Israel and The Sin of Expulsion

Our Parsha Nitzavim sets the tone for the final doubleheader parshiyot by opening with Moshe Rabbeinu addressing the B’nai Yisrael on the final day of his life:

“Atem Nitzavim HaYom… You are standing today, all of you, before Hashem, your G’d…. for you to pass into the convenant of Hashem, …that Hashem… seals with you today in order to establish you as a people to Him and that He be a G’d to you as He spoke to you and as He swore to your forefathers, to Avraham, to Yitzchak and to Yaakov.” (Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, Sefer Devarim Perek 29, posukim 9-13)

But why is Moshe speaking here about entering into the Covenant of Hashem? Weren’t the B’nai Yisrael initiated into the Covenant back at Matan Torah when they gave this response?:

“Everything that Hashem has spoken we will do… (Artscroll Stone Edition Chumash, Sefer Sh’mos. Perek 19, posuk 8 )

The Stone Chumash introduction to Parsha Nitzavim (page 1086) states on this question:

What is new about this Covenant was the concept of responsibility for one and another, under which every Jew is obligated to help others observe the Torah and to restrain them from violating it. This is why Moshe [as the Stone Chumash cites in Or HaChaim]… said that Hashem would not hold them [presumably the collective — the Kehal] responsible for sins that had been done secretly, but that they would be liable for transgressions committed openly. This…. explains why one may not be apathetic to the shortcomings of others and why public desecrations of the Torah are the concern of every Jew of good conscience.

Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch z’l notes in the Hirsch Chumash, Sefer Devarim, Parsha Nitzavim page 692:

…Scripture stresses the common Responsibility of all Israel for upholding the Torah and fulfilling its commandments. According to this principle, the individual does not fulfill his role if he is faithful to his duty in his personal life alone, but does not do his utmost to promote observance of the Law throughout his community.

The posukim cited above, as well as both the spirit expressed in the Stone Chumash’s introduction to Nitzavim and the citing from Rav Hirsch raise the following questions:

• 1/ At what point do violations done by individuals, giving the appearance of having been done “in secret”, actually impact and affect the Kehal such that, while appearing to be “secret”, the violation actually occurs and impacts the Kehal “openly”?
• 2/ Don’t violations such as physical and psychological domestic abuse or child abuse, theft whether from one’s spouse or from one’s fellow, forgery, solicitation of illicit or fraudulent loans, organized crime activities, serial illegal breaking-and-entering and more actually constitute “transgressions committed openly” even though, at first glance they appear as “having been done in secret”, and even though the Kehal may not, for whatever reason, be aware of the existence of such violations by such individual(s)?
• 3/ Don’t we learn that the terms “in secret” and “openly” may actually be euphemisms for Bein Adam L’Mokom (between man and Hashem) and Bein Adam L’Chaveiro (between man and his fellow) respectively and that Divine punishment meted out for wrongs done by man against his fellow are actually more severe than those meted out for wrongs done by man against Hashem?
• 4/ What about the value of a marriage ketubah? Why does it seem as if married women are lesser-class citizens in divorce proceedings, such that unscrupulous, disreputable husbands are seemingly able to circumvent Halachas of Ketubah in a divorce with immunity? Why must unfortunate wives of such unsavory characters be forced to go into debt for the rest of their lives to pay a “settlement” — which the recalcitrant husband deems as prerequisite to his giving her a Get? Don’t issues of marriage and divorce represent Bein Adam L’Chaveiro issues in terms of Divine retribution?
• 5/ And finally, as some sectors of the religious world carry on a war against the “evils” of the internet out of fear for what their young may be exposed to through unsupervised or irresponsible online usage, what about the spectre of a Kehillah’s young and young adult Yeshiva bochurim being directly exposed in real-time, 1-on-1, in-person, upclose and personal to such an unsavory individual or individuals as described in question 2? Such individual or individuals slyly, cunningly, arrogantly assert “their turf” with immunity by appearing at shuls, at Kiddushes and engaging unknowing parents, their offspring and young Yeshiva bochurim in conversation. Isn’t this direct, in-person contact with such unsavory types at least as severe a direct threat to the young as whatever illicit scam or spam young people may encounter online?

Fortunately, there are organizations, such as See You on Shabbos, who seem to have begun to deal with some of the issues addressed here, perhaps particularly issues raised in #4 concerning safety and security issues regarding possible unsavory individuals.

Good Shabbos! L’Shana Tova!

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Moshe Burt is an Oleh, writer and commentator on news and events in Eretz Yisrael. He is the founder and director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parsha Ki Tavo continues in the same theme track with last week’s Parsha Ki Teitzei and several of the previous Parshiyot in discussing Mitzvot which teach kindness, compassion and attentiveness to others.

