Weekly Torah Portion Eikev Part 1 according to the Kli Yakar Deuteronomy 7:12-13 5776

[Music] Good evening everybody. We are now in Paras Av. That's in Deuteronomy 7:12. And it will be because of your listening to these ordinances. We're going to focus on the word av. That's the title. That's the name given to the parha. It does start off plural. If you will surely listen to these ordinances, that's mishpatim. But the word av many translate it and understand it as because because you listen to these and as the verse goes on and you're observing and performing them then as a result Hashem your God will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness that he swore to your forefathers. Right? The result is the guard will safeguard. God will safeguard for you the bris the covenant and the the kindness that he swore to your forefathers. Now not everybody translates the word av because but it's not that foreign. uh others translate it as this shall be the reward when you hearken to these ordinances and observe and perform them then Hashem your God will will safeguard for you the covenant and the kindness he swore to your forefathers. So does it mean because does it mean reward? Well, the clear wants us to understand that it means something much deeper, much deeper than either one of these translations can afford in a single word. And even if we in the end we do give it a single word, it has depths and depths of meaning. As we know here in this class, we peel away the layers of the onion. We go deeper and deeper to the core, the core of the message that Hashem wants us to understand and live by. This is the book of instructions for living. Now Rashi right away says it will be because of your listening. See if the mitzvah that are relatively light. A man a person tramples with his heels. Av is a heel. It's the bottom of the foot towards the back. we call to heal. That's what you trample on. Now, that's what you should be listening to. In other words, God gave us many, many, many mitzvah bashem so that we can receive a great amount of reward. The idea though is that at least the way Rash explains it here is that we're going to now translate the word av mitzvah that we call light light mitzvah. The mitzvah is that people may not take seriously that people may trample tread upon them with his heels. meaning not be so exacting, not be so uh courageous, not be so media, meaning to take great care and concern to fulfill them as one would take care and concern for the most harshest or what we would think and evaluate as an important mitzvah. Now, the clear begins by saying, right as we said it will be because of your listening to these ordinances. So those are the ones you shall listen to the ones that are like that you may or probably will and trample on them with your heels. So right away the clear says avi as because of. He doesn't like that. I know he's mentioned there's different translations. Some say because of, some say because as a reward for doing so, but he wants to translate, well, I'll tell you what he says right away. He quotes Genesis 265. Genesis 26:5 av translated as because of. So right away he says we don't want to translate it that way. Look at Genesis 265. Because Abraham obeyed my voice and observed my safeguards, my commandments, and my decrees and my Torah. So all these good things would come. God chose Abraham. Abraham chose God. But the word av there definitely means because of. And why does he not want to translate it like this? It would be very difficult to translate it like that. Why? If you look in the verse just before the last verse in last week's [Music] para doesn't the verse right before say and all we have to do is turn back one page. It says in chapter 7 verse [Music] 11, you shall observe the commandment and the statutes and the ordinance that I command you today to perform them. So in the in the previous verse it mentions and mishim are going to be the main discussion for the evening. Are those mitzvah that are not necessarily logical not necessarily have any meaning that you could have come up with on your own for a civil society. But these are those hidden decrees by God. I'll give you a few examples. Shais, don't mix wool linen. Don't mix meat and milk and on and on. Those are called hooking. So he the question the clear asked right away is in our verse meaning in chapter 7 verse 12 which is the first verse of our parha it doesn't mention the word it just says right if you will and it will be because if you're listening to these ordinances ordinances are translated from the word mishatim These are laws that any civil society would come up with if you asked them to sit down and figure out what would be the best thing for society. Don't murder, don't steal. Um, but in terms of hookim, it's missing. So what he wants to do is he wants to take the word avand as it's really talking about the word hookim. Hookim was just mentioned in the last verse, right? If you observe the commandments, that's the I'm sorry, that's the mitzvah and the that's our word and the ordinances which I command you today to do that and it will be because of your listening to these ordinances. But again, the