The Ultimate Investment Opportunity

Harav Hagaon Shmuel Wolman Shlita

The Ramban, in his hakdamah to Sefer Shemos, highlights the common thread of this sefer, which begins with the kur habarzel of shibud Mitzrayim, followed by the geulah from Mitzrayim, and then Krias Yam Suf, all which is a preparation for Mattan Torah, which is the purpose of everything. But the Ramban explains that the culmination of the geulah occurred only after the Mishkan was built and the Shechinah began to dwell there.

Last week’s parashah ended with Klal Yisrael proclaiming “naaseh v’nishma,” which was the pinnacle of Kabbalas HaTorah, and this week’s parashah begins with binyan haMishkan. The parashah opens with the command: דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה מֵאֵת כָּל אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר יִדְּבֶנּוּ לִבּוֹ תִּקְחוּ אֶת תְּרוּמָתִי, and the Baal Haturim points out that the term דַּבֵּר is a lashon of piyus, as in the passuk: דַּבְּרוּ עַל לֵב יְרוּשָׁלַ‍ִם, which is also a lashon of piyus. Why did Hakadosh Baruch Hu deem it necessary to appease Klal Yisrael in order to make them willing to participate in this mitzvah of donating to the Mishkan? The Baal Haturim explains that since this mitzvah required financial outlay, piyus was necessary, as Klal Yisrael had to be placated and encouraged to come forward with their donations.

This seems mind-boggling. We’re talking about the Dor Dei’ah, who just saw all the incredible nissim of Yetzias Mitzrayim and Krias Yam Suf and witnessed before their eyes the fulfillment of all the promises of Bris Bein Habesarim, and they still need piyus in order to be willing to contribute to the loftiest of causes — building a place for the Shechinah of the Eibishter Himself to dwell? Besides, this Mishkan was going to be the channel of shefa, of all goodness, and a way for Klal Yisrael to attain kapparah. So why did this fundraising drive require piyus? Moreover, Klal Yisrael just become instant billionaires from the spoils of Mitzrayim, especially after Krias Yam Suf; Chazal describe each member of Klal Yisrael walking away with eighty donkeys laden with gold and other treasures. Was it really so hard to get Klal Yisrael to donate a little something for the Mishkan?

In a letter, the Alter from Kelm adds another element to the question. All of Klal Yisrael’s wealth at this point is what we call “easy money” — it was given to them literally overnight, miraculously, straight from the Eibishter Himself. How could Klal Yisrael not relish the opportunity to give a little of it back to the Eibishter?

The Alter saw this statement of Chazal as a testimony to the power of kochi ve’otzem yadi. So prone are we to want to own our successes and assets that we can become completely blind as to how those things came about. Klal Yisrael was actually capable of starting to believe that this was their hard-earned money, to the extent that it would become hard for them to part with it. Therefore, Hakadosh Baruch Hu told Moshe Rabbeinu that he would need to use piyus to coax them into understanding the concept of וְזָכַרְתָּ אֶת ה' אֱלֹקֶיךָ כִּי הוּא הַנֹּתֵן לְךָ כֹּחַ לַעֲשׂוֹת חָיִל.

This is in itself a tremendous lesson in how to relate to wealth, and how we must constantly bear in mind that מִמְּךָ הַכֹּל וּמִיָּדְךָ נָתַנּוּ לָךְ— which gives us clarity in how we are meant to distribute our assets. But if we internalize this concept, it extends to more than wealth, and can transform our approach to avodas Hashem. Every physical capability, every talent, and every ounce of strength is nothing short of a matnas chinam from the Eibishter. And it goes without saying that we should be focused on using all of these resources to do His ratzon.

