These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissocher Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Tapes on the weekly portion: #1368 Davening For Personal Needs on Shabbos? Good Shabbos!

Passion is Necessary – Within Limits

The pasuk says “Mt. Sinai was smoking in its entirety because Hashem had descended upon it in the fire; its smoke ascended like the smoke of the kiln, and the entire mountain shuddered exceedingly.” (Shemos 19:18). It is hard for us to picture or even imagine what Har Sinai looked like at the time of Matan Torah. But the Torah says that the entire mountain was smoking. It looked like the mountain was on fire.

There is a famous Gemara (Shabbos 88a) regarding the pasuk “…vayisyatzvu b’sachtis hahor” (and they stood underneath the mountain) (Shemos 19:17). The Gemara says that this pasuk teaches “shekofo Hakodesh Baruch Hu aleihem es har k’gigis” (that the Almighty covered them with the mountain as though it were an overturned vat) and He said to them “im atem mekablim Hatorah mutav, v’im lav, shom tehay kevuraschem” (If you accept the Torah, good, but if not, there will be your burial.)

In effect, the Ribono shel Olam put a gun to our heads and made us an offer we could not refuse. Tosfos there asks a famous question: Klal Yisrael already proclaimed “Na’aseh” (We will do) before even hearing (nishma) what was written in the Torah. Why, then, was it necessary to “force them” to accept the Torah when they already willingly accepted it? Tosfos answers that they were so frightened when they saw the great fire surrounding Har Sinai that they would have retracted their previous commitment had Hashem not “kafah aleihem har k’gigis” (turned the mountain over them like an upturned vat).

Rav Shmuel Rozovsky asks a question on this answer of Tosfos: If the only reason why it was necessary to set up a situation of “kafah aleihem har k’gigis” was because they saw the great fire, then why did Hashem make the great fire in the first place? Why didn’t He just allow the mountain to remain with its normal appearance and avoid the need for “kafah aleihem har k’gigis?”

The answer is that it was necessary for Kabalas Hatorah to take place with fire surrounding the mountain. Why is that? I read the following statement (translated from the original Yiddish) made by the Chofetz Chaim:

In this world, there are all sorts of ‘groups,’ including Litvish, Chassidish, Sephardi, Ashkenazi, Modern Orthodox, Chareidi, Mizrachi, Agudah – all sorts of stripes. There are all kinds of head coverings: Velvet yarmulka, black yarmulka, leather yarmulka, knitted yarmulka; sheitel, tichel, all sorts of groups. The Chofetz Chaim said that all this is only “down here.” However, in the world to come, the world of truth, such groups do not exist. There are only five groups in the olam haemes: The boiling, the warm, the lukewarm, the cold, and the frozen. The Chofetz Chaim said that whatever group you belong to, you need to strive to be passionate. Whatever group you belong to, you need to be passionate about your affiliation. We learn that from Kabalas Hatorah because Kabalas Hatorah came about through fire.

That is why it was necessary to give the Torah through a mountain on fire. That is how Rav Shmuel Rozovsky’s question is answered. There had to be fire because Kabalas Hatorah set the tone. There is a concept called “k’nesinasa” (as it was given). Torah must be learned and Torah must be observed “like it was given.” The Torah was given with fire because our commitment to and passion for Torah must be fiery!

This is not the only aspect of Kabalas Hatorah that we need to imitate. Passion for Torah is very important. We must engage in Torah with fire. However, like everything else in Yiddishkeit, there is a time and place for everything. Sometimes fire and passion need to be restrained.

How do we see that? The Torah also says by Kabalas Hatorah, “And you shall set boundaries around it for the people, saying ‘Guard yourself from ascending the mountain or touching its edge; whoever touches the mountain shall surely die.'” (Shemos 19:12). There was a requirement at the time of Kabalas Hatorah that boundaries be established. If someone advanced beyond his place, “the one who touched the mountain shall die.” Moshe had his place where he was allowed to advance. Aharon had his place where he was allowed to advance. The Kohanim had their place, and the nation had their place.

Chazal say that as important as passion is for Judaism, it is also important to not go overboard. Each person needs to be “makir es mekomo” (recognize his place). It is the nature of people to not be satisfied with limitations and to feel “No. I want more!”

An interesting Klei Chemda asks on a Medrash: The Medrash says that the Ribono shel Olam went to all the nations of the world and offered them the Torah. They inquired: What is written in it? Some nations were turned off and refused to accept the Torah because of “Thou shall not commit adultery.” Others could not handle “Thou shall not murder.” Others rejected the Torah because of “Thou shall not steal.”

