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Parashat Ki Tavo

Elul 21 5776

Whats the Shofar All About?

by Rabbi Nosson Rich
Its doubtful that any of us have ever attended a wedding
procession without the accompanying music. As much as we
might wish otherwise, its hard to imagine a ballgame without the
standard cacophony of sounds in the background. In truth,
virtually all of lifes significant (and many of the less significant)
events have their own theme song or soundtrack. And certainly,
our emotional and meaningful journey through the month
of Elul and the process of Teshuvah is no exception. Whether it is
our efforts in prayer, good deeds, or any of the more general
manifestations of repentance, it is the Shofar blast that provides the
backdrop.
While the sound itself is strikingly simple and pure, the
thoughts and motivations behind it are famously complex. Beyond
the many suggestions as to how we are to properly focus on the
Mitzvah of Shofar, the very purpose of these sounds is subject to
debate. On the one hand, the Shofar is designed to serve as the
original and ultimate alarm clock. Its jarring sound exhorts us to
awaken from our spiritual slumber and hearken to the call of the
Almighty. But far removed from any connection to religious selfimprovement, the Shofar also serves to remind us of the awesome
event of Akeidat Yitzchak. Each blow of the Shofar serves as a
commemoration of the ultimate example of sacrifice in the service
of God.
What are we to make of these two disparate motivations? Is it
just a convenient coincidence that the Shofar evokes a response on
two entirely distinct levels? Is it a testimony to rabbinic ingenuity
and creativity that the simple sound can be used in completely
dissimilar contexts?
Rav Shlomo Kluger, ztl, suggests not. In his view, these two
motifs are very much connected and, in fact, intertwined. Together,
they comprise a complete approach to repentance and
reconciliation with God.
The Akeidah is the supreme example of Zechut Avot (merits
of our ancestors). In making a reference to it, we acknowledge our
own shortcomings and the very real possibility that if we are
judged purely on the basis of own actions and inactions, we may
be found wanting. It is for that reason that we submit ourselves for
judgment as part of a broader context. We are not merely

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September 24, 2016

Vol. 25 No. 3

individual entities, but members of an illustrious nation, worthy of

all kinds of special consideration. In a similar sense, we submit
ourselves for judgment not only as singular personalities, but as
fathers and mothers, sons and daughters, members of a
community as bearers of a unique tradition. This is no slick trick to
avoid justice. Rather, the more we associate with these contexts and
the more we connect to this history, the more worthy of favorable
judgment we become.
But the Shofar stridently insists that our responsibilities do not
end there. As the Shofar awakens us, it reminds us that our
spiritual genes and our heritage alone are not sufficient. We must
awaken in ourselves the energy to achieve our own personal
potential. We must make every effort, despite previous failures, to
earn our positive verdict on our own. We must use every moment
of the month of Elul and the days between and including Rosh
HaShanah and Yom Kippur to live up to the highest standards we
can imagine for ourselves.
The relationship between these two ideas is perhaps best
understood in the example of family. The fully developed child
will reach a point where he or she takes pride in his/her ancestry.
The child will recognize the sacrifices and accomplishments of the
earlier generation, and will delight in the opportunity to share such
a lineage. Without this, the child will lack role models and very
likely will lack in self-esteem as well. Unquestionably, however,
this is not the final step in the childs development. It is at this point
that the child must commit not only to having pride in his family,
but to becoming a source of pride to his parents and grandparents
as well. This recognition and commitment are not separate steps,
but rather parts of an integrated process of growth and
development.
Throughout this month of preparation, the Shofar signals to us
the need to stand tall and view our associations to family,
community, and God with enormous pride. And it is with that
realization that the Shofar heralds a recommitment to a path that
will bring honor to those associations, and to all who will follow in
the future.