word is understood and we should understand it as and we will prove it. He says, I'll read it again the question. So why in our verse is it only mentioned the word mishbatim and not the word el without a doubt with certainty the language of is included. It's understood the word inval it's understood and we'll see why. How is it hinted within the language of avim? Because many times we see the the idea of the hook are that the will the nations will mock us. It says since the accuser and the nations will mock us regarding these these mitzvah we call because their their reasons are not known and it's because they're not known for this reason that's Why people are usually lax are accustomed not to take them so seriously and that's why people crush them with their heels meaning the word is really referring to the word because the are those things or those mitzvah that people do not take seriously and that's what it means in when he says as we saw before. If you are going to take them lightly, then certainly these are the things you must listen to. And that's why it's mentioned, it's remembered, it's talked about here in the language of it didn't use the word in last week's para. It said outright hooking. But if there's a lesson to be learned, it's going to be through the idea that it's not mentioned specifically, but Ab is mentioned to teach us about our trampoline to teach us what those again we understand are that were warned about that were discussed previously perhaps because people trample upon them with their feet. people won't be so careful and diligent and zealous in them like those other laws that make sense where their advantages and their attributes and their benefits are certainly known and revealed to everybody anom therefore the clear is going to say So it must be the truth is about these are definitely mentioned and hinted at through the word even though people trample on them with their feet. Nevertheless, the warning here is that people should be just as careful, perhaps even more, but at least as careful as they are with the Mishim. As we mentioned, Mishim are those the laws that make sense. And the word s is a language of im meaning the word alif is not really translatable in many cases. It could mean and, it could mean with. And he's claiming here that it means with like is mentioned in many verses that the word is is actually understood as if should be translated as with. Now we re reread our verse as if we're saying that you shall listen to the right which is very clear from the verse. So don't read it that way as but and don't read the word as as and but read it as with. So it will be your theim that you will listen to with the if you listen to both. Don't take for granted and don't make light of those but do it together with the same with the same intent with the same awe of connecting with Hashem. And these two types of mitzvah they should be equal. You should equate them in your eyes in every [Music] aspect. Just as you are careful and diligent in the those laws that make sense. So too you should be just as diligent and careful with the with the laws that don't really have any reason. [Music] and and later on we're going to use the a different version. we're going to somehow go in the opposite direction. and he says and a proof to everything we've said so far according to what's brought down in the verse right says and it will be because of your listening or as we said that you should listen to this is what it means by King David in Psalms 49 verse 6 he said which is why should I be afraid in the days of evil so the sins that I tread on are all around me that same word I tread upon David is only a fearful of those sins that he's likely to tread upon and what did we say are those sins that one is likely to tread upon. We said those sins are the ones that are the light ones. So what was David saying? I'm not really afraid of those very strict harsh mitzvah because the fact is they are they carry heavy weight with them and you know when it carries heavy weight was very diligent. But what was he afraid of? He was saying, "I'm afraid of those mitzvah that don't either makes either don't make sense or we're likely just to take very lightly. Perhaps I transgressed upon them." He's not worried about the stricter ones. He's he's concerned about the light ones. And then the medish goes on, and this is what we're going to concentrate on as well. the the medish is telling us said as if he's talking to God that you told me right you said that one should be careful in the mitzvah that are light just like the ones that are strict that's why our verse says right is using this is the quote the medus is telling us. This is what David was re relying on when he was talking about his fear of the light mitzvah, the word avring to the hook, not really taking them seriously. And this is what he's afraid of. And then the medish goes on and says, David says in front of God, he says to God, and this is in 19 verse 12, [Music] This verse also has the word av. So what does it mean also? Your servant will be careful in them. In their observance there is a great reward. Av ra. We said in the beginning that some translate avward