Rabbi Reisman - Parshas Yisro 5776
The Aseres Hadibros. Certainly it is a week to talk about big Yesodos, basic Yesodos. We will talk about one that has to do with Bein Adam L'chaveiro and one that has to do with Bain Adam L'makom. Let's start with Bein Adam L'chaveiro.
1. As you know, the Torah obligates us in numerous Mitzvos Bein Adam L'chaveiro. The Yesod of the Mitzvah of Bein Adam L'chaveiro though is not so clear. There are two possible sources and both are probably true, for the Mekor (the basic understanding) of Bein Adam L'chaveiro. One the Rambam brings at the end of his Yad Hachazakah and one at the beginning. At the end (in Sefer Shoftim), at the beginning of Perek 14 of Hilchos Aveil the Rambam says (מצות עשה של דבריהם לבקר חולים. ולנחם אבלים. ולהוציא המת. ולהכניס הכלה. וללוות האורחים). He says that the Mitzvos are D'oraissa of Bein Adam L'chaveiro and he says what is the Mekor? (אע"פ שכל מצות אלו מדבריהם הרי הן בכלל ואהבת לרעך כמוך). There the Rambam writes that the Mekor for the basic idea of Mitzvos Bein Adam L'chaveiro is the Posuk that can be found in Vayikra 19:18 (ואהבת לרעך כמוך) something we understand, love your friend as you love yourself. No problem.
There is another Rambam in (Sefer Hamada) Perek 1 of Hilchos Daios Halacha 6. There the Rambam brings another source for the general Mitzvah of Bein Adam L'chaveiro. There he says as is found in Devarim 28:9 (והלכת בדרכיו). The Torah commands us to go in Hashem's ways (כך למדו בפירוש מצוה זו).The Rambam brings that Chazal understood as an explanation of this Mitzvah (מה הוא נקרא חנון אף אתה היה חנון. מה הוא נקרא רחום אף אתה היה רחום. מה הוא נקרא קדוש אף אתה היה קדוש. ועל דרך זו קראו הנביאים לאל בכל אותן הכנויין ארך אפים ורב חסד צדיק וישר תמים גבור וחזק וכיוצא בהן. להודיע שהן דרכים טובים וישרים וחייב אדם להנהיג עצמו בהן ולהדמות אליו כפי כחו). Here the Rambam writes that there is a Mitzvah of going in HKB"H's ways and Rachum, Chanun are examples. The Gemara actually says in Sotah 14a (16 lines from the top) (אלא להלך אחר מדותיו של הקב"ה מה הוא מלביש ערומים דכתיב ויעש ה' אלהים לאדם ולאשתו כתנות עור וילבישם אף אתה הלבש ערומים הקב"ה ביקר חולים דכתיב וירא אליו ה' באלוני ממרא אף אתה בקר חולים הקב"ה ניחם אבלים דכתיב ויהי אחרי מות אברהם ויברך אלהים את יצחק בנו אף אתה נחם אבלים הקב"ה קבר מתים דכתיב ויקבר אותו בגיא אף אתה קבור מתים). So there are actually two sources for Bein Adam L'chaveiro Mitzvos a source of (ואהבת לרעך כמוך) and a source for (וְהָלַכְתָּ, בִּדְרָכָיו) being Kavayochel like the Ribbono Shel Olam. We are emulating HKB"H ways. Now this is a basic idea, a Yesod in Bein Adam L'chaveiro that there are two Mekoros for it and it is not a Stirah.
Let's turn to this week's Parsha. We find in 18:20 when Yisro gives advice to Moshe Rabbeinu about setting up a proper way of judging Klal Yisrael, Yisro says (וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם, אֶת-הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת-הַתּוֹרֹת; וְהוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם, אֶת-הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ). Teach Klal Yisrael the path on which they should go. The Gemara is in two places. In Bava Metzia 30b (29 lines from the top) and Bava Kamma 99b (bottom line onto 100a) that (הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ) is Bein Adam L'chaveiro. So Yisro says teach them Torah and Chukim and Bein Adam L'chaveiro. Where does Bein Adam L'chaveiro come in?
