Parshiot Acharei Mot-Kedoshim
8 Iyar 5762
April 20, 2002
Daf Yomi: Baba Batra 31


Guest Rabbi:
Rabbi Shlomoh Efraim of Luntchitz (aka Kli Yakar)

The following Dvar Torah is the commentary of Kli Yakar - Rabbi Shlomoh Efraim of Luntchitz born: Luntchitz, Poland, 1550; died: Prague, Bohemia, 1619

�Like the way of the land of Mitzrayim in which you dwelt, you shall not do. And like the way of the land of Canaan to which I am bringing you, you shall not do, and do not follow their statutes. Rather, My commandments shall you do, and My statutes shall you follow...� (Vayikra 18:3-4)

The verse is blaming Bnei Yisrael for being disgusted with the Holy Land, which was dear to our forefathers, and instead they despised it to the point where it was necessary for HaShem to bring them there against their will, thanklessly. And that is the intention of the verse when it says, "And like the way of the land of Canaan", like the way in which you acted in the land of Canaan. And what was that action? The verse continues: "to which I am bringing you". It is plainly visible to all that I am bringing you there against your will. For in the encampment of "Eilim" the Jews said "If only we had died by the hand of HaShem in the land of Mitzrayim" (Shemos 16:3). The spies said "Let us appoint a leader and return to Mitzrayim (Bamidbar 14:4). And on this point also, our Sages commented: "The Land was endeared to the women, while the men despised it" (Bamidbar Raba 21:10). This was also the reason that required HaShem to circumvent their path to the Yam Suf, by way of the desert, so as to prevent them from returning to Mitzrayim.

All of this proves that the Holy Land, which was chosen from the days of our forefathers as a holy and pure place, and in which many of the Mitzvot of the Torah are dependent, was despicable to the Jews to the point where HaShem had to bring them there against their will, and to carry them there by the wings of eagles like a nurse carries an infant. And this through a roundabout desert route, to prevent them from going back to Mitzrayim. Do not continue to do this, the verse commands. Rather, go willingly to the place that HaShem has chosen, for this is the single place in which to fulfill all of HaShem's commandments and statutes.

And following the order of each statement, the verse explains the reason of each of the two statements. On that which the verse commanded not to seek a permanent residence in the defiled land of Mitzrayim in order not to learn from their abominable acts, the verse gives the reason that "do not follow their statutes". And on the latter commandment to go to the Holy Land in order to fulfill those laws which are dependent on the Land, the verse gives "Rather, My commandments you shall do" as its reason, for they are the laws of the G-d of the Land. A brief biography on Kli Yakar:

Shlomoh Efraim was a disciple of Rabbi Shlomoh Luriah (MaHarShaL) the famous talmudist and author of Yam shel Shlomoh. After leading the yeshiva in Lvov, Rabbi Shlomoh Efraim was appointed rabbi of Prague. A spellbinding orator, he inspired his listeners with fiery sermons, which were published. His most important work is the popular commentary on the Torah, Kli Yakar, in which he expounds the text in a homiletic style. It is very readable and has a captivating quality. It is published in many editions of the Chumash.

The above excerpt is from: Great Commentators, by Rabbi Avraham Yaakov Finkel; Jason Aronson, Inc. 1990