בית יעקב הכולל פרשת קדושים

Concepts -מושגים

ולא תשבעו בשמי ל'שקר וחללת את שם אלקך אני השם ענין השנויים שלפעמים נאמר אני השם ולפעמים אני השם אלקכם.

The Pasuk says not to swear by the name of Hashem falsely, for you will profane the name Elokecha. The Izhbitzer is going to explain the useages of I am Hashem , and I am Hashem Elokecha as a beginning or ending to the Mitzvos in this week's Parsha, and what swearing falsely means by profaning the name Elokecha.

כי אני השם אלקכם מורה שאל יפול לב האדם מדבר שידמה לא של יוכל להתקיים ואני השם מורה שאל יהרהר אדם אחא מדותיו יתברך

He quotes a teaching from his father (the Mei Hashiloach) that "I am Hashem Elokeichem" means that a person shouldn't be depressed and feel that it is impossible to fulfill that commandment and "I am Hashem" tells us that you shouldn't try to second guess the way Hashem runs the world.

מפני וגבי עושק שכר שכיר ולא תעמוד על דם רעך ולא תקום ולא תטור נאמר באלו שארבע אני השם

שחס ושלום יכול להרהר אחרי מדות השם

Regarding the Mitvzos of not withholding a day labor's wages, not standing idly by when one's fellow's blood is being spilled, not taking revenge and not bearing a grudge, because a person could have questions regarding how Hashem runs the world.

וחללת את שם אלקך אני השם מורה ששם השם לא יתחלל ודבריו חיים וקיימים לנצח. אף שלפי ראות עיני אדם יכול לדמות חס ושלום שכמה הבטחות הבטיח השם ולא נתקיימו

The prohibition of you shall profane the Hashem Elokecha, I am Hashem.This teaches us that Hashem's name will not be profaned, and empty, His words are alive and true, forever, even though it looks that many of Hashem's promises haven't come true.

כי אך מפני האדם נסתר אכל הש"ית אינו מחלל דבריו והם חיים וקיים

Even though it is hidden from the eyes of man, Hashem keeps his word forever.

והנה בעושק שכר שכיר שהקב"ה ביומו תתן שכרו... כי דברי השם השי"ת כמשמרות נטועים וקבועים לעד אך האדם לא ישגם

So in the case of a day worker, we are commanded to pay him his wages at the end of the day, but at the same time, we are commanded to serve Hashem, and He will pay us another day. But we couldn't do that to a worker! Therefore, this Mitzvah concludes with the exclamation I am Hashem- meaning don't ask Me why I am running this world in a way that you don't understand, even if your understanding is based on the Torah! Hashem's laws are deep, and His promises forever, but man does not understand them.

אל תעמד על דם רעךוכתיב קול דמי אחיך צועקים אלי מן האדמה והנה אחריביד השם כל בעולם איך ינוח לעשות כזאת על זה נאמר אני השם למעלה מ

Furthermore, there is a commandment not to stand idly by when a person is being murdered, and yet in Bereshis, the Pasuk says "Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground." Since the world is in Hashem's hands, how did he allow murder to take place, if we are commanded to stop murder, why didn't He? Again the Pasuk says, I am Hashem, meaning this is above the understanding of man.

וגבי לא תקום ולא תטור מצינו פוקד עון אבות על בנים ועל בני בנים ...שהוא רק שאוחזין מעשה אבותיהם...אכן ביאשיהו...אך לא שב השם מרון אפו...ונדמה כי הקב"ה ח"ו נוקם ונוטר

Regarding the commandment of bearing a grudge and taking revenge, we see that Hashem says (Shemos 34:7) that He punishes to third and fourth generations, even though the Gemara says this is only when they continue in the evil ways of their ancestors. The question of Yoshiayhu, the son of Menashe who brought the entire people in to return to Hashem in Teshuva, and the Navi (Melachim II chapter 23) says, there was no one like him in terms of his Teshuva, ultimately he was killed because of Menashe's sins. This seems like Hashem does take revenge and holds a grudge. Therefore, we are told, I am Hashem, it is beyond your comprehension, don't ask Me about this contradiction.

כי באמת מקיים דבריו רק מפני האדם נעלם אבל נמצא בזה טובה גדולה יותר מכפי שכל האדם

The Izhbitzer says, in fact Hashem keeps to all of these things, it's just beyond our understanding how, and its benefit is far beyond our understanding.

