Bechukosai
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week’s parsha that if we follow the mitzvoth of the Torah, then we will receive bracha. The first pasuk says (Chapter 26, Pasuk 3), Im Bechukosai Teileichu, V’es Mitzvosai Tishmeru V’Asisem Osam. Then in the next pasuk we read, V’Nasati Gishmeichem B’Itam, V’Nasnah Ha’Aretz Yevulah, V’Eitz HaSadeh Yitein Piryo. And I will bring the rain in its time, and the land will bring forth bounty, and the trees of the field will give fruit.
Rashi comments on the words V’Nasati Gishmeichem B’Itam, B’Sha’ah She’eiyn Derech Bnei Adam Latzeis, Kegon B’Leilei Shabasos. Rashi comments, quoting the Medrash from the Toras Kohanim, that the rains will come at a convenient time when people don’t leave their house, as on Leil Shabbos. The Maharal explains that the point of Rashi is to teach that the bracha is not just that there will be rain, for certainly if there is bounty there will have been rain. But rather, the chiddush is that the timing of the rain is a bracha as well. The rain will fall at the most convenient time of Friday nights.
The Meshech Chachmah brings additional parts of the Medrash and explains its meaning on a deeper level. The Toras Kohanim brought by Rashi states that in the time of Shimon ben Shetach and Shlomzion HaMalkah it rained only on Leil Shabbos and the wheat grew to the size of kidneys and barley grew to the size of olives, and the lentils were like golden Dinarim. The Chachamim tied up a bundle of this bounty to save for future generations in order to teach them how harmful sin can be, as the pasuk in Yirmiyahu teaches (Chapter 5, Pasuk 25) Avonoseichem Hitu Eileh V’Chatoseichem Manu Hatov Mikem. It is your sins that prevent you from having bounty.
The Meshech Chachmah explains the idea of the Medrash. Miracles are not essential for Gd to run the world. He runs the world through the natural world, Olam HaTeva, and the possibilities of nature are boundless, so that all bracha can be expressed through nature. The necessity for miracles is only to ensure that man realizes that Hashem runs the world and is behind all the natural events as well, and that all events of nature are small miracles brought about by Hashem. (This is very similar to the idea taught by the Ramban in the end of parshat Bo and other places as well).
This is the meaning of the Gemara in Shabbos 118B, HaKoreih Hallel Bechol Yom Harei Zeh Mecharef U’Megadef. One who recites Hallel every day is a blasphemer. This is because he only finds reason to praise Gd for the miracles, in acts which are a change in nature. But in the day to day life of bounty given to him in the natural world he doesn’t see the hand of Hashem. This person is a blasphemer. But, the Gemara in Brachos 4B teaches, Kol Ha’Omer Tehillah L’David B’Chol Yom Shalosh Pe’aimim, Muvtach Lo SheHu Ben Olam Habah. The one who says the perek 145 in Tehillim of Ashrei Yoshvei Veisecha every day is guaranteed a portion in the world to come. This is because it contains Posei’ach es Yadecha U’Masbia Lechol Chai Ratzon. This individual sees Yad Hashem in his everyday living. He sees the “miracle” of Gd sustaining him every day of his life. And this is why Perek 145 of Tehillim follows the Aleph Beis. It expresses the notion of seder and order and of Gd’s involvement in the natural world.
We see from this that the greatness of Hashem is not in performing miracles. This is only necessary to serve as a reminder, as we mentioned above. Rather the greatness of Gd is truly expressed in His sustaining the entire world on a daily basis. This is the truly amazing and miraculous essence of Gd that we have in our world, and that which we must constantly be aware of and acknowledge.
This is also expresses the distinction between Avraham Avinu and Adam Harishon. Adam who was part of Creation, saw Hashem as the Creator of the world, therefore, as the Medrash teaches (Bereishis Rabbah, 17, 4), he called Hashem the name of Adnus, seeing Hashem as the Master of the world. And this tradition of Adam Harishon, that Hashem created the world, was passed down to Sheim and Eiver.
But Avraham Avinu found Hashem in the opposite way. He didn’t have knowledge of Hashem as the Creator, but rather through the created world he found Gd. By seeing the miraculous nature of the world, he understood that there must be Hashem in charge of the world, a “Ba’al HaBirah”. And this is the meaning of the Medrash in Bereishis Rabbah (12,9) Be’Hibaram, B’Avraham. It was through the Creation that Avraham Avinu found Hashem.
The upshot of the Medrash in the Toras Kohanim is to teach us that there is a dual message in the beginning of our parsha. Certainly we learn that when we keep the mitzvoth and work hard in our Torah learning, then we are rewarded with bounty and bracha in the land. But there is a flip side as well. We must learn from all of the bracha that we have in our life that Hashem runs the world. All of the good that we have is controlled and given to us daily by Hashem. Just as Avraham Avinu saw the world and knew there was Hashem in charge, similarly we must look at our world and take heed. For when we sin it is difficult for us to earn our keep. And this was the lesson in saving and passing on the amazing bounty in the time of Shimon ben Shetach; to remind us that everything comes from Hashem and that realization is essential in ensuring that we continue to receive bracha.
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