By Rabbi Shimmy Sternfield
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וְהיָהָ עקֵֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן אֵת הַמִּשְׁפָּטִים הָאלֵהֶּ וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם אתָֹם” (פרק ז’, פסוק י”ב)
“It shall be, in exchange for that which you will listen to these laws, and you will guard and keep them…” This week’s פָּרָשָׁה begins with a long list of blessings that Hashem promises us, “In exchange for that which you will listen to these laws…” The אלשיך הקדוש asks, why does the Torah encourage us to keep the מִצוְת in order to receive Hashem’s blessings? Don’t חז”ל teach that one should not serve Hashem על מְנתַ לקְַבלֵּ פרְָּס , in order to receive reward? The ספֵֶר אַפִּרְיוֹן (written by the author of the קיצור שולחן ארוך) cites a גמְרָָא with the same apparent di culty. The גמְרָָא relates that, when רַביִּ זיֵרָא felt too weak to learn, he would sit at the entrance of the בֵּית מדְִרשָׁ . He said, “This way, I can receive reward for standing up for the חכֲמִָים when they arrive.” Again, the same question arises. How could רַביִּ זיֵרָא honor the חכֲמִָים in order to receive שָכׂרָ? The אַפִּרְיוֹן records an answer based on the following הַלכָהָ : The שולחן ארוך rules that, although one may not receive payment to testify in בֵּית דִין, one may receive payment for traveling to see something so that one will then be able, and required, to bear witness regarding that event. The same is true, writes the ,אַפִּרְיוֹן regarding מִצוְהָ performance. One is given שָכׂרָ not only for doing a מִצוְהָ , but also for putting oneself in a situation that will cause him/her to be obligated to do a מִצוְהָ as well. Although one should not perform a מִצוְהָ for the sake of being rewarded, it is acceptable for one to cause oneself to be obligated in מִצוְהָ performance with the intention of being rewarded. Accordingly, רַביִּ זיֵרָא meant that he would receive reward for going to the entrance of the בֵּית מדְִרשָׁ , thereby obligating himself to honor the חכֲמִָים as they arrived. Noting the use of the word “ עקֵֶב ” in the פָּסוּק , the אַפִּרְיוֹן suggests that we may apply the same answer to our פָּרָשָׁה . In context, this word means “in exchange for.” However, the word “ עקֵֶב ” also means “heel,” which is a clear allusion to walking, or going somewhere. Perhaps, writes the אַפִּרְיוֹן , the Torah uses this word so that we apply both de nitions, interpreting the פָּסוּק as follows: “It shall be that in exchange for going to make yourself obligated to listen to these laws, and you will guard and keep them [you will merit the blessings of Hashem].”
וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮ וַיַּרְעִבֶ֒ךָ֒ וַיַּאֲכִֽלְךָ֤ אֶת־הַמָּן֙ וגו‘ שִׂמְלָ֨תְךָ֜ לֹ֤א בָֽלְתָה֙ מֵֽעָלֶ֔יךָ“ (פרק ח’, פסוקים ג’-ד)”
“He [Hashem] pained you and allowed you to hunger, and he fed you the Manna…
Your clothes did not wear out upon you.”
The Torah says, that prior to giving the Jews מָן to eat in the desert, Hashem caused them pain and hunger until they asked for food. The next פָּסוּק in our פָּרָשָׁה states, that the clothing the Jews wore in the desert did not wear out and never needed to be replaced. Reb Moshe Feinstein, זצ”ל , notes, that the request for food expressed by the Jews is listed in תְּהִילִים among the failures of בְנּיֵ ישְִרָׂאלֵ in the מדְִברָּ . Typically, one would understand that the Jews were hungry, but were expected to believe that Hashem would provide for them and therefore should not have requested food. Based on the juxtaposition of these two פְּסוּקִים , however, Reb Moshe writes something astounding: Had the Jews believed that Hashem would care for them, and not been concerned about what they would eat, they would not have needed food in the desert! “Hashem pained you,” by causing you to worry about what you would eat, even before you were hungry, and, because you worried, He now “allowed you to hunger,” and you needed to be given מָן . “Your clothes,” about which you never expressed concern, “did not wear out upon you.” They never wore out, nor did they become too small, for they grew miraculously along with their wearers. Just as it was never necessary to provide new clothing, it would not have been necessary to provide food, if only you would have trusted Hashem and would not have worried.
