Ekev – פרק קי׳׳א: Fear First

Ekev – קי׳׳א פרק

Fear First

For the most part, Parshas Ekev is a continuation of the final address given by Moshe Rabbeinu to Klal Yisroel before his Petirah. The Pessukim in this Parsha can be divided into two categories: some are historical, as Mosh recounts the events of the Midbar, while others are narrative, containing words of Chizuk and Tochacha. In many cases, Moshe switched seamlessly from one section to the next, interweaving these two categories.

For example, there is a long set of Pessukim in which Moshe describes the aftermath of the Chet Haegel, culminating with the giving of the Luchos Shenios. Following these Pessukim Moshe poses a rhetorical question: “V’Ata Yisroel Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Mimcha Ki Im L’Yireh Es Hashem Elokecha.” All Hashem asks of us, Moshe explains, is that we fear Him.

The Gemara in Brachos asks the obvious question on this Passuk: “Atu Yiras Shamayim Milsa Zutrasa Hi?” Is Yiras Shamayim in fact a small thing, such that we would say this is all HKBH asks of us? The Gemara then proves that Yiras Shamayim is not a “small thing”, but answers that in the eyes of Moshe Rabbeinu it was indeed a “Milsa Zutrasa” because he possessed the Midah.

This Gemarah certainly requires explanation, but when taken together with the simple meaning of the Passuk, one message is clear: Yiras Shamayim, while not easy to achieve, is a central part of our Avodas Hashem. In fact, Dovid Hamelech speaks about Yiras Shamayim in Tehillim in a way that highlights this point.

Kapital 111 begins with the words “Halelukah Odeh Hashem B’Chol Levav” and is dedicated to exactly that—soaring praise of Hashem. Rashi points out that the Perek follows the order of the “Aleph Bais”, the first phrase of each Passuk starting with one letter, and the following phrases with the next. Radak explains that Dovid Hamelech used this pattern throughout Tehillim to highlight the Chashivus of particular Perakim, and the same would apply in this case as well.

As would be expected, the Pessukim live up to this standard. We find phrases such as “Zecher Asa L’Nifleosav Chanun V’Rachum Hashem” and “Koach Maasav Higgid L’Amo” attesting to the greatness of Hashem and all He does for his children. Although most of the praise is very general, there are specific examples of the Chasdei Hashem as well. For example, the Passuk tells us “Pedus Shalach L’Amo”, which Metzudos explains speaks about Yitzias Mitzrayim.

The most familiar Passuk of the Perek comes at its end, beginning with the letter Raish: “Rashis Chachma Yiras Hashem Sechel Tov L’chol Oseihem”. The simple meaning of these words is understood: the path to Chachma begins with Yiras Hashem, and those who posses this Midah gain Sechel. Metzduos explains that with these words Dovid Hamelech provides a roadmap to Chachma: one must begin by rooting himself in Yiras Shamayim. This itself is a “Sechel Tov” for it leads to the final words of the Perek: “Tihilaso Omedes L’Ad”.

When considering this Passuk, a simple question must be asked. As we have seen, the Perek is given to Shevach V’Hodaah to HKBH for the Tovos constantly showered upon us. If so, we must understand that these words, “Rashis Chachma Yiras Hashem” in this context as well. What is the Shevach expressed in this Passuk? We understand these words as expressing a truism, not praise of Hashem. How then do they fit into the rest of the Perek?

In order to answer this most basic question, we must understand these words on a deeper level.

The truth is that the approach to the Passuk brought by the Meforshei HaPshat can be seen in Divrai Chazal as well.

The Mishna in Avos D’Rebi Nosson, for example, cites this Passuk as the source for a teaching found in Pirkei Avos: “Kol Sheriyas Cheto Kodemes L’Chachmaso Chachmaso Miskayemes”. If one’s Torah learning is proceeded, and rooted in Yirah, than his Chachma will endure. This idea mirrors the explanation of the Passuk: “Raishis Chachama” leads to “Tihilaso Omedes L’Ad”.

It seems, however, that there may be a deeper connection between Torah and Yiras Shamayim.

The Tanchuma in Parsha Beraishis speaks about the fact that Kabals HaTorah was a precondition of the Brias HaOlam, which is learned from the words “Yom HaShishi”, referring to Mattan Torah. The Medrash continues, explaining that Moshe Rabbeinu was the one to ultimately be Mekabel the Torah because “Torah Suliyasa Anava V’Kisra Yirah”. The sole, or basis, of Torah and its crown is Yirah, both Middos exemplified by Moshe Rabbeinu.

How can we understand this Medrash? How and why is Yirah the “crown” of Torah? The Tanchuma proves this precept from our Passuk, “Rashis Chachma Yiras Hashem”, but this seems to be a different understanding than the Meforshim and the Mishna in Avos D’Rebi Nosson, as well as other Mamarei Chazal. How can we explain this?

Perhaps we can look to a Pshat in a related Mishna in Avos that is related to the Tanchuma.

