. I want to thank our generous Parsha series sponsors for the year, dear friends Becky and Avi Katz and family, in memory of Becky's father David Grossman, לעילוי נשמת דוד בן מנחם מנוש l'ilui nishmas Dovid ben Menachem Manush, David Grossman. Thank you so much for your generosity. Also, this morning's שיעור shiur in particular is dedicated by the Bigelaisen family. לזכר נשמת שמעון דוד השם יקום דמו בן יעקב שלמה ביגלאייזן L'zecher nishmas Shimon Dovid Hashem yikom damo ben Yaakov Shlomo Bigelaisen, upon the 20th yahrzeit of his murder in the 9/11 attacks. Thank you so much for your generosity and for your sponsorship this morning as well. If you'd like to sponsor a future שיעור shiur, whether it's Parsha Perspectives or any other, you can do it easily today. brsonline.org/sponsor, brsonline.org/sponsor. You can choose a date, put in the language, make the payment all in one easy, seamless, frictionless way. Please help continue to support our תורה Torah learning and our תורה Torah teaching. Okay, פרשת שופטים Parshas Shoftim begins on page 1,024 in the ArtScroll Stone חומש Chumash.שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך אשר השם אלוקיך נותן לך לשבטיך ושפטו את העם משפט צדק Shoftim v'shotrim titein l'cha b'chol she'arecha asher Hashem Elokecha nosein l'cha lishvatecha v'shaftu es ha'am mishpat tzedek. שופטים ושוטרים Shoftim v'shotrim, judges, שופטים shoftim are judges, שוטרים shotrim, officers, policemen. תתן לך Titein l'cha, one has to place in all their gateways, in all of their cities. ושפטו את העם משפט צדק v'shaftu es ha'am mishpat tzedek, and they will judge the people with righteous judgment. There are several significant grammatical shifts in this פסוק pasuk that we're not going to get into, including from the singular to the plural, including from the first person to the second person. There are several shifts that all beg, ask me, that all beg to be understood. We're not going to get into that, but rather we're going to skip right to a insight of Rav Druck. We shared several of Druck's last year on פרשת שופטים Parshas Shoftim. These are different insights of Rav Druck on פרשת שופטים Parshas Shoftim. So Rav Druck wonders the following: הבאנו את הקושיא על פי דברי החיד״א בנחל קדומים, שהביאו מרבי חיים ויטאל וכן בשל״ה הקדוש Heveinu es ha'kushia al pi divrei ha'Chida b'Nachal Kedumim, she'heivi m'Rebbi Chaim Vital v'chein ba'Shlah ha'kadosh, שפירשו כי פסוק זה מדבר על האדם הפרטי שצריך להיות שופט ושוטר לעצמו she'peirshu ki pasuk zeh medaber al ha'adam ha'prati she'tzarich l'hiyos shofeit v'shoteir l'atzmo. The most famous insight in all of פרשת שופטים Parshas Shoftim, most often repeated is the שופטים ושוטרים בכל שעריך shoftim v'shotrim b'chol she'arecha means all the gateways to your soul. Your eyes, your ears, your nose, your mouth, all the ways in which we interact with the world, all the senses that we use, we need to place judges and policemen. We need to have good judgment, and we need to police, we need to regulate ourselves. We're not only talking collectively for the Jewish people, we're talking individually, how we lead our lives, our ambition, our aspiration to be in control, to be disciplined, to be sovereign over ourselves, not to be creatures of habit and not to be creatures of instinct or impulse, but to live as שופטים ושוטרים shoftim v'shotrim, to live with good judgment, with mindfulness, and to live with regulating, policing ourselves. So we quote that from the חיד״א Chida, רבי חיים ויטאל Rebbi Chaim Vital, השל״ה הקדוש the Shlah ha'Kadosh. ולפי זה צריך ביאור המשכו של הפסוק U'lefi zeh tzarich biur hemshecho shel ha'pasuk. But if that's true, if that insight is true, another layer of meaning in addition to the simple understanding of the text that we're talking collectively, socially, communally, that in order to function with the sense of justice and righteousness, we need courts and we need police, but we're also talking individually. If that's true, what is the continuation of the פסוק pasuk? ושפטו את העם משפט צדק V'shaftu es ha'am mishpat tzedek, and therefore you will judge the people with righteous judgment. מזה נראה כי אינו מדבר על אדם פרטי אלא כל העם mizeh nir'eh ki eino medaber al adam prati ela kol ha'am. The idea that you will use these policemen, these judges in order to judge the people righteously suggests significantly that we're talking about collectively. We're not talking about the individual. So which is it? הנה מובא שכלל מושפע באופן סגולי ממעשה של יחידים כמו שנתבאר באריכות Hinei muva she'klal mushpa b'ofen seguli mi'maaseh shel yechidim k'mo shenisbaer b'arichus. עוד נראה שיש ענין של דוגמא אישית במה דברים אמורים, אם שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך היינו תשים מחסום לפיך ותדבר רק דיבורים מותרים Oid nir'eh ki yesh inyan shel dugma ishit. Ba'meh devarim amurim, im shoftim v'shotrim titein l'cha b'chol she'arecha, heinu tasim machsom l'ficha v'tidaber rak diburim mutarim. So says Rav Druck the following. He says, you know, one of the ways to influence, I wrote an article a couple weeks ago about influencers, the idea, this modern notion on social media that there's a category of people called influencers and Jewish influencers. And how do we define influence and how do we define influencers? I wrote that some of our greatest influencers of modern Jewish history never saw themselves as influencers. They never even sought to be of influence. They meant to live their lives and it turned out, Rav Moshe Feinstein, zatzal, interviewed by the New York Times, when asked how he became a גדול הדור gadol ha'dor, a פוסק הדור posek ha'dor, said, I never applied for the position. I never was a proof for that position. People asked me questions and they liked the answers I gave, so they kept asking. Rav Soloveitchik, who perhaps gave סמיכה smicha to more than any in history, and certainly modern history, only saw himself as a פשוטע מלמד pasheteh melamed. He was a simple educator. He didn't see himself as a great or major influencer. And the examples go on and on, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, who it took a year to convince him to succeed his father-in-law, Rav Pam, who it took significant time and pressure to get to join the מועצת גדולי התורה Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in terms of influence. How did they want to influence the world? Not with a platform, not with a microphone, not with followers or friends, but rather by being a personal example, by living their lives to its fullest. Says Rav Druck, that's what it means. שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך Shoftim v'shotrim titein l'cha b'chol she'arecha. If in fact, and if indeed we live up to that ambition and that aspiration to have good judgment, to be mindful, to regulate all that we do, we will be דוגמא אישית dugma ishit, we'll be personal examples. And then ושפטו את העם משפט צדק v'shaftu es ha'am mishpat tzedek. So namely, if we put a מחסום לפיך machsom l'ficha, with a filter on our mouth, and we only say that which is permissible, תסתכל רק היכן שצריך להסתכל Tistakeil rak heichan she'tzarich l'histakeil, and we only look at the type of things we should be looking at. תשמע רק דברים טובים מדברי תורה Tishma rak devarim tovim mi'divrei Torah. We only listen to and absorb and download the type of messages that are were meant to hear. לא לשון הרע ורכילות שאר דיבורים אסורים חלילה Lo lashon hara u'rchilus, she'ar diburim asurim, chalila. Not God forbid, gossip and slander, not judgment and criticism. Then תהוה בכך דוגמא אישית לכל העם t'haveh b'kach dugma ishit l'chol ha'am. A person who lives that level of life, that discipline, that sovereignty, that self-control, will be a personal example. ממילא ושפטו את העם משפט צדק כי עליך יסתכלו וכן ינהגו M'meila, v'shaftu es ha'am mishpat tzedek, ki alecha yistaklu v'chein yinhagu. So in other words, it's not imposing, it's not that we have judges and policemen who through their strength, through their power are imposing themselves on the nation, on the people and exacting and demanding justice. It means that if we have righteous people who have healthy judgment and who