Raboyseyee and Ladies,
At this very moment, the heylige Ois and eishes chayil find themselves over at the VIP County Club in New Rochelle where in about an hour, Rafi Levy, son of our dear friends, Bina and Isaac Levy, will be escorted down to the chuppah to marry his bashert Shevy Franklin, she the beautiful daughter of Rabbi and Mrs. Abraham and Chaya. Franklin. A big mazel tov to Rafi and Shevy, to the entire extended Levy and Franklin families. May the new couple merit many years of blissful marriage and be a source of much nachas and joy to their respective families.
———————————————————————————————————————
Choices We Have:
And here we are. It’s the last Shabbis of the year and it features the last double-header parshas of Netzovim and Vayelech. Incidentally, in Toirah time, it’s Moishe’s birthday. He is 120 years old and it’s his last day on the job and of his life. The RBSO has previously suspended his passport and visa into the Promised Land for a seemingly tiny infraction. That does not bode very well for the rest of us. Is that true? Is it efsher farkert (opposite)? More on that below.
So happens that we were taught -over and again- that the RBSO punishes the very good eggs – really good people- for the tiniest of infractions, and if that’s emes, that would seemingly give the rest of us a pass. What grave sins did Moishe commit? He was tasked with the impossible job of managing million of Hebrews -a slave nation- out of Mitzrayim and throughout their forty-year midbar excursion. They behaved poorly, very. More than once, he fought to save them from annihilation. He sacrificed his own family for the greater good. Yet he was punished and kept out of the promised land for abusing the rock with his shtekin (staff)?! Most of you are constant staff-abusers, if you chap, yet travel freely into and out of the land at will. What’s pshat here?
Speaking of the rest of us, it’s in Parshas Vayelech where the RBSO tells Moishe that the Yiddin will again become idolators and where Moishe tells the Yiddin that they will turn to sin after his passing. How many times has the RBSO -through Moishe- conveyed that the RBSO abhors avoido zoro? Too many to count! Yet, on Moishe’s last day, the RBSO tells Moishe that despite his efforts, the Yiddin are not cut out to be loyal subjects; they seemingly want more. Shortly following redemption and Revelation, it was the eygel (golden calf) and in the future, they will again worship other gods; oy vey! Let’s read the posik:
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה הִנְּךָ֥ שֹׁכֵ֖ב עִם־אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ וְקָם֩ הָעָ֨ם הַזֶּ֜ה וְזָנָ֣ה ׀ אַחֲרֵ֣י ׀ אֱלֹהֵ֣י נֵכַר־הָאָ֗רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֤וּא בָא־שָׁ֙מָּה֙ בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ וַעֲזָבַ֕נִי וְהֵפֵר֙ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּרַ֖תִּי אִתּֽוֹ׃
Hashem said to Moishe: You are soon to lie with your ancestors. This people will thereupon go astray after the alien gods in their midst, in the land that they are about to enter; they will forsake Me and break My covenant that I made with them.
The bottom line: The RBSO predicted that His Yiddin, His chosen people, will go astray. They will again forsake Him. Nu, the Yiddin did not disappoint and a mere 30 years after Moishe’s death -which included 28 years of Yehoshua’s leadership- the Yiddin were right back to violating the very sins the RBSO abhors.
A few pisukim later, Moishe, instead of spending his last moments saying his goodbyes to his wife and kids (assuming he was still married at the time), to his underlings, and other assistants, was busy excoriating the Yiddin with these words:
כִּ֣י אָנֹכִ֤י יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶֽת־מֶרְיְךָ֔ וְאֶֽת־עׇרְפְּךָ֖ הַקָּשֶׁ֑ה הֵ֣ן בְּעוֹדֶ֩נִּי֩ חַ֨י עִמָּכֶ֜ם הַיּ֗וֹם מַמְרִ֤ים הֱיִתֶם֙ עִם־יְהֹוָ֔ וְאַ֖ף כִּי־אַחֲרֵ֥י מוֹתִֽי׃
Well, I know how defiant and stiff-necked you are: even now, while I am still alive in your midst, you have been defiant toward יהו; how much more, then, when I am dead!
