USING NEGATIVE INFLUENCE FOR THE GOOD - ACHAREI MOS

Before detailing the list of forbidden relationships the Torah instructs us: “Do not perform the practices of the land of Egypt in which you dwelled; and do not perform the practices of the land of Canaan to which I bring you.. ” Rashi writes that Mitzrayim and Canaan were the most morally decadent nations and in particular those parts in which the Jews dwelled were the worst sections of these countries. Why did Hashem deliberately place the Jewish people in the most corrupt places on Earth? Rav Dessler zt”l answers this question in an essay in which he discusses how one should react to negative surroundings . He observes that negative society can have a very detrimental effect on a person. However, if he is strong enough so that the negative influences do not effect him, then, it can actually strengthen him in his Avoda. How is this so? Rav Dessler explains that when he sees the surrounding evil it becomes more disgusting in his eyes because he attains a greater recognition of its chesronos, this enables him to strengthen himself even further in his appreciation of good. Based on this understanding of human nature, Rav Dessler makes a historical observation that can explain why Hashem deliberately placed the Jewish people in the most degenerate places on Earth. “Every time where there was a necessity for a tzaddik to rise to an extremely high level the tzaddik was flung into the most lowly and degenerate environments so that he could learn from them the lowliness of evil and strengthen himself in good to the opposite extreme. ” Hashem deliberately placed the Jewish people in Mitzrayim so that they could develop an intense hatred of its tuma which, he writes, was indeed their motivation for crying out to Hashem to free them from this terrible place. This intense disgust enabled them to rapidly rise from being on the 49th level of tuma to reaching the level of being able to receive the Torah. Had they found themselves in a less immoral environment then they would not have been able to rise to such a high level. This too would seem to explain why the Jewish people had to go to a similarly abhorrent land. Seeing the highly immoral behavior of the Canaanite nations was intended to intensify their disgust at evil and in turn, heighten their appreciation of Torah morality . Rav Dessler uses this yesod to help understand another passage discussed in the parsha - the Seir l’Azazel. On the most holy day of the year, Yom Kippur, Hashem commands us to take a goat through the desert and throw it off a cliff. What is the significance of leading the goat through the desert? Rav Dessler explains that the desert is the makom where people sacrifice goats to sheidim. By leading the goat through this tamei place and being exposed to its tuma on Yom Kippur, the people become further strengthened in Avodas Hashem. Rav Dessler’s yesod also helps us understand some inyanim relating to Pesach. We begin the Haggadah discussing our ancestors who worshipped idols. Rav Dessler asks, how is this connected to the story of leaving Mitzrayim? He answers that through being surrounded by such negativity, Avraham Avinu rose to such a high level of kedusha to the extent that its power would never be nullified. The geula from Mitzrayim sprouted directly from this kedusha.. Therefore, we talk about our idol-worshipping ancestors to highlight that it was directly as a result of their tuma that Avraham emerged to reach such an incredibly high level and it was his greatness in turn that planted the seeds for yetsias Mitzrayim. We can now gain a deeper understanding of why the Haggaddah goes to considerable length to discuss the negative influences that include our idol-worshipping ancestors, the Mitzrim and Lavan. Perhaps this is intended to arouse our disgust at such immoral people and in turn, heighten our appreciation of Hashem for freeing us from them and giving us the Torah. In today’s world, the nisayon of secular influences is unavoidable. Even if we live in observant neighborhoods, the myriad negative influences bombard us daily. It is of course highly advisable to strive to reduce their influence as much as possible but nonetheless it is impossible to completely eliminate any exposure to them. Rav Dessler’s yesod can help us deal with these influences and perhaps even use them for the good. By observing the obvious chesronos of the secular world we can enhance our appreciation for the beauty of the Torah lifestyle. May we all merit to protect ourselves from negative influences and instead to use them to grow closer to Hashem.

