Striving Higher

“Revealing Hidden Praise”[1]

Parshas Shoftim 5782

לזכר נשמת אסתר תהלה בת גבריאל פינחס

Based on “Erev Shabbos Parsha Inspiration” by Rabbi Phillip Moskowitz[2]

Written by Rabbi Dani Staum

The Torah warns that once the Mizbeiach is erected in the Mishkan/Bais Hamikdash, “You shall not set up for yourself a monument, that Hashem, your G-d, abhors.”[3]

Try the following exercise at your Shabbos table: Ask the assemblage if they can think of which sins they assume Hashem particularly hates.

The gemara relates that Bila’am told Balak that G-d abhors immorality.[4] That is understandable and expected. Immorality is of the greatest struggles of our time. But why would G-d hate monuments? It’s understandable why it would be forbidden to offer a korban on a monument when there is an official designated place in the Mishkan. But why does the pasuk add that G-d has a particular enmity for such a monument?

Rav Tzvi Elimelech of Dinov, in Agra d’Kallah, explains that some people become very set and rigid in their ways. They tout and are convinced that they are unable to change or improve because “I am who I am”. G-d abhors such rigidity and fixedness. A person must always believe he can adapt, improve, and grow. This is true regarding our performance of mitzvos and serving Hashem and interpersonal relationships. It is difficult to deal with a person who is too rigid and lives by the mantra of “my way or the highway”. Life is about growth and constantly striving to become a better version of oneself.

A monument is called a matzeivah, an expression of matzav – standing/idle/immobile. Living in a state of matzav is not living it all. G-d hates when one maintains such an attitude. In a sense, it is a waste of the life that G-d has granted him.

The Agra d’Kallah quotes the Zohar who writes that the clothing one wears in the morning, is not the clothing he wears in the afternoon.

At first glance, these words are perplexing. Is the Zohar advocating that people change their outfits multiple times a day, like many women do on Pesach programs?

The idea is that one must always be willing to adopt in his Avodas Hashem. Throughout one’s day, and every day, one’s mission and expectations from him changes. In whatever situation one is in he has a responsibility to serve Hashem to the best of his ability. [5]

  1. Hidden Praise is the loose meaning of Esther Tehilla, in whose memory these divrei Torah were written.
  2. “Parshas Shoftim: 3 ideas in 30 minutes”, August 13, 2021, posted on YUTorah
  3. Devorim 16:22
  4. Sanhedrin 106a
  5. ולא תקים לך מצבה אשר שנא י”י אלקיך (דברים טז כב)

    יש לדקדק למה ליה למימר אשר שנא וכו’, בודאי כיון שמוזהר על זה, בודאי זה תועבת י”י אשר שנא וכו’, והרי לא אמר כן בכל הלאוין. והנראה לפרש ברמז לעבודתו ית”ש, דהנה יש בני אדם שיש להם חוק קבוע ומעמד ומצב, ככה יעשו כל ימיהם וככה יתנהגו לבל יזיזו ממנהגם, ויש לנו בקבלה מצדיקים שאין יום דומה לחבירו ואין שעה דומה לחבירתה, והבן מ”ש בזוהר הק’ (תיקו”ז כב ס”ה ע”א) לבושין דהוא לבש בצפרא לא לביש ברמשא, ממילא בכל שעה יש עבודה אחרת, ויצטרך האדם שיהיו כל מעשיו לשם שמים בכל שעה לפי המצטרך באמת לעבודתו ית’, אין מן הצורך להאריך המשכיל יתבונן דבר מתוך דבר.

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