Parshat
Devarim
4 Elul 5767
August 18, 2007
Daf Yomi: Yevamos 107
Guest
Rabbi:
Rabbi Pesach Lerner
Executive Vice President
National Council of Young Israel
The Torah tells
us (Deuteronomy 21:1-9): “If a dead body is found on the land…
it is not known who smote him. Your elders and judges should go
out and measure toward the cities that are around the corpse.
And it shall be the city nearest the corpse and the elders of
that city shall take a heifer… The elders of that city should
bring the heifer down to a harsh valley and they shall axe the
back of its neck in the valley. And the Kohanim, the sons of
Levy, shall approach because HaShem, your G-d, has chosen them
to serve Him and to bless in the name of HaShem and according to
their word will be every grievance and every plague. And
the elders of that city… and they shall respond and say, Our
hands have not spilled this blood and our eyes did not see.
Atone for Your people Israel. . .”
We understand
the need for the elders of that city to be involved in
the atonement process – to atone for a murder that took place
near their city. But why (in sentence 5) are the Kohanim called
upon? And why, according to Rash’s comment (in sentence 7) is
it specifically the Kohanim who say “Atone for Your people
Israel. . .” (of Pasuk 8)?
HaRav Zalman
Sorotzkin, z’tl, in his commentary on Chumash, Aznayim L’Torah,
expands on these questions. Why, he asks, was it necessary to
involve the Kohanim and why was it necessary to explain to us
who the Kohanim are? The Parsha of Shoftim is in the middle of
the book of Devarim, the fifth book of Chumash. We already know
that the Kohanim are from the tribe of Levy. We already know
that they were chosen by G-d to serve Him, to bless the Jewish
people in G-d’s name, to inspect all plagues, etc. What is the
purpose of this seemingly unnecessary information?
Explains HaRav
Sorotzkin – not only do the elders of that city need to declare
“our hands have not spilled this blood” – we did not see this
visitor to our community nor did we not accompany him to his
destination but the Kohanim specifically must declare – we had
no part in this murder. Why the Kohanim? Because – the Psukim
here inform us – it is the job of the Kohanim to “Bless in the
name of HaShem.” It is the job of the Kohanim to bless (see
Bamidbar, Parshat Nasso 6:22-27) the Jewish people, “May
HaShem bless you and safeguard you. May HaShem illuminate His
countenance for you and be gracious to you. May HaShem turn his
countenance to you and He will give you peace.”
If the Kohanim
would be blessing the Jewish nation with the proper kavanah –
intent, with a loving heart, then shalom – peace, would be
guaranteed throughout the land and no murder could ever occur.
And this is the conclusion of Pasuk 5, “and according to their
word” – their blessing, the success of their prayers – will be
or not be every grievance and every plague.
Therefore, if a
murder did take place, it is, in part, the fault of the Kohanim.
They have not properly blessed the Jewish nation with “And He
will give you peace” and as such, they too must ask for
atonement.
The Rambam at
the end of Sefer Zeraim, (Hilchos Shmitah V’Yoval Chapter 13
Halacha 12) states, “And why did the Levi not merit an
inheritance in Eretz Yisrael… because they were separated to
serve HaShem and to teach His ways and His righteous law to the
masses… And they are the army of HaShem…” In Halacha 13 they
Rambam notes, “And not only the tribe of Levy but each person…
who has volunteered his spirit… to serve and to understand
HaShem and goes in the straight path… Behold he is considered as
Holy of Holies…” In this day and age, it is the Torah observant
Jew who is the tribe of Levy and must serve in the service of
G-d. It is our responsibility, through our Torah learning,
prayers to HaKadosh Baruch Hu, our mitzvah observance and our
acts of chesed, kindness, to guarantee “And He will give you
peace.” May we merit to fulfill our obligations.
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