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Shabbat Parashat Nitzavim Vayeilech 5777Ein Ayah: Despising Evil from the Root of the Tribe(condensed from Ein Ayah, Shabbat 5:45)Gemara: [We continue with the question of whether Reuven literally slept with his father’s concubine or not.] It was said in a baraita: Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: That tzaddik (Reuven) was protected from sin, and the sin [as described literally] did not come his way. How is it possible that his offspring were destined to stand on Mt. Eival and pronounce, “Cursed is he who lies with his father’s wife” (Devarim 27:20), and he would come to perpetrate that sin itself? Ein Ayah: Sins are violations of the foundations of ethics and are firmly entrenched in the nature of the internal sanctity of the Israelite soul. Hashem bestowed upon us this legacy that we inherited from our forefathers that enables us to abhor such sins. Hashem commanded the performance of the ceremony at Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Eival, [in which the nation declared the consequences under which the people would be worthy or blessing or, Heaven forbid, curses]. This was in order to cause the Jewish internal nature of a foundation of justice to emerge from the hidden potential into actuality. The idea was that in the beginning of the nation’s entering the Land, they should strongly declare their general opposition (i.e., before anyone necessarily sinned) to those who ignore morality and do abominations. This is in addition to the great step of accepting all the laws of the Torah, both in terms of their general principles and their details. Thus, this event at Mt. Eival demonstrates the recognition of the nation’s deep spiritual moral tendency, which is the reason that the whole nation was commanded to answer “Amen” (ibid.). The natural tendency to despise evil and abominations comes as an inheritance, and it is a legacy from our holy forefathers. This demonstrates that the forefathers must have had a nature of purity that was set firmly in their hearts to hate evil, lowly, and objectionable behavior. Such bad things are an insult to the soul of the upright, godly individual. Such a person would never have, at any time, a tendency to be attracted to such disgusting things, let alone to perform them. Top of page
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We daven for a complete and speedy refuah for: David Chaim ben Rassa Lillian bat Fortune Eliezer Yosef ben Chana Liba Yehoshafat Yecheskel ben Milka Ro'i Moshe Elchanan ben Gina Devra Together with all cholei Yisrael Hemdat Yamim is dedicated to the memory of: in wars for our homeland and Members of Eretz Hemdah's Amutah is the 10th of Iyar z"l who passed away on 9 Tishrei, 5776
Sivan 17, 5774 Rav Carmel's father, who passed away on 8th of Iyar 5776
bat R’ Moshe Zev a”h. who passed away on 10 Tamuz 5774
who passed away on Kislev 9, 5769 Yechezkel Shraga Brachfeld o.b.m and Chana bat Yaish & Simcha Sebbag, z"l Mrs. Doris Moinester who passed away on the Rav Benzion Grossman |