METSORA - A NEW START

Parshas Metsora outlines the purification process for a person struck by tzoraas. One of the essential stages of this process is tevila in a mikva. The Sefer HaChinuch suggests a reason for the significance of tevila as a key part in the teshuva process which the metsora is undergoing. He explains that the world was full of water before man was created and therefore symbolizes a return to the beginning of creation. Dipping into water is a gesture of leaving behind past aveiros and starting afresh . When a person sins and then recognizes his failure, there is a natural tendency to feel guilt-ridden and low. This can be directed in a positive way, motivating him to avoid such sin in the future, however, often it has a very undesirable effect, causing the person to fall into a downward spiral of spiritual failing. When a person feels low about what he has done, he may become disconcerted and lose the strength to continue in his Avodas Hashem as before. In this way the ’fall-out’ from a sin can actually be far more damaging than the sin itself. Toivelling in a mikva after a sin symbolizes that the person is saying that he will not be bound by his past errors and will not let them bring him down further. Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt”l notes many examples in Tanach where a person sinned or failed in one area and as a result, suffered a great yerida that destroyed their spiritual standing. A striking case is that of Orpah, the daughter-in-law of Naomi. When Naomi was returning to Eretz Yisroel, both Ruth and Orpah were determined to stay with her and convert to Judaism. At this point, Orpah was on the same lofty level as the great Ruth., equally willing to leave her homeland to join the Jewish people. However, after Naomi’s supplications for them to return, she could not withstand the test and gave in and went back to Moav. It would seem logical that after this single lapse Orpah would still stand on a high spiritual level, just a little lower than that of Ruth. However, Chazal tell us that on the very night when she left Naomi, she sunk to the lowest levels of depravity . How could it be that she fell in such a dramatic way in one night? Rav Shmuelevitz explains that when she saw that she failed in the great nisayon to join the Jewish people, she could not leave her sin behind and start afresh. She was greatly effected by her inability to stand up to challenges, and consequently lost all sense of balance and fell to the powers of the yester hara . Rav Shmuelevitz cites another maaseh in Tanach in which a great man failed a nisayon and recognized the danger he was in of falling into the trap of being completely ensnared by the yetser hara. Shmuel HaNavi instructed Shaul HaMelech to destroy all of Amalek, however Shaul left some animals and the Amalekite King Agag alive. Shmuel confronted him and told him that he had forfeited his right to the kingdom with this aveiro. After failing to exonerate himself Shaul admitted his guilt but then made a very strange request of Shmuel. “Please now honor me in front of the Sages of my people and the people of Israel... ” What was the purpose of this request, it was surely not merely an attempt by Shaul to feel better about himself. Moreover, Shmuel acceded to the request, indicating its validity. Rav Shmuelevitz explains that Shaul did not merely want honor, rather he knew that he was in danger of suffering a great fall and he realized that he needed to strengthen himself immediately so that he would not be adversely effected by his sin. Therefore, amidst this great fall in madreigo he asked Shmuel to honor him and thereby help him maintain his sense of equilibrium and start afresh . It seems that Shmuel, despite his displeasure with Shaul, consented to his request because he recognized its importance. We also learn from the actions of Shaul an aitso of how to prevent failure having a disastrous effect. When a person fails, he is likely to feel bad about himself and lose his sense of self-respect. When a person feels that he is a failure he may give up and let himself fall badly. In order to avoid this he must maintain his self-image after failure and recognize that even though he made a mistake he can do teshuva and start again. Shlomo HaMelech makes this very point in Mishlei when he writes: “A tzadik falls seven times but he gets up. ” The Malbim and Metsudos David explain that despite a tzaddik’s setbacks he rises up again. Indeed, a big part of what makes a person a tzaddik is his ability to recover from failure or mistakes. The tevila of the metsora teaches us the same lesson - even though he sinned he need not be doomed to perpetual downfall. If he can put his past behind him he can make a fresh start.

