This Shabbos is not a normal Shabbos by
any means. It is Tisha B’av, the anniversary of the destruction of both Batei
Mikdash. Since we are not allowed to fast on Shabbos, we fast instead on Sunday
but the actual day of Tisha B’av falls out on Shabbos itself. So even though
outwardly it won’t look like we are mourning, we must, at least inwardly, spend
some time on Shabbos thinking about the Churban and what it means for us.
Perhaps this will help.
Sefer Devarim is known as Mishneh Torah,
the Review of the Torah. With Bnei Yisrael just a few weeks away from entering
Eretz Yisrael, Moshe, knowing that he cannot enter with them, gives his final
address to the nation. In our parshah, Parshas Devarim, he tells over some of
the events that happened to Bnei Yisrael in the desert, including the story of
the Meraglim, the Spies. He explains that the punishment for this was an extra
thirty-eight years in the desert, where the entire generation involved with the
sin, died, and only then, the Bnei Yisrael began their battles against Sichon
and Og in preparation for their battles for Eretz Yisrael.
At this point, the Meforshim point out a
very interesting language switch found halfway through the parshah. “וַיְהִי כַאֲשֶׁר
תַּמּוּ כָּל אַנְשֵׁי הַמִּלְחָמָה לָמוּת מִקֶּרֶב הָעָם וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֵלַי
לֵאמֹר”
“So it was, when all the men of war finished dying from among the people,
and Hashem spoke to me saying” (Devarim 2:16-17). Rashi points out that
while Moshe had been telling over the story of the Spies and the travels in the
desert in this parshah, whenever Hashem spoke to him, the word “וַיֹּאמֶר” was used. Why the sudden change at this
point to the word “וַיְדַבֵּר”?
The answer of each
commentator depends on their understanding of the connotations of the words “וַיְדַבֵּר” and “וַיֹּאמֶר”.
Rashi answers that the usage the word “וַיְדַבֵּר”
shows an extra affection for Bnei Yisrael. This word denotes that Hashem spoke
to Moshe directly, face to face, while the word “וַיֹּאמֶר”
is used to refer to the normal way Hashem would converse with a Navi. This
shows us that for all the fact that Moshe spoke to Hashem face to face in a way
that no other person ever did, this was only in the merit of Bnei Yisrael.
During the thirty-eight extra years in the desert when Bnei Yisrael were being
punished, Moshe did not speak to Hashem in this way since the Bnei Yisrael were
not on the proper level. Only at this point, when the punishment was up and
they were about to enter Eretz Yisrael, was Moshe able to resume speaking to
Hashem face to face. This shows the tremendous love that Hashem has for Bnei
Yisrael, for it was not only Moshe, but every Prophet was only able to receive
prophecy when Bnei Yisrael were deserving of it.
The Kli Yakar gives
the explanation that most Meforshim give on these two words. He says that when
the Torah uses the word “וַיְדַבֵּר” when Hashem speaks
to Moshe, it means that He is speaking in a more serious tone. In general,
whenever the Torah uses the root word “דַּבֵּר”
in any form, it is coming to rebuke. The word “וַיֹּאמֶר”
however, is a less intense way of speaking. Based on this, the Kli Yakar asks
how Rashi’s explanation makes any sense. How could the word which is a more
serious way of speaking also be the word which implies a greater affection for
Bnei Yisrael?
To answer, he brings a
pasuk from Mishlei, “כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר יֶאֱהַב יְהֹוָה יוֹכִיחַ”
“for Hashem chastens the one He loves” (Mishlei 3:12). When a person
truly cares about someone else, they will do everything and anything to make
sure the person they love stays on the right path, including giving them heavy
rebuke to show them what they are doing wrong. A person can even go so far as
to completely lose his cool in these situations as he is completely consumed
with keeping his loved one safe. However, a person will not be as strict with
someone else since they don’t care as much. So when Hashem speaks with “וַיְדַבֵּר”, it makes perfect sense for it to show an
extra affection to Bnei Yisrael, he is rebuking us because he loves us! By just
speaking with “וַיֹּאמֶר” for all those years
in the desert, Hashem showed us the worst thing possible, that He really did
not care so much! But right when the punishment was complete, He came right
back to us with the same love He had showed us all those years earlier.
As we said, this
Shabbos is Tisha B’av, the anniversary of the worst day in the history of our
Nation. Over the thousands of years we have been in exile, there have been many
questions; why are we still in galus? Why doesn’t Hashem bring us back and
rebuild the Beis Hamikdash? One thing we must remember is that with every
tragedy that has befallen us in our history, “כִּי אֶת אֲשֶׁר
יֶאֱהַב יְהֹוָה יוֹכִיח”, the fact that these punishments happen
is the surest sign of Hashem’s love! In fact, we cannot really call them
punishments at all, they are reminders from Hashem of our true purpose in this
world and of his love. The fact that he still reminds us after so many years is
proof of this. Let us work on ourselves so that we may reach the level where
these painful reminders are no longer necessary and may this be the last Tisha
B’av where we must cry over the Beis Hamikdash. May it be rebuilt speedily in
our days!
Have a Shabbat Shalom and an extremely meaningful fast.
For questions, comments, or to subscribe to our mailing list, please email us at AIMeMTorah@gmail.com
AIMeM
No comments:
Post a Comment