Parshat Devarim - Shabbat Chazon
8 Menachem Av 5761
July 28, 2001
Daf Yomi: Kiddushin 79


Guest Rabbi:
Rabbi Yizchak Wyne
Young Israel of Las Vegas, NV

The essence of Shabbat Chazon is that we are not perfect and if we learn to listen to the messages of the Torah, then over time, our self-deficiencies will be corrected. In today's Haftorah, the prophet rebukes the Jewish people by exclaiming that an "An ox knows his owner, and a donkey his master's trough: but Israel does not know" its owner. Isaiah is very clear; we are a people of great iniquity and filled with sin. The root of our failings is our lack of a true acceptance of HaShem in our lives and commitment to fulfill the precepts of Halacha. Every year we read the toch'acha (rebuke), take it on the chin, go through Tisha b'av, then get back to our usual business. But do we really accept the words of the prophet and learn from them?

There is a great story told about the Sfat Emet, the great Chasidic leader (19th century Poland). One time when he was about 12 years old, he stayed awake all night learning Torah with a friend. When dawn broke, they prayed the morning service at the earliest time and went to bed. A few hours later, the boys awoke and returned to the Yeshiva where they encountered the grandfather of the Sfat Emet, the revered Rabbi Yitzhak Meir (known as the "Chiddushe HaRim"). Rabbi Yitzhak Meir did not know that his grandson had stayed awake all night studying, and proceeded to rebuke him for not having attended the regular morning service. The rebuke lasted a few minutes, throughout which the Sfat Emet stood and listened attentively, not uttering a word. When the grandfather had left, the boy's friend expressed disbelief: "Why didn't you defend yourself against this unwarranted rebuke?! "Because," replied the Sfat Emet, "it's not every day that I get such personalized feedback from my revered grandfather. And I wasn't about to miss such an opportunity just to utter an excuse!"

One of the things that made the Sfat Emet the Sfat Emet was that he recognized, even in his adolescence, that when great people speak, listen. Listen to hear what they have to say. Listen, even if it is unwarranted, because you might find something important in their words. Corporations spend huge amounts of money for consultants because they know that it will increase the bottom line. Somehow, for many, listening to a rabbi, prophet or Halacha sefer doesn't have the same attraction. Perhaps that is because of arrogance or perhaps that is because it is harder to see the bottom line with my life than it is with my business.

Or is it? Isaiah does not lament the fact that the Bait HaMikdash was destroyed but laments the underlying causes of destruction. Those causes are manifested in our relationships with our spouses and children, the depths of our friendships and the amount of purpose and meaning that we see in our lives.

Shlomo HaMelech said, "Give toch'acha to a wise person - and he'll love you!" (Proverbs 9:8) One might think that if he is so wise, what does he need rebuke for? The answer is that everyone needs rebuke. The quality of wisdom allows us to see rebuke for what it is �� a necessity to live a fulfilled life. Every one has moments in their life where they feel extremely fortunate and they have other moments filled with frustration and disappointment. On Shabbat Chazon we listen to the prophet explain that our difficulties are ultimately connected to our deficiencies in or relationship to HaShem.

In the end we are reassured that "Zion will be redeemed with justice, and her returnees with righteousness." The prophet has confidence in his people that we will listen, learn and live the words of HaShem.