BRIS MILA ON THE EIGTH DAY - TAZRIA

Parshas Tazria discusses one of the most well-known and observed mitzvos; that of bris mila (circumcision). It stresses that the Mila must take place on the eight day, and the Gemara learns out that even if the eighth day falls on Shabbos one must perform the Mila even though it involves one of the Melachos (creative activites) that are usually prohibited on Shabbos. What is the significance of having the bris on the eight day in particular? In order to answer this question it is instructive to analyze the significance of certain numbers in Jewish thought. The world was created in six days, and on the seventh day, HaShem 'rested', thereby creating the concept of Shabbos, the day that we refrain from physical creation and focus on more spiritual pursuits. Accordingly, the number 'six' symbolizes the physical world, whereas seven represents the infusion of spirituality into the physical world. On Shabbos we strive to elevate physicality through using the physical world leshem shamayim (for the sake of Heaven). Thus, there is an emphasis on eating good food, and dressing nicely, but not for selfish reasons, rather to use the physical world as a kli (tool) for connecting to HaShem. The number, 'eight' symbolizes spirituality that is beyond this world, going beyond the laws of nature. Removing part of our body represents elevating ourselves beyond our natural physical drives. Some commentaries write that one of the reasons for bris mila is that it weakens man's natural physical lusts (see Moreh Nevuchim, Rabbeinu Bachaye). In this vein, bris mila represents a Jew's disassociating himself from the regular laws of olam hazeh (this world), and clinging to a completely different level of existence. The idea that bris mila represents transcending olam hazeh is seen in the Torah's account of HaShem's command to Avraham Avinu with regard to this mitzvo. HaShem tells Avraham, "walk before me and be complete." Rashi explains that Hashem was instructing Avraham to perform bris mila and thereby attain completion. Immediately after this, HaShem tells Avraham that He is changing his name, which up till that point, was Avram, to Avraham. HaShem was taking Avraham to a whole new level of existence, and bringing him out of the limits of mazal which had thus far prevented him from having children. It seems clear from the pessukim that this promise and the promise of an eternal bris between HaShem and Avraham's descendants were dependent upon Avraham making his own covenant with HaShem, that of bris mila. Thus, we see that bris mila is intrinsically connected to the fact that the Jewish people live on a whole different plane of existence. Rav Dessler zt"l applies this explanation of the difference between '7' and '8' to clarify a difficult Yalkut. The Yalkut tells us: "Shabbos and mila argue with each other. Shabbos says, 'I am greater than you' and mila says, 'I am greater than you'... from the fact that mila overrides Shabbos , we know that mila is greater than Shabbos." Rav Dessler explains that there are two ways in which a person can go about his avodas HaShem. One is to be involved in the physical world and elevating it for the sake of Heaven. There are numerous mitzvos that fit this category, for example, giving tzedoko (charity) is a way of using one's money to connect to HaShem, and as we mentioned above, Shabbos is the primary example of elevating physicality. The second way of growing in spirituality is by removing oneself from physicality, and thereby separating from his natural taivas (desires). Mila represents this form of avodas Hashem. Rav Dessler points out that there is a great danger in the first type of spirituality where one tries to elevate gashmius (physicality) in that a person can easily fall into the trap of thinking he is elevating the physical world, however, in truth, he is really being pulled after his physical desires and the yetser hara is tricking him into thinking that he is doing it leshem shamayim. The second form of spirituality of removing oneself from gashmius does not pose this threat because one avoids the risks of being trapped. Rav Dessler writes further, that the only way that a person can be sure that he can use the physical world in the correct way is by also somewhat removing himself from it for a time. With this understanding, Rav Dessler explains the meaning of the Yalkut. Shabbos represents the form of avodas Hashem where one uses the gashmius for spiritual purposes, whereas mila represents serving HaShem by weakening one's attachment to the physical world. Mila 'overrides' Shabbos in that it avoids the risks of being trapped by the yetser hara into becoming overly attached to the phsyical world whilst performing seemingly spiritual activities. We have seen that bris mila represents separation from the physical world as a way of becoming closer to HaShem, and how this form of avodas Hashem is essential to one's spiritual growth. In this vein, my Rebbe, Rav Yitzchak Berkovits shlita points out that despite the stress on being involved with the physical world for spiritual reasons, the main way of achieving greatness is through involvement in purely spiritual endeavors. The great Torah Sages did not become great through eating leshem shamayim all the time. They became great by developing an overriding interest in spirituality and a disinterest in the physical world. Numerous stories are told of how unimportant food to Gedolim such as the Chazon Ish zt"l and Rav Yechezkel Levenstein zt"l. May we merit to emulate them and learn from the mtizvo of bris mila to focus on learning, davenning, and growth, as the main ways of becoming great.

