I am writing this D’var Torah on the 12th of Av. My grandfather passed away on the 12th of Av 17 years ago. I am, therefore, writing this D’var Torah in his memory – מרדכי בן משיח, ע"ה.
This week’s parasha, Va’etchanan, is really loaded. There are many important and beautiful passages. Just flip through and you’ll see for yourself.
I would like to discuss a specific mitzvah taught in this week’s parasha. “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you subtract from it” (Devarim 4:2). This mitzvah is very logical. There are 612 commandments in the Torah, and there is a 613th commandment that tells us not to tamper with the first 612. Don’t add anything and don’t subtract anything. You can’t say, “I don’t like #45, #237, and #569. I’m just going to forget about those three – there are still plenty without those three.”
I just explained why we can’t subtract from the commandments. Imagine if we had the choice to forget about some of the mitzvot – perhaps some people would forget about all of them. So the phrase, “nor shall you subtract from it,” makes a lot of sense. But why can’t we add to the mitzvot? What’s the problem if I want to keep an extra holiday? What if I want Succot to last one more day? So what if I keep an extra day of Succot? Is that so bad? What if I decide I want to keep two days of Shabbat a week? Or if I want to put a fifth strand of tzitzit on my clothing? Or let’s say during Succot, I decide to shake a watermelon together with my lulav and etrog? I LOVE WATERMELON! What’s wrong with adding mitzvot to our Torah?
To explain the problem with adding mitzvot, I would like to bring a story (originally offered by the Maggid mi’Dubno):
There is a man named Shmuli. Shmuli has a very generous, giving neighbor, Moisheleh. Shmuli would always borrow utensils from Moisheleh. One time, when Shmuli borrows one spoon, he returns two spoons. Moisheleh asks, “Why are you giving me two spoons? I only gave you one!” “Well,” responds Shmuli, “while I was using your spoon, it got pregnant and gave birth to a second spoon. So this second spoon really belongs to you!”
The next day, Shmuli borrows a pot, and the following week, he returns two pots, claiming that the first pot got pregnant and gave birth to a second pot. He then borrows a plate and returns two plates. He borrows one bowl and returns two bowls.
One night, Shmuli tells Moisheleh that he is having a huge party and is inviting all of his friends. He asks Moisheleh if he can borrow his huge, golden chandelier. This chandelier has an estimated value of $20 million, and Shmuli really wants to impress all of his friends. Moisheleh thought to himself, “If I let him borrow this chandelier, he’s going to return two! This will be the best business deal of my life.” Not only did Moisheleh let Shmuli borrow it, but he even paid someone to install it in the center of Shmuli’s dining room.
The party comes and all of Shmuli’s friends are impressed with the gorgeous chandelier. The next day, Moisheleh sees Shmuli and, holding back his excitement, he asks Shmuli, “So how was my chandelier? Are you ready to bring it back?” Shmuli responds, “Moisheleh, I’m so sorry, but late last night, as I was cleaning up, the chandelier had a heart attack and died. I buried it this morning.” Moisheleh laughs uncontrollably and says, “That’s a good one – heart attack! Ha. Your sense of humor never ceases to amaze me. Funny guy… But seriously though, whenever you’re ready, I would like to have my chandelier back.” “Moisheleh, I wasn’t kidding. It’s dead.” “Shmuli, are you crazy?!? Chandeliers don’t have heart attacks! They don’t die!” Shmuli responds, “Do spoons give birth? Do pots have children? Can bowls get pregnant? Well, you believed me when I said those stories. So you’ll believe me now when I say the chandelier had a heart attack and died.”
The next day, Shmuli borrows a pot, and the following week, he returns two pots, claiming that the first pot got pregnant and gave birth to a second pot. He then borrows a plate and returns two plates. He borrows one bowl and returns two bowls.
One night, Shmuli tells Moisheleh that he is having a huge party and is inviting all of his friends. He asks Moisheleh if he can borrow his huge, golden chandelier. This chandelier has an estimated value of $20 million, and Shmuli really wants to impress all of his friends. Moisheleh thought to himself, “If I let him borrow this chandelier, he’s going to return two! This will be the best business deal of my life.” Not only did Moisheleh let Shmuli borrow it, but he even paid someone to install it in the center of Shmuli’s dining room.
The party comes and all of Shmuli’s friends are impressed with the gorgeous chandelier. The next day, Moisheleh sees Shmuli and, holding back his excitement, he asks Shmuli, “So how was my chandelier? Are you ready to bring it back?” Shmuli responds, “Moisheleh, I’m so sorry, but late last night, as I was cleaning up, the chandelier had a heart attack and died. I buried it this morning.” Moisheleh laughs uncontrollably and says, “That’s a good one – heart attack! Ha. Your sense of humor never ceases to amaze me. Funny guy… But seriously though, whenever you’re ready, I would like to have my chandelier back.” “Moisheleh, I wasn’t kidding. It’s dead.” “Shmuli, are you crazy?!? Chandeliers don’t have heart attacks! They don’t die!” Shmuli responds, “Do spoons give birth? Do pots have children? Can bowls get pregnant? Well, you believed me when I said those stories. So you’ll believe me now when I say the chandelier had a heart attack and died.”
If someone adds rules to the Torah, he will get used to bending the rules. Once he begins bending the rules, it won’t be long before he starts subtracting from the Torah, as well. It is very important not to add to the Torah because it will eventually lead you to being lenient in other areas. And you may think that it’s a great thing to add – but it isn’t. “You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor shall you subtract from it” (Devarim 4:2). The Torah doesn’t want our favors. Don’t do more than you’re required to do, because it will only have terrible results.
May we all focus on the many mitzvot that we have in front of us.
Shabbat Shalom!
Yours truly,
Avraham Adam Sabzevari
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For questions, comments, criticisms, or suggestions, please email adamsabzevari@gmail.com. We are awaiting your feedback. :)
www.adamstorah.blogspot.com
Shabbat Shalom!
Yours truly,
Avraham Adam Sabzevari
--
For questions, comments, criticisms, or suggestions, please email adamsabzevari@gmail.com. We are awaiting your feedback. :)
www.adamstorah.blogspot.com
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