Optimal Mitzvah Performance

by Shmuel Bak (18)
In this week's Parashah, Parashat Ki Tavo, the Pasuk relates,
Et Hashem Heemarta HaYom, Lihyot Lecha LEilokim VeLalechet
BiDrachav VeLishmor Chukav UMitzvotav UMishpatav VeLishmoa
BeKolo, You have distinguished Hashem today to be a God for
you, and to walk in his ways, and to observe His decrees, His
commandments, and His statutes, and to listen to His voice
(Devarim 26:17). Why does the Torah need to list all of these ways
in which one could properly serve Hashem? Certainly a few,

K
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maybe even just one, of the characteristics would be found

in someone who is a full believer and follower of Hashem?
The reason is that Mitzvot must be done in an exciting
way that would also please Hashem. Mitzvot should not be
done in a manner in which one feels forced to do them, for
that would be like someone paying a debt while being under
pressure, not with love and joy, as Hashem wants. Chazal
explain this in the Gemara (Berachot 28b), which states
regarding one who prays habitually and without joy, that his
Tefillah is not complete. As mentioned above, the difference
between doing Mitzvot with joy and doing them mundanely
is compared to the difference between giving money that is
owed to a lender and giving a gift to someone who did one
a favor. Someone who gives money back to the lender lacks
joy and always feels pressured to pay back the lender.
However, when someone gives a gift, he gives it because he
feels gratitude toward someone and feels happy to repay the
person that did an act of kindness for him. In the case of the
gift, the receiver is also happy because he feels that his hard
work has been recognized.
Hashem, by putting several different phrases for how to
serve Him in this Pasuk, tries to show Bnei Yisrael that
worshipping Him should not come from a feeling of
obligation, but rather from a feeling of recognition of the
special acts and favors that He does for Bnei Yisrael on a
daily basis. Worshipping Hashem, doing Mitzvot, and
listening to His decrees should feel more like a gift to
Hashem than a burden. With this attitude in mind, one feels
happy to do every act of kindness, for doing so is essentially
repaying Hashem.
Rav Moshe Feinstein explains why each term was
specifically used in our Pasuk. First, the term Lishmoa
BeKolo, listen to His voice, is specifically used because
the term means to act out of love so that He will find your
actions pleasing. Second, the phrase Lihyot Lecha
LEilokim, to be a God for you, refers to being faithful.
Third, the phrase Lalechet BiDrachav, to walk in His
ways, means to endeavor and to emulate His traits. Fourth,
the expression Lihmor Chukav UMitzvotav UMishpatav,
to observe His decrees, His commandments, and His
statutes, means that Bnei Yisrael should perform
meritorious acts just as they were commanded. These four
expressions correspond to four phrases in the following
Pasuk: Ki Am Kadosh Atah LaShem Elokecha Becha Bachar
Hashem Elokecha Lihyot Lo LeAm Segulah MiKol HaAmim Asher
Al Penei HaAdamah, For you are a holy people to Hashem
your God, Hashem your God has chosen you to be a special
people to Himself, above all peoples that are upon the face
of earth (Devarim 7:6). We see from these two Pesukim that
it is imperative to perform Mitzvot with the proper
intentions and for the proper purposes.

T
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A special thank you to Kesher Israel of Washington, D.C., where I

delivered a Shiur on this topic on Parashat Pinechas 5776. The many
insights of the participants in the Shiur, many of whom hold

The Ultimate Supplier

by Dovid Pearlman (19)
Parashat Ki Tavo begins with the Mitzvah of Bikkurim. The
farmer is told to take his first-ripened fruits to the Beit HaMikdash,
present them to the Kohein, and recite a short prayer (Devarim
26:15). As Rav Elchanan Samet has pointed out, Bikkurim appear
to be an extension of the Mitzvot of Reishit, which include
Mitzvot such as Reishit HaGez (the first of the wool of a flock),
Pidyon HaBein and Bechor Beheimah (giving the first-born of a
Kosher animal to the Kohein). Indeed, Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim
3:39) lists Bikkurim in his list of Mitzvot of Reishit that he
contends were commanded to Bnei Yisrael in order to cement the
attribute of generosity within them. Interestingly, BeReishit
Rabbah (1:4) teaches us that it was in the merit of the bringing of
the Bikkurim that the world was created. Why is the Mitzvah of
Bikkurim, as opposed to all other Mitzvot of Reishit, so
significant that it made the world worth being created?
Rav Eli Scheller answers that man was placed in this world
with the mission of recognizing that Hashem is our creator as well
as the creator of the universe. However, it is difficult for us to
always be aware of this, since we are constantly caught up in the
pressures of daily life. Amidst the hustle and bustle of daily life,
we can erroneously conclude that our creative force makes us
equals of God, complete masters of our universe.
The purpose of Bikkurim is to humble us and teach us that
although we may invest hours of hard work in any of our pursuits,
our creative capacity cannot even be compared to that of God. One
may devote his time planting and caring for his field (unlike the
other Mitzvot of Reishit, which deal with newly-born livestock
that do not require months of hard work to produce) and feel that
he himself created his fruit, so it is important that he take those first
fruits and acknowledge that they come from God.
Just last week, my Zaidy, Chaim Baruch ben Zevel,
unfortunately passed away unexpectedly. Looking back at his life,
I realize that he exemplified this positive attribute that we can learn
from the Bikkurim. While being very successful in business, he still
realized that everything comes from Hashem, and he had a very
close relationship with Him. I hope that I will one day be as
successful as he was while also maintaining a strong connection
with Hashem.