have policed their own behavior, ושפטו את העם v'shaftu es ha'am, that personal example will be contagious. That personal example will have an impact on everyone. ובאמת איזה שהוא עיקר של החינוך התורני וכן חללו לדורות הבאים נעשה על ידי דוגמא אישית U've'emes, eizeh shehu ikar shel ha'chinuch ha'Torani v'chein chalalo l'doros ha'ba'im na'aseh al yedei dugma ishit. Says Rav Druck, in fact, throughout Jewish history, the most powerful influence, the most powerful force has not been when people use power or coercion. It's rather when people use example, when they are a model and an inspiration for others to aspire to. פעם נשאלתי מי שנהג שלא כשורה ורוצים להדריכו ולחנכו שיאכל בדרך טובה Pa'am nishalti mi she'nahag shelo k'shura v'rotzim l'hadricho u'l'chancho she'yochal b'derech tova. Sometimes a child is misbehaving and we want to condition that child. So a person screams and a person lashes out, and God forbid a person even practices corporal punishment. וכבר נודע כי אין זה חינוך יהודי אבל U'chvar noda ki ein zeh chinuch Yehudi aval it's not going to work. In today's generation and arguably in all time, it would backfire. The real answer is not simply to coerce, to impose, to punish, to condition, though sometimes those things are necessary, but it's personal example. Are we modeling behavior we seek to see in others? So I'll tell you, listen to this amazing insight he continues with. We know we go back to אברהם אבינו Avraham Avinu and the פסוק pasuk tells us, why did God love Avraham? Because he was the most righteous, because he was the smartest, because he had the longest שמונה עשרה Shmoneh Esrei, the longest פאות peios, because he gave the most צדקה tzedaka? No. Why did God embrace and love and choose to transmit his legacy through Avraham? פסוק Pasuk tells us. We don't have to guess. It's not a mystery. כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו ואת ביתו אחריו ושמרו דרך השם לעשות צדקה ומשפט Ki y'dativ l'ma'an asher y'tzaveh es banav v'es beiso acharav v'shamru derech Hashem la'asos tzedaka u'mishpat. Says God, because I know, I know Avraham, כי ידעתיו ki y'dativ, I know him well, למען אשר יצוה את בניו l'ma'an asher y'tzaveh es banav, and Avraham successfully has transmitted, has communicated, has charged his children, his home, his family to observe my way, my path. So wonder many, נשקשו רבים nishkeshu rabbim, many have asked, wait one second. Where do we see that Avraham was מחנך mechanech his children? Where do we see in the Torah that Avraham explicitly articulated those values, that he explicitly communicated, transmitted them to the next generation? Where do we see that? So Rav Druck quotes his father, Rav Mordechai Druck, the דרש מרדכי Drash Mordechai, who says, you know what, this is an incredible insight. He says, we don't in fact find it in the Torah. There is no verse that tells us explicitly that Avraham actually articulated out loud that he taught, that he educated his children directly. What it means, למען כי ידעתיו למען אשר יצוה את בניו l'ma'an ki y'dativ l'ma'an asher y'tzaveh es banav, I know that Avraham was a personal example. I know that he modeled the behavior he wanted to see in his family. ולמדנו מכך שחינוך על ידי דוגמא אישית פועל בבנים U'lamadnu mikach she'chinuch al yedei dugma ishit po'el ba'banim. We see that modeling, being an example, being an inspiration is the most powerful source of influence. It's not how many friends, it's not how many followers, it's not how well we can edit what we post and publish online. It's not how well we can choreograph and curate the image that others see. It's personal example. That personal example. So שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך shoftim v'shotrim titein l'cha b'chol she'arecha, when we live our lives modeling that level of judiciousness, that level of self-regulation, then ושפטו את העם v'shaftu es ha'am, then the people will go along like Avraham's children followed him, not because he demanded it explicitly, but because he lived it and he modeled it and we followed it directly. The קאצקער רבי Kotzker Rebbe, I told you this wonderful נסיעה nesiah for my friend Mendy Got me, the אמת ואמונה Emes v'Emunah, summarizing and collecting the insights of the קאצקער רבי Kotzker Rebbe. שופטים ושוטרים לך בכל שעריך Shoftim v'shotrim l'cha b'chol she'arecha. Says רב מנחם מענדל מקאצק Rav Menachem Mendel of Kotzk, the great קאצקער רבי Kotzker Rebbe. תתן שופטים ושוטרים לך דייקא לעצמוסך Titein shoftim v'shotrim l'cha dafka l'atzmosecha. Again, everybody has this insight. Place, place judges and policemen not just in our cities and not just in our courtyards and not just in our communities, but for ourselves. Meaning בכל ערך בחירתך שתוכל לשאר עצמך זהו בכל שעריך b'chol erech b'chirasecha she'tuchal l'sha'er atzmecha, zehu b'chol she'arecha. לשער L'sha'er is to have judgment. לשער L'sha'er is to evaluate, is to consider, is to analyze, is to draw a conclusion. שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך Shoftim v'shotrim titein l'cha b'chol she'arecha. When it comes to every decision you have to make, when it comes to every behavior, every action you have to take, when it comes to every circumstance, every dilemma you have to analyze, how should one do it? With שופטים ושוטרים shoftim v'shotrim. Says the קאצקער Kotzker, do it with good judgment and do it with self-regulation. Again, this is the key and the lesson to life. This is what we study on Wednesday mornings in מסילת ישרים Mesilas Yesharim, so much of the book, the רמח״ל Ramchal teaching us to be a best or better version of ourselves means, don't just fly by the seat of your pants, don't just follow your instinct and your impulse. Don't just be like an animal, it means be mindful, be intentional, be present, be conscious in all that we do. In בכל שעריך b'chol she'arecha, in everything that we have to be משער m'sha'er, in every decision we have to make, in every determination that we have to do, שופטים ושוטרים shoftim v'shotrim. The way to do it is with שופטים shoftim. We have to have judgment, our own, and מרבה עצה מרבה תבונה marbeh eitza marbeh t'vunah. The משנה Mishna tells us in פרקי אבות Pirkei Avos, the more advice we seek, the more wisdom we have. So not only our own judgment, find people of good judgment and consult with them, draw from their wisdom, their life experience. ושוטרים V'shotrim, and then police ourselves. It's not enough to be mindful, intentional, it's not enough to be thoughtful in considering our dilemmas and questions, but then שוטרים shotrim, when we execute, we have to be disciplined in what we do and in how we do it. And the Parsha continues. So it begins in terms of establishing these systems. And then it tells us to be very careful. לא תטה משפט לא תכיר פנים Lo sateh mishpat, lo sakir panim. When it comes to these judges, when it comes to these policemen, don't pervert judgment and do not respect someone's presence. ולא תקח שוחד כי השוחד יעוור עיני חכמים ויסלף דברי צדיקים V'lo sikach shochad ki ha'shochad y'aver einei chachamim v'yisalef divrei tzaddikim. Don't accept a bribe. The bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and makes just words crooked. צדק צדק תרדוף Tzedek tzedek tirdof. Instead we pursue justice. We're not going to elaborate at length, we spent time, I believe last year's Parsha class on defining what this means. שוחד שהוא ואתה חד shochad, shehu v'ata chad, that you and he are one. שוחד Shochad, bribery unites us to one side. It doesn't allow us to see objectively and to reach what is a just conclusion because we are bribed to one side. So how far does this go? We gave a series of שיעורים shiurim, you could find it online, about פרוטקציה protektzia and bribery. Are you allowed to use פרוטקציה protektzia to get into Israel today? Can you use bribery to get to the head of the line, to cut the line, to skip the line, to be considered first for the booster, for the vaccine or for any other consideration, to get a grandchild into school by making a large donation or to get a child onto the athletic team by making a large donation, a scandal of a couple of years ago. So שוחד