Messilas Yesharim (Mon. Sept. 10th)

CHAPTER NINETEEN (Continued):

The second aspect of piety involves how actions are performed. This too can be divided into two aspects, which can themselves be further subdivided into many, many subsections. But the primary subsections would be reverence and love, the two pillars of true Divine service, without which there can be no content to the matter whatsoever. Under the heading of reverence we find the subcategories of submission to G-d, humility upon coming to serve Him, and the honor accorded His mitzvot, Name and Torah. And under the heading of love are the subcategories of happiness, attachment to Him, and obsession with Him. We will now explain them one by one.

The main aspect of reverence is reverence for G-d's grandeur. While you are praying or performing a mitzvah you are to consider the fact that you are praying and standing before the King of kings. This is what the Talmud was referring to when it said, "Know before Whom you are praying when you pray" (Berachot 28b). To obtain this sort of reverence you will have to consider and reflect upon three things: that you are quite literally standing before G-d and involved in a give-and-take with Him, even though you cannot see Him. While this may be too difficult to fathom because your senses can do nothing to help you in it, with just a little reflection and contemplation, however, most anyone will be able to realize that he is actually involved in a give-and-take with G-d, that he is imploring and pleading before G-d Himself, and that G-d is listening to and hearing him as a person would while carrying on a conversation with a friend.

After you will have set this in your mind, you should reflect upon G-d's grandeur-- how He is so elevated and above all the blessings and praises of the world and all concepts of perfection you could possibly imagine. You must also reflect upon the low state of mankind, with its imperfections, brought on by corporeality and materiality (not to mention all our transgressions). Taking all this into consideration, it would be impossible for your heart to not tremble or be moved when you speak to G-d, mention His name, or attempt to please Him. This is what was referred to by, "Serve G-d with reverence and rejoice in trembling" (Psalms 2:11) as well as, "(G-d is) a G-d dreaded in the great council of the holy ones and held in reverence by all those round about Him" (Psalms 89:8) (referring to the angels who can more easily imagine His grandeur and have more reverence for Him than humans because they are closer to G-d than mortals can ever be). David used to say, "I will prostrate myself towards Your holy Courtyard in reverence" (Psalms 5:8). It is written, "because he was afraid of My name" (Malachi 2:5), as well as, "My G-d, I am abashed and embarrassed to lift my face, my G-d, towards You" (Ezra 9:6). However, this sort of reverence must be instigated in the heart before it can be manifested in the limbs in the form of a bent head, a prostrated body, lowered eyes, and hands folded like a lowly servant before a great master, referred to in the Talmud with, "Rava would fold his hands and pray, saying, 'I am like a servant before his master'" (Shabbat 10a).

We have spoken thus far in terms of submission and humility. We will now speak about the matter of honor. Our sages have already spoken of honoring mitzvot and considering them precious. They said, "It is written, 'This is my G-d and I shall praise (or beautify) Him' (Exodus 15:2). That means to say you should praise Him with mitzvot-- by using beautiful tzitzit, t'phillin, Torah scrolls, lulav, and so forth (Shabbat 133b). Our sages said, "For the sake of the beautification of a mitzvah you are allowed to increase what you will pay by one third. What you pay to that point is your expense; anything past that is paid for by G-d" (Baba Kamma 9:2). They are clearly saying that it is not enough to simply perform a mitzvah; you should honor and glorify it.

