Parshas D'varim 5766

Commentary by Rabbi Ephraim Nisenbaum

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The Book of Devarim is known as Mishneh Torah, "the Repetition of the Torah". It contains Moshe’s ethical will to the Jewish nation and many of the mitzvahs not discussed in the first four books of the Torah. Ramban sees the Book of Devarim as the book intended for the nation entering the Promised Land. It was for this reason that Moshe reiterated the severity of serving idolatry so many times; because he foresaw that idolatry would pose a great challenge for the people in the land.

Moshe learned from Jacob to postpone his major admonition of the people until shortly before his death. He felt that this way his words would be taken more seriously.

Moshe began his words by gathering the entire nation together. This ensured that no person would be able to claim that had he been present at Moshe’s words of rebuke, he would have challenged them. Moshe thus spoke to everyone together, giving each person an opportunity to respond to his chastisements. Understandably, not one person did so.

He was also careful to be considerate even while rebuking the nation. When he reminded them of the history of the past forty years, he only made veiled references to their sins. One must be careful not to embarrass a person even when rebuking him for misdeeds.

Moshe wanted to make sure that the people understood the underlying causes for their sins. Only then could they rectify their misdeeds. As an example, Moshe mentioned that part of the sin of the spies was the way the people had approached him. They clamored about him, rudely demanding that he send spies. This lack of orderliness in itself was improper, even had the request been appropriate. This, then, was the root cause of the sin, and had to be recognized before they could repent for the actual sin of sending the spies, and the resulting complaints that they didn’t want to enter the land.

In a similar vein, the Shabbos before Tisha B’Av is called Shabbos Chazon because the Haftara from Isaiah, begins with the words “Chazon Yeshaya (A Vision of Isaiah)”. It discusses Isaiah’s prophecy about the upcoming destruction of the Temple. Isaiah already envisioned a destroyed Jerusalem over a hundred years before the destruction. Although the destruction may have occurred at a later date, the eyes of the prophet already discerned the roots and seeds of the destruction.

"Whoever mourns the Temple on Tisha B’Av will merit to see its rebuilding." (Talmud Ta’anis 30)

A will was brought to Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein where a woman divided her inheritance among her children and grandchildren. Interestingly, she had left an additional $10,000 to one granddaughter.

The woman wrote that when she told all her grandchildren about her terrible experiences in the Holocaust, they were all visibly affected, but this granddaughter had actually cried tears. Those tears meant a lot to the old woman, and she wanted to reward them.

Rav Zilberstein was moved. “If tears could translate into something so valuable in this material world,” he said, “One could only imagine how valuable G-d considers tears shed over the Temple's destruction!”

Did You Know...

Torah study brings great joy to the Jewish heart. The Rabbis thus prohibited studying Torah on Tisha B’Av, in the same manner that it is prohibited for a mourner during shiva, the seven days of mourning. It is customary to stop learning after noon on the day before Tisha B’Av. Even thinking words of Torah is also not permitted.

One may study, however, parts of Torah that are applicable to Tisha B’Av. This includes the laws of mourning, the sections in the Talmud and Midrash about the destruction, the Book of Lamentations, the Book of Job, etc., even with commentary.

There are different opinions whether it is permissible to recite Psalms. Psalms which are recited on behalf of a sick person, or for the situation in Israel, are considered like prayers and may be recited.