Dvar Torah for Parshas Devarim

       This week, we have another 'SOS' submission to AIMeMTorah. This week's Dvar Torah was written and recorded by Nussi Samuel, who is once again participating in the 'Summer of Subscribers' program. AIMeMTorah would like to thank Nussi for his Dvar Torah and his continued support for AIMeM.

       Moshe Rabeinu starts off this week’s parshah with veiled mussar in order to avoid embarrassing Klal Yisroel and not besmirch their honor, by explicitly stating their past failings. However, this was risky from another standpoint. According to many Meforshim, it was Moshe’s rebuke to Klal Yisroel that caused him to lose the privilege of entering Eretz Yisroel. In the story of the Mei Meriva, in which Moshe hit the rock instead of talking to it, he rebuked Klal Yisroel by saying “שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים” “Listen, you rebels” (Bamidbar 20:10). So how come Moshe was not afraid to give mussar here in Sefer Devarim to Klal Yisroel? Furthermore, not only does Moshe give mussar to Klal Yisroel at this time, he even uses the same expression, calling them rebels; he says “וַתַּמְרוּ” “and you rebelled” in Devarim 1:26 and 43, and later on he says, “מַמְרִים הֱיִיתֶם” “you have been rebelling” (9:7)!

       There are many answers given, but we’ll focus on three.

       The Midrash says that when Hashem told Moshe to review the Torah by writing Mishnah Torah (the nickname for Sefer Devarim), Moshe planned on omitting any mention of the Klal Yisroel’s sins, and didn’t plan on rebuking them (Devarim Rabbah 1:8). R’ Simone says that it can be compared to the following parable:

       There was once a student walking with his teacher. His teacher was imparting to him the knowledge and craft of precious stones. The student saw a coal that was on fire and picked it up thinking it was a gem and got burnt. As he continued walking with his teacher, the student saw a precious stone and was afraid to touch thinking it was burning coal. The teacher explained that this stone he could pick up since it was a precious stone.

       Similarly, Moshe was afraid to give any mussar to Klal Yisroel since he gotten “burnt” back in Sefer Bamidbar when he told Klal Yisroel “שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים”, and subsequently lost the privilege of entering Eretz Yisroel. Therefore, Hashem told him he had nothing to fear from giving mussar at this time, and encouraged Moshe to give the mussar.

       The second answer is, according to the Rambam, the sin that Moshe committed that lost him Eretz Yisrael, was not the fact that he gave mussar, but that he got angry when he exclaimed שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים"”. Rashi in Parshas Matos concurs (Bamidbar 31:21) and says that each time Moshe got upset he made an error in judgement, including the instance of “שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים”. His anger caused Moshe to hit the rock rather than speak to it, which cost him the privilege to enter Eretz Yisroel. So, it wasn’t the Mussar that was the cause of the punishment but how the Mussar was given.

       A third possible answer is that there’s a difference in the usage of the word ‘rebels’ between Sefer Bamidbar and Sefer Devarim, When Moshe is saying “שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים” in Sefer Bamidbar, he’s calling them out derogatorily and essentially saying who they are. However, by the instances in Sefer Devarim, the usage of ‘rebels’ seems more removed, as he’s speaking to Klal Yisroel’s actions as opposed to their character. Instead of attacking Klal Yisroel on a personal level, Moshe instead becomes a teacher, guiding his students towards the precious stones instead of screaming at them for picking up fire. That kind of mussar is one more easily heard and accepted, and one that Moshe wouldn’t get punished for.

       We should be careful not to label a sinner a failure but rather someone who may have made a mistake. This is true especially for ourselves as we all have shortcomings; we do not let it define ourselves and we certainly shouldn’t let others define themselves by it. If we want to be able to overcome our shortcomings and help others overcome theirs, we must remember that it’s not our true essence, they are actions that are correctable and forgivable.

Shabbat Shalom!

Nussi Samuel is originally from New York and now lives in Yerushalayim with his family, where he studies and teaches in various yeshivos. He is an annual contributor to the 'SOS' program. 

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Devarim

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Mattos-Masei Podcast- SOS Edition

This week, we have a 'Summer of Subscribers' edition of AIMeMTorah. This week's Dvar Torah was submitted by Yossi Spira, a first-time contributor who lives in Yerushalayim with his family. To listen to Yossi's Dvar Torah podcast, click here. AIMeMTorah would like to thank Yossi for his participation in this year's SOS!

