Am Segulah

Last evening we were blessed to have Rabbi Avrohom G. Yachnes give over a shiur on humility. Rabbi Yachnes is the author of several volumes of A Treasure For Life:Commentary and Insights into Sefer Orchos Tzaddikim. He inspired us to not only strive for humility but to go to the extreme and be exceedingly humble before all persons. How fitting to be studying the Mussar trait of humility this week beloved, because our Torah portion this week is Va'etchanan given to us by Moshe the epitome of humility.

The haftorah following the Torah reading on Shabbat usually reflects a topic in the Torah reading. This Shabbat is called Shabbat Nachamu. Rabbi Tali Loewenthal teaches us that the centerpiece of this week's reading, Va'etchanan, is the Ten Commandments,yet the haftorah is from Isaiah (40:1-26), and it is about comfort. "Comfort, My people, comfort them…" says G*d to the prophets. After destruction comes rebirth and rebuilding. After the destruction of the First Temple, came the building of the Second. After the destruction of the second Temple will come the advent of the Messiah and the building of the Third Temple. The sense of comfort after the darkness of destruction is so strong that in fact this is only the first of a series of seven haftorot, week by week, all with the theme of the promise of Redemption.

The sense of rebuilt wholeness is also expressed by the fact that the 15th of Av always falls in the week when Va'etchanan is read. The Mishnah teaches that "The greatest festivals for the Jewish people were Yom Kippur and the Fifteenth of Av."The Sages tell us that the fifteenth of every Jewish month is significant,because in accordance with the lunar calendar, on the 15th of the month the moon is full. The moon represents the Jewish people, and also the Divine Presence, the Shechinah, which has a feminine quality. The fifteenth of Av has a special power of joy, above that of the 15th of all other months. The sages teach that the descent on the Ninth of Av was so terrible that the light and joy that follows this darkness have an added, unique energy.

Beloved, Moshe is teaching us a very powerful lesson this week. He is teaching us about who we are, how we got here and what our destiny truly is. It is the realization that everything including the next breath we take is because it is the will of G*d. This parsha is about grace, about mercy and about humbly coming before the Creator of all and pleading our case. The answer may not come in the form that we thought. But just as HaShem bid Moshe to "ascend", His answers to us are for our good, to bring us to a higher place than we were before. We are HaShem's treasured people, His am segulah and as we beg to draw closer to Him, He will draw closer to us. Below is an excerpt from a shiur by Rabbi Ari Kahn. Enjoy! Good Shabbos~Elisheva

V'etchanan(Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11)
The Prayer of Moshe

Parshat V'Etchanan contains some of the most important teachings of Judaism. Here we find the Ten Commandments taught for the second time. Here we find the Sh'ma, "Hear O Israel," the quintessential declaration of monotheism. These ideas, together with lengthy instructions from Moshe, make for a Torah portion which stands out as for its concentration of spiritual teachings and content.

It begins with Moshe recounting for the people the dialogue which he had with God:"And I pleaded with G*d at that time saying, "...Please allow me to go over and see the good land which is beyond the Jordan, the goodly mountain region, the Lebanon..."' (Deut. 3:23-25) Moshe had asked G*d to rescind the decree and to allow him to cross the River Jordan with the people. G*d rejects this request, as Moshe relates: "But G*d was angry with me for your sakes, and would not hear me, and G*d said to me, "Enough for you! Speak no more to me on this matter."' (Deut. 3:26)

Moshe was told that he should not even attempt to continue his prayers, for the matter was sealed. Rather, Moshe should take solace in G*d's offer for him to see the land from afar: "Go on top of the peak and lift up your eyes, westward, and northward, and southward, and eastward, and behold with your eyes, for you will not cross this Jordan.' (Deut. 3:27)

Moshe had his prayer rejected. And it was not one prayer, but many. The Sages teach that Moshe had offered 515 different prayers, but one and all were rejected.
This concept of Moshe having his prayers rejected is not an easy one for us to understand. How can it be that Moshe, the father of all prophets, could not get his prayers answered? Furthermore, if Moshe cannot be allowed to repent and have his decree altered, then what does the future bode for those who have not reached, nor can they even imagine, his level.

There are various approaches to this issue in Talmudic, and Midrashic literature. The Talmud understands that Moshe' prayers did have an effect: Rabbi Eliezer taught: "Prayer is greater than good deeds, for there was never a man who had better deeds than Moshe our Master, nonetheless, Moshe was only answered as a result of his prayer, for it says, 'Enough for you! Speak no more to me on this matter' and right afterward it says 'Go on top of the peak...' (Talmud Brachot 32b)

The Talmud clearly understands that Moshe' prayer were effective, albeit not as effective as Moshe would have desired. The implication is clear, had Moshe not prayed then he would not have climbed the peak and seen the land. Moshe did have his prayers answered, but it was not exactly the answer which Moshe had sought.

From the Sforno we get the following teaching: [Moshe said:] "But G*d was angry with me for your sakes: For I desired to keep you there (in Israel), so that you would never be exiled. But He (G*d) had already lifted up His arm to disperse you among the nations." (Sforno 3:26) According to the Sforno, the object of Moshe' prayer was not his own spiritual well-being, it was the future of the community -- Moshe was motivated by a profound concern for his people. This leads us to an astounding conclusion: Moshe' remaining in exile was not due to a lack in him. It was caused by the relatively low spiritual level of his people.

Now we can understand why the Ten Commandments are taught again in this week's Torah portion. Moshe wishes to turn back the clock, and take the nation to the spiritual strata, which they enjoyed while standing at Sinai, prior to the Golden Calf. Moshe wishes to turn back the clock to before the Golden Calf. We can also understand why the Sh'ma is taught in the same Torah portion. What better way to connect to G*d than via this ultimate statement of acceptance of G*d?

In order for Moshe to have a chance to enter Israel, he did not need to fix anything in his relationship with G*d, his prayers were not necessary. For Moshe to enter the land, and more importantly for the people to stay in the land, the people needed to change, to grow closer to the Shechina. Therefore, Moshe is told by G*d to cease his prayers, and instead Moshe is told to take up what he does best: teach.

Moshe gives a phenomenal "lecture" in the hope that this will lead his students, his followers, back to G*d. Moshe attempts to fix that which was severed. The "lecture" which he left us remains. The people of Israel simply have to read this week's Torah portion in order to get an idea on how to reunite with G*d, and to become one with the Shechina. Just like our teacher, Mosehe.