From: ajb@access.digex.com (Alan J. Broder)
Subject: Hamaayan / The Torah Spring: Parashat Eikev
Organization: Express Access Public Access UNIX, Greenbelt, Maryland USA
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 01:11:41 GMT


[   HaMaayan is published weekly for the edification and enjoyment
of the reader who is lacking the time or ability to study the
weekly Parasha on his own. HaMaayan's goal is to acquaint the reader 
with the broadest spectrum of traditional Torah commentary, from 
the "rationalism" of Rambam (Maimonides) and Abarbanel to the 
"mysticism" of Alshich and the Chassidic Masters.

While the editors hope these brief "snippets" will engender further
discussion of Torah topics ("L'Hagdil Torah U'L'Ha'adirah"), they
unfortunately lack the time to respond to lengthy questions.

Shabbat Shalom. ]


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                    Hamaayan/The Torah Spring
                      Edited by Shlomo Katz

                         Parashat Eikev
                    Volume VI/Number 45 (279)
                   23 Av 5752/August 22, 1992

   Rabbenu Bachya ben Asher writes that all of the promises made by
Hashem in this Parasha are promises of physical benefit; the
Parasha therefore begins, "It will be 'Eikev' you will listen." 
"Eikev," among its other meanings, refers to the heel, which is the
"end" of the body.  Lest one think that the reward for Mitzvot is
primarily physical, this Pasuk reminds us that the true payment
comes at the end, i.e. in "Olam haBa" - the World-to-Come.

   This lesson, says Rabbenu Bachya, is also found in Mishlei
(Proverbs) which says (4:22), "For they [the Mitzvot] are life for
those who find them, for the entire person they are a curse."  When
a human doctor prescribes a medicine, there are often undesirable
side-effects on parts of the body which were not previously ill. 
The Torah and the Mitzvot, however, are cures for the entire
person, including the body - in this world - and the soul - in Olam
haBa.

   Yet, we must be aware that the benefits of Torah do not come
automatically.  "They are life for those who find them," but if one
is not searching, he will not find.

                                         (Midrash Rabbenu Bachya)

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   "What does Hashem ask of you other than to fear Him....?" 
(10:12)

   R' Yehuda HaLevi warns us not to think that Judaism is a
religion of the heart or of the mind.  Rather, it is a religion of
deeds.  This is clear from the Torah, a significant part of which
describes Mitzvot - some, in great detail - that require action. 
History shows that the great philosophers of Greece or other
societies did not come closer to G-d that the simple Jew who kept
the  Mitzvot; if Hashem merely wanted our hearts or our minds, such
would have been the case.

   How then are we to understand the above verse?  Just as Hashem
does not desire our hearts alone, He does not want deeds alone.  In
fact, it is unlikely that a person would perform the Mitzvot unless
he possessed some fear of Heaven.  This Pasuk may therefore be
speaking to the "beginner" - start with fear of Hashem, love Him,
emulate Him, and so on, until you come to keep all of the Mitzvot.

                                           (Kuzari I, 99; II, 48)

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   "And you will eat and be satiated.  Take care lest your hearts
be seduced.."  (11:15-16)

   This is one of many verses which warn us of the potential
dangers of physical pleasures.  What should a person do to protect
himself?  Chazal say (Avot, ch.3) that if a person eats and does
not say a "D'var Torah" (Torah thought) at the table, his meal
borders on idolatry.  This is precisely because eating is
potentially fatal to a person's spirituality, but a simple D'var
Torah can put the meal back in perspective, and can even sanctify
it.

                                             (R' David Avudraham:
                      Avudraham haShalem, "Dinei Birkat haMazon")

   The same lesson was taught to R' Yosef Karo by the "Maggid" (see
page 4) in connection with the verse in our Parasha (8:3), "Man
does not live by bread alone; rather by G-d's word man lives."  If
you think of Divrei Torah even as you chew, your food will have the
sanctity of a "Korban" (sacrifice).  A person cannot live if he
eats bread alone; he must at the same time ingest Hashem's word,
i.e. the Torah.

                                                (Maggid Mesharim)

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   "And He will restrain the heavens, and there will be no rain,
and the earth will not yield its produce."  (11:17)

   The Gemara (Ketubot 112a) relates:  R' Yehoshua ben Levi went to
Gavla (a place), where bunches of grapes grew to the size of
calves.  R' Yehoshua asked, "Why are there calves among the vines?"

   "Those are not calves, they are grapes," he was told.

   Addressing himself to the fruit R' Yehoshua said, "For whom are
you growing - for the Arabs who surround us?  Hold back your
fruit!"

