Gratitude's Gift: Bridging Love and Fear
As we approach the final two Shabbatot of the year, we’re reminded of Rav Chatzkel Levenstein, who in Or Yechezkel (Yamim Nora’im 329) describes his practice of readying himself for the Yamim Norai’m through his observance of Shabbat. He recounts his visit to the town of Kelme (Lithuania) during the month of Elul, where upon reaching the town he found signs posted on the yeshiva’s doors bearing one instruction: “Strengthen yourself through the final two Shabbatot of the year.” The concept behind these posters is based on the well-known teachings of Chazal (Shabbat 112a), that if Bnei Yisrael would only keep two consecutive Shabbatot, they would be immediately redeemed. Carefully observing these final Shabbatot of the year signal our worthiness to transition into a שְׁנַת גְּאֻלָּה, a year of redemption. Chazal say: שְׁקוּלָה שַׁבָּת כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה – Shabbat is equivalent to all the commandments of the Torah. When someone is shown a new process or strategy pertaining to their business, they run to it, wanting to learn it thoroughly and adopt it as quickly and effectively as possible. After all, there are profits to be had. The same should hold true for Shabbat! We ought to be running to reinforce our knowledge of Hilchot Shabbat and seeking ways to add to our observance of the day. The truth is, however, that many of us lack that appreciation for Shabbat, and do not recognize its significance. This is something for us to focus on as our year comes to an end and we have but two opportunities left.
Our Parsha opens with the mitzvah of בִּכּוּרִים – First Fruits. Rashi comments on the well-known first pasuk in the Torah: בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱ-לֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ. He says, the world was created for the sake of the Torah and Yisrael, both of which are referred to as רֵאשִׁית – beginnings. His comments are based on a Midrash (Bereshit Rabbah 1:4) which lists three additional mitzvot in whose merit the world was created, each of which is also referred to as רֵאשִׁית. Firstly, the mitzvah of Challah (רֵאשִׁית עֲרִסֹתֵיכֶם); secondly, the mitzvah of Ma’asrot (רֵאשִׁית דְּגָנֶךָ); and lastly, the mitzvah of Bikkurim (רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתֶךָ).
The world being created for the sake of Torah is easily understandable. Torah is the world’s absolute foundation. For the sake of Bnei Yisrael is also understandable, for without them there would be no point in having a world. But how does Bikkurim make sense in this equation? Are we to believe the world was created for the homeowner who went up to Yerushalayim and brought a couple of pomegranates along with a couple of figs and a few grapes? There is a deeper idea lying behind this statement, and something unique in the mitzvah of Bikkurim for us to explore.
The Midrash asks (Tanchuma, Ki Tavo 1:1), what would happen to an ordinary person wanting to gain audience in front of the king so that he may share his personal requests that can only be addressed by the king himself? What are the odds of this person even reaching the king? Very slim. He’d need to first convince, if not bribe, many henchmen and guards along the way. Furthermore, even if he miraculously reached the king, what are the odds he’ll be listened to? Even slimmer! He’d be quickly redirected to a nearby clerk if not disregarded entirely and dismissed outright, perhaps even tossed out by force. All his efforts would be for naught.
This is not the case, however, with Hakadosh Baruch Hu. As described in the Mishna (Bikkurim 3:1), when an individual enters his field and sees fruit that ripened early, he assembles a few and ties them together with a string. According to Maor VaShemesh, the word used for this string is not חוּט, but rather גֶמִי, which stands for גְּ'דוֹלִים מַ'עֲשֵׂה הַ'שֵּׁם – G-d's deeds are great. The individual then places the fruit in a basket whose construction material reflects his wealth – a gold and silver basket for the wealthy, and a straw basket for the poor – and takes them to Yerushalayim, directly to the courtyard of the Beit HaMikdash.
In that basket, he placed the finest of what grew back home – which for the average non-agricultural worker who has a few trees in the yard, might amount to two small pomegranates, along with two figs, two olives, and two grapes. The total value in his basket might be 15 or 20 shekels worth, and together with the basket made from dried aravot, perhaps a grand total of 30 shekels. Amidst great festivity, he stands before Hakadosh Baruch Hu and pleads for mercy – for himself, for Am Yisrael, and for Eretz Yisrael (Devarim 26:15):
הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קׇדְשְׁךָ מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבָרֵךְ אֶת־עַמְּךָ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵת הָאָדָמָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּ לָנוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבֹתֵינוּ אֶרֶץ זָבַת חָלָב וּדְבָשׁ׃
‘View, from Your sacred residence, from the heavens, and bless Your people, Yisrael and the soil which You have given us, as You swore to our forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.’
This is followed, says the Midrash, by a very bold statement:
וְלֹא עוֹד, אֶלָּא שֶׁהָיָה אוֹמֵר, אֵינִי זָז מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁתַּעֲשֶׂה צָרְכִּי הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה, שֶׁכָּתוּב אַחֲרָיו, הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה ה' אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ מְצַוְּךָ לַעֲשׂוֹת.
And not only that, but he would say, “I am not moving from here until You perform my requirements this day,’ as it is written next to it, ‘This day the Lord your G-d is commanding you to perform.’”
How would an ordinary king, or even an average person with no crown or authority, respond to such an audacious stance and ultimatum? They would likely hand over the keys and say, “No problem, stay as long as you’d like. But me – I’m leaving.” Not Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The Midrash continues:
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, יָצְתָה בַּת קוֹל וְאָמְרָה לוֹ, תִּזְכֶּה לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה וְתָבִיא כְּהַיּוֹם הַזֶּה.
Resh Lakish said, “A heavenly voice comes forth and says, ‘You shall do it again on this day in the coming year.’
The individual would succeed and have their demands met! They’re given a pledge of life to the extent they can cancel their life insurance policy for the coming year. But this image is quite puzzling. How can it be that a person who hauled a thousand korbanot in multiple trailer-tractors doesn’t hear a bat kol and doesn’t receive such a promise in return, whereas someone who brought a 30-shekel gift basket receives such a guarantee of life for the coming year?
The Meshech Chochma says, the name of Hakadosh Baruch Hu – in the form of a yud and heh and yud and heh – appears thirteen times in this week’s description of Bikkurim, suggesting that someone who performs the mitzvah benefits from the י"ג מִדּוֹת שֶׁל רַחֲמִים – the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy. This is also hinted at in Parshat Ki Tisa, where the pasuk רֵאשִׁית בִּכּוּרֵי אַדְמָתְךָ תָּבִיא בֵּית ה' אֱ-לֹהֶיךָ refers to Bikkurim and appears just after Moshe’s invocation of the Midot HaRachamim. There is more to this connection, and to the response of guaranteed life from Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
Leket Yosher speaks of the piyutim we recite on Rosh Hashanah, and how we generally lengthen their recitation through song and extra focus. He questions why we don’t instead focus on, and lengthen, our recitation of Pesukei D’Zimra, given the day’s mission to crown Hakadosh Baruch Hu as Melech. From the start of Elul, the Ba’al Terumat HaDeshen would lengthen his recitation of Pesukei D’Zimra, spending 45 minutes on Baruch She’amar alone! Similar to our practice and timeline, but for the entire davening! I asked myself, why does he lengthen Pesukei D’Zimra more than Shema or the silent Amidah, or any other part of the day’s tefillot? There is a tremendous principle to be learned here with regards to our Avodat Hashem, and it can be derived from our Parsha.
The Mateh Moshe says, amongst the various hints and acronyms in the name Elul, one is found in the chapter of Tehillim each day during the month: לְדָוִד ה' אוֹרִי וְיִשְׁעִי. לוּלֵא הֶאֱמַנְתִּי לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב־ה' בְּאֶרֶץ חַיִּים׃ Were it not that I believed I should see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
The Avodat Kodesh, the holy mission, during the month of Elul, is to see בְּטוּב ה' – the goodness of Hakadosh Baruch Hu.