There are those who would ease their burdens by reasoning that honor may be necessary for humans, who are seduced by such vanity, but not for G-d who does not care for such things because He is above them all and transcends them. Certainly, they would reason, if the mitzvah is done faithfully, that would be enough for Him. But the truth of the matter is G-d is referred to as the "L-rd of Honor" (Psalms 29:3). It is incumbent upon us to honor Him even though He does not require it, and though our honor is not of great importance or consequence to Him. And whoever diminishes in it when he is capable of increasing it is a sinner. This is what the prophet Malachi was protesting about in the name of G-d when he said, "And if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if you offer a lame or sick animal, is that not evil? Offer it now to your governor. Would he be pleased with you or would he show you favor? says the L-rd of Hosts" (Malachi 1:8). Our sages told us to act in just the opposite manner. They said (Succah 50a) that water that was left exposed and rendered unfit should not be put through a sieve to make it minimally usable. While you might offer it like that to a commoner, you certainly would not offer it to a nobleman. As the Torah puts it, "offer it now to your governor...." That is to say, though water that has been filtered can be used in an ordinary situation, it may not be used for sacred purposes, because that is not the honorable thing to do. It is said further in the Sifre on the verse, "and (you shall offer) all your choice vows" (Deuteronomy 12:11), that means to say you are only to offer the best of what you have. We find in the case of Cain and Abel that Abel made an offering from the first-born of his sheep along with their fat, and Cain only offered from the remnant of his fruits, as our sages said (Breishit Rabbah 22:5). And what happened? -- "G-d regarded Abel and his offering, but did not regard Cain or his offering" (Genesis 4:4). It is said as well, "Cursed be the deceiver who has in his flock a male and yet vows and sacrifices to the L-rd what is blemished, for I am a great king, says the L-rd of Hosts" (Malachi 1:14).

Our sages warned us in many ways about denigrating mitzvot. They said, "Whoever grabs hold of an unadorned Torah scroll (which would indicate a contempt for the mitzvah) shall be buried unadorned" (Shabbat 14a). The procession for the offering of the first fruits to the Temple was an example of beautifying mitzvot. We learn that "an ox would precede them with gold-covered horns and a crown of olive branches..." (Bikurim 3:3), and "the wealthy would bring their offerings in gold baskets, and the poor in wicker" (Bikurim 3:8). We also learn there that there are three categories of first fruit offerings: standard first fruits, special first fruits, and decorative first fruits (3:10). So we find it here explicitly stated, and we can extrapolate it to all other mitzvot, that adding on to a mitzvah so as to adorn it is the correct thing to do. It is said, "Rava would put on ornate shoes to pray, basing his actions upon the verse, 'Prepare yourselves to call upon your G-d, O Israel' (Amos 4:12)" (Shabbat 10a). Our sages said about the verse, "And Rebecca gave the clothes of her elder son, Esau" (Genesis 27:15) -- "Rabbi Shimon Ben Gamliel said: I serve my father... but when Esau would serve his father, he would do so in regal clothing" (Breishit Rabbah 65:16). If someone were to act that way for flesh and blood, how much more so should he do so before the King of kings, the Holy One (Blessed be He). So, it is only fitting that when you stand before Him to pray, you should dress regally and sit before him as you would sit before a great king.

Included within this category is honoring the Sabbath and Holy Days. Whoever increases in the honor of them certainly gratifies the Creator, for He has commanded us to "honor it" (Isaiah 58:13).

© 1996 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Petach 2 (Part 2)

Klach Pitchei Chochma -- 138 Openings to Wisdom

By Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto

as adapted by Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
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Petach Two (Part 2)

2.

Ramchal first discusses the idea of wrongdoers having to suffer (even justifiably).

He revealed elsewhere that G-d wants everyone to enjoy His benevolence in full [2] and that He takes no pleasure in punishment and retribution. For as He Himself put it, “As surely as I live … I take no pleasure in the death of the wrongful, but rather (in the fact) that they turn from their ways and live. (So,) Turn! Turn from your wrongful ways!” (Ezekiel 33:11).

But there are indeed wrongdoers in the world and acts of injustice, and G-d “contends with everyone in accordance with his nature”. That’s to say that G-d doesn’t ignore wrongdoing and look the other way (see Baba Kamma50A) anymore than He closes His eyes to good and righteousness [3], which is only fair. And so, the wrongful are indeed disciplined when that’s called for, though their subsequent anguish seems to contradict G-d’s beneficence.

The point is that they’re not punished for punishment’s sake: only “in order (for them) to be forgiven afterwards” as a consequence of their having been refined in the process. For “punishment” isn’t that in fact so much as “decontamination”, if you will. And so “in the end … everyone -- be he righteous or (initially) wrongful -- will profit from G-d’s beneficence”.

