THE WEEKLY PARSHA
"Behold, I have placed before you life and good, death and evil....
Choose life..." (Duet. 15 - 19).
This fundamental instruction of the Torah is truly to be wondered at.
Are life and death really given over to the choice of man? There are
many people who hope for life and want it very much, yet their days are
cut short in the midst of their vigor. In contrast, there are those
whose life drags on, without benefit and against their desire. And if
you will want to explain that these words are talking about spiritual
life, then we will ask, has not the Torah commanded us many times about
the observance of the 613 mitzvot? Therefore, what is the unique
obligation which we are taught here to "choose life"?
These questions can be explained when we realize that to a great extent
life is really dependent upon what is called "the will to live." Even
medical doctors will attest to this. Many people who are seriously ill,
and even those with incurable ailments continue to live among us as long
as they hold on to the "will to live" and refuse to lose hope. However,
in the moment that despair enters into their heart, G-d forbid, in that
same moment they lose hope, and it is as if they have decreed upon
themselves death.
Accordingly, we can understand the simple meaning of the text. G-d
requests from each of us not to despair of life. "...A live dog is
better than a dead lion" (Eccl. 9:4). Anything that participates in life
has hope; and by any account, as it is related in Avot (4:17), one
moment of Torah and mitzvot in this world, even if it is accompanied by
suffering, and perhaps even more so if it is accompanied by suffering,
nevertheless is "worth more than all the world-to-come."
However, in greater depth it can be said that the quality of life is
also dependent upon a person's will and choice. There are degrees of
life. A person may be awake or asleep; he may be unconscious, or on the
verge of death. One level is not comparable to the other. In the same
way, there are levels and degrees in the spiritual aspect of life. Here,
too, the levels are different one from the other. One person may be
fully awake spiritually, while at the opposite pole stands the wicked
person who is called dead in his lifetime. Thus, with these words the
Torah informs us that a person chooses for himself how he will live: on
a base level of materialism, or will he far surpass this to a much
loftier level of spiritual dedication.
It is the nature of life that as a person grows older, his way of life
becomes more stabilized and fixed. As the years go by it seems that a
person's way of life is unchangeable, each according to his level. It is
precisely because of this that the Torah tells us "choose life." The
patterns of a person's life can always be changed. He can always burst
forth to a new and more spiritual framework of life. If, until now, he
has set some amount of time for learning, or some amount for charity,
with the claim that he has no more time or he can't afford anymore, each
one knows in his heart that he can do more and he can give more. The
truth is that he has a choice. He has the ability. He has the free-will.
This is an important lesson for us before the Day of Judgment, as we
are beginning the New Year. We need to make resolutions for the future,
for renewal and change. On the merit of our resolutions may we be
written and sealed immediately in the Book of Life for a good, long life
and peace.
PASSAGES ON PRAYER
We pray and beseech G-d that He should not take away from us His "Holy
Spirit." In other words, that He should not remove from our midst the
holiness which was implanted within us at the time when we received the
Torah.
However, the Satan makes devious plots to take the power of holiness
away from Israel by arousing lusts. Everywhere a person turns he sees
immodesty. The daughters of Israel go through the streets and shopping
centers provocatively. Because of this, G-d forbid, the Divine Presence
is removed from Israel.
It is written about the Moabite girls that "they called the people to
come to the sacrifices of their gods..." (Numbers 28:2). Concerning this
Chazal says that they came to call the Jews while they were entirely
naked (Sanhedrin 106).
On the other hand the Torah calls: "...Your camp shall be holy, and any
immodest thing shall not be seen among you; lest you will flee
backwards" (Duet. 23:15). Behold, the holiness of our people is entirely
dependent upon this matter, and whereas the Satan once had to exert much
toil over many years to defile the people, in these times he does it
very quickly. Woe to the eyes who have seen such things!
