Yisro 5641 תרמ”א

במדרש לץ תכה ופתי יערים. 

The Midrash (Shemos Rabba 27:6) on the pasuk (Mishlei 19:25) Beat the scoffer and the simple will become clever (when he sees the punishment the scoffer gets). (Yisro and Amalek were in counsel with Paroh over what to do with Bnei Yisrael, and once Yisro saw how HaShem completely destroyed Amalek from this world and the world to come Yisro did teshuva).

כי בנ”י נבראו לתקן כל הברואים. מכיון שנבחרו מכל האומות בוודאי בכחם לרומם כולם. לכן כ’ ה’ עוזי ומעוזי כו’ אליך גוים יבאו כו’. שכל העוז ותעצומות שנתן הש”י לבנ”י הם מטיבין לכל ומקרבים מי שרוצה להתקרב. 

The idea here is that Bnei Yisrael were created to repair (uplift) all of creation. It is because they are chosen (not in spite of) that they therefore have the power to uplift everyone. This is the meaning of HaShem is my strength and my stronghold, to you nations will come (Yirmiya 16:19). This is because Bnei Yisrael uses the strength that Hashem has given them, to do good, and bring all who are willing, close to HaShem.

וקראו פתי יערים על יתרו. אם כי הי’ חכם שבאומות. אכן היא הנותנת. שזה הי’ ההפרש בין יתרו לעמלק ימ”ש. שיתרו הלך בחכמה וביקש האמת. רק שעוה”ז הוא בחושך. וא”י להשיג האמת. זולת לבנ”י ע”י תורה אור ונר מצוה. 

The Midrash compares Yisro to a simpleton, even though Yisro was the wisest of all the nations of the world, (why is he called a simpleton?). However that is exactly the point, (Yisro’s simplicity is his greatness). As opposed to Amalek, may his memory be wiped out, Yisro went in his simplicity and seeked out the truth. It was however the darkness of this world that prevented him from seeing it. It is only through Bnei Yisrael, through the light of the Torah and the illumination of the mitzvot (that the truth can be found). 

וכשהמשיכו בנ”י הארת האמת. שמע יתרו והודה להאמת שראה שטעה מקודם. והי’ ע”ז של יתרו מקודם מחסרון חכמה אמתיות. 

 It was when Bnei Yisrael continued in illuminating the world with the truth, that Yisro heard, adn acknowledged the truth and realized his previous error. The idol worship that Yisro served originally was only because of a lack of true understanding.

ועמלק ימ”ש נק’ לץ. שע”ז נאמר זד יהיר לץ שמו עושה בעברת זדון. 

Amalek however is called a fool. As the pasuk states (Mishlei 21:24)

 זֵ֣ד יָ֭הִיר לֵ֣ץ שְׁמ֑וֹ ע֝וֹשֶׂ֗ה בְּעֶבְרַ֥ת זָדֽוֹן׃

The proud, insolent man, scoffer is his name, Acts in a frenzy of insolence.

פי’ לץ הוא היודע האמת ועובר במזיד. וידע כי בנ”י הם אצל האמת ובא ולחם עמהם. לכן נאבד שמו וזכרו. 

A scoffer is one who knows the truth and willingly transgresses it. Amalek realized that Bnei Yisrael had the truth, and nevertheless came to fight with them. Therefore their name is lost and their memory wiped out.

והכלל שבעת יצ”מ ונתינת התורה נתברר האמת. וממילא מי שהי’ ראוי להתקרב נמשך אחר בנ”י והפסולת נכלה:

The principle idea is that at the time of the exodus and the giving of the Torah, the trut was revealed. And therefore whoever was fit to be close, was drawn after Bnei Yisrael and the rest were lost.

2

ברש”י ועשית כל”מ. שיהי’ כאילו כל מלאכתך עשוי’ כו’. וע”י אמונה זו יכולה היא שתרחם. ונותן השבת השלמה לכל הדברים המתבטלין להשבת. 

Rashi On the pasuk (Shemos 20:8) “In six days you shall do all your work”, explains that it means that on Shabbos one must feel that all his work is complete.
It is through one having emuna (and realizing how far one is from this level and longing for it), that “it can awaken the mercy” (an expression used regarding Shabbos see Gemara Shabbos 10b). The Shabbos therefore provided completion to everything that nullifies itself to Shabbos.

לכן נק’ שבת שלום מעין שמו של הקב”ה שנק’ שלום. מטעם שהוא הנותן שלימות לכל. 

This is why the Shabbos is called “Shalom”, which is a derivative of HaShem’s name, for He is the one that completes everything.

(It is this power of HaShem that completes everything to which we connect to on Shabbos)

והשבת הוא שורש כל הבריאה ולמעלה בעולמות העליונים השבת הוא מימי בראשית רק שבנ”י זכו להמשיך קדושת השבת בעוה”ז. 

