Eikev – Peninim on the Torah

למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ד' לאבתיכם לתת להם

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5782

In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the ground that Hashem has sworn to your ancestors to give to them. (11:21)

A fascinating dialogue in the Talmud (Berachos 8A) should inspire our attitude toward the Bais Haknesses, shul, that we frequent. Rabbi Yochanan lived to an unusually advanced age. Rabbi Yochanan heard that elderly Jews lived in Bavel. This caused him to wonder, “It is written, ‘In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the ground that Hashem has sworn to your ancestors to give to them.’ (This means Eretz Yisrael. In other words, the blessing of longevity is tied in with living in the Holy Land.)” Once they informed him, however, that the elders are…

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ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5782

And you shall teach them to your children (so that they will) discuss them. (11:19)

The above pasuk, which is included in the second parsha (paragraph) of Shema, appears to reiterate what was stated earlier (first paragraph): V’sheenantam l’vanecha v’dibarta bam, “And you shall instruct your children about them and you shall discuss them” (Devarim 6:7). On the surface, the second pasuk does not seem to contain any supplement. Ramban explains that in the first pasuk (V’sheenantam l’vanecha), the focus is on v’dibarta; you shall speak. Your speech at home, in the presence of family, should be in Torah. In the second pasuk, the emphasis is on l’dabeir bam, they, the children shall speak to…

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ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ד' אלקיך

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5782

Now, O Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear Hashem, your G-d. (10:12)

Chazal (Berachos 32B) derive from this pasuk (in which Hashem asks us to fear Him) that everything is in the hands of Heaven except the fear of Heaven. Everything in a person’s nature and circumstance in life — such as his height, complexion, financial success and his intelligence — are in Hashem’s hands. Whether or not one is G-d-fearing (and, by extension, all aspects of spiritual growth), however, is man’s decision. It is not forced upon him. Fear of Hashem is part of man’s free-will. The Talmud asks: Is fear of Heaven a small thing? They respond that, yes, for…

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שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך ורגלך לא בצקה זה ארבעים שנה

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5782

Your garment did not wear out upon you, and your feet did not swell – these forty years. (8:4)

We take so much for granted, either because we do not think or because we think that we are entitled. We could be in the midst of receiving an incredible act of generosity, a miracle of epic proportion, and allow it to just go over our heads as if it had never taken place. Moshe Rabbeinu reminds Klal Yisrael to look at their clothing. The mere fact that their clothing remained spotlessly clean and as new as the day when they had first received it is, in and of itself, an indicator of Hashem’s Presence within their camp. Furthermore, as…

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עשה משפט יתום ואלמנה

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5781

But upholds the cause of the orphan and the widow. (10:18)

The Torah teaches us that Hashem is concerned about the honor of the downtrodden, the widow and orphan, individuals who are alone with no one to care for them. The exhortation to preserve the honor of a widow applies even to a king’s widow. In his commentary to Bereishis 37, Rabbeinu Bachya quotes this from a Midrash. The reason for this stringency is that their spirits are low and their tears are frequent. Widows and orphans who are oppressed have no one to turn to other than Hashem – Who listens. Horav Ovadiah Yosef, zl, was very careful to safeguard…

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ויאמר ד'... ראיתי העם הזה והנה עם קשה ערף הוא

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5781

Hashem said… “I have seen this people, and behold! It is a stiff-necked people.” (9:13)

Stiff-necked, otherwise known as stubbornness, obstinacy, is usually incompatible with uprightness and righteousness, because a stubborn person makes up his mind and sticks to it – even if his conduct is less than desirable. He has made up his mind, and he will stick to his guns. Hashem informs Moshe that the nation’s stubbornness is not conducive to their spiritual growth. He will send an angel to lead them. Hashem wants no part of an obstinate people. If we look back to the original redaction of the sin in Parashas Ki Sisa (Shemos 34:9), however, Moshe beseeches Hashem, Yeileich na…