Sure enough, a review of Gemora Bava Metzia (Shottenstein Edition with English) pages 22a2- 22a-3 provides such a mechanism. Footnote #20 states citing Rashi:

When a person separates Terumah, his act is valid only if he is aware of what he is doing. Thus, it may be derived from the scriptual source… that the agents’ acts are valid only if the principal is aware of what he [presumably the agent] is doing, having appointed him beforehand.

And the Gemora Nedarim, page 59a-1 (Shottenstein edition with English) cites R; Abba:

…Since if he wishes, he can petition a sage or panel of judges for [their annulment] — they [presumably the Terumah] are like a forbidden item for which there is a remedy…

The Gemora questions:

But Terumah, which is also something for which he can, if he wishes, petition a sage or a panel of judges for annulment…

Footnote #6 on this Gemora is more explicit:

Anything that becomes sanctified through a verbal declaration, such as… Terumah, can have its declaration annulled by a sage (Rashi, Pesachim 46b, Rashbam, Bava Basra 120b). Terumah is therefore subject to annulment on the basis of both a[n] opening or regret… like all nedarim.

So what is the point of this entire exercise? The question occurs to this author as whether accomplishing a learning alone, without the variables of other texts which might mitigate or complete the learning — is that what Hashem wants, particularly when speaking of Kavanah — which is so central to Judaism? Does Hashem want closed-ended defined time-period learning of any text based on the premise of human nature — Derech HaTeva — of possible drop-outism due to “boredom”? What is the value in the higher world of learning based on such a defined time period? Isn’t s’kar — credit in Shemayim given for learning which is give-and-take and more fully understood? And perhaps, can it be that closed-ended defined time-period learning comes from the same place as insensitive speed-of-light tefillahs, the Shaliach Tzibbor who mumble-jumbles, mispronounces or misses words of Chazarat Hashatz (repetition of Shemonah Esrei) or the 30 to 45 second Aleinu?? Is that what Hashem really wants from us?

May we, the B’nai Yisrael be zocha that our brethren — the refugee families from Gush Katif be permanently settled and be made totally whole, that our dear brother Jonathan Pollard, captive Gilad Shalit and the other MIAs be liberated alive and returned to us in ways befitting Al Kiddush Hashem. May we have the courage to prevent the possibility of Chas V’Challila any future eviction of Jews from their homes and the handing of Jewish land over to enemies sworn to Israel’s and Judaism’s destruction and eradication. May we fulfill Hashem’s blueprint of B’nai Yisrael as a Unique people — an Am Segula, not to be reckoned with as with “the nations” and may we be zocha to see the Moshiach, the Ge’ula Shlaima, as Dov Shurin sings; “Ki Karov Yom Hashem V’Kol HaGoyim”, the Ultimate Redemption, bim hay v’yameinu — speedily, in our time”, — Achshav, Chik Chuk, Miyad, Etmol!!!

Good Shabbos! L’Shana Tova!

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Moshe Burt is an Oleh, writer and commentator on news and events in Eretz Yisrael. He is the founder and director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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Parsha Ki Teitsei teaches numerous Mitzvot such as; returning lost items to their rightful owners, loaning money to one’s fellow Jew free from interest, what one is permitted to or prohibited from taking from another Jew as loan security, Shatnes (wool and linen together), Tzitzit, and dealing fairly and truthfully with one’s fellow Jews in business. We also learn of Mitzvot such as sending a mother bird away before taking the young or the eggs and helping one’s fellow Jew load and unload a burden, fencing in a roof area and not harnessing together different species of animals on the same yoke.

We remember the Amelek without, but we must remember the Amalek within as well; lo nishcach v’lo Nislach — we won’t forgive and we can’t and won’t forget the lack of justice, principle and morality of Israel’s governance as exemplified by recent evictions; i.e., the expulsion, Amona, the events in Chevron — in Shalhevet neighborhood, Beit Shapira, Beit HaShalom and Federman’s farm, as well as Jonathan Pollard’s 25 years in US prison, as well as the whole Oslo litany and much more. These are all reflective of an immense rap sheet of perversion and subversion of justice amongst the leftist governing elitist establishment in Israel as well as the alleged “religious (sic) parties,” ‘who talk the talk’. They express opposition to the lack of justice, principle and morality of the governing regime, yet haven’t the nack for courage — for ‘walking the walk’. These “religious parties” continue their petty squabbling among themselves for political and financial spoils at the peril of both their own constituency and the entire Am Yisrael. These factions exhibit their own lack of justice, principle and morality thus enabling corrupt governance to “divide and conquer” thus jeopardizing the welfare of the nation, for their brethren and emboldening the israel’s enemies.

