Parshas Devarim (Chazon) 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
ותרגנו באהליכם ותאמרו בשנאת ה' אתנו הוציאנו ממצרים... (א-כז)
MASHAL: A poor soldier in Czar Nicholai’s Russian army struggled with a severe drinking addiction. One evening, desperate for a drink, he begged an innkeeper for a drink on credit. The innkeeper refused unless provided with collateral. With nothing else to give, the soldier offered his military- issued weapon, promising to redeem it later. To conceal his missing gun, the soldier stuffed his carrying bag with straw.
Shortly thereafter, Czar Nicholai arrived for a surprise inspection of the military base. The Czar observed the troops, most of whom carried their weapons in similar bags. While the Czar was generally pleased with the camp’s discipline, he abruptly pointed to the drunken soldier and demanded he open his bag. Terrified, the soldier complied, revealing the worthless straw. He was severely punished.
R’ Asher of Stolin zt”l explains: What gave him away? The other soldiers strained under the heavy weight of their actual ammunition. This soldier, however, carried his straw-filled bag effortlessly. The lack of struggle betrayed his empty bag.
NIMSHAL: Moshe rebukes the nation for seeing a struggle in conquering Eretz Yisroel. There’s a fascinating lesson here: For years, they lived a miraculous, “weightless” existence; Mann, free water, the Clouds of Glory fought their battles. When faced with the prospect of entering Eretz Yisrael which required fighting physical wars, plow earth, and building a society, they unfortunately collapsed. We too face obstacles and often react the same, thinking this or this is too hard. Yet the opposite is true. The heavy lifting is the very proof that you are acquiring something real.