and rightfully so. Just like we saw by Abraham, avi because here by governor melit we see ava is talking about a great reward. And then the medish goes on and says ma t how great is your reward. How great is your goodness? I'll quote the whole verse. This is in tom 3120. Psalms 31:20. How abundant is your goodness that you have stored away for all those that fear you that you have performed for those that seek refuge in you. So we're talking about the first verse says the great reward and then we're talking about the type of reward that David is talking about that it's being stored away for those who seek um refuge in Hashem. So that's all part of the medish and how do we and then he says this reward is going on what what we spoke about the great reward for what for mitzvah for the easy mitzvah even for the easy mitzvah there's a great reward and he ends by saying this is the end of the med up until here. So the clear writes that he searched high and low. He searched the entire Tanakh and he did not find anywhere that God actually says these words that David claims that he said. Remember we're assuming David is understanding from our verse. But remember it's a hint. It doesn't say it outright. So the clear says I I searched the entire scripture but I never found where God actually says that one should be careful in the easy mitzvah just like the strict mitzvah. We find it in the oral Torah. We find it in per. But where do we find it in the written Torah? In the scripture itself. So how could say these words if they aren't expressed explicitly in the itself? So via ma how could the medish even claim or how how do we know how can David have ever said you god told me to be right through the scripture to be careful in the light mitzvah just like one should be careful in the strict mitzvah. So the question is how did the author of the medish come to rely on our words which was right if you will surely listen or because of your listening or as a reward of your listening that this is talking about mitzvah those mitzvah that are easy or even in that last verse of psalms 31:20 we only brought down three words from it. How great is your goodness? How does that relate to the to the reward that one will receive for the mitzvah for those light mitzvah? So he begins to answer. You know what was really bothering whom? I'm going to assume this was bothering the balish the author of the medish but we can also either quote it later in time to rashi or earlier in time to d so let's assume it was the balishim our verse said this right it because of or as a reward for listening to the words why didn't go Write in that verse the word hookim instead of the word av. Take out the word av but the word hookim. If you want to tell me av means then it should have just said it. So what is av how strong is av how necessary is av need to be there in order to get this message across that we're really talking about the hookim. But the question is what really bothered the balamerish? Why wasn't the word hooki mentioned? And furthermore, milke that if in truth that word is really hinting to those light mitzvah, then what it should have said with a which means and right and it really would have understood it as and to do then we would understood retroactively that avward or because of But it certainly would mean what we're trying to fit into that square hole. Um the word av meaning it would have to mean that. And the fact that it didn't is even more puzzling. Why? Because the word does not really connect what was said before. If it had above it certainly would. So he says, "You know what? I'm going to prove to you is absolutely, no question about it, the hey. We already know this is a well-known fact. Those are the mitzvah that are taken lightly by the masses. When we let and the word also means with that is also known." Now that we know that, now we can put all together and understand the whole verse that one should be careful in the light mitzvah just like the strict ones. And one should hang into the as if to equate them. that that by saying in your listening to what that with the they should be equal in your listening it listening doesn't just mean hearing listening is has to do with observance and they should be equal to you and that's what it means up until this point and in regarding this we're able to darian out with this verse the one that we did not um we had a problem with and we asked on Psalms 31 verse 20 we quoted the whole verse although he only quote the medish only quoted three words how great is your goodness but here's the whole verse as I mentioned [Music] earlier how great is your goodness which you've hidden to those who fear you, right? That you activated them for those who search seek refuge in you. Right? Negam means in the presence of men, but neg doesn't always mean in the presence of or parallel to. It could also mean against. So we'll read the verse again. How abundant is your goodness that you have stored away for those that fear you that you have performed for those who seek refuge in you in the presence of man and that's going to become significance in the presence of man what does he want to say that those who fulfill [Music] the is something that rubs people the wrong way. Okay. People don't understand. People [Music] mock that. This rubs most people the wrong way. Most people mock those types of mitzvah and to fulfill them. AR one who fulfills them is only looking towards he's only anticipating the reward that he will get in the world to come. Remember they're mitzvah that don't make sense. So what kind of benefit what kind of feeling do you get from doing them? You don't see the benefit. You don't see it in front of you. You don't you're not aware of any physical benefit in this world as opposed to the civil laws and the ordinances. We see the positive results they they perform for society and the cayam. But those who fulfill those mitzvah that are so he'll store away right as a refuge in Hashem those who don't desire any type of reward. The reward is going to come but you don't that's not why you're doing it. You're doing you're doing it for the sake of God. That's why it says that you have performed for those who seek Hashem, seek refuge in Hashem, against um against people, right, in the presence of man. [Music] You're seeking refuge in God regarding a matter that really goes against most people's it rubs people the wrong way and they're going to mock you. That is the reward that you're going to fulfill these mitzvah even though people don't understand them and people will mock you and mock them for doing it. And that's your refuge. You will have find refuge in God. The and regarding this themed brought the other verse, right? That verse was clearly talked also. Your servant shall be careful in them, right? By observing them, there's a great reward. Vin Nisar. What's the word Nishar mean? That's in the verse that right that he will carefully do them zoharus. This is like zohar is a great light. First of all any mitzv you do creates a great light for you. But the word has to do with clarification and uplifting the sparks. Really uplifting oneself and clarifying oneself becoming a brilliant light. And this comes as a result of guarding and doing [Music] these which are hinted at through the word. That was the second word in our our verse. The enlightened ones, they will shine like a light in the sky for all eternity for this is what is meant over here when it says in our verse that Hashem will guard for you the covenant and the kindness that you swore to your forefathers. This bris is forever. His bris is that's your that's your reward in the world to come and is brought down in the medish that you right you this is going to be your reward for not this world but you'll see it in the world to come there again there is no benefit for them in this world and it's only for those who seek true unity with God for all eternity. And this is what we've already said from the fact that we're able to say to equate these to the mitzvah that don't necessarily make sense to the mitzvah that do make sense in two very distinct different ways. One way who should cover that we've already said regarding elacrity being very careful be by saying like this just like you are very diligent and careful in doing the those mitzvah that make sense. Because your eyes see the benefit, the advantage of keeping these laws, so too you shall be just as careful in keeping the that are hinted at in the word. Okay? But now we said originally there's two ways to look at it. Now we're going to turn the tables and see it from a different angle. Just like those after the fact there is no benefits that you actually feel, right? These are the ones that don't make sense. Certainly these mitzvah you fulfill for the sake of God and for no other benefit. Certainly not for the sake of any physical benefit. You don't even feel even a momentarily a momentary uh sense of gratification. So to don't fulfill this is like a directive. Don't try to fulfill them and do them in order to get any kind of physical benefit. But why should you do them? Because the mitzvah of your God is upon you. As it says, this is in also to him. But it's chapter 119. It's two verses. In 119, it's vers 101 and 102. It says, [Music] which is from every evil path. I have restrained my feet. Interestingly, it's regal which is not far from the word which is the heel. So that I might keep your word and right from your ordinances that's the hooking. I did not turn aside you for you have taught me. So we have the word. Okay. So what are we getting here? So just like the I fulfill right we already established that fact that the only intent I have is for God's sake to to guard his um ordinances in this case the word even the word is related to means to engrave. So here we're talking that are engraved within me that God you engraved within me and you helped enact. So too as a result the laws that make sense I didn't remove from me either and not on account or because of any benefit that I feel. So in other words, one should do the mishim for the same reason one does the as opposed to the first gear. So we said one should do the just like one does the so here it was in the opposite direction and why because this is what you have taught me God you yourself have taught me this is where we're understanding perhaps