In our Parsha, there are two primary sections: first, the Bikkurim, and second, the 98 klalot – curses (or “One hundred minus two”, as Chazal refer to them). The first half of the Parsha drives us to serve Hakadosh Baruch Hu in Simcha and Ahava, whereas the goal of the klalot is to instill fear in Bnei Yisrael – לְפָנָיו נַעֲבוֹד בְּיִרְאָה וָפַחַד – that we should serve Him with awe and fear, as fear is the foundation of Malchut – i.e., fearing the King. In the book of Nechemia, it is described how Ezra HaSofer took out a Sefer Torah on Rosh Hashanah and read these klalot aloud. Bnei Yisrael immediately entered a state of fear, as Chazal say what is done on Rosh Hashanah is a sign for the whole year, and here Ezra was reciting curses on that day! After the reading, however, he stood up and proclaimed (Nechemia 8:10):
לְכוּ אִכְלוּ מַשְׁמַנִּים וּשְׁתוּ מַמְתַקִּים וְשִׁלְחוּ מָנוֹת לְאֵין נָכוֹן לוֹ כִּי קָדוֹשׁ הַיּוֹם לַאֲדֹנֵינוּ וְאַל תֵּעָצֵבוּ כִּי חֶדְוַת ה' הִיא מָעֻזְּכֶם
‘Go your way, eat sumptuously, and drink sweet beverages, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy to our Lord: for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
An obvious question can be asked here. If that was to be the outcome, instruction to proceed with joy and positivity, why start by frightening the people with curses? The answer is simple. Ezra wanted the people to receive Yom HaDin – The Day of Judgement, in fear. Upon recognizing they did not enter the day with such a spirit, perhaps a result of confidence gained from all the simanim at their tables the previous night, Ezra read the klalot to push them into such a state on Rosh Hashanah morning. Rashi says (Devarim 29:12), upon hearing the original ninety-eight curses read to them in the desert, הוֹרִיקוּ פְּנֵיהֶם – the faces of Bnei Yisrael faces turned pale. They were horrified. Moshe proceeded to calm them down, explaining that living without fear results in prayers not being answered. They were alive and standing before Hakadosh Baruch Hu on that day – אַתֶּם נִצָּבִים הַיּוֹם כֻּלְּכֶם – but being warned of what would happen should their fear of Hakadosh Baruch Hu wane (Devarim 29:18-19):
וְהָיָה בְּשָׁמְעוֹ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָאָלָה הַזֹּאת וְהִתְבָּרֵךְ בִּלְבָבוֹ לֵאמֹר שָׁלוֹם יִהְיֶה־לִי כִּי בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבִּי אֵלֵךְ לְמַעַן סְפוֹת הָרָוָה אֶת־הַצְּמֵאָה׃ לֹא־יֹאבֶה ה' סְלֹחַ לוֹ כִּי אָז יֶעְשַׁן אַף־יְהוָה וְקִנְאָתוֹ בָּאִישׁ הַהוּא וְרָבְצָה בּוֹ כָּל־הָאָלָה הַכְּתוּבָה בַּסֵּפֶר הַזֶּה וּמָחָה ה' אֶת־שְׁמוֹ מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמָיִם׃
When he hears the statements of this curse, he will imagine self-blessings and think to himself, ‘‘Peace will be my lot when I shall follow what my thoughts envision,’’ so that the unintentional may be added to the sinful [I will add unintentional sins to the intentional]. Hashem will be unwilling to forgive him, because His anger will be aroused and His vengeful fury will enflame against that man, and the entire oath-curse written in this book will cling to him; and Hashem will eliminate his name from beneath the sky.
Only with the proper fear of Hakadosh Baruch Hu, and serving Him through that fear, are our prayers heard and answered. This same Parsha that ends with ninety-eight curses, opens with Bikkurim – namely, an individual coming forth to give thanks for two dates, two pomegranates, two olives, and some dried leaves that were weaved into a basket. He doesn’t send these gifts to Yerushalayim by Fedex or special courier, but rather takes a leave of absence from work to transport them by foot over the course of days and weeks, as part of an elaborate procession witnessed by everyone he passes along the way, and all to show gratitude for 20 shekels worth of fruit! This is true הַכָּרַת הַטּוֹב – recognition and appreciation of good. The Midrash says, he stands before Hakadosh Baruch Hu in the courtyard of the Beit Mikdash and asks, “Ribbono Shel Olam, I am bringing you two gifts from what I was given. Thank you, and I now ask of You, fulfill my needs. Here is my list.” The bat kol responds affirmatively: תִּזְכֶּה לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה.
Yareach L'Moadim describes two approaches to the month of Elul, as seen through Rav Yisrael Salanter and his student, Rav Itzele Blazer. The former dedicated the month to serving Hakadosh Baruch Hu and drawing closer to Him through fear, whereas the latter, his student, chose to focus on לִרְאוֹת בְּטוּב ה' – recognizing the goodness received from Hakadosh Baruch Hu and using the resulting love and gratitude to draw closer to Him. Asked why he deviated from the method of his rebbe, he answered, that his rebbe’s approach was correct and appropriate for his own level. He was complete in his Yirat Shamayim, and true fear of Hakadosh Baruch Hu was within reach and how closeness was achieved. Rav Itzele then explained that he – and presumably the rest of us – are not at that level yet, and it is better for us to seek Hakadosh Baruch Hu through Ahava, ultimately performing Teshuva MiAhava and having our sins transformed into merits. How can we reach that level of Ahava? Through recognition of the good bestowed upon us.
