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In this week’s Parashah, Moshe Rabbeinu warns Bnei Yisrael against haughtiness, saying (8:12-14), “Lest you eat and be satisfied, and you build good houses and settle . . . and your heart will become haughty and you will forget Hashem. . .”

R’ Yosef Konvitz z”l (1878-1944; rabbi in Newark, NJ; President of the Agudath HaRabonim of the United States and Canada) asks: At first glance, the Torah should have said, “When you eat and are satisfied, and you build good houses and settle . . . lest your heart will become haughty and you will forget Hashem. . .” After all, did Hashem not promise us that we will eat and be satisfied and have good homes in Eretz Yisrael? Moreover, is developing haughtiness not a mere possibility, rather than a certainty?

R’ Konvitz answers: In fact, Hashem does not promise the Jewish People material success in Eretz Yisrael under all circumstances. The reason is that, unfortunately, excess wealth has a history of leading the men astray, as we read (Hoshea 2:10), “I lavished silver upon her [the Jewish nation], and gold; but they used it for the Ba’al [a form of idolatry].” Because material success is not guaranteed, the verse says, “Lest you eat and be satisfied . . .”

R’ Konvitz continues (perhaps commenting on the American immigrant experience he witnessed): Unfortunately, one does not need to be wealthy to become haughty; just making plans for, and dreaming about, becoming wealthy is enough to make a person haughty. Therefore the Torah says, “Your heart will become haughty . . .” (Divrei Yosef)

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“In order to inform you that man does not live by bread alone, rather by everything that emanates from the mouth of Hashem does man live.” (8:3)

R’ Yosef Sorotzkin shlita (Kiryat Ye’arim, Israel) writes: Man is composed of Ruach / a spiritual part (i.e., the soul) and Guf / a physical part (i.e., the body). What connects them is bread, for without bread (food), the Ruach would leave the Guf. But bread is itself physical. If that which binds the Ruach to the Guf is itself Guf (physical), then man is controlled overall by the Guf! What should a person do to avoid this?

R’ Sorotzkin answers: To remedy this, we recite Berachot over our food, thus sanctifying the act of eating. According to the Zohar, the physical food itself becomes sanctified when one acknowledges that he received his food from G-d’s “table” and declares that he is eating it in order to strengthen himself to serve Hashem. That makes the food something Ruchani / spiritual that connects one’s body and soul, not just physical food. (Megged Yosef)

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“You will eat and you will be satisfied, and you shall bless Hashem, your Elokim, for the good Land that He gave you.” (8:10)

In Birkat Ha’mazon / the blessing after eating bread, we do not only thank Hashem for the food we ate and for the “good Land” that He has given us, as the Pasuk says. We also give thanks “because You took us, Hashem, our Elokim, from the land of Egypt,” as well as “for Your Brit / covenant that You sealed in our flesh,” “for Your Torah which You taught us,” and “for life, grace, and loving-kindness which You granted us.”

R’ Avigdor Miller z”l (1908-2001; rabbi, Mashgiach Ruchani, and Rosh Yeshiva in Brooklyn, N.Y.) writes: We read (Kohelet 7:14), “On a good day, be pleased.” Midrash Rabbah comments: “If there is a year in which there is no drought, go out to your vineyard, see, and rejoice; see your olives and rejoice.” [Until here from the Midrash]

Why must the verse tell us to be pleased on a good day, and why must the Midrash teach us to rejoice when there is no drought? Do those feelings not occur naturally? R’ Miller explains: The verse and the Midrash are teaching us to use good days to reflect on Hashem’s many kindnesses towards us--for example, not only should a farmer be thankful when there is no drought, he should use that gratitude as a springboard to thank Hashem also for the fact that he has a vineyard and an olive grove. Do not miss a valuable opportunity to attain a greater recognition of Hashem’s kindness, Kohelet and the Midrash are teaching. Indeed, R’ Miller writes, when a person has a good day, he should know that the primary purpose for which Hashem gave him that good day is so he could use it as a stepladder to elevate himself.

