Maximum Height

Kapital 144 begins with the words “L’Dovid Baruch Hashem Tzuri” and was clearly written as a Shira thanking HKBH for a victory, as the concluding words of the first Passuk seem to indicate: “Hamelamed Yadai LaKrav Etzbosai LaMilchama.” It is not clear, however which of the many battles in the lifetime of Dovid brought this Shira to his lips. Indeed the Meforshei HaPshat offer several approaches.

Radak explains that Dovid Hamelech wrote these Pessukim at the beginning of his Malchus, after he defeated the Pelishtim. Sforno, however, explains that these words were written after Dovid survived the rebellions of Avshalom and Sheva ben Bichri, returning to Yerushalayim in triumph. An additional possibility is cited by Meiri: Dovid wrote this Mizmor towards the end of his life, once all his enemies were eliminated, and is therefore to be seen as encapsulating his entire reign.

Whichever of the many victories in his life spurred Dovid to write this Mizmor, it is clear that he attributes his success to HKBH alone: “Chasdi U’Metzudasi Misgabi U’Mifalti…” Dovid understands that he could have no success without the intervention of the Borei Olam. Along with this realization comes an understanding of the limitations of mankind, expressed clearly with phrases such as “Hashem Mah Adam VaTodienu Ben Enosh VaTichashvehu…” and “Adam LaHevel Damah..”.

Dovid does not take his success for granted, however: besides thanking HKBH for the victories that he enjoyed until now, much of the Perek is a Teffilah that the Tovas Hashem persist, allowing him to have continued success. Dovid asks: “Hashem Hat Shamecha V’Tered…” and Rashi explains that these words begin a Teffilah that Hashem protect Dovid from the Malchei Umos HaOlam that may seek to wage war.

Rather than asking only that he be saved, Dovid explains why his enemies do not deserve to be victorious: “Asher Pihem Divrei Shav V’Yeminam Yemin Shaker”. Those who seek to harm us make the false claim that victory is in their hands, that they prevail because of their own strength, “Yeinam Yemin Shaker”. This is contrasted with Dovid Hamelech who seeks to use his own mouth for a very different purpose: “Elokim Shir Chadash Ashira Lach”. When he is victorious, Dovid intends to sing Shira, recognizing that it was HKBH that brought him triumph.

These two concepts are repeated again later in the Perek: “Pitzeni V’Hatzileni M’Yad Bnei Nechar Asher Pihem Divrei Shav V’Yeminam Yemin Shaker.” Again, Dovid recognizes that his only chance of success is at the hands of Hahsem, and reiterates the false nature of our enemies’ claims. The next Passuk seems to be connected to this one but requires some explanation.

“Asher Banenu K’Nitiim Megudalim B’Nurehem Bnoseinu K’Zavis Mechutavos Tavnis Heichal.” Our sons, says Dovid, are like saplings that grow even in their youth, and our daughters are like corner-pillars carved as those in a palace. These descriptions are difficult to understand on their own—why does Dovid choose to speak about his offspring in this way? What is the virtue of “Netiim Megudalim B’Nureihem” and “Zavis Mechutavos Tavnis Heichal.”? Further, why does Dovid speak about his children at all in this Perek—how does this Passuk fit into the broader context of the Mizmor?

The fact that this Passuk begins with the word “Asher”, however, indicates that it is connected to the one before, leading Metzudos to explain these words as follows: “Reuyim Anu L’Hatzala Al Asher Boneinu Hema K’Nitei Hailanos Na’im U’Menukim M’Mum Aveira”. These words are connected to those that come before them, providing a rationale for Dovid’s request, “Pitzeni V’Hatzileni M’Yad Bnei Nechar.” Dovid feels that he is worthy of Hatzala because his children are free of Aveirah and Mum.

With that said, there are two questions that must be answered. First, why does Dovid Hamelech use his children as the reason that he is worthy of his request, that HKBH save him from his enemies? Also, why did he choose these descriptions? Metzudos explains that both Netios and Zavios indicate Yashrus and Nekius, but why did Dovid choose these example among many other items that personify these traits?

In order to answer these questions, it is important to understand how Chazal understood these words, which actually appear in quite a few Maamrei Chazal, including a Medrash in this week’s Parsha.

The Passuk towards the beginning of Parsha Ekev speaks about the imperative of Shemiras HaMitzvos, but also the reward we reap as a result: “L’Man Tichyun U’Rebisem”. While the definition of “Tichyun” is understandable, it is not clear what the Torah means by the word “Rebisem”, which can be literally translated as “grow larger”.

The Tanchuma, there, offers a number of Drashos related to these words including the following: “BaKomah”, telling us that the word “Rebisem” refers to height. The Medrash continues, explaining that the Passuk refers to the Yemos HaMoshiach: “Asid Kol Echad V’Echad M’Yisroel L’Hiyos Govah Meah Amah”. As is to be expected, the Medrash brings a proof to the notion that L’Asid Lavo each of us will grow to a height of one-hundred Amos: the Passuk in Tehllim says “Bnoseinu K’Zavis Mechutavos Tavnis Heichal”, and the Heichal of Bayis Sheni was one-hundred Amos tall.