where David got this idea and saying this is an idea because you of not eating pig is a it's something that doesn't make sense. Nevertheless, you'll do it. So here one should never say that this type of food doesn't taste good. For sure it tastes good but I'm just not allowed to eat it. Okay. This is what we understand as it says at the very end of parasan which is the last two or three verses last two verses of the previous um book the previous parha. So if you look back at Deuteronomy 7 10 and 11 but right we're going to start with 10. We'll translate that first. He repays each of those who hate him to his face to make him perish. He will not delay for the one who hates him to his face. He will repay him. So we see the words [Music] umd to cause him to perish. So where do we see it? We see it one time mentioned in verse 10. And then if we go to [Music] verse okay, we're going to refer to another verse shortly. One second. Anyway, we're going to read now verse 11. as we mentioned in the beginning of this year right at the last verse and you will guard the mitzvah you shall observe the mitzvah and the hookim and the mishpatim which I command you today to do them now rashi says here on that verse Hashem is going to pay this evil person now in this world in order in order to make him perish or take away his world to come his his re reward that he would have gotten for all eternity and then of course the next verse okay theasha so what's bothering the clear imgoy okay we're going to see a verse somewhere else that refers to this is referring to but in the meantime If a non-Jew fulfills any type of a mitzvah, why are we calling him mitzvah? Why are we calling him a type of a person that hates God at the time that he's fulfilling those mitzvah? This is a very important thing because we're going to get to the bottom of this. How is the clear making this accusation? If a a non-Jew fulfills any mitzvah, we're talking about not the seven Noah. We're talking about one of the six 13 mitzvah. Why? This is his question. Why is he called a hater of God at the time of doing the mitzvah? Aren't mitzvah commanded by God for all mankind? No. That's first of all, it's a special covenant that Hashem has with the Jewish people. Although someone can be a Ben and fulfill mitzvah, that's a positive thing. So I encourage any non-Jew listening to this to look online to find out how you can become a Ben so you can fulfill mitzvah in the best way possible without being considered or called by God a hater. So in the meantime, the clear is making a lot of assumptions and I can back him up on it. But he says if ago fulfills any mitzvah, why is he called a hater of Hashem at the time of the fulfillment? So he says certainly since even when a non-Jew fulfills any one of the mitzvah through let's say his own cognizant thought process he realizes a good thing he's not doing it because of God again I'm talking about a non He's doing it for the sake of his own good feelings for the moment. Therefore, it's as if he's posting for himself. He's making his own scripture. He's deciding what's good for him and what's not good for him. He's not Jewish. If he's a Bench, he has the permission to fulfill many many more mitzvah with the recognition that it comes from God because that's one of the conditions to be a Ben Noah that is a that will receive his reward in heaven is a Ben amongst the not necessarily the but the he does it because he believes in the revelation that took place at Mount Si 3,500 100 years [Music] ago. But the Jewish people, you're not supposed to do so. What you do is you're doing it for the sake of God. You only do for Hashem as it says as right. You shall guard the mitzvah, theim, the mishbatim, which I command you to do. This is God's communication with the Jewish people. I command you to do. Meaning to say because I commanded you, you shall observe them not to to derive any benefit. Only because I commanded you. Not in order to derive any benefit. And once we realize this then in our eyesight the way we see both they're going to be totally equal in our eyes. Now through this we can understand the connection where we say that the which you listen to with the Then it will be fitting for you for the principle of reward to be guarded for you for all eternity in the world to come. God will guard. It's what it says. Guard God will guard for you the bris the covenant and the goodness. And we know the is the reward is the kindness from Hashem. of a para. Now, if you turn, we we asked ourselves, how is this relating to a non-Jew? How we don't get it. So, he says, look at the end of the para that's chapter 8 in Deuteronomy verse 20. It [Music] says, so we said it's chapter 8 20. So like the nations that Hashem causes to perish before you, so will you perish because you will not have hearkened to the voice of Hashem your God. So who doesn't hearken to Hashem? The When they do the mitzvah, they're doing it on their own. And if you act like them, you will surely perish. But he says this whole verse seems superfluous, unnecessary. If you look back one verse in 19, it says, "If it shall be that if you forget Hashem your God and go after the gods of