Letters Sept. 2024

Why Copy God’s Enemies?

When Hashem, your God has cut down the nations that you have come there to inherit them from before them, and you inherit them and you dwell in their lands. Be careful that you do not stumble after them, after they are destroyed from before you, lest you inquire of their gods, saying, “How did these nations serve their gods and I will do the same?" Do not perform this to Hashem your God, because all abominations to God, which God hates have they done to their gods, for also their sons and daughters they have burned in fire to their gods (Deut. 12:29-31).

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim:  Why did the Jews seek to copy the practices of the nations that God just decimated? The Jews should have despised their practices, explaining why God destroyed them! What could possibly motivate a desire to emulate those whom God killed?

Interesting is Torah’s method of hints: “God has cut down the nations,”  is followed by “after they are destroyed.”  This repetition “cutting down” and “destroyed” is to raise our attention to that which evokes a misplaced mercy in the nations. The Jews sensed a guilt that other people were wiped out from before for them. A person feels uncomfortable when favored. He feels others will be jealous of him, just as he would be jealous of others being favored. To assuage that insecurity, the Jew identifies with the underdog and seeks to emulate his practices. His need for peer approval—even from a dead nations—overrides God’s prohibition of idol worship. 

God’s response is that these nations sacrificed their children in fire to their gods. These people show no mercy to those (their own children) who most deserve mercy. Telling the Jews to be aware of the nation’s cruelty intends to eliminate the Jews’ mercy on them and prevent their idolatrous emulation. 

Torah Defeats Enemies?

Jessie F.:  What is the connection between setting a fixed location for prayer or Torah study, and God foiling one’s enemies?

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai, “Setting a fixed place for prayer is so important that one who sets a fixed place for his prayer, his enemies fall beneath him, as it is said, ‘And I will appoint a place for My nation, Israel, and I will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place.’” (Brachos 7b)

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim:  What character exists in the opposite personality, namely the one who does not establish a fixed place for Torah study? He is less rigid and less concerned with his learning...he learns "on the fly."  Anywhere is OK. But setting a fixed location creates a familiar environment where there are no unexpected distractions, which do exist and distract one in unfamiliar settings. Such a person so deeply values the greatest mitzvah of Torah, that he creates the environment most conducive to learn. A fixed place contains nothing new around him, as he has been there many times before. With no external stimuli, his study is fully focussed. As he desires unimpeded study, God helps him by eliminating that which can disturb him: his enemies.

Jessie F.: Why enemies particularly?

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim: Perhaps people (enemies) are unpredictable, so God helps man here. But independent of the need for God, man can take protective measures against disturbances of a known character, like weather.  

Praying to Angels

Tova: Where in Torah are we prohibited to pray to angels? I see where Torah prohibits heavenly phenomena and animated life. But not angels.

Rabbi  Israel Chait: Yes, in the Ten Commandments it says that you are not allowed to worship anything in the heavens above or the Earth below (Exod. 20:4,5). 

Why Oral Law is Oral

Howie: Why was the Oral Law originally restricted from being written? 

Rabbi Moshe Ben-Chaim: Talmud says “The purpose of study is definition” (“tachlis shmaitta svara”). This means the arrival at the underlying definitions of halacha is our goal. Definitions are ideational matters, they are thoughts. Thinking is man’s greatest activity, as it alone enables man to pursue the infinite world of God’s wisdom. As God wishes man to recognize this, the metaphysical world of ideas is highlighted through maintaining the Oral Law in our minds, not on parchment. Furthermore, had the Oral Law been written, its limited number of books would indicate there is a discreet corpus of knowledge, and nothing further. But God’s knowledge is endless for man. Why then is there a Written Law? Perhaps, as Torah must apply to all people at all stages of intelligence, a purely memorized system would not survive. A concrete tangible framework is required. 

God isn’t Wrong

If one follows even those commands viewed as a light matters, will one benefit from God’s treaty and kindness with the Jews (Rashi, Deut. 7:12). What is the reasoning? What prevents one from following matters viewed as “light” is one’s rejection of God’s evaluation, and instead, following one’s own subjective assessment. In this manner, one rejects God’s authority. Thereby, he forfeits God’s favor and providence promised to only those wholly devoted to God. 

Rejecting part of God’s treaty nullifies the treaty completely. 

Cashing in on Mitzvah?

Why do the righteous not wish to be answered due to their merit, but instead, seek God’s “free” gift of His kindness? Why not seek repayment for their righteous lives? (Rashi, Deut. 3:23)

The righteous follow Torah based on a love of its truths. They don’t view their good deeds and mitzvos as “currency,” as a claim against God to be repaid. They perform Torah as they see the truth in all God’s commands, and they are attached to the truth. It’s natural for them. Therefore, when in need, they seek God’s free kindness, as they are not of the mindset to cash-in on their acts which they never viewed as a claim against God. One would not say to God, “Look, I saved my son’s life, now repay me.” That lifesaving act was performed for itself, and that father is glad to have performed that act, with no feeling of deserving reward. The righteous act the same way regarding all God’s commands and philosophies.