This Medrash begs explanation: the Torah promises us that if we follow the Mitzvos we are Zoche to the reward of “L’Man Tichyun U’Rebisem”, which the Medrash explains to mean that we will grow to a height of one-hundred Amos in the Yemos HaMoshiach. What does this mean? What is the value of being tall—why is this the reward promised by the Torah?

The Medrash also seems to suggest that the words “Bnoseinu K’Zavis Mechutavos Tavnis Heichal” highlight the height of Dovid’s children, so to speak—how can we understand this? Dovid uses this description as a rationale for being deserving of Yeshuas Hashem—how does his daughters’ height accomplish this?

To answer these questions and explain the Medrash and Pessukim, it seems important to understand the concept of physical height from the perspective of the Torah. Perhaps surprisingly, this seemingly physical trait seems to have significant connotation.

The Gemara in Shabbos, in a discussion about the height of the Aron HaKodesh, makes a statement: “Ain HaShechina Shoreh Ella Al Chacham Gibor V’Ashir U’Baal Komah”. The Geamra seeks to establish that Moshe Rabbeinu was unusually tall based on the fact that the Shechina only rests on someone who fulfils the following qualifications: wise, strong, wealthy and tall.

This Gemara certainly lends credence to the notion that a persons height is indicative of more than just his genes—how can we understand its statement? Why is the quality of Ba’al Komah, physical stature, a prerequisite for Nevuah? We can understand that Ashirus and Gevurah mentioned by the Gemara indicate the Middos as defined by Chazal, and not merely material advantages, but how can we explain the advantage of being a Ba’al Koma?

The Me’or V’Shemes, in Remazei Erev Yom Kippur, notes the obvious difficulty with the Gemara and explains the concept of physical height from a very deep perspective.

The world that we know of actually comprises to Olamos: the “Alma D’Isgalya” and the “Alma D’Iskasaya”, the visible, or Chitzoniyos, and the hidden., or Penimios Everything on this world, however, has elements of both Ruchni and Gashmi, and therefore, elements of of Chitzonios and Penimios, by definition straddling both worlds. The Chitzonios, however, exist in service of the Penimios and not vice versa: the physical being is there only to contain the Ruchnias, and therefore the larger the physical Kli, the greater the capacity to bear Kedusha. The Meor V’Shemes concludes that the Navi had to be a Ba’al Komah so that he would have a larger Kli which which to hold Penimios and Keduasha.

On it’s own this is not that easy to understand: we know of plenty of men of short stature that served as Kelim for endless Kedusha. How can we explain the words of the Me’or V’Shemesh?

It would seem that the actual physical stature of a person is not as important as his understanding of the duality of the two Olamos. If a person is cognizant that his Chitzonios is but a Kli for his Penimios, that the Olam HaRuchani exists only in service of the Olam HaGashmi, then he creates a circumstance of Baal Koma regardless of his height. Even is someone is tall, if the focus of his life is the pursuit of Gashmi, than his Kli will be filled with Chitzonios, leaving little room for Kedusha. The Middah of Ba’al Komah, then, is not to be measured with a yardstick, but by the way in which a person leads his life.

If we understand the Gemara in Shabbos this way, that a person’s physical stature is irrelevant and it is how he uses his Chitzonios that defines him as a Baal Koma, we can perhaps explain the Tanchuma in this week’s Parsha.

When Moshiach comes and the way of the world is clear, we will grow to unimaginable heights, each of us reaching the level of Ba’al Komah, because we will understand the purpose of life, and ensuring that our Chitzonios is devoted to the service of Penimios. But the Torah promises that Shemiras HaMitzvos will give us a life worth living even today: “L’Man Tichyun U’Ribisem”. The closer a person is to the Torah, the more he allows Mitzvos to affect him, the easier it becomes to appropriately balance the “Alma D’Isgalya” and the “Alma D’Iskasaya”, ensuring that the Chitzonios serves its purpose as a Kli for Penimios and Kedusha.

Based on this idea, we can well understand the Passuk in Tehillim. Dovid wishes for the reality of “Pitzeni V’Hatzileni M’Yad Bnei Nechar”, and explains why he is deserving: “Asher Banenu K’Nitiim Megudalim B’Nurehem Bnoseinu K’Zavios Mechutavos Tavnis Heichal.” The fact that his children are Baalei Koma indicates that Dovid Hamelech understood the proper balance of the two Olamos, and passed on to his children that the true purpose of Chitzonios is to serve as a Kli for Ruchnias. This allowed his children to eschew Gashmius in favor of Ruchnias, becoming comparable to “Nitiim Megudalim” and “Zavios Mechutavos Tavnis Heichal”.

As we find ourselves in a time of year focused on Geulah, we can take this lesson to heart: if we ourselves focus on becoming Baalei Koma, by properly balancing the “Alma D’Isgalya” and the “Alma D’Iskasaya, allowing our Chitznios to serve as a Kli for Penimios, then we will soon find ourselves joining in the reality of “Elokim Shir Chadash Ashira Lach.”