By Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D.
This week’s parasha, literally meaning, “When you go out…” opens with a description of facing war with enemies. Maimonides tells us that more than seventy mitzvot, 74 if I counted correctly, spring from this week’s Torah portion, from weights and measures and collecting debts in a righteous way, to proper ways to divorce, keeping promises, and male garments upon women and women’s garments on men, and so many more. In fact, there are more mitzvot found in this week’s reading than in any other parasha.
Nachmanides, certainly one of the most psychologically sensitive of the established commentators on the Torah, suggests that this week’s parasha is about war, with our real enemy, our internal mindset and “heartset.” Moving against our nature, especially lifting ourselves beyond our natural impulses and desires, is a struggle, a fight with our “yetzer hara” or “evil inclination.” The Ramban tells us that this struggle to keep mitzvot is ultimately our method of refining our souls.
The Chovos Halevavos points to this in his commentary saying, “Your greatest enemy in the world is your evil inclination.” Rabbi Yehuda Aryeh Leib Alter, known as the S’fat Emet, described this internal struggle common to us all and teaches that while it’s essentially impossible to constantly, perfectly, overcome making bad choices, it is possible because, “G-d will deliver it into your hand” – we just have to be mindful and open to receive it from Him. What is this “it”? We learn in the Talmud, in tractate Kedushin, that what G-d delivers to us is an antidote for our misguided confusion, erroneous beliefs and misleading thoughts. What is His antidote? The Torah, our “Tree of Life.”
An interesting mitzvah among the many described in Ki Tetzei is that of “hashavat aveidah,” the obligation to return a lost object to its owner. What is this mitzvah about? Is it just about returning a lost object? No. It’s more about overcoming our inner impulse to not do what’s right, to avoid restoring order in the world. Therefore, it’s about character development, refining our soul. Think way outside of the box and see how this can apply to many areas of life – including restoring lost health. Maimonides refers to this mitzvah as the basis for restoring a person’s health.
The Chofetz Chaim says the principle of returning lost objects applies also to non-material, spiritual matters. If we want Hashem to step in and help us “carry our burdens,” we also need to put in the effort. For example, if we pray and ask Hashem to help “guard my tongue from evil,” and then actually make an effort to refrain from speaking gossip, then He will surely help us. But if we do not take action and fulfill our word, how can we request His help? We first need to uplift ourselves before expecting Hashem to assist. We have that opportunity daily, but particularly during this month of Elul.
We read this week, Lo tuchal l’hitaleim. “Thou mayest not hide thyself.” We cannot improve our world by hiding ourselves away from the world we want to improve. We cannot remain indifferent, especially in today’s world of increased intolerance, divisiveness, and yes, continuing antisemitism. Indeed, when we hide, it seems Hashem hides from us. We are called upon to do the difficult thing, that which is just, and it is not always easy, of course. But we are not to sit idly by hiding ourselves. Our world is waiting for us to step forward into it and protect those who are in need. We can create a meaningful difference in the world simply by performing one simple act of compassion after another. Be engaged with others. Meaningfully.
And aren’t we all in need? “When you go out…” suggests that we do go out…and offer a hand to those who are most vulnerable. But what if self-doubt enters our mind, our thinking, and renders us vulnerable as well? Towards the end of this week’s reading, we read, “Remember what Amelek did to you in your going out of Egypt; how when you were on your path, he surprised you, all the stragglers in your rear, and you were weary and hungry.” Isn’t this self-doubt, attacking us when we are least suspecting? Approaching Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur provides us a superb opportunity to make amends within ourselves and overcome any self-doubt.
Our heritage teaches us that we should seek to repair our external relationships with each other as well, during Elul, so that during the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur we can focus on repairing our relationship with our true Source, Hashem. The mitzvot enumerated in this week’s Torah portion are mitzvot bein adam l’chavero, mitzvot between people.
Within the coming weeks, we are being asked to return, “teshuva,” to restore what is missing, lost, in our lives. How can we help others restore what they’ve lost, as well? Consider inviting friends, family members, neighbors, and co-workers who may not be attending High Holiday services, who don’t attend a Shabbat meal, to participate with you. By sharing our heritage with others, in any way with no pressure or judgment, we will have done a great deal in fulfilling the mitzvah of “hashavat aveidah,” and overcoming our own yetzer hara.
Shabbat Shalom…
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Michael R. Mantell, Ph.D., prepares a weekly D’var Torah for Young Israel of San Diego, where he and his family are members. They are also active members of Congregation Adat Yeshurun. He may be contacted via michael.mantell@sdjewishworld.com