shochad, שוחד shochad can blind anyone. שהוא ואתה חד shehu v'ata chad. And notice the פסוק pasuk says יעוור עיני חכמים y'aver einei chachamim. It doesn't say it blinds the foolish. It doesn't say it blinds the ignorant. It blinds the wise. Even a person who's wise, even a person who's accomplished, it can blind. So the קאצקער Kotzker in this wonderful ספר אמת ואמונה sefer Emes v'Emunah, the קאצקער Kotzker elaborates. He says אלמנה אחת באה לפני האבני נזר Almana achas ba'ah lifnei ha'Avnei Nezer. Once a widow came before the great סוכטשובער רבי Sochatchover Rebbe, לדין תורה עם בעל הבית אחד על דירה l'din Torah im baal ha'bayis echad al dirah. So this widow rented an apartment and there was a דין תורה din Torah. There was a conflict with the, it was a dispute with the landlord. So the widow came to the אבני נזר Avnei Nezer, the great סוכטשובער רבי Sochatchover Rebbe, והתחילה לבכות בדמעות מה תעשה בלא דירה v'hitchila livkos b'dmaos, ma ta'aseh b'lo dirah. She began to cry. If I am in fact kicked out, if she forecloses on me, if I'm kicked out of the apartment, where am I going to live? She was crying. She was emotional. She was broken. והרחמנות על האלמנה היה גדול מאוד. אז האבני נזר V'harachmanus al ha'almana haya gadol me'od. Az ha'Avnei Nezer, of course, who had a compassionate heart, immediately felt terrible for this widow. ולא רצה האבני נזר לשבת בדין תורה זה V'lo ratzah ha'Avnei Nezer lasheves b'din Torah zeh. So the אבני נזר Avnei Nezer recused himself. Because when she told him her story and was crying, it tugged on his heart strings, he recused himself באומרו שרבנו אמר כי דמעות זה גם כלול בשם שוחד b'omro she'rabbeinu omar ki d'ma'os zeh gam kalul b'shem shochad. So the אבני נזר Avnei Nezer said that tears are also a form of bribery. Not that the אלמנה almana, not that the widow was crying specifically as a form of bribing the אבני נזר Avnei Nezer, but the result was he was bribed. He was sympathetic to her position even before he heard the landlord's argument. So bribery doesn't only take the form of money. A bribery can take the form also of, a bribery can even take the form of tears. If a person is moved to tears by another, those tears can impact them to the form of swaying their opinion to be a form of of bribery. Rashi says, כי השוחד יעוור ki ha'shochad y'aver, bribery blinds, משקיבל שוחד ממנו אי אפשר שלא יטה ליבו אצלו להפוך בזכותו M'she'kibel shochad mimenu, ee efshar shelo yateh libo etzlo l'hafoch b'zchuso. Because once you receive, once you accept that שמיר shmir, that bribery, it's impossible that you won't be inclined towards that direction. כשנתבונן בדבר זה, מדבר בשופטי הצדיקים, חכמים ביושבי עם ישראל, אינם רודפי אחר בצע כסף או טובת הנאה K'shenisbonen b'davar zeh, medaber b'shoftei ha'tzaddikim, chachamim b'yoshevei am Yisrael. Einam rodfim achar betza kesef o tovas hana'ah. Who are these judges? The Torah already talked about the criteria, Torah already talked about what are we looking for, the qualities in a judge. These judges are צדיקים tzaddikim, they're righteous, they're smart, they're wise, they're accomplished, they're they're wealthy, they don't need money. ובכל זאת כאשר יקבלו איזה שהוא טובה מהבעל דין, שוב לא יהיו מסוגלים לשפוט משפט אמת U'v'chol zos, ka'asher y'kablu eizeh shehu tova mi'baal din, shuv lo yihyu m'sugalim lishpot mishpat emes. They can no longer see objectively. They no longer see objectively. And that's what Rashi is telling us. It's impossible שלא יטה את ליבו להפוך בזכותו shelo yateh es libo l'hafoch b'zchuso, that the normal human condition, the human psyche, the way that we've been programmed and designed is that if somebody does a kindness, somebody does something good for us, we cannot help but find favor, show favor to them. We cannot see objectively anymore. Rav Meir Chadash, the great צדיק tzaddik Rav Meir Chadash said, there's no ספק safek, there's no doubt that somebody who's righteous, a צדיק tzaddik, a חכם chacham, is not going to to find favor with one of the litigants because they received money. They're not going to be bribed in the sense that they're doing something unjust or corrupt. They're not corrupt in that way. But what does it mean? So he suggested the great Rav Meir Chadash. He said שאחר שקיבלו טובה וממון מאדם מסוים, מחויבים הכרת הטוב she'achar she'kiblu tova u'mamon mei'adam mesuyam, m'chuyavim hakaras hatov. חובת הכרת הטוב אצל גדולי ישראל הוא דבר בסיסי ומובן מאליו שלא ניתן להעלם ממנו Chovas hakaras hatov etzel gedolei Yisrael hu davar b'sisi u'muvan mei'eilav shelo nitan l'he'aleim mimenu. So a very interesting insight of Rav Meir Chadash. Rav Meir Chadash says that we know when someone does a kindness for us, we have an obligation, we have a responsibility of הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov. We have to acknowledge and recognize and see and be grateful for the good. הכרת הטוב Hakaras hatov doesn't translate to gratitude. It translates to הכרה hakara, have a recognition, recognize, identify, see and express gratitude for the good that was done. And we learned from so many Moshe Rabbeinu, who wouldn't strike the Nile, and so many other countless examples, how far הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov goes. Gratitude goes so far that we don't only express it to human beings, inanimate objects, the the Nile River itself, Moshe could not strike the Nile River because he was grateful to the Nile for what it had done in saving his life. So we see how central the practice of הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov, how defining it is to having good character is to express gratitude. Gratitude takes humility. Gratitude is הודאה hoda'ah, is to be מודה לטובה modeh l'tova, מודה על modeh al. We've shared the Rav Hutner many times. Implicit in every expression of gratitude is the humility. I needed you, I benefited from you, I gained from you. I'm grateful to you. So therefore, it is a core and essential quality that we emphasize is to be great in הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov, to express gratitude, to say thank you for the good. So this is the חידוש chiddush of Rav Meir Chadash. Listen carefully. When the pasuk tells us, לא תקח שוחד lo sikach shochad, don't take שוחד shochad, because it will be יעור עיני חכמים ויסלף דברי צדיקים y'aver einei chachamim v'yisalef divrei tzaddikim, are you telling me the חכמים chachamim and צדיקים tzaddikim are corrupt? They can be bought off? How could it be? If they're corrupt and they can be bought off, then they're not חכמים chachamim. Then they're not צדיקים tzaddikim. The answer is they are. The reason Rashi is telling us it will be יטה את ליבו yateh es libo, the reason when they receive the bribe they can't help but be influenced is not out of corruption. It's because הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov. Because the righteous, the צדיקים tzaddikim, the חכמים chachamim have conditioned themselves their whole lives to what? To be grateful, to when something good has been done for them, that gratitude will incline them towards being favorable to one position and that is what is unjust. So the unjustice is not resulting from corruption. חכמים וצדיקים Chachamim u'tzaddikim are not corrupt. It's coming from a sense of הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov. It's coming from a sense of gratitude. There are stories of דיינים dayanim, one of the litigants held the door for them on the way in, they recused themselves. Even a small kindness, a small generosity, as someone holding a door generates a הכרת הטוב hakaras hatov which can influence the דיינים dayanim, the judges in one direction or another. Rav Druck wonders, the דיוק diyuk in the פסוק pasuk, we said we were not going to answer, we'll answer part of it. לשון יחיד, לא תטה משפט, לא תכיר פנים, לא תקח שוחד Lashon yachid, lo sateh mishpat, lo sakir panim, lo sikach shochad. The beginning of the pasuk addresses the individual. You, the judge, do not accept a bribe, don't show favor. And then it ends לשון רבים, השוחד יעוור פקחים ויסלף דברי צדיקים lashon rabbim, ha'shochad y'aver pikchim v'yisalef divrei tzaddikim. Now we shift