We find two posukim in our Parsha which express a concept far beyond the penalty for illicit relations with a betrothed woman;

If there shall be a virgin girl who is betrothed to a man, and a man finds her in the city and lies with her, then you shall take them both to the gate of that city and pelt them with stones and they shall die; the girl because of the fact that she did not cry out in the city… (Sefer Devarim Perek 22, posukim 23-24.)

Torah Gems, by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, cites the Hidushei Ha-Rim on these posukim;

The young woman is put to death because she did not cry out when she was molested. From this we learn that if a person has the the ability to cry out against injustice and does not do so, it is as if he acquiesced to it. (Torah Gems, Volume 3, Parsha Shoftim, page 276)

The point is, just as the married or betrothed woman who can cry out against her molestation and does not — thus acquiesces to it, is it not so as well with the masses who fail to cry out, scream out and take action against those who pervert or subvert them? If WE don’t “walk the walk”, how is it then possible to compell corrupt leadership to do so?

Rabbi Pliskin quotes the posuk in our parsha,

“You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way, and hide himself from them; you shall surely help him to lift (them) up again.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 22, posuk 4.)

He explains that, while we are obligated to help a fellow Jew whose animal has fallen under the weight of the heavy load on his back, Torah makes a stipulation in the words “help him” which indicates “with him”. Rabbi Pliskin then notes that Rashi cites the Sages in saying that if a person needing help tells you, “I’m going to rest now. You have a mitzvah to help me, so help me all by yourself,” that you are not obligated to help him.

Rabbi Pliskin then goes on to contrast the laziness of a person which leads him to take advantage of and manipulate another person regarding the mitzvah to lend another Jew what he sincerely needs, even though the other person always refuses to help or lend his things or does not reciprocate by helping you in case of need. Rabbi Pliskin states that:

“…The highest level of kindness, chesed shel emes (kindness which is true), is when you do a kindness when you know you will receive nothing in return.”

He goes on to explain that there are other situations where people ask their brother “…to do things for them when those people could do these things themselves without too much effort.” The other person does “…the favors because they tell themselves that they would feel guilty if they refused. By internalizing a Torah perspective, a person will feel joy when helping another person who really needed help, even though the other person does not do him favors in return and expresses no gratitude.”

Torah distinguishes the mitzvah of helping one who is sincerely in need from a tendency of asking one to allow himself to become manipulated or taken advantage of by a lazy person. (Growth Through Torah, Parsha Ki Teitzei, pg. 437-438)

Shem Mishmuel writes quoting Rav Abba bar Kahana who said:

“Hashem says, ‘Do not sit and weigh the Mitzvos of the Torah… Don’t say “Since a particular mitzvah is significant, I will do it because it’s reward is great, and since another mitzvah is less significant, I won’t do it.”‘

Shem Mishmuel echos a concept often addressed on this blog, that:

“Hashem did not reveal to his creations the reward for any particular mitzvah. so they should perform each mitzvah with perfection.” (Shem Mishmuel on Parsha Ki Teitzei, pg. 409)

In previous writings, the performance of mitzvot has been equated with the weight scale in previous writings by asking; who among us mortals can know which mitzvah, even the smallest “Eikev” mitzvah, might just tip the scales, both in terms of any particular individual or on behalf of the collective national redemption of B’nai Yisrael? In short, having just entered the Elul season, “the days of awe” and the run up to the Yom HaDin, the Day of Judgement, we try honestly and objectively to look back, review and examine our actions over the past year and longer. Our lives and our hopes for a good year and good things to come hang in the balance of the Cheshbon, if you will, between our Mitzvot (good deeds) and our Aveirot (sins or violations of Divine law). Once again, as 5771 approaches, it’s “Clutch time” and as that famous coach says, “Our Mitzvot aren’t everything, they’re the Only Thing.”

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt is an Oleh, writer and commentator on news and events in Eretz Yisrael. He is the founder and director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh, Israel.

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The third posuk of our Parsha reads;

“Tzedek, Tzedek tierdof…” Righteousness, righteousness (also rendered Justice, Justice) you shall pursue that you may live and inherit the land which the Lord, your G’d gives you.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 16, posuk 20)

This posuk follows immediately after the opening of our Parsha in which Moshe Rabbeinu urges the B’nai Yisrael;

“Judges and officers shall you appoint in all of your cities — which Hashem …gives you — for your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgement. You shall not pervert judgement, you shall not respect persons, neither take a bribe, for a bribe binds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the words of the righteous.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 16, p’sukim 18-19)

Rabbi Artscroll (The Stone Chumash, Parsha Shoftim, page 1024) cites a Rashi which indicates that the posuk emphasizes that judges must be appointed who qualified and righteous “so that they will judge honestly and correctly. Take notice of the loshen, of the phrase, “you shall not respect persons” — letting a person’s status, position or appearance affect judgement.

Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, in his Sefer “Torah Gems” notes:

“Justice alone is not enough, because there are many types of justice, just as there are many kinds of truth. Every regime has it’s own justice. The Torah therefore stresses ‘Justice, justice you shall pursue…’, namely the justice of justice, where both the means and the end are just.” (Torah Gems, Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Volume 3, Parsha Shoftim page 257)

But, the Saperstein Edition of Chumash with Rashi’s commentary provides a jaw-dropping citing from Sifrei 144 and Sanhedrin 32b on the 3rd posuk of our parsha — “Tzedek, Tzedek tierdof…”:

“Shall you pursue” rather than “shall you judge” indicates that the verse is addressed to litigants, rather than the judges. Although they [litigants] may take their case to any competent court, they should make an effort to take it to a court which has the most learned and righteous judges. (Sefer Zikaron, Mesiach Ilmim, Gur Aryeh)

Perhaps this citing relates to today’s reality in litigating monetary matters before a Beit Din. An aggreived party takes another party to a Beit Din which he deems as most learned and righteous. But the party being sued in Beit Din says upon receipt of summons, “I’m not coming to your Beit Din, you come to mine.” By stating this, is the other party truly interested in acquiring judgement via the most learned and righteous judges? Or is his aim to bring the litigation to a Beit Din which he deems as apt rule his way? Is his aim to get off scot-free by virtue of influence, protexia, etc.? Again, does the reality of kavanah (intent) in litigation before a Beit Din bear any relationship what appears as the Divine concept expressed in the Rashi citing?

And maybe, at this time in Medinat Yisrael, we have to add emphasis to that term “officers.” For we see how the officers — Israel’s “Finest(sic)”, those who are charged with implementation and enforcement of “law”, i.e. apprehending wrong-doers, as well as the “Judges” of “law” who repeatedly pervert, subvert and bend the “law” through selective enforcement, selective apprehension, selective judgement — “justice” according to agenda. Such “justice” suits the needs of a regime under the control of a handful; the agendized elitists who dominate the ministerial bureaucracies, the universities, the print and electronic media and where the financial wealth of the nation is concentrated. These socialist, leftist agendized elite have their tenacles in every Israeli governmental, educational, media and economic institution — Top, bottom,
“upside down… inside out and round and round.” And so these “officers” indoctrinate, brainwash and intimidate against both Torah and the spirit of Jewish justice.

Regarding the current generation of “judges and officers”, this author harkens back to the story conveyed in Parshat Pinchas about the unscrupulous “religious” lawyer who began by helping an oleh chadash to squash credit card company harrassment of an aged parent. This “help” evolved into the “frum” lawyer allegedly duping the oleh with a phony story of a “money-making idea”. And because the oleh believed in the lawyer’s veracity and failed to do due diligence; and because his case was heard before a judge who ignored the facts of the case and ruled merely on the basis that “America alway’s gets its man”, he (the oleh) now faces the strong possibility of extradition as his case goes for appeal to Israel’s “Supreme Court.”

This author thinks a point of last week’s Parsha Re’eh; the subverted or seduced city (Ir HaNidachas), which serves as the basis for the final Mishne of Perek Cheilik of Gemora Tractate Sanhedrin, has a direct connection to the absense of “Tzedek, Tzedek tierdof…”; Righteousness, righteousness you shall pursue that you may live and inherit the land. That connection is between subversion of the governed and the application of judgement based on subverted law, rather than Torah law. In a post 2 1/2 years ago, this author pointed out;

The bottom-line; An honest, morally clean, straight-forward, self-respecting Jewish government would not maneuver itself into being controlled by the nations and would look after their national legacy. Instead, Israel’s corrupt and immoral leaders subject and subordinate themselves and the nation to the follies of others at our collective, dire peril. Thus, while the penalties of the subverted city don’t apply, it seems obvious that charges of treason may.

And at lower, local, communal levels, we tend toward litigiousness, often without “Tzedek, Tzedek tierdof…” Just look at the other guy cross-eyed and end up knee-jerk either before a Beis Din or in civil court, very often with someone’s reputation, good name, ability to earn a parnossa of any kind and other unforeseen consequences on the line. Often such litigation lacks conclusive evidence as well as forethought as to consequences for the other guy’s welfare and the implications for entire communities even should an accusation be proven false and the accusee vindicated. Such a cavalier attitude with someone else on the line seems revealing of the capsular Gush Katif — me first and my door and my protexia at all costs. The other guy is secondary.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt is an Oleh, writer and commentator on news and events in Eretz Yisrael. He is the founder and director ofThe Sefer Torah Recycling Network and lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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According to Rashi, Moshe Rabbeinu begins our Parsha R’ei by informing the B’nei Yisrael about the blessing and the curse to be pronounced to them upon their entry to Eretz Yisrael from Mount Gerizim and Mount Eval.