A few Pesukim earlier in Posuk 16 it says (כִּי-יִהְיֶה לָהֶם דָּבָר, בָּא אֵלַי, וְשָׁפַטְתִּי, בֵּין אִישׁ וּבֵין רֵעֵהוּ). Moshe Rabbeinu says I judge them and also (וְהוֹדַעְתִּי) I teach (אֶת-חֻקֵּי הָאֱלֹרים, וְאֶת-תּוֹרֹתָיו). He mentions two things, Chukai Elokim and Torosav. When Yisro responds, he says that is what you teach them? (וְהִזְהַרְתָּה אֶתְהֶם, אֶת-הַחֻקִּים וְאֶת-הַתּוֹרֹת) the two things that Moshe Rabbeinu mentioned. Plus (וְהוֹדַעְתָּ לָהֶם, אֶת-הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ), and he adds Mitzvos Bain Adam L'chaveiro. Why so? Because Moshe Rabbeinu understood that Klal Yisrael are Rachmanim, Baishanim, Gomlei Chasadim. Klal Yisrael by the nature of the people, are people that do Chesed. When they come to me I have to teach them Halachos, the Toros. Yisro said you are wrong. When they come to you, you have to teach them the Toros and the Chukim plus Bain Adam L'chaveiro. Why?
It is very simple. There are two faces to Bain Adam L'chaveiro. (ואהבת לרעך כמוך), that is something that comes natural to a Yid. A Yid has the Middah of Baishanus, of being a Gomel Chesed but there is something wrong. If you are doing it because loving your neighbor, what happens if he is obnoxious, what happens if he is not Makir Tov, what happens if he is just not a nice person. You won't want to do Chesed to him. Says Yisro, you have to teach them (אֶת-הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ). (וְהָלַכְתָּ, בִּדְרָכָיו) you have to teach them that Bain Adam L'chaveiro has a second aspect, an aspect that comes from Sinai. It has two faces. Of course it is good to do Chesed to someone because you feel for him. A Yid should feel for his neighbor. But even if you don't feel for him, even if you don't have the Hergish, even if you feel he offended you there is another Mitzvah. (וְהָלַכְתָּ, בִּדְרָכָיו). To do Bain Adam L'chaveiro because it is good for you. You should emulate the ways of Hashem.
As it says in the whole first Perek of Tomer Devora repeatedly, that even though people don't listen to the Ribbono Shel Olam, that even though people misbehave in obeying the Ribbono Shel Olam He still is Maitiv to people and we should do the same. We should be Maitiv to people because we want to emulate the ways of Hashem. This is such an important lesson in Bain Adam L'chaveiro.
I hear many times people say, him, I understand there is a Mitzvah but does it apply to him? I understand there is an Issur Lashon Hora but does it apply to him? I understand you should help someone but does it apply to him? The answer is yes. HKB"H is Maitiv to him and so should you. (וְהָלַכְתָּ, בִּדְרָכָיו). It is a tremendous insight into the words of Yisro that you can easily miss.
But if you look carefully at Moshe Rabbeinu speaking in Posuk 16 and Yisro speaking in Posuk 20 you see Yisro added (אֶת-הַדֶּרֶךְ יֵלְכוּ בָהּ) which the Gemara says is Bain Adam L'chaveiro, the second aspect of Bain Adam L'chaveiro. What a Yesod.
2. Let's move to a second Yesod Gadol. This Yesod Gadol is not a Bain Adam L'chaveiro Yesod, it is a Yesod of dealing Kavayochel with the Ribbono Shel Olam. The Gemara says regarding Mattan Torah in Maseches Shabbos 88a (14 lines from the top) (בריך רחמנא דיהב אוריאן תליתאי). Blessed is HKB"H who gave us a three part Torah. (Torah, Neviim, Kesuvim). (לעם תליתאי) to a nation that has three parts. (Kohanim, Leviim, and Yisraeilim). (על ידי תליתאי) Hashem gave it to us through a third person. The third person being Moshe who was the third person born to his parents. (בירחא תליתאי) we received the Torah in the third month, Sivan. What is so important about three?
The Maharal in Tiferes Yisrael Perek Nun explains and I would like to share with you an explanation of his explanation because it is very difficult to understand the Maharal without somebody who explains it and let me explain as follows. The Maharal says that when you have two of anything each one is an extreme. Cold and hot are two extremes. When you have three you have a Beinoni, you have something in between the two extremes. Things that are extreme have no Kiyum. Three reflects Nitzchiyos, Kiyum, and eternity. When there is something in the middle it can remain, it can stay. I would give as an example the concept in Shas of Halacha K'divrei Machri'a. Rashi in Shabbos 40a explains that a Machria is someone in between the two ends. It is more sustainable it is more acceptable. There are more who understand the position of the Machri'a. From the left they understand one thing from the right they understand something else but the Machria is always supported.
