Page 46 - HaMizrachi # 21 Tisha B'Av 2020 USA

GENERAL INTEREST

Rabbi Zev Leff

TORAH AS THE TOTALITY

OF G-D’S WILL

he question of why the Holy was determined to fast. I spoke to וי ָ ת ֹו ְ צ ִ מ ְּ ב ּונ ׁ ָ ש ּ ְ ד ִ ק ר ׁ ֶ ש ֲ א – the purpose of
Temple was destroyed and his doctor and consulted another the mitzvot is to sanctify us and to
Tthe Land left desolate was observant doctor to confirm the inspire us to holiness.
posed to the Sages and the proph- diagnosis. There was no doubt that
ets. None could explain until G-d fasting would endanger his life. The second blessing emphasizes
Himself revealed that it was a result that the purpose of the Torah is
ָ
of having forsaken the Torah. The I called the man in and explained to make us ך ֶ מ ׁ ְ ש י ֵ ע ְ ד ֹוי – those who
Talmud continues that the failure to him that he must eat on Yom know and emulate G-d’s character
to listen to G-d’s voice and walk in Kippur. He looked me straight in traits in order to develop a com-
the Torah’s ways refers to their fail- the eye and said, “Rabbi, you’re a plete Torah personality.
ure to recite the blessings over the young man and I’m about three
times your age, well into my 70s.
Torah. eaten on Yom Kippur, and I do not “” The purpose of the
Since my bar mitzvah, I have not
Rabbeinu Yonah asks how this Land of Israel is to
seemingly obvious fact – that the intend to start now.” I replied that provide the most
Torah was forsaken – could have I could not force him to eat on
eluded the Sages and prophets? To Yom Kippur, but that as soon as he holy environment in
his question, we can add others. left my office, I would instruct the which to observe the
The Talmud in Yoma says that the gabbai never to give him another mitzvot so we can
First Temple was destroyed because honor in our shul. When he asked
of immorality, murder and idolatry. why he deserved such treatment create a total Torah
Why then, did Jeremiah mention for being strict with respect to Yom life for the Jewish
only the failure to make a blessing Kippur, I told him we are prohibited
over Torah study? Moreover, where from honoring idol worshipers. people as a whole
did the Sages see in the verse itself
that it refers to the failure to make “What idol worship am I guilty of?” And the third blessing empha-
a blessing rather than a total aban- he demanded to know. I explained, sizes that G-d has chosen us from
donment of the Torah? “The G-d of Israel has decreed the nations of the world and given
that you must eat on Yom Kippur.
Rabbeinu Yonah answers that in If some other god has commanded us the responsibility to become
fact the generation learned Torah you to fast, it is irrelevant to me if a nation of Kohanim and a holy
constantly and fulfilled the mitzvot. you call it Zeus, Kemosh or Yom people. The blessing enjoins us not
That is why the Sages did not rec- Kippur – all idols are the same.” to merely hear the words, but to
ognize they had forsaken the Torah. consider their implications.
But if so, how did they fall to such a G-d’s answer to Jeremiah revealed
level that they committed the three how people who studied and The purpose of the Land of Israel is
cardinal sins? Why didn’t their observed the Torah could fall to the to provide the most conducive, holy
Torah learning protect them? To depths of immorality, murder and environment in which to observe
this G-d replied: their Torah learn- idolatry. “They forsook My Torah” – the mitzvot so we can create a total
ing was lacking, as seen from their not the Torah, but My Torah. They Torah life for the Jewish people as a
neglect of the blessing over their failed to hear G-d’s will expressed whole. But when the Jewish people
learning. in the Torah; they failed to hear into observe mitzvot perfunctorily,
My voice. And therefore they failed without the intention to live a com-
One year I received an urgent call to walk in the ways of the Torah – plete Torah life, then the need for
just before Yom Kippur from a they failed to make the Torah an the Land is negated, and its physi-
woman in my congregation. Her all-encompassing guide. cal destruction follows. That is the
husband had been told by his doctor lesson G-d revealed to Jeremiah.
that he was suffering from a con- All of this is symbolized by the
dition that could prove life-threat- failure to make a blessing prior Rabbi Zev Leff serves as the Rav of
ening if he fasted. Nevertheless, he to learning. The blessing begins, Moshav Matityahu

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