Click here for previous year's written Divrei Torah for Parshas Mattos and Masei

Click here to learn more about the 'Summer of Subscribers' program.

Shabbat Shalom!

For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Eikev

AIMeM would like to thank Nussi Samuel for filling in this week

In this week’s Parsha, Moshe continues speaking to Klal Yisrael in the Midbar. The Parsha begins with detailing the reward for continuing to do the mitzvos, and Hashem’s assurances that Klal Yisrael will be able to conquer Eretz Yisrael as part of this reward. Moshe recalls various events that occurred while Klal Yisrael was circling in the Midbar, and speaks about the Manna – the heavenly food that fell from Heaven. 

It is clear from pesukim beis and gimmel in perek ches that Hashem’s intent in providing manna was to spiritually challenge the Jewish people, (Devarim 8:2)” לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לָדַ֜עַת אֶת־אֲשֶׁ֧ר בִּלְבָֽבְךָ֛” – “To test you, to know what’s in your heart”. But what about receiving food from Heaven involves a test?

Life in the Midbar was like being in an incubator. The constant awareness of Hashem was so great- Ananei Hakavod, miraculous food and clothing – Hashem’s presence was so visible and tangible. Reward and punishment took place immediately. It seems rather strange that this was the test that demonstrated what was in the hearts of the Jewish people.

The Manna wasn’t something that existed within the laws of nature and was therefore completely unfamiliar to Klal Yisrael. As the Pasuk says in Parshas Bshalach (16:15) that Klal Yisrael called it Manna (what is it?) because “כִּי לֹא יָדְעוּ מַה הוּא”- “they did not know what it was” In this week’s Parsha, the Pasuk (8:3) says “וַיַּֽאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לֹא־יָדַ֔עְתָּ וְלֹ֥א יָדְע֖וּן אֲבֹתֶ֑יךָ” “They ate the Manna which they did not know, and neither did their fathers know.”

The test was accepting something outside their concept of natural, beyond their limited perspective on the world. Its existence defied logic. Living in the Midbar was an existence “beyond nature”. The Sforno writes (Devarim 8:2),” וזכרת אתכל הדרך- שנתן לך לחם לאכול ובגד ללבוש שלא בדרך טבע” – You should remember the entire road – that Hashem gave you bread to eat and clothing to wear in a manner that isn’t natural.”

Another element of the test of the manna was, as the Rashbam explains (both in this week’s Parsha and in Parshas Beshalach), that Klal Yisrael could only collect enough manna daily to last for that day. Klal Yisrael needed to be entirely dependent on Hashem for their sustenance. When living within the confines of the natural world, we are taught to worry for tomorrow, and to “put something away for a rainy day.” Ultimately, the Manna represented a blueprint of our Parnassah and how we should relate to it. The ideal attitude to Parnassah would be concern for only the here and now. We obviously live in a world that makes decisions based on the future, but that is simply part of our Hishtadlus. That was the manna’s test: to trust that Hashem would provide today for today and tomorrow for tomorrow. When we ate manna, we broke out of our preconceived notion of how things are supposed to be, and we passed the test by eating “beyond-natural”, heavenly food. By adhering to the instruction not to leave over manna from one day to the next, we believed and accepted that Hashem would provide- thus, the manna represents the foundation of our Emunah.

The Pasuk tells us in regard to the Manna (Devarim 8:3) “כִּי לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי יְהוָה יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם” – “For not on bread alone does man live, but rather by what Hashem decrees will man live on” Hashem says, I made bread

 satiate, I can make anything satiate. Hashem is not bound by nature, for He created nature. The Manna served to showcase and demonstrate true belief and trust in Hashem- a trust we imbibed in the Midbar, that continues to sustain the Jewish people for eternity.   

Shabbat Shalom!

Nussi Samuel is originally from New York and now lives in Yerushalayim with his family, where he studies and teaches in various yeshivos. He is a first-time contributor to AIMeM Torah.

Mazel Tov! This week we are celebrating the beginning of our 7th year of AIMeM Torah! May we merit to share many more words of Torah together!

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Eikev

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Click here to learn about the 4th Annual 'Summer of Subscribers'!

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For any questions, comments, or to subscribe to our email list, please email is at AIMeMtorah@gmail.com.

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Shoftim

AIMeM thanks Uri Kirshstein for filling in this week.

