פּרשׁת כּי תבוֹא:
The Sages Say:
‘This day
Hashem your G-d commands you to do these Statutes and Ordinances, and you shall
guard and you shall do them with all your heart and with all your Soul.’ (Devarim 26:16)
Says Rashi HaKadosh (from Midrash Tanchuma): Every
day, they (the Commandments) should be new in your eyes, as if in that very day
you were commanded regarding them.
(We usually do a longer Chazal for this section, but the above
one, though only around a line, is so meaningful and important to take to
heart, I chose it).
*******
A “Lamdanishe” Insight:
‘An Arami
tried to destroy my father, and he descended to Egypt…’ (Devarim 26:5)
Aside from the general connection, why, we may ask, are Lavan
tricking Yaakov Avinu and Yaakov descending to Egypt put together, seemingly as
if saying that one caused the other?
Explains the Alshich HaKadosh: One did cause
the other: Since Lavan tricked Yaakov Avinu and gave him Leah first, then
Yosef HaTzaddik ended up not the firstborn, and thus, when Yaakov Avinu did
special things for him, etc. it caused jealousy among the brothers, which
eventually led to Yosef going down to Egypt. For if Yosef HaTzaddik had
been the firstborn, his brothers would not have been jealous of him, because a
firstborn is entitled to certain things.
(Of course Hashem orchestrated things so that Yosef would end up
in Egypt before Yaakov Avinu, but the Alshich HaKadosh explains to us
the chain of events that took place, and how the two topics in the verse are
connected).
*******
Mussar Message:
‘And it
will be when you will come to the Land that Hashem your G-d gives to you as an
inheritance, and you will take possession of it, and you will dwell in it.
And you shall take from the first of all the fruit of the ground...’ (Devarim 26:1-2)
Says HaRav Nosson Scherman שׁליט"א: After the Land
was conquered and allocated, farmers were to take the first ripened fruits to
the Temple and present them to the Kohen, in a ritual that included a moving
declaration of gratitude to G-d for His eternal role as the Guide of Jewish
history. The Jew’s gift of his first fruits, or Bikkurim, to the Kohen
symbolizes that he dedicates everything he has to the service of G-d.
For a Jew to say that his every accomplishment -- no matter how
much sweat he invested in it -- is a gift from G-d, is one of the goals of
Creation. (The Stone Edition Chumash).
*******
Chassidishe Vort:
‘And you
shall take from the first of all the fruit of the ground, that you bring in
from your land that Hashem your G-d gives to you, and you shall put it in a
basket, and you shall go to the place which Hashem your G-d chooses to dwell
His Name there.’ (Devarim 26:2)
This is the Commandment of Bikkurim -- First Fruits. When
the Beis HaMikdash stood (may it soon stand once again), we would take the
first of all the seven species of produce which Israel is known for (see Rashi
HaKadosh to the second verse), put it a basket, and bring it to the Beis
HaMikdash. But what about now; what about when we don’t have a Beis
HaMikdash and cannot perform Bikkurim properly? How can we in a way
fulfill it?
Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa זצ"ל asks a very similar question -- and he gives an answer too:
Says the Rebbe Reb Bunim זצ"ל: In our generation, we can keep the Mitzvah of Bikkurim
by making the beginning of the day holy. (Instead of sanctifying the first
fruits, we sanctify the first moments of the day). After rising in the
morning, our first thoughts, words, and deeds should be dedicated for the
Service of Hashem. (Meoros HaParsha).
*******
Chazak V’ematz:
‘Cursed is
the man who will make a carved or molten image, an abomination of Hashem…’ (Devarim 27:15)
And it will be if you will
surely listen in the Voice of Hashem your G-d, to guard to do all His
Commandments that I command you today, and Hashem your G-d will put you supreme
upon all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings will come upon
you and they will overtake you…’
(Devarim 28:1-2)
And it will be if you will
not listen in the Voice of Hashem your G-d, to guard to do all His Commandments
and His Statutes that I command you today, and all these curses will come upon
you and they will overtake you…’
(Devarim 28:15)
In this parsha we read a lengthy portion dealing with the
blessings we will get if we keep the Commandments, and the curses that will
come upon us if, Chas V’Shalom, we do not. It is noteworthy, though, the
order in which the Torah lists them: #1,
The curses pronounced on Mount Eval, #2, the blessings contingent on keeping
the Torah, and #3, the curses if, C”V, we don’t… What is the significance of
this order and what does it teach us?
We need to understand the truth about problems and bad things:
If something bad happens, Chas V’Shalom and Rachmana Litzlan, we more
than often complain about it and become bitter. What’s not to complain
about?
But the Torah teaches us with the above order that the inside and
truth of hardships is good. Hashem never wants bad to happen to us, Chas
V’Shalom. All the things that look bad, really only seem bad, but truly
are for the best. The midst of seeming curses are blessings. Remember whenever anything happens to you that
Hashem is making it for your benefit. (Tal U’Matar).
*******
Maaseh B’Rabbi…
One time, an arrogant sinner came to the holy Arizal for
the purpose of scoffing at him. The Ari
took one look at him, and began to enumerate all the sins that he (the sinner)
had committed that day. The man fainted from the shock. Upon
reviving, he fell down before the Ari, and asked how he could repent. And
he added "Let the mouth that dared to mock receive its punishment."
The Ari suggested that he die by having molten lead poured down
his throat, as his Teshuva (repentance). The now-penitent was so sincere
about his Teshuva, that he agreed to accept that terrible death -- since it
would be his atonement.
The Arizal's men laid the penitent down, blindfolded him,
and poured down his throat... a teaspoonful of honey! That man was ready
to accept a terrible death as atonement, and so it was considered as if he had
actually had suffered it. (Sparks of Mussar).
*******
A Gut Shabbos to all!
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