Israeli Government Public Relations and

Chillul Shabbat An Updated Perspective of
an American Rabbi and a Call to Action to
American Jews1 Part One
by Rabbi Chaim Jachter
Israels enemies have long sought to wage a war of words
against the Jewish State with attempts to delegitimize the Jewish

responsible positions in government and political think tanks, have

greatly enriched our discussion.

State. The Israeli leadership takes these verbal attacks quite

seriously as damage to Israels image and regards them as threats
to the vitality and even survival of the Jewish State. In fact, Tzahal
(the Israeli Defense Forces) routinely sends a videographer into
combat situations to record the events to defend Israel from its
determined detractors. The fact that Tzahal risks the lives of the
videographers by sending them into a combat zone demonstrates
how seriously Tzahal takes these threats. Moreover, important IDF
missions are sometimes postponed or even canceled if a
videographer is not available to record Tzahals activities.
The Israeli army spokesman is responsible for defending the
moral legitimacy of Tzahals activities against Israels many
detractors. The internet and handheld cameras used by those who
are eager to defame the Jewish State make the job of the Israeli
army spokesman that much more challenging. The world of news
has become extremely fast-paced and news agencies demand
immediate responses from the Israeli army spokesman to antiTzahal/Israel claims. If the Tzahal spokesman does not respond