והנה נאמר אני השם אלקיכם ואני השם נאמר נגדו אמר אני השם... נגד קדושים תהיו שמורה על שמחה של מצוה ועיקר שמחה אמיתית שהאדם רואה ומשיג גדולה מהשי"ת

When the Pasuk speaks about a Mitzvah which it is concludes I am Hashem Elokechem it is to balance out the Mitzvos of I am Hashem. It is for this reason that the Parsha opens up (Vayikra 19:1) with the statement of be Kadosh, because I am Hashem Elokiechem., to give a person joy in serving Hashem, because the greatest joy is in the ability of a person to recognize Hashem's greatness.

ובזה נאמר אני השם אלקכם. כי רוצה אדם לברר עצמו בזה וראה הוא הפך מעולם הזה ויכול לבא להתרשלות בדעתו. לכן נאמר אני השם אלקיכם שרומז לבטחון שלא יעזוב השם

This is why the phrase I am Hashem Elokeichem, appears, because a person wants to meet Hashem, but he sees this is impossible in this world, and therefore becomes depressed, therefore, when Hashem says be Kadosh, recognize My greatness, a person thinks, but how- and Hashem responds I am Hashem Elokeichem, I won't set up a situation where you can't achieve it.

אכן שנדמה כאשר יחטיא אדם בענין הזה וידמה לו שיש לו איזה רכוש מכחו ועוצם ידו שהשיג. ונקרא נגב שנוטל בלא רשות בעלים וכאשר ירצה לצדק משפטו בשקר נגד זה נאמר ולא תחכשו. כי עיקר הוא שלא יכחש האדם בדעתו נגד השי"ת וכאשר השקר גובר אצלו להעיז פניו נקרה משקר. ולזה נאמר לא תשקרו. ויש יותר העזת פנים שנקרא לשבע לשקר

The Izhbitzer deals with the Psukim which come before commandment of not swearing falsely (Vayikra 19:11-12) stealing, giving contradictory testimony, lying and swearing falsely. A person can twist the concept of Hashem giving a person the ability to achieve and corrupting it into thinking that they own their strength. This is called being a thief, as he takes something which belongs to another owner (Hashem) and keeps it for himself. The Pasuk progresses that when this person wants to try to justify his theft, this is called being a contradicting witness and when this falsehood gains strength within him, he is called a liar, until the point that a person who brazenly lives like this is called someone who swears by this falsehood, he swears that he is living in this twisted reality. Therefore the Pasuk says that a person profanes the name Elokecha, because Hashem gave the person the ability to achieve and understand, with the name Elokecha, and this person has taken that opportunity, and twisted it to create his own reality and swears by it.

גם זה נאמר לא תגנובו לא יעלים אדם על דברי תורה כי אדם רואה שהכל מהשם הוא יש לא טובת עין לגלות לחבירו כל מה שאדם יודע כי אינו מנושא

Also another concept of not stealing is that a person shouldn't withhold Divrei Torah, when a person sees that it is all from Hashem, he is generous in revealing what he knows to his fellows and is does not come to conceit because of it. This could be considered stealing because Hashem gave the person to understand, it does not come from the learner at all. A person could make the mistake to believe that they are the one who achieved and as a result, withhold Torah from other people, thinking that it belongs to them. This is stealing Hashem's glory for himself, the torah belongs to Hashem and they have no right to act in such a way.

זה דאיתא במסכת פסחים נ.

There was a story in Pesachim where Rava wanted to expound upon the meaning of Hashem's name. An old man (Eliyahu hanavi) stopped him by saying that this should be hidden. The Izhbitzer explains that Rava did not see a problem disclosing the secrets of the name of Hashem to everybody, it was Torah that Hashem had given to him, therefore he must share it. The old man (Eliyahu Hanavi) said even though you are correct that it is all Hashem's Torah by the same virtue this specific area, of Hashem's name should not be revealed. This is a similar concept of profaning the name Elokeicha, that due to the fact that Hashem gives the ability to understand, it could lead to His name being profaned. In this Gemara we can understand the Pasuk being read, "don't steal- by holding back Torah, but don't profane the name Elokeicha- by revealing things that are not for public consumption, such as the name Hashem."

Izhbitzer Twist

In a many Izhbitzer Toras we are often faced with navigating with many concepts that are true and trying to learn what is within the human ability to make sense of the contradictions of life.

Practical Advice

When we are caught between two truths that seem contradictory, Hashem tells us, don't try to understand the way that I work. But then we can become depressed, if that is the case, that we are all walking around in the dark, we really don't understand anything so much is outside of our abilities, so what's the point of doing anything? Hashem says, I am giving you the ability to achieve, and to understand. Don't give up but don't make the mistake that these abilities afford you, to create an independent artificial reality or to withhold Torah.

During these days of Sefira, where we are touched by the deaths of Rebbe Akiva's Talmidim died for not sharing Torah with each other, we are called to share what we know, and not to hold back Torah from others.