Small Things

This week’s Parsha is the continuation of Moshe’s final Drasha to Klal Yisroel before he takes their leave and they enter Eretz Yisroel. Much as any Rebbe would speak to his cherished Talmidim before parting ways with them, leaving them with valuable lessons, Moshe spoke to his beloved nation. As such, the entire Parsha has to be learned keeping in in mind that these were the actual words of Moshe Rabbeinu himself therefore contain both the Chizuk and Mussar that he felt it necessary to impart onto Bnei Yisroel. That being the case, there is a Passuk that appears in middle of the Parsha that, when learned in this context, requires some explanation.

Much of Moshe’s speech in Sefer Bamidbar is given over to reviewing the events that occurred during out time in the Midrbar—he was speaking to a new generation that did not necessarily live through these trials and tribulations, and so he wished to relate the lessons to be learned from those episodes. As part of this discussion, there are a number of Pessukim in Parshas Ekev that discuss the Chet HaEgel, its aftermath, and the giving of the Luchos Shenios which followed. After this section, however, Moshe turns to a much broader topic.

The Passuk begins with Moshe posing what seems to be a rhetorical question to Klal Yisroel and then providing the answer: “V’Ata Yisroel Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Mi’imcha Ki Im L’Yirah Es Hashem Elokecha Laleches Bichol Drachav U’Lahava Oso V’Lavod Es Hashem Elokecha B’Chol Levavcha U’bichol Nafshecha. Moshe asks: What does Hashem ask of us, other than to fear Him, to follow in His ways, to love Him and to serve Him with all our hearts?

At first glance, the progression of the Pessukim seems questionable as Moshe switches from a discussion of the Egel and Luchos to this broad declaration without segue. Rashi however explains that it is precisely because Moshe was discussing our foibles that he inserted this statement. Lest we think that our failings cuased us to fall out of the favor of Hashem, Moshe reminds us that Hakadosh Baruch Hu longs for our Avodas Hashem and in fact asks us to serve him.

The placement of these words resolved, let us now turn to their actual content.

The actual wording of this Passuk jumps out as us for a number of reasons. First, the Torah is not often written in such a rhetorical style, and although we know that these were Moshe’s direct words, the fact that he chose this approach in this specific case must be noteworthy. In addition, the question and answer don’t seem to match. The first words of the Passuk: “Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Mi’imcha” seem to imply that the answer will be something minor or easy. The remainder of the Passuk, however, reads like the index of a Mussar Sefer: Yiras Hashem, Ahavas Hashem, V’Halachta B’Drachav and Avodas Hashem. Why did Moshe set the up the question in a way that that the answer seems so outsized?

The truth is that Chazal seem to be somewhat sensitive to this point, as seen in a Gemarah that disucsses this Passuk.

The Gemarah in Brachos tells us “Hakol Biydei Shamayim Chutz M’Yiras Shamayim”, everything is in the hands of Hashem other than a person’s Yiras Shamayim, which he must develop on his own. The Gemarah proves this precept from our Passuk—all Hashem “asks” of us is that we have Yiras Shamayim, and everything else in our lives in His control.

The Gamarah follows this Drasha with a question: “Atu Yiras Shamayim Milsa Zutrasa Hi? Is Yiras Shamaym in fact a small thing?” How could the words “Ki Im”, which denotes something minor, proceed the requirement for each person to develop Yiras Shamayim, something that is so difficult and weighty? The Gemara answers: “In, L’Gabei Moshe Milsa Zutrasa Hi.” Indeed, explains the Gemarah, for Moshe Rabbeinu himself Yiras Shamayim was a small matter.

In one sense this Gemarah seems to be asking a similar question to ours: how does the beginning of this Passuk fit with its end? How are we to understand that Moshe posed a question that would indicate a minor answer, and in fact not only list major human efforts and accomplishments, but refer to them with diminishing language? The answer the Gemarah gives to this question, however, only raises further questions.

It is understood that Moshe Rabbeniu, about whom it is said “B’chol Baysi Ne’man Hu” had reached the pinnacle of Yiras Shamayim. Clearly he who spoke Peh El Peh to the Shechina fully understood and embodied the concept of Yiras HaRomimus. As we noted, however, Moshe was now speaking directly to the masses, to the entirety of Klal Yisroel—why would he speak of Yiras Shamayim as a Milsa Zutrasa? Even if he himself had reached the requisite Madreigos, we must assume that he was cognizant of the struggles others may find on their own paths, why would he diminish the goal, thereby belittling those who may not yet have met it? The Gemara almost seems to be painting Moshe Rabbeinu as out-of-touch and insensitive, as someone who could not relate to those who were less than he. Certainly we know, however, that this was not the case, and that the Gemarah did not mean to imply that it was—how then can we understand these Divrei Chazal, and the Passuk itself?

Perhaps we can find the answer in another Gemara that is based on this Passuk.