The Shabbos is the source of the entire creation and way above in the upper worlds. It is a part of the days of Bereishis, yet Bnei Yisrael merit to draw the holiness of Shabbos into this world.

וז”ש זכור את יום השבת לקדשו. והלא גדלה קדושת השבת ממעלת האדם. ומה זו קדושה שנותן האדם בזכירת השבת. רק להמשיך השבת בעוה”ז. 

(With this we can understand) the meaning of the commandment: “Remember the Shabbos day to sanctify it”. What sort of holiness can a person instill in Shabbos by remembering it. The Shabbos is so much above the level of mankind? 

However (by remembering the Shabbos, one is able) to draw the Shabbos into this world.

(Indeed the sanctification of Shabbos is that by recalling the Shabbos we merit to draw the Shabbos into this world).

וזהו העדות שבנ”י והשבת מעידין זה על זה. 

This is the testimony that Bnei Yisrael and the Shabbos testify for each other. (See tosefos Chagiga 3b “mi ke’amcha”).

וזה הטעם שכ’ בדיברות אחרונות. וזכרת כי עבד היית במצרים כו’. וכן איתא זכר ליצ”מ. והוא כנ”ל שלולי יצ”מ לא הי’ בכח עוה”ז לקבל הארת הש”ק. 

With this we can understand the words in the second dibrot, in the commandment of Shabbos (Devarim 5:15) “And remember that you were slaves in Mitzrayim”, and similarly we say (in Kiddush, that Shabbos) “Comemorates the exodus from Mitzryaim”. 

This is all as explained above, that without the exodus from Mitzrayim we would not be able to receive the light of Shabbos.

(It is only because of our exile into Mitzrayim, our purification and drawing out all the sparks of holiness – paralleling the work of this world in prepration for Shabbos, that we merit to receive the light of Shabbos). 

ז”ש ע”כ צוך כו’. שנתקרבו בנ”י למעלת השבת. כמ”ש פורס סוכת שלום עלינו כו’. 

With this we can now understand (the continuation of the abovementioned  pasuk 

וְזָכַרְתָּ֞֗ כִּ֣י־עֶ֤֥בֶד הָיִ֣֙יתָ֙ ׀ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔֗יִם וַיֹּצִ֨אֲךָ֜֩ יְהוָ֤֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֤֙יךָ֙ מִשָּׁ֔ם֙ בְּיָ֤֥ד חֲזָקָ֖ה֙ וּבִזְרֹ֣עַ נְטוּיָ֑֔ה עַל־כֵּ֗ן צִוְּךָ֙ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ לַעֲשׂ֖וֹת אֶת־י֥וֹם הַשַׁבָּֽת׃ 

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the HaShem your G-d freed you from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the HaShem your G-d has commanded you to observe the sabbath day.)

The word therefore, is because of our exile and exodus from Mitzrayim, we are able to attain the level of Shabbos. As the pasuk states: “He spreads the sukkah of Shalom on us”

לכן צריכין להניח הכל בבוא יום השבת שהוא שורש הכל וממילא חל עליהם סוכת שלום ואין מחסור ליראיו:

Therefore when Shabbos comes we need to leave everything, for it is the source of everything, and automatically the sukkah of Shalom will be on Bnei Yisrael, and “those that fear Him lack nothing”.

3

הקדמת פרשת יתרו לקבלת התורה. כענין אמרם ז”ל ד”א קדמה לתורה. והוא ענין עבודת האדם להש”י מתוך השכל והכרת האמת שמכירין טובת הבורא ית’ על כל ברואיו וחסדיו המרובין. ואח”כ זוכין לתורה שהיא עבודה עליונה כפי רצון הש”י באמת. 

The idea of the story of Yisro preceding the receiving of the Torah, is the same idea that our sages taught us: Derech Eretz precedes the Torah. This means that the work of man serving HaShem with one’s intellect and recognising the truth, by realizing the good and kindness of HaShem on his creation. Through doing so one subsequently merits to Torah, which is a higher level of service of HaShem, and (the level that he attains is) in relation to his true desire to serve HaShem.

והמשל. הכל עובדין למלך אבל העומדין לפניו הם עובדין אותו ע”פ קיום שליחותו ורצונו. וזה ענין ואתם תהיו לי ממלכת כהנים. 

