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THE WEEKLY SIDRA- BEHAR- BECHUKOSAI
Rabbi Moshe Greebel

Without any doubt whatsoever, one of the greatest gifts bestowed upon the Jewish nation, is the gift of T’shuvah (repentance), which not only grants us pardons for our infractions, but also extends to us the opportunity to transform all those infractions into Mitzvos. Illustrating this principle, we begin with a Passuk (verse) from Hoshai’ah 14:8, which reads:

“Those who dwell under His shadow shall return; they shall revive like the grain, and blossom like the vine; their fragrance shall be like the wine of L’vanon (Lebanon).”

This last clause of ‘Their fragrance shall be like the wine of L’vanon,’ is the subject of the Midrash in Vayikra Rabbah 1-2:

“…..Rabbi Shimon Ben Yochai taught, ‘Why is the name thereof called L’vanon? Because it makes white (Malbin) the sins of Yisroel.’ This is indicated by what is written, ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white (Yalbinu) as snow. Though they be red like crimson, they shall be as (white as) wool (Y’shaya I:18).’”

In LaShon HaKodesh, the word for white is ‘Lavan’- a play on the country L’vanon. Nonetheless, from this particular Midrash, we are given to understand that one may not only be forgiven for past sins, but, he may also transform his ‘red’ sins into ‘white’ Mitzvos- white as snow and as wool. This very principle of transform is found as well, in this week’s double Sidra, in the following Passuk:

“If you walk in My statutes, and keep My commandments, and do them.” (Vayikra 26:3)

Concerning the above Passuk, the Midrash Vayikra Rabbah 35-1 cites yet another Passuk from T’hillim 119:59, in the words of Dovid HaMelech:

“I considered on my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies.”

Expounding upon this latter Passuk, the Midrash teaches:

“…..Rav Abba son of Rav Chiya in the name of Rav Yonason explained the verse to mean, ‘I considered’ the blessings and ’I considered’ the curses. The blessings are from (the letters) Alef to Tav, while the curses are from Vav to Hay…..!”

In the second of this week’s Sidros, we have the first Tochacha (rebuking with curses), preceded by the B’rachos (blessings), which begin with the words ‘Im B’chukosye’ (an Alef), and conclude with the word ‘Kom’miyus’ (the last letter of which, is a Tav). The curses however, begin with the words ‘V’Im Lo Sishmu’ (a Vav), and conclude with ‘B’Yad Moshe (a Hay at the end). Returning to the Midrash, we find:

“…..Nay, more! ‘The latter are reversed, signifying,’ explained Rav Abin, ‘that if you are worthy I shall reverse your curses into blessings. When? If you keep My Torah. Hence it is written, “If you walk in My statutes”’”

Now, when it comes to B’rachos, it is simple to understand them running the entire gamut from Alef to Tav (as in A to Z). Yet, when this Midrash speaks of the curses, the gamut is extremely small- from Vav to Hay (only one letter apart in the Alef Bais). And, instead of reversing these letters, should not the Midrash have written, ‘While the curses are from Hay to Vav’ (in the normal alphabetic manner)? Apparently, this Midrash is not so simple to comprehend.

When we examine the text K’hilas Yitzchak (page 163), we are supplied with a very good explanation of what this particular Midrash is telling us, in the name of one Rav Elyakim Getzel of Dvinsk (Russia), of blessed memory.

When it came to the curses, HaShem caused the words to begin with Tav, and conclude with Hay. But, why would the Torah have opted specifically for these two adjacent letters, and not, say, for a Bais and an Alef, or a Gimmel and a Bais, or a Daled and a Gimmel?

The reason, explained Rav Elyakim Getzel, for these two specific letters of Vav and Hay, is that they spell out a word (spelled Vav and Hay), which is ‘Vah’- or, hurrah (a cheer), as we know it. Vah then, is a language of joy and gladness, which can be seen from the P’sichta (introduction- paragraph 6) of Midrash Esther Rabbah:

“…..When the righteous attain greatness, there is joy and gladness in the world- there is Vah! Vah! in the world…..”

This term Vah as joy, can also be seen from the Midrash Koheles Rabbah 7-19:

“…..Through the difference between ‘Vie’ (woe) and ‘Vah’ (hurrah), Rabbi Yochanan escaped death…..”

That is why, reasoned Rav Elyakim Getzel, the Torah specifically opted for the Vav and Hay letters (and their inverted order), to surround the dreaded curses in a format of joy and gladness. That is exactly what the Midrash means when it states, ‘If you are worthy,’ then all the curses will transform into joy and gladness (Vah), because they will then become B’rachos. This then, was the meaning of Rav Abin in the Midrash.

As well, because the curses are placed in a figuratively very narrow space (between the Vav and Hay which are adjacent), there are less curses and more B’rachos. That is why if we are worthy, ‘I shall reverse your curses into blessings.’ Let us strive to be worthy and merited as well, to have all our imperfections transformed into B’rachos.

May we soon see the G’ulah Sh’laimah in its complete resplendency- and in our times. Good Shabbos.

 

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