Parshas Ki Savo Messages 5779

בּ"ה

Parshas Ki Savo

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‘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 will choose 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 zt”l here), put it in a basket, and bring it to the Beis HaMikdash.

The Mishnah in Maseches Bikkurim (3:1) tells us: How would one separate the Bikkurim? A person would go into their field, and if they saw a fig, a cluster, a pomegranate, etc. that had begun to ripen, they would tie a reed around it, and say, “Behold, these are Bikkurim.”

Asks Rebbe Moshe Leib of Sassov zt”l; why does the Mishnah say specifically that this was done only with a reed, when seemingly a person would fulfill their obligation using a thread of flax or cotton?

Answers the Sassover; one of the main things of the Mitzvah of bikkurim is so that a person will remember the Blessed Creator. For, when a person works hard in their field, and beautiful fruits begin to sprout, they are liable to become a little haughty perhaps, and think that their ‘strength and the might of their hand’ (c.f. 8:17) brought them this abundance. Therefore, we are commanded that the first and choicest fruit [from the Seven Species] we must bring before Hashem, so that we will remember very well Who is the One that gives us strength and livelihood.

Because of this, says the Rebbe, the Mishnah says that a person should tie around the fruit specifically a reed, a גמי. For, the word גמי is also the first letters of the words גדולים מעשי השם (just with the Name actually spelled out), ‘Great are the deeds of Hashem!’

(Quoted in ViKarasa L’Shabbos Oneg, vol. 3)

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But what about now; what about when we don’t have a Beis HaMikdash and cannot perform Bikkurim in the prescribed way? How can we, in a manner of sorts, fulfill it?

1) ----- “All who bring a gift to a Torah scholar, it is as if he brought Bikkurim.” (Gemara Kesubos 105b).

2) ----- Rebbe Simcha Bunim of Peshischa zt”l: 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. (Torah Wellsprings).

3) ----- Based upon what we saw above from Rebbe Moshe Leib Sassover zt”l, perhaps we may also suggest that if we always realize and recognize that it is Hashem Who gives us our strength, and really everything, then maybe that is our bikkurim in a way. (Tal U’Matar).

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‘An Arami attempted to destroy my father [Yaakov], and he descended to Egypt’ (Devarim 26:5)

What is the connection between Lavan’s attempt to destroy Yaakov Avinu and Yaakov going down to Egypt? (See Rashi zt”l for one explanation).

1) ----- Alshich HaKadosh: As we know, Yaakov Avinu wished to marry Rochel, and worked several years for Lavan towards that goal, but on the night of the wedding, Lavan secretly exchanged Leah for Rochel, and made Yaakov marry her instead. And then only afterwards -- on the condition of more years of work -- did Yaakov end up being able to marry Rochel. Now, if Yaakov had married Rochel first, then Yosef would have been born first, instead of Reuven, and, since he would have been the firstborn, there would not have ended up being jealousy among the brothers towards him. And therefore, they would not have sold him, and thus, ended up going down to Egypt in such a way. (Toras Moshe; Devarim).

2) ----- HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l: Since Yaakov Avinu dwelled by Lavan and yet emerged from the experience unharmed spiritually -- as he said, that even though he stayed with Lavan, he still kept the Mitzvos (Rashi zt”l to Bereishis 32:5) -- him and all his offspring; he relied on this, that they would also be able to keep the way of Hashem in Egypt, and was, therefore, willing to go down there. (Darash Moshe).

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‘And you shall rejoice in all the good that Hashem your G-d gave to you’ (Devarim 26:11)

If read in a slightly different fashion, the verse can be understood as ‘And you shall rejoice in all/everything -- the good. . .’ How do we rejoice in all that happens? When we understand and realize that everything -- yes, even the difficult things -- are really good and for our benefit.

(Tal U’Matar)

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‘Look down (השׁקיפה) from Your Holy Abode’ (Devarim 26:15)

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Every time the word השׁקפה -- and the same root -- is used in Scripture, it implies bad (i.e. what is being gazed upon is being looked at in not such a good light and/or for its detriment), except for here, when we ask Hashem, after we have separated and given Maaser Rishon (The First Tithe) and the Tithe of the Poor (see Rashi here), ‘Look down (השׁקיפה) from Your Holy Abode. . .’

