Weekly Halacha Yomit: Kitzur Shulchan Aruch

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Daily Kitzur Limud (Week 42)

This week's learning:

24th of Tishrei

12 Oct 09

1:1 -4

25th of Tishrei

13 Oct 09

1:5 - 2:4

26th of Tishrei

14 Oct 09

2:5 - 3:1

27th of Tishrei

15 Oct 09

3:2 -end

28th of Tishrei

16 Oct 09

4:1 - 5:1

29th of Tishrei

17 Oct 09

5:2 -8

30th of Tishrei

18 Oct 09

5:9 -16

"Baruch Hashem Yom Yomi"
Insight on this week's learning
By Daniel Cohen, Programs Director, World Mizrachi

Our learning this week turns to the start of the Kitzur. The entire sefer (book) begins with laws concerning how we behave throughout our daily lives – how we wake up (chapter 1), how we wash our hands (chapter 2), get dressed (2:2; 3:1-6), walk (3:7-8), stay clean (chapter 4) – some of which seem rather mundane. Why is Judaism concerned with how I walk, get dressed and with my level of cleanliness and hygiene?! The answer truly lies in the very first words of the entire Kitzur:

"I have set the Lord always before me" – this is a great principle in the Torah…

Why is this quote from Tehillim (16:8) used here as the opening to the halachic work that is the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch? The answer lies in the meaning of the pasuk. The verse is telling us what our role as Jews is – to always be aware of G-d. While this sounds relatively simple, it seems that our Sages didn’t think it to be that simple – quite the opposite, in fact! This idea is expressed in the Gemara's story regarding Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai and his students while on his death-bed, as explained and expanded upon by Rav Nebenzahl below:

The students assembled to visit him and asked him for a blessing. R' Yochanan ben Zakkai's response was: "yehi ratzon she-tehei mora shamayim aleichem kemora basar vadam" "may it be the will of Hashem that the fear of Heaven be upon you like the fear of flesh and blood". Astonished, they inquired "ad kan?" "that is it?", should not their fear of G-d be greater than that of man? He then responded: "ulevai, tedu shekesh-adam over averia omer: 'shelo yirani adam'" "If only that were so! When a person commits a transgression in private, he says 'o that a person not see me!'" (Brachot 28b). One whose "yetzer hara" overcomes is mainly concerned that other people do not see him sin. Does he not realize that Hashem observes all that is happening? We see that a person's natural tendency is to fear his fellow human being more than he fears Hashem.

Who was R' Yochanan ben Zakkai speaking to? His students were the leaders of Israel! Five of them are listed in the Mishna in Pirke Avot (2:8) with individual praises for each of them… It is very difficult for us to see that such great people did not feel the "shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid" "I have set Hashem before me always" (Tehillim 16:8), is it really possible that they did not realize that Hashem was watching over them?

The answer is that there is a tremendous gap between "veyadata hayom" "You shall know today", and "vahashevota el levavecha" "take to your heart" (Devarim 4:39). All of us reach the level of "veyadata hayom", not only the Tannaim. We recite twice daily, "Hashem Elokenu Hashem Echad" "Hashem is our G-d, Hashem is the One and Only" (Devarim 6:4). In addition, we recite daily "Hashem Hu haElokim baShamayim mimaal ve-al haaretz mitachat ein od" "Hashem is the G-d, in heaven above and on the earth below, there is none other" (Devarim 4:39). We all know and believe that Hashem is watching over us, but this belief is superficial, it is not really on our hearts. We must come to the complete realization, with all our heart, that Hashem is with us at all times and in all places: "bechol makom einei Hashem tzofot raim vetovim" "The eyes of Hashem are everywhere, seeing the evil and the good" (Mishle 15:3).

The Ramma begins the Orach Chaim section of the Shulchan Aruch with "shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid, zeh klal gadol bemaalot hatzadikim" "I have set Hashem before me always, this is a great principle in the greatness of the righteous". It is very difficult to constantly live this feeling. The gap between knowledge, "veyadata hayom" and taking it to heart "vahashevota el levavecha" is very wide, even for the great Tanaim.
[Parshat Ki Tavo 5759, Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl]

Rav Nebenzahl brilliantly highlights how the pasuk we start the Kitzur with is a reminder that as we embark on the study of halacha, specifically those connected with our daily 'mundane' routine, that everything we do, our entire day, should be filled with thoughts of Hashem. This manifests itself in the halachot of waking up and going to sleep – our first activity of the day is to thank Hashem for being able to wake up (modeh ani), and our final activity is saying the nighttime Shema. Thereby, our entire day begins and ends with thoughts of G-d, demonstrating how Judaism is all-encompassing and constant – "shiviti Hashem lenegdi tamid" "I have set the Lord always before me". Our devotion to Hashem is not a once-in-a-while, twice-a-month, or even three-times-a-day pastime. It is tamid – constant and consistent. This idea is found further in a famous Midrash, which mentions this idea of our Judaism being tamid:

The relationship we forge with God cannot be one that is based on our convenience or mood, rather it must embody that which is stated in Tehillim "Shiviti Hashem Lenegdi Tamid" - Hashem is always present before me.

Supposedly there is a Midrash that expresses this very nicely (I say supposedly as I have searched for the Midrash for years without luck and lately I found it quoted by one of the Achronim as a Midrash that he heard but was unable to find). The Midrash is discussing what is to be considered "Klal Gadol" a cardinal rule in Judaism. Three opinions are quoted: The first points to "VeAhavta LeReacha KaMocha" - Love your neighbor as yourself. The second points to the first of the Ten Commandments, and the third quotes "The one sheep in the morning and the second in the evening". When comparing the three positions the most shocking is the last one. While loving ones fellow Jew and belief in God seem to be better candidates I think that based on our ideas above we can, as well, understand the third opinion. The consistency of avodat Hashem the never ending dedication to the task of serving Hakadosh Baruch Hu is indeed a Klal Gadol- a cardinal rule. (my emphasis)
[Tetzave 5763, Rav Ari Shames]

If you have any comments or feedback, please email daniel@worldmizrachi.org.

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