Eikev: Succeed at Nothing. Rabbi Tuvia Bolton, Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim, Kfar Chabad, Israel

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  Sun – Thurs

8:15 a.m. – (Israeli time) Chassidut.   

9:00 am - Sicha of the Rebbe.

3pm – 4:30 Chumash,  Mishna, Law.

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In this week's Torah reading, Moses continues the topic of this last book of the Torah; instructing the Jews who are entering Israel 

But one of his most interesting statements here seems to be a bit cynical.    

Moses says:

"Now, Israel, what does G-d your L-rd want from you? ONLY;

To fear G-d ………. to walk in His ways, and to love Him and to serve … with all your heart and all your soul". (10:12) 

Is Moses really serious? He starts as though he's making things simple but then piles up a list of almost impossible demands; fear, love and servitude heart and soul! 

Even the Talmud (Brachot 33b) wonders at this and asks; "ONLY to fear G-d? Is the fear of G-d such a small and easy thing?" and answers "Yes - for Moses fearing G-d is easy!"

Which also seems to make no sense (as the Tanya chapt 42 points out); the sentence is speaking to all the Jews! How does fear being easy for Moses help? 

And why does the Talmud ask only about fear? What about the other things; serving G-d with all your heart and soul?  

Also, it's not so clear what is the benefit of fearing G-d? Isn't fear negative? Life is supposed to be happy! 

To understand this here is a story. (Chozrim BaTshuva Klapholtz, pg. 134) 

In a small town in Poland some 250 years ago lived a young, religious genius. He was truly gifted at learning Torah and at tender age of 15, after finishing learning the entire Talmud for the first time, he decided to follow the example of the great Tzadikim (holy men) of his time and devote his life totally to serving G-d. 

With the full agreement of his parents, he lined the walls of his room with holy books, and closed the door exiting only for occasional prayers and other necessities. 

At first everyone in the town wondered at his strange decision but after a few weeks accepted it and life went on. 

Twenty-two years later, after having delved into the depths of every Jewish book available, including the mystical works of Kaballa he decided it was time the world should benefit from his knowledge. 'After all, he reasoned to himself, 'what good is the Torah if I just keep it to myself? Does it not say in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 99a) One who learns Torah and doesn't teach it is disgracing the word of G-d?!' 

Once outside, a new world re-opened to him. A fresh array of colors, sounds, movements and life that he had almost forgotten about filled his senses and aroused his wonder and awe of the Creator. Every breeze, every flower and tree, the falling rain, the sunrise, the animals were like miracles to behold. 

But after a few days he accustomed himself to all this and set about implementing his goal of spreading his Torah wisdom. But he met with difficulties. Thinking that everyone would appreciate his knowledge he first considered teaching the simple working men. But they had no time in the day and no energy at night for his deep Torah ideas.

Then he tried those that weren't working but they were either too lazy to listen or unintelligent to understand him. 

So he went to the synagogue only to find that it was pretty much the same. The young people didn't really understand and the really old ones wanted to learn simple things that wouldn't tax their minds. 

So he went to the Bait HaMedrash; the house of learning where men were involved in studying Torah all day and night thinking that he should have gone there in the first place.

But, although he was treated with respect, after a while he felt he was wasting his time explaining ideas over and over. 

Even when he spoke to the rabbi of the town he couldn't ignore the feeling that perhaps he was one of a kind.

It was then that he overheard someone mention a great miracle worker and Torah genius by the name of Rebbe Elimelech who lived nearby in the city of Lezinzk. It was even said that thousands came to him for wisdom, advice and help. 

"Aha!" our hero thought to himself. "Finally, someone of my caliber." But deep down he could not understand why people appreciated this Rebbe and not him… what could he possibly have that I don't? 

He even asked people what was so special about this Rebbe but he couldn't get a clear answer and even began thinking that maybe it was a scam. This could be an example of fooling some of the people all of the time, He decided to go and find out for himself. 