The other point to be made is that G-d saw to it that “just as (punishment) will not go on forever in each individual case” -- since we’re purified here in life, through trials and tribulations, and in the afterlife, and once someone is purified he’s left in full favor in G-d’s eyes once again -- punishment will likewise not “go on forever for the world at large”. For wrong will cleansed from the universe en toto in the end [4]. Hence, G-d will indeed prove to be utterly and absolutely beneficent.

In any event, the point remains that wrong and wrongdoers do exist indeed, and they’re contended with by G-d, but that’s not the be-all and end-all of wrong. For it serves a role in the universe (in fact a vital one at that, as we’ll see [5]), and it will eventually be undone, since “nothing but (manifestations of) G-d’s goodness will endure” in the end.

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Notes:

[2] See Ma’amar HaIkkurim, “Gan Eden”; Derech Hashem 2:2.

[3] See Messilat Yesharim Ch. 4 (nears the end).

[4] See Da’at Tevunot 66-75 and Derech Hashem 1:3.

[5] We’ll learn later on that rather than being a force in open contradiction to G-d’s beneficence and sovereignty, wrongfulness will actually affirm it.

(c) 2007 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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Messilas Yesharim (Sun. Sept. 9th)

CHAPTER NINETEEN (Continued):

Corporeally involves helping all people as much as possible and easing their burdens. This is what our sages were talking about when they referred to "bearing a friend's yoke with him" (Pirke Avot 6:6). And should any physical harm threaten to come to a person when you are able to defer or prevent it, you should try as much as you can to do so.

Monetarily involves helping a friend as much as you possibly can to avoid any loss. And all the more so does it mean preventing any potential or actual monetary loss that might come to individuals or groups of people through your own doing. In fact, when any loss just might come about, you should defer. As our sages said, "Your friend's money should be as dear to you as your own" (Pirke Avot 2:12).

Psychologically involves providing your friend with all the contentment you can, whether in terms of respect for him or any other way. It is a mitzvah in the realm of piety to do all you know will bring satisfaction to your friend. It goes without saying that you should not cause him any problems. This all falls under the category of acts of benevolence which our sages praised so much and saw as such an obligation, and it includes striving for peace, which is the most essential factor for the betterment of human relations.

I will now bring you proof for all of this from the words of our sages, even though it is all obvious and requires no convincing evidence. In the chapter of the Talmud entitled "The Residents of the City" our sages said, "Rabbi Zakai's students asked him to what he attributed his long life. He told them that he had never urinated within seven feet of anyone praying, he had never given a friend a nick-name, and he had never missed making kiddush on Shabbat. He said that he had had an old mother who had once sold the hat from her head so that he might have the means for kiddush" (Megillah 27b). Here you have an instance of piety in terms of being as fastidious in the mitzvot as possible. While he could have been excused from making kiddush over wine because he did not have any, and it was necessary for his mother to sell her hat so that he might have the money for the wine, this was all done in accordance with the practice of the pious. And, as to his respect for others, he would not give a friend a nick-name (not even one that is not at all insulting; cf. Tosphot). As another example of such piety we find that Rav Hunah would be forced to tie a rubber strap around his waist because he had sold his belt to buy wine for kiddush.

