The Children of Hashem

This week’s Parsha includes the first Parsha of Krias Shema. The Pesukim of Shema, the first words a Jewish baby hears, that every child can recite by rote at such a young age, are indeed the foundation of our Mesorah, the rallying cry of our heritage. Sadly, because we say these words so often, because they are so familiar to us, it is easy to lose sight of the treasures contained within these holy words.

This week I would like to focus on the message contained in just two words: “ViShinantam L’vanecha.”

The Torah tells us that we should teach the words of the Torah to our children. Rashi explains: “Banecha Elu HaTalmidim: you sons are the students” that is, in this case the word Banecha should be understood to include Talmidim as well, not just biological children.

It is interesting to note that the Sifsei Chachamim on that Rashi seems to say that this is the primary meaning of the word Banim in this case because the requirement to teach our children the Torah and Mesorah comes from Pesukim earlier in the Torah, so it would not be necessary for the Torah to repeat the Mitzvah here. Rather, the word Banim here refers to Talmidim.

Rashi brings three separate Pesukim to support this interpretation of the term Banim. The first is a Passuk later in Sefer Devarim: “Banim Atem LaHashem Elokechem: You are sons to Hashem.” The next is a Passuk in Melachim that speaks about “Bnei NaNeveim” in relation to Eliyahu HaNavi, and the last is a Passuk in which Chizkiyahu refers to Bnei Yisroel as “Banai: My Children.”

It is not common for Rashi to bring multiple sources to teach the same thing, so it would stand to reason that in this case each Passuk teaches us something about “Banecha Elu HaTalmidim.”

The Passuk in Melachim speaks of the direct Talmidim of Eliyahu HaNavi and refers to them as “Bnei HaNeveim.” This would seem to be the “classic” case of “Banecha Elu HaTalmidim.”

The Passuk in Divrei HaYamim tells us that Chizkiyahu referred to Bnei Yisroel as Banim, and Rashi tells us that Chizkiyahu taught Torah to all of Klal Yisroel. Now, it stands to reason that Chizkiyahu did not directly teach each member of Klal Yisroel, but that his influence on the generation extended to everyone. In this case the Passuk is telling us that one does not need to be a direct Talmid to be considered a child, rather that even a significant influence on someone can give them a status of Banecha Elu HaTalmidim.

But what about the first Passuk that Rashi brings, “Banim Atem LaHashem Elokechem?” How does this teach us anything about Talmidim? That Passuk is not referring in any way to Limud Hatorah—in what way does this show us that a Talmid is called a child?

R’ Elchanan Wasserman explains that this Passuk teaches us a central point about our relationship with Hashem. Yes, Banim Atem LaHashem Elokechem, we are all the children of Hashem, but in what way does that relationship manifest itself?

Says R’ Elchanan: Limud HaTorah. The most direct connection between ourselves and Hashem is through the learning of Torah. Others can pray a non-Jew can daven or even bring certain types of Karbonos, but only a Jew can learn Torah. That is a right and a conduit reserved for Hashem’s children.

In this way the Passuk is showing us very clearly the idea that Banecha Elu HaTalmidim: when the Torah tells us Banim Atem LaHashem Elokechem, this is because of our Limud Hatorah, for that is the way that this relationship is best exhibited. Therefore the relationship of Banim really comes from the relationship of Talmidim—because we are the Mikablei HaTorah—we are considered Hashem’s children. The more we exercise the right of Banecha Elu HaTalmidim, the closer to him we become.

When the opposite occurs, chas v’shalom, we are distanced from Hashem.

We know that the reason for the destruction of the Bais HaMikdash is “Al Sheazvu Es Torasi: Because you left my Torah.” The Gemarah tells us that they did learn, but “Shelo Birchu BaTorah Techila: they didn’t make the Birchos HaTorah first.” My try to explain why a deficiency in the Mitzvah of Birchas HaTorah—serious as it is— was enough to cause the Churban HaBayis.

I heard this week a Pshat from R’ Uren Reich: their mistake was not that they didn’t say the Birchas HaTorah before they learned, they did. But Birchas HaTorah wasn’t their first Bracha of the day—the Limud Hatorah was not their first priority. In that way they distanced themselves as Talmidim and ultimately as Banim of Hashem.

This is why the Passuk of “Banim Atem LaHashem” is the prime source of Banecha Elu HaTalmidim, because our stature as Banim is so dependent on our Limud Hatorah, our status as the Talmidim of Hashem.

I think that this concept can help us understand a Gemarah related to Tu B’Av, which is coming up this week.

The Mishna at the end of Meseches Taanis tells us: “Lo Hayu Yomim Tovim B’Yisroel K’Chamisha Asar B’Av: There was no Yom Tov in Yisroel as the 15th of Av.” The Gemarah brings a number of reasons why Tu B’Av was such a happy day. The last opinion that the Gemarah brings is that the day of Tu B’Av was the last day that they cut wood for the Ma’archa, the fire on the Mizbeach.

The reason, explains the Gemarah, is that after Tu B’Av the heat of the sun diminishes and is not strong enough to dry the wood properly, so they would cut all the wood they needed for the year before that date.

What was the Simcha involved in this? Certainly they were not celebrating the lack of work? Rashi explains that because starting with Tu B’Av the nights are longer, there was more time for Limud HaTorah and therefore it was a day of Simcha.

This requires further explanation. Clearly the opportunity to have extra time to be devoted to Limud HaTorah is something worthy of Simcha, but why is this on the level of “Lo Hayu Yomim Tovim B’Yisroel?”

The Kedushas Levi points out that the word B’Yisroel in the Mishna is extraneous: certainly the Mishna isn’t telling us about the happy days amongst the Umos HaOlam, why add the word B’Yisroel? He has an answer on one level, but I would like suggest something of an alternate approach, that may help us understand the Simcha of the day.

Tu B’av, as its name suggests, is the 15th day of the month, the day on which the moon is full. It is also, as the Gemarah explains, the day on which the Sun gets weaker.

We, Klal Yisroel, focus on the moon—its phases and position dictate our calendar and set our Yomim Tovim. The Umos HaOlam, however, use a solar calendar—they base their lives on the Sun.

On Tu B’Av the difference between Klal Yisroel and the Umos HaOlam is highlighted— the moon is at its strongest and the Sun begins to weaken. But this itself is not enough to cause Simcha. The Simcha is the way that we highlight this difference.

We see the sun getting weaker—the day getting shorter—and our reaction is: “More time to learn!” The Simcha of the day wasn’t that they didn’t have to work anymore, it was that they had the extra time to learn, it was like the last day before summer vacation.

This reaction shows our attitude as Jews, as the Mikablei HaTorah. On the day that the difference in our respective celestial bodies is discernable, the difference in our outlook and choices, and those of the Umos HaOlam is made clear.

That is why “Lo Hayu Yomim Tovim.” This day was not only a time to increase learning, but to highlight the difference between us and the Umos HaOlam, and this is why the Mishna says “B’Yisroel” because the day defines Yisroel Kedoshim.

We are the Banim LaHashem because we are his Talmidim, because we have Limud Hatorah. When we take an opportunity to increase our Limmud HaTorah the differences between us and the Umos HaOlam are brought into clearer focus and we can be Zoche to a day of true Simcha such as Tu B’Av.