Moshe Rabbeinu continues his mussar saying:

“Behold, I set before you … a blessing and a curse; the blessing if you heed the commandments of Hashem, and the curse, if you will not observe his commandments. (Sefer Devarim, Perek 11, posukim 26-27)

Toward the end of the parsha, we are informed:

“If there be among you a destitute person of one of your brothers within your cities in your land which Hashem … gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand from your poor brother.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 15, posuk 7)

This author views “V’ahavtah, L’rei’echa Kamocha”, that which Hillel told the Ger “on one foot” as summing up the entire Torah; wanting for your brother what you would want for yourself, and not wanting for your brother what you would not want for yourself, as the link which binds these two these two p’sukim in our Parsha.

One of the most illustrative stories regarding the link between these posukim is one cited in Rabbi Mordechai Katz’s sefer L’lmod U’Lamed (page 170) on our parsha about the consequences of lacking Chesed:

There was once a man who enjoyed all of the good things in life; successful business, devoted wife, a beautiful, spacious home. He was content to continue this good life indefinitely.

One day, as he sat down to a sumptuous meal, there was a knock at the door. A beggar was seeking a few spare morsels of food to suffice his hunger. The man responded scornfully, as he slammed the door; “Why don’t you go out and earn a living instead of depending upon others to support you”.

Not long afterwards, the man noticed that his business began to decline. He soon had to cut back on his lifestyle by pawning off many of his valuable clothing and belongings. The business downturn continued unabated. He gave up all of his furniture and soon, his house as well. His wife volunteered to find work to pay for food but the man refused. Feeling ashamed at not being able to support his wife, he divorced her.

Several months passed and the wife found a new suitor. He was a newly wealthy man and they married and established a household.

Once again, one night as the couple were preparing for dinner, there was a knock at the door. A beggar appeared asking for food. The new husband was much more Chessed oriented than the previous one. He invited the beggar in and provided him with enough food and money for weeks. The beggar, eyes downcast, accepted the Chessed gratefully.

After the beggar departed, the husband noticed a strange look on his wife’s face and asked what was wrong. She explained, “I knew that beggar. He was my first husband. He looked so thin and pale that I hardly recognized him. How sad to see a man sink so low.”

The husband thought for a moment and said, “If that was your first husband, then I just realized something. Do you remember that a beggar once came to your previous home asking for bread and was turned away? Somehow, good fortune seemed to come to me after that and I became wealthy.” We are told, “he who closes his ears to the cry of the poor will himself cry out and not be heard.” (Mishley 21:13) (L’lMode U’Lamid, pages 170-171.)

It is against the background of the two posukim cited above and the consequences of lacking Chesed that one could speak of the importance of a myriad of chassadim. But, as recalled by this author so often in the past, there are two causes which beg, which cry out for the kindness, the chessed of B’nai Yisrael.

For 5 years, since the expulsion of the former Gush Katif residents in 2005, Successive regimes of currupt, immoral Israeli governance, across the board on both sides of the Knesset isle, have tried to gloss over and hide their outrageous and eggregious contempt for the governed, particularly the systemic brainwashing and orientation of the governed masses. These regimes continue their libels, slanders, defamations and accusations against the Jews formerly of Gush Katif to this very day. Such accusations are exemplified by a Haaretz editorial a few years ago;

Each has received some $500,000 in compensation. The main difficulty in absorbing them stems from the fact that they left behind an economic paradise, which was subsidized by the state, and most lack the professional skills needed for a free-market economy. In this, they are different from the Russian immigrants who were successfully absorbed in Israel.

The editorial further claimed:

Two-fold reasons why the former Gush Katif residents “are unable to rebuild the businesses they left behind in Gush Katif, where they acquired their professional knowledge and experience;”

Their businesses were not profitable even in Gush Katif. The second reason is they no longer enjoy cheap Palestinian labor, nearly free water, free land, subsidized electricity and tremendous tax benefits. The Gush Katif evacuees’ lobby in the Knesset is trying to acquire even more compensation, each time for something else. It is very likely that this lobby will succeed, considering settlers’ lobby victories of the past.

Israeli governance hides it’s arrogance and it’s continuing wrong-doing against 10,000 Jews by outrageously acting in complicity with the former Arab employees of former Gush Katif businesses by asserting that these businesses“wrongly dismissed” their Arab employees. These Arabs are, this very day, pressing litigation within the Israeli “Justice (sic) System” suing the former Gush Katif Jewish employers for pitzu’im — severance pay when it was the Israeli government who forced their loss of jobs, not the Jewish employers.

