Parshat Shoftim 5778
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in this week's parsha that when Bnei Yisrael goes to war, certain members of the community are exempt from participating in the war. One of the categories are those who are described as (Chapter 20, Pasuk 8), Mi Ha'Ish Hayare V'Rach Halevav Yelech V'Yashov L'Veiso. One who is afraid and of a soft heart shall go and return to his home. Rashi on the pasuk brings Rabbi Akiva who learns this according to its simple meaning; one who is afraid of war shall return him lest he ruin the moral of others. But Rabbi Yose Ha'Galili learns a different p'shat. He says it is referring to a person who is "Yareh M'Aveiros She'bayado". He is afraid of sins he has "in his hands". Since in a time of war Hashem is more likely to punish those who have sinned, one who is afraid of transgressions he might have committed is included in the category of those who return home.
There is a difficulty in understanding the position of Rabbi Yose Ha'Galili. The Torah refers to this individual as Ish Hayare V'Rach Halevav, one who is afraid and of a soft heart. We understand why he is afraid, but why is the person who sinned called one who has a soft heart? And further, the pasuk continues and says he goes home because V'Lo Yimas es Levav Echav Ki'Levavo. We are concerned he shouldn't weaken the heart of others as well. According to Rabbi Akiva we understand that the Torah is concerned that one is who is afraid is likely to ruin the morale of others. But why should someone who has committed sins necessarily ruin the morale of others? (see the Gemara in Sotah 44B that concludes therefore that Rabbi Yose Ha'Galili would agree with Rabbi Akiva that someone fearful also returns).
The Gemara in Menachos 36A teaches, Sach bein Tefillah L'Tefillah Aveirah He Beyado V'Chozer Aleha Me'Orchei Ha'Milchamah. If one speaks between putting on his Tefillin shel Yad and his Tefillin shel Rosh, it is considered as a sin that would justify not going out to war. This Gemara is quite fascinating! One conjures up images of a major sinner afraid for his life if he goes out to war. Instead, the Gemara suggests a nice, frum boy who has difficulty not speaking while putting on his Tefillin! Why should this person be too afraid to go out to war?
The example the Gemara gives of speaking between donning the Tefillin shel Rosh and shel Yad is extremely symbolic. The Sfas Emes explains that one who speaks between the shel Rosh and the shel Yad expresses a lack of connection between the head and the hand. The actions of our hand must be controlled by proper thoughts in our head. The world of action is very susceptible to the yetzer hara. When we accept in our heads the way of the Torah, this guarantees that our actions will follow suit and be consistent with the mitzvos of the Torah.
The Sfas Emes claims that the words in the pasuk Ish Hayare V'Rach Halevav fit in nicely for Rabbi Yose Ha'Galili as well. The pasuk in Keriyas Shema tells us to love Hashem B'Chol Levavcha, with all your heart. Chazal teach in the Mishnah in Brachos 54A, Bechol Levavcha, B'Shnei Yetzarecha. The way to serve Gd with all our heart is with both the yetzer hatov and the yetzer hara. In other words, when our hearts are completely devoted to Hashem, then our hands, our involvement in the physical and our hearts, our spiritual side, are working in tandem towards the same goal of getting closer to Hashem. Even our hands, i.e. our yetzer hara, are involved in helping us serve Hashem better.
This is why the person who is afraid of sin is called Rach Halevav. His heart is soft and not complete. He doesn't have a strong sense of what he needs to accomplish. He's too involved in the physical and not connected enough to the spiritual. He has Aveiros Bayado, he has sins in his hand because his hands are not in sync with his heart. And this inconsistency in behavior can be contagious and we don't want him infecting others as well. Therefore he goes home; V'Lo Yimas es Levav Echav Ki'Levavo. We all know how one person's inconsistent and hypocritical behavior can spread to others.
Now we know the meaning of the Gemara Sach bein Tefillah L'Tefillah Aveirah He Beyado V'Chozer Aleha Me'Orchei Ha'Milchamah. This is not a small aveirah but rather the source of all sin. Our heads and hands must be connected. Our hands are very much affected by the yetzer hara. Only when our hands are ruled by our head can we consistently keep the mitzvos of the Torah and not need to be afraid of Aveiros Be'Yadeinu.
Good Shabbos
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