others and worship them and prostrate yourselves to them, I testify against you today that you will surely perish." Now there's a double language I read in Hebrew. You will surely perish. A double language. So he says furthermore, but first of all superfluous because you already have that previous statement if you look in the verse before. So why is this double language? Why is there some type of perishing dependent on the Goya? Meaning as the second verse says like the first verse says a double language of perishing and the next verse says like the you also perish if you don't listen the word av is there and we have to understand what a is doing here. So he says So verse 20 has no connection at all to verse 19. If you look at the verse itself, it's talking about Jews not worshiping Hashem, actually going after other gods. And it begins by saying, "You will surely forget Hashem, your God." This is certainly referring to a Zara idol worship. And where do you see that? I mean what what appears in the verse? You will surely perish when it comes to idol worship. There's a double language there of perishing. Why? cuz one who worships idols he's driven away from the this world and from both worlds he loses his portion of any kind of reward both in this world and the next world because it's very severe it says right in the night in verse 20 there's only one ibu there so that ibu that that perish ing is only referring to the world to come. And that comes to someone who doesn't fulfill. We see that in the verse in verse 20. And that's that certainly hints to the we've been very consistently explaining all along. There is no benefit at all that is even noticeable for a moment. Right? So then as a result most likely even what they fulfill from the mitzvah then the only reason you're doing it is to get some kind of benefit from it. of that's why it says just like the which is who causes to perish that ibood we spoke about above meaning in our verse chapter 7 verse 10 right God's going to pay to those who hate you to your face because they wanted the right to destroy them that's the loss of the world to come. They might get it here, but they're not going to get it there. So, so you shall perish. That's what it says in chapter 8 verse 20. They lose the world to come. And now to give a reason for the matter by saying our very own verse. What's the AV right? The AB is the you will not you did not listen to some since you didn't listen to those mitzvah that were hinted in av which is the someone who fulfills that which is fulfilled in this hint of Maz. So if they fill if they fulfill one who fulfills that which is hinted in avward they will receive the fruits of their rewards reward in this world and the principle will be guarded over safe kept for them by Hashem to the world to come. That's why it says here in our verse that God will guard for you. Your God will guard for you the the covenant and the kindness. And this is a very good explanation. I want to finish his last six lines. It said that Hashem will guard for you the bris. It says this is singular, but it really wants to answer what was already said above, right? Which God swore to your forefathers. It's a rhetorical question. Is it not that this oath, the Shabu was not given on condition? Of course, it was given on condition, right? That's what you might think. that even if they didn't merit merit to what to if you keep the mitzvah you'll get the the landm so on account of this Hashem won't fulfill the if you don't deserve it you won't get it but if you don't deserve item Hashem will still guard the the the result of the shua you may not come into the land, but God will guard the promise no matter what. But he's not going to guard it for you. Meaning he'll guard the promise, but you may not come into the land. You know who's going to come into the land? Another generation. Your generation did not merit it, but another generation will. If you look in Exodus 32:10, God said to Moses, I will make you into a great nation. If you actually [Music] merit, then I will guard for you this promise for this generation. The fact is to you certainly talking to an individual even though in the very very beginning right we said that that's plural if you will surely listen or because of your listening that's to the whole nation it's not to the individual. So nevertheless it mentions you singular near Mo to hint also on the reward for the world to come. There every sadic, every righteous and pious person has a dwelling according to his honor. You create your will to come. You create your own salvation. How you do that, that's up to you. That's what free will is all about. You have the choice in front of you. Choose life, choose death. Choose good, choose evil. What do you think life is? Life is the world to come. It's all at your fingertips. If you want help, contact any one of the people in the um YouTube video. At the bottom, I'll give you a whole list of people you can tap contact online or you can I'll give you an email address. You can write me and I'd be happy to share with you local contacts. Just tell me where you're at and I'll respond. Thank you very much and have a good chabas.