But perhaps we can offer a different explanation of this need for piyus. The meforshim offer numerous ways to explain the juxtaposition between Parashas Mishpatim and Parashas Terumah, and Tanna Dvei Eliyahu addresses this smichus as follows: וכיון שקיבלו ישראל מלכות שמים בשמחה ואמרו כל אשר דבר ה' נעשה ונשמע, מיד אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא למשה דבר אל בני ישראל ויקחו לי תרומה.  Tanna Dvei Eliyahu is explaining that Klal Yisrael received the command to donate for the Mishkan as a result of their joyous declaration of naaseh v’nishma. How are we to understand the connection between this specific mitzvah of nidvas haMishkan to Klal Yisrael’s saying naaseh v’nishma?

The answer might lie in what seems to be a strange lashon: וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה. Why is donating to the Mishkan described in terms of taking, as if Klal Yisrael was given to the opportunity to take or receive something?

The key lies in the word after וְיִקְחוּ, which is לִי. The Midrash explains that this word does not merely describe the destination of the donation, or the motive behind the giving, but is actually a description of what Klal Yisrael will be getting through their donation. Their physical act was one of giving, but Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to drive home what was really happening: Through Klal Yisrael’s donating to build the place of the Eibishter’s hashraas haShechinah, they were receiving an incredible opportunity to, so to speak, “get” the Eibishter. Through the terumah, they would “take Me.” When a person donates to the Eibishter’s Mishkan, it creates a connection with Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and hence the lashon וְיִקְחוּ לִי.

How do we understand this incredible power? How can a mere donation of material goods create such a dveikus in Hakadosh Baruch Hu that can be described, kaveyachol, as taking Him?

To understand this concept, we need to discuss a few more questions regarding the donations to the Mishkan.  The Dubno Maggid asks: Why did the Eibisher’s place of hashraas haShechinah, which was purely spiritual, require all these material items — gold, silver, copper, and the like?  Furthermore, the Nesivos, in his sefer Nachlas Yaakov, notes that the Midrash seems to state clearly that Moshe Rabbeinu, who transmitted the command to donate to the Mishkan, was never told to contribute or be part of the donations to the Mishkan on a personal level. How do we understand Moshe Rabbeinu’s exclusion from this tremendous opportunity for dveikus in Hakadosh Baruch Hu?

Lastly, we know from the Gemara in Kiddushin how precious and expensive the avnei miluim were, so why were they listed at the end, and not at the top of the list, with the gold?

The answer is that Hakadosh Baruch Hu does not require our financial assistance, as the passuk states: לִי הַכֶּסֶף וְלִי הַזָּהָב. He was looking for nothing more than an expression of nedivus lev. In building the Mishkan, He was not seeking a place for his Shechinah, but rather the opportunity to dwell in the heart of each Yid. He wanted the process of donating to the Mishkan to create a real connection between Himself and Klal Yisrael, and He told Moshe Rabbeinu that the way to create that connection is through donating to the Mishkan. When Klal Yisrael give happily of their possessions to the Eibishter, that expresses nedivus lev, and that is the hidden power that creates the תּוֹכוֹ רָצוּף אַהֲבָה, the dveikus of וְיִקְחוּ לִי, which ultimately leads to וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם — in the heart of each individual.

Accordingly, explains the Dubno Maggid, the Eibishter commanded Klal Yisrael to specifically give their most expensive, valuable material commodities. This was not because he wanted or needed the Shechinah’s abode to be high-end; rather, it was a way for Klal Yisrael, who treasured these items, to display and embody nedivus lev through giving their cherished items to Hakadosh Baruch Hu. These items were merely a vehicle of nedivus lev. Accordingly, says the Nesivos, Moshe Rabbeinu — who was far removed from any desire for these riches — would not express nedivus lev through donating them, and he was therefore not included in this exercise.

The avnei miluim were extremely valuable, but the Gemara in Yoma tells us that they were literally dropped off by a cloud. Klal Yisrael did nothing to attain these items, so they felt barely any connection to them. Since the avnei miluim were just a handout from Hakadosh Baruch Hu, they were the easiest items for Klal Yisrael to part with. Therefore, they are listed last, because the items on the list are ranked according to the nedivus halev factor.