from the instruction to the individual to the observation about the plural. ולמה זה דיבר הפסוק V'lama zeh diber ha'pasuk? Why do we shift from one to the other? So he says, אני נראה מזה דבר נורא Ani nir'eh mizeh davar norah. We see something profound that I'll talk to you outside. Torah is telling us that it begins by buying off one judge. But then that judge is now going to sit with his colleagues, his peers, and he's going to make an argument for the litigant who bribed him. And now the result will be the entire court will be compromised by the bribe. So it begins לשון יחיד lashon yachid and it ends לשון רבים lashon rabbim because it begins with one person being on the take, one person being bought off, one person being bribed, but the result of the one person who's bribed, the conclusion of the the individual who's bribed is that it impacts the many, more than just that individual. And that's why the grammar shifts from יחיד yachid to רבים rabbim. There's a shift from the individual to the plural because what began as bribing one person, they go to the committee, they go to the board, they go to they go to the admissions committee, they go to wherever, the one individual who's bought off then advocates and lobbies and ends up ultimately corrupting the entire system.פרק י\"ז, פסוק ח' Perek Yud-Zayin, pasuk ches. Moving right along. We deal with a מום mum, a blemish sacrifice. לא יהיה בו מום כל דבר רע תועבת השם אלוקיך הוא lo yihyeh vo mum kol davar ra, to'avas Hashem Elokecha hu, that is an abomination to God to have a sacrifice that has a מום mum. And then we talk about an idolatrer who receives the death penalty. And then we talk about the כי יפלא ממך דבר במשפט ki yipalei mimcha davar ba'mishpat, we elaborated on this I believe last year as well. The different types of בין דם לדם, בין דין לדין, בין נגע לנגע bein dam l'dam, bein din l'din, bein nega l'nega and so on. Some homiletical ways that we could interpretate that interpret that beautiful פסוק pasuk. And then we get to the question of the king. כי תבא אל הארץ Ki savo el ha'aretz on page 1,028 the ArtScroll Stone חומש Chumash. פרק י\"ז, פסוק י\"ד Perek Yud-Zayin, pasuk yud-daled, chapter 17, verse 14. כי תבא Ki savo. עלהארץ אשר השם אלקיך נתן לך וירישתה וישבת בה. When you get to the land that God bequeaths to you, and we inherit it, we acquire it, and we, and we settle it. ואמרת *v'amarta*, and you will say אשימה עלי מלך ככל הגוים אשר סביבותי *asima alai melech k'chol ha'goyim asher s'vivosai*, I want a king like all the nations around me. Torah says there's a מצוה *mitzvah*, שום תשים עליך מלך אשר יבחר השם אלקיך בו *som tasim alecha melech asher yivchar Hashem Elokecha bo*. God will choose the king. It's not a general election, there's no primary. God chooses the king. But no problem. מקרב אחיך *mikerev achecha*. Can a, can a convert qualify, who qualifies? תשים עליך מלך *tasim alecha melech*. מלך ולא מלכה *melech v'lo malka*, it's a king, not a queen. ספרי *Sifrei* says that's why women don't have positions of שררה *srarah*. How does that apply to women rabbis and women shul presidents and women in positions of leadership and distinction? Not for now. לא תוכל לתת עליך איש נכרי אשר לא אחיך הוא *Lo suchal laseis alecha ish nochri asher lo achicha hu*. Fine. Torah tells us. Now this king, the king who you crave and you desire because you want to be like the nations around you, you want to have a similar system of governance. And so God says, okay, is it a concession? Is it an ideal? You have to compare our פסוקים *psukim* here in פרשת שופטים *Parshas Shoftim* with the story of the first king of שאול המלך *Shaul HaMelech* and the story in שמואל *Shmuel* of his appointment. Is it a concession or is it an ideal? Again, also not for now. But one of the requirements of the king, פסוק טז *pasuk tes zayin*, before him go back a פסוק *pasuk*, he can't have too many wives, can't have too much material property, because it can corrupt him. It can distract him. And the king has responsibilities. King serves the people, the king's responsible for the people. והיה כשבתו על כסא ממלכתו *v'hayah k'shivto al kisei mamlachto*. We're in chapter 17 verse 18, and it will be when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, וכתב לו את משנה התורה הזאת על ספר מלפני הכהנים הלויים *v'kasav lo es mishneh haTorah ha'zos al sefer milifnei haKohanim haLeviim*. He has to write for himself two copies of the Torah from the before the כהנים *kohanim* and לויים *leviim*. והיתה עמו וקרא בו כל ימי חייו *V'hayisa imo v'kara vo kol yemei chayav*. His personal Torah has to be with him, he reads from it all the days of his life. למען ילמד ליראה את השם אלוקיו *l'maan yilmad l'yirah es Hashem Elokav*, in order that he learned to have awe, to have fear of God. לשמר את כל דברי התורה הזאת ואת החקים האלה לעשותם *lishmor es kol divrei haTorah ha'zos v'es ha'chukim ha'eileh la'asosam*, to be familiar with, to observe, to pursue all the laws of the Torah. So one copy of the Torah sits in his treasury, and the other is with him at all times, has to be accessible. He reads it, he learns from it, it informs and inspires who he is. He carries it with him at all times. Even if he inherits a scroll from his father, he has to write his own. He has to write his own. My son-in-law, Rav Zuchrov, spoke about this מצוה *mitzvah*. The idea that the king, a חתן דומה למלך *chasan domeh l'melech*, a חתן *chasan* is like a king. And on the one hand, what we inherit from our parents informs and inspires who we are, the homes we want to build. But we also have to write our own ספר תורה *Sefer Torah*. We have to write our own legacy, we have to write our own story. We have to write our own narrative and our own next chapter. So this king has to read. The רמב\"ם *Rambam* says that the king has to learn from this Torah every day. It's very unusual. We know the responsibilities of a king. Imagine if the president or prime minister's responsibility is not only to govern the people and is not only to watch over the branches of government, or at least his branch, the executive branch of government, but imagine there was a responsibility for daily study. Imagine he had to read every day, there was a quota, he had to read, he had to study every day. That is in fact our practice, to read and to study every single day. It is a responsibility that we have. So on this, the וכתב לו את משנה התורה *v'kasav lo es mishneh haTorah* that he has to write and he has to read, why? So Rav Mordechai Zuckerman, Rav Mordechai Zuckerman in his ספר לב מרדכי *sefer Lev Mordechai* says the following insight. Notice it says, לבלתי רום לבבו מאחיו *l'vilti rum l'vavo me'echav*. What will happen? He has to write this משנה תורה *mishneh Torah*, he has to write this ספר תורה *sefer Torah*, and he has to read it all the days of his life. לבלתי *l'vilti*, doesn't say ולבלתי *ul'vilti*, and so that he does not become arrogant. It says לבלתי *l'vilti* without a ו *vav*. For the pasuk is telling us the very reason, why did the Torah, why does השם *Hashem* require the king to write a Torah? והביאור *v'habiyur*, and the answer is that אימת המלך מוטלת על הכל *eimas ha'melech muteles al hakol*. The king is in a position of power, and the people fear the king because the king has the capacity for capital punishment. מצבו מביאו לידי סכנה של רום לב תמידי *Matzavo m'vi'o lidei sakana shel rom lev timidi*. So the person who is in most power, I don't remember who was the one who said the famous quote, that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I forgot who's the author of that statement, but the statement remains true until this very day. Notice what's happening with the governor of New York. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The more powerful a person is, the more vulnerable, the more susceptible they are to that power going to their head, to thinking they are above the law, above the rules, to thinking that they're better or superior to everyone else. לכן כדי להצילו מזה נתנה לו התורה עצה *Lachen k'dei l'hatzilo mi'zeh nisna lo haTorah eitzah*. So the Torah builds in the antidote, the answer. This king who is the most powerful, in order to protect the king's humility, in order for the king have a sense of context, in order for the king to not allow the power to corrupt him absolutely, וקרא בו כל ימי חייו *v'kara vo kol yemei chayav*. He has to read it all the days of his life. בדוקא *B'davka*, כי רק על ידי זה ינצל מלישגות בזה שהרי עובר רום לב *ki rak al yedei zeh yinatzel m'lishgos b'zeh she'harei over rum lev*. If he skips a day, if he doesn't read the Torah every day, the Torah is our anchor. The Torah is our compass. The Torah keeps us humble. So when a person has dedicated time every day to read, to study, to learn, to challenge themselves, to hold up a mirror to themselves, to aspire to a better version of themselves, then we can overcome that instinct or that urge to become corrupt or to allow the power to go to our head. מזה עלינו ללמוד *Mizeh aleinu lilmod*. So says the לב מרדכי *Lev Mordechai* we can learn from here. לכן כל אדם יש בטבעו במעמדו איזו תכונה ומידה רעה מיוחדת לו *Lachen kol adam yesh b'tiv'o b'ma'amado eizo t'chuna u'midah ra'ah meyuchdes lo*. Everyone has a challenging quality. אין עצה ותבונה אחרת רק לעמוד כל ימי חייו על המשמר להשתמש בעצת התורה וקרא בו כל ימי חייו *Ein eitzah u'tvunah acheres rak la'amod kol yemei chayav al hamishmar l'hishtamesh b'eitzas haTorah v'kara bo kol yemei chayav*. And the answer, the answer to whatever quality we're trying to overcome. Some people struggle with envy, some are arrogance, some judgment, some people have anger, they fly off the handle. Some people are jealous, whatever the quality is that a person is struggling with, the answer, the answer, not somebody who's diagnosed who needs therapy, medicine, intervention, but we're talking about general personality challenges that we all have, normative challenges, the answer is וקרא בו כל ימי חייו *v'kara vo kol yemei chayav*. Don't ever stop reading Torah, learning Torah. Daily Torah study is our anchor, it is our compass. It's the magnifying glass we hold to ourselves, and it is the compass that lets us chart our path forward. That's what the גמרא *Gemara* in קדושין *Kiddushin* says דף ל' *daf lamed*, בראתי יצר הרע בראתי לו תורה תבלין *barasi yetzer hara, barasi lo Torah tavlin*. God says I created the יצר הרע *yetzer hara*, I created the Torah as the spice. Rav Shlomo says that מלבדו לימוד התורה *milvado limud haTorah*, לימוד דברי חז\"ל *limud divrei chazal*, ללמוד התכונה שלו *lilmod ha'tchuna shelo*. In addition to learning Torah, one has to learn within Torah what is specific to our תכונות *tchunos*, to whoever we are, our individual personality. Now, this גמרא *Gemara* in קדושין *Kiddushin* בראתי יצר הרע בראתי תורה תבלין *barasi yetzer hara barasi Torah tavlin*, we mentioned last night in the Seder Snippets the question, we're going to answer it tonight, so stay tuned, I'll give you a little cliffhanger here, but why does it say בראתי תורה תבלין *barasi Torah tavlin*? תבלין *Tavlin* are spices. Cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, whatever you're putting into the recipe. So God says I created the יצר הרע *yetzer hara*. I gave you that instinct. I gave you that animal impulse. I gave you that driver desire even for things that are not good or that will sabotage your success. But don't worry, equal and opposite, far greater than it, בראתי *barasi*, I also created Torah as, end the sentence. I would have ended the sentence, I created Torah as the medicine, the elixir. I created Torah as the antidote. That's not what it says. The גמרא *Gemara* says our tradition is God says I created the יצר הרע *yetzer hara*, and I created Torah as the תבלין *tavlin*. Torah is the spice. What does that mean? Torah is the spice. Why would you add spice to the יצר הרע *yetzer hara*? Won't that flavor the יצר הרע *yetzer hara*? So that's the question we asked last night in our Seder Snippets. We're up to בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך ובכל מאדך *b'chol levavcha u'v'chol nafshecha u'v'chol me'odecha*. And we'll answer it tonight. But along those lines בראתי יצר הרע בראתי תורה תבלין *barasi yetzer hara barasi Torah tavlin*. God says I created the יצר הרע *yetzer hara* and I created Torah as the answer. That is the answer here for the king, that the king has to carry a Torah all the time, and the king has to learn from that Torah in order to stay grounded as his anchor, as his compass, as his navigation tool through life. I missed and I skipped something I wanted to share from the לב אליהו *Lev Eliyahu*. So let's go back to the beginning of the parsha for a moment. Please forgive me from the לב אליהו *Lev Eliyahu*. And the לב אליהו *Lev Eliyahu* says the following, שפטים ושוטרים תתן לך בכל שעריך *Shoftim v'shotrim titen lecha b'chol she'arecha*. We're going back to the first pasuk for one moment, bear with me. The um, דברים רבה *Devarim Rabbah*, the מדרש *midrash*, דברים רבה *Devarim Rabbah* on our, on our פסוק *pasuk*, שופטים ושוטרים *shoiftim v'shotrim*, place judges and policemen at all your gates. The מדרש דברים רבה *midrash Devarim Rabbah* here on this pasuk, the midrash says הדא הוא דכתיב *hada hu d'chsiv*, what does it mean place judges and policemen, this is a reference to the pasuk in משלי *Mishlei*. The pasuk in משלי *Mishlei* chapter 6 verse 6 says the following, לך אל נמלה עצל ראה דרכיה וחכם *Lech el nemala atzel re'eh dracheha vachacham*. Lazy, go to the ant, study the ant, its ways, and you will learn. אשר אין לה קצין שוטר ומושל *Asher ein lah katzin shoter u'moshel*. The ant, without leaders and without officers and without rulers, תכין בקיץ לחמה *tachin ba'kayitz lachmah*, it lays up in stores during the summer. אגרה בקציר מאכלה *agra ba'katzir ma'achalah* and it gathers in its food in the harvest. So what do you see in this pasuk? So the midrash says, שופטים ושוטרים *shoiftim v'shotrim*, appoint judges and appoint policemen, and that's what the pasuk in Mishlei is teaching. Go look at the ant and study its way, ראה דרכיה וחכם *re'eh dracheha v'chacham*. Look at the נמלה עצל *nemala atzel*. Go look at the lazy ant, study its way, and you will learn. From the lazy ant, you will חכם *chacham*. So one can ask the לב אליהו *Lev Eliyahu*, רבי אליהו לופיאן *Rav Eliyahu Lopian*, the משגיח *mashgiach* of כפר חסידים *Kfar Chassidim* says the following question. He says שלמה המלך *Shlomo HaMelech* is talking about an עצל *otzel*. שלמה המלך *Shlomo HaMelech*, King Solomon in משלי *Mishlei* is talking about a lazy person. So it should have said ראה דרכיה *re'eh dracheha*, look at the ant, not that the ant is lazy. ראה *re'eh*, לך אל נמלה עצל *lech el nemala atzel*, you, you lazy good for nothing good for bupkis bum, you the עצל *otzel*, look at the ant. Look at its ways. The ant is always scurrying. The ant is always working. The ant is always making an effort. The ant doesn't sit still. So you lazy good for nothing, לך *lech*, go look at the ant and וחכם *v'chacham*, you'll become wise. So what do you mean you'll become wise? Shouldn't it say ראה דרכיה והיה זריז *re'eh dracheha v'hiyeh zariz*. Look at the ant and then act, jump, go, scurry, do. The opposite of עצלות *atzlus*, the opposite of laziness is, the opposite of עצלות *atzlus* is not חכמה *chochmah*, it's not wisdom. What's the opposite of laziness is זריזות *zrizus*. Go look at the lazy ant and become a זריז *zariz* and become act with alacrity. Should have said ראה דרכיה *re'eh dracheha*, why does it say וחכם *v'chacham*? So said the לב אליהו *Lev Eliyahu* the following, you see that the מקור העצלות *mekor ha'atzlus*, you see that the source of laziness is טפשות *tipshus*, ignorance, stupidity, foolishness. טמטום הלב וחוסר הרגשה *timtum ha'lev v'choser hargasha*, a person has a contaminated heart, a person doesn't have the right feeling. אין חכמה תלויה בידיעת השכל אלא בהרגשת הלב *Ein chochmah tluya b'yidias hasechel elah b'hargashas ha'lev*. You see that חכמה *chochmah*, wisdom, is not only about cognitive, it's not only about the head, but it's about the feeling of the heart. So the opposite of עצלות *atzlus*, the opposite of laziness is wisdom. If you were wise, you wouldn't be