Such outright, blood-libelous, slanderous lies! Further, to this very day, there are still former Gush Katif residents who face repeated eviction threats from the temporary locations where the government placed them.

This all very much brings to mind the scornful cynicism of that wealthy man who blew out the beggar, and became a beggar himself.

There are two organizations which this author wholeheartedly endorses
and where kind, caring, chessed-oriented Jews can directly help hundreds of families of formerly self-sufficient, now needy former Gush Katif residents. These organizations are the Friends of Gush Katif and Operation Dignity. You are strongly encouraged to click on these two sites and to give generously from the heart so that, with your help, B’Ezrat Hashem these industrious and formerly productive Jews can once again resume their lives free from Regime-sanctioned limbo.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt is an Oleh, writer and commentator on news and events in Eretz Yisrael. He is the founder and director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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The beginning of Parsha Eikev is equated in terms of one’s being attentive to the little Mitzvot; the details, the Mitzvot that one tends to overlook, to ignore, to tread one’s heels on in the mad dash, but without which the Jewish people would lack the merit which sets us apart from common man. The little mitzvot, the small details are the ones epitomized by V’Ahavtah L’re’echa Komocha — caring for your fellow Jew as for yourself.

Later in the Parsha, there are these posukim:

“For the land to which you come, to possess — is not like the land of Egypt from where you came…” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 11, posuk 10.)

“The land which you are crossing to occupy…. is therefore a land constantly under Hashem Keilokecha’s scrutiny; the eyes of Hashem Keilokecha are on it at all times, from the beginning of the year until the end of the year.” (Sefer Devarim, Perek 11, posukim 11 & 12)

A parable is cited by Rabbi Mordechai Katz in L’lmod U’lamed on Parsha Eikev (page 167) to explain these posukim, and indeed the concept of Eikev mitzvot;

A son once asked his Father for counsel on seating arrangements for banquet celebrating the Bris Milah of his new-born son.

The son felt embarrassed for the poor people who were always seated at the end of the table and he wished to honor them by seating them at the head of the table while placing the wealthy at the far end.

The father praised the nobility of his son’s intentions but told him that were he to carry out his plan, none of his guests would be very happy.

The father related to his son how the wealthy have plentiful supplies of food in their homes and are coming to the banquet not seeking nourishment, but seeking honor. It is best to seat them at the head of the table so that they receive the honor that they seek. The poor who seek nourishment should sit at the foot of the table where they can eat undisturbed and away from the limelight.

This same differentiation can be made between Israel — Am Yehudi and the other nations.

The nations, the heathens of the world are like the poor at the banquet, they seek only to satisfy their bodily needs and they can accomplish this in any part of the world, but not in our Eretz Yisrael HaKadosh.

But the Jewish nation does not [normally] place it’s emphasis on materialistic satisfaction and has always sought the higher, more spiritual aspects of life.

“They are to be recognized and honored by the rest of the world. Therefore, they have been placed in Eretz Yisrael where the eyes of the world are fixed upon them. (Tehillim 104) In this way, their good deeds can be observed by all. At the same time, however they must be careful not to desecrate Hashem’s laws. If they unfortunately do so, they will be degrading the Torah in full view of all other nations, thereby causing the unspeakable tragedy of ‘Chillul Hashem.’”

Reflecting back over five years, and indeed the previous year and a half leading up to the Expulsion as well, one can only view what occurred as a Chillul Hashem of the highest magnitude. There were at least a dozen junctures where this Gezeira Rah could have been reversed politically. But Israel’s politicians then and now, even and particularly the so-called religious ones, by and large lack any vestige of Jewish moral principle, conviction or integrity. They simply seek material wealth, aggrandisement and power at any and all cost. Any position which jeopardizes their political position or power-base is duly disqualified. And the few, the numbered few — possibly 1-3 out of 120, who possess a modicom of Jewish moral principle, conviction or integrity lack the backbone, competency and capability to lead.

2 months ago, this author blogged the following:

Isn’t today’s corrupt, evil and pretentious governance but a mirror reflection of us — our self-centeredness, our insensitivity and indifference? Just as our ancestors who “fled from the mountain of G’d like a child running away from school”, don’t WE act the same way? After a typical no-kavanah (no-thought, no-contemplative) 6 minute Shemoneh Esrei, we have the unmitigated gall to blow through Aleinu at the speed of a 100plus mph… fastball and then similarly flee out of Shul like kids running from school lest they be piled with more lessons and homework?