PURIFYING OUR SPEECH - TAZRIA

The Portions of Tazria and Metsora discuss in length the spiritual malaise of tzaraat whereby a person is afflicted with white blotches on his skin. He must then experience a period of isolation and finally undergo a process of purification. The Rabbis tell us that this affliction comes about because of a person's sins, in particular that of lashon hara (negative speech) . The process that the metsora must undergo is intended to demonstrate to him the destructiveness of his sin and teach him how to improve himself in the future so that he avoid sinning in such a way again. It seems that there are two lessons in particular that one who speaks lashon hara is taught during the period of his tzaraat: Firstly, the Gemara tells us, "he caused separation between man and his friend [through his lashon hara] and therefore the Torah said that he must sit alone. " Speaking negatively about others inevitably causes friendships to break apart and people to distance themselves from each other. Therefore, measure for measure, one who speaks lashon hara is forced to live alone for a period of time, separated from others. This teaches him the pain that he causes by breaking up relationships. Secondly, the blotches themselves act as a potent demonstration of the damage that one who speaks lashon hara does to his soul. Tzaraat is not a regular physical illness, rather it is the physical manifestation of a spiritual malaise that offers indisputable evidence to the sinner that he has greatly damaged himself in a spiritual sense and is in desperate need of spiritual improvement . Nowadays there is no tzaraat, and superficially this may seem like a good thing. However, the commentaries point out the exact opposite; tzaraat was a kindness of God in that He communicated very clearly to the sinner of his transgression and the need to repent. Without this gift, it is immeasurably more difficult for a person to recognize when he has sinned. And yet, it is very clear that the sin of lashon hara remains as one of the most difficult to avoid. Indeed the Gemara writes that whilst a minority of people stumble in arayot , and a majority stumble in certain forms of theft; "everyone [stumbles] in avak lashon hara. " Given the apparently widespread transgression of lashon hara, what replacement is there for tzaraat - how can a person recognize the spiritual damage one causes himself when he speaks lashon hara and the extent of the damage that negative words can have on other people? Rav Alexander Moshe Lapidus in his, Divrei Emet answers this question . He notes that a person who had tzaraat had to go to a Kohen (Priest) who would guide him through the process of teshuva. Now, there remains a Kohen who continually guides us how to rectify the sin of lashon hara - that is the Chofetz Chaim, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagan, whose works on this topic are the ultimate authorities in the laws and Torah outlook about guarding ones speech. They teach a person about the damage he causes other when he speaks lashon hara and they show at length the harm that one who speaks lashon hara does to himself. The Chofetz Chaim himself writes in the name of the Maharsha, that when the Gemara says, everyone sins in avak lashon hara, it refers to everyone who does not make a conscious effort to improve his speech . However, if a person learns the laws and outlook about guarding one's speech then he will be able to avoid this pernicious sin. Whilst nobody in this generation is afflicted with tzaraat, it is apparent that everyone who does not work on himself in this area will inevitably speak at least avak lashon hara. Thus, the insight of the Divrei Emet teaches us that it is incumbent upon everyone to learn about the laws of lashon hara from the Chofetz Chaim. One still may ask, why is it necessary to learn the laws of lashon hara, wouldn't it be sufficient to learn ethical works about the damage it does, and thereby one would develop enough yirat HaShem (fear of God) to avoid speaking lashon hara. The Chofetz Chaim addresses this issue in his introduction to his mussar work, Shemirat Halashon. He writes that it is not sufficient to learn this work alone, rather one has to also learn his book of laws, Chofetz Chaim: "What is the benefit of all the mussar in the world that speaks of the severity of the prohibitions of lashon hara and rechillut , since he has permitted himself saying that this thing is not included in lashon hara, or that the Torah did not prohibit speaking lashon hara about this kind of person, therefore one must know which things do fall in the category of lashon hara. " Thus, the Chofetz Chaim teaches us that without knowing the laws of lashon hara a person will inevitably stumble because he is not aware what constitutes forbidden speech. A second reason for the importance of learning the laws of lashon hara can be derived from a teaching of Rav Yisroel Salanter: He taught that learning about a particular area of Jewish law is an excellent way of developing an awareness of ever stumbling in that specific area. Accordingly, when he would find himself in a situation that could potentially lead to transgression of yichud he would immerse himself in learning about it, thus ensuring that he would maintain constant vigilance in this area. Based on the constant test of speaking lashon hara and the Gemara's assertion that no one is free from this sin, it seems that the only way to improve in this area is through constant study of the laws and hashkafa (Jewish thought) of shemirat halashon (guarding ones speech). Accordingly, many Gedolim signed a document urging everyone to set aside a time to learn both Chofetz Chaim and Shemirat Halashon. Moreover, they instructed every institution head to try to include classes about guarding ones speech in the regular learning schedule . In this vein, the Manchester Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Yehuda Zev Segal zt"l developed a daily calendar for learning these two sefarim, and shortly before his passing, he asked the Chofetz Chaim foundation to produce the English work, 'A Lesson a Day' which constitutes a short daily section on halacha and hashkafa . These Gedolim recognized that constant learning about shemirat halashon was the only way to ensure avoiding transgressing the severe prohibition of lashon hara. In earlier times, one who spoke lashon hare was inflicted with tzaraat and guided by the Kohen in his teshuva process. Now, a person is not blessed with such a clear message, and therefore, and he must turn to the words of the great Kohen, the Chofetz Chaim to guide himself how to improve his speech through constantly learning his great works. May we all be blessed with the ability to avoid all forms of negative speech.