waging the media war is fundamentally an exercise in

futility3. The critical question is, what is the actual

damage incurred by the State of Israel when it loses a
public relations battle? Are the consequences simply
economic? Is Israels security impacted? The answer may
very well vary from case to case. A specific focus in this
essay is the impact of Israels image upon the American
governments relationship with the State of Israel.
The Techumin essay addresses the following four
examples of situations that might be regarded as
borderline Pikuach Nefesh (although some of these
situations lean more to Pikuach Nefesh than others). One
such situation is where Palestinian media claim that
Tzahal deliberately destroyed a mosque and Israeli
soldiers in the area vehemently deny the charge. Is the
Tzahal spokesman permitted to broadcast a response to
counter the Palestinian charge? Israels failure to
promptly respond will not be interpreted by outsiders as
immediately2, then the anti-Israel claim is broadcasted worldwide, emerging from respect for Shabbat or Yom Tov but rather
causing considerable damage to Israels image.
as a concession that the anti-Israel accusation is true. Such
an unanswered accusation is quite dangerous as it may
The Halachic Issue
spark rioting by some from the Arab community.
Religious soldiers serving in the office of the Tzahal
A common tactic of some of Israels enemies is to fire
spokesman have raised the following Halachic question to the at Israelis from a crowded civilian area. If Israel captures
Israeli army rabbinate: Are they permitted to violate Shabbat or on film, for example, Arab terrorists firing at Israel from
Yom Tov for the purpose of public relations? Tzahal is the top of a civilian apartment building, may the Tzahal
undoubtedly permitted to wage war on Shabbat if no reasonable spokesman broadcast this event on Shabbat in order to
alternative exists, since the military activities are waged with the justify a Tzahal military response that may unavoidably
goal of directly save lives.
cause the loss of civilian life4? The broadcasting of such a
The question is whether the waging of the war of public
film will mitigate the severity of the world reaction to
relations qualifies as a war that directly saves lives and therefore
Israels accidentally causing Arab civilian injuries and/or
justifies Chillul Shabbat. Avihud Schwartz, a young man who
deaths. Does the protection of Israels image in this
worked in the Beit Midrash (think tank) of Israels army rabbinate,
situation justify Chillul Shabbat or Yom Tov? Similarly, if
discusses this issue in an essay printed in volume 30 (published in
an Israeli drone films Palestinians placing explosives in
2010) of the Israeli Torah journal Techumin. While the
an ambulance, may Israels spokesman broadcast this
Techumin essay is an excellent essay and it is well worth sharing
event on Shabbat in order to discourage such Palestinian
its main points, an updated perspective from an American rabbi
5
can contribute significantly to the analysis and diagnosis of the behavior ? The last example was posed by a religious
Israeli soldier working in the Israeli embassy in
issue as well as in shaping a policy for the Israeli army.
Perhaps one could argue that the media is to be regarded as a Washington, D.C. If the American government demands
Shabbat
or
Yom
Tov
an
immediate
world of falsehoods where truth is not a sacred value and thus on
Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik, in his celebrated essay Kol Dodi
Dofeik (written in 1956) mentions the pride he experiences when
he reads in a newspaper that the response of the Israeli government
is not yet known since its offices are closed on Shabbat. Journalists
at the time had the integrity to note that the Israeli response will be
forthcoming. Today, if the Israeli government does not offer an
immediate response, Israel defamation can go viral with all the
attendant damage to Israel. Few journalists will have the patience
and/or integrity to note that the Israeli response will be
forthcoming after the Jewish Sabbath or holiday. The notion of not
receiving an immediate response is an alien concept in the current
environment. The culture of an immediate response is even more
pronounced in the contemporary media culture.
3 A cynic might also claim that the media is incurably biased
against Israel and that attempts to preserve a positive image for
Israel is futile. While there is some basis for this approach, this
approach ignores the fact that polls consistently demonstrate that a
2

large majority of Americans remain supportive for the Jewish

State. Preserving this majority support is critical to maintaining
American military and political support of Israel. In addition,
Israels Foreign Ministry has recently scored many successes in
drawing a wide variety of countries closer to Israel. As reported by
Wikipedia, Israel has diplomatic ties with 157 of the 192 member
states of the United Nations as well as with Vatican City and the
European Union. It seems that Israels public relations effort have
borne significant fruit.
4For a discussion as to why Halachah permits such military activity
if no reasonable alternative exists, see Gray Matter 3 (pages 211223).
5 This case is difficult to justify Chillul Shabbat. One would have
to argue that, if not broadcast immediately, it would be disregarded
as antiquated, since the contemporary shelf life of news is
exceedingly short.

justification/explanation of an activity conducted by Tzahal, does

require immediate attention on Shabbat and which may be delayed

until after Shabbat.
this warrant Chillul Shabbat or Yom Tov ?
Rav Yisrael Rosen of Machon Tzomet, an Israeli institute
The Responses of Four Leading Religious Zionist Posekim
dedicated to utilizing technology to solve Halachic challenges,
Rav Nachum Rabinovitch, the Rosh Yeshivah of the Yeshivat argues for utilizing Machon Tzomet equipment in the office of the
Hesder7 of Maalei Adumim, appropriately responds that the Tzahal spokesman. He notes that the necessary equipment has
Halachic response to this issue is not at all simple and clear. He already been developed by Machon Tzomet. These include
concludes that each case must be judged upon its own merit as to telephones which operate on the Gerama principle
whether it qualifies as Pikuach Nefesh and that it is impossible to (accomplishing a task in an indirect manner) and computer
present an all-encompassing answer of permissible or forbidden keyboards which operate by changing electric current rather than
by completing electric circuits. Rav Rosen writes that this type of
regarding this topic.
Rav Rabinovitch correctly fears unwarranted and wholesale equipment was developed specifically for these types of gray
violation of Shabbat on the one hand, but he also fears for areas so prevalent in the area of security and medicine, which
inadequate