The Klei Chemda asks that it doesn’t seem fair. All the nations were seemingly encouraged to reject the Torah based on Hashem citing to them the Torah requirement that most challenged their natural instincts. Why did Hashem not similarly challenge Klal Yisrael. The Klei Chemda answers: Hashem did challenge Klal Yisrael with a mitzva that goes against our most basic inclinations: However, we are not intrinsically challenged by the prohibitions of murder, adultery, or theft. Our challenge is to accept boundaries and limitations upon ourselves. This is the test with which He challenged us: Do not cross the boundaries set up for you.

A Jew always wants more. He wants to get closer to the mountain. If I have a passion for Torah, I want to take it further. However, we must know that every person has his place. A person cannot be successful in Torah – or in Yiddishkeit for that matter – unless he is makir es mekomo.

The Gemara says (Bava Kama 117a) that Rav Kahana had trouble with the government so Rav told him to leave Bavel and go to Eretz Yisrael. Rav further warned him, however, that he should go learn in Rabi Yochanan’s yeshiva, but not ask Rabi Yochanan any questions for seven years! (Rav felt that Rav Kahana, as a newcomer in that environment, should know his place and not actively participate in the give and take of the lessons until he fully grasped the style of Rabi Yochanan’s Torah lectures.) The Gemara says that Reish Lakish was saying over the shiur and Rav Kahana started asking him questions from all over Shas.

The Gemara says that Reish Lakish told Rabi Yochanan “A Lion has come up from Bavel” (indicating the presence of a great Babylonian Torah scholar in their yeshiva). Rav Kahana had been sitting near the back, in the seventh row of students. After hearing Reish Lakish’s report that “A Lion has come up from Bavel,” they moved him to the first row.

Rabi Yochanan said his first shiur and Rav Kahana said nothing. Rav Yochanan, having expected more challenge from this “lion who came up from Bavel” remarked, “This is not a lion that came up, it is a fox! Put him in the second row.” During the next shiur, again Rav Kahana was silent. He was demoted to the third row. Ultimately, as the pattern continued, he was placed all the way back in the seventh row again – all because Rav had instructed him: Don’t ask. It is not your place.

The Gemara says that the shame of being demoted seven rows was equivalent to waiting seven years and he then started participating in the shiurim and asking his penetrating questions.

I remember when I first became a rebbi in Yeshivas Ner Yisrael. It is every bochurs’ dream to be present at a Hanhala meeting (of the yeshiva leadership and rabbeyim). After many years as a student in Ner Israel, I went to my first Hanhala meeting. Who was there? The Rosh Yeshiva (Rav Ruderman) was there. Rav Weinberg was there. Rav Kulefsky was there. Rav Nussbaum was there. They were all my rebbeim. I don’t think I opened my mouth for three years. I didn’t wait seven years, but I should open my mouth with my little opinion in front of all my teachers and mentors? That was not my place at that time. I was afraid. “Who are you?” They remembered me from when I was fifteen years old. One must be makir es mekomo.

It could be that this provides a connection between the parsha and the haftorah. The haftorah of Parshas Yisro (Yeshaya 6) includes the vision of the navi’s beholding the Heavenly vision of the Divine throne of glory. This is a clear connection to the vision of Heaven that occurred at the time of Kabalas Hatorah.

However, I saw in the sefer Meorei Ha’esh that there is a second connection to the parsha. The Haftorah begins with the words “In the year of the death of King Uziyahu…” (Yeshaya 6:1). Uziyahu was one of the kings of Yehudah. He was a great king who “did that which was proper in the eyes of Hashem.” He fought the Plishtim and he was victorious in battles. He improved Yerushalayim and he improved Eretz Yisrael. He was terrific.

Chazal say on the pasuk “In the year of the death of King Uziyahu…” that Uziyahu did not die. What does it mean “in the year of the death of King Uziyahu…”? The Medrash says that he became afflicted with tzaraas. How did he get tzaraas? We learn in Divrei Hayamim that after all of his aforementioned accomplishments, he said to himself “It is only right that the king does the avodah in the Beis Hamikdash for the King of Kings.” Consequently, he decided to personally bring a ketores offering to the Ribono shel Olam. (Divrei Hayomim II 26:19-21)

King Uziyahu was so passionate about his Yiddishkeit that he felt he wanted to personally offer this special incense offering. The fact that the Torah teaches “The zar (non-kohen) who comes too close will die” (Bamidbar 18:7) did not cause him pause. He felt that referred to regular Jews, not to the king. Indeed, there was some halachic precedence for his error. The halacha is that no one is allowed to sit in the courtyard of the Beis Hamikdash other than kings of the Davidic dynasty. Thus, he reasoned, kings of Judea are different.