פסח – התהוותה של האומה

בחג הפסח אנו חוגגים את יציאת מצריים, אנו מודים להקב"ה על חסדו העצום - בכך שהוציאנו לחרות מחיי השיעבוד הקשים במצרים. אולם, בכל מהותו של חג זה טמונה שאלה קשה ביותר. דמיינו לעצמכם, ראובן הולך לתומו ברחוב, לפתע מופיע מאַן שהוא אדם, ניצב למולו, בידו מוט עשוי מתכת, הוא מכה ברגלו של ראובן ללא רחמים, וגורם לו לשבר קשה בירכו. בעוד ראובן שרוע על הרחוב, נאבק בייסוריו, מופיע שוב אותו תוקף, ובנחת מודיע לו כי אין שום מקום לדאגה – הוא כירורג במקצועו, והוא מסכים בשמחה לנתח את ראובן על מנת לרפא את רגלו השבורה. הוא מבצע את הניתוח – ורגלו של ראובן אכן מחלימה לגמרי. כיצד אמור ראובן להרגיש כלפי אותו אדם? האם עליו לחוש הכרת הטוב עצומה כלפיו – באשר הוא ריפא את רגלו? ודאי שלא! ראובן היה מעדיף שאותו אדם לא היה פוגע בו, ואז לא היה צורך בעזרתו הנדיבה לנתח את רגלו! בדומה לכך, בחג הפסח אנו מודים להקב"ה על שהוציאנו מארץ מצרים – אולם מאליה עולה השאלה: 'מי הכניס אותנו לשם בתחילה?!' – הקב"ה בעצמו הוא זה שהכניסנו לארץ מצרים – אם כן מדוע אנו לא פוסקים מלהודות להקב"ה שוב ושוב על חסדו בהוציאו אותנו ממצרים, כאשר הוא זה שיצר את שנות הסבל והשיעבוד אשר גרמו לנו להזדקק לחסד זה?

אם כן, מוכרחים אנו לומר שיציאת מצריים הייתה תהליך מהותי וחשוב להמשך עתידו של העם היהודי, ושנות השיעבוד היו נחוצות בכדי לאפשר תהליך זה. כיצד? בספרים הקדושים מוזכר רבות היסוד שהתחלתו ויצירתו של כל עניין מהווה גורם מהותי ביותר לגבי המשכו והתפתחותו העתידית. לדוגמא, קוד ה- DNA הראשוני הנישא בטיפת דם אחת המופרית – מכיל בתוכו את כל המידע הגנטי אשר לימים יצמח ויהיה לבן אנוש. לתהליך היצירה הראשוני ישנה השפעה חזקה ביותר על ההתפתחות העתידית.

יציאת מצריים הייתה ערש הולדתו של העם היהודי, יציאת מצריים הייתה הגרעין – תחילתו של תהליך אשר הוביל את עמנו לקבל את התורה ולהיכנס לארץ ישראל. ולכן האופן בו נוצר העם היהודי ביציאת מצריים, משפיע השפעה רבת עוצמה על עתידו של העם ועל התפתחותו. ברור מעל לכל ספק כי מערכת החוקים והכללים אשר מובילים את עם ישראל ומאחדים אותו תחתם – שונים בתכלית השינוי מחוקי כל עם אחר. אם נביט אל ההיסטוריה הכללית, נבחין כי רוב המדינות נוצרו כאשר קבוצה גדולה של אנשים התיישבו בחבל ארץ מסוים, או לחילופין גברו על קבוצת אנשים אחרת וסיפחו לעצמם את השליטה על שטחם. השטח הפך להיות ארץ המולדת של אותה אומה שנוצרה. התהוותו של עם ישראל היתה שונה בתכלית מהיבטים רבים: ראשית – עמנו לא עשה דבר אשר סייע לכך שיצאו ממצרים. עשרת המכות, אשר גרמו למצרִים לשלח אותם מארצם היו בידי שמיים בלבד, ללא כל התערבות מצד בני ישראל. שנית, בעוד רוב האומות האחרות נולדו בארצן הן, עמנו נולד כאשר היה בארץ אחרת – מחוץ לארצו האמיתית – זהו תרחיש היסטורי יוצא דופן וייחודי מאוד. אולם ההבדל המשמעותי ביותר הינו האופן בו הייתה יצירתו של העם בפועל. בעוד אומות אחרות נוצרו בהתאם לכללי הטבע הרגילים, הרי שעמנו נוצר בדרך ניסית לחלוטין – עשרת המכות היו כולן מעבר לכללי הטבע, כמו גם קריעת ים סוף. עובדה זו הינה בעלת חשיבות ומשמעות לאין כמוה – בזמן היצירה, בזמן ההתחלתי, הוגדרה הדרך בה ישפיעו חוקי הטבע הרגילים על עמנו לכל אורך הדרך. אומות אחרות ותושביהן חיים תחת חוקי הטבע – ישנו דפוס היסטורי מסודר אשר על פיו מתנהל כל עם רגיל. בניגוד לכך, ההיסטוריה של עם ישראל מתפתחת בהתאם לחוקים וכללים אחרים לגמרי – כללים אשר עומדים מעל לדרך הטבע. המקור לכך הייתה התהוותו הניסית של עם ישראל – יציאת מצרים.

