Big Party

As on all Yomim Tovim, there are specific Pessukim assigned as Krias Hatorah for the two days of Rosh Hashana. The Leining for the second day, the Pessukim of Akeidas Yitzchok, is both well-known and easily connected to the Yom Tov. The Pessukim read on the first day, however, are somewhat less so. That said, we know that the Takana of Krias HaTorah was made with great intent, and so there must be meaning to be found that can affect our Avodas HaYom.

The Leining for the first day are the Pessukim which immediately proceed those of the Akeida, and can be seen as having three distinct sections: the birth of Yitzchok Avinu, the expulsion of Hagar and Yishmael and the pact made between Avrohom and Avimelech. None of these stories have an overt connection to Rosh Hashana, and so we must look a little deeper. If we do so, it seems that we may find an important message connected to Rosh Hashana and really the entire Aseres Yimei Teshuva at the end of the first section.

After telling us about the birth, naming and Bris Milah of Yitzchok Avinu, the Torah adds one more detail of his upbringing: “Vayigdal HaYeled VaYigamal V’Yaas Avrohom Mishteh Gadol B’Yom HiGamel Es Yitzchok”. Yitzchok grew up, and he was weaned, at which point Avrohom made a “Mishteh Gadol”. This Passuk seems to be missing some details: what was Yitzchok weaned from, and why was this a reason to celebrate with a “Mishteh Gadol”?

Rashi explains that this Seudah took place when Yitzchok reached the age of twenty-four months, which other Meforshim explain was the time that he was weaned from his mother’s milk. It is not clear from Rashi, however, why Avrohom chose to make a Seudah to mark this occasion. Radak, as well as Chizkuni, suggests that this was the prevalent Minhag at the time—to mark the occasion of a baby becoming weaned with a Seudah. This, however, raises a new question.

We know that the lives of the Avos are not related in full detail by the Torah—there are episodes that are recounted in the Pessukim, those that are left to the Medrashim, and countless everyday occurrences of which we do not learn. If the Torah chose to tell us about the Mishteh Gadol that Avrohom made “B’Yom HiGamel Es Yitzchok”, it stands to reason that this was something more than common Minhag, that there is something for us to learn from this Seudah. What might this be?

Perhaps the most striking question about this Seudah, however, was asked not by Chazal or one of the Meforshim, but by a most unexpected party.

The Gemarah in Sanhedrin relates that when Avrohom made the Mishteh Gadol, the Satan approached HKBH with a question: You, Hashem, granted Avrohom a child at the age of one hundred, how could it be that at his Mishteh Gadol he did not offer so much as a bird as a Korban? The Gemarah brings the response given to the Satan to answer this claim: “Klum Asah Elah B’Shvil Beno Im Ani Omer Lo Zveach Es Banecha Lifanai MiYad Zovcho.” Avrohom made this Seudah only for his son, explained HKBH, but if I asked him to offer his son as a Korban he would do so right away. It was to prove this point, concludes the Gemarah, that Hashem then gave the Tzivuy of the Akeidah to Avrohom.

While we cannot question the response of the Borei Olam, in a sense the Satan’s question persists. Why, in fact, did Avrohom not bring Korbanos to mark the Yom HiGamel Es Yitzchok? Would not it have been appropriate to show his Hakaras HaTov to HKBH at that juncture? In addition, what is meant by the words “Klum Asah Elah B’Shvil Beno”? In what way was the Mishteh “for Yitzchok”, and how does this help answer the Tayna of the Satan? Would not the second half of the statement, “Im Ani Omer Lo Zveach Es Banecha Lifanai MiYad Zovch”, be enough to silence the Mikatreg? What is meant by these initial words?

Perhaps we can begin to answer these questions, and explain the essence of the Seuda that Avrohom made by examining the way it is described in the Passuk.

The Torah call Avrohom’s celebration a “Mitshteh Gadol” which is a little bit of an unclear term. Is the Torah telling us that the Seudah was particularly grand? Is this a description of the fare being served? What does the Torah wish to convey by telling us that this was a Mitshteh Gadol?

The Medrash Rabba, here, explains that the term Gadol does not describe the Seudah itself, but its attendees. There are three Pshatim in the Medrash as to whom the Passuk is referring to: the Shechina itself, the Gedolei HaDor, or the sixty-two kings that Yehoshua eventually slayed when he entered Eretz Yisroel.

In one sense, this Medrash helps us understand just how special and important this Seudah was—political leaders and the Gedolim were invited, and the Shechina itself was in attendance. At the same time, it amplifies one of our original questions: why in fact did Avrohom make this type of Mishteh Gadol B’Yom HiGamel Es Yitzchok?

The Alter of Slabodka, in Ohr Tzafun, asks another question on the Medrash: what were the sixty-two kings doing there? These were the leaders of various tribes within the “Shiva Amimim”, the seven nations about whom the Torah says “Lo Sichayeh Kol Neshama”. We were commanded to obliterate the nations of these sixty-two kings upon entering Eretz Yisroel due to their depravity—why would Avrohom associate himself with them in any way?

