We are now getting ready for Shavuot. Shavuot is, of course, a very important Yom Tov- it’s one of the 3 Regalim. But I’d like to share an important Gemarah, that shows that Shavuot can be a turning point.
The Gemara, in Masechet Megillah, tells us that Ezra HaSofer enacted for the Jewish people, to read, twice a year, the curses. Once before Shavuot, and once before Rosh Hoshana, with the same theme:
כדי שתכלה השנה וקללותיה:
In order that the year, and the curses, end
After each of these readings, we start talking about blessings. After Shavuot, the first Parasha is usually Nasso, which has Bircat Kohanim, and after Rosh Hashanah we have Zot Haberacha.
So, there is an end of the year, and its cursing, and תחל שנה וברכת
And the “new year” and the blessings will begin.
Why is Shavuot called “Rosh Hashanah- a new year”?
Many explain that it’s because we accept a renewal of the Torah on Shavuot. But regardless of why it’s called Rosh Hashanah, we see the concept of the year and the curses ending, and the new year and blessings beginning. What is the secret behind this?
Throughout Parashat Behar, there is one theme of Shemittah and Bitachon. Rely on Hashem, take a full year off from work, and show that G-d owns the land, as we discussed this past Friday.
Then, the next Parasha, Bechukotai, where it says Bechukotai Telechu, is about dedicating yourself to learning. After that, when it says that you did not dedicate yourself to learning, it goes on to list 49 curses. There are two reasons brought down for the curses: one is not dedicating yourself to learning, and the other is not keeping the laws of Shemittah.
The Hida says these reasons are really one in the same. The lack of Bitachon, which is indicated by not keeping Shemittah, is what causes the person not to be able learn. The underlying faults in all our religion trace themselves back to a lack of Bitachon. So in essence, all of the blessings and all of the curses hinge on our having Bitachon, or the lack of such.
With that being said, we will study some pesukim in Yirmiyah, chapter 17 (which is the haftara of Parashat Bechukotai- an indication that the rabbis chose these particular words from the Navi, as they best fit the message of the Parasha.)
Here we see a very revealing point:
כֹּה אָמַר יְדֹוָד אָרוּר הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בָּאָדָם
So says G-d, Cursed is the person who relies on man
וְשָׂם בָּשָׂר זְרֹעוֹ
And makes his flesh his strength
וּמִן יְדֹוָד יָסוּר לִבּוֹ
And removes his heart from G-d.
On the other hand, בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּידֹוָד וְהָיָה יְדֹוָד מִבְטַחוֹ:
Blessed is the man that relies on Hashem, and Hashem is his reliance.
So, we see clearly that the curses and the blessings hinge on Bitachon, or the lack of such. And this is directly connected to Shemittah, because, as Rashi says, Who is this man that relies on people? It’s the man that says, “Oh, I need to work the fields during shemittah. I can’t leave my field for a year! I make the money.” That’s considered ה׳ יָסוּר לִבּוֹ -leaving G-d.
G-d promised us that if we keep Shemittah, “I will command My blessing upon you.”
Rashi is saying that these blessings and curses come directly from either believing, or not believing, in the blessings of G-d.
The Bet HaLevi says something interesting about this. Imagine someone walks out of shul alongside a great Kabbalist, and somehow they get into a discussion, where he upsets the Kabbalist, and the Kabbalist curses him (this is a made up story- a real Kabbalist wouldn’t get upset for no reason).
The man would be petrified! He just got cursed by a great Kabbalist! Now imagine that it wasn’t just a Kabbalist that curses him- it was the Arizal- the greatest of all Kabbalists! He would be really petrified! The Bet Halevi asks- is there anything worse than a curse coming from a prophet- from G-d??
כֹּה אָמַר יְדֹוָד -So says G-d-אָרוּר הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בָּאָדָם -Cursed is the one that relies on man.
On the other hand- בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּידֹוָד-Blessed is the man that relies on Hashem.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t work, or that you shouldn’t put effort forth- but who are you relying on? Don’t rely on people.
The Bet HaLevi points out how foolish this is.
There is nothing more guaranteed than a curse from G-d. So, a person goes and relies on a human being, who may or may not be able to help him, and he’s guaranteeing, has v’shalom, a curse upon himself- from G-d.
But when a person relies on Hashem, besides the fact that he’s relying on G-d and bitachon is a tool, there is an added blessing- you relied on Hashem and you just got a blessing! This is the new twist: People wait on long lines to get blessings from great Rabbis. And here we are getting a blessing from Yirmiyah HaNavi!! It’s not just that Bitachon brings blessing. Rather, you just got blessed by a prophet, because you did your Bitachon!
BeH Tomorrow, we will discuss, at greater length, that there are two sides of this coin.
This is an introduction into holiday of Shavuot, and as we are in the final countdown to Shavuot, we should have this in mind.
Have a wonderful day.