There is a Medrash brought in the Yalkut Eliezer: “B’Sha’ah SheHisra’am Iyov Al HaYisrurim Hireh Lon HKBH Sukka Shel Gimmel Defanos”. When Iyov complained about the Yissurin sent to him, HKBH showed him a Sukkah made of three walls. Fittingly, the Yalkut identifies this as a “Medrash Pliah”, one which certainly requires explanation. How was a three-walled Sukkah a response to iyov complaints?

R’ Moshe Sofer, a Talmud of Pressburg and Rav in the Austro-Hungarian region of the nineteenth century, offers an explanation of this Medrash in his Sefer, Divrei Sharei Chaim on Parshas Emor.

There are, explains R’ Moshe, three Matanos Tovos that exist in the world: Chachma, Gevurah and Osher. Wealth, wisdom and strength are all gifts that Hahsem gives a person which allow him to form protective walls around himself. Even if he does so, however, there is still one side exposed to the outside—a fourth wall is needed.

That fourth wall, explains the Divrei Sharei Chaim, is Yiras Shamayim. In contrast to the other walls, however, one cannot receive the fourth as a gift—he must earn it, as Chazal tell us: “Hakol b’Yidei Shamayim Chutz MiYiras Shamayim”. The final, and therefore most important wall, is only attained through a person’s own work.

The Misna in Avos tells us that there are three Kesarim, “Keser Torah, Kesser Kehuna V’Kesser Malchus”, corresponding to one of the three “Matanos Tovos”—Chachma, Gevurah and Malchus—respectively. R’ Moshe points out that there is a forth Keser in the Mishna: “Keser Shem Tov”, which corresponds to Yiras Shamayim, the fourth wall. Because this Kesser is not given as a gift, but rather earned through a person’s own Avodah, it is “Olah Al Gabbehen”.

This was the message of the Sukkah Shel Gimmel Defanos shown to Iyov. The Yissurin that came upon him, explains the Divrei Sharei Chaim, were because there was a wall missing, one that could not be given to him as a gift. HKBH could grant him Chachma, Gevurah or Osher, but he would remain unprotected if he did not build his own fourth wall of Yiras Shamayim.

Perhaps we can understand the Tanchuma, and therefore our Passuk, based on this idea.

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“Torah Suliyasa Anava V’Kisra Yirah”. A Kesser, crown, rests upon a person’s head—it is the topmost adornment of any regent. It is, in a sense, Olah Al Gabav, rising to the top of that which it sits upon. The

Medrash is therefore communicating this idea: the crown of Torah, the element that is “Olah Al Gabav”. Because Moshe Rabbeinu had built the fourth wall on his own, because he had attained such a high level of Yiras Shamayim, he was uniquely qualified to be Mekabel the Torah.

The Medrash understands the word “Raishis” differently than the Meforshai HaPshat, and other Mamarei Chazal. In this case Raishis does not mean “beginning” but rather refers to something that is set aside because of its importance. This meaning can be seen in the fact that Chazal refer to Klal Yisroel as “Raishis”, not because we proceeded the other Umos, but because we are “Olah Al Gabaeinhen”. Yiras Hashem, which can only be earned and not granted, is Raishis when compared to Chachma or any of the other Matanos Tovos.

Maybe this is the Shevach expressed in the Passuk.

The “Kesser” of Yiras Shamayim, which is Olah Al Gabeihen, is not granted as a gift. Rather, one must work on himself until it is attained. This, however, is itself a gift: other Mattanos, such as Gevura or Osher, are perhaps dependent on Mazel or Zechus Avos, and are therefore out of our control. The ultimate crown, however, is Yiras Shamaymim, one to which each person holds his own set of keys.

It is easy to assume that if we had the other Mattanos we would be able to achieve Yiras Shamayim, but in truth the opposite is true: we have the ability to reach this Madreigah on our own. It is not dependent on Chachma or Gevurah, it is solely in our hands. If we work on ourselves, we can reach a Madreigah of Yiras Shamayim that is considered the Kisra Shel Torah.

What great Shvach of HKBH is there than the fact that he gave us the tools to achieve greatness? “Raishis Chachma Yiras Hashem”, we have the ability to achieve that which is even greater than Chachma, the Kesser of Yiras Shamayim. The words “Hakol b’Yidei Shamayim Chutz MiYiras Shamayim” are not discouraging—they are empowering. Absent any Matanos from HKBH we can reach this level, which is not true of Chachma, Gevurah or Osher.

“V’Ata Yisroel Mah Hashem Elokecha Shoel Mimcha Ki Im L’Yireh Es Hashem Elokecha”. Moshe of course understood that Yiras Hashem is not a “Milsa Zutrasa”, but he wished to inform us of the opportunity given to each of us. Hashem asks us to attain levels of Yiras Hashem because we can do so independently—we can attain the Kesser that is Olah Al Gabbehen, the ultimate Raishis.