CHAMISHOH MI YODEI'A - FIVE QUESTIONS ON THE WEEKLY SEDRAH - PARSHIOS NITZOVIM-VA'YEILECH 5770 - BS"D

2) Ch. 29, v. 11, 12: "L'ov'r'chO, L'maan hokim os'chO" - We find throughout this parsha that the bnei Yisroel are being addressed in the plural form, "A'TEM nitzovim ...... KULCHEM," etc. Yet in this verse and in the next we find the bnei Yisroel being addressed individually.

3) Ch. 29, v. 18: "L'maan s'fos horovoh es hatzmei'oh" - "Rovoh" means satisfied and "Tz'mei'oh" thirsty. What is the intention of these two words in the context of our verse?

4) Ch. 32, v. 1: "Haazinu hashomayim vaada'beiroh v'sishma ho'oretz" - Rashi says that the heavens and earth are called as witnesses because they are eternal. The mishnoh in Pirkei Ovos 4:22 says that Hashem is the judge and a witness. If so, why is it necessary to bring other witnesses?

5) Ch. 32, v. 18: "Tzur y'lodcho teshi" - The Psikta and the Yalkut Shimoni on this verse say that when the bnei Yisroel fulfill Hashem's mitzvos they "kavyochol" add vigour to Hashem, as indicated in the words of the verse "V'atoh yigdal noh ko'ach Hashem" (Bmidbar 14:17). When they ch"v sin, they "kavyochol" weaken Hashem, as indicated by the words of our verse. See how far reaching are the actions of a human being. (Shal"oh Hakodosh) How is this to be understood? How can a person's actions impact upon HaKodosh Boruch Hu?

ANSWERS:

#1

Sforno explains that this is a separate verse, even though it is a continuation of the list of who was standing, because children and wives take guidance from their parents and husbands. The Ohr Hachaim Hakodosh says that this is a separate verse because those in the previous verse have the added responsibility of "arvus," being guarantors for the behaviour of others, while children, women, (see Rosh on the gemara Brochos piska #13, Shaar Hatziun on O.Ch. 271:9) and converts do not have this responsibility.

#2

This teaches us that the main aspect of the covenant between Hashem and the bnei Yisroel was the acceptance of "arvus," the responsibility of each person to see that his fellow ben Yisroel would comply with the mitzvos. This responsibility upon the individual for the whole community creates a merging of all the bnei Yisroel into one body, hence the single form. (Kli Yokor)

#3

Rashi explains this to mean that a person who has removed from himself the yoke of heaven, will be held responsible for an inadvertent sin just as an intentional one. "Horovoh" means imbibed with alcoholic drink and "hatzmei'oh" means sober, thirsty. When one is inebriated, he is in a state of doing things unintentionally and when sober, his actions are considered intentional. We translate the verse, "to add on the inebriated," the unintentional, "shogeg," "to the thirsty," to the acts that were done intentionally, while sober, and to be equally responsible for the "shogeg" since the yoke of heaven has been discarded.

The Ramban explains differently. "Horovoh" means satiated, symbolizes something for which one doesn't have an urge. "Hatzmei'oh," that for which one thirsts, symbolizes sins for which one does have a yearning. The verse says that one who removes from himself the yoke of heaven, will end up expanding his lust for aveiros to include those for which he previously had no urge.

#4

It seems that the prophet Yeshayohu answered this question when he said "Shimu shomayim v'haazini Eretz …… vonim gidalti v'romamti v'heim poshu vi" (Yeshayohu 1:2). How do these two thoughts in the same verse connect? The Asoroh Maamoros answers that the statement in Pirkei Ovos that Hashem is both the judge and the witness only applies regarding a sin that is between man and man. However, when one sins against Hashem, He is disqualified from judging because Hashem is the plaintiff, and as well, the bnei Yisroel are His children, as the gemara Avodoh Zoroh 3a says, "Can Hashem testify to the benefit of His children? May a father testify for his son?" Thus the verse says, "Heavens and earth, hear, as you will be needed as witnesses. The reason Hashem cannot be the witness is because "bonim gidalti," they are My children, and also because "v'heim poshu VI," I am the plaintiff. Thus the heavens and earth are called upon as witnesses in our verse for the same reasons. (Tiferes haGeirshuni)

The Ibn Ezra says in the name of the Gaon that "hashomayim" refers to the angels in heaven, and "ho'oretz" refers to the people, who live on the earth. He also offers Rashi's explanation.

#5

Perhaps with the concept mentioned in the writings of the Holy Zohar (1:157a) and the gemara Brochos 58a that "malchuso d'aro mei'ein malchuso dirokia," that the kingdom of earth replicates the Kingdom of Heaven, this can be comprehended. Since we realize that when a king's subjects rebel against him his stature is weakened, so too, this must be the case in the heavenly spheres. This explanation is quite lacking but gives us a finger hold towards understand the words of the P'sikta and the Yalkut Shimoni.

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