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By Rabbi Naftoly Bier
Why does the Torah juxtapose the story of the מקושש, the person (צלפחד) who violated the Shabbos with the mitzvah of wearing ציצית; the requirement to place “strings” on any four cornered garment?
The answer is, “that at that juncture of time, Moshe Rabeinu said to Hashem, ‘It states relevant to the mitzvah of Tefillin, למען תהיה תורת ה’ בפיך – wear the Tefillin in order that the Torah – it’s instructions will be an integral part of your everyday living and You commanded us not to wear them on Shabbos. If the violator had been ‘reminded’ with constancy of one’s need to follow Hashem, he would never have violated the Shabbos!” Hashem answered, “I will endow Klal Yisroel with a mitzvah which for all seven days of the week will provide the constant focus of adhering to all My commandments – it being the mitzvah of tzitzis.”
צלפחד was a person who had witnessed all the miracles of the exodus from Egypt, the giving of the Torah at Har Sinai. Why would he need reminders – he was living with all the miracles that continued in the desert – the manna, clouds of glory and the miraculous water? And what could the Tefillin and the Tzitzis add to this? After all he was warned (התראה) that if he “collected the wood” he would be punished by death, he knew that it would certainly be carried out – if so, how could it be possible that a mitzvah such as Tefillin would change his determination and resolve?
We are being taught a profound, invaluable lesson! Hashem, in His infinite caring and mercy endowed us with three מצוות that metaphysically inspire a person to diligently focus on spiritual positivity. As the Torah states by תפילין – in Exodus 13:8, “…and (Tefillin) should be a sign… in order that the Torah of Hashem will be in your mouth (you will consistently talk and focus on it). By Tzitzis it states, “…And you will remember all the mitzvos of Hashem, and you will perform them.” Despite the fact that צלפחד had witnessed all the great miracles and events, it pales compared to the impact of these mitzvahs have. It could be the reason is that witnessing an event could be fleeting whereas the action of a mitzvah blessed with the supernatural, awakens the נשמה in a unique way.
Even more is the study of Torah. Chazal teach us that המאור שבה מחזירין למוטב, the “light” of Torah brings a person back to the “good” – an energetic life of spiritual focus and determination. As it is explained, when one studies Torah with complete, dedicated focus, striving to plumb into the intricacies of Torah knowledge, one ignites a relentless quest to honestly embrace a true spiritual life!
Hashem did not leave anything in the world that doesn’t contain a related mitzvah. When the farmer goes to plow, the Torah prohibits one to pair an ox and a donkey together; when seeding, one can’t mix two different species; when harvesting one can’t gather everything; when slaughtering an animal, one has to give parts to the כהן; one can’t eat the fruit of the tree for three years… when one takes a haircut one must leave the פאות, “corners”, a house requires a מעקה for safety and when covering oneself with a garment of four corners, it requires ציצית, tzitzis. (and many more!) Also included is the idea of ברית מילה, circumcision!
The purpose of all these מצוות is 1) to enable every mundane act to contain a mitzvah 2) the אור (“spiritual energy”) of each mitzvah infuses the mundane act to a degree that due to it being the conduit to the mitzvah, it now is considered as an extended mitzvah 3) in this manner it enables one to transcend the physical world and focus on the spiritual. The mitzvah creates a metaphysical application that all that one labors with elevates the spiritual world of the person! The power of a mitzvah!!! The מדרש compares it to a person who is drowning; the ship’s captain extends a rope to the person and says to him, “Hang on to it, for if you leave you will perish!” Hashem tells us, as long as one clings to mitzvah after mitzvah, one will protect oneself from the incessant human drive to reject submission to Hashem and for hedonistic activity. Even when one is not involved with action of a mitzvah;”…החזק במוסר, Hold fast to discipline, do not let go, keep it; it is your life.” Relentlessly strive to protect oneself from all that is non-spiritual.
One may ask if the mitzvos of ציצית, תפילין and תלמוד תורה metaphysically energize one to focus on spirituality; if mitzvahs protect a person from involving oneself with the mundane, if they create a dynamic that all mundane can be seen as part of a mitzvah process, why is it that women don’t have all the commandments?
To quote Rav Shamshon Raphael Hirsch, Genesis 17:15:
“She is Sarah, the moderating, tone-setting influence, who bears within her heart the most delicate feeling, the most sensitive measure for all that is right and good, all that is becoming and decent and holy. She applies to her own life this standard of justice and morality, of true Divine decency; she knows what befits a man of purity at all times and in all circumstances; and with sensitive judgment she evaluates everything by this standard. Sarah does not need to become such a person; she already is one.
A woman of purity, does not need an external sign of the covenant; on her own she remembers the covenant with קל שקי, Who sets limits and allots measure to all things. The warning די! resounds in her heart of its own accord, through the attribute of צניעות which pervades a Jewish woman of purity. She bears within her the tendency to subordinate herself to all pure and godly values, and she demands such submission from all who come in contact with her. Wherever a Sarah is wife and mother, vulgarity dares not show its face; she is the embodiment of purity and morality.”
Yes, a woman by nature has an impregnable wall that surrounds her: if she protects it, she doesn’t need the protection of mitzvahs.