Therefore, he took a pan of ketores and started walking into the Heichal. He was followed by Azaryahu the Kohen Gadol and with him there were another eighty Kohanim. They meet Uziyahu and Azaryahu said to Uziyahu “Where do you think you are going? What you are doing is reserved for Kohanim. Leave immediately!” Uziyahu got very angry at them and was about to hit them with the pan of ketores. At that moment, tzaraas broke out on the middle of his forehead.

He ran out. A metzorah is not allowed to be in the Beis Hamikdash. What happened to Uziyahu? Why did he do this? The Alter from Slabodka says that just as we know that “ha’ahava mekalkeles es hashurah” (love spoils propriety) and “ha’sinah mekalkeles es hashurah (hatred spoils propriety), so too, passion can also blind a person. Uziyahu’s passion to do the Avodah and to serve the Ribono shel Olam literally corrupted his ability to learn the pasuk “The stranger who draws close will die.” Indeed, there was to be no exception – even the king!

So, in spite of the fact that Har Sinai had to be entirely consumed with smoke and fire, and in spite of the fact that it scared the people and it necessitated holding the mountain above them like an inverted tub, there is also a counter balance to that – “v’higbalta es ha’am saviv…” (and you should set boundaries around the mountain…) No matter how passionate a person is, he needs to recognize his place. Yiddishkeit is not egalitarian. Today, society thinks “everyone is the same.” Men are the same. Women are the same. All is the same. No. There are Kohanim, there are Leviim, there are Yisraelim, there are men, there are women, there are adults there are minors. There are different gradations and different roles.

The introduction to receiving the Torah was – you shall place boundaries around the mountain. Know your place. The passion of the fire must be balanced with the boundaries placed around the mountain.

Transcribed by David Twersky; Jerusalem [email protected]

Edited by Dovid Hoffman; Baltimore, MD [email protected]

This week’s write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi Yissochar Frand’s Commuter Chavrusah Series on the weekly Torah portion.

A listing of the halachic portions for Parshas Yisro is provided below:

• # 042 – Kiddush: To Sit or Not to Sit
• # 085 – Christianity in Halacha
• # 133 – Honoring In-Laws
• # 180 – The Mitzvah of Kiddush for Men and Women
• # 226 – The Fearless Judge: A Difficult Task
• # 270 – Parental Wishes vs. Staying in Israel
• # 316 – The Reading of the “Aseres Hadibros”
• # 360 – Dolls and Statues: Is There An Avodah Zarah Problem?
• # 404 – Making a Bracha on a Makom Neis
• # 448 – Lo Sachmod
• # 492 – Eating Before Kiddush
• # 536 – Newspapers on Shabbos
• # 580 – Women and Havdalah
• # 624 – Resting Your Animal on the Shabbos
• # 668 – Kiddush B’mkom Seudah
• # 712 – The Kiddush Club
• # 756 – The Kosel Video Camera
• # 800 – Avoda Zara and The Jewish Jeweler
• # 844 – Yisro and Birchas Hagomel
• # 888 – What Should It Be – Hello or Shalom?
• # 932 – Saying The Shem Hashem While Learning – Yes or No?
• # 975 – Kiddush on Wine: Absolutely Necessary?
• #1019 – Unnecessary Brachos
• #1063 – Ma’aris Ayin: The Power Lunch In A Treife Restaurant
• #1106 – Must You Treat Your Father-in-Law Like Your Father?
• #1149 – Kiddush Shabbos Day – On What? What Do You Say?
• #1192 – I Keep 72 Minutes; You Keep 45 – Can You Do Melacha for Me?
• #1236 – “I Want Your House and I’ll Make You an Offer You Can’t Refuse”: Muttar or Assur?
• #1280 – The Shul Kiddish Shabbos Monring: Two Interesting Shailos
• #1281 – Kiddush Shabbos Day – Must Everyone Drink the Wine?
• #1324 – Saying Kaddish: All Aveilim Together or Each One Individually on a Rotating Basis?
• #1368 – Davening For Personal Needs on Shabbos?
• #1412 – Must One Keep Their Father’s Minhagim or What Bracha Do You Make on Potatoes
• #1456 – I Haven’t Accepted Shabbos Yet – May I Make Kiddush For You?
• #1543 – Can You Get Your Corona Vaccine on Shabbos?
• #1586 – Learning the Third Perek of Moed Katan –- Is There a Problem?
• #1624 – Must You Honor Your Mother-in-Law?

A complete catalogue can be ordered from the Yad Yechiel Institute, PO Box 511, Owings Mills MD 21117-0511. Call (410) 358-0416 or e-mail [email protected] or visit http://www.yadyechiel.org/ for further information.