       In Pirkei Avos (1:1), we are taught to, “raise up many students”; not to teach or inspire, but to raise up. The primary goal isn’t simply to educate our students and children, but to educate them to the point where they can think for themselves and become intellectually and practically independent. Chazal tell us about the interactions between Rabbah and his student, Abaye, that Rabbah used to test Abaye by purposely giving over wrong and illogical information. By receiving wrong information, Abaye was forced to have to examine each situation by himself, and wouldn’t just accept information given to him. From here we see the incredible importance of being independent and thinking for ourselves.

       However, a pasuk in our Parsha, Parshas Shoftim, seems to contradict this important teaching. The pasuk commands us to listen to the Beis Din, “According to the teachings that they will teach you, and according to the judgement that they will say to you, shall you do. You shall not deviate from the word they will tell you, right or left” (Devarim 17:11).

       Rashi, quoting a Sifri, explains that this obligation is so strong that, “Even if the judge tells you that right is left and left is right [you must listen to them]; how much more so if he tells you that right is right and left is left” (Ibid). Chazal seem to be teaching us that our personal opinion and logic does not matter, that we must do as the Rabbis ask of us regardless of our understanding. What happened to the importance of thinking independently?

       To further complicate this matter, there is a gemarah in Horayos that discusses a case involving the Sanhedrin mistaking a piece of cheilev, forbidden fat, for a piece of shuman, permitted fat. One sage opposes what he believes is a mistaken ruling by the Sanhedrin, and follows his own opinion. If the dissenting sage eats this fat, he is obligated to bring a sin offering, usually brought for one who sins mistakenly. The gemarah asks why is his action is viewed as a mistake when he was simply following the decision of the Sanhedrin? The gemarah answers saying that he mistakenly thought that he must follow the views of the Sanhedrin, based on our pasuk, even if they were wrong! The words of the pasuk do not apply in this case.

       We see that there is a time and place for both of these principles, independent thinking and complete reliance on the Sanhedrin. But when does each one apply?

       The answer to this question lies in the nature of the ruling. When it comes to judging the merits of one thing over something else, we must defer to our sages because they are far more educated in the ways of the Torah, and have a better perspective than we do on what the Torah wants. But in a case where the reality of a situation is in question, like the case in Horayos, a person could be far less educated and still know the reality; so we would be obligated to act as we know it to be, even if it contradicts the statement of the Rabbis.

       We are all responsible to maintain intellectual curiosity, but we are also obligated to have the humility to listen to those who have a better understanding on Torah than we do. Still, just because we subjugate ourselves to the Rav, our viewpoint is not gone; what we see, our literal views, still make a difference. However, by any halachic decision, we defer to the Rabbi’s opinion, forfeiting our own logic and personal views, because we recognize that we are not experts in this matter, and that our perspective might not be as pure and Torah motivated as a Talmud Chacham’s.  

Shabbat Shalom!

Uri Kirshstein lives in Charleston, South Carolina. He has studied at Yeshivas Derech Etz Chaim in Jerusalem and Lander College for Men in Queens, New York. This is his second contribution to AIMeM Torah.

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Shoftim 

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Re'eh

       AIMeMTorah would like to thank Mark Cheirif for filling in this week.

       This week’s Parasha, Re’eh, starts off in a sort of peculiar way. Before entering the land, Moshe tells Benei Yisrael about the brachot and klallot, blessings and curses, which go along with keeping or transgressing the mitsvot. He commands Benei Yisrael to place the tribes that represent the bracha on Mount Gerizim and those that represent the klalla on Mount Eval.

רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה: אֶת הַבְּרָכָה אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְו‍ֹת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם: וְהַקְּלָלָה אִם לֹא תִשְׁמְעוּ אֶל מִצְו‍ֹת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְסַרְתֶּם מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוֶּה אֶתְכֶם הַיּוֹם לָלֶכֶת אַחֲרֵי אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יְדַעְתֶּם: וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּהּ וְנָתַתָּה אֶת הַבְּרָכָה עַל הַר גְּרִזִּים וְאֶת הַקְּלָלָה עַל הַר עֵיבָל:(Devarim 11:26-29).

       But why should the bracha and klalla be pinned to topography? What does geography have to do with brachot and klallot regarding all of the mitsvot?

       There are many ways to classify the mitsvot of the Torah, one being מצוות התלויות בארץ versus מצוות שאינן התלויות בארץ. In other words, some mitsvot are applicable only in the Land of Israel, and some are obligatory regardless of location. Perhaps the brachot and klallot only apply to mitsvot of the Land, making the connection between the brachot specifically on Mount Gerizim and klallot on Mount Eval fitting.

