Written by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis
(based on a derasha from
HaGaon Rav Moshe Sternbuch shlita,
Ravad of Yerushalayim, Leil Shabbos Veschanan )
Just Getting Started
"My Master Hashem, You have started to show your servant (Moshe) Your greatness and Your mighty hand, and proven that there is no one in the Heavens or Earth as great as You " (Devarim 3,24)
Moshe Rabbeinu's words are difficult to understand. Previously he had spent forty days in the Heavens speaking directly to Hashem and receiving the Torah, and had seen the miracles in and leaving Mitzrayim. After all that Moshe had witnessed, how can he only say now that he started to see Hashem?
Moshe Rabbeinu had just been moser nefesh to recite over five hundred tefilos to Hashem, to permit Him to come into Eretz Yisrael. Chazal tell us that Moshe Rabbeinu was certainly not interested in the physical benefits of being their, such as eating the delicious fruit which could not be matched in any other country. Rather he wanted to fulfill the mitzvos of Eretz Yisrael, and achieve a greater level of closeness to his Creator.
Moshe Rabbeinu had seen many of Hashem's miracles. Yet with all that he had seen, it was not enough. No matter how much a person experiences of Hashem's glory, he has not even witnessed an iota of His infinite Magnitude. After all of His tefilos he achieved an even greater level of perception, and it was as if he was only starting to witness Hashem's greatness.
Looking At The Stars
The Almighty has placed billions of stars in the universe, each one bigger than our planet. The Rambam writes in the second perek of Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah that a person is meant to gaze into the cosmos and see the stars and all of His wonders. Immediately he should tremble in amazement after witnessing such glory and splendor, and recognizing his own tininess.
The main purpose of the stars is to express Hashem's glory. Hashem set them in the sky for us to perceive His greatness. At the time of the final din we will all be questioned why we didn't make use of such an opportunity.
The Rambam's directive to gaze into the heavens is not a suggestion. We are obligated to think about that which we see every day and take for granted. We should not squander such an opportunity to imbue our lives with fear and recognition of Hashem.
Divine Reward
Chazal tell us that although Moshe Rabbeinu had great merit, he did not request compensation for his actions in this world. He wanted to save all of his reward for the world to come. Moshe was only interested in a gift from Hashem.
The Yerushalmi explains that it is impossible to compensate a person for his mitzvos in this world. Olam Habah is an eternal spiritual existence. This world is transient and physical with no permanence at all.
The Alter of Norvordok explained that this world is like an expensive restaurant. Pleasures can be enjoyed without limit, but they all most be paid for at the end. Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to save all of his reward for the next world, and therefore asked that he should be a recipient of Hashem's Divine favor.
Adding is Subtracting
Even while searching to perceive Hashem's Greatness in this world one must be wary. The way to find holiness is to follow the Torah's guidelines to the tee. Adding or subtracting from the mitzvos is forbidden, even if the intention is to achieve a greater fulfillment of the Torah.
In our day, Reformed and Conservative Jews have changed the mode of Torah observance. They justify their actions with the above claim that in a modern world it is impossible to keep all of the laws that the Torah lays down. The Torah makes it quite clear that such an argument is baseless, and that the best way to perpetuate the Torah is to follow it in its entirety.
In a similar vein, we are forbidden to count Klal Yisrael. Numbering gives importance to quantity, while the Jewish people's distinction is qualitative and can not be perceived numerically. Only by keeping the Torah in its complete form can we achieve this greatness.
After relating the prohibition to add or subtract from the commandments, the Torah immediately mentions not to follow Baal Peor. The juxtaposition implies a connection between these two concepts. How does adding to the Torah relate to worshiping idols?
Generally, an idol was served by bowing down, kissing, or sacrificing to it. Baal Peor was unlike all other idols, in that it was worshipped by disgracing it in the most vile way. At first glance, one might think that this form of service is actually praiseworthy for it shames the idol. Since this is the form of worship, the Torah prohibits this, and acting in such a manor arouses Divine wrath as by any other type of idol worship.
The message of the Torah is clear. Any philosophies that propose changing the Torah are prohibited, even if they seem logically correct. Although we must love all Jews, all aspects of Reformed and Conservative philosophies must be avoided. In doing so we will merit to see the fulfillment of the verse "And you shall cling to Hashem your G-d and you will be alive" for only this is called true life.
(Rabbi Travis is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim in Yerushalayim and is the author of Shaylos U'Teshuvos Toras Chaim and "Praying With Joy – A Daily Tefilla Companion" a practical daily guide to improving one's prayers, available from Feldheim Publishers. For more information about his work contact dytravis@actcom.com.)
