With immense pleasure, we will continue to delight in and expand on the incredible chiddush of the Rogatchover Gaon, ztz”l. Let us refer to a teaching in the Gemara (Berachos 8a):
"מיום שחרב בית המקדש, אין לו להקב"ה בעולמו אלא ארבע אמות של הלכה בלבד"—since the day the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, HKB”H only has four cubits of halachah in His world.
To make sense of this, we will refer to another teaching in the Gemara (B.M. 85a, Nedarim 81a): "אמר רב יהודה אמר רב, מאי דכתיב (ירמיה ט יא), מי האיש החכם ויבן את זאת ואשר דיבר פי ה' אליו ויגידה על מה אבדה הארץ, דבר זה נשאל לחכמים ולנביאים ולא פירשוהו, עד שפירשו הקב"ה בעצמו, דכתיב (שם יב) ויאמר ה' על עזבם את תורתי אשר נתתי לפניהם ולא שמעו בקולי ולא הלכו בה, היינו לא שמעו בקולה היינו לא הלכו בה, אמר רב יהודה אמר רב, שלא ברכו בתורה תחילה." This is a statement from Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav elucidating a passuk in Yirmiyah concerning the question of why Yisrael lost their land. The sages and the prophets could not explain the matter until HKB"H explains: “Because they have forsaken My Torah which I put before them.” Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav: This means that they neglected to recite a berachah before engaging in Torah-study.
The commentaries are puzzled by this statement. How is it even conceivable that Yisrael were exiled from their land for such a seemingly minor transgression as neglecting to recite a berachah before one’s Torah-study? The Scriptures are replete with the words of the prophets rebuking the people of Yisrael for performing more serious transgressions. Furthermore, the Gemara states explicitly (Yoma 9:): "מקדש ראשון מפני מה חרב, מפני ג' דברים שהיו בו עבודה זרה וגלוי עריות ושפיכות דמים"—the first Beis HaMikdash was destroyed because Yisrael were guilty of committing the three cardinal sins of idol worship, immorality, and murder. How, then, are we to understand Rav’s statement that Yisrael were exiled from their land because of a failure to recite the berachah before engaging in Torah study?
We find an excellent explanation in the comments of the Turei Zahav (O.C. 47, 1). He explains that the sages and prophets were certainly aware of the fact that Yisrael was exiled on account of its serious transgressions. What they could not comprehend, however, was why their Torah-study did not protect them from committing these sins and from the subsequent punishment. After all, the Gemara teaches us (Sotah 21.): "תורה בעידנא דעסיק בה מגנא ומצלא" — while engaged in Torah-study, one is protected from sinning and spared from punishment. This forces us to conclude that they forgot the Torah and abandoned its ways; therefore, it no longer afforded them protection. This is what puzzled them and ultimately led them to query: "על מה אבדה הארץ" — why was their Torah-study not sustained —a failure that resulted in their exile from the land?
To this Rav says: This question was presented to the sages and prophets, and they were unable to explain the matter until HKB”H explained it Himself, as it is written: “Hashem said, ‘Because they have forsaken My Torah which I put before them; moreover, they did not heed My voice nor follow it.’” To explain this, the Turei Zahav refers to the Gemara (Berachos 63b): "מנין שאין דברי תורה מתקיימין אלא במי שממית עצמו עליה, שנאמר זאת התורה אדם כי ימות באהל"—from where do we learn that words of Torah are not retained except by one who sacrifices himself for its sake? For it is stated (Bamidbar 19, 14): “This is the Torah of a man who dies in a tent.” This means that a person must dedicate himself to studying Torah with toil and exertion by using “pilpul.”
Now, in the Torah, the term "הליכה"—which literally means “walking”—relates to studying Torah diligently. As we learn from Rashi (Vayikra 26, 3): "אם בחוקותי תלכו, שתהיו עמלים בתורה"—“if you follow (walk with) My decrees” means that you should toil in the study of Torah. This then is the explanation provided by HKB”H for the land being lost: “Because they did not heed My voice.” They did not abide by My precepts and committed the three cardinal aveiros. Then He explains why their Torah was not retained, and why it did not protect them: “Because they did not follow (walk with) it.” In other words, they did not toil and immerse themselves in the study of Torah. On the contrary, they did so in a leisurely, nonchalant manner. Therefore, their Torah did not protect them, because words of Torah are only retained by one who sacrifices himself for its sake, studying with toil and exertion.
“To engage in words of Torah” through Labor and Exertion like an Occupation
Continuing in this vein, the Turei Zahav proceeds to unravel Rav’s enigmatic statement: "שלא ברכו בתורה תחילה"—Yisrael were exiled from their land, because they neglected to recite a berachah before engaging in Torah-study. Now, the formula instituted for the berachah over Torah-study is: "וצונו לעסוק בדברי תורה"—and commanded us to engage in the study of Torah. Note that they employed the language of “to engage in” (or to be occupied with) rather than “to study.” Thus, they intended to impress upon us that the essence of the mitzvah of studying Torah is specifically to toil, with dedication and exertion. This is the implication of the term "לעסוק"—it emphasizes the fact that we are supposed to study Torah with “pilpul” and diligent labor like we would conduct a business transaction or negotiation.