The same thing with decisions in life. When you can't decide between doing this or that, it is healthy when there is a middle option. Because usually your hesitation to do this is because there is a problem with it. The hesitation to do that is because there is a problem with that. Something in between is often a good Eitza. The Maharal says that is the concept of Chut Hameshulash. A Chut that has three doesn't unravel easily. Symbolically it is something that has a Kiyum. Ad Kan Divrei HaMaharal, three has Nitzchiyos.
I would like to add a little bit by the way of explanation. I would like to be Makdim that the Maharal in Pirkei Avos (I don't remember where) points out that many of the Memras in Pirkei Avos are things that have to do with three. Hu Haya Omer Shelosha Devarim or Al Shelosha Devorim Haolam Omed. Three is an important number. When you give a speech and you want to give examples give three examples. That is the way a speech goes. When you give a speech and you are talking about a Nafka Mina between two ways of learning give three. The mind deals with three well. What is special about three? There is a much more practical understanding.
In life we have extremes, there are extremes. Let me give you an example. Someone who gets married is joyous, he is very happy. It is an extreme. As you know, the joy of a wedding night is not sustainable but it is a beginning. Then there is a correction. There is a time when a person suddenly thinks hmm what in the world am I doing? There is another extreme hopefully not to bad but when a person has to settle in for the difficulty he finds out that being married is not the same thing as being in the dorm. There are issues, there are difficulties that come up. The three is a middle ground, the balance. You find something in the middle that is sustainable. By having two extremes there is something in the middle that is sustainable.
It is a similar thing in anything that takes place that is worthwhile in this world. People want to put up a new building, a new home. There are plans, they are excited. Then the plans are implemented, there are difficulties. Not everything that you imagine or draw with a pen fits, accommodations have to be made. There are compromises. You go over budget and you have to pull back, there are difficulties. Number three is the balance, something in between, something that remains. Olam Hazeh is that way, it's always that way. There is a tremendous flash of brilliance at the time of creation by Maiseh Beraishis and then there was a down point. Adam sinned in Gan Eden. Gan Eden is an extreme. The Onesh of Misah for sinning is an extreme. The balance, Adam left Gan Eden. There is a middle ground something sustainable.
In life we often have dreams. We dream of wealth. We dream of extraordinary Nachas. We dream of being big Masmidim. These are important dreams that we could have. Then there are disappointments. The learning doesn't go as well as we would like. The Nachas doesn't go as we would like. The Parnasa or the health don't go as well as we would like. You have to get to a balance, to the in between. The realization that there is an extreme here and there is an extreme there and there has got to be in between. As I said at the outset these are Yesodos Hachaim. They are important to everyone.
3. Let me end with a short Vort. In the Shabbos Mussaf we say Az Misinai Nitztavu Aleha. We say that at Har Sinai Hashem gave us the Mitzvah of Shabbos. It is very strange, we talk about so many Mitzvos and the one that we say Az Misinai is Shabbos which was actually given in Marah, which wasn't originally given at Sinai. Isn't that strange Az Misinai Nitztavu Aleha? I could have left this as the Kasha of the week.
There is an answer and it comes from Nusach Sefard. In Nusach Ashkenaz we say Az Misinai Nitztavu Aleha and leaves one to be a Talmid Chochom in order to be able to answer the Kasha. Nussach Sefard answers it. In Nusach Sefard we say Az Misinai Nitztavu Tziva P'aleha Karaui. We say that at Sinai we were given an understanding of how to go about Shabbos. What to do on Shabbos. It is an explanation. Shabbos we got earlier, at Marah. It is not adequate to feel Kedushas Shabbos. You need Tziva P'aleha Karaui, the commandments of how to behave, how to act on Shabbos. Being inspired and uplifted is not enough for Shabbos. You need to learn about the Lamed Tes Melachos, what you do and what you don't do. How you behave and how you don't behave. The Marah of Shabbos, the inspiration, and the Sinai of Shabbos. That is why we mention it this way.
Perhaps that is why in Kiddush Friday night we say also a double Lashon. We say Vishabbos Kodsho B'ahava Uv'ratzon Hinchilanu and then a minute later we say Vishabbos Kodshecha B'ahava Uv'ratzon Hinchaltanu. We talk about HKB"H giving us the Shabbos twice. Hashem did. We have the inspiring Shabbos which is important a feeling of Kedusha. And then we have the hard work Shabbos, the holiness of Shabbos. The knowing what to do and what not to do. The Zachor and Shamar, the two faces of Shabbos. And so a thought when you Daven Mussaf an insight into Az Misinai Nitztavu whichever Nusach you say the message is the same. With that I wish one and all a delightful, extraordinary Shabbos.