שאלנו מדוע אנו כל כך מודים להקב"ה על שהוציאנו משיעבוד מצרים. התשובה היא שאנו אסירי תודה על כך שהוא הכניס אותנו לשנות השיעבוד – ואחר כך הוציאנו משם בידו החזקה. רק בשל העובדה שהיינו חלשים וחסרי אונים כל כך – יכולה הייתה יצירתו של העם להיות כפי שהייתה – ניסית לחלוטין. אף אחד לא יכול היה לנסות לזקוף לזכותו שום הצלחה והישג בתהליך המופלא של יציאת מצרים. לו היינו חיים במצרים כאנשים חופשיים ומשוחררים, ולאחר מכן היינו יוצאים ממצרים לארץ ישראל, או אז היינו עלולים בקלות ליחס חלק מההצלחות, או כולן – לעצמנו. היצר האומר "כוחי ועוצם ידי עשה לי את החיל הזה" היה צץ ועולה. כדי למנוע מצב כזה, שנות השעבוד הקשות גרמו לכך שהמאורעות הבאים אחריהם היו ניסיים באופן מוחלט. הם היו מידי הקב"ה בלבד ללא כל התערבות אנושית מצידנו. כך גם מובנת ההלכה שיש לספר ביצירת מצרים בצורה של "מתחיל בגנות ומסיים בשבח" ה"גנות" היא מהותית ביותר במהלך העניינים, אשר הובילו ליצירתו של עמנו בדרך כה ניסית, ללא ה"גנות"- שנות השיעבוד הקשות, לא היינו יכולים לזכות ל"שבח" – לניסים הגדולים אשר הם המקור להתנהלות הניסית של עמנו לכל אורך השנים.

עד כה הבהרנו כיצד יצירתו של עם ישראל בדרך ניסית גרמה לכך שכל מציאות קיומו של עמנו הינה תחת מערכת חוקים שונה לחלוטין מעמים אחרים הנתונים תחת חוקי הטבע. כיצד עובדה זו מוכיחה את עצמה? ב"אש התורה" ישנה סדרת שיעורים בתוך קורס חקר הנקרא "שבעת פלאי ההיסטוריה היהודית", שיעורים אלה מראים כיצד ישנם מספר עניינים ייחודיים ביותר בהיסטוריה היהודית אשר גורמים לה להיות שונה ומופרדת מההיסטוריה הכללית של העולם. כגון: נצחיותו וסגוליותו המיוחדת של העם היהודי; הישרדותו חרף כל הגלויות וחרף הפזורה הרבה שלו על פני כל העולם כולו; עמידתו בפני גילויי אנטישמיות קשים ותמידיים לכל אורך השנים. אומה אשר נכפית לעזוב את ארץ מולדתה, וזאת יותר מפעם אחת, תוך עמידה בפני רדיפות קשות ואכזריות, נדונה על פי חוקי ההיסטוריה הרגילים להיכחד מהעולם, או לחילופין להיטמע בין אומות אחרות. העובדה שהעם היהודי לא נדון לגורל כזה, מעידה על כך שהוא שייך למערכת חוקים היסטורית ייחודית ושונה לחלוטין.

דרך החיים היום יומית של יהודי שומר מצוות אף היא מראה כיצד התנהלותו של עם ישראל היא מעל לדרך הטבע. פעמים רבות אנו מתעלמים לחלוטין מתכתיביו של "השכל הישר". לדוגמא, בעלי עסקים רבים מגיעים לרווחים הגבוהים ביותר בשבת. ואם כך – ההיגיון הפשוט אומר כי אדם הרוצה להרוויח יפה – עליו לעבוד בשבת. אולם, יהודים שומרי תורה ומצוות יודעים שחוקי התורה הינם הרבה מעבר לחוקי ההיגיון הפשוט. אנו יודעים שרווחה כלכלית אינה נקבעת על פי השעות והימים בהם אנו עובדים, אלא על פי רצון ה', וודאי שעבודה בשבת קודש לא תניב שום רווח.

