‘Parsha Growth Spurts’[1]
Rabbi Dani Staum
Parshas Eikev 5773
“Your eye shall not pity them” (Devorim 7:16)
Rav Yitzchok Sorotzkin zt’l (Oznayim LaTorah) explained that one who thinks that it is cruel to kill the Canaanites, and that in sparing their lives he is being more merciful than Hashem, should be aware that such mercy will lead to idolatry. Idolaters like to preach that their gods are more merciful than the G-d of Israel. They believe that their god forgives even without any effort from the sinner, granting everyone carte blanche to act as they please. We who believe in a G-d who acts with strict justice, have proven to be far more moral and compassionate than they.
Thus, in the end, the Jew’s ‘cruelty’ towards the morally depraved Canaanites is in reality mercy by stopping them from further sins. Conversely, the ‘mercy’ of the idolaters is really cruelty, since it causes its adherents to descend further intro the morass and web of immorality.
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“For the commandment that I command you today you shall observe to perform, so that you may live and increase…” (Devorim 8:1)
Mateh Yehuda (quoted in Umasok Ha’or) related a mashal about a tailor who approached his Rav and lamented the fact that he feels stagnant in his spiritual growth. The Rav responded that he should think that there is only one Jew in the world – himself, there is only one day – today, and there is only one mitzvah he must perform – whatever mitzvah he has the ability to fulfill at that moment.
As the tailor left the Rav’s house excited and happy, the Rav warned him that he didn’t think the tailor understood what he meant.
The following day a merchant purchased some material from the tailor, and accidentally overpaid. The tailor realized the mistake but said nothing. When the merchant realized what happened and demanded a refund, the tailor replied that the Rav told him that he should view himself as the only Jew in the world. Thus he saw the merchant as a non-Jew, in which case he was not obligated to return the money that was mistakenly given to him.
When the tailor arrived home for lunch, he began eating without washing his hands. When his wife rebuked him, he replied that the Rav had told him he had only one mitzvah to perform that day. Since he had already done a mitzvah that day, he didn’t have to wash for his bread.
When the wife protested to the Rav, the Rav replied that indeed her husband had misunderstood him.
He summoned the foolish tailor, pointed to the aforementioned pasuk, and explained that the verse is written singular to demonstrate that a Jew must always focus on the present and the opportunity he has to serve Hashem right now. The pasuk says, “For the commandment that I command you today” to teach us that one should always think that only he can perform the mat hand, and he only has right now – today – to do it.
If one seeks excuses he will always have reasons to neglect his responsibilities. As was once wisely said, “Every tomorrow has its own tomorrow. But there is only one today!”
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“And you may say in your heart, ‘My strength and the might of my hand made me all this wealth.” (Devorim 8:17)
Rav Mordechai Druk zt’l (Darash Mordechai) notes that just a chapter earlier (7:17), Moshe encouraged the nation not to fear the Canaanites despite the fact that they vastly outnumbered them. Moshe reassured the nation that Hashem would be with them and therefore they had nothing to fear. But as soon as the nation has conquered the land, built homes, and have begun to feel comfortable, they need to be reminded that it is Hashem who has granted them all the blessings they have merited.
The Alter from Kelm pointed out that the pasuk does not say “Lest you say in your heart”, but rather “You will say in your heart”. Human nature dictates that whenever we feel content and self-sufficient we invariably begin to forget about Hashem.
Reb Yeruchem Levovitz zt’l noted that a person is inherently aware that the bigger events of life are controlled and dictated by Hashem, such as wars and natural disasters. It is the smaller things, such as simple daily events, that we fail to remember that Hashem is constantly enabling us.
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[1] This series was originally written for and published in Hamodia.