Torah Only Endures in Someone Who Sacrifices Himself on Its Behalf

In this week’s parsha, parshas Chukas, it is fitting that we explore the significance and implications of the following passuk (Bamidbar 19, 14): "זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל"—this is the Torah concerning a man should he die in a tent. We find an elucidation related to this passuk in the Gemara (Berachos 63b) from one of the preeminent scholars featured in the Talmud, Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish. He provides us with a fundamental principle that is relevant to anyone who desires to learn Torah and attain its wisdom: "אמר ריש לקיש, מנין שאין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא במי שממית עצמו עליה, שנאמר זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל"—according to Reish Lakish, this passuk teaches us that Torah knowledge is only retained by someone who sacrifices himself on its behalf.

We learn another basic principle in the Talmud Yerushalmi (Shabbas 6a): "כל האומר שמועה מפי אומרה, יהא רואה בעל השמועה כנגדו—כאלו הוא עומד כנגדו"—whenever presenting a teaching (ruling) in the name of its author, one should imagine that the author is standing before him. This concept is explained in the sefer Siach Sarfei Kodesh (Lech Lecha) in the name of the Chiddushei HaRim, zy”a: The teaching and its novel implications are related to the root of the neshamah of the author. Thus, when one learns the teaching and recognizes its Torah-related implications, the neshamah of the author of the teaching shines within him. This is what is meant by: “One should imagine that the author is standing before him.”

Applying this concept to Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish, the author of the teaching above, it is apparent that his elucidation is intimately related to his unique character: For, he epitomized the maxim (Chagigah 14b): "נאה דורש ונאה מקיים"—one who both expounds well and practices well. As the Gemara (B.M. 84a) teaches us, he was initially the leader of a group of highway-robbers, until Rabbi Yochanan rehabilitated him, bringing him closer to Hashem and teaching him Torah. Under Rabbi Yochanan’s tutelage, he dedicated himself to the study of Torah; ultimately, he became a leader of Yisrael, one of the greatest sages of Torah she’b’al peh.

A Fascinating Insight from the Tiferes Shlomo

We will now explore in great depth the incredible connection between Reish Lakish and this teaching based on an insight from the Tiferes Shlomo regarding the practical significance of this teaching. His insight is based on a actual incident involving Reish Lakish and two of his cohorts. The other two did not make amends by performing teshuvah and were held accountable in the heavenly court. Here is the episode as it appears in the Pirkei D’Rabbi Eliezer (Chapter 43):

Ben Azai says: Come and learn the power of teshuvah from Rabbi Shomon ben Lakish. He and two companions were robbing and harassing everyone who passed them by on the road. What did he do? He left his two companions robbing in the mountains, while he returned to the G-d of his father wholeheartedly through fasting and praying. He would rise and retire before HKB”H; he studied Torah all of his days and gave gifts to the poor; he never returned to his wrongdoings, and his teshuvah was accepted.

On the day he died, his two companions who continued robbing in the mountains also died. Rabbi Shimon was given a portion of the living, while his two companions were placed in the depths of the abyss (hell). The two of them complained to HKB”H, “Master of the Universe, do You give preferential treatment? This one was a bandit with us in the mountains. Yet, he is in the storehouse of the living and we are in the depths of the abyss.” He replied to them, “This one performed teshuvah while alive, but you did not.” They said to Him, “Allow us, and we will perform teshuvah.” He replied to them, “Teshuvah is only possible until one’s death."

Here is a parable: It is analogous to a person who wished to take a sea voyage. If he neglected to take bread with him from dry land, he will surely not find it at sea. If a man wishes to travel to the ends of the wilderness, if he neglects to take from civilization bread and water, he surely will not find what to eat and drink in the wilderness. Similarly, if a person does not perform teshuvah in his lifetime, after death, he no longer has the opportunity to perform teshuvah.

Based on this account, the Tiferes Shlomo interprets the passuk: “This is the Torah concerning a man should he die in a tent” and Chazal’s exposition that this teaches us that Torah-knowledge is only retained by “someone who sacrifices himself on its behalf.” Interpret it thusly: “This is the Torah”—study it with such contrition and intense devotion as if you died in the tent from all of your exertion. Then request to be returned to this world for one more day. Imagine how much such a person would exert himself in the study of Torah and performance of good deeds on that one extra day he was granted.