ברור שיהודי שומר תורה ומצוות מנהל אורח חיים המונחה על פי הוראות התורה, אולם, למרות זאת עדיין ישנם שטחים רבים בהם אורח חיים זה מעמיד אותם בפני אתגרים ושאלות מהותיות: מהי הגישה אשר מנוותת את חייו? האם הוא מתמקד בעיקר בקניינים והישגים גשמיים כמקור לאושרו, או שהוא משכיל להתיחס לשיקולים רוחניים העולים על כל קניין גשמי? לדוגמא, אדם שגישתו היא "השכל הישר" בלבד, יהיה עבורו הגיוני הרבה יותר לעבוד שעות נוספות, מאשר להקדיש מידי יום מספר שעות ללימוד התורה. אולם אדם שהשקפתו מתעלה מעל חוקי הטבע הרגילים יבין כי בסופו של דבר, שעות לימוד התורה שוות עבורו פי כמה מאשר להכניס לכיסו עוד הכנסה שהיא, אשר אינה נחוצה לו לקיומו הבסיסי. זוהי רק דוגמא מיני רבות הנכללות בתוך ההשקפה הכללית, אשר היא השאלה העיקרית אותה חייב כל אדם לשאול את עצמו מידי שנה בפסח: האם חיי מתנהלים על פי כללים רגילים, טבעיים – כמו כל הגויים, או הם מתנהלים על פי שאיפותיו של יהודי, השונות בתכלית מכל אחד אחר, ונובעות מההכרה בייחודיותו של עם ישראל.

מורי ורבי, הר' יצחק ברקוביץ שליט"א מבהיר, כי זוהי המחשבה שאמורה ללוות אותנו לכל אורך ה"סדר": בהגדה אנו קוראים כי "חייב אדם לראות את עצמו כאילו הוא יצא ממצרים", אין זה רק אומר כי עלינו לשוב אל יציאת מצריים וכמו לחוות אותה מחדש. למרות שגם זוהי מטרה ראויה לשמה, אין זו המטרה הסופית של לילה זה. העיקר הוא שנראה את עצמנו כחלק בלתי נפרד מהעם שיצא ממצרים בדרך ניסית, והפך להיות עם סגולתו של ה'. וכתוצאה מכך, להבין כי כל אחד ואחד מאיתנו נושא על גבו אחריות רבה – כל אחד מחויב לחיות את חייו בהתאם לכללים המובילים את עם ה'. המטרות שאנו שמים לפנינו בחיים צריכות להיות מונחות על פי שיקולים רוחניים. ואם אכן אנו חיים את חיינו על פי השקפה זו, הקב"ה ישיב לנו בחזרה בדרך בה הוא מנהיג אותנו – ללא כל גבול של "כללי הטבע", אלא הוא יאפשר לנו למלא את כל שאיפותינו הרוחניות, מעל לדרך הטבע. שנזכה כולנו לחג כשר ושמח.

THE HAGGADAH—THE INSTRUCTION MANUAL OF GRATITUDE

Numerous lessons can be derived from the Haggadah. One of them is brought out by Rav Noach Orlowek, shlita. He points out that the Haggadah is the single most revealing text about the Torah approach to gratitude.

The significance of the trait of gratitude in Torah thought is very apparent. Three times a day, we thank Hashem in the Modim prayer; every time we eat, we thank Hashem for providing us with food. Also, in the interpersonal realm, there is great emphasis on showing gratitude to those who help us. The mitzvos of kibbud av v'eim and kibbud rav, for example, are based largely on a recognition of how much are parents and teachers do for us. Yet it is no easy task to feel constant gratitude for all the kindnesses that Hashem and, l’havdil, people do for us. How can a person develop himself so that he excels in this most important trait?

The Haggadah and the halachos pertaining to it can answer this question. To fulfill the mitzvah of recounting our leaving Egypt, the Gemara tells us that we must begin by mentioning the genus (bad) before the shvach (good). There is a difference of opinion as to what exactly this entails. Rav says discussing the “bad” means that before we begin thanking Hashem for taking us out of Egypt, we must mention how our ancestors served idols. Shmuel argues that the “bad” refers to the slavery we suffered in Egypt before we left. We appear to follow both opinions, because both aspects of the genus are in the Haggadah. It seems that both views teach us a fundamental lesson about how to develop proper gratitude.

Shmuel’s opinion that we must begin with the slavery teaches us that in order for a person to feel truly thankful for everything he has, he must be able to contrast his present positive situation with his past. To truly appreciate Hashem’s kindness in taking us out of Mitzrayim, we must focus on the terrible slavery we endured there. By doing so, we can avoid the trap of taking for granted the physical and spiritual freedom that we gained by leaving Mitzrayim. So too, in our daily lives, when things are going smoothly, it is very easy to forget what Hashem has done for us, and how He constantly protects and sustains us. For example, when a person’s financial situation is stable, he may take this stability for granted and refrain from sufficiently thanking Hashem. However, if he thinks about the times when he did not know how he would support himself, and he contrasts these difficulties with his current security, it should help him feel grateful to Hashem.

