Upholding and Upkeeping
Adapted by Channie Koplowitz Stein
As Bnei Yisroel is about to enter Eretz Yisroel, Moshe continues with his final message to the Nation. Putting half the people on Har Grizim and the other half on Har Eival, Moshe proceeds to first tell the people all the blessings they will receive for following Hashem’s commands. He then follows by cursing those who transgress specific commands, concluding with, “Accursed in the one who will not uphold/yakim the words of the Torah to perform them.” If this is merely a summary of all the concluding verses, it would be redundant, and the Torah only adds words when there is an additional message to be learned. So what are we to extrapolate from this “redundancy?”
Rav Reiss in Meirosh Tzurim offers an explanation focusing on the mindset of the sinner. Since we are all human, we are subject to err and to sin. However, when we sin purposely, in defiance of Hashem’s command, rather than through error or through human frailty, this curse will apply. Further, continues Rabbi Reiss citing the Malbim whose ideas develop in the backdrop of the Enlightenment, the curse also applies to upkeep/lekayeim the laws of He Who is Chai Vekayom/eternally alive and relevant, in contradistinction to those who would say some of the mitzvoth do not apply “in this day and age.”
In a related vein, Rabbeinu Yonah explains that there are people who are generally very observant, who do teshuvah when they sin, but cannot accept one particular mitzvah or prohibition. To the Chofetz Chaim, a common area of faltering is in the laws of Shemirat Haloshon/guarding one’s tongue against improper speech, especially about others. If one denies the importance of this or of any mitzvah as either irrelevant or just impossible to maintain, one is “throwing off the yoke of Heaven,” rebelling against God, and incurring this curse.
In this month of Elul, our minds goes to the acronym of (E)Ani Ledodi (U)Vedodi Li/I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me. But our relationship to Hakodosh Boruch Hu must be more than just feeling the love. As Rabbi Meir Chodosh cited in the Ohel Mosh says, it must include a sense of responsibility to serve Hashem as his Master. One is not free to merely try. One must commit, even with the possibility of failure.
This idea of submitting to Hakodosh Boruch Hu in all areas runs counter to man’s general psychological bent, writes Rabbi Gamliel Rabinowitz citing the Chazon Ish. Man wants to be free and unrestrained. But we must learn to do what Hashem wants and to live by His rules. After all, even an exclusive country club has clearly defined rules for membership. If you do not abide by those rules, your membership will be revoked. And we are members of a very exclusive club, the only Nation that Hashem chose and designated for membership. This is what Elul and the shofar are for, to wake us up so that we want to follow the rules because we love being part of this membership. And if I mess up, I will apologize, do teshuvah, immediately to remain in good standing, for only a fool would delay and incur the possibility of suffering the consequences, adds Rabbi Beyfus.
In this month of Elul, when we try to improve our character and reinforce our relationship with Hashem, we may want to start by going through each moment of our day to see how our performance could improve, whether in our interactions with our family and friends or in our mitzvah observance, suggests Rabbi Gamliel Rabinowitz in Tiv Hamoadim. In the process, though, be aware to avoid an all or nothing attitude. Start with a small, easy step and build on that, teaches us Rabbi Wagschall.
Life is full of challenges. We will undoubtedly fall, but we must be involved in the process and continue in our struggle, for ultimate success is a gift only Hakodosh Boruch Hu can grant, adds Rabbi Lugassi in Mimayanei Hayeshuah. Rabbi Lugassi here refers to a “vort” from Rabbi Biederman. We are called Yisroel because Yaakov Avinu struggled with the angel/soriso im E-lokhim, not because Yaakov succeeded, the concluding phrase, vatuchol. A tzadik will fall seven times. He is called a tzadik/a righteous one because after each fall, he rises and tries again. Real victory, as the Steipler Gaon tells us, is in the determination to get up in spite of the fall. If what you have undertaken proves too difficult, start with an even smaller step. After all, our verse says, “Cursed is the one who will not yokim/raise up, the Torah, and himself to perform its mitzvoth.” Your attitude may not be, I will observe the mitzvoth I would like to perform, those that I find easy. That is not the attitude of a true servant, certainly not of a true servant of Hashem. Elul is the month of trying, of pushing ourselves to observing the 613 rules that constitute the bylaws of our “club.”
