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\u05d1\u05e1”\u05d3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This week\u2019s Torah portion features the momentous event of G-d giving the Torah to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. However, the sages teach that before giving the Torah to the Jewish people, G-d offered the Torah to the other nations of the world: The Sifri1<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0relates:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen the Holy One, Blessed is He, revealed Himself to give the Torah to Yisrael, it was not only revealed to Yisrael alone, rather to all the nations first. He went to the Children of Esav: He said to them, \u201cDo you [want to] receive the Torah?\u201d They said to Him, \u201cwhat is written in it?\u201d. He said to them, \u201cDo not kill\u201d. They said, the essence of those people [us] and their father [Esav] is that he is a murderer\u2026He went to the Children of Moav. He said to them, \u201cDo you [want to] receive the Torah?\u201d They said to Him, \u201cwhat is written in it?\u201d He said to them, \u201cDo not act immorally\u201d. They said to Him, the essence of those people [us] is immorality\u2026. He went to the Bnei Yishmael. He said to them, \u201cDo you [want to] receive the Torah?\u201d. The said to Him, \u201cwhat is written in it?\u201d He said to them, \u201cDo not steal\u201d. They said to Him the essence of their father [Yishmael] is that he was a thief.\u201d Likewise [God went] to all the nations [and the same thing happened]. Since the Holy One Blessed Is He, saw it, He gave It [the Torah] to Yisrael.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When G-d offered each nation the Torah, they asked what is written in it and G-d replied with the mitzvah that was most difficult for each, respective nation. He told Esav, whose patriarch was a murderer, that it states in the Torah \u201cdo not kill\u201d, and to Moav, whose patriarch, Lot, was immoral, about the prohibition of acting immorally, and he told the descendants of Yishmael, whose patriarch was a thief, about the prohibition to steal. There is something problematic here. The Talmud teaches that included in the Seven Noachide Laws that all non-Jews are commanded are the prohibitions to not murder, to not engage in illicit sexual relations, and to not steal.2<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Accordingly, if G-d was coming to tell the nations about\u00a0additional<\/strong>\u00a0mitzvot that are found in the Torah, why did He deliberately choose commandments that they already had to keep anyway?! And why did the nations refuse based on G-d\u2019s answer, given that accepting the Torah would seem to not have made any discernible difference in how they lived their lives?3<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n Rabbi Dovid Cohen4<\/a><\/sup>, Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron, explains, based on a teaching of Rabbi Yitzchak Isaac Chaver5<\/a><\/sup> that there is a fundamental difference in the Seven Noachide Laws and the 613 Mitzvot. The Seven Noachide Laws are purely practical commandments to enable a functioning society. It is necessary for non-Jews to engage in these laws (including setting up law courts) in order to prevent anarchy and destructive behavior. In contrast, the mitzvot of the Torah have a far more elevated purpose. They are there to elevate a person and enable him to perfect himself spiritually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Based on this understanding, Rav Cohen answers why G-d told the nations mitzvot that are included in the Noachide Laws. He was communicating to them that it is insufficient to keep mitzvot such as do not kill and do not steal, on a basic minimal level in order to maintain a functioning society. Rather, if they accepted the Torah, they would have to approach these mitzvot on a far deeper level, not as just practical laws. This is also why they refused G-d\u2019s offer \u2013 they may have been willing to keep the bare bones of the Seven Mitzvot6<\/a><\/sup>\u00a0but they didn\u2019t want to observe them in such a way that would have a profound change on their essence. Hence, the nation of Esav answered G-d that they could not keep the Torah Mitzvo of \u2018do not kill\u2019 as that was part of their very essence, and the same applies for the nation of Moav with regards to immorality, and the nation of Yishmael pertaining to theft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This idea has practical ramifications to the way Jews keep Mitzvot in contrast to Bnei Noach. It seems that since keeping these Mitzvot as part of the Torah the goal was that each person would profoundly change, then the actual details of the Mitzvot are far more refined and detailed than they would be if they were just part of the Seven Mitzvot. This is seen through the answer to another question that arises in the Parsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right at the end of the Portion, after the momentous Ten Commandments, the Torah adds three seemingly random mitzvot: Not to make images of celestial beings, nor any graven images of silver and gold: Not to use a sword while forming the stones for the Altar: Not to have steps leading up to the Altar but instead to have a ramp.7<\/a><\/sup> Why are these seemingly disparate mitzvot commanded as the conclusion to the Portion of the Giving of the Torah? The commentaries explain8<\/a><\/sup>, that these three mitzvot are extensions of the three of the Ten Commandments: The prohibition to make images is a development of the Command not to worship false gods: The prohibition of using a sword is because it represents violence, hence it is a development of the Command not to kill: And the prohibition of having steps is because it when one walks up steps, his robe is raised, and parts of one\u2019s body can be seen, thus is it an aspect of modesty, and is an extension of the Command not to be involved in immorality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With these mitzvot, G-d is conveying a profound message. In the words of Rabbi Immanuel Bernstein.9<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is the background to the follow-up communication, where Moshe informs the people that part of being Jewish means that even these basic laws assume an infinitely higher level of observance and sensitivity. Not only are those sins themselves forbidden, they cannot exist even in trace form\u2026. Not only is serving idols itself prohibited, even making images of celestial beings or other forms is also forbidden. Not only is murder prohibited, but even an implement associated with bloodshed is not allowed to be used in fashioning the Altar\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Thus, the fact that the purpose of the 613 Mitzvot is far more elevated than the purpose of the Seven Noachide Laws has major practical ramifications. It means that when the Torah teaches a law, It does not just intend for a person to keep the basic letter of the law, rather he is supposed to develop a sensitivity to the Mitzvot that change him internally. Another example of this is the laws of lashon hara, the prohibition to speak badly about other people. As Rabbi Yitzchak Berkovits teaches, it does not suffice to simply refrain from saying negative things and yet simultaneously harbor negative thoughts about people. Rather, one must recognize that the the root idea behind the Mitzvo is that one must develop into the kind of person who views the world in a positive light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following story related by Rabbi Bernstein demonstrates how far one must apply the root of Mitzvot and indeed, all Jewish laws to one\u2019s daily life. It is told that there was a very pious student in the famed Slabodka Yeshiva headed by the Alter of Slabodka, Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel. However, this young man walked around with a dour countenance. At one point, the Alter called him over and said, \u201cIt is forbidden for you the be in the beit midrash (study hall) wearing an expression like that.\u201d The student, who was very careful in the fulfillment of Mitzvot and halacha, asked where the Torah prohibits such a thing. The Alter replied, \u201cThe Torah forbids a person to dig a pit in the public thoroughfare, because a passerby can fall in and be injured. The beit midrash (study hall) is a public thoroughfare, and your face is a pit, since people who look at you scowling instantly feel worse? What difference does it make if you damage someone\u2019s arm or leg or you damage his mood?\u201d10<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Alter was conveying the message that the purpose of mitzvot needs to be understood and applied to every aspect of one\u2019s lives, not just viewed in a narrow sense. May we all merit that the Torah infiltrates every aspect of our lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n WEEKLY TORAH PORTION<\/strong>,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Guiding Light<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\nYitro\u00a0(Exodus 18-20<\/a>\u00a0)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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by Rabbi Yehonasan Gefen<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n