Why in this one instance does it not denote bad? Because so great is the power of giving gifts to the poor that it transforms the Divine Attribute of “Anger” into Mercy.

(Rashi zt”l from Midrash Tanchuma on Bereishis 18:16)

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‘This day Hashem your G-d commands you to do these Decrees and Ordinances, and you shall guard and you shall do them with all your heart and with all your Soul.’ (Devarim 26:16)

Every day, they should be new in your eyes, as if on that day you were commanded regarding them.

(Rashi zt”l from Midrash Tanchuma)

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‘This day you have become a People’ (Devarim 27:9)

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That day, says HaRav Shimshon Refoel Hirsch zt”l, the day when the Jews accepted with an oath to keep the Torah, is when we became a people. Our nationhood did not begin from the time that we merited our Land, or had our own language [not that these things aren’t very important!], but specifically from the time that we accepted upon ourselves the Yoke of Torah. This is the uniqueness of Jewish nationhood.

(Cited in Maayanah Shel Torah)

As Rav Saadya Gaon zt”l famously said: “We are a nation only by virtue of the Torah.”

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‘And all these blessings will come upon you, and they will overtake you, if you will listen to the Voice of Hashem your G-d.’ (Devarim 25:17)

What does it mean that the blessings will ‘overtake’ us?

For different reasons, says HaRav Yitzchok Kunstadt zt”l, sometimes, we actually flee from blessings and good things -- for example, when we don’t know if the thing is good or not. But Hashem promises us here that His blessings will still come to us, and ‘overtake us.’

(Luach Erez, as quoted in Shaar Bas Rabim)

The Ksav Sofer {HaRav Avraham Shmuel Binyomin Sofer zt”l} explains the meaning of this in a different, but just as encouraging, manner: No matter what place -- city, state, country, etc. -- we are in, Hashem’s berachos will “find” us, as it were. They will ‘overtake us’!

(Ksav Sofer al HaTorah)

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In this parsha, we also read the curses that will come upon us if, Chas v’Shalom, we do not keep Hashem’s Torah.

The Zohar Chadash (Ki Savo) tells us, though, that within, or alluded to within, the curses in this Parsha, are actually good things!

And indeed, we know that even if Hashem has to bring painful punishment upon us because we acted badly, He doesn’t do so for a destructive purpose, Chas v’Shalom. But only to steer us back onto the right path or to atone for our sins, etc.

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Similarly: The Parsha tells us (27:2-7) that we were to set up stones on Mount Eival, and write the words of the Torah on them. Not only that, but we were also to build an altar there, offer offerings, and rejoice before Hashem!

HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt”l wonders at this; why was all this done on Mount Eival -- the mountain for the curses? Why not Mount Gerizim, which was the one for the blessings?!

Explains Rav Moshe; the potential punishments aid us to actually uphold the Torah and Mitzvos! Because we know that if we sin, we get punished, and therefore, we are afraid to sin. We therefore see that it is quite fitting for the rejoicing to be done on Mount Eival, because the possible curses help us to be good people, and actually merit the blessings! (Darash Moshe).

We thus now see beautifully that it was in no way an insult or slight to those Tribes who stood ‘for the curse’, because the existence of potential punishments that we will get if, Chas v’Shalom, we don’t keep the Torah, is also extremely essential!

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|~Maasim Tovim~| A person once came to the Mirrer Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l (named after his great-grandfather, the Alter of Slabodka zt”l), and asked him what he should think of -- what concentrations/intentions he should have -- when he blew the Shofar.

Now you would expect that perhaps the Rosh Yeshiva would reply that he should study Zohar and make sure to learn all the Halachos of blowing Shofar very well (which are, of course, also very important), but Rav Nosson Tzvi zt”l answered with one word: “Others.”1

(Heard from my Rebbe, HaRav Elyakim Rosenblatt zt”l)

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1 Obviously, it is the point of the story we are stressing, and we are not

necessarily trying to make any ruling about what intentions should be had.

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Gut and meaningful Shabbos to all!

Torah, Mussar, Chassidus, Stories, and More! - בּ"ה

Friday, September 20, 2019