Why Did Moshe Break the Luchos?

By Rabbi Moshe Krieger, Yeshivas Bircas HaTorah (www.bircas.org)

In Parshas Eikev, Moshe Rabbeinu recounts to Klal Yisrael the Giving of the Torah and the Sin of the Golden Calf that followed. When Moshe witnessed that terrible event, he smashed the tablets of the Ten Commandments that he had received from Hashem.

How could Moshe have done that? Hashem said that the creation of the world depended on Klal Yisrael’s receiving the Torah (Rashi, Bereishis 1:31). These luchos were the Torah that Klal Yisrael had received — how could Moshe have destroyed them? What if Hashem would not give him a second set of tablets? Moshe did not know this in advance. Even if the nation sinned, was that a reason to break the luchos? On the contrary — rebuking them while holding the luchos would be more effective!

Also, when Hashem gave the second luchos, he commanded Moshe to carve them out of rock by himself (Devarim 10:1). Why? If Hashem forgave them (Rashi, ibid.) and was now re-giving the luchos, why weren’t they the same as before?

Rav Chaim Friedlander answers that the very fact that people among Klal Yisrael were able to descend to the level of the Sin of the Golden Calf showed that the nation was unready to receive the Torah. Moshe had to smash the luchos, as the nation was clearly not prepared for them. Rav Friedlander infers this from the Sages’ teaching that (Shabbos 87a) Moshe did three acts on his own accord, and Hashem agreed with each of them. First, before the giving of the Torah, Moshe separated from his wife, so he would be ready at all times to receive prophecy. Second, when Hashem commanded that the Jews take two days to prepare for the Giving of the Torah, Moshe added an additional day. Hashem agreed with these two decisions, and also Moshe’s third decision, which was to break the first luchos. Since the first two acts mentioned involved preparing for Torah, it follows that the third act — the smashing of the luchos — was connected to preparation for Torah, which was lacking. Moshe was teaching the nation that without sufficient preparation, it was impossible for them to receive the Torah.

Rav Shimon Shkop adds that for this reason, Moshe had to carve out the second luchos by himself. This was a sign to the Nation that from now on, Torah can only be received in accordance with our preparations for it. Just like Moshe carved out the stones by himself, we too must prepare ourselves, with yiras Shamayim and proper middos, to acquire the Torah.

Also, these second, man-made luchos were susceptible to the scourges of nature, showing that even after acquiring the Torah, if one does not continually grow in yiras Shamayim and good middos, he may lose the Torah.

Another reason why Moshe broke the luchos was because they were no longer a benefit for the nation. The first luchos contained the entire Torah, and whatever was learned from them would never be forgotten. Moreover, when the Jews received them, they had reached a state of unity and purity equaled only by Adam HaRishon before the sin. There was no longer a yetzer hara that would hinder them from studying the Torah (see Beis Halevi, Drush 18). For such a nation, luchos that imparted knowledge of the whole Torah automatically and for all eternity would be a benefit. After the Sin of the Golden Calf, however, all this changed. They now had a yetzer hara that they would have to fight. The Sages say that the Torah is a remedy for the yetzer hara (Kiddushin 30b), meaning only one who exerts himself in its study is saved from the yetzer hara. The Chazon Ish (Igeres 1:37) explains that toil in Torah study brings us to purity of heart and enables us to sever ourselves from the empty desires of the yetzer hara. This is why the second luchos were what the nation needed after the Sin of the Golden Calf. This was a Torah they would have to labor in to understand, and after it was understood, it could be forgotten and would require still more effort to be retained. This form of toil enables us to vanquish the yetzer hara.

“Toiling in Torah” sounds like something that applies to yeshiva bachurim, but Rav Dessler points out that this is within every Jew’s reach. When you learn, put all your energy into it, and if you have to stop learning in order to go to work for a few hours, know that you are only stopping your learning in order that as soon as you can, you will resume it. You are not really stopping your learning, because whatever you do in the interim is also for the sake of Torah. You are earning a livelihood so that your children can study in Torah institutions and your family can live in a frum community, etc.  A Jew who lives this way, even if he is not learning all day, his Torah study will help him vanquish his yetzer hara (see Tosafos, Brachos 11a).

The Vilna Gaon (Aderes Eliyahu, Shoftim) states that exertion in Torah study has the ability to change a person’s nature. Base desires and even sinful desires become re-directed to good and proper avenues.

Many bachurim from America come to yeshiva gedola still feeling that they “can’t live without an iPhone,” or other examples of dangerous, modern technology. Others insist that they have to take days off to play ball or go hiking. After getting into learning, these same bachurim discover that have the ability to do without these things, and even during bein hazemanim, when they’re at home and “on vacation,” they make sure to keep a solid learning seder and keep away from their former taavos. Torah study channeled their yetzer hara, and what they desire now is more achievement in learning!

Rav Aharon Cohen, one of the earlier Roshei Yeshivos of Chevron, was once asked by talmidim what they could do to rein in their desire to over-eat.

Rav Cohen asked the Chazon Ish what he should reply to his talmidim.

The Chazon Ish answered that of course, a person has to work on reining in his taavos, but if one accepts upon himself the yoke of Torah study with exertion, this will help him. The Chazon Ish added that from the time that he himself had accepted upon himself to toil in Torah, the taava for food left him.

May our exertion in Torah save us from sin!