With this understanding of the deeper meaning of the donations to the Mishkan, we can now understand the need for piyus when Klal Yisrael were asked to donate. Had they been asked merely to donate their newfound riches for the sake of the Eibishter, they would have immediately jumped at the opportunity. But they knew that the Eibishter lacks nothing and was obviously not asking for help. This was no ordinary fundraising drive or building campaign — it was Hakadosh Baruch Hu asking for nedivus halev. Yes, the physical manifestation was parting with their cherished valuables, but that was not really the request. Hakadosh Baruch Hu wanted Klal Yisrael not just to give, but to crave to give, to savor the opportunity, to appreciate how giving to the Eibishter is the ultimate receiving: וְיִקְחוּ לִי. And giving at that level requires a lashon of piyus: דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Perhaps this is the depth of the Tanna Dvei Eliyahu’s statement. When Klal Yisrael joyously declared naaseh v’nishma, they showed their appreciation for the opportunity to perform Hakadosh Baruch Hu’s mitzvos and do His will. The emphasis of the Tanna Dvei Eliyahu is not just Klal Yisrael’s willingness to commit to naaseh v’nishma, but rather that they did this b’simchah, as it says: וכיון שקיבלו ישראל מלכות שמים בשמחה.

When Hakadosh Baruch Hu perceived that simchah for avodas Hashem, he saw that Klal Yisrael had reached the madreigah at which their giving would be with the nedivus halev that would create the dveikus of וְשָׁכַנְתִּי בְּתוֹכָם — בתוך כל אחד ואחד. That’s when He immediately issued the command of דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְיִקְחוּ לִי תְּרוּמָה.

As we read through these parashiyos of Sefer Shemos and experience the shibud, and Yetzias Mitzrayim, with the understanding that this is all a conduit for Klal Yisrael to become the Am Hanivchar — bnei chorin, or geulim, in the words of the Ramban — we can begin to appreciate that the climactic moment of naaseh v’nishma, coupled with the construction of the Mishkan and the donations to it, created the dveikus with Hakadosh Baruch Hu that allows each one of us to feel the Shechinah deep in our hearts. But we are very clearly taught that the one and only way to create that connection and relationship is through authentic nedivus halev and avodas Hashem that is not self-serving, but is, rather, an outgrowth of appreciating that doing the Eibishter’s ratzon is never an expense — it’s the ultimate investment, which results in the precious dividend of וְיִקְחוּ לִי and קִרֲבַת אֱלֹקִים לִי טוֹב.

Proof From The Zohar

The Ketzot (siman 7) discusses if one is allowed to grab a mashkon from a lender if he is denying the loan.  The Ketzot assumes that it is forbidden for the Torah forbids one from taking a mashkon from a lender even though one is allowed to generally take matters in their own hands to enact justice, so even if the lender denies it, one can't take a mashkon. What is interisting is that his main proof to the din he brings from a Zohar, מדברי הזוהר מבואר דהוא איסור גמור עיין שם פרש' במדבר פתח ואמר ה' אורי וישעי כו' ובר נש בעי לאקדמ' ולמפקד בידי' פקדונא דנפשי' כפקדונ' דב"נ דיהיב פקדונ' לאחרא דאף על גב דאיהו אתחייב לגבי' יתיר מההיא פקדונ' לאו כדאי לאתאחד' בי' הואיל ופקדונ' אתמס' לגבי' ואי יסרב בי' ודאי נבדוק אבתרי' דלאו מזרעא קדיש' הוא ולאו מבני מהימנות' כו' ע"ש.

Becoming Part Of You

Why does the parsha open אשר תשים לפניהם, speaking in plural terminology and then immediately switch to כי תקנה, speaking to the individual?  why do the mishpatim interrupt between the two halves of the mattan Torah tale in Yisro and the end of Mishpatim? 