The Gemarah in Menachos teaches us that a person must make one-hundered Brachos each day. The Gemarah adds that the source for this Chiyuv is our Passuk: “Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Mi’imcha.” It is not immediately clear, however, how in fact this Passuk relates to the concept of Meah Brachos—how do we see that a person must make one-hundred Brachos daily from these words? Rashi there explains that there is a play on words: the word “Mah” in the Passuk can be read as “Meah”, one-hundred.

Rashi seems to be using a tool that we find throughout Chazal, wherein a word in a Passuk can be read slightly differently to teach us an idea. It is curious then that the Gemarah itself does not tell us this. There are a number of times where the Gemarah will tell us “Al Tikri…Ela…”, that we use an alternative reading of the Passuk to learn the precept under discussion. Why doesn’t the Gemarah spell that out in this case, but rather leave the source for Meah Brachos up for interpretation?

In addition, there seem to be a few other ways to tie the concept of Meah Brachos into this Passuk. Rabbeinu Bachya explains that the Passuk could be written with one-hundred letters, and the Ba’al Haturim relates a number of other connections. The implication seems to be that this entire Passuk is deeply tied to Meah Brachos, beyond just a play on words. In order to understand how and why this is so, it may be beneficial to have a better understanding of the concept of Meah Brachos itself.

The Shefa Chaim of Sanz explains the purpose of Meah Brachos in the midst of a discussion of a Middah not often touched upon: Shiflus. He recounts the ways of the Tzadikim of yesteryear who truly understood their standing relative to Hakadosh Baruch Hu and indeed embodied the Middah of Shiflus. These Kedoshei Elyon referred to themselves with terms of diminishment and they truly meant it, because they understood that despite all their work, there was still much that they could achieve. This is a Middah, he says, that the common man is not well trained in and really does not even understand but is a key to true growth. Our instinct might then be to degrade ourselves, to think about our shortcomings and failings in the hopes of achieving Shiflus, but this is a dangerous path that can lead to hopelessness. There is however another approach, explains the Shefa Chaim, that is closely tied to the concept of Meah Brachos.

Every day we are enjoined to recite one-hundred Brachos, each time reflecting on the Gadlus of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and our own relative Shiflus. Each time we say a Bracha, we take into account the largesse of Hashem, without which we would be unable to survive, and it serves to remind us how little we are in comparison to Him. We needn’t put ourselves down by focusing on what we lack, but we can successfully achieve Shifus but understanding what we aren’t.

This is the connection between our Passuk and Meah Brachos, continues the Sanzer Rav: “Mah Hashem Shoel Mimcha”, Hashem asks us to put ourselves in a situation of “Mah Ani”, realizing our relative position in the world and achieving Shiflus, by saying Meah Brachos.

Perhaps this is why the Gemarah in Menachos doesn’t use the formulation of Al Tikri…Ela…” That terminology is used when the word being replaced is unrelated to the Drasha being made: “Al Tikri Halichos Ela Halachos”, for example. In this case, however, the word “Mah” is very much part of the Drasha, because it is this word, this feeling of “Mah Ani” that we hope to achieve by saying Meah Brachos.

With this in mind, we may also be able to understand the Gemara in Brachos and in turn our Passuk.

Moshe Rabbeinu was, as we know, the Anav Mikol Adam, and as such it is understandable that he knew his place in the world, and had mastered the Middah of Shiflus. His achievement in Yiras Shamayim was thus an outgrowth of this very Middah: he knew his place relative to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and therefore had developed complete Yiras Shamayim. His Yiras Shamayim then came not from his lofty levels, but from his perceived Shiflus. It is therefore understandable why he would refer to this Middas as a Milsa Zutrasa—for it came not from a high Madreiga, but from his perception of being on a lower one.

We can now understand our Passuk here as well.

The Malbim in Mishlei writes that true Anava leads to Yiras Shamayim, which in turn leads to all other achievements in the realm of Avodas Hashem. If we truly understand our place in the world, and what we are in comparison to Hakadosh Baruch Hu, we will achieve Yiras Shamayim, which will enable us to perfect ourselves in all other areas of life.

The Passuk can therefore be understood as follows: “Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Mi’imcha”, Hashem wants us to ask ourselves “Mah Ani”, to reflect on our own standing in an effort to reach Shiflus, which will lead us to true Yiras Shamayim, a Milsa Zutrasa when we reflect on our own levels. If we can do this, if we can develop Yiras Shamayim based on Shiflus and Anava, the rest of the Passuk, “Laleches Bichol Drachav U’Lahava Oso V’Lavod Es Hashem Elokecha B’Chol Levavcha U’bichol Nafshecha”, will follow.

Moshe Rabbienu, as part of his parting words, wanted to teach us a vital lesson. We all make mistakes, we all stumble—Klal Yisroel committed the Chet HaEgel—and we all need to grow, to recover from these falls. We must resist the urge to focus on these failings, though, and rather forge a connection with Hakadosh Baruch Hu that is based on the realization of “Mah Ani”. If we do so, if we can put ourselves in His hands, and develop the Yiras Hashem that comes with it, we will be to reach new heights in all areas of Avodas Hashem, and enjoy the sweet rewards that come with them, as the next Passuk ends: “L’Tov Lach”, to our most enjoyable benefit.