We find further there that Rabbi Elazar Ben Shmuah's students asked him how he had lived such a long life. He replied, "I never made a shortcut through a synagogue in my entire life, and I never stepped over the heads of the holy nation". This is piety made manifest in respect for the synagogue, and in respect for other people, in that he did not step over the area people sit in so he would not appear to be belittling them. We also find that the students of Rabbi Freedah asked him the same question, and he responded that, "No man ever came into the study-hall earlier than I did, I never blessed in the presence of a Kohen, and I never ate from an animal that had not yet had its gift-offering portion removed from it." Rabbi Nechuniah was asked that question by his students and responded, "I have never been glorified by the shame of my friend, and I never went to bed cursing a friend" (Megillah 28a). It is pointed out there that Rav Hunah was once carrying an axe on his shoulders for them when Rav Channah Bar Chanilai came along and took it from him to ease his burden. Rav Hunah said to him, "If you're in the habit of carrying it that way, carry it. But if you are not, I don't want to be glorified by your disgrace." We see from this that even though the intonation of the phrase "being glorified by the shame of your friend" is consciously setting out to disgrace your friend so that you yourself will be glorified, nonetheless the pious feel that it is not right for them to get honor if the other person is somehow disgraced, even if that other person does not object. Rabbi Zairah said in the same vein, "I have never in my life been tyrannical in my home; I never stepped in front of someone greater than me; I never thought of Torah in unclean alley-ways; I never walked seven feet without Torah and t'phillin; I neither napped nor fell asleep for the night in the study-hall; I never rejoiced in my fellow's bad fortune; and I never called a friend by his surname" (Ibid.). Here you have an example of pious ways in all of the aforementioned categories.

We find further that Rabbi Yehudah said, "Whoever wants to be pious should live according to what it says in Tractate Brachot" (Baba Kamma 30a), because it addresses matters that are between a person and G-d; "...whoever wants to be pious should live according to the what it says in the Order of Damages," which addresses all interpersonal matters; and, "... whoever wants to be pious should live according to what it says in Pirke Avot", for there are discussed matters from both categories.

One of the main elements of piety is benevolence. The very word piety (chassidut) is based upon kindness (chessed). Our sages said, "The world stands upon three things..." (Pirke Avot 1:2), one of which is benevolence. They also included it among those things that a person enjoys the fruits of in this world, while enjoying their principle in the World to Come (Peah 1:1). Rabbi Simlai explained that, "The Torah begins and ends with benevolence" (Sotah 14a). Rava added that, "Whoever has these three traits is sure to be a descendant of Abraham: compassion, shyness, and benevolence" (Yevamot 79a). Rabbi Elazar said that "benevolence is greater than charity. As it is written, 'Plant for yourselves in charity, and reap in benevolence' (Hosea 10:12)" (Succah 49b). And it is also said, (Ibid.) "Benevolence is greater than charity in three ways: while you may give charity with your money, you are benevolent with your whole body; you may give charity to the poor, but you can be benevolent to the poor or the rich; you may give charity to the living, but you can be benevolent to the living or the dead." Our sages said, "It is written, 'He will offer you compassion and be compassionate to you' (Deuteronomy 13:18) -- that means to say that whoever is compassionate to his fellows enjoys compassion from Heaven" (Shabbat 151b). This is clear, because it is known that G-d recompenses measure for measure (Sanhedrin 90a).

One who is compassionate and gracious to others will enjoy G-d's compassion. G-d will absolve his transgressions in kindness. This absolution will be the judgment toward him in recompense for how he has acted, which is what our sages were referring to when they said, "Whose transgression does G-d overlook? One who overlooks a transgression done against him" (Rosh HaShannah 17a). Divine retribution will come to one who does not want to transcend his own personal character traits, or who does not want to be benevolent. He will be judged according to the letter of the law because he acted that way. And who is it that can withstand G-d's judgment of him according to the strict letter of the law? King David would pray, "Do not bring your servant to judgment. No living thing can prove righteous before You" (Psalms 143:2). But one who acts kindly is reacted to kindly. And the more you act thusly, the more you receive. King David would laud his own share of this trait, and would even try to be kind to his enemies. He referred to this when he said, "In their illness I donned sackcloth and deprived my spirit with fasting..." (Psalms 35:13) and "if I have recompensed those who did me wrong..." (Psalms 7:5). The point of the matter is that you should not cause suffering to any being -- human or animal-- and you should be compassionate and kind to all. Thus it says, "The righteous person knows the soul of his animals" (Proverbs 12:10). In fact, there are some of the opinion that compassion for animals is Biblical in origin (Shabbat 128b) if not, at the least, Rabbinic.

In summary, compassion and the willingness to do good are traits imbedded in the heart of the pious. They are constantly driven to satisfying people's needs and to not cause any sorrow.

 

© 1996 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman