Parshat Acharei Mos Kedoshim 5780
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the first of this week's parshiyot (Chapter 18, Pasuk 3), K'Ma'aseh Eretz Mitzrayim Asher Yeshavtem Bah Lo Sa'asu. The Torah warns us to not act in the ways of Egypt. Rashi teaches that the culture of the Egyptians was particularly depraved. And since we lived in their land, we are more susceptible to adopt their ways. Therefore, the Torah makes special mention of warning us to not take on elements of their lifestyle.
The Medrash Rabbah (23,2) compares the situation of Bnei Yisrael dwelling among the Egyptians to the pasuk in Shir HaShirim (Chapter 2, Pasuk 2), Ka'Shoshana Bein Hachochim; like a rose among the thorns. Just as it is difficult to pick a rose when it is surrounded by thorns, so too it was difficult to extricate Bnei Yisrael from among the Egyptians. Since Bnei Yisrael were living in such an immoral society, it was particularly difficult to create a holy nation from this environment. This is why the pasuk in sefer Devarim, (Chapter 4, Pasuk 34), Lavo Lakachas Lo Goy Me'Kerev Goy, praises Hashem for taking the nation of Israel out from within the confines of another nation.
This section ends with a pasuk stating (Chapter 18, Pasuk 5), Asher Ya'aseh Osam Ha'Adam V'Chai Bahem. One must keep the mitzvos of the Torah and live with them. Chazal derive from the words V'Chai Bahem, V'Lo Sheyamus Bahem. We learn from here that in cases other than the three serious aveiros, it is better to violate the Torah and stay alive than die but not violate the Torah. The Torah is stressing the value of life and obligating us to stay alive.
The Sfas Emes asks that seems to be a contradiction of another statement of Chazal. The pasuk in parshat Chukas states (Chapter 19, Pasuk 14), Zos Ha'Torah Adam Ki Yamus B'Ohel; this is the Torah, or the laws, for a person who dies in a tent. Chazal darshen this pasuk in the Gemara in Brachos 63B, Eiyn Divrei Torah Miskaymin Ela B'Mi She'Maimis Otzmo Aleha; the words of the Torah are only fulfilled through the individual who is willing to give his life over them. First, we learn that one must violate the Torah and choose life, and now we learn that one must kill himself to maintain the Torah. Which takes precedence, the Torah or life?
The Gemara in Shabbos 88B teaches in the name of Reish Lakish that with every one of the Aseres HaDibros Yatzasah Nishmasan shel Yisrael, the souls departed from Bnei Yisrael. Their souls departed because the physical man cannot stand before Hashem and receive His Torah. But the Torah itself is what revives man, as the pasuk says (Tehillim, Chapter 19, Pasuk 8), Toras Hashem Temimah Meshivas Nafesh. The Torah of Hashem revives the soul and gives eternal life. They needed first to remove their physical essence, and then they were able to receive the Eitz Chaim, the eternal life of Torah.
This is what Chazal teach us as well when they say one must kill himself over Torah. As the Rambam teaches in Hilchos Talmud Torah (Chapter 3, Halacha 12), one must minimize his physical pleasures in order to maintain his Torah. And when the Torah commands us to violate the Torah in order to live, it's in order to continue keeping mitzvos and learn Torah and merit eternal life. As Rashi teaches on the words V'Chai Bahem, L'Olam Haba, for in this world there is ultimate death.
The Medrash Rabbah on our pasukim (23,13) concludes with the statement, Kol Mi She'Ro'eh Devar Ervah V'Aiyno Zan Einav Mimenah, Zocheh Lehakbil Pnei Ha'Shechinah. Anyone who is faced with an inappropriate image and doesn't look at it, merits in receiving the Shechinah. The Medrash quotes a pasuk from sefer Yeshayahu (Chapter 33, Pasuk 15), Otzeim Einav Me'Re'os Bera, the one who closes his eyes from seeing evil, and two pasukim later, Melech Be'Yafyo Sechezenah Eiynecha, you shall see the King in His splendor.
The Medrash presents us with a paradox; in order to see, one must close his eyes. One can only experience holiness and be connected to Torah if he closes himself off from the darkness of physical pleasure. This Medrash is in contradistinction to that which is brought in the previous one. The previous Medrash quotes the pasuk from Iyov (Chapter 24, Pasuk 15), V'Eiyn No'ef Shamrah Neshef, the adulteress eye waits for the evening. The eye which fills itself with inappropriate images waits for the night. This can have two meanings. One is that no one else sees what he does at night. Alternatively, the night represents the Gashmiyus and physical nature of the world, as Chazal teach in Baba Metzia 83B Olam Hazeh Domeh Le'Laylah. The one who sins by viewing arayos is filling himself with and focusing on pleasures of this world. But in order to have clear vision and see the Kedushah contained within the world, one must look away from this-worldly pleasures. Only then can he see.
This paradox parallels the one we mentioned above. Only when one kills himself can he truly live. Only when he minimizes his emphasis on physical comfort and pleasure can he be focused on and have a true understanding of Torah. And only then does he have eternal life.
This is the Shoshanah Bein Hachochim, the rose among the thorns. We lived in Mitzrayim among a decadent culture; and the same is true of the society we live in today. And it's very hard to pick the rose from among the thorns of decadence. But we must fulfill the words of the pasuk V'Chai Bahem and choose eternal life. We must close our eyes from all the false images offered us and focus instead on our spiritual growth. And through our efforts we should revived by the Torah and merit the reward promised by the Medrash of being Mekabel Pnei Ha'Shechinah.
Good Shabbos
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