Why does it say ואלה המשפטים if the Torah goes on to list off mitzvot that are chukim as well?  The title mishpat is not referring only to the mishpatim themselves but is a paradigm as to how how to view the mitzvot.  A mishpat it that which can be grabbed by the human mind, it can  become absorbed entirely into the individual.  The opening line of the parsha, ואלה המשפטים אשר תשים לפניהם, introduces the goal, the mission statement.  The Torah, the mitzvot should become entirely engrained and part of the makeup of an individual.  לפניהם, into the pnemius of the person.  That is the general message given over to the body of Klal Yisroel.   

Why does the Torah open the many dinim of the parsha with that of slaves? The parsha of slaves according to Chassidut represents the different levels in the service of Hashem.  The Torah starts off with the parsha of eved ivri.  This is one who at times struggles to do his service but does it faithfully and even at most points with a desire.  This is the typical starting point of a Jew.  S/he is born with the desire to do Hashem's will but it is a struggle to adhere to the pressures beckoning form the outside world sometimes one will have to force themselves.  From there sometimes one loses the struggle sometimes and may lower to be an eved kenani who's sole desire is to be be free to do whatever he wants but forces himself to do the work or one may elevate themselves to that of the amah who's sole desire is to serve her master and may even become one with her master.  This parsha is said to the individual according to their level of avodah there will be a slow order of progression.  Every individual will have their own path.  

The parsha of Mattan Torah of Yisro is Hashem coming to meet mortal man on Earth.  The pasrsha of Mishpatim is man meeting Hashem.  It is the naaseh v'nishma of Klal Yisroel.  This is the message of mishpatim.  The person takes the mitzvot and Torah and absorbs it into themselves.  That is why  Mishpatim is the preface to the second half of Mattan Torah.  

Kofer Obligation

ואם שור נגח הוא מתמל שלשם והועד בבעליו ולא ישמרנו והמית איש או אשה השור יסקל וגם בעליו יומת אם כפר יושת עליו ונתן פדין נפשו.  Rashi explains that the יומת is מיתה בידי שמים (which is then atoned for by paying kofer.)  Rashi in Ketubot (37b) says the same thing as well.  However, Rashi Bava Kammah (2b) says that יומת means to pay money as it does not literally mean the owner gets killed.  Why does Rashi there deviate from his interpretation in the other places? 

Why does the Torah use the terminology of אם כופר if it is an obligation?  Rashi says that this one example (of a few) where the word אם means an obligation.  The Ramban says that this tells us something about the nature of kofer.  בעבור היות הכופר כפרה כענין הקרבנות, ואם הוא אינו חפץ בה אין מכריחין אותו לבא לבית דין לחייבו בכך, ואפילו אם חייבוהו אין ממשכנין אותו, בעבור זה אמר: אם.  It is not an obligation that will be forced upon the offender, if he wishes the atonement he will pay, if not, he will not be forced.  The Ramban brings support from the Gemorah Bava Kammah (4oa) that says Beis Din will not seize the estate to pay kofer.   We see that it is not a monetary obligation on the individual but rather an atonement which is upon him to decide if he wants or not.  This seems to be in line with what the Ramban writes in Maakot (2b) that adim zommimin on the obligation of kofer are not obligated in any punishment because they are not making any money obligation on the accused party.  They are merely coming to inform the accused that he should pay kofer but are not in actuality levying any obligation up on him.  The Achronim ask that if we are ממשכנין for kofer is a question of the Gemorah and is not resolved so how can the Ramban explain the possuk according to one opinion?

Driven By Truth

Harav Hagaon Yosef Elefant Shlita

Why was the parashah of Yisro’s arrival chosen as the introduction to Mattan Torah? We know that Yisro was zocheh to a parashah in the Torah, but the fact that his arrival is deemed worthy of serving as the opening stage for Mattan Torah certainly needs our attention.

