Rabbi Doniel Staum, LMSW
Rabbi, Kehillat New Hempstead
Rebbe/Guidance Counselor – ASHAR/ Yeshiva Bais
Hachinuch
STAM
TORAH
PARSHAS
BECHUKOSAI - LAG BA’OMER 5774
“COMPLETE
COMMITMENT”
A cow and a chicken were walking down
the street together one afternoon. They were admiring the sights when, suddenly,
the chicken became very excited. “Hey cow, take a look at that billboard. Do
you see the advertisement? We are famous!” The cow slowly turned its head to
see an advertisement for quality beef and eggs. The cow studied it for a moment
and then dejectedly turned its head back down and continued walking silently.
The chicken squawked, “Aren’t you proud to
be a celebrity?” The cow wryly replied, “I understand why you are excited, for
you it’s just a small contribution. But for me that requires a full
commitment!”
The final parsha of Chumash Vaykira
commences with a beautiful detailed list of blessings that Klal Yisroel would
merit, “If My ways you shall follow.” Rashi explains that following in G-d’s
ways entails “ameilus baTorah” toiling to study and comprehend Torah.
The commentators question the vernacular
of the pasuk. The root-word, “chok” refers to laws that were commanded without
explanation or reason. Mitzvos such as shaatnez[1]
and Parah Adumah[2]
are classic examples of chukim. We adhere to such laws simply because G-d
commanded us to do so. Toiling in Torah study however, hardly seems like a
precept without reason.
Torah was the purpose of creation, the
infallible Word of G-d, which transcends time and place. It seems rather obvious
why it is important to constantly engage in study of Torah. If so, why does the
Torah utilize the word “b’chukosai”, which has an implication that it is a
commandment we observe without understanding the reason?
The word “chok” is the root of the word
“chakuk”
which means to engrave[3].
When something is written on a piece of paper, although the writing is visible
on the paper one cannot say that the words are part of the paper. They are
merely written on the surface of the paper. However, when something is engraved
onto a piece of silver or burned into a piece of wood, the writing becomes an
inextricable component of the vessel/slab. The writing becomes fused into it.
When
the Torah instructs us to perform specific commandments without offering a
logical reason it is called a ‘chok’ in the sense that the mitzvah must
be “chokuk” upon our hearts. It must be engraved on our hearts and
ingrained in our souls so that we perform them out of sheer devotion to the
Word of G-d.
It is for this reason that toiling in
Torah is referred to as “b’chukosai”. Although we understand that Torah study
is so vital, our reason for immersing ourselves in constant study must
transcend logic and rationale. Our attitude toward Torah study must be because
we recognize that it is our spiritual lifeline and, therefore, it must be
ingrained in our hearts.
“For it is our life and the length of our
days and in it we will toil day and night.” “It is a tree of life for those who
grasp it and its supporters will become wealthy. Its ways are ways of
pleasantness and all of its pathways are peaceful.” We must appreciate and
recognize the centrality of Torah in our lives and in the creation and
continuation of all of humanity.
The gemara also explains that chok is
an expression of sustenance[4].
Torah is our spiritual nourishment; the sole guarantee of our eternity as the
Nation of G-d[5].
The holiday of Lag BaOmer includes the
celebration of the life and legacy of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. The Gemara[6]
relates in detail the story of Rabbi Shimon’s escape from the hands of the
Romans who wanted to execute him. Together with his son Rabbi Elazar, they hid
in a cave for thirteen years. They sustained themselves from a brook of fresh
water and a carob tree. Throughout that time they did nothing but study Torah
and pray.
Rabbi Shimon is the author of the holy
and mystical Zohar, the source of kabbalah, which reveals the esoteric
spiritual ‘secrets’ of Torah. When he revealed those hidden parts of Torah to
the world, he also revealed a powerful spiritual light. It is for that reason
that we light fires and “add light” on Lag BaOmer with great bonfires.
Shulchan Aruch[7]
notes that the holidays of Purim and Lag BaOmer always fall out on the same day
of the week, indicating a connection between them. Both are weekdays, and both
are holidays of intense joy. Both allude to the essential holiness of even the
simplest “weekday” Jew and both are holidays when one has the ability to
reignite his spiritual spark.
On a deeper level, the victory of the
holiday of Purim precipitated a mass wave of repentance and reacceptance of
Torah. In fact, the reacceptance of Torah on Purim was, in a sense, deeper and
more vital than the original acceptance of the Torah at Sinai. Although at
Sinai the Jews exuberantly accepted the Torah, there was a level of coercion.
After the Purim miracle however, they recommitted themselves to Torah out of sheer
joy, devotion, and love[8].
The Purim holiday is a celebration of nationally renewed reaffirmation of our
allegiance and complete subjugation to Torah.
Lag BaOmer too is the celebration of a
complete commitment which brought about a revelation of Torah. Rabbi Shimon’s
total immersion in Torah allowed him to gain access into the greatest secrets
of Torah and to reveal many of those secrets to his disciples.
Lag BaOmer also marks the beginning of
the final third of Sefiras HaOmer. It is essentially the final stretch before
the holiday of Shavuos, the annual celebration of our acceptance of the Torah
at Sinai. The lesson of Lag BaOmer is that Torah requires complete commitment.
It must be ingrained within us in order to become part of our essence.
Rabbi Shimon was a disciple of the
great Rabbi Akiva. One of the many legendary statements of Rabbi Akiva is
quoted in the final Mishnah in Tractate Yoma: “Rabbi Akiva said: Fortunate are
you, O Israel! Before whom do you cleanse yourselves? Who cleanses you? Your
Father in heaven! And it says: “The mikveh (ritual bath) of Israel Israel
The waters of the mikveh symbolize the
amniotic fluids that surround a fetus in its first experience of life. When one
emerges from the mikveh it is a symbol of rebirth, a chance to begin anew reinvigorated.
In order for one to purify himself in a mikveh, he must completely submerge
himself in its waters. If even a finger remains above water, his entire body
remains in its state of impurity.
In order for one to merit spiritual
cleansing he must totally commit himself to G-d. Even if one whose actions are
lacking, if he is mentally committed, that is sufficient to warrant some level
of connection with G-d. The only caveat is that it must be a true commitment,
not merely a few trite contributions!
“If
My ways you shall follow”
“Fortunate
are you, O Israel”
[1] not
wearing clothing that contain a combination of wool and linen
[2] the law
that necessitates one who is impure via a dead body to be sprinkled with the
ashes of the Red Heifer
[3] see
commentary of Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch, Bereishis 49:10
[4] see
Beitzah 16a
[5]
The previous thoughts were based on the derasha
of Rabbi Yehoshua Kohl at Kehillat New Hempstead, Shabbos Kodesh Parshas
Bechukosai 5767.
[6] Shabbos
33b (It is fascinating that the saga of Rashbi is found on daf 33, in that the
day we celebrate Rashbi’s life is the 33rd day of the Omer)
[7] 428:1
[8] See
Shabbos 88a
[9] Yirmiyah
17:13
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