Page 244 - Tzurba M'Rabanan Volume1

242 · Hilchot Shiluach HaKein Tzurba M’Rabanan

G-d] – but as for us, we follow only the second the fact that there is no utility to Hashem from
opinion. the mitzvot, rather the utility [of the mitzvot] is
for Man himself to prevent damage, a destruc-
In the opinion of the Rambam, mitzvot are more tive outlook on the world, a despicable char-
than simply arbitrary acts – they are useful and acteristic, or to remember the miracles and
effect a change in the world. He writes that the wonders that the Creator blessed be He per-
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mitzva of Shiluach Hakein is meant to help hu- formed. And this is the meaning of the phrase,
manity to become kinder and more compassion- “to cleanse them” – that they should be like
ate, and ultimately to create a situation where the pure silver, for the purifier of silver does not
offspring of the bird are not taken at all. simply do things without purpose, but rather
The Ramban writes about Shiluach Hakein to remove all impurities [from the silver]. So
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in a similar fashion. Initially, he brings two rea- too, the mitzvot are to remove from our hearts
sons for the mitzva: the Torah wants to make hu- all destructive beliefs and to teach us the Truth
manity more merciful (like the Rambam), and and to remember Him always… And this is
secondly that the Torah is worried about extinc- something agreed upon by all of our Sages.
tion; were we to allow one to take the mother and And the intent of all these [mitzvot] is for our
the child the same time, the Torah would theo- sake, and not for Him the Exalted One, but
retically be allowing the both the offspring and rather all that we were commanded is in order
the source of reproduction to be killed at once, that his creations be purified without any im-
thus theoretically allowing for the extinction of purities of thought or action.
the entire species. After this brief explanation of
the mitzva, he launches into an exploration of the The Ramban here lays out the idea that mitzv-
purpose of mitzvot in general in the Rambam’s ot are not mystical actions which affect a sphere
thought: above our comprehension, changing G-d. Rath-
er, he argues quite forcefully that the mitzvot are
And this is the general idea that the [Rambam] for us, humans, to make us better. They are aimed
extrapolated about mitzvot which have a rea- at inculcating proper values and thoughts into
son: It is exceedingly clear that there is in every our every moment, to purify us. In this sense, ex-
[mitzva] a reason, purpose, and advantage plains the Ramban, the mitzva of Shiluach Hakein
to Man, apart from the reward from the One is to teach humanity mercy and compassion.
Who commanded them, may He be blessed. On the opposite side of the spectrum, we
And this is what the Sages of blessed memory find the opinion of the kabbalists. Rabbeinu
wrote … And it is clear that there is nothing Bechaya suggests three separate approaches for
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stopping one from understanding the Torah the mitzva; a simple explanation, a rational expla-
except for intellectual blindness, and that they nation, and a mystical explanation. The first and
have already been revealed, even those most dif- second reason match those of the Ramban that
ficult among them, to the Sages of Israel … we brought above, namely that the Torah is aim-
And these aggadot which were used to question ing to make humanity more merciful, and also
[the Rambam] are talking about something else wants to prevent extinction. The third is essen-
entirely in my opinion. They are talking about tially two kabbalistic reasons. The first concerns

12. For further iyun, see Moreh Nevuchim 3:26
13. Devarim 22:6
14. Devarim 22:7

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