       The only problem with this explanation is that if one reads the brachot and klallot written later on in Parashat Ki Tavo (actually, only the klallot are mentioned explicitly), they are not all based on the Land of Israel itself; Idol worship, cursing one’s father and mother, are both worthy of klalla, as are moving one’s fence or border back, thereby stealing land. (Actually, the latter happens to be the only klalla that pertains directly to the land.)

       So why must the mitsvot, even those regarding monetary and interpersonal relationships, be tied to the land? And why must the land be connected to those mitsvot? Which is more fundamental to Torah, the land or the mitzvot?

       This isn’t merely a technical issue for ancient scholars, the land and mitsvot dichotomy is manifested through modern Jewish society. Generally speaking, there are two groups of thought in the world today. The stereotype is that members of one group emphasize the importance of the land over the performance of other mitsvot, while the other believes the opposite. Obviously, this is a gross oversimplification, but the duality exists on some level.

       In reality, the juxtaposition of all the mitsvot and the Land of Israel are a theme throughout the Torah, not just the opening of our parasha. But it isn’t entirely clear if mitsvot or the land should be the emphasis. Rashi on Genesis 17:8 famously comments:

לאחוזת עולם: ושם אהיה להם לאלקים, אבל הדר בחוצה לארץ דומה כמי שאין לו אלוק:

       Astonishingly, according to this comment, even if one does mitsvot and worships Hashem perfectly out of the Land of Israel, it is as if he “has no God”! Similarly, Ramban comments on Leviticus 18:25:

ומן העניין הזה אמרו בספרי ואבדתם מהרה... אע"פ שאני מגלה אתכם וכו' והנה הכתוב שאמר ואבדתם מהרה ושמתם את דברי וגו' אינו מחייב בגלות אלא בחובת הגוף כתפילין ומזוזות, ופרשו בהן ובתפילין ומזוזות כדי שלא יהו חדשים עלינו כשנחזור לארץ כיעיקר כל המצוות ליושבים בארץ ה'....

       That is to say, that even mitsvot that don’t directly relate to the land, such as Tefillin and Mezuza, although still required in exile, were really intended to be fulfilled in the land of Israel!

       But on the other hand, living the land of Israel is not a given for Benei Yisrael. As we see in several places in the Torah, Hashem always intended that some members of the Jewish people would reside outside of Israel. Additionally, the mitsvot can’t be secondary to the land because our dwelling upon it is contingent upon our keeping the Torah. Anything less and the land will spit us out.

       It seems that both the land and the mitzvos are interdependent. Benei Yisrael are a nation that collectively engages in relationship with God; they are a people governed by a symbiosis of national homeland and commandments. One without the other would create a fragmented, incomplete people.

       May we, as a people, soon have the ability to bridge our social and existential gaps, finding our place in Torah and our inheritance in the land. After all, as Rashi explains in his first explanation on the Torah, Benei Yisrael were meant to always be in Israel and the world was created through the Torah; thereby showing that both Torah and Israel are the thrust and direction of Creation and history.

Shabbat Shalom! 

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Re'eh

Mark Cheirif originally hails from Dallas, Texas. He has studied in Yeshivas Derech Etz Chaim in Jerusalem and currently studies in Lander College for Men in Queens, New York. This is his second time contributing to AIMeM.

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Va'eschanan

       AIMeM would like to thank Samantha Azizo for filling in this week

       In this week's Parasha, V'Etchanan, we come across two of the most widely known concepts in Judaism, the Ten Commandments, and the Shema. Of course one can say that this Parasha is filled with insight and depth into the basic tenants of our lives as Jews, however, as important as these concepts may be, it is imperative to realize that in truth, every passuk in this week's Parasha carries depth, insight, and an important message. Having said that, zeroing in on one seemingly insignificant pasuk teaches us an essential lesson.

       In perek 3 pasuk 29, the Torah says "וַנֵּשֶׁב בַּגָּיְא מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר"- "and we settled in the valley, opposite Beit Peor". At first glance the passuk seems to be simply retelling the history of Bnei Yisrael and their travels in the desert for 40 years. Yet, by breaking down the passuk one can propose a deeper explanation.

