Date: July 28th 2017

PARSHAT DEVARIM – THE CENTRALITY OF KINDNESS


Parshat Devarim cryptically alludes to much of what occurred during the 40 year period that Jews wandered in the desert before entering Israel.

One of the events recounted was the war against the mighty Kingdom of Sichon, which bordered Israel. As the Jews were preparing to enter their homeland, they requested permission to traverse Sichon, as it would shorten the journey to the Jordan River.

In addition, the Jews asked Sichon to sell them the food and water they would need while passing through. They then added that they hoped Sichon would comply just as the nations of Edom and Moav already did. (The Commentary of Rashi clarifies that Edom only cooperated in that they offered to sell food and water to the Jews. But they refused to allow them to pass through their country.) Implicit in these words of the Torah and Rashi’s Commentary is that both Edom and Moav sold or were willing to sell provisions to the Jews as they passed by.

This text raises a major question: In Parshat Ki Teitze (23, 4&5) the Torah writes that the people of Moav were forever banned from marrying into the Jewish Nation. One reason the Torah gives is because, “They did not greet you with bread and water when you left Egypt” (and passed near their country). Seemingly, the Moavites did NOT sell foodstuffs to the Jews, and it was due to that refusal that they were banned. In the vernacular, “What’s going on?”

The Commentary of Mizrachi (by Rabbi Eliyahu Mzrachi, 1455-1526) answers the question. Indeed, the Moavites were willing to sell food to the Jews. Therefore when passing near Sichon the Jews requested that Sichon offer food and drink to sell – just as the Moavites did. However, although the Moavites were willing to sell provisions to the Jews, their conduct was nonetheless utterly reprehensible. Why? Because they should have instead offered the Jews those same foodstuffs for free.

The Commentary of Mahrsha (by Rabbi Shmuel Eidels, 1555–1631) on the Talmud (Sanhedrin 103b) further explains this answer. At that time, the Jews and the Moavites were, in effect, neighboring nations that were on good terms. When such circumstances prevail, if a large group of people from one of the nations passes near the other country, the second country will normally voluntarily come forward and feed them – and for free. This is what friendly allies do for each other.

The expected response from Moav would have therefore been to generously donate what was needed. Accordingly, Moav’s insistence on being paid for the food and drink indicated a terribly deficit trait of chessed (kindness). This character flaw was deemed so significant, that as a result, the Moavites were forever banned from joining the Jewish People.

There is a sobering message contained in this text. When an imperative to perform chessed presents itself, the matter should be taken very seriously. A failure to respond appropriately begets (or indicates) a profoundly blemished character structure.

It should also be pointed out that the Jews are described in the Talmud (Yevamot 79b) as a nation of people who are rachmanim, bayshanim, and gomlei chassadim (people who are merciful, bashful, and doers of kindness). Hashem (G-d) therefore no doubt expects Jews to act with greater chessed than Gentile Moavites. If not performing chessed when called for was deemed so condemnable in the case of Moav, it holds true all the more so for Jews.


Conversely, the Torah indicates that willingly doing chessed when it is called for is extremely central to one's true measure of sanctity. Avraham’s (Abraham’s) servant Eliezer was charged with the task of finding a suitable wife for Yitzchak (Isaac) who would also be the mother of the future Jewish Nation. The Torah (Parshat Chayeh Sarah, 24, 13-14) relates that Eliezer arrived at a well near the place where he hoped to find this person. He then prayed that a young woman would appear, that he would ask her for some water, that she would willingly comply, that she would furthermore offer to draw water for his camels, and that she would be the woman designated for Yitzchak. Rashi’s Commentary explains: Eliezer correctly perceived that acting with such outstanding chessed was proof-positive that this was the woman who was fit to be the wife of Yitzchak.

Rabbi Shayeh Cohen once pointed out that Eliezer didn’t seek out the woman who prayed the most fervently - or who dressed with the greatest modesty - or performed the most mitzvot - or knew the most about Hashem and his Torah. Rather, Eliezer sought the one who responded the most enthusiastically to a passing stranger’s simple request for some water to drink. This indication of chessed connoted more suitability for being the sacred matriarch of Hashem’s People than any other of those admittedly important qualities.

(Obviously, Hashem’s mitzvot must be observed, irrespective of however refined one’s character may be. However, refinement of character creates greater oneness with Hashem than even the most scrupulous observance of mitzvot – and vice versa.)


What follows constitutes a fitting close for this Dvar:
Rabbi Chaim Vital (1542-1620) of Sefad and Damascus was one of the greatest Kabbalists of the last 500 years. In Shaar Kedusha Chelek 1, Shaar 2 R. Vital wrote the following eye-opening insight into the significance of character traits: “Having undesirable character traits is worse than committing serious violations of Torah. Accordingly, more effort and scrutiny should be invested into refining one’s own personality traits than into fulfilling mitzvot and avoiding sin. If one has good character, doing mitzvot will be easy. However, people with unsavory personality traits will lack purity and closeness to Hashem, even if they scrupulously observe the mitzvot.”

R. Vital is saying that character traits impact upon the deepest recesses of man’s G-dly neshama (soul) – more so even than the overt performance or violation of the Torah’s commandments.

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