Aleinu L’Shabeiyach: The verbalization of OUR Chiyuv — our obligation as Jews to praise and glorify Hashem’s name. Aleinu is the most often said, the most repetitious and unchangeable, yet the least respected of all of our tefillot. Noone even bothers to take the time, when vocalizing the tefillah, to even focus on the meanings of it: that Yehoshua davened it forwards, backwards, sideways through as the Jews encircled Yericho and the Shofars blew until Yericho’s walls fell in heaps.

But, yet we have the unmitigated gall to blow through Aleinu and then flee out of Shul like kids running from school lest they be piled with more lessons and homework?

Many or most Shaliach Tzibburs have the unmitigated gall and chutzpah to mumble-jumble their Chazarot HaShatz such that most of the words of the tefillot are undistinguishable — they are married to “the system” — speed rules. They just want to be finished with tefillot, no matter the break-neck speed. Not a mili-second of thought is given as to whether or not Hashem desires this type of tefillah. And it is the same “system”, the same level of indifference and insincerity of intent which permiates the 30 - 45 second Aleinu.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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The Haftorah for our Parsha begins, “Nachamu, Nachamu Ami yomar Elokeichem” — “Comfort, comfort my people — says your G’d.” (Yishaiya, 40:1) This sentiment seems to be silent, but yet a theme of Parsha Va’etchanan.

Back in Philadelphia, in the old country, a Holacaust story was told of how Nazis confronted a group of Chassidim:

The Nazis rousted and harrassed the Chassidim, telling them “dance Chassidim, dance and sing!” And the Chassidim were silent. Again, the Nazis accosted the Chassidim, “Chassidim, dance and sing!” Then, the Nazis aimed their rifles, “Chassidim, dance and sing, or we will kill you!”

At first, slowly, muted, nervously, a niggun with words was heard faintly. The niggun and the words grew in volume as the Chassidim began to dance. “Mir Villen zei Ibber Leiben, Ibber Leiben, Ibber Leiben, Mir Villen zei Ibber Leiben…” “We will outlive you!”

Yes, we have outlived every nation, every vile personality which put upon B’nai Yisrael and so, we should, in theory, be comforted. And inevitably, B’Ezrat Hashem, history in years from now will show we will have outlived Husssein Obama as well as the rashayim among us.

We hear very little anymore about Arik Sharon, 4 1/2 years after he went comatose after his stroke, although he must have felt really empowered, immortal 5 years ago at this time, He thought that he won, that he had vanquished an enemy; Torah and religion. But the Yad Hashem had other ideas. And Sharon is not the lone subsequent casualty of divine retribution. Time will reveal the others as the casualties mount up. And so we see, just as with the Chassidim, who under Nazi duress, began to dance and sing. The Jews will yet survive the downfall of vile, corruptible post-zionist governance.

“Mir Villen zei Ibber Leiben, Ibber Leiben, Ibber Leiben, Mir Villen zei Ibber Leiben…” “We will outlive you!”

We, those Deemed among the righteous, and Hashem will win out in the end. “Nachamu, Nachamu Ami yomar Elokeichem” — “Comfort, comfort my people — says your G’d.”

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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A number of years ago, Rav Aba Wagensberg spoke out in a shiur that Sefer Devarim represents Moshe Rabbeinu’s Mussar to B’nai Yisrael as the time of his death drew near.

There, Yaakov Aveinu, in his remaining Bracha for Eisev said;

“…your brother you shall serve; yet it shall be that when you are aggrieved, you may cast off his yoke from upon your neck.” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 27, posuk 40)

Rabbi Artscroll renders Rashi;

“When you are aggrieved” as meaning; “If Israel ever transgresses Torah, and is thus undeserving of dominion, you will have a right to be aggrieved that he has taken your blessing and you may cast off his yoke from your neck.” (Artscroll, Stone Chumash page 141: Rashi on Sefer Breish’t, Perek 27, posuk 40)

The Chumash explanation of the posuk concludes in this way, “This is in consonance with the prophecy given to Rifka while she was pregnant: Her two sons would not be able to coexist; when one ascended, the other would decline.” (Sefer Breish’t, Perek 25, posuk 23, as rendered in Stone Chumash, page 141)

And finally, the Jews, whatever their level of emunah and observance, must of necessity come together, as the masses of the modern-day medinat Israel once were as when they fought the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War or when Israeli soldiers rescued the 100 hi-jacked Entebbe hostages. They must again shed or subvert their sectorial disputes and jealousies in the interest of unity and toward the larger national interest of seeking and bringing to power a true Jewish Leadership, rather than falling prey to divide-and-conquer, monetarily and morally corrupt, self-interested, self-enriching, teflon/etrog governance.

The reality seemingly is that without eradication of these cancers plaguing religious society in Eretz Yisrael, even the evolvement of true Jewish leadership is subject to the slippery-slide of political compromise and/or attacks by these entrenched institutions which would whittle down the credibility of and eventually doom any attempt to invoke Torah values. We were seemingly witness to the perfect example of this slippery-slide when Menachem Begin, the closest of any prime minister of modern-day Israel to possessing these values, was ultimately unable to lead with any Torah integrity due to the pressure of subversion by the entrenched ministerial, institutional, political rot, as well as supportive media rot.

B’Ezrat Hashem, as we pray and hope for each year, that this Tisha B’av FINALLY be the last Tzom for B’nai Yisrael.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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In Parsha Matos, Sh’vatim Gad and Reuven approached Moshe Rabbeinu regarding their desire to graze their flocks and settle their families on the East side of the Yarden. To this, Moshe Rabbeinu replied, “Shall your brothers go off to war, and shall you sit here?” (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 32, posuk 6)

Regarding Moshe Rabbeinu’s response to the pledge of Sh’vatim Gad and Reuven to fight in the upcoming war; “then you shall be vindicated from Hashem and from Israel,” Rabbi Artscroll cites Yoma (38a) on Perek 32, posuk 22;

It is not enough for one to know that one’s actions are proper in Hashem’s eyes. One must also act in such a way as to not engender suspicion on the part of human beings.

But, the most poignant explanation of the situation comes from the Tiferet Yehonatan who is quoted in the sefer “Torah Gems” where he states, on “Shall your brothers go off to war, and shall you sit here?”;

“‘…When your enemies attack Israel — you shall sit here’ — you will remain in peace in whatever country you are living in? Do not think so for an instant, because a war in defense of Israel is a war for the survival of the entire Jewish people whereever they are.’” (Torah Gems, Aharon Yaakov Greenberg, Parsha Matos, page 156.)

This explanation is as poignant now; in the context of recent contemporay history, ie. the geirush from Gush Katif and the Shomron and everthing that has happened and is happening since.

And so, this caring for and craving for one’s narrow personal comfort and sense of “the normal life” of the nations segues into Parsha Masei which teaches us that “Hashem spoke to Moshe… by the Jordan, at Yericho” telling him to speak to the B’nai Yisrael and tell them (Artscroll Stone Chumash, Sefer BaMidbar, Peek 33, p’sukim 51-56, pages 922-923);

When you cross the Jordan to the land of Canaan, you shall drive out all of the inhabitants of the Land before you; and you shall destroy all their prostration stones; all of their molten images…. You shall possess the Land as an inheritance by lot to your families…. But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the Land before you, those of them whom you leave shall be pins in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will harrass you upon the Land in which you dwell. And it shall be that what had meant to do to them, I shall do to you.

Rabbi Artscroll (page 923) then cites the Rashbam and follows with it’s own commentary;

… If they fail to do so, they will suffer the fate Hashem had intended to impose upon the Canaanites, and be driven out.

Only in the perspective of Hashem’s wisdom can this passage be understood. No human ruler has the right to decree that an entire population is to be… exiled, but Hashem revealed that the Canaanite presence was incompatible with both the Land’s holiness and Israel’s mission on earth. History is the most conclusive proof of this, for the fact was that the Jews could not bring themselves to eliminate all of the Canaanites, with the result that the Jews were drawn to idolatry, debauchery, and were in turn periodically oppressed and finally exiled.

This author recalls a point discussed and sent out last year at this time by that kiruv legend, Jeff Seidel regarding Parsha Pinchas:

Parshat Pinchas relates a story (27:1-12) about the daughters of Tzlafchad, descendants of Yosef (Joseph). These daughters wanted and loved the Land of Israel so much that they wanted a piece of it. As Rav Moshe Feinstein asks, why do they have to have a claim in the land, just because they love it? Wouldn’t entering or living in the land be fulfilling enough?

Rav Moshe thus concludes that if a person truly loves something, they’d want it to be theirs, and no one else’s. This is why the daughters wanted to actually own a piece of the land, rather than simply living in it. This logic applies to marriages, as well as the Torah’s preference that every Jew writes their own Torah (or a portion of it). In our terms, it’s not enough to borrow and read Jewish books. We need to love the Torah we read SO much that we feel the need to own it! As this week’s Parsha urges, we should not only seek, read and enjoy words of Torah, but we should OWN those books, and live those words!

Suffice to say, that as this author understand’s R’Moshe, and as the title implies; passionate love of Eretz Yisrael = jealously possessing it as our own, rather than nonchalantly dropping our spent cigarette butts and empty soda cans on it.

Good Shabbos!

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Moshe Burt, an Oleh, is a commentator on news and events in Israel and Founder and Director of The Sefer Torah Recycling Network. He lives in Ramat Beit Shemesh.
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