Regarding the words וַיִּשְׁמַע יִתְרוֹ, Rashi comments: מה שמועה שמע ובא קריעת ים סוף ומלחמת עמלק. The question of what Yisro heard seems out of place, as the Torah states clearly that he heard about Yetzias Mitzrayim and about all that Hakadosh Baruch Hu had done for Klal Yisrael. Why ask what he heard? Furthermore, if the passuk says that he heard about Yetzias Mitzrayim, why do Rashi, and Chazal, answer that he heard about something else — Krias Yam Suf and Milchemes Amalek?

The meforshim note that Rashi’s question is מה שמועה שמע ובא — what did Yisro hear that made him come? The entire world heard about Yetzias Mitzrayim and Krias Yam Suf, as the passuk says: שָׁמְעוּ עַמִּים יִרְגָּזוּן חִיל אָחַז יֹשְׁבֵי פְּלָשֶׁת. אָז נִבְהֲלוּ אַלּוּפֵי אֱדוֹם אֵילֵי מוֹאָב יֹאחֲזֵמוֹ רָעַד נָמֹגוּ כֹּל יֹשְׁבֵי כְנָעַן. When, then, was Yisro the only one who came? What triggered him to pick himself up and leave, when no one else in the world did that?

Chazal answer that he heard about Krias Yam Suf and Milchemes Amalek. Yisro, perhaps like the rest of the world, heard about Yetzias Mitzrayim and was amazed, and maybe even inspired to emunah. But then he noted an interesting phenomenon: He saw that after Krias Yam Suf, there could be a Milchemes Amalek immediately.

The power of Amalek is אֲשֶׁר קָרְךָ בַּדֶּרֶךְ — he jumps into the hot bath and cools it off. Yisro saw that a person could experience a tremendous spiritual hisorerus, and be spurred to emunah, yet that inspiration could fade dramatically, as evidenced by the juxtaposition of Krias Yam Suf and Milchemes Amalek.

In last week’s parashah, this phenomenon is evident as well. At the beginning of Parashas Beshalach, Klal Yisrael reached incredible heights of emunah, to the point that they declared: זֶה קֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ, and even a maidservant beheld visions that Yechezkel Hanavi was not privy to. Yet by the end of the parashah, Klal Yisrael are already questioning: הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן. Rashi cites the famous mashal of the child riding on his father’s shoulders and calling out, “Did you see my father?” The polar opposites of the parashah are very striking.

The baalei mussar observe that such is the nature of bechirah. If a person’s emunah would remain a straight line, without wavering, then the person would not have bechirah; he would always do the right thing. Therefore, it’s possible to go within a short time from זֶה קֵלִי וְאַנְוֵהוּ to הֲיֵשׁ ה' בְּקִרְבֵּנוּ אִם אָיִן. And when a person cools off, that’s when Amalek comes.

Yisro witnessed this regression and noted that a person can experience a hisorerus and then rapidly lose that hisorerus. He then concluded that if he didn’t come now, the effect of his inspiration would fade, and he would never come. That is the meaning of the question: מה שמועה שמע ובא — what did he hear that prompted him to come immediately, when no one else did? And Chazal explain that the specific trigger of his arrival was his observation that Krias Yam Suf could be followed by Milchemes Amalek.  Yet the question remains: Why was he the only one who made this calculation and decided to come?

Chazal make several interesting observations about Yisro. One of them, cited by Rashi, is that there was no avodah zarah in the world that he did not worship. Similarly, the Ramban (Shemos 6:23), notes that Putiel, whom the Torah names as the maternal grandfather of Pinchas, is identified by Chazal as either Yosef — שֶׁפִּטְפֵּט בְּיִצְרוֹ, or as Yisro — שֶׁפִּיטֵּם עֲגָלִים לַעֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, and that his name is included as a shevach.What kind of praise is it that Yisro fattened calves for idolatry? That’s a yichus?

The answer is that Yisro was an ish emes. He was looking for the truth, and therefore he worshipped every avodah zarah in the world. Imagine that a person would go through town after town in India and Africa and worship every last idol. That was Yisro.