The Ramban offers an additional perspective on the pivotal word yokim. Ramban translates the word as “to establish, to fortify.” He explains that if one has the opportunity to strengthen the Torah observance of another Jew, to teach him and help him and others and influence them toward Torah or mitzvah observance, and he refuses to do so, he has transgressed this command. As Rabbi Scheinerman points out in Ohel Moshe, each of us has a sphere of influence that extends beyond an immediate family or classroom. People observe us wherever we are, in a supermarket, on public transportation, entering a restaurant, and take their cues from what we do and how we act. We must recognize the impact we may have on others wherever we are. [IE. It must be kosher; it’s in her shopping cart, etc. CKS] A loyal servant works diligently and urges others to do so, even as they are slacking off. Writes Rabbi Lopian in Lev Eliahu. Are you working for your own benefit, or for that of your Boss?
There are many ways we can return “lost souls” to their rightful Owner, to Hashem. Rabbi Frand points out that during the time the Mishkan in Shiloh was the center of Jewish life, Elkanah would go up to Yerushalayim for the festivals, each time taking a different route so that he could influence others to join him. For this devotion in publicizing the mitzvah and urging others to perform the mitzvah, Elkanah merited the son, the Prophet Shmuel. The obligation to support Torah observance and learning extends to supporting Torah institutions and Torah students as well, adds the Ohel Moshe. You can help others to learn through using your body (tutoring, helping with fund raising activities), your soul, as well as with your money. In this context, Rabbi Reiss makes an interesting observation. Our Sages note that a person is known by [how he acts] with his cup [when he’s had too much to drink], with his “pocket,” and when he’s angry. We can tell a lot about a person’s values by observing what he spends his money on. Supporting Torah financially tells everyone that you value Torah.
Ramban offers another, literal, explanation of this verse. “Whoever does not stand up or raise up the Torah” is subject to this curse. This is the posuk the Gemorrah Yerushalmi cites as the source for the Chazan (or designated member of the community) to lift up to Torah in shul after the Torah reading for all to see its writing, men and women, people on the right and on the left. And the Congregation should give the Torah proper honor by standing and not speaking at this time, instructs us Rabbi Reiss.
Mizkeinim Esbonan explains why Hagbeh/lifting up the Torah scroll is so important. This act signifies the centrality of Torah in our lives. It is raised from the Bimah traditionally located in the center of the shul and raised to all sides equally, signifying that the people at front of the shul are no more important than those in back or on the sides, no more important that the women and children in the Ezras Noshim. [In 2016, I visited the Cochin Synagogue in Moshav Nevatim with the Eretz Yisroel Movement. The shul, a copy of their shul in India and including many of the original, physical structures of that shul, features two bimahs. The one in the center of the men’s section is where the chazan stands to lead the congregation in prayer. But there is a second bimah higher up, right near the women’s section. After the Torah is removed from the Ark and is carried through the men’s section, the Torah is carried up to the second bimah where the women will clearly hear the Torah reading and see the Torah. CKS] Further, the Torah should be central not only physically, but in every stage of a Jew’s life. A Jew connects to the Torah by getting an aliyah at each milestone and significant time in his life, from Bar Mitzvah, to marriage, to becoming a father, to the yahrtzeit of his loved ones.
There are two types of people, notes Rabbi Grosbard. There are those who are yirei Hashem/God fearing. When a mitzvah opportunity comes their way, they immediately commit and start doing it. They are written in God’s Book of Remembrance. In contrast, are those who are choshvei Shemo/think of His Name and admit the opportunity, but do not begin executing it. Here the yetzer horo has the opportunity to step in and deflect the person from completing the mitzvah. While there is some merit in thought, it is the fulfillment, the yokim, that merits the full reward.
It is important to think of ways to increase kavod haTorah/honor of Torah and to actualize the potential of our Torah and mitzvah intentions, writes Rabbi Wolbe. And the month of Elul, adds the Tosher Rebbe, is the time with greater power to uphold and establish Torat Hashem.