rashihed.jpg (16002 bytes)

by Dr. Avigdor Bonchek

Introduction

Back to this week's Parsha | Previous Issues


Parashas Ki' savo

Last week (parashas Ki'tezei) we asked the following question:

Deuteronomy 21:11

"And you will see among the captives a woman of beautiful figure and you will desire her and you would take for a wife."

RASHI

"And you will take her for a wife": RASHI: The Torah speaks only in deference to the evil inclination (yetzer hara) "Lo dibra Torah elah keneged yetzer hara." For if the holy One, blessed be he, would not permit her, he would live with her illicitly. However, if he does marry her he will ultimately hate her, as it says afterwards (verse 15) "if a man has [two wives, one beloved and one hated etc.]" And ultimately he will father from her a wayward, rebellious, son; therefore these chapters adjoin one another.

Rashi's comment is amazing! Rashi tells us that since a man in war would in any event take this beautiful gentile woman for his wife, therefore the Torah allowed it ! The wording in the Hebrew is: "Lo dibra Torah elah keneged yetzer hara." The Torah, Rashi says, is giving in to the evil inclination.

Questioning Rashi:

A Question: How can this be so? When does the Torah ever "give in" to the yezer hara? If this were the Torah's approach then any time a man is tempted to do evil, we would expect the Torah to permit the sin on the basis of similar reasoning: "If the Torah does not permit it then he will nevertheless do the sin. So let us make this act permissible." Our question: How can this be so? Can you suggest an answer? Your Answer:

An Answer: The Torah in fact is giving us an important lesson in how one deals with his Yetzer Hara. Based on the Talmudic principle of "pas b'salo" (bread in one's basket) - meaning that if a person is on a trip and has bread in his bag he will not be as hungry as the person who takes a trip without any provisions for the way. Being without food makes one REALLY feel hungry; having the food in easy reach makes one REALLY feel not hungry. If the Torah had said "NO! You can't take this beautiful woman" then one's yetzer would be ignited even more. By the Torah saying "Yes, you can take her, but...." The clout goes out of the seemingly overwhelming desire to have this woman. The Torah says "Yes you can have her, but.... first have her shave her head,... then let her fingernails grow, ....then have her remove her nice garments, ....then have her cry for her parents, ...then, if you still want her you can have her!

This is the Torah speaking AGAINST the yetzer hara - not for it. How one succumbs the yetzer, not how one succumbs to the yetzer. Because the yetzer is so strong in the special circumstances of war where all rules are set aside, where one's usual environmental social pressures are absent, where one can act as he wills without others knowing about it, when all these factors combine in the case of a soldier at war, the yetzer is particularly powerful. In these circumstances the Torah gives an approach to dealing with the yetzer hara with wisdom and cleverness. The rule: Don't say "NO!" say "Yes, but...."

Now to this week's sedra.

Parashas Ki Savo

Deuteronomy 28:46-47.

After the "Tochahcha" (Curse), the Torah says:

46. "They (the curses) will be to you as a sign and a wonder and to your descendents forever.

47. Because you did not serve Hashem, your G-d, in gladness and goodness of heart when everything was abundant.

RASHI

46. When everything was abundant. ("Merov kol") : RASHI: While you had all good things.

Question: Why is this comment necessary? In what way is Rashi enlightening us with this comment? Notice this is brief comment and that is a clue that this is a Type II comment (See "What's Bothering Rashi?" Feldheim publishers, Breishis volume, introduction). That means that Rashi is commenting in order to help us avoid a misunderstanding. What misunderstanding would I have made were it not for this comment?

Your Answer:

Next week IY"H we will suggest an answer.


Back to this week's Parsha | Previous Issues


This article is provided as part of Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Permission is granted to redistribute electronically or on paper,
provided that this notice is included intact.

For information on subscriptions, archives, and
other Shema Yisrael
Classes, send mail to parsha@shemayisrael.co.il

http://www.shemayisrael.co.il
Jerusalem, Israel
972-2-641-8801