His quest for truth was manifest in two ways. One was his worship of every single deity. The second was his ability to identify what is sheker and what is emes. His search was unending. Most people would give up after encountering a couple of false gods, but Yisro kept on searching, rejecting one deity after another. Finally, when he heard about Klal Yisrael and Yetzias Mitzrayim, he came.

Yisro’s fattening calves for idolatry reflected his search for emes. Whatever he did, he did right, investing his full heart into it because at that time he believed this was the truth — and if it’s the truth, you have to go all the way with it, with no ifs, ands, or buts. That’s why his fattening calves for avodah zarah is viewed as admirable.

This same quest for truth was evident right after he joined Klal Yisrael, when he gave Moshe Rabbeinu mussar. To him, emes was emes, and the truth needed to be spoken.

His descendant, Pinchas, was reviled by the shevatim because he descended from Yisro, who fattened calves for avodah zarah, but in truth, he was motivated by the same yearning for emes as his grandfather Yisro. What Pinchas did was neither comfortable nor pleasant, but he learned from the Zeide Yisro to do what’s right, not what’s pleasant.

We can now understand why Yisro was the only one spurred to join Klal Yisrael after hearing the same reports that the rest of the world heard. He heard the emes, and he also saw how quickly recognition of the emes could fade — so he picked himself up and came. Having heard about Krias Yam Suf, and having identified the emes, he would not take a chance of losing that hisorerus, as he learned from Milchemes Amalek. That’s why he came, while the rest of the world stayed home. They, too, experienced a hisorerus, but the emes they saw was not that important to them.

This also explains why Yisro’s arrival serves as the introduction to Mattan Torah. What creates the receptable for Mattan Torah is a person’s dedication to seeking the truth, and the willingness to be moser nefesh for that truth. Hashem gave us Toras emes, and the precondition to receiving that Torah is the quest for emes that Yisro personified. When he heard the truth, he came running, refusing to let the inspiration fade.

Similarly, the Gemara in Yoma teaches that a talmid chacham must be tocho k’baro, the same inside and out, like the aron, because you can’t absorb the Torah, which is emes, unless you yourself are emes inside and out. Therefore, Yaakov Avinu, whose middah was emes, was the ultimate yoshev ohalim. A person who is driven not by emes, but by other agendas, is not a receptacle to internalize Torah, and a person must therefore constantly ask himself, “Am I driven by emes? is that what characterizes my life, my actions, my aspirations?”

Giving Kedusha

Why does the parsha of Yisro precede that of Mattan Torah? Why was there a need for a great spectacle of sounds, lights etc. at Mattan Torah?  Why is there a need to remember the event of Mattan Torah according to the Ramban?  

The giving of the Torah was not a mere giving of national laws to a new nation.  It was a form of establishing kedusha in Klal Yisroel.  The purpose is וְאַתֶּ֧ם תִּהְיוּ־לִ֛י מַמְלֶ֥כֶת כֹּהֲנִ֖ים וְג֣וֹי קָד֑וֹשׁ.  The Or Hachayim already notes that the Torah records the story of Yisro before Mattan Torah to teach us that even though there may be very smart gentiles with innovative ideas such as Yisro, nonetheless they are not part of Klal Yisroel.  The nature of the great spectacle that was Mattan Torah was to establish the proper mood that is necessary for learning Torah in order for the kedushat haTorah to permeate through the individual.  As the Gemorah Berachot (22a) says מה להלן באימה וביראה וברתת ובזיע אף כאן באימה וביראה וברתת ובזיע.  Part of the studying of Torah is the necessity of the proper state of mind.  If the point was a pure study of information why is this a requirement?  Because it is not about a pure analysis of information but is rather a means of instilling proper kedusha in the individual.  That is why one must remember the event of Har Sinai to recall the meaning behind the study that one is doing. 

Seder Is A Prerequisite

 From Rav Moshe Tzvi Neriah.