On the auspiciously approaching Shabbas Kodesh, we will bless the new month of Nissan. It is called Shabbas HaChodesh signifying that in addition to the regular weekly Torah-reading, we add the following passage from parshas Bo as the Maftir (Shemos 12, 1): "החודש הזה לכם ראש חדשים, ראשון הוא לכם לחדשי השנה"—this month shall be for you the beginning of the months; it shall be for you the first of the months of the year. In this passage, Yisrael were given the mitzvas asei of establishing the month of Nissan, the month of the exodus from Mitzrayim, as the first of the twelve months of the Jewish calendar year.
Thus, it is fitting that we find a connection between the weekly parsha, parshas Shemini, and parshas HaChodesh. We will begin by focusing on the following passuk in parshas Shemini (Vayikra 9, 6): "ויאמר משה זה הדבר אשר צוה ה' תעשו וירא אליכם כבוד ה'"—Moshe said, “This is the matter that Hashem has commanded you to do; then the glory of Hashem will appear to you.” Here is a translation of what our blessed sages expounded on this passuk in the Sifra:
Moshe said to Yisrael, “Remove that yetzer hara from your hearts, so that you will all serve the Omnipresent with the same yirah and purpose . . . If you do this, then the glory of Hashem will appear to you.” The commentaries strive to clarify which specific yetzer hara Moshe Rabeinu was referring to. For, it is as if Moshe is pointing his finger at a specific nefarious yetzer hara that he is instructing them to get rid of. Furthermore, where is this alluded to by the words: “This is the matter that Hashem has commanded you to do”?
The Entire World Was Only Created for “Zeh”
We will begin to shed some light on the subject by introducing a fascinating passage from the Gemara dealing with the wisdom of Shlomo HaMelech in sefer Koheles. Initially, our blessed sages intended to censor it until they realized that it begins and ends with words of Torah. Here is the pertinent passage (Shabbas 30b): "ביקשו חכמים לגנוז ספר קהלת, מפני שדבריו סותרין זה את זה, ומפני מה לא גנזוהו, מפני שתחילתו דברי תורה וסופו דברי תורה, תחילתו דברי תורה, דכתיב מה יתרון לאדם בכל עמלו שיעמול תחת השמש, ואמרי דבי רבי ינאי תחת השמש הוא דאין לו, קודם שמש יש לו. סופו דברי תורה, דכתיב סוף דבר הכל נשמע את האלקים ירא ואת מצוותיו שמור כי זה כל האדם. מאי כי זה כל האדם, אמר רבי אלעזר, כל העולם כולו לא נברא אלא בשביל זה". The sages sought to conceal Sefer Koheles (and not include it in the Ketuvim), because its statements contradict one another. So, why did they not conceal it? Because its beginning consists of “divrei Torah,” and its conclusion consists of “divrei Torah.” Its beginning consists of “divrei Torah,” for it is written (Koheles 1, 3): “What profit does man have for all his labor which he toils beneath the sun?” And the Academy of Rabbi Yanai said (interpreting this passuk): It is under the sun where man has none (profit), but when he labors for that which precedes the sun (Rashi: the Torah preceded the sun), he does indeed profit. Likewise, its conclusion consists of “divrei Torah,” for it is written (ibid. 12, 13): “The sum of the matter, when all has been considered—fear G-d and abide by His mitzvos, for this is all of man (man’s sole duty).” What is meant by “for this is all of man”? Rabbi Eliezer says: The entire world was only created for this person (“zeh”). We will endeavor to explain why Shlomo HaMelech chose to conclude Sefer Koheles with this unique term "זה", which the Gemara interprets as man’s sole purpose in life.
I would like to propose a wonderful explanation for this enigmatic statement of Chazal’s. I found an excellent interpretation of this passage in the sefer Marpeh Lashon, authored by Rabbi Rephael HaKohen (the Chief Rabbi and head of the Beis Din in Altona-Hamburg-Wandsbek). He explains why the sages specifically chose these two pesukim as the basis for keeping Sefer Koheles among the books of Ketuvim rather than removing it.
His fascinating explanation concurs with the following teaching in the Gemara (Pesachim 50b): "רבא רמי, כתיב כי גדול עד שמים חסדך, וכתיב כי גדול מעל שמים חסדך, הא כיצד, כאן בעושין לשמה כאן בעושין שלא לשמה"—Rava pointed out a contradiction. It is written in one passuk (Tehillim 57, 11): “For great until the heavens is Your kindness”; and it is written elsewhere (ibid. 108, 5): “For great above the heavens is Your kindness.” How can this be? The second passuk speaks of those who perform a mitzvah “l’shma”; and the first passuk speaks of those who perform a mitzvah not “l’shma.” Rashi explains: Those who perform “l’shma” are rewarded above the heavens, while those who perform not “l’shma” are only rewarded until the heavens; for, he performed a mitzvah, nevertheless. In other words, when a person studies Torah not l’shma, the Torah he studied remains in Olam HaZeh; it does not reach above the heavens. Conversely, Torah that is studied l’shma ascends reaches Hashem above the heavens and pleases Him immensely.
Accordingly, the Marpeh Lashon explains the remarkable common thread connecting these two statements of Shlomo HaMelech cited by Chazal. We are taught in the Gemara (Sanhedrin 105b): "לעולם יעסוק אדם בתורה ומצוות אפילו שלא לשמה, שמתוך שלא לשמה בא לשמה"—a person should always engage in Torah-study and the performance of mitzvos, even if it is not l’shma (i.e., it is done with ulterior motives), because from doing things not l’shma, he will eventually end up doing them l’shma (with pure, sincere motives). Understood in this light, in the first passuk cited: “What profit does man have for all his labor which he toils beneath the sun?”—Shlomo HaMelech is asking what benefit accrues to a person who studies Torah with ulterior motives—not l’shma. For, as explained, it remains below the sun in Olam HaZeh and does not reach Hashem. Yet, undoubtedly, a person has to develop and climb the spiritual ladder until he is able to study Torah l’shma; it does not happen immediately.
Hence, after beginning Sefer Koheles with this discouraging question, he concludes Sefer Koheles with a definitive answer: “The sum of the matter, when all has been considered—fear G-d and abide by His mitzvos, for this (‘zeh’) is all of man.” In other words, if a person studies Torah not l’shma, he is assured that he will ultimately study Torah and perform mitzvos l’shma. For this reason, the passuk specifically employs the term "מצוותיו"—“His mitzvos”—indicating that the person is doing these things simply because this is what Hashem commanded and not for supposed honor and accolades. This is the gist of his remarkable insight.
A Wonderful Insight from the Ahavas Shalom
Following this line of thought, we will now explain why Shlomo HaMelech chose to conclude Sefer Koheles with the phrase including the term “zeh”: "כי זה כל האדם". We will refer to what the esteemed Rabbi Menachem of Kosov, zy”a, writes in Ahavas Shalom (Vayeishev) with regards to the Gemara (Berachos 3b) that teaches us that David HaMelech used to study Torah all night long: "כיון שעלה עמוד השחר נכנסו חכמי ישראל אצלו, אמרו לו אדונינו המלך עמך ישראל צריכין פרנסה, אמר להם לכו והתפרנסו זה מזה"—at the break of day, the sages of Yisrael would enter his quarters and say to him, “Our master, the King, your people, Yisrael, require parnasah.” He would reply to them, “Go and derive sustenance from one another (‘zeh’ from ‘zeh’).”
The Rabbi of Kosov explains in his own sacred way that the term "זה" alludes to the male, the influencer, as per the passuk (Shemos 32, 1): "כי 'זה' משה האיש לא ידענו מה היה לו"—for this Moshe, the man (who guides us and influences us,) who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we do not know what became of him! In contrast, the term "זאת" alludes to the female who is the recipient, as per the passuk (Bereishis 2, 23): "ל'זאת' יקרא אשה כי מאיש לוקחה 'זאת'"—to this you shall call woman, for from man she was taken.
