Parshat Shoftim
6 Elul 5761
August 25, 2001
Daf Yomi: Baba Kama 29


Guest Rabbi:
Rabbi Rodney Weiss
Young Israel of Pelham Parkway, NY

The Gemara says in Sanhedrin 20b: It was taught in a Baraisa, The nation of Israel was commanded to perform three commandments upon their entrance to the land of Israel: To appoint upon themselves a king, to eradicate the offspring of Amalek and to build the holy Temple. The Rambam writes that the appointment of the King is a prerequisite to the other two commandments. It is this Mitzvah that requires closer analysis.

The Or HaChaim explains that there are two overall goals in appointing a king. One is to appoint a leader who will fight the wars based on his intellectual understanding of the war not his desire for gain. The second level is to show honor and to glorify the Jewish people. If the king is a just king, in his merit HaShem will bring salvation to the Jewish people. Chazal tell us, that during the reign of Shlomo HaMelech there were no wars, which is a tribute to the greatness of Shlomo and his father Dovid HaMelech. The Sefer HaChinuch in Mitzvah 497 writes that the ultimate purpose of the King is to bring domestic tranquility among the Jewish people, which can only be accomplished through the leadership of one individual, the King.

The King is commanded six specific-to-him Mitzvot, among them are restrictions on wives, money and too many horses. The Torah states a reason for each of these, conveying the essential point that it will lead the king astray from his responsibility as a leader.

The Gemorah in Sanhedrin 21b quotes the following statement of Rav Yitzchak: "Why were the reasons for the commandments of the Torah not revealed? Because when the reasons for the commandments were revealed in two cases, the great one of the world stumbled over them." The Gemorah goes on to explain how the Pasuk restricts the amount of wives a king may have, out of fear, that they would turn his heart away. Shlomo proclaimed that this did not apply to him and later on the Pasuk relates how indeed, his wives turned away his heart. The Pasuk restricts the amount of horses a king may have. The Sefer HaChinuch explains, based on this Pasuk, that the King is prohibited from sending people to live in Egypt to raise horses for him. Again, Shlomo HaMelech viewed himself as being too intelligent to fall into this trap. Later the Navi relates "And a chariot left Egypt worth six hundred silver coins." The Maharsha explains that the preceding verse explains that Egypt was the source of Shlomo's horses. He adds that even the horses for Shlomo's personal chariot were bought from Egypt. As the Pasuk predicted, having too many horses caused the return to Egypt.

The Halacha is, Ein dorshin Tama d'Kra, we do not elucidate on the performance of a Mitzvah based on its intellectual reasoning. The reason for the Mitzvah is irrelevant and whether or not we believe the reason applies we are obligated by the Torah to fulfill the Mitzvah. The approach that Shlomo HaMelech took when he saw himself above the law simply because he understood its reason, is difficult to understand. After all, being the wisest of man no one better than he understood this Halacha.

The same thing can be said by Mitzvos Drabanan. Even if the Sages say the right is the left and the left is the right we still must adhere to their commandments. This can be illustrated by the following story: The Mishna in Shabbos 11a states that a person is not permitted to read right next to a candle on Shabbat. In the Mishna no explanation is given for this Halacha. If we look further in the Gemorah on 12b the explanation is found that one might come to adjust the wick.

Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha stated I will read and never fall into this trap. One time he was about to adjust the wick when he caught himself and proclaimed: "How great are the words of the Sages who said don't read next to a light." The Vilna Gaon explains that he said how great are the words of the Sages who stated the Halacha without giving its reason. Had Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha not known the reason, he would have obeyed unconditionally.

The Torah and Chazal have dictated to us a life filled with Torah and Mitzvot. The Jewish consciousness begins the moment one wakes up and ceases the moment one goes to sleep. We are to live that way simply because HaShem commanded Moshe. This is why there are Chukim in the Torah, the moment we think that we have all the answers we are commanded with Parah Aduma, a mitzva even Shlomo HaMelech could not understand.

This is among the important lessons all of us can learn from the Parshat HaMelech. As seen in our times, many people only live based on their intellect. Only Mitzvot that they can explain intellectually will they observe. The Torah teaches us the opposite, Shimirat HaMitzvot is based on Emunah (faith) that Moshe Emes vToraso Emes. Moshe and his Torah are truthful.