My Musing
This week’s midrash begins with a positive and clear message- following Torah will strengthen your life. Of course this begs the great question of theodicy, but perhaps the midrash is heading the question off as it switched gears and becomes less positive and more prescriptive. The lesson is that the Torah must be followed in its entirety. The implicit answer to the unanswered question seems to be that the Torah brings life if it is adhered to in totality. Anything less …
Which leads to the end of this week’s midrash (after struggling through incomplete passages) which compares the Torah to two items which we would normally think of being universally appreciated, yet, the midrash warns, can be disrespected.
This week’s midrash begins with a positive and clear message- following Torah will strengthen your life. Of course this begs the great question of theodicy, but perhaps the midrash is heading the question off as it switched gears and becomes less positive and more prescriptive. The lesson is that the Torah must be followed in its entirety. The implicit answer to the unanswered question seems to be that the Torah brings life if it is adhered to in totality. Anything less …
Which leads to the end of this week’s midrash (after struggling through incomplete passages) which compares the Torah to two items which we would normally think of being universally appreciated, yet, the midrash warns, can be disrespected.
מדרש תנחומא (ורשא) פרשת עקב סימן ה
(דברים ח:א) "כָּל הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַעַן תִּחְיוּן וּרְבִיתֶם וּבָאתֶם וִירִשְׁתֶּם אֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּע יְדֹוָד לַאֲבֹתֵיכֶם"
All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and go in and possess the land which the LORD swore unto your fathers.
זה שאמר הכתוב (משלי ד:כב) "כִּי חַיִּים הֵם לְמֹצְאֵיהֶם וּלְכָל בְּשָׂרוֹ מַרְפֵּא"
כל מי שמוצא דברי תורה, חיים הוא מוצא. לכך כתיב, "כִּי חַיִּים הֵם לְמֹצְאֵיהֶם".
This is what the Scripture said, “For they are life unto those that find them, and healing to all their flesh.” Everyone who finds words of Torah, it is life he finds. Therefore it is written, ““For they are life unto those that find them,”
דבר אחר, "כִּי חַיִּים הֵם לְמֹצְאֵיהֶם", לאחרים. ואין אדם צריך ללמד דברי תורה אלא אם כן מוצא אותה כראוי סוף דבר וטעמו. שכך אמר להם משה, 'כשתהיו למדין התורה היו ממצין אותה כולה, לכך נאמר "כָּל הַמִּצְוָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיּוֹם תִּשְׁמְרוּן לַעֲשׂוֹת לְמַעַן תִּחְיוּן".
Another idea, “For they are life unto those that find them,”, to others. And no one must learn Torah except if he finds it properly, intact and with reason. Such that Moshe said to them, ‘when you are studying the Torah, be sure to accepting of it entirely, therefore it says, All the commandment which I command thee this day shall ye observe to do,”
זה שאמר הכתוב, (משלי ב:א) "בְּנִי אִם תִּקַּח אֲמָרָי וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ"
אמר רבי אבא בר כהנא, אימתי אתה נקרא "בְּנִי"? כש"תִּקַּח אֲמָרָי". וכן הוא אומר (דברים יד:א)
"בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַידֹוָד אֱלֹקֵיכֶם לֹא תִתְגֹּדְדוּ וְלֹא תָשִׂימוּ קָרְחָה בֵּין עֵינֵיכֶם לָמֵת"
אימתי אתם בנים? כש"אַתֶּם לַידֹוָד אֱלֹקֵיכֶם", שאתם משמרים מצותי. לכך כתיב "בְּנִי אִם תִּקַּח אֲמָרָי".
"בְּנִי אִם תִּקַּח אֲמָרָי", אם יהיה לך זכות.
This is what the Scriptures said, “My son, if you will accept my words, and lay up my commandments with thee;” Said Rabbi Aba bar Kahana, When are you called “My son”? When you “accept my words” And so it says, “You are the children of the LORD your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.”
When are you children? When “You are the children of the LORD your God”, when you observe My commandments. Therefore it is written, “My son, if you will accept my words”
“My son, if you will accept my words” If you will merit.
דבר אחר. אתה מצפין תורתי כאדם שיש לו מרגלית, כך תהא יגע בתורה. לכך נאמר " וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ".
אמר רבי אבא בר כהנא, 'משל למה הדבר דומה? לאדם שיש לו בת בוגרת, והוא מבקש לטורפה לכל מי שמוצא. אין תורתי כן, אלא אם יהיה לך זכות תזכה לה "וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ".
אמר רבי אחא, אתה נותן לך שמים ואני צופן לך טובו של העולם הבא; (תהלים לא:כ) "מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִּירֵאֶיךָ פָּעַלְתָּ לַחֹסִים בָּךְ נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם"
Another idea. You anticipate my Torah like a person who has a diamond, so you should be toiling in the Torah. Therefore it says, “and lay up my commandments with thee;”
Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, ‘To what is this similar? To a man who has an older daughter and he gives her away to all who desire. But this is not like My Torah, rather if you merit, you will merit her “and lay up my commandments with thee;”
Said Rabbi Acha, you give the heavens and I store away for you the goodness of the world to come; “Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee;
which Thou hast wrought for them that take their refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men!”
Said Rabbi Abba bar Kahana, ‘To what is this similar? To a man who has an older daughter and he gives her away to all who desire. But this is not like My Torah, rather if you merit, you will merit her “and lay up my commandments with thee;”
Said Rabbi Acha, you give the heavens and I store away for you the goodness of the world to come; “Oh how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee;
which Thou hast wrought for them that take their refuge in Thee, in the sight of the sons of men!”
דבר אחר, אתה תצפון תורתי כאדם שיש לו מרגלית, והוא מצפינה. כך תהא יגע בתורה, לכך אמר "וּמִצְוֹתַי תִּצְפֹּן אִתָּךְ".
Another idea. You will hide my Torah as a person who has a diamond and hides it. Similarly you should be exhausted in the toil of Torah, therefore it says, “ and hide my commandments with thee;”
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