       The first word "וַנֵּשֶׁב", means to sit or settle, and the next word "בַּגָּיְא" means valley, as translated above. It is from these words that one can derive the message. In Judaism, a person can never "sit" or "settle" on the level that he or she is currently on. Doing so will lead us to a "valley", which is defined as a low place. Being a Jew and striving to create a meaningful life and relationship with Hashem requires constant movement towards growth and ascent. Otherwise, as often seen, a person will tumble right down into a lower level.

       To further establish this concept one can take a look at the end of the passuk. It ends, "מוּל בֵּית פְּעוֹר"- meaning that Bnei Yisrael settled near this place. Beit Peor represents the idol known as Baal Peor, and references an incident when Bnei Yisrael succumbed to the enticements of Moav and worshipped this idol. This is meant to reinforce the above idea that if we settle on the level we are on, and we do not attempt to reach a higher level, not only will we be stuck in a valley, but we will likely fall into the most grievous of sins, such as avoda zara. 

       There is a commonly used analogy to portray the above lesson involving a downward escalator. If a person gets on a downward escalator but wants to climb upwards and remain on the top, one cannot simply stop on a step. Stopping will pull a person downward until he or she reaches the bottom, exactly where they do not want to be. So too in the life of a Jew; a Jew must persistently climb upwards towards the "top of the escalator". Stopping on this incline will only result in a decline, which will ultimately lead to falling back to the lowest point.

       The same idea can be seen with the configuration of the Mizbeach (altar). In Shemot 20:23, Hashem tells Moshe that the Mizbeach should NOT have steps, but a ramp leading up to it. The simple p'shat explanation of this commandment is for the sake of preserving modesty within the nation to the highest degree. However, the deeper understanding of drash tells us that the ramp represents a constant need to go forwards. Gravity will pull a person down if he or she stops in the middle of a ramp. In other words, stopping one's spiritual growth is not an option! 

       It is now clear that this seemingly minor passuk carries a timeless lesson for all of us. Being Jewish means we are always reaching for something more, always trying to climb higher in every aspect of our spiritual health. Of course one should note that rushing one's growth process can be dangerous, but stopping and settling on the level we are currently on is just as bad. Time and time again our nation has never settled for less which has truly allowed us to persevere throughout the ages.

Shabbat Shalom! 

Samantha Azizo is originally from Queens, NY. She studied for three years in Baer Miriam Seminary in Har Nof. She is currently working on a degree in Business Writing. She is a first-time contributor to AIMeM.

Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Va'eschanan

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Tzav- Guest Contributer

AIMeM would like to thank Mrs. Leah Daphna for filling in this week.

A group is a set of elements that share a general commonality. Sometimes, however, we find groups in which an element does not seem to belong; and it could very well be it doesn't. However, when the Torah groups things that do not seem to match, it is challenging us to think deeper and to try to discern the common denominator. A good example of this is found in this week’s parshah.

In this week Parsha, Parshas Tzav, we are told of the various procedures surrounding different korbanos. Among them, we are commanded to give a Shelamim, a thanksgiving offering. The Gemara cited by Rashi (7:12) states that four people need to give thanks. They are: 

1) “Yordei ha-yam”, one who survives an ocean journey,

2) “holchei midbarot”, one who transversed the desert 

3) “mi she haya choleh v’nitrapeh”, one who is gravely ill and survived, 

4) “u-mi she haya chavush b’beit ha-asurim”, one who was locked in a dungeon and freed.

 Concerning the sea, the ocean, and being locked in a dungeon, these three situations involve someone surviving while being exposed to an environment that does not support life. However, the person who was stricken by illness, while his life was in danger, he didn't find himself in a different surroundings than he was used to’ he wasn’t exposed to an outside environment that doesn’t naturally support life! Or did he…

The Gemara is giving us a deep insight into what it means to be gravely ill. When someone is ill, they're living in an environment that's inherently inhospitable to life. That environment is their own body. When our own body turns on us, when we realize we can't trust our bodies, when our bodies become like foreign terrain, fundamentally inhospitable to us-- that is the scariest thing of all! When one recovers from that, you are obligated to give thanks.

Perhaps we can use this to help enhance our performance of the mitzvah of Bikkur Cholim. Maybe when you visit the sick, remember that you are giving them something much more powerful than you can imagine. For they are living in a body they don't recognize. But at least when they see you, a familiar face, they can connect with something they do recognize and bring down the fear of being a stranger in inhospitable terrain.

Shabbat Shalom!