He follows up with these words:
כִּ֣י יָדַ֗עְתִּי אַחֲרֵ֤י מוֹתִי֙ כִּֽי־הַשְׁחֵ֣ת תַּשְׁחִת֔וּן וְסַרְתֶּ֣ם מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּ֖יתִי אֶתְכֶ֑ם וְקָרָ֨את אֶתְכֶ֤ם הָרָעָה֙ בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית הַיָּמִ֔ים כִּֽי־תַעֲשׂ֤וּ אֶת־הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ לְהַכְעִיס֖וֹ בְּמַעֲשֵׂ֥ה יְדֵיכֶֽם׃
For I know that, when I am dead, you will act wickedly and turn away from the path that I enjoined upon you, and that in time to come misfortune will befall you for having done evil in the sight of יהו, whom you vexed by your deeds.
Our rabbis learned from these words that Moishe was so convinced that the Yiddin would become sinners, he reminded them of their sinful behavior on his last day and he predicted worse behavior in the future. In fact, our sages point out that this prediction and warning of bad behavior -mamish in his face- is one of four a fortiori cases in the heylige Toirah. For those who speak Yiddish, it goes like this: madach you are a bunch of poorly behaved, mischievous sinners though I taught you otherwise and while I’m still around to witness it first hand, avada and avada (of course and of course), you will continue and do much worse once I’ve passed. This posik is written as a kal vochomer, an argument going from the light to the heavy meaning azoy: If A is true, then how much more so is B also true. So happens that the most basic hermeneutical methodology is the kal vochomer, known in Latin as an argument a fortiori, meaning “from the stronger case.” The nature of an argument a fortiori goes azoy: “Chaim is known to be stronger than Ben. If Ben can lift 100 lbs., a fortiori Chaim can lift 100 lbs.” on the other hand, there is a limit to the argument a fortiori, however: you can’t get more out of it than you put into it. So, we may taka know that Chaim is stronger than Ben, but we don’t know if that means Chaim can lift 200 lbs., 150 lbs., 101 lbs. or 100 lbs. and 1 oz. All I know for sure is that Chaim can certainly lift whatever Ben can lift.
Shoin, since we mentioned the kal vochomer, let’s close out this topic by sharing this tidbit: There are ten Kal vochomer arguments in the heylige Tanach, four in the Toirah itself and six more found in the Novee. The bottom line: if a nation of Yiddin who had been redeemed from slavery, that witnessed the RBSO’s miracles and Revelation firsthand, would – as both the RBSO and Moishe predicted- go on to sin as if all taught to them meant nothing, what chances did future generations have? So it was and so it continues. Oy vey!
Moishe recognized that if the Yiddin rebelled and strayed against the heylige Toirah’s instructions while he was with them to take them by the hand and guide them in its requirements, how much more would they stray from it after his death. He too was right! The bottom line: The Yiddin are a tough bunch. This is how our ancestors were though they stood on Har Seenai; what can be expected from us? We only saw the movie!
The good news: The RBSO of course knew this about mankind and let us not forget, womankind; He designed us and He pre-programmed us. He knew that our inclinations are bad from the get-go and so he told us at the very end of Parshas Bereishis where we read this: וַיַּ֣רְא יְהֹוָ֔ כִּ֥י רַבָּ֛ה רָעַ֥ת הָאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וְכׇל־יֵ֙צֶר֙ מַחְשְׁבֹ֣ת לִבּ֔וֹ רַ֥ק רַ֖ע כׇּל־הַיּֽוֹם׃
Hashem saw how great was human wickedness on earth—how every plan devised by the human mind was nothing but evil all the time.
Hec, if He wanted well behaved subjects, He could have created us with only the yetzer toiv (the good inclination). Our sages -many of them- say that in the times of the Moshiach -may he arrive soon and settle once and for all the open issues over in Israel and myriad other matters to include two days of Yom tov (this year, with Shabbis, three)- that man will no longer be under the control of the yetzer horo (the devil so to speak) and that we will all be inclined to do what is just and right in the eyes of the RBSO, as well as -hopefully- between man and man. Hard to believe but who is the Ois to argue? Shoin!
There is some good news on the horizon. In our parsha, Moishe also tells the Yiddin azoy: “And G-d shall circumcise your heart..” (30:6). That’s good news? Do we need another circumcision? Haven’t the Yiddin been cut down to size? Have we not suffered enough? Ober says the RambaN that from the time of creation, in order that there be merit for those choosing good, and punishment for those desiring evil, man has the choice to be righteous or wicked. But in the days of Moshiach, the choosing of good only will be in our nature, the heart will no longer lust for behavior which is not proper. Hard to visualize ober that’s pshat of the “circumcision” being spoken of. Lust is a “foreskin” blocking the heart, and the “circumcision of the heart” is the removal of lust. In those times, man will return to what he was before Odom (Adam) succumbed to his eishes chayil and she to the slithering snake. Until then, we still have skin in the game and the battle remains.