   The following year, R' Chiya visited Gavla and saw bunches of
grapes the size of small goats (smaller than calves).  "Why are
there kids among the vines?" he asked.

   "Be silent," he was told, "lest you do to our grapes what your
friend before you did."

   The above Pasuk from our Parasha and the above story can both
help us to understand Chazal's teaching that every plant and animal
sings "Shirah" (praise) to Hashem, writes R' Moshe m'Trani
("Mabit").  There are two ways to explain this idea.  Firstly,
Chazal say that every blade of grass has an angel in heaven which
tells it to grow, and this presumably applies to other creations as
well.  Perhaps then, it is that angel which sings praise to Hashem
on behalf of the plant or animal which it represents.

   Secondly, it is possible that plants and animals actually praise
Hashem on their own.  We know that every plant and animal possesses
basic "knowledge" about itself [its generic code] which enables it
to grow and even to respond to various stimuli.  Furthermore, as
the above Pasuk and story demonstrate, plants are capable of
obeying commands from Hashem and from Tzaddikim, and of altering
their behavior accordingly.  Is it then far-fetched to believe that
they possess "knowledge" of their Creator, and that they praise Him
for His deeds?!

                                   (Be'ur haMabit l'Perek Shirah)

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                       Biographical Notes
               on the sources quoted in this issue

   R' Yehuda haLevi:  born circa 1080 in Toledo; studied under R'
Yitzchak Alfasi ("Rif"); wrote Kuzari, a discussion between a
scholar and a potential convert (the King of the Khazars) regarding
Jewish beliefs; set out for Israel around 1045, and was last heard
from in Damascus; according to legend, he reached Yerushalayim and
was trampled to death by an Arab horseman as he knelt to kiss the
ground.

   R' David Avudraham:  Lived in Seville, Spain in the 13th or 14th
century; some say he was a student of R' Yaakov "Ba'al haTurim";
his work Avudraham is an encyclopedia of the laws, customs, and
meanings of the prayers.

   R' Yosef Karo:  born 1488 in Toledo, Spain; fled to
Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) with his family; settled in
Tzefat in 1535, and was appointed to the rabbinical court of R'
Yaakov bei Rav (who may earlier have been R' Yosef's teacher); in
1546, became head of that court and answered questions from as far
away as Poland; his works include Kesef Mishneh (on Rambam's code),
Bet Yosef (on Arba'ah Turim) and Shulchan Aruch (which together
with the glosses of R' Moshe Isserles has become our definitive
Halachic code); in the merit of his study of Mishnah, an angel
known as a "Maggid" appeared to reveal many secrets of Kabbalah to
him; these were published in the work Magid Mesharim; died 1575.

   Mabit:  born to Spanish exiles in Salonika, Greece in 1500; was
a descendant of R' Yishaya of Trani (Italy), author of Tosfot Rid;
settled in Tzefat, Israel, at age 18, and studied under R' Yaakov
bei Rav; succeeded R' Yosef Karo as head of the Tzefat rabbinical
court; his works include Bet Elokim (philosophy) and Kiryat Sefer
(commentary on Rambam's code); died 1580.

   CORRECTION:  We wrote last week that R' Yehuda Roseannes was a
descendant of the Nimukei Yosef and grandfather of R' Yaakov Culi. 
In fact, he was only R' Yaakov Culi's teacher, and it was R' Culi
who was a descendant of the Nimukei Yosef.

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           The learning schedule for this Shabbat is:

                   Mishnah Yomit:  Parah 5:3-4
                 (Learn two Mishnayot every day)

                  Halacha Yomit:  OC/MB 460:4-6
               (Learn three paragraphs every day)

                      Daf Yomi:  Yevamot 55
              (Learn two sides of a page every day)

                             Rambam
             Chapter/Day: Hilchot Eivel - Chapter 13
         3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Eidut - Chapters 14-16

                         Sefer Hamitzvot
        Sh:N287; Su:N285; M:P180; Tu: 174,N312,N313,N314;
           W:N318,N319,P210,P211; Th:N195,P37; F:N168
                                
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            The hard copy distribution of this week's
                    Hamaayan is sponsored by:

          Rabbi and Mrs. Yitzchak Charner in memory of
                      Malka bat R' Yitzchak

              ************************************

            Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible


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Posted by Alan Broder, ajb@digex.com (uunet!digex!ajb), who 
should be contacted to request back issues of HaMaayan or to get
on or off the direct email mailing list.

Shlomo Katz can not receive EMAIL, however I will pass on any
comment forwarded to me, or alternately, send your comments care of
yehuda@gwuvm.bitnet


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