It is less obvious how discussing the genus according to Rav inculcates gratitude. How does mentioning the fact that our descendants served idols bring us to a greater appreciation of Hashem? It seems that one of the main factors that prevents a person from showing gratitude is arrogance. An arrogant person feels he deserves all the kindness that Hashem or people bestow upon him. Accordingly, there is no hakaras hatov, no recognition of the good that others have done for him. He does not feel they have done anything special; rather, he has every right to expect them to serve him. In contrast, a humble person feels he deserves nothing. Therefore, he views anything done for him as a great favor, so he genuinely appreciates it.

With this understanding, we can explain how reminding ourselves of our lowly past can bring us to a greater appreciation of Hashem. We acknowledge that we are not great people with tremendous yichus; our heritage is nothing to be proud of. Moreover, we acknowledge that any spiritual accomplishments we have achieved are due to Hashem’s kindness. As we say in the Haggadah, “From the beginning our forefathers worshipped idols, and now the Omnipresent has brought us close to serving Him.” By stressing our humble background, we make ourselves far more able to properly appreciate kind deeds done for us.

Rav Shlomo Brevda, shlita, points out that he has known many Torah giants, each one greatly different from the other. However, one trait they all possessed in abundance was that of gratitude. This is perhaps because they all felt so humble that they viewed themselves as undeserving of anything done for them. May we emulate them and grow in our capacity to show gratitude to other people and, most important, to Hashem.

LEAVING THE IMPURITY OF EGYPT - PESACH

Even after the Jews left Mitzrayim, the dangers of their being affected by that corrupt nation remained very real. Accordingly, the Torah commands us: “Do not perform the practices of the land of Egypt, in which you dwelled….” Rashi writes that Mitzrayim was the most decadent nation, and the Jews dwelled in the most decadent areas of the country. Why did Hashem deliberately place the Jewish people in the most corrupt place on earth?

Rav Eliyahu E. Dessler, ztz”l, answers this question in an essay in which he discusses how one should react to negative surroundings. He observes that a negative society can have a very detrimental effect on a person. However, if he is so strong that its negative influences do not harm him, it can actually strengthen his service of Hashem. How so? Rav Dessler explains that when such a person sees the surrounding evil, it becomes more disgusting in his eyes, because he attains a greater recognition of its depravity. This clarity strengthens his appreciation of good. Based on this understanding of human nature, Rav Dessler makes a historical observation that can explain why Hashem placed the Jewish people in the most degenerate place on earth:

Every time a tzaddik has had to rise to an extremely high level, he has been flung into the most lowly and degenerate environments, so he can learn the lowliness of evil and strengthen himself in goodness to the opposite extreme.

Hashem placed the Jews in Mitzrayim so they could develop an intense hatred of its tumah, which, Rav Dessler writes, was indeed their motivation for crying out to Him to free them from this terrible place. This intense disgust catapulted them from the forty-ninth level of tumah to the level of being able to receive the Torah. Had they found themselves in a less immoral environment, they could not have risen to such a high level.

This approach would also seem to explain why the Jewish people had to go to a similarly abhorrent land, that of Canaan. Seeing the immorality of the Canaanite nations was intended to intensify the Jews’ revulsion at evil and, in turn, heighten their appreciation of Torah morality.

Rav Dessler’s principle helps us understand some important aspects of Pesach. We begin the Haggadah by discussing our ancestors who worshipped idols. Rav Dessler asks, how is this ancestry connected to the story of leaving Mitzrayim? He answers that through being surrounded by such negativity, Avraham Avinu rose to such kedushah that its power would never be nullified. The redemption from Egypt sprouted directly from this holiness. Therefore, we talk about our idol-worshipping ancestors to highlight that it was as a direct result of their impurity that Avraham reached such incredible heights, and his greatness in turn planted the seeds of yetzias Mitzrayim.

We can now gain a deeper understanding of why the Haggadah goes to considerable lengths to discuss such negative influences as our pagan ancestors, Lavan, and the Egyptians. Perhaps this focus is intended to arouse our disgust at such immoral people and, in turn, heighten our appreciation of Hashem’s freeing us from them and giving us the Torah.

In today’s world, the challenge of secular influences is unavoidable. Even if we live in observant communities, myriad negative influences bombard us daily. It is, of course, highly advisable to minimize their impact, but it is impossible to eliminate all exposure to them. Rav Dessler’s principle can help us deal with these influences and perhaps even use them positively. By observing the obvious problems of the secular world, we can enhance our appreciation for the beauty of a Torah lifestyle. May we all protect ourselves from negative influences and use them to grow closer to Hashem.