For instance, a wealthy person who gives tzedakah to a poor person exemplifies the notion of "זה"—he is the influencer. Whereas the poor person receiving the tzedakah from the wealthy person exemplifies the notion of "זאת"—he is the recipient. In truth, however, we are taught in the Midrash (V.R. 34, 8): "יותר ממה שבעל הבית עושה עם העני, העני עושה עם בעל הבית"—more than the householder (the wealthy person) does for the poor person, the poor person does for the householder. Thus, it turns out that both are actually influencers, as it is written (Devarim 15, 10): "נתון תתן לו ולא ירע לבבך בתתך לו כי בגלל הדבר הזה יברכך ה' אלקיך בכל מעשיך ובכל משלח ידך"—you shall surely give to him, and let your heart not feel bad when you give him, for in return for this matter, Hashem, your G-d, will bless you in all your deeds and in your every undertaking. This then is the profound message David HaMelech conveyed to the sages with the response: "לכו והתפרנסו זה מזה"—both the wealthy man and the poor person are performing a function of "זה"—they are both benefitting from each other and being enriched.
Both a Man and a Woman Must Fulfill the Role of "זה"
It now behooves us to explain how this matter relates to every Jew—man or woman. In fact, the Ahavas Shalom (Vayigash) applies this concept both to men and women; they both need to function as influencers—“zeh”—and not just as recipients—“zot.” If they function in this manner, their house will be endowed with berachah, and they will enjoy a plentiful livelihood. Here is summary of his sacred words:
The male is represented by the term “zeh”—an influencer—reflecting “chesed.” The female is represented by “zot”—a recipient—reflecting “din.” Their roles need to be intertwined; the woman cannot be only a recipient, chas v’chalilah. For, then she would not have the ability to influence the head of the household in return, in keeping with the statement of Chazal: “More than the householder does for the poor person, the poor person does for the householder.” Hence, their roles need to be interchangeable. Thus, the name “yud-kei” will dwell among them, and the force of “din” will be ameliorated. “Zot” will be transformed into “zeh,” drawing “rachamim” and goodwill, resulting in “parnasah” (ample livelihood).
To summarize, the holy Ahavas Shalom teaches us an important principle. For a husband and wife to mitigate the forces of “din”—divine judgment—and to draw divine mercy and goodwill to their home, they must both fulfill the role of “zeh,” influencing one another appropriately. To explain this concept, let us refer to the Gemara (B.M. 59a): "אמר רבי חלבו, לעולם יהא אדם זהיר בכבוד אשתו, שאין ברכה מצויה בתוך ביתו של אדם אלא בשביל אשתו, שנאמר ולאברם הטיב בעבורה, והיינו דאמר להו רבא לבני מחוזא אוקירו לנשייכו כי היכי דתתעתרו". Rabbi Chelbo said: A man should always be careful about his wife’s honor, because blessing is found in a person’s house only on account of his wife, as it states (Bereishis 12, 16): “He treated Avram well on account of her.” Thus, Rava told the people of Mechoza: Honor your wives, so that you may become wealthy.
Thus, it should be extremely clear that a woman also functions in the role of “zeh.” For, it is on account of her that HKB”H bestows berachah on a household. This emphasizes the importance of Rabbi Chelbo’s admonition: “A man should always be careful about his wife’s honor.” This is also critical for the wealthy man to understand; the pauper is actually doing him a greater service than he is doing for the pauper. Thus, the profound advice of David HaMelech also applies to a husband and wife: “Go and derive sustenance ‘zeh” from ‘zeh.’” For, when a husband comprehends that his wife also fulfills a role of “zeh,” and he respects her appropriately, their home will most certainly be a place of berachah on account of his wife.