The Alter rejects the notion that they were mere guests, invited for political reason but separated from Avrohom himself, for if this was the case, the Torah would not refer to them by using the words “Mishteh Gadol”. Therefore, we must assume that there was a reason for their participation.

He explains, in line with his signature approach, that the presence of these kings is a testament to the “Gadlus HaAdam.” Although these kings were in fact the leaders of morally corrupt nations, they had value nonetheless. Deep within them, he explains, dwelled an ability to attain great heights. Though they were largely unable to capitalize on it, it was this potential that rendered them worthy of an invitation to the Mishteh Gadol.

To illustrate the capacity that these leaders possessed, the Alter points to Rachav HaZonah. Although she descended from one of these sixty-two kings, Rachav was able to lift herself up and become exempt from the death sentence that would have otherwise been her fate. We can learn from Rachav that even the Shiva Amamim indeed possessed a form of latent “Gadlus HaAdam”, and were therefore appropriate guests of Avrohom.

The words of the Alter can help us understand why Avrohom may have associated with the sixty-two kings at all, we still might wonder why he invited them to this Seudah specifically. If the Torah terms the celebration a “Mishteh Gadol” based on their attendance, as the Medrash Suggests, than their presence was not incidental. Why was it essential for these men, with their well concealed Gadlus HaAdam to be present at this Simcha?

We can perhaps answer this question by examining the true purpose of this gathering.

As we noted, it is not immediately clear what the words “B’Yom HiGamel Es Yitzcho” mean—what was Yitzchak Nigmal from on that day? Rashi explains that this Seudah took place when Yitzchok reached the age of twenty-four months, which other Meforshim explain was the time that he was weaned from his mother’s milk. This is based on the words of the Medrash Rabba here, but there is another opinion mentioned in the Medrash as well: “Nigmal M’Yetzer Harah”, he was weaned from the Yetzer Harah. The Medrash Aggadah adds on to this approach: “Nigmal M’Yetzer Harah L’Yetzer Tov”.

According to these Medrashim, the Mishteh Gadol was not meant to celebrate a biological milestone—that of Yitzchok being weaned of his mother’s milk—but a spiritual one. It was at this time, whatever age that may have been later, that Yitzchok became subject not only to his Yetzer Harah but to his Yetzer Tov as well.

We can now understand the purpose of the Mishteh Gadol: to celebrate a milestone in the Avodas Hashem of Yitzchok Avinu, and to pass on to him a message about this next stage in his life. The guests at this fete were no doubt selected with this purpose in mind as well. It is understandable that Avrohom invited the Gedolei Hador, to show his son the heights one can reach by relying on the Yetzer Tov. At the same time he invited the sixty-two kings, whose Gadlus HaAdam was latent, to show that the battle between the two Yetzarim is not always easily won, but that the potential for growth is always present.

Based on this we can explain the Gemara in Sanhedrin. The Satan asked why Avorohom did not bring Korbanos to show his Hakaras HaTov, and HKBH answered him “Klum Asah Elah B’Shvil Beno”. The entire Mishteh, we now understand, was for the sake of Yitzchok, to help him understand how to the value of the Yetzer Tov with which he had now been gifted, and how to use it against the Yetzer Harah from which he had been weaned. The guest list was developed so that present were those who applied themselves and were victorious in their battle, and those who had not and would suffer for it—a step taken to highlight the message.

What better Hakaras HaTov could Avrohom have shown that to hold such a Mishteh? By showing Yitzchok that each of us has Gadlus at our core, but that we must use the Yetzer Tov to battle the Yetzer Harah, Avrohom ensured that his son had the tools to follow in his footsteps. HKBH explained to the Statan that this was the Korban Avrohom brought: dedicating his son to a life of Avodas Hashem. “Klum Asah Elah B’Shvil Beno”, the Mishteh was not meant as a mere party, it was for Yitzchok, to guide him on his path. The Satan was, of course wrong: Avrohom had brought the ultimate Korban by ensuring that his son would follow in his path.

The message of the Mishteh Gadol is one that resonates on Rosh Hashana. Although the Avodas HaYom is focused on the Malchus of Hashem, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the two days of Rosh Hashana make up twenty percent of the Aseres Yimei Teshuva. As such, our minds must turn to the ways in which we can improve, in which the Malchus which we proclaim makes an impact on our lives. In doing so, we must remember the lesson of the Mishteh Gadol: the Gedolei Olam and the sixty-two kings sat at the same feast and all that separated them was their success. Both groups had Gadlus within them, and both had two Yetzerim. The extent to which they were able to use their Yetzer Tov to battle their Yetzer Harah dictated to which group each person belonged.

We msut remember that there is potential in each of us as well. We are each capable of true Gadlus, we have the tools. Our task to determine the best way to build up our Yetzer Tov so that his counsel is louder in our ears, enabling us to silence the Yetzer Harah and his Eitzos. We can use the inspiration of Rosh Hashana—the Teffilos, the sounds of the Shofar and the feelings of Kirva to HKBH—to spur us on this path. If we do so we will certainly be Zoche to a year of successes in Ruchani and all the Brachos we seek.