Slippery Slope

Most people assume that the listing of the Aseres Hadibros is in order of their importance. Starting with the recognition of G-d and finishing with the prohibition of coveting a friend’s possessions. Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch however suggests that the truth is actually the opposite.

The most important commandment was the last commandment, “you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife. Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.” It seems rather preposterous to suggest however, that the last commandment is more important than the first, which is the acceptance of the heavenly yoke.

Rav Hirsch explains that the final commandment is the most vital because unfortunately in life there is a slippery slope. G-d commanded us not to covet our friend’s possessions, but what happens if we do? We eventually will bear false witness against our friends. What happens if we bear false witness against our friends? We will eventually steal. This slippery slope of events will continue until the eventual denial of the existence of G-d.

For this reason, says R’ Hirsch, the observance of the last commandment is just as important as the first one.

Conversations with Rabbi Jacob Weiner on the Parsha

As I was leaving shul on Friday night I was pulled aside by an elderly man by the name of Rabbi Jacob Weiner, who told me a few very interesting Divrei Torah….

At the beginning of this past weeks Parsha it begins with the words, Vayishma Yisro, “and Yisro heard”. Rashi commenting on this pasuk, answers what it was that Yisro had heard; the splitting of the Red Sea and the Jewish war with Amalek.

R’ Weiner however seemed rather perplexed. Why was it that Yisro needed these two event to convince him of the existence of G-d and the Jews being his chosen people? For Yisro, being a very impressionable person, one of these events should have been more than enough?

Rabbi Weiner quickly answered that the answer must have been deeply involved with who Yisro was as a person. Up until this point in his life, Yisro was an idolater. Being that he believed that the world was governed by multiple dominions, he felt that there must have been different heavenly forces that were controlling all events, a god for good and a god for evil.

After realizing that Bnei Yisrael miraculously merited having the sea split in their honor (a good thing) and then after this being maliciously attacked by the Amalakites (a bad thing). Yisro, a man who was on a journey for truth, finally realized that he had to join Klal Yisrael, who had Moshe at the helm, and Hashem in control.

Parshas Yisro - "Seeing it in a Different Light"

QUICKIE/FUNFACT: 18:7 "Moshe went out to greet his father-in-law, and he bowed and he kissed him, and they inquired, one man to the other, about the other's well-being; then they came to the tent."

Rashi commenting on this verse asks, "I do not know who is bowing to whom?" Rashi finally comes to the conclusion that it must have been Moshe who was bowing to Yisro. Still, we are left puzzled and perplexed as to the true identity of the bower!

Rav Shlomo HaKohen MeiVilna says in the name of his father that it indeed must be that it was Moshe who was bowing to his father in-law. His reasoning is because Moshe was ten amos tall. Yisro however, was the height of a normal man (now taller than three amos).

Therefore when Moshe wanted to embrace Yisro, he was forced to bow to him in order to carry out his kiss. For this reason the pasuk does not go through the trouble to specify who bowed to who, it was obvious.

19:9 "Hashem said to Moshe, "Behold! I come to you in the thick of the cloud, so that the people will hear as I speak to you, and they will believe in you, also forever."

An obvious question on this verse however is, why did the Ribbono Shel Olam give the Torah in the midst of a cloud?! Wouldn't it have made more sense for Hashem to give us the Torah in a "great light"?!

Rav Yaakov Kapil Margolis rebuts that in fact it makes perfect sense that Hashem gave us the Torah in a dim cloud. G-d gave man the gift of having five senses. Two of these senses are both hearing and seeing. It is well known, that the moment that one of these senses is stunted the other one becomes dominant or stronger. This is the exact reason as to why a deaf person can see better than a regular person. Or that a blind person can hear better than a regular person.

Therefore, in hope that Klal Yisrael would wholehearted and enthusiastically accept the Torah, Hashem made it possible for them to hear everything unmistakably and clearly. For this reason Hashem said to Moshe, "Behold! I come to you in the thick of the cloud", for once one's eyesight is obscured their ability to hear is enhanced.

(Hadrashas HaRan)There are times when Hakadosh Baruch Hu works in mysterious ways, not allowing us to have an inkling of an idea as to when or where he will help us. It is then, in the darkest of times, when we can have the brightest epiphanies and realizations about Hashem's willingness to help and save his nation.

HAVE A FANTASTIC SHABBOS!!!