Reish Lakish Lived Every Day as if He Had Returned from the Dead to Study Torah and Serve Hashem

Now, the Tiferes Shlomo does not mention the fact that the author of the statement—"אין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא במי שממית עצמו עליה"—is Reish Lakish; even though his interpretation of this statement—that a person should imagine that he has passed away and was afforded the opportunity to return to life to study Torah for only one day—was based on what happened to Reish Lakish and his two companions after they died.

We can postulate that although Reish Lakish was obviously still alive when he expounded on this passuk; nevertheless, he treated each and every day as if he had been given the opportunity to return from the dead to study Torah for one more day. This concurs with the elucidation in the Gemara (Berachos 18a) of that which is written (Koheles 9, 5): "כי החיים יודעים שימותו, אלו צדיקים שבמיתתן נקראו חיים... והמתים אינם יודעים מאומה, אלו רשעים שבחייהן קרויין מתים". “For the living know that they will die” refers to the tzaddikim, who even after their deaths are still considered as being alive . . . “but the dead do not know anything” refers to the wicked, who even while they are still alive are considered as if they are dead.

Accordingly, since Reish Lakish abandoned his life as a bandit, performed teshuvah and studied Torah diligently, it was as if he had returned from the dead (from the life of a rasha) to study Torah. Furthermore, David HaMelech said (Tehillim 51, 5): "כי פשעי אני אדע וחטאתי נגדי תמיד"—for my transgressions I recognize, and my sin is before me always. Hence, due to his immense kedushah, Reish Lakish performed teshuvah daily. As such, he viewed each and every day as if he had died and was afforded the opportunity by HKB”H to return for one more day to study Torah.

The Chafetz Chaim Following in the Footsteps of the Tiferes Shlomo

We find a precious teaching from the great tzaddik, the Chafetz Chaim, in his commentary on the Torah in this week’s parsha. He presents a real life parable to help us better comprehend the meaning of the passuk: “This is the Torah concerning a man should he die in a tent” and Chazal’s exposition that this teaches us that Torah knowledge is only retained by “someone who kills himself on its behalf.” He points out that this is at odds with the teaching of "וחי בהם"—that we are to live with the words of Torah not die with them.

He compares this to a merchant who was inundated with buyers. This kept him so extremely busy that he did not even have time to go to the Beis Kenesses to daven. As the years passed, he sensed that he was nearing the end of his life. He started going to the Beis Kenesses to daven and spend two hours learning. When his wife complained about the loss of customers, her husband responded: “Please listen, my dear wife. What would you do if the Malach Hamaves came and said to me, ‘Your time has come to depart from the world.’? Would you be able to say to him that there is no time now while the store is full of customers? If so, you can view it as if I am currently dead. And what does it matter to you if I return to life in another two hours, and then I will come to the store to help you?!”

This is the meaning of the statement: “Words of Torah are not retained except in someone who kills himself over her.” A person must think that he is dead. To that he cannot reply that he is not available. If he has this mindset, he will be able to study and fulfill the precepts of the Torah.

"Perhaps he will die tomorrow" Promotes Teshuvah Inspired by Yirah

We learn from Rabbi Eliezer (Berachos 153a) that a person should imagine every day that it is the last day of his life. In this vein, the Ben Ish Chai explains the passuk (Devarim 4, 4): "ואתם הדבקים בה' אלקיכם חיים כולכם היום"—if you wish to cling to Hashem, it is advisable that you adopt the mindset that you will be alive only “today.” This allows a nice interpretation of the Gemara (Sanhedrin 98a) where Mashiach says he will come "today"—meaning if Yisrael serves Hashem with the mindset that there is no tomorrow, the geulah will come.

The Chavat Yair explains a Gemara in Berachos (19a) regarding a talmid-chacham who commits an aveirah. We must assume he did teshuvah that night. Reish Lakish taught that teshuvah from fear (yirah) turns deliberate sins into accidents, but teshuvah from love (ahavah) turns them into merits. For a talmid-chacham, whose accidents are treated as deliberate sins, only teshuvah from love suffices. Therefore, the "dying in a tent" refers to the scholar who views himself as having already died and returned, allowing him to reach the level of teshuvah from love, which transforms all transgressions into merits.

We conclude with the words of the navi (Yeshayah 54, 12): "וְׂשַ מְ ּתִ י ּכַ דְ כֹד ַתֹשׁ ְמ ִשׁ ְךִי". The letters ד"כ (numerical value 24) appear twice, alluding to the two ways of viewing the 24 hours of the day: as the last day (yirah) and as a day returned from the dead (ahavah). In their merit, we will witness the geulah. Amen.