Parshat Shoftim 5783
By Rabbi Daniel Reich
In his farewell address to the Jewish people, our greatest teacher, Moshe Rabbeinu, continues to share the critical and fundamental ideas that the Jews will need to remember once he is gone from the biblical narrative. In our Parsha, we learn more of these critical teachings. One of the many important ideas we learn in this week’s Parsha is, “What makes a qualified soldier in Hashem’s Army?” — or rather, “What disqualifies a soldier from Hashem’s Army?” As is written:
The lower officers shall then continue speaking to the people and say, “Is there any man among you who is afraid or fainthearted? Let him go home rather than have his cowardliness demoralize his brethren.” (Devarim, 20:8)
Our great commentator, Rashi (1040-1105), elucidates from the Mishnah how to understand “who is afraid or fainthearted.” What exactly is this issue that a soldier would face that would disqualify him from fighting in Hashem’s army? Rashi writes as follows:
“WHO IS AFRAID OR FAINTHEARTED.” The Tanna R’ Akiva says, this is to be understood as it sounds, that he is unable to stand in the knots of war, and to see a sword drawn against him. The Tanna R’ Yose HaGelili says, the verse refers to one who is fearful because of the sins he has. This is why the Torah provides him with a pretext of returning for a house, vineyard, or wife, to cover up for those who return because of the sins they have so that people should not discern that they are sinners.
These two opinions presented by Rashi are vastly different. According to Rebbe Akiva, it is understandable why such a soldier should stay back from fighting in a war — they are too nervous and don’t have the basic confidence needed to fight in battle. However, Reb Yose HaGelili is a bit more difficult to understand, and we need some more insight to clarify what he means that a soldier should stay back from war if they “have sin in their hands.” What sin would be so grave that would disqualify a soldier from fighting with his fellow brethren?
Let’s see how the Talmud clarifies this opinion of Reb Yose HaGelili:
If one spoke between donning the arm tefillin and the head tefillin, he has committed a transgression and he returns on its account from the war regiments — this is the opinion of Rabbi Yosi HaGelili. (Talmud Sotah 44b)
Again, we are left bewildered in understanding Reb Yose HaGelili’s opinion. How is it possible that this seemingly small prohibition, of talking while putting on Tefillin, could have such grave ramifications that we send this soldier home? We are so concerned that if he violates this rabbinic prohibition that will negatively affect the general morale of the rest of the troops to the extent that it is better for him to not fight at all? What are we to make of this?
I once heard Rabbi Dr. Jacob J. Schacter Shlit”a give a beautiful explanation of Reb Yose HaGalili’s opinion. He said as follows: In regard to speaking between putting on your hand Tefillin and your head Tefillin, while the transgression itself is relatively small, compared to some other much more egregious sins, such a transgression though represents a larger issue. It is the expression of a disconnect between your actions and your thoughts. If one is speaking between donning the arm Tefillin and the head Tefillin, if they disconnect acting like a Jew and thinking like a Jew, that is a major problem! It is something that almost everyone falls into. Although we often do think before we speak, act, or do, all too often, we experience a disconnect and we forget to think beforehand.
Rabbi Yisrael Lipkin Z”L (1810-1883), also known as “Reb Yisroel Salanter,” was the revolutionary mind behind the Musar movement. In 1858, Reb Yisroel Salanter created and popularized a system to formalize active self-evaluation. He understood well that we all make this mistake of creating a void between what we do and giving thought to what we do. Making every decision you make — a meaningful one. Making every Mitzvah you perform — a meaningful one. Every piece of Torah you learn — a meaningful one. Giving thought to everything we do will shape us to pay attention in life. Forming for us a life that is less habitual and more thoughtful. In an essay, Reb Yisroel Salanter lays the blueprint for this perspective in a most poetic way:
Man is created to be free in his imagination and bound by his intellect. His unbridled imagination draws him mischievously in the way of his heart’s desire, without fear of the certain future – the time when Hashem will examine all of his affairs. He will be subjected to severe judgment for any transgressions that he committed. There is no one else to take his place. He alone will bear the fruit of his sin; the transgressor and the punished are one and the same. It is very bitter. Let no man say: This is my illness that I can bear. (Rav Yisrael Salanter, Introduction to “The Open Mussar Letter”)
The Ramban (1194-1270), perhaps the greatest Jewish philosopher of all time, writes that this is a basic tenet of Judaism. Found in another Pasuk in this week’s Parsha:
You must have a wholesome relationship with Hashem your God (Devarim 18:13)
Expounding on this statute, the Ramban writes the following:
We are commanded to have hearts perfectly connected to God, and this is what the Torah says: “You must have a wholesome relationship with Hashem your God”. The purpose of this statute is to make sure your hearts are always connected with God… That is the purpose of this Mitzvah, as is recorded in the Bahag to be wholesome with Hashem. Perhaps the Rambam did not record this in his list of the 613 Mitzvot because this is not a separate Mitzvah but an all-encompassing one. To walk in the way of The Torah! (Ramban at the end of “The Book of Mitzvot”)
This is the basic training for Hashem’s army. To combat the distractions in life that can prevent us from living in this wholesome and meaningful way. As we begin the month of Elul and reconnect with Hashem — with a fresh start over Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur just a few weeks away — let us reexamine this doctrine within ourselves. Let us live the most meaningful and fulfilled lives!
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Rabbi Daniel Reich is the rabbi of Congregation Adat Yeshurun of La Jolla.