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כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם... כי על כל מוצא פי ד' יחיה האדם

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5781

Man does not live on bread alone, but that man may live on anything that Hashem decrees. (8:3)

The forty years of wandering in the wilderness served as a course of instruction and training – instruction about Hashem’s Hashgachah, Providence, and training for serene and disciplined surrender to His guidance. When our lack of conviction in Hashem’s Omnipresent care and guidance over us diminishes, our practice, which fulfills the requirements of our moral and spiritual training, likewise wanes. For forty years we lived a lifestyle that impressed upon us the notion that, “It is not by bread alone that man make a life for himself.” We have been taught that the prime factor for man’s sustenance is the…

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ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5780

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

The Torah provides a unique criterion for teaching Torah to one’s children. They should be able to discuss Torah; or, alternatively, when they speak, Torah should emerge from their mouths. Speech is the communication or expression of thoughts. An individual who speaks Torah thinks Torah. One’s cognitive dynamic should be shaped by Torah, so that when he expresses an opinion, a comment, it is Torah-based, the expression of a Torah mind. Thus, Rashi explains, as soon as a child is able to speak, his father should teach him Torah, so that it will be his “language” of communication. Therefore, everything…

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ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5780

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

The Bnei Yissachar, Horav Tzvi Elimelech Shapiro, zl, cites (Takanos Tamchin D’Oraisa) Chazal (Bava Basra 21a) who credit Rabbi Yehoshua Ben Gamla with being the innovator of universal Torah education for all children. He was concerned for orphans who had no parent to teach them Torah. He set up Torah teachers in every province and district so that all children, regardless of parents or financial ability, would be availed Torah instruction. Chazal laud him for having ensured that the Jewish People would not forget the Torah. In the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah 245:7, it is ruled that communal monies may…

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ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ד' אלקיך

Sruly Schnair In Eikev, 5780

And now, Yisrael, what is Hashem, your G-d, asking of you, other than to fear Hashem, your G-d. (10:12)

In his commentary to Sefer Shemos (3:22) Horav S.R. Hirsch, zl, distinguishes between various meanings for the word sho’ail, to borrow/to ask. His rule is: When the word sho’ail is followed by the word mei’eis, from, it means to request, as it says (Shemos 3:22), V’sho’alah ishah mishchentah, “Each woman shall request from her neighbor.” When the word sho’ail is followed by the word mei’im, with, it means to borrow, as in (Shemos 22:13), V’chi yishal ish mei’im reieihu, “If a man shall borrow from his fellow.” The reason for this is that, when one borrows an object, he does…

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למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ד' לאבתיכם לתת להם

In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the ground that Hashem has sworn to your ancestors to give to them. (11:21)

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

And you shall teach them to your children (so that they will) discuss them. (11:19)

ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ד' אלקיך

Now, O Yisrael, what does Hashem, your G-d, ask of you? Only to fear Hashem, your G-d. (10:12)

שמלתך לא בלתה מעליך ורגלך לא בצקה זה ארבעים שנה

Your garment did not wear out upon you, and your feet did not swell – these forty years. (8:4)

עשה משפט יתום ואלמנה

But upholds the cause of the orphan and the widow. (10:18)

ויאמר ד'... ראיתי העם הזה והנה עם קשה ערף הוא

Hashem said… “I have seen this people, and behold! It is a stiff-necked people.” (9:13)

כי לא על הלחם לבדו יחיה האדם... כי על כל מוצא פי ד' יחיה האדם

Man does not live on bread alone, but that man may live on anything that Hashem decrees. (8:3)

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

ולמדתם אתם את בניכם לדבר בם

You shall teach them to your children to discuss them. (11:19)

ועתה ישראל מה ד' אלקיך שאל מעמך כי אם ליראה את ד' אלקיך

And now, Yisrael, what is Hashem, your G-d, asking of you, other than to fear Hashem, your G-d. (10:12)

YEARS

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