The Chatam Sofer (Drashot, Chelek 3) asks a fundamental question regarding our Avodat Hashem. Why do we daven? Does Hakadosh Baruch Hu not already know what we need? And if He knows, why are we asking for it? And just because we ask, will Hakadosh Baruch Hu change His plans? The answer he provides is astounding. Had Hakadosh Baruch Hu not commanded us to daven, it would be absolutely forbidden for us to do so. But alas, He commanded us, as it says in the Torah: וּלְעָבְדוֹ בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם (Devarim 11:13). The Gemara asks (Ta'anit 2a), אֵיזוֹ הִיא עֲבוֹדָה שֶׁבַּלֵּב – זוֹ תְּפִלָּה – Which is the service of G-d performed in the heart? Prayer. We are commanded to pray, but it is the sequence of our Tefilla tells the full story. The same sequence found in the mitzvah of Bikkurim.
Hakadosh Baruch Hu commanded the individual bringing Bikkurim to stand in the courtyard of the Beit Hamikdash and recite הַשְׁקִיפָה מִמְּעוֹן קׇדְשְׁךָ מִן־הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבָרֵךְ – Look down from Your holy abode, from heaven, and bless (Devarim 26:15). David HaMelech says in Tehillim (61:2): שִׁמְעָה אֱ-לֹהִים רִנָּתִי הַקְשִׁיבָה תְּפִלָּתִי׃ Hear my cry, O G-d; attend to my prayer. Before our prayers, comes our רִנָּה, as in בְּקוֹל רִנָּה וְתוֹדָה – with the voice of joy and praise (Tehillim 42:5). Only after our praise can we add our requests. Only after saying ‘Thank You’ can we begin to present our wish list. The individual bringing Bikkurim can only recite “הַשְׁקִיפָה” after first offering their Bikkurim and showing gratitude for what they have been given – small and large, and stepping out into their field to spot those first fruits was the recognition that spawned it all.
This holds true in our daily Tefilla as well. When may we ask for דַּעַת, רְפוּאָה, גְּאֻלָּה, etc. in our Shmoneh Esrei? Only after praising Hakadosh Baruch Hu and thanking Him for all He’s done, as seen in the paragraph just prior: מִמִּצְרַיִם גְּאַלְתָּנוּ... וּמִבֵּית עֲבָדִים פְּדִיתָנוּ... וְיַם־סוּף בָּקַעְתָּ... וִידִידִים הֶעֱבַרְתָּ... עַל־זֹאת שִׁבְּחוּ אֲהוּבִים. From Egypt you redeemed us… from the house of slavery you saved us… you split Yam Suf… your beloved ones you crossed over… for this your loved ones offer praise.
Similarly, in Birkat HaMazon, we can ask for everything in the lines beginning with הָרַחֲמָן – but that is only after we first say ‘Thank You’ in the earlier paragraphs. Bikkurim teaches us that to receive a blessed year, one must first stop and show appreciation for all that was already received.
A quick look at the order of our special insertions during the Aseret Yemei Teshuva – and the requests within – reveals this pattern. We begin: זָכְרֵנוּ לְחַיִּים... וְכָתְבֵנוּ בְּסֵפֶר הַחַיִּים. We request life – generic and without details. A moment later, we say מִי כָמוֹךָ... לְחַיִּים בְּרַחֲמִים. It is not just any life we seek, and certainly not a life saddled with difficulties. We ask for a life granted mercifully. But again, without details as to what this life entails. Upon nearing the end of our tefilla we then ask וּכְתוֹב לְחַיִּים טוֹבִים. What exactly is a חַיִּים טוֹבִים – a good life, though? It’s now time for an explanation, and we proceed to give all the details: בְּסֵפֶר חַיִּים... בְּרָכָה וְשָׁלוֹם וּפַרְנָסָה טוֹבָה. Our final insert is explicit in what we were asking for from the onset but only now are itemizing. Take note though, that itemization is not sufficient, and we immediately follow it up by adding 44 granular requests in the form of אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ.
How did we go from asking for life, in its most simplistic form, to presenting an extensive list of asks? The answer is, if you know how to לְהִתְכּוֹפֵף (bow down) and say מוֹדִים אֲנַחְנוּ לָךְ – “Thank You for a life full of goodness and miracles, and for each breath and every moment of health,” you’ve now earned the right to ask away for all you need and want. And it is only then that a bat kol will respond: כֵּן תִּזְכֶּה לַשָּׁנָה הַבָּאָה.
May our acceptance of these final two Shabbatot of the year, and our learning of this Parsha with its concepts of gratitude, demonstrate to Hakadosh Baruch Hu our ability to offer appreciation for all the goodness He has given us, and may we, too, merit that all our needs for the coming year be answered by the voice of the bat kol in the courtyard of the Beit Hamikdash, rebuilt speedily in our days.