For various reasons the first chance he got was on the last day of the holiday of Succot (Tabernacles) called 'Hoshana Raba'. On this holiday it is customary to remain awake the entire night reading Psalms and the book of D'vorim (Deuteronomy) and it was the custom of this Rebbe Elimelech to take out a Torah Scroll and read the entire book of D'vorim aloud to his followers. 

Our hero arrived at about 2 a.m. to find hundreds of Jews crowded into a modest synagogue so packed it was almost impossible to move but so silent you could hear every word the Rebbe read or said. 

It was like being in another world, perhaps it was the power of the crowd, maybe it really was the power of the Rebbe but he felt it was impossible to leave. Suddenly the Rebbe raised his voice and read the sentence we spoke of above; 

"Now, Israel, what does G-d your L-rd want from you?  Only to fear G-d your L-rd ……. with all your heart and all your soul".

He read clearly and slowly as though he was really speaking to someone. Then he stopped, looked around, lowered his head and moaned. The crowd was silent.

He looked up, then slowly surveyed the crowd and again yelled 'oy! Oy!' until everyone was wide eyed. And he repeated: 

"What does G-d want? Only fear!!! ONLY to fear HaShem?? That is all?? 

"And where is this fear? It's not in the streets. It's not in the heavens; Even if a Jew locks himself away for years with holy books he won't find it! So where is it? Where!!?" 

Our hero understood the Rebbe was speaking to him. The Rebbe's voice thundered:

"It's found in your heart! In in the heart of every Jew!" 

With these words everyone burst out in tears some fell to the ground and almost passed out. 

After a pregnant silence the Rebbe said, "It should only be that you fear G-d as much as you fear people!!!" 

He looked back at the Torah and continued reading aloud as though nothing had happened. An hour later he finished and everyone began saying Psalms. 

Only as everyone was leaving the room was our hero found unconscious in a corner. The Rebbe's words moved him to the essence of his soul and shook his false egotism. When he didn't respond they sent someone to ask the Rebbe what to do. Perhaps they should call a doctor? 

Rebbe Elimelech just handed his walking stick to his son and told him to not speak to anyone, go immediately to the unconscious fellow and place it on his chest. As soon as he did so the fellow immediately regained consciousness and asked for a drink of water. 

The next day he entered the Rebbe's office to beg for advice.

"Only you can help yourself" the Rebbe answered. "You are a scholar and a genius and lack nothing…. and that is exactly your fault; You lack the awareness that you are really ….. NOTHING. 

" You are too sure of yourself. You have forgotten that all you are and all you have is a gift of G-d! This is fear of G-d and it is the healthiest and happiest gift you can have.

He left the Rebbe a different man. Instead of making himself great ….. he decided to make G-d great. He married, raised a family and devoted himself totally to sharing all his wisdom and talents with as many people as possible in as humble and happy was as possible. 

This answers our questions about fearing G-d. 

As King Solomon put it so clearly; the essence of Judaism, indeed, of life is to fear G-d and to do His commandments (Ecc. 12:13) 

Fearing G-d means to feel that G-d creates us constantly and does so in order that we bring blessing and meaning into the world by obeying His Torah. 

And the only way we can feel this is by association with a 'Tzadik' i.e. someone like Moses (in every generation there must be at least one such Jew) who truly feels this fear and can pass it on to others as Rebbe Elimelech did in our story. 

When this happens, once this fear is there, all the rest: walking in His ways, serving Him, loving Him etc. come almost automatically. 

That is why the Talmud says that for Moses this fear was an easy thing. In the language of Kabala it is called the 'Yechida' or 'Moses' or 'Moshiach'. The fear of G-d found in each of us.

And it is precisely this is awakened by learning the teachings of Chabad Chassidut today. In a big way this will be accomplished by Moshiach who will fill the world with the awareness of G-d. (Maimonides Laws of Kings chap 11,12)

But to prepare for and hasten his arrival we must learn Chassidut, be close to the Tzadikim and do all we can …… even one more good deed, word or even thought to reveal ... 

Moshiach NOW!!

Rabbi Tuvia Bolton

Yeshiva Ohr Tmimim

Kfar Chabad, Israel www.ohrtmimim.org

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