So, this is what Rav meant by saying: “They neglected to recite a berachah before studying Torah.” They engaged in Torah-study without the proper mindset and intent conveyed by the berachah of "לעסוק בדברי תורה"; they did not treat it like serious work with diligence and exertion. Instead they learned in a way that was convenient and leisurely without laboring or exerting themselves. Consequently, the Torah they learned was not retained and was not able to protect them. This is the gist of his sacred remarks.
The lesson to be learned from the Turei Zahav is quite clear. The churban was a result of the people being derelict with regards to Torah-study; they neglected to learn with “pilpul” and exertion. Therefore, the main tikun required to extricate ourselves from this bitter galus is to study Torah with proper devotion and focus, in keeping with the formula of the berachah "לעסוק בדברי תורה". Accordingly, we can comprehend the profound statement of Chazal: “Since the day the Beis HaMikdash was destroyed, HKB”H only has four cubits of halachah in His world.” They wished to impress upon us that in order to study Torah she’b’al peh and arrive at the true meaning of halachos, we must employ “pilpul” and exert ourselves.
Based on this, we can add a pleasant tidbit. When HKB”H first appeared to Moshe during galus Mitzrayim, He did so (Shemos 3, 2): "בלבת אש מתוך הסנה"—in a flame of fire from within the thorn bush. Rashi comments: “From within the thornbush” and not in any other type of tree, to convey the message that (Tehillim 91, 15): “I am with him in distress.” In other words, Hashem chose a bush that was full of thorns to convey this message. In keeping with this discussion, we can add that HKB”H appeared to Moshe “in a flame of fire” to allude to him that it is imperative to study Torah which is compared to fire, as it is written (Yirmiyah 23, 29): "הלא כה דברי כאש נאום ה'"—“Behold, My word is like fire,” says Hashem. Additionally, HKB”H appeared to him "בלבת אש" as an allusion to the requirement to engage in Torah-study specifically with toil, exertion, and dialectic (“pilpul”), since we can interpret the word לב"ת as an acronym for ל'עסוק ב'דברי ת'ורה.
The Expansion of Eretz Yisrael in the Merit of the Study of Torah She’b’al Peh
Proceeding along this sublime path, we will explain in greater depth why HKB”H requested that Moshe Rabeinu imbue Eretz Yisrael with the chochmah of studying Torah with the methodology of “pilpul” by viewing the land with his eyes. We will begin by introducing a precious teaching from the teachings of the great Rabbi YehoNasan Eybeschutz, ztz”l, in Tiferes YehoNasan (Re’eh). He investigates the fact that HKB”H refers to Eretz Yisrael in the Torah as a gift. For example, it says (Devarim 11, 17): "הארץ הטובה אשר ה' נותן לכם"—the good land that Hashem gives you. Yet, at other times, He refers to it as an inheritance (ibid. 16, 20): "צדק צדק תרדוף למען תחיה וירשת את הארץ"—righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue, so that you will live and inherit (take possession of ) the land.
To explain the matter, he refers to the following Gemara (Gittin 57a):
"אמר רב יהודה אמר רב אסי, ששים רבוא עיירות היו לו לינאי המלך בהר המלך, וכל אחת ואחת היו בה כיוצאי מצרים, חוץ משלש שהיו בהן כפלים כיוצאי מצרים... אמר עולא לדידי חזי לי ההוא אתרא ואפילו שיתין ריבוותא קני לא מחזיק. אמר ליה ההוא צדוקי לרבי חנינא שקורי משקריתו, אמר ליה ארץ צבי כתיב בה, מה צבי זה אין עורו מחזיק את בשרו, אף ארץ ישראל בזמן שיושבין עליה רווחא, ובזמן שאין יושבין עליה גמדא".
As Rav Yehudah said in the name of Rav Assi: King Yannai had six hundred thousand towns in Har HaMelech, and in every single one there was as many as those who left Mitzrayim, except for three (towns) in which there were twice as many as those who left Mitzrayim . . . Ulla said: I myself saw that place (Har HaMelech), and it could not hold even six thousand reeds. A Tzaduki (Sadducee) said to Rabbi Chanina: You (sages) are lying (regarding the size of Eretz Yisrael)! He answered him that in reference to Eretz Yisrael, it is written (Daniel 11, 41): “In the land of the deer.” With regards to a deer, after it is flayed, its hide is not large enough to accommodate its flesh (its body); so, too, Eretz Yisrael, when people inhabit it, it expands (to accommodate them), but when it is not inhabited, it contracts.
We learn here that the dimensions of Eretz Yisrael are small. But she is called the “land of the deer,” because HKB”H, in His