lazy. If you were smart, if you had ambition, if you had drive, if you were thoughtful, you wouldn't be lazy. So the answer to overcoming laziness is not alacrity. The answer to overcoming laziness is חכמה *chochmah* is wisdom. And that's why שלמה המלך *Shlomo HaMelech* couches it in that form. And that's what it means, שופטים ושוטרים תתן לך *shoiftim v'shotrim titen lecha*, have intention, mindfulness, wisdom in all of our gates, in our head, how we carry ourselves. פרק יט פסוק יג. Moving right along, next page. Priestly gifts, לא יהיה לכהנים הלויים כל שבט לוי חלק ונחלה עם ישראל. אשי השם ונחלתו יאכלון. The Torah tells us the כהן לוי *Cohen Levi*, that tribe were not given their own portion in the land, but rather they were allocated cities within the lands of others. They were the original model of a community כולל *kollel*. The כהנים לויים *kohanim leviim* lived among everybody else. They taught, they inspired, they led. That was their job, that was their responsibility, and therefore we paid them, we supported them so they could be in that position of modeling that we spoke about at the beginning, דוגמא אישית *dugma ishit*, the idea of the personal model. So here in this context, skip forward. We get to prophecy. We get to Hashem sends prophets. נביא אקים *Navi akim* and we get to the pasuk. פרק יט *perek yud tes*, פרק יח *perek yud ches*, rather פסוק יג *pasuk yud gimmel*. תמים תהיה עם השם אלקיך *Tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*. The Torah tells us תמים תהיה עם השם אלקיך *tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*. אומר רש\"י *Zogt Rashi*, התהלך עמו בתמימות ותצפה לו ולא תחקור אחר העתידות *hithalech imo b'tmimus v't'tzapeh lo v'lo sachkor achar ha'asidos*. אל כל מה שיבוא עליך קבל בתמימות ואז תהיה עמו ולחלקו *Ela kol ma she'yavo alecha kabel b'tmimus v'az tihiyeh imo u'l'chelko*. It means that whatever happens to us, accept it, received it בתמימות *b'tmimus*. Be whole, be complete, be שלם *shalem* with whatever life throws our way. Don't consult a horoscope or a fortune cookie, don't subscribe to silly superstitions. Recognize that everything is from השם *Hashem*. תמים תהיה עם השם אלקיך *Tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*, says Rashi. Look at the אונקלוס *Unkelos*. שלים תהא בדחלתא דהשם אלהיך *Shlim tehei b'dichalta d'Hashem Elakach*. שלים תהא *shlim tehei*. Says אונקלוס *Unkelos*, what does it mean תמים *tamim*? How do you translate the word תמים *tamim* to be תם *tam*? Be whole, be simple, be forthright, be complete. Just go with God. Don't let other considerations. There are no other considerations. השם *Hashem*. השם *Hashem* is the only one we care about. Recognize he's in charge, he's in control, we submit, we surrender to him. Says אונקלוס *Unkelos*, תמים *tamim*, how do you translate the word תמים *tamim*? שלים *shlim*, שלם *shaleim*, be whole, be שלם *shaleim*, be whole with God, be שלם *shaleim*, be whole with God. Rav Wolbe says, what does it mean to be שלם *shaleim*? What does it mean to be whole with God? So the Rambam, the Rambam in Shmoneh Prakim, Perek Daled, the Rambam in Shmoneh Prakim Perek Daled writes, האדם השלם צריך שיזכור מידותיו תמיד וישקול פעולותיו ויבחן תכונות נפשו בכל יום ויום *ha'adam ha'shaleim tzarich she'yizkor midosav tamid v'yishkol pe'ulosav v'yivchan t'chunos nafsho b'chol yom va'yom*. What does it mean to be an אדם שלם *adam shaleim*? What does it mean to be a whole person? What does it mean? To be a person who strives to be whole? What does it mean to be whole? So the Rambam defines what it means to be whole, what it means to be שלם *shaleim*, what it means to be תמים *tamim*. In Shmoneh Prakim Perek Daled he says, יזכור מידותיו תמיד *yizkor midosav tamid*, it means to have a self-awareness. ישקול פעולותיו *yishkol pe'ulosav*, it means to weigh our actions. יבחן תכונות נפשו יום ויום *yivchan t'chunos nafsho yom va'yom*, it means to evaluate, to assess, to consider who we are. What are our strengths and weaknesses? What are our personality traits? Who are we and what are we doing with our life and where do we want to go and what do we want to be? To be mindful and thoughtful about that. בכל יום ויום *B'chol yom va'yom*, every day. מה שיראה נפשו נוטה לצד קצות מן הקצוות ימהר לרפואה ולא יניח התכונה הרעה להתחזק בשנות רעה *Ma she'yireh nafsho note l'tzad k'tzos min ha'k'tzavos yemaher l'refuah v'lo yaniach ha'tchuna ha'ra'ah l'hischazek b'sh'nos ra*. If you find your extreme in any direction, quick, intervene. If you find your extreme, quick, recalibrate, pivot, get back to the golden mean. וישם לנגד עיניו מידותיו החסרות אשר לו וישתדל לרפאותן תמיד *V'yasem l'neged einav midosav ha'chaseros asher lo v'yishtadel l'refaosan tamid*. Opposite our eye, we should always be thinking every day, know what one needs to work on. Am I lazy? Am I envious? Am I arrogant? Do I get angry? What do I need to work on? What is my struggle? Do I not have קבנה *kavanah*? Do I not make ברכות *brachos*? Do I not feel gratitude? Do I fly off the handle easily? Am I impatient? What do I need to work on? That should be before me regularly, לנגד עיניו *l'neged einav*, and work hard to heal to work on this. That's how the Rambam defines. So the pasuk here says, תמים תהיה עם השם אלקיך *tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*, which Rashi says means no superstition. Onkelos says it means be שלם *shaleim*. What does it mean to be שלם *shaleim* to be תמים *tamim*? Says the Rambam, it means to be mindful, to be thoughtful. Many people are incomplete, they're not שלם *shaleim*. And in what way are they broken? In what way are they not שלם *shaleim*? They're just going through life. Whatever habit, whatever wrote, whatever momentum that life is carrying them. Our job, our responsibility is to stop, to be intentional, to be thoughtful, to assess who we are and who we want to be and how we're going to get there. To make goals and make resolutions in order to achieve them. And Rav Wolbe in עלי שור *Alei Shur* elaborates, we don't have the time right now to read it, but based on this Rambam, he describes the whole origin, the idea of מוסר *mussar*. Learning מוסר *mussar* every day is the fulfillment of how to be a שלם *shaleim*. If you want to be שלם *shaleim*, if you want to be whole, the way to be שלם *shaleim* to be whole is to be intentional, to be mindful. And how are we intentional and mindful when you're running to work and the gym and carpool and life and dinner and bedtime and there's so much to do. How can you be intentional and thought thoughtful and שלם *shaleim*? The answer is you need to learn a little מוסר *mussar* every day. לימוד מניסיון ידוע שכל הקובע זמן ללימוד מוסר יום יום *limud, m'nisayon yadua she'kol ha'kovea zman l'limud mussar yom yom*, writes Rav Wolbe, עלי שור *Alei Shur* פרק פח *perek pei ches*, משתנה הוא לטובה מבלי שיורגש בכך *mishtaneh hu l'tova m'bli she'yurgash b'kach*. That a person who learns mussar every day will transform themselves for the good. They won't even be able to feel it. Every day, incrementally, slowly, we will improve, we will grow, we will become better versions of ourselves. You can't necessarily even perceive it on a day-to-day basis, but at the end of the week, the month, the year, we can measure how different we are if we're calm and we're patient and we're kind and we're good and we're thoughtful and we're mindful in all that we do. בהנהגותו בזהירותו בשאיפותיו לדרגות התורה *B'hanhagoso, b'zehiruso, b'sh'ifosav l'dargos ha'Torah*. Our aim, our goal, our ambition. That's what learning mussar does for us. That's what mussar is all about. So תמים תהיה עם השם אלוקיך *tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha* is a description of our relationship to Hashem, but תמים תהיה *tamim tihiyeh* is also a description of how to one, how can one be a שלם *shaleim*? The way to be שלם *shaleim* is to be intentional, to be mindful, to be thoughtful in what we do. The באר משה *Be'er Moshe*, רב משה אליקים *Rav Moshe Elyakim* of קוז'ניץ *Kozhnitz*. The באר משה *Be'er Moshe*, the קוז'ניץר *Kozhnitzer* has a different interpretation. He says the following, תמים תהיה עם