Parshas Acharei Mos-Kedoshim 5775
In this week’s parsha appears the basis for all Rabbinic decrees, such as muktzeh, yichud, stam yeinam and more. These laws, which make up so much of our day-to-day lives as Torah observant Jews, are designed to protect us from accidentally stumbling into a transgression of Torah law. The halachic basis for these decrees comes from the verse, “Ushmartem es mishmarti — you shall guard what I have given you to guard” (18:30). The Rambam (Mamrim 1:2) states that if a Jew transgresses a Rabbinic decree, with this he has in fact violated a Torah command (an issur d’Oraisa).
The Sages add (Avoda Zara 35a) that Rabbinic decrees are more precious to us than the Torah itself! This seems exaggerated. Even if Rabbinic decrees are given the same severity as Torah commands, how can they be more important? Rabbinic decrees are designed to protect against violating the Torah. Doesn’t that mean that the Torah is more important, and that Rabbinic decrees serve only an auxiliary purpose?
Rabbeinu Yona (Shaarei Teshuva 3:7) answers that a law’s importance is not measured by who said it, the Torah or Chachamim, but rather the yiras Shamayim it expresses. Yiras Shamayim is Hashem’s principal demand of us (Devarim 10:12), and scrupulous observance of the Rabbinic decrees is a prime expression of yiras Shamayim. When a Jew is willing to keep not only Torah law but to uphold the fences of the Chachamim designed to prevent the slightest risk of sin — this demonstrates true yiras Shamayim.
Rabbeinu Yona goes on to say (Avos 1:1) that were a person to keep only the Torah law and not Rabbinic decrees, he would come very close to transgressions, and whether he actually stumbles into them or not, the fact that he does not care to keep far away from them shows his lack of yiras Shamayim.
Sometimes, observing the Rabbinic decrees is not enough. The Mesillas Yesharim (chapter 13) states that if one sees that he has even a slight leaning toward a certain sin, it is up to him to make decrees of his own to stop this. These special fences are his own unique work in yiras Shamayim.
If we would assess our ways, we would surely find fences in need of repair. Do we “accidentally” move muktzeh on Shabbos? In office settings, are we alert to potential yichud situations? And as for personal fences we should make, are we careful to avoid situations or events where we may be exposed to lashon hara? We must each find ways to address our specific leanings toward sin, and in general, to shake ourselves out of indifference and get to work building our yiras Shamayim.
To be mechazeik people in this important task, Rav Chatzkel Levenstein would advise that we remind ourselves regularly of the fact that there is “s’char v’onesh“–reward and punishment for all of our deeds. We start our day with a key reminder of this in keriyas Shema—”Beware lest your heart be seduced and you turn astray and serve gods of others and bow down to them. Then the wrath of Hashem will blaze against you…” When we say these words, now is the time to instill this message into our consciousness — every one of our actions will be scrutinized, leading either to reward or, chalila, punishment.
Next, consider the sobering examples of s’char v’onesh in the Torah. Adam and Chava, the Flood, Hashem’s punishment of the Egyptians and more. Even those closest to Hashem were not spared His punishment. A word spoken in anger kept Moshe Rabbeinu from entering Eretz Yisrael, and a few words spoken about Moshe incurred for Miriam tzara’as, and there are many more examples. Klal Yisrael to this day is being punished with exile (even those of us who live in Eretz Yisrael). If we think about all this, it will become more and more clear to us that there is no such thing as “getting away with” misdeeds.
Rosh Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim Harav Chanoch Leibowitz suggests another way to grow in yiras Shamayim — observe the gadlus of the talmidei chachamim of our times. He would cite the Midrash (Tanchuma Behaalos’cha 11) in which Abba Hakohen Bar Pappa used to avoid passing by areas where Jews were sitting down so as not to obligate them to stand up in his honor, explaining: “I don’t want to impose on the people.”
Rav Yosef Bar Zavida refuted him: “You must stand before them, so they can see you and stand up before you, as through this you will bring them to yiras Shamayim.”
The Chachamim are the representatives of Hashem in this world, explains Rav Leibowitz, and therefore the more we behold their greatness, the more of a sense of awe we develop. This awe in turn builds up our fear of Hashem (see Pesachim 22b).
Once, when the Beis Avraham of Slonim was in the town of Kamenitz, he surprised the chassidim who were accompanying him when he attended the shiur of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz, sitting together with the bachurim of the yeshiva. Afterwards, he explained to them, “I wanted to watch Rav Baruch Ber as he said the words ‘zogt der heiligeh Rashba‘ (the holy Rashba says). Just observing his sense of awe as he says those words is a lesson in yiras Shamayim.”
May we be zoche to build our yiras Shamayim and keep far from sin!