Parshas Devarim (Chazon) 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Aug 1
- 2 min read
והנכם היום ככוכבי השמים לרב ... איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם ... (א-י,יב)
The Torah is constantly metaphorically comparing Klal Yisroel to the stars of the sky, the sand of the seashore, or the dust of the earth. "וכחול אשר על שפת הים ,כעפר הארץ ,וספר הכוכבים ... כה יהיה זרעך". Obviously, there is a limud, a lesson, to be gleaned from each metaphor. As we well know, every mashal needs a nimshal.
R’ Chaim Kanievsky zt”l, in his sefer טעמא דקרא, explains each of the three, and then ties them into the above posuk. Stars illuminate the world from high up. So too, Klal Yisroel through their actions, shine a light upon the world, showing how an eved Hashem or even a human being should act. Sands exist in the trillions. The particles coexist together on the beach, but doesn’t really combine to form an entity. They simply exist, side by side. Earth, on the other hand, can be molded and crafted into a solid mass creating objects such as earthenware vessels. The job of us Yidden is to excel in bein adam lamakom, and bein adam l’chaveiro. Perhaps the sand represents bein adam l’atzmo; a person working on improving his own personal growth as a person and servant of HaKadosh Baruch Hu.
Here, as Moshe Rabbeinu prepares to take leave of his cherished flock, he imparts the following message: Granted, you are like stars now - "הנכם היום ככוכבים". You are even so bountiful, like the sand of the earth - "הרבה אתכם". But I see "משאכם וריבכם", your burdens and quarrels, that you live without unity and are constantly fighting. You’re missing theעפר element, and that causes chas v’sholom, an איכה, a churban.
It is our fervent tefillah that on this Tisha B’Av we strengthen our resolve to live together in harmony, and may we witness the revelation of its change to a moed with the coming of Moshiachבב"א . ציון במשפט תפדה ושביה בצדקה