Mrs. Leah Daphna is a longtime AIMeM subscriber, first time contributor. She is currently a nursing student. She and her husband hope to soon live in Eretz Yisrael.

Click here for a previous year's Dvar Torah on Parshas Tzav

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Dvar Torah for Parshas Shoftim

AIMeMTorah would like to thank Mark Cheirif for filling in this week.

When superficially reading through sefer Devarim, one can't help but notice that each parsha seems to be a potpourri of random ideas awkwardly forced into one section. This week's parsha, Shoftim, is no exception. It covers such diverse topics as appointing judges and law enforcers, more laws regarding עבודה זרה, not to bring a בעל מום as a sacrifice, appointing a king, some מתנות כהונה, laws of interacting with נביאים, establishing ערי מקלט (again), not encroaching upon another's land, and various laws of war. Although it is often difficult to find one perfect theme to unify all the different topics in a parsha, it appears that Shoftim can be boiled down to two: the apportionment of land and positions of power. Considering the incongruity of these two motifs, it would seem appropriate for the parsha to list them in a linear, disassociated layout, never mixing one with the other. This cannot be further from the truth. Taking note of the פתוחות וסתומות, one can see that sections dealing with apportionment of authority and it's responsibilities are sporadically interspersed with the drawing and enforcement of appropriate delineation; appointment of judges is immediately followed by the prohibition of planting trees used for עבודה זרה within the borders of the מקום המקדש; the establishment of a king proceeds the reiteration of שבט לוי's homelessness; the laws of believing a נביא transition to the designation of cities of refuge. The truth is, not only are sections about laws of authority interspersed within sections regarding definition of borders; rather, much of the the former is defined by the latter. The Sanhedrin operates within the confines of the מקום המקדש only when ישראל retain a degree of sovereignty over their land, and specifically due to the Levites' lack of נחלה are they afforded the privilege of their alternative נחלה, the מתנות כהונה. But what is the reason for the Torah's interconnection of authority and space, land and leader? There always is the obvious practicality of the law official's responsibility in dealing with legal apportionment of land and property. But is the connection merely mundane, or is there some deeper philosophical underpinning lurking between the lines? Rashi seems to touch upon this idea in a comment on the pasuk "צדק צדק תרדף למען תחיה וירשת את הארץ אשר ה' אלקיך נתן לך" (דברים טז:כ)in which he says "כדאי הוא מנוי הדיינים הכשרים להחיות את ישראל ולהושיבן על אדמתן" "The appointment of proper judges is enough to sustain Yisrael and return them to their land." Rashi is answering the question of what inheritance of ארץ ישראל has to do with appointing judges. He answers quoting the ספרי that says that the act of assigning appropriate, fitting judges allows for the sustainability of ישראל and their establishment upon the land. Similarly, the Seforno says on the same pasuk that having appropriate judges is especially important בארץ, because the lack thereof prevents ירושת הארץ. These comments just deepen the question, still, what is the profound basis for connecting the parsha's disparate themes? To answer this question, one has to hone in on the wording of the pasuk linking the two ideas. The Torah doesn't merely say to choose judges, rather, it frames the appointment as an act of צדק צדק תרדוף. Leaders in ישראל are there to engage and literally chase צדק, not just to sit comfortably in their ivory tower and judge. The link between land and leadership is not just the mundane fact that it is the law official's responsibility to deal with legal apportionment of land and property. The judge cannot narrow his scope to monetary apportionment alone to ensure sustainability of ישראל on their land. They must, first and foremost set a tone of chasing justice, intensely seeking morality, because ארץ ישראל is not your average land. It is a land that spits out its inhabitants for violating their integrity, a נחלה that demands meticulous adherence to greatness. Mediocrity in any pursuit בארץ, no less the upholding of justice and morality, is simply untenable. As the Seforno says on the opening pasuk of last week's parsha, ראה, that before entering the ארץ, we were given only two options, a duality of opposite extremes, ברכה and קללה. Mediocrity is not an option, rather, one must choose between intense success and dismal failure. It is the leaders responsibility to uphold the nations moral fiber to ensure that they always chase greatness assuring the fulfillment of .ישמח ה' במעשיו לתת להם נחלת גוים

Shabbat Shalom!

Mark Cheirif originally hails from Dallas, Texas. He has studied in Yeshivas Derech Etz Chaim in Jerusalem and currently studies in Lander College for Men in Queens, New York. He is a first-time contributor to AIMeM.


Click here for last year's Dvar Torah for Parshas Shoftim

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