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שבת שלום - פרשת כי תבא
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Video Shiur
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Click play to watch the video shiur by Rav Yosef Kaminetsky
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News and Notes
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The entire yeshiva expresses its condolences to Mrs. Helga Rich, mother of Mrs. Aliza Kahn, on the loss of her mother, Rose Mezei. HaMakom yenachem etchem b'toch shaar aveilei Tzion v'Yerushalayim.
On Tuesday, our shana alef students arrived in Israel and began their year in Yeshiva. Rav Wolicki, Rav Arram, Rav Katz, and Rav Krohn conducted bechinot on Tuesday afternoon to determine their shiur placement, and the yeshiva hosted its annual opening day barbecue later in the day. The entire staff is extremely excited about the new students - they are a terrific group, and we are all anticipating a great year ahead.
On Wednesday, following orientation, Rav Wolicki gave an opening shiur to the yeshiva entitled, "Ain HaBayshan Lameid." Rav Kahn gave the sicha ruchanit this Thursday on the topic of Transitions.
On Friday, the entire yeshiva woke up early to go to the Kotel for Shacharit. This was followed by a tour of Ir David, and a fun trek through the famous Chizkiyahu's Tunnels.
This Shabbat is an in-Shabbat, hosted by our menahel ruchani, Rav Moshe Simkovich. In addition to the inspiring davening, delicious meals, and oneg Shabbat, Rav Simkovich will be teaching several shiurim, including, "Shabbat Plus Torah Equals... Eretz Yisrael?" and "Itchy and Scratchy go to Heaven".
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Parsha Insights
By Rabbi Scott Kahn
"Hashem has designated you today to be a beloved nation for Him, as He said to you, and for you to keep all His commandments, and to place you above all the nations He made, for praise, a name, and glory (l'tehilah ul'shem ul'tifaret), and for you to be a holy nation to Hashem your G-d as He said." (Devarim 26:18-19)
The Torah tells us that G-d wants us to be distinct from all other nations "for praise, a name, and glory." What does this mean?
The Netziv, in his commentary on an earlier verse in Sefer Devarim (6:24), explains that there are three classes of Jewish people involved in the study of Torah. The first group consists of those people who do not study Torah themselves, but support those who do. These individuals earn life in this world and the World to Come. The second class includes the people who study Torah, but not to the degree that they become scholars. The members of this group attain a special level of yirat Hashem, the fear of G-d. The third group consists of the scholars and authentic talmidei chachamim; they achieve deveikut, the experience of direct attachment and close association with G-d Himself.
The Netziv states that the words "praise, a name, and glory" refer to these three groups. Tehilah - praise - is a reference to the masses of Jewish people who do not study themselves, but give sustenance and support to the students of Torah. The association of the word tehilah with the masses of Klal Yisrael may be connected to the fact that praise of G-d is not contingent on study, but rather on prayer. This, the Netziv says, is an area in which the Jewish People as a whole surpasses every other nation. The next word, shem - a name - refers to those who study Torah, though they do not excel in their studies. This group is rewarded with the fear of G-d which, the Netziv explains, is associated with having a shem tov, a good name. The third word, tifaret - glory- is a reference to the greatest scholars who achieve communion with Hashem. This, indeed, is the greatest glory possible for a human being to achieve. Nevertheless, the Netziv continues, the verse concludes with the words, "And for you to be a holy nation to Hashem your G-d as He said." Accordingly, the Torah is telling us that all three groups - the entire nation - ultimately transcend any divisions, and together represent the entirety of the "holy nation." Not even the highest group is sufficient by itself; the nation as a whole must together be the paradigm of holiness.
It is interesting to note, however, that the three words l'tehilah ul'shem ul'tifaret appear in the prayer Lecha Dodi in a different order altogether. In the second verse of that poem, we are told that, "Hashem is one and His name is one, l'shem ul'tiferet vl'tehilah - for a name, glory, and praise." According to the Kabbalistic terminology employed by Lecha Dodi's
author, HaRav Shlomo HaLevi Alkabetz, these three terms are listed in ascending order of sanctity. Moreover, according to the classic Kabbalistic work Shaarei Orah (Shaar 8), the word tehilah is a reference to the sefirah of Binah, or Understanding. Thus, the level which the Netziv assigns to the lowest of the three classes of Jews - the class which does not study Torah at all - is associated with deep understanding, and is listed in Lecha Dodi as the very highest of the three groups! How can these two interpretations be reconciled?
The answer to this quandary requires a rethinking of our normal assumptions. Although at first glance one would naturally assume that the greatest of scholars has achieved a level of spirituality superseding that of the mere supporters of Torah, the Talmud itself corrects such a notion. Upon Rabbi Akiva's return to his now-destitute wife Rachel after twenty four years of uninterrupted study, he tells his many students, when they see the impoverished woman kissing his legs and want to push her aside, "Let her be! Both mine and yours is actually hers!" (Ketubot 63a) Rachel made his phenomenal growth possible, and should be accorded the respect due Rabbi Akiva himself, as well as that which his students deserve.
Not only do the masses of Jewish people deserve respect for supporting Torah; they also embody a level of wisdom which is theirs as much as the scholars'. Of course, their knowledge of Torah may unfortunately be lacking, but Hashem has provided a natural level of divine understanding which is common to every Jewish person, and is not dependent upon one's knowledge of Torah. This may be best expressed by the Ba'al HaTanya, who explains that the willingness of so many Jews to die for their faith is not based on book knowledge, but rather on the common Divine origin of every Jewish soul. This origin transcends the particulars of each person's life experiences, and represents a fundamental, almost subconscious understanding on the part of every Jew of his unique origin, special role and glorious destiny. Although the average Jewish individual may not be consciously aware of this reality, it animates his every move, and grants him an innate wisdom which will never be eliminated. For this reason, every Jew - even those who lack shem and tiferet - has achived a level of tehilah.
Ben Zoma tells us, "Who is wise? He who learns from every person." (Avot 4:1) Rather than viewing this Mishnah as a mere platitude, we must understand Ben Zoma's statement as the authentic Jewish attitude toward wisdom. If the Mishnah instructs us to learn from every person, it must assume that every person has wisdom to impart; and if every individual is a source of wisdom, every individual must be accorded the highest level of respect.
Our sages tell us that the word "Elul" is an abbreviation for Ani l'dodi v'dodi li - "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." (Shir HaShirim 6:3) This verse expresses the great love between Hashem and Am Yisrael. There is no distinction given between the scholars and the masses; the love of G-d for Israel knows no such boundaries. As we progress further into the month of Elul, we would do well to internalize the following reality: not only is every member of Am Yisrael an equal member of our nation, but every individual also has something unique to offer - something which makes him or her unique, wise, and worthy of the highest degree of respect.
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