‘Parsha Growth Spurts’
Rabbi Dani Staum
Parshas Eikev
“You shall place these words upon your heart…” (Devorim 11:18)
Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita (Ta’am V’da’as) explains that one’s heart requires added protection, because all of one’s desires are rooted in his heart. The way to achieve that protection is through studying and internalizing the words of Torah.
The Kotzker Rebbe zt’l explained that the pasuk states that one should place the words of Torah ‘upon his heart’, rather than ‘in his heart’. It is referring to those times when one lacks motivation or desire to learn Torah or do mitzvos. Even if it’s not ‘in his heart’ he should place them ‘on his heart’, i.e. to serve Hashem without inspiration. The words of Torah will awaken his heart and eventually penetrate his essence, and will indeed enter into his heart.
———————————————–
“A Land that Hashem, your G-d, seeks out” (Devorim 11:12)
The gemara (end of Makkos) relates that some time after the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash a group of Sages were walking near the ruins of the Bais Hamikdash when they saw a fox emerge from the area that formerly housed the Holy of Holies. The other Rabbis broke down and cried while Rabbi Akiva laughed, and subsequently comforted them. He explained that if the prophecy that stated that foxes would walk in that place (i.e. the ‘prophecy of Uriah’) was fulfilled, so too the prophecy of redemption (i.e. the ‘prophecy of Zechariah’) will also be fulfilled.
Maharsha explains that when Rabbi Akiva saw the fox prowling he realized that the desolation was complete. The area which had been so vibrant and effervescent when the Bais Hamikdash stood and the Jews resided there, was now utterly uninhabitable, to the extent that even a fox wandered aimlessly upon it.
When non-Jewish residents tried to cultivate the area, their efforts proved completely futile. The land would only be vibrant when Klal Yisroel resided upon it. That itself was a great consolation, in addition to the fact that there is a proportionate relationship between the level of destruction and the level of redemption which will be achieved thereafter.
It is incredible that throughout the millennia of exile the land remained desolate and barren. It is only in our time when Klal Yisroel has returned to Eretz Yisroel en masse, and Torah study is again strong throughout the land that the land has again become an island of verdant beauty, a veritable oasis in surrounding arid deserts.
—————————————————
“In order to prolong your days and the days of your children upon the Land…” (Devorim 11:21)
The gemara (Berachos 8a) recounts that Rav Yochanan was surprised to hear that there were elderly people in Bavel. The pasuk in Shema says that Hashem will increase life in Eretz Yisroel, but no such promise was made regarding those living outside Eretz Yisroel. The gemara continues that when they told Rav Yochanan that the people of Bavel spent many hours davening in shul and learning Torah in Bais Medrash he understood why they had been granted a long life.
The Maharsha (Megillah 29a) asks that the gemara doesn’t answer it’s original question. The pasuk only promises life to those in Eretz Yisroel. Spending hours in shul may be very commendable, but there is no promise of life attached to one who does so?
He answers that the gemara (Megillah 29a) states that in the future the shuls and batei medrash of Bavel will be transported and reaffixed in Eretz Yisrael. Because they will in the future be part of Eretz Yisroel, even today they have a quasi-status of kedushas Eretz Yisroel. [It is interesting to note that so many yeshivos, and sects of chassidus which were previously in Europe have now been re-established in Eretz Yisrael, such as Solobodka, Mir, Ponovezh, Belz, Ger, Slonim, etc.]
Since the residents of Bavel spent many hours in their Batei Medrash, they were able to merit the blessing of Eretz Yisroel for longevity, even in Bavel.
Based on this idea, Rav Moshe Wolfson shlita (Emunas Itecha – ha’aros Haggadah) explained the statement we say in the haggadah: “If he gave us the Torah but did not bring us into Eretz Yisroel – dayenu!” Once we had the Torah we had the ability to feel the kedusha of Eretz Yisroel anywhere in the world where a Bais Medrash was established. Therefore receiving the Torah alone was ‘dayeinu’ even without receiving the actual land of Eretz Yisroel.
——————————————————
Rabbi Staum can be reached at stamtorah@gmail.com.