השם אלקיך *tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*. יש לומר על דרך הפשוט שבא הכתוב לרמז זכות ישראל שמהראוי שיהיו תמיד תמימים ושלמים חזקים ובריאים בגוף ובנפש וברוח ונשמה למען יוכלו להיות דבוקים בהשם אלוקיכם *Yesh lomar al derech ha'pashut, sheba ha'kasuv l'ramez zchus Yisrael, she'me'ha'rauy she'yihyu tamid t'mimim u'shleimim chazakim u'vri'im b'guf u'v'nefesh u'v'ruach u'neshama l'maan yuchlu l'hiyos d'veikim b'Hashem Elokeichem*. He says, תמים תהיה עם השם אלוקיך *tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*. You need to be תמים *tamim*. You need to go to the gym, you need to work out, you need to eat right, you need to get enough sleep. This Elul, our Elul brochure just came out, you can pick it up in the BRS lobby or you can find it on the BRS homepage, brsonline.org. We have a great Elul brochure included, we have a four-part series: eat, breathe, sleep, move. The four parts of being תמים *tamim*. How can you be whole, how can you be שלם *shaleim*? You need to be healthy. If you don't have a healthy body and you don't have a healthy emotion, you're not going to have a healthy soul. בריאים חזקים ושלמים בגוף בנפש ברוח ונשמה *Bri'im, chazakim, shleimim b'guf, b'nefesh, b'ruach, u'neshama*. Eat right, sleep right, breathe right and enough movement, move right. Don't be sedentary, don't be still. All why? למען יוכלו להיות דבוקים בהשם אלוקיכם *l'maan yuchlu l'hiyos d'veikim b'Hashem Elokeichem*, so that we can cling to, we can connect with God. So that's what it means, says the באר משה *Be'er Moshe* the קוז'ניץר *Kozhnitzer*. זהו תמים תהיה שמהראוי שתהיה תמים ושלם שלמות הגמור עם השם אלוקיך *zehu tamim tihiyeh she'me'ha'rauy she'tihiyeh tamim v'shaleim shleimus ha'gamur im Hashem Elokecha*. שאתה צריך להיות דבוק בהשם אלוקיך ולעבדו בשלימות *She'ata tzarich l'hiyos davuk b'Hashem Elokecha u'l'ovdo b'shleimus*. אמן כן יהי רצון *Amen kein yehi ratzon*, he writes. That if you want to be שלם עם השם אלוקיך *shaleim im Hashem Elokecha*, how are we שלם עם השם אלוקיך *shaleim im Hashem Elokecha*? תמים תהיה עם השם אלוקיך *Tamim tihiyeh im Hashem Elokecha*. If you want to be עם השם אלוקיך *im Hashem Elokecha*, be תמים *tamim*. Be תמים *tamim*. If your health is not right, if your mental health is not right, if your emotional health is not right, then you won't be עם השם אלוקיך *im Hashem Elokecha*. To be best positioned to succeed, to thrive, to flourish, עם השם אלוקיך *im Hashem Elokecha*, one needs to strive to be תמים *tamim* in every other definition, in every other way. Okay, moving right along, פרק כ פסוק ב *perek chaf pasuk beis*. Cities of refuge, we're going to skip. פרק יט *Perek yud tes*, ערי מקלט *arei miklat*, we've covered many times. עדים זוממים *eidim zomemim*, what happens when witnesses lie, corrupt witnesses, fraud, and they get what they meant to exact on the other and where that comes from. פרק חס *Perek chaf*, we're on page 1038. פרק כ' *Perek chaf*, chapter 20, verse ב' *beis*. פסוק ב' *Pasuk beis*. כי תצא למלחמה על אויביך וראית סוס ורכב עם רב ממך לא תירא מהם *Ki seitzei la'milchama al oyvecha v'raisa sus va'rechev am rav mimcha lo sira mehem*. When you go to war with your enemy and you encounter many more people than you, don't be afraid. כי השם אלוקיך עמך המעלך מארץ מצרים *Ki Hashem Elokecha imach ha'ma'alcha me'eretz Mitzrayim*. God is with us. When it was the war of independence 1948, the six day war, the Yom Kippur war, there are so many more Arab nations that surround Israel, don't be afraid by the number. השם אלוקיך עמך *Hashem Elokecha imach*. God is with us and we have seen it and we celebrate it in miraculous ways. המעלך מארץ מצרים *Ha'ma'alcha me'eretz Mitzrayim*. And if you doubt that we can overcome an enemy that is greater in number and greater in might, המעלך מארץ מצרים *ha'ma'alcha me'eretz Mitzrayim*. Just go back to the story of Egypt. He took us out then, and he could help us succeed now. One has nothing to be afraid of. והיה כקרבכם אל המלחמה *V'hayah k'karovchem el ha'milchama*. So when you approach war, ונגש הכהן ודבר אל העם *v'nigash ha'kohen v'diber el ha'am*. The Kohen gets up and the Kohen gives a speech. The Kohen gives a charge to the people and he says, ואמר אליהם שמע ישראל *v'amar aleihem Shma Yisrael*, אתם קרבים היום למלחמה על אויביכם *atem kreivim hayom la'milchama al oyveichem*. Listen Jewish people, today you are approaching your enemy in war. אל ירך לבבכם *Al yerach l'vavchem*, do not become fainthearted. אל תיראו ואל תחפזו ואל תערצו מפניהם *Al tiru v'al tachpezu v'al ta'artzu mipneihem*. Don't be afraid, don't panic, don't be broken. כי השם אלוקיכם ההולך עמכם להלחם לכם עם אויביכם להושיע אתכם *Ki Hashem Elokeichem ha'holech imachem l'hilachem lachem im oyveichem l'hoshia eschem*. Because God, and we incorporate this pasuk into the תפילה for the מדינה *tefillah for the medina*, when we daven for our brothers and sisters in Israel, for those serving in the IDF, this is the pasuk. השם אלוקיכם ההולך עמכם *Hashem Elokeichem ha'holech imachem*, God who goes before you, להלחם לכם עם אויביכם *l'hilachem lachem im oyveichem*, who fights for you with your enemies, להושיע אתכם *l'hoshia eschem*, he is the one who saves us. The חידושי הרי\"ם *Chidushei HaRim* has a comment on this pasuk. Says the great רבי יצחק מאיר מגור *Rav Yitzchak Meir of Ger*, the חידושי הרי\"ם *Chidushei HaRim*, Rashi says, who are we talking about? שמע ישראל *Shma Yisrael*, listen, you're coming close to war. So Rashi says, אפילו אין בכם זכות אלא קריאת שמע בלבד כדי אתם שיושיע אתכם *afilu ein bachem zchus ela krias shma bilvad k'dai atem she'yoshia eschem*. Even if the only, even if the only thing you have going for you is שמע *shma*, you have nothing to worry about. Where does Rashi get that from? The pasuk says שמע ישראל *Shma Yisrael*, listen. So the simple translation, the simple meaning or understanding is listen carefully, you're going to war. But the allusion of course, the reference, שמע ישראל *Shma Yisrael* is, hey, listen, soldier, even if you, soldier, are not observant, you're not righteous, even if you soldier have a lot of work to do, but if all you do is say שמע *shma*, that's enough, that you have no reason to fear. Hashem will have your back, Hashem will be with you at war, even if all you say is שמע *shma*. אלא כל דבר טוב שיהא נקי בו לגמרי *ela kol davar tov she'yehei naki bo l'gamrei*. You need to have something that you are good at. שמע *Shma*. וכן אמר היהודי הקדוש מפשיסחא שיבחר אדם לעצמו מצוה אחת לעבוד בה כל ימיו עד שיהא נקי בה כראוי *V'chen omar haYehudi haKadosh mi'Pshischa, she'yivchar adam l'atzmo mitzvah achas la'avod bah kol yamav ad she'yehei naki bah ka'rauy*. So the חידושי הרי\"ם *Chidushei HaRim* quotes the יד *Yid*, quotes the יהודי הקדוש מפשיסחא *Yehudi HaKadosh mi'Pshischa* who says that you see from here that this soldier who neglects God in every way and all he has going for him is that he says שמע *shma* well every day and that's good enough, you see that a Jew should choose a מצוה *mitzvah* and focus, take one מצוה *mitzvah* that we do incredibly well. What's your מצוה *mitzvah*? Every Jew has a מצוה *mitzvah* they can love. What's your מצוה *mitzvah*? What's your מצוה *mitzvah*? וכן עברה אחת שישמר מכל עבירות שדידה *V'chen aveirah achas she'yishamer m'kol aveiros she'dida*. And similarly, and in parallel, find one עברה *aveirah*, not that's your עברה *aveirah* to do, that's your עברה *aveirah* to avoid. So one mitzvah, one mitzvah that you do with sincere intent, one mitzvah that you do vigilantly, carefully, one mitzvah that you do according to all the opinions, choose one mitzvah to embrace and lean into and make it your mitzvah. And choose one עברה *aveirah*, one thing you won't violate, one thing that you won't, you won't be over. ואף שצריכים לשמור כל המצוות *V'af she'tzrichim lishmor kol ha'mitzvos*, not that the truth is it's not good enough, you can't just choose one and one. Obviously we're bound by all the mitzvos. מכל מקום יבחר מצוה אחת שיהא כל עסקו בה *M'kol makom yivchar mitzvah achas she'yehei kol isko bah*, and that's what it means here. And the יהודי מפשיסחא *Yehudi mi'Pshischa* said that he chose a