This can be compared to (the subjects of a king). Everyone serves the king, however the ones that are standing before the king serve him by his direct command and desire (whereas others serve him in a more roundabout manner). This is the idea that Bnei Yisrael are to be “A nation of priests” (Shemos 19:6)

ואיתא אם אין ד”א אין תורה ואם אין תורה אין ד”א. ופירשנו כי קודם החטא הי’ מוכן להיות תורה קדמה לד”א. שהיו בנ”י מיוחדים לקבל התורה כמו שהיא למעלה אש דת. שהי’ ניתקן כל העשי’ לגמרי. כמ”ש כל אשר דיבר ה’ נעשה. פי’ שקיבלו בנ”י ע”ע לתקן כל המעשים ע”פ הנהגת מלכותו ובמ”א הארכנו בזה. סוף דבר במעמד הר סיני הי’ ניתקן העשי’. וכמ”ש העשוי’ בהר סיני כו’. 

It states (Avos 3:17) if there is no Derech Eretz there is no Torah, and if there is no Torah there is no Derech Eretz. 

We have explained that before the sin of the golden calf, the Torah was to be preceding Derech Eretz. This means that Bnei Yisrael were able to receive the Torah exactly as it was above, “a fiery law”. This is because all of עשיה – action, was completely repaired. 

(We see this) in the words (of the receiving of the Torah before the sin) “All that HaShem has spoken we will do”. This means that Bnei Yisrael commited to do everything exactly according to HaShem’s instruction. (as we have explained elsewhere (Vayikra תר”מ), and then at the giving of the Torah the עשיה – action, was completely repaired. As it states “that was made (completely repaired) on Har Sinai” (Bamidbar 28:6).  

ורק אחר החטא בעגל ירדנו ממדרגה זו. וניתקן אח”כ בדר”א קדמה לתורה שכיון שנשאר פסולת בעולם צריכין מקודם לתקן המעשה והגוף ע”י מדות והכנעות כנ”ל ואח”כ זוכין לתורה. 

However after the sin of the Golden Calf, we fell from this level. And now it is only able to be repaired properly through Derech Eretz preceding the Torah. This is because there was still some dross left in the world, the body and action needs to be repaired in measure – midos and subjugation (Derech Eretz) and only afterwards do we merit Torah.

וכבר כ’ כי עמלק הרשע ימ”ש הי’ שורש חטא העגל. וזה המשך הקדמת יתרו למתן תורה אחר מלחמת עמלק. 

We have written previously that Amaled the wicked, was the source of the sin of the Golden Calf. This explains the order of events, Yisro, preceding the Torah and afterwards the was with Amalek.

ובתד”א איתא בפסוק ויגרש את האדם וישכן כו’ לשמור את דרך עה”ח מכאן שד”א קדמה לתורה. 

In the Midrash of Tana Devei Eliyahu (Rabbah 1) it  states on the pasuk “And Adam was banished from the garden of Eden and stationed east of the garden of Eden…to guard the way to teh tree of life”, that this refers to Derech Eretz preceding the Torah.

פרשנו ג”כ כנ”ל שאחר החטא של אדה”ר הי’ רמז ג”כ שיהי’ צריכין להקדמת ד”א כנ”ל ומעין זה הי’ בבנ”י כנ”ל:

We too have explained as above, that post sin of Adam, also hints to the idea  that we first need to precede with Derech Eretz, as above. This idea also applied to Bnei Yisrael (at the sin of the Golden Calf) as above.

4

ברש”י לאמר שהיו עונין על הן הן כו’. 

Rashi on the word (Shemos 20:1) “לאמר HaShem spoke all these words saying”, explains that this means that they answered “Yes” (to the positive commandments and “no” to the negative commandments).

הוא ענין תורה שבע”פ שאומרים וחיי עולם נטע בתוכינו והוא העדות שהתורה מיוחדת לבנ”י שנמשכו מיד אחר הדברות. 

This is the idea of the Oral Torah, as it states (Birkas Krias Shma) “And a living torah He planted in us”. (The Torah was one with our bodies and souls, that they automatically responded “yes” “no” to the Torah). 

This is testimony that the Torah was uniquely for Bnei Yisrael, for they were instantly drawn to the commands.

והוא כענין אין טפה יורדת משמים שאין טיפיים עולות לנגדה. 

This is the idea (See Zohar 3:247b) A drop (of rain) does not come down from Heaven without two drops going up from this world toward it. 

(The souls of Bnei Yisrael were drawn to the words of HaShem).

וע”ז דרשו חז”ל ה’ עוזי ומעוזי. שהתורה נק’ עוז. ומעוזי הוא כח התורה שבע”פ. שהגם שהחכמים מוציאין בחכמתם. הוא רק כח הש”י שנטע בתוכינו:

This too is what our sages have explained (Midrash Shemos Rabbah 27:4) HaShem is my strength עוזי and stronghold. The Torah is called עוז strength, and מעוזי (reflective) is the power that of the Oral Torah. This means that even though our sages are able to bring about laws through their wisdom, it is only because of the power that HaShem has planted within us.