As we approach Rosh Hashono, we must begin thinking about how we have behaved this past year. For most of us -the heylige Ois included- misbehaved would be a more accurate descriptor. And we must -avada- begin thinking about tshuvah (repentance); the time has seemingly come. Is it too late? Will the RBSO understand that you couldn’t control yourself, that you are mamish a good person and Jew at heart? It’s your body that keeps messing up, if you chap. Will He understand that you meant well, and that your sinful inclinations are not at all your fault? Will He chap that while your heart is soft and wants to be and do only good, other places -like your neck- are too stiff? You were expecting a chap: Gotcha!
Avada you can blame the yetzer horo (evil inclination) who just about always -and in kimat every situation- is too damn strong. He’s a gym rat; he overcame you. That strategy is worth a shot. Ober, is it real tshuvah, if the plan includes going out immediately after Yom Kippur and committing the same sins all over again? Ver Veyst? Oy vey! Are we taka doomed? Or, are we behaving just as the RBSO predicted? In whatever way you sin, whatever your proclivity, that could indeed be your idol worship. Who says that idol worship means mamish that? Your weakness to any addiction, to any sin, might be your idol.
At the very end of the parsha, Moishe tells the Yiddin that enjoy free will. The Yiddin can select between good and evil, life and death.
הַעִדֹ֨תִי בָכֶ֣ם הַיּוֹם֮ אֶת־הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם וְאֶת־הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ הַחַיִּ֤ים וְהַמָּ֙וֶת֙ נָתַ֣תִּי לְפָנֶ֔יךָ הַבְּרָכָ֖ה וְהַקְּלָלָ֑ה וּבָֽחַרְתָּ֙ בַּחַיִּ֔ים לְמַ֥עַן תִּֽחְיֶ֖ה אַתָּ֥ה וְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day: I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life—if you and your offspring would live—
How we reconcile this with destiny, nu, ver veyst, ober it’s a topic much discussed by people smarter than the heylige Ois. Says Moishe: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day. I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. And you shall choose life.” The posik (verse) appears to indicate that we are granted freedom of choice between good and evil. It’s that choice that makes us human and is supposed to set us apart from behaymis (animals) and vilde chayis (other creatures). The sun and the moon fulfill the RBSO’s commands without conscious decisions. A bee doesn’t think before pollinating a flower, ober you need to. No pollinating at the neighbors, if you chap. The bottom line: It’s that freedom to choose that makes it possible for us to fall to the lowest depths. And that’s why we taka have to daven on Rosh Hashono while animals don’t. On the other hand, efsher we can argue that since we’ve behaved like animals that don’t think, we should be forgiven without davening? Ver veyst?
Says the Rambam (Mishneh Torah, Hilchis Tshuvah 5:1-3) azoy: Freedom of choice has been granted to every man: If he desires to turn toward a good path and be righteous, the ability to do so is in his hands; and if he desires to turn toward an evil path and be wicked, the ability to do so is in his hands. Now what? For many, that’s taka the issue: taking matters into one’s hand, if you chap. The bottom line: guilty as charged!
Quoting the Medrish, Rashi (29:11) asks; Why was Parshas Nitzovim juxtaposed to the curses of Parshas Ki-Sovoy? And since he’s Rashi, of course he proffered this answer: When the Yiddin heard the ninety-eight curses in last week’s parsha – those in addition to the forty-nine listed in Parshas Bechukoisi (Vayikra 26) a few months back, their faces turned green (their pants brown) and they said, ‘Who can withstand all these?!’ Moishe therefore proceeded to comfort them: ‘You stand here today – despite your having angered the RBSO, He has not destroyed you and you still stand before Him today. Just as the day itself exists, becoming darker and then brighter, so has G-d served as a source of light for you in the past, and so will He in the future.’ In other words: Exhale and just kidding! The RBSO knows who you are, carry on as usual, all is good.
That is what we like to hear: Who needs to be punished? A good threat -once in a while- seems more than logical to me. Ober, the emes raboyseyee is this: Punishment has come before, is definitely coming our way, ober the message appears to be that we will somehow survive it, that the RBSO’s covenant with us is everlasting. He’s in for the long term. Veyter.
Wishing all, and especially my readers who have been loyally following the Ois on his own journeys, a K’siva Vachasim Toiva; may we all be inscribed for a good year.
A gittin Shabbis-
The Heylige Oisvorfer Ruv
Yitz Grossman