mitzvah, נשון תיתן *nasoin titen*, giving צדקה *tzedakah*. לא תנאף *lo sin'af*, כי מצווה של צדקה *ki mitzvah shel tzedakah*, מצווה עבירה הוא עריות *mitzvah aveirah hu arayos*. The one mitzvah he was careful with was giving צדקה *tzedakah*, always to give, never hesitated, gave generously, and the one עברה *aveirah* was עריות *arayos*, not to practice infidelity, not to have an affair, not to do inappropriate, not to be lewd or lascivious. ואז יוכל אדם ללחום מלחמת היצר הרע *V'az yuchal adam l'lachom milchemes ha'yetzer hara*. And then the way to overcome the war with our יצר הרע *yetzer hara* is that we have one mitzvah we always have going for us that we can come back to, one עברה *aveirah* that we always avoid that we can come back to. And that's what it means. But Rav Druck notes and many others do as well, that there seems to be a contradiction. There seems to be a סתירה *stira* going on here in these psukim. On the one hand we say that this soldier who all they do is say שמע *shma*, that's good enough. That's good enough. They can be saved in war, they have nothing to fear when all they do is say שמע *shma*. And yet on the other hand, we're about to read a whole group of people that we send home from war. The gemara in Sotah learns, who's the איש הירא ורך הלבב *ish ha'yarei v'rach ha'levav*? Who is the fearful person who is faint of heart? The gemara says, זה המתיירא מן עבירות שבידו *zeh ha'mityarei min aveiros she'b'yado*. This is a person who's afraid of the עבירות *aveiros* that they've done. Even someone who simply talks between the תפילין של יד ותפילין של ראש *tefillin shel yad and tefillin shel rosh*, someone who speaks while putting the tefillin on, we send you home from war. You're disqualified. You have to go home. So which is it? Is saying שמע *shma* good enough? That's all you need to do is say שמע *shma*? Or somebody who has עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*, somebody who's done עבירות *aveiros*, we send them home. What is the, what is the rule? So he says the following. You see something powerful here. That of course, somebody who's violated עבירות *aveiros*, we send home. But even the person who's made mistakes, and even the person who has a negative record, but if all they do right now on the way to war is say שמע *shma* with great intent, we're learning שמע *shma* and Seder Snippets, it's what we're up to. שמע *Shma*, the is motto, the is bumper sticker of the Jewish people. שמע *Shma*, what Yaakov's sons answered when he was doubtful and concerned about whether in fact they were receiving his message. שמע *Shma*, which is the statement, the only part of davening we're biblically obligated to say, the unity of Hashem's existence, קבלת עול מלכות שמים *kabbalas ol malchus shamayim*, the statement of our submission, of our surrender of what religion really is all about. Even if this individual who has a negative track record, the individual is ירא ורך לבב *yarei v'rach levav*, who has עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*, but if all they do is say שמע *shma*, that's enough that Hashem is going to save you. You can stay. שמע *Shma* can erase. שמע *Shma* can purge. שמע *Shma* can transform. שמע *Shma* can create a new beginning, a new opportunity. And this is like the gemara in Kiddushin. The gemara in Kiddushin on דף מט *daf mem tes* tells us, המקדש את האשה *ha'mekadesh es ha'isha*, someone who proposes to a woman, על מנת שאני צדיק *al menas she'ani tzaddik*, says on condition that I'm righteous, then, even if they're a רשע גמור *rasha gamur*, מקודשת *mekudeshes*. What do you mean? We just saw somebody coming out of McDonald's eating a cheeseburger, drinking something non-kosher on Shabbos with a non-Jew on their arm. Imagine all the aveiros that you can all together and now they propose to a woman, they try to betroth the woman and they do so על מנת שאני צדיק *al menas she'ani tzaddik* saying I'm righteous, and we say the marriage is good. What do you mean the marriage is good? That condition is met, they're righteous? The answer is yes. Simply pausing, hesitating, what Rav Soloveitchik coined הרהור תשובה *hirhur tshuva*. Not only the act of תשובה *tshuva*, simply the decision, the mentality, the leap that I'm going to make a huge transformation in my life, that is enough for the change to be different. הרהור תשובה *Hirhur tshuva*, to make the decision. So this individual who says שמע *shma*, it's not a contradiction that we sent home from war עבירות שבידו *aveiros she'b'yado*. The individual who says שמע *shma* is allowed to remain because it's not עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*. This individual when they say שמע *shma*, has a new beginning, has a fresh start, is able to take it from the top, is able to take it from the, from the beginning. Is able to take it from the, from the beginning. Some translate עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*. You know what the problem is, עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*? Where's my Kotsker go? עבירות בידו *Aveiros b'yado*. Some translate עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*. What does the Kotsker say? But Rashi, עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*. The Kotsker also asks the same question. אם כן מי ילך למלחמה *Im kein mi yelech l'milchama*? אפילו סח בין תפלה של יד לתפלה של ראש חוזר *Afilu sakh bein tefillah shel yad l'shel rosh chozer*. Who's going to fight in this war? עבירות שבידו *Aveiros she'b'yado*, any aveirah you have to go home? Even someone who speaks when between יום טוב *Yishtabach* and יוצר אור *Yotzer Or*? מי יאמר זכיתי לבי *Mi yomar zichisi libi*. Who can say that they're qualified? Who can say that they're pure and perfect? And it says שמע ישראל אתם קרבים *Shma Yisrael atem kreivim*, and Rashi says, אין בכם זכות אלא קריאת שמע בלבד כדי אתם שיושיע אתכם *ein bachem zchus ela krias shma bilvad k'dai atem she'yoshia eschem*. So which is it? So listen to what the Kotsker does. Kotsker says, כי הפירוש הירא מהעבירות שבידו *ki ha'perush ha'yarei me'aveiros she'b'yado*. What does it mean? Who's the person who sent home from war? Who's the individual who's fearful about the עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*? מי שבאמת נמנע מלעשות רע ואינו עובר חס ושלום *Mi she'b'emes nimna m'la'asos ra v'eino over chas v'shalom*. The truth is, it's a person who hasn't violated any prohibition. רק תמיד חושב עליהם ובעצבות ומרה שחורה ומזה נמשך שאינו עושה טוב להבא *Rak tamid choshev aleihem u'v'atzvus u'mara sh'chora u'mi'zeh nimshach she'eino oseh tov l'haba*. It doesn't mean they actually violated. However, it's all they could think about. It's all that they fantasize and dream about. And they're so sad, they're so broken, they're so despondent. אדם כזה אינו ראוי ללכת למלחמה *Adam kazeh eino rauy l'leches l'milchama*. Such an individual can't go to war. כי אין לו חזק לחזק את עצמו בדרך השם יתברך *Ki ein lo chizuk l'chazek es atzmo b'derech Hashem Yisborach*. The ירא ורך לבב *yarei v'rach levav* is עבירות בידו *aveiros b'yado*. עבירות בידו *Aveiros b'yado* doesn't mean that you actually did aveiros, it means that you are distracted, you feel unworthy, you feel inadequate, you feel בידו *b'yado*, you're carrying it with you always. We can't afford a soldier on the front line whose head is not in the game, who feels unworthy, inadequate. The soldier who feels, who's fantasizing, who's fixated on those aveiros, we cannot afford to put our trust, our faith in them, to have them at the front line, and therefore that's the individual. עבירות בידו *Aveiros b'yado*. They're holding on, they don't put down, they can't stop thinking. That is the individual who has to go home. A lot more to talk about. Subscribe here on our YouTube channel, simply hit the subscribe button. When you hit subscribe, you'll become alerted in real time every time that we go live, and you can learn with us each and every time. Tomorrow morning at 8:15, 10 minutes of, 8:45. 45 living with אמונה Emunah. And I hope you continue to join us and to learn together. Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy.
