A thought on Parshios Nitzavim-VaYelech
A Thought on Parshios Nitzavim-VaYelech
"...l'maan safos ha'raveh es ha'tzam'ea...ha'nistaros l'HaShem..."
"...let me add moisture to the dry...the hidden is for HaShem..." (29:18,28)
Our Torah reading addresses each individual's struggle with adhering to the Divine wisdom and the sacred commandments. The above verses portray some of the internal narrative which people entertain in making choices about following or forsaking HaShem's rules.
The verse cited first is almost poetic in revealing the rationalization which some of us use in ignoring the warnings about dabbling with sin. The latter verse tells us the obvious: HaShem knows what goes on in our "hidden thoughts."
What is this "adding moisture to the dry" metaphor?
The Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim 3) interprets the phrase as a reference to those who struggle with temptation. They rationalize that they are seeking to nourish their painful thirst for fulfillment and merely seek to taste the forbidden waters to settle their existential distress. The Torah declares that people fool themselves. Their temptation is not curiosity; it is lust. By feeding their lust, they will long for further forays into compromise and immorality. This is the idea behind one claiming that "I just want to quench my parched soul." It is not soul fulfillment but rather psychological authenticity that they need to grapple with. The Torah is urging us to be honest with ourselves about ourselves.
The Rosh interprets the "moisture" as "sated". It refers to those forbidden sins which most of us have no urge to try. The "dry"ones are those which most people thirst for and struggle with. The former ones are moist, meaning that we look at them as theological issues which we are supposed to accept without really understanding them. We do not thirst for them at any psychological or biological level. The latter are those which seem more morally sensible to us, as if we understand why we must avoid them. Nonetheless, we still desire the benefits or pleasures which we attribute to acting on them.
The mind tormented by its passion and self-justification may give in to the "dry" longings and indulge in the forbidden. One may view one's self as merely giving in to impulse and fail to acknowledge the theological gravity of his straying. By failing to appreciate how even the "dry and thirsty" sins are also Divinely ordained, he fails to repent at a more spiritual level. Before long, says the Rosh, he will blend his indulgence in the thirsty sins with his venturing into the more overtly spiritual transgressions. He will join the moist with the dry.
The second verse emphasizes that "the hidden things are for HaShem and the revealed are for us." The Rambam (see Rabbeinu Bachya - Kad HaKemach who cites the lost commentary of the Rambam on Chumash) says that people sometimes believe that they have figured out why one thing or another is forbidden by the Torah. This does not justify one saying that he or she can disregard the actual behavior (the "revealed" facet of the commandment) as long as he respects its deeper "hidden" theological meaning. We must keep the commandments whether or not we believe that we have comprehended their intent. That is the hidden material and it is known only to HaShem. We have to occupy ourselves with performing the mitzvos regardless at the revealed or overt level.
The Rosh interprets this verse very differently. The hidden things are those deeds which a person tries to get away with secretly. HaShem will deal with him privately. The revealed things are those things which a person does in front of others. Those are not left up to HaShem, but rather are "lanu u'l'vaneinu ad olam" - they are for us to deal with. When we see another Jew behaving without regard to his effect on others, we need to intervene. We cannot keep the matter "hidden" or ignore it. If we do not intervene, writes the Rosh, then the consequence will also be "revealed". It will affect us and our children forever. Our failure to act will signal acceptance and complicity. That is not right and will then become a matter of Divine retribution r'l.
This is the last week of 5770. With HaShem's help we will cover next week's parsha next year. A good Shabbos. A Kasiva v'Chasima Tova. D. Fox
"...l'maan safos ha'raveh es ha'tzam'ea...ha'nistaros l'HaShem..."
"...let me add moisture to the dry...the hidden is for HaShem..." (29:18,28)
Our Torah reading addresses each individual's struggle with adhering to the Divine wisdom and the sacred commandments. The above verses portray some of the internal narrative which people entertain in making choices about following or forsaking HaShem's rules.
The verse cited first is almost poetic in revealing the rationalization which some of us use in ignoring the warnings about dabbling with sin. The latter verse tells us the obvious: HaShem knows what goes on in our "hidden thoughts."
What is this "adding moisture to the dry" metaphor?
The Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim 3) interprets the phrase as a reference to those who struggle with temptation. They rationalize that they are seeking to nourish their painful thirst for fulfillment and merely seek to taste the forbidden waters to settle their existential distress. The Torah declares that people fool themselves. Their temptation is not curiosity; it is lust. By feeding their lust, they will long for further forays into compromise and immorality. This is the idea behind one claiming that "I just want to quench my parched soul." It is not soul fulfillment but rather psychological authenticity that they need to grapple with. The Torah is urging us to be honest with ourselves about ourselves.
The Rosh interprets the "moisture" as "sated". It refers to those forbidden sins which most of us have no urge to try. The "dry"ones are those which most people thirst for and struggle with. The former ones are moist, meaning that we look at them as theological issues which we are supposed to accept without really understanding them. We do not thirst for them at any psychological or biological level. The latter are those which seem more morally sensible to us, as if we understand why we must avoid them. Nonetheless, we still desire the benefits or pleasures which we attribute to acting on them.
The mind tormented by its passion and self-justification may give in to the "dry" longings and indulge in the forbidden. One may view one's self as merely giving in to impulse and fail to acknowledge the theological gravity of his straying. By failing to appreciate how even the "dry and thirsty" sins are also Divinely ordained, he fails to repent at a more spiritual level. Before long, says the Rosh, he will blend his indulgence in the thirsty sins with his venturing into the more overtly spiritual transgressions. He will join the moist with the dry.
The second verse emphasizes that "the hidden things are for HaShem and the revealed are for us." The Rambam (see Rabbeinu Bachya - Kad HaKemach who cites the lost commentary of the Rambam on Chumash) says that people sometimes believe that they have figured out why one thing or another is forbidden by the Torah. This does not justify one saying that he or she can disregard the actual behavior (the "revealed" facet of the commandment) as long as he respects its deeper "hidden" theological meaning. We must keep the commandments whether or not we believe that we have comprehended their intent. That is the hidden material and it is known only to HaShem. We have to occupy ourselves with performing the mitzvos regardless at the revealed or overt level.
The Rosh interprets this verse very differently. The hidden things are those deeds which a person tries to get away with secretly. HaShem will deal with him privately. The revealed things are those things which a person does in front of others. Those are not left up to HaShem, but rather are "lanu u'l'vaneinu ad olam" - they are for us to deal with. When we see another Jew behaving without regard to his effect on others, we need to intervene. We cannot keep the matter "hidden" or ignore it. If we do not intervene, writes the Rosh, then the consequence will also be "revealed". It will affect us and our children forever. Our failure to act will signal acceptance and complicity. That is not right and will then become a matter of Divine retribution r'l.
This is the last week of 5770. With HaShem's help we will cover next week's parsha next year. A good Shabbos. A Kasiva v'Chasima Tova. D. Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 2:59 PM
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