Although we are not on the level that our thoughts are pure and holy all
the time, nevertheless one has to be very careful to at least not bring
himself to impure thoughts. Chazal has already said: "One who brings
himself to ruminations is not allowed into the presence of G-d" (Nidah
13). Therefore, everyone must set rules for his household, that their
sleeves should not be too short, and that all their dress should be
according to the Code of Law. In this way he will not come himself to
bad ruminations. Even if people deride him for this, he should not pay
attention to them. Chazal has said: "It is better that a person be
called a fool all his days than that he should be wicked for even one
moment before G-d" (Ediot 88). On this merit G-d will give us children
talmedai chachamim.
A Public Letter by Rabbi Chaim Churi z"l,
Rosh Chodesh Tamuz, 5684 (1924)
STORIES OF THE SAGES
"...It is not hidden from you, and it is not far away" (Duet. 30:11).
In Sefer Toldot Ha-adam (p.217) it is told about R. Zalmelle that he
once tried to awaken the young man who had been chosen to study with him
in the early morning in preparation for the rabbi's daily class. When
the tzadik saw that the young man was having trouble arising, he brought
water and the young man's clothes, and he began to speak with him softly
words which would draw him with love to the service of G-d.
"If a person was exhausted," R. Zalmelle said, "sleeping in his warm bed
under the covers in the middle of the cold winter, and someone told him
that he could attain a treasure of gold if he arrived in time before
anybody else at some distant place, there is no doubt that he would
hurry to arise, shake off his weariness, disregard the cold, dress as
quickly as possible and run to that place against any and all obstacles.
"At that time his only thought would be to get to that place before
anybody else would arrive to sieze the treasure before him.
"And all this is talking about things of this world, about which it is
said, 'In his death he cannot take anything, and his glory will not
descend after him'(Psalms 49:18). Therefore, if it is a matter of doing
the Will of G-d, how much more so must a person run to shake off
laziness because spiritual goals are the best of all treasures, whose
value far surpasses gold.
"In the doing of the mitzvot," the tzadik concluded, "laziness and
weakness is a major transgression."
EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN
The qualitative way that a person performs Torah and mitzvot influences
his children.
It is written, "...Life and death I have placed before you, a blessing
and a curse; choose life in order that you and your offspring will live"
(Duet. 30:19).
According to Rav Moshe Feinstien z"l in his sefer, Darash Moshe, the
words "in order that you and your offspring will live" should not be
construed as the reason why a person should "choose life." The
instruction to "choose life" is substantive, whereas the words "in order
that you and your offspring will live" teach us about the quality of
life and its derivatives.
The explanation of these words based upon the Yalkut Lekach Tov in
Parshat Nitzavim is as follows.
Among those who choose the life of Torah and mitzvot there are two types
of people. In the first category, on the lesser level, are those who do
the mitzvot, but they do them unwillingly. They believe in G-d and His
Torah, and they know what are their real responsibilities in this world,
but when they do mitzvot it is possible to see that they do not enjoy
any pleasure from them.
In the second, more favored category are those who learn Torah and do
the mitzvot with joy and happiness. Their joy emanates from a clear
recognition that a person's eternal life comes from Torah and mitzvot,
and not the transient things of this world that pass so quickly away.
These two approaches produce entirely different derivatives. Those in
the first category ruin their children. The children see their parents
suffering and forcing themselves to overcome their inclinations. They
will say that they cannot follow the way of their parents because they
do not have the power and character of the parents. From this point it
is a short step to the total abandonment, G-d forbid, of Torah and
mitzvot.
In contrast, the offspring of the people in the second category have
received a positive influence from the joy and satisfaction in the doing
of the mitzvot which they have seen in their parents. These children
understand spontaneously that the loss of the transient pleasures of
this world is nothing compared to the wonderful satisfactions of eternal
life.
Therefore, the Torah instructs us, "Choose life, in order that you and
your offspring will live." Choose the life of Torah and mitzvot with
joy. When you do that you will live a true life, and also your children
after you.
