Not in the Heavens

Dani Roth

In Devarim 30:11-14 Moshe is responding to some reluctance in the Jews: 

It is not in the heavens, that you should say, “Who among us can go up to the heavens and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, “Who among us can cross to the other side of the sea and get it for us and impart it to us, that we may observe it?” No, the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.

What does Moshe think the resistance is? Why would it be necessary for Moshe to mention two metaphors describing the difficulty in pursuing Torah? How do the two metaphors differ? How does Moshe’s response address these issues?

What is heaven? It is something that man views as too far away and too vast…impossible to conquer. So too, the Jews view Torah as impossible to complete. Because of this, they see no worth in pursuing it. However, the Jews err in this assessment: due to their egos, they wrongly render Torah into yet another “accomplishment.” But, “Rabbi Tarfon said, ‘It is not your duty to finish the work” (Avos 2:16).  Here too, Moshe corrects the people’s wrong feeling: “If I can’t complete it all, it’s not worth engaging.”  This stems from viewing Torah as an accomplishment, when in truth, it is not, but a matter to engage for its amazing insights. Learning Torah “Lishma”—for the ideas themselves—is the proper level God asks we attain, as the daily blessing says, “To learn Torah Lishma.” We must not learn Torah or practice Torah for the sense of pride in our accomplishment.   

Others view Torah as requiring much effort, like traversing great seas. They don't see the task as impossible, rather, that the benefit is not worth the effort. People are lazy by nature. And Avos says further in that mishna, “But neither are you at liberty to neglect it.”

Moshe’s response is that neither form of resistance is valid. As we possess Torah she’bicsav and Torah she’ba’al peh” (Rashi: “For it is close to you”) when Moshe says, “It is in your mouth and heart to observe it,” he means that having the “guide” in front of you removes the fear of failure that people have of starting something they can’t accomplish. This is because they already have some mastery over Torah. Moshe does not try to eliminate the ego emotion of accomplishment, which is how the Jews currently operated, because eliminating a person’s current motivation can leave him no motivation whatsoever, which is very dangerous. Moshe wishes to start them on the path, even if not for the proper value. So he feeds their sense accomplishment. 

And following Torah is not as difficult as traversing the sea, for we can immediately pursue Torah through reading and thought: “The thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart, to observe it.” This responds to laziness, as the first step of attaining Torah are already covered. By eliminating some needed steps, the work is reduced, so there’s less to be lazy about.