R’ Miller concludes: The same idea explains the text of Birkat Ha’mazon. When we feel grateful for our food, it is an opportunity to recognize Hashem’s kindness in general. (Lev Avigdor p.3)

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“When Hashem sent you from Kadesh-Barnea, saying, ‘Go up and possess the Land that I gave you”--then you rebelled against the word of Hashem, your Elokim: you did not believe Him and you did not listen to His voice.” (9:23)

R’ Meir Simcha Hakohen (1843-1926; rabbi of Dvinsk, Latvia) writes: The phrase “you rebelled” includes two acts of rebellion. First, “you did not believe Him” when He said that Eretz Yisrael is good (see Devarim 1:32), and second, “you did not listen to His voice” when He commanded you not to try to ascend to Eretz Yisrael on your own (see 1:42-43).

Why did they not listen? R’ Meir Simcha explains: Bnei Yisrael thought they were being tested, much like the wayward Talmudic sage Elisha ben Avuyah (a.k.a. “Acher”) 1,500 years later, who heard a Heavenly voice proclaim: “Everyone repent except for Acher!” Had Acher ignored that proclamation, his repentance would have been accepted. Unfortunately, he did not repent. Conversely, Bnei Yisrael thought Hashem was challenging them to show their love for Eretz Yisrael. Tragically, they were wrong. (Meshech Chochmah)

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“At that time Hashem said to me, ‘Carve for yourself two stone Tablets like the first ones, and ascend to Me to the mountain, and make a wooden ark for yourself.” (10:1)

Midrash Tanchuma teaches: “Stone Tablets”--in the merit of Yaakov (see Bereishit 49:24). Another opinion: In the merit of the Bet Hamikdash (see Yeshayah 28:16). Rabbi Shimon says: In the merit of Mashiach (see Daniel 2:34). [Until here from the Midrash]

R’ Yedayah Ha’penini z”l (13th century; Provence) writes: This Midrash is meant to teach the purpose for which Hashem gave us the Torah.

He explains: Some say that the purpose of the Torah is to teach proper De’ot / beliefs and character traits, while the Mitzvot that involve action are just tools to purify and refine man so that his proper De’ot can “shine” without interference. The Patriarchs, of whom Yaakov is a representative, are symbols of this view, for they were the first true believers and the first who tried to educate their fellow men about G-d.

R’ Yedayah continues: A second viewpoint is that the purpose of the Torah is to distance man from excess, teach him about Teshuvah / repentance, and encourage him to live a life of moderation. The Bet Hamikdash represents this idea, for that is where a person could see Hashem being served and where one could focus on Teshuvah.

Finally, writes R’ Yedayah, some say that the purpose of the Torah is to enable the establishment of a functioning society--for example, through Halachot / laws about honesty in business dealings, treating others with respect, etc. Mashiach, who will rule over a utopian society, is a symbol of this view.

R’ Yedayah concludes: There is truth to all three of these viewpoints, but not to any one of them alone. (Be’urei Haggadot)

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Shabbat

Midrash Rabbah relates: Moshe saw that Bnei Yisrael had no rest in Egypt. He went to Pharaoh, and he said, “If a master does not allow his slave to rest once a week, the slave will soon die. Likewise, your slaves Yisrael--if they do not rest, they will die.” Pharaoh responded, “Go do for them as you say.” Moshe then went and taught Bnei Yisrael to rest on Shabbat. [Until here from the Midrash]

R’ Shraga Feivish Hager z”l (1958-2024; Kosover Rebbe) writes: Based on this Midrash, it is written that Bnei Yisrael would gather on Friday night during their exile in Egypt to strengthen each other’s belief in Hashem.

Likewise, R’ Hager writes, there is a Chassidic custom to gather together on Friday night to accept upon oneself the yoke of Heaven among like-minded friends, to elevate oneself as part of a group by uniting in singing songs of love for Hashem, and to purify and refine oneself through this gathering.

We read (Yirmiyah 17:13), “Hashem is the Mikveh of Yisrael.” R’ Menachem Mendel Hager z”l (1768-1825; the “Ahavat Shalom”; ancestor of the Rebbes of Kosov and Vizhnitz) notes that the root of Mikveh can refer to a gathering (see Bereishit 1:9). It also refers to a Mikvah in which one immerses. Thus, the verse teaches that when the Jewish People gather whole-heartedly as one, they purify themselves as if they had immersed in a Mikvah. Others note that by negating oneself to his friends, one brings great spiritual “lights” down upon himself--another reason to be part of a group on Shabbat night.

(Of course, the foregoing is only meant to suggest a way to attain greater holiness. It is not speaking of a situation in which a person is required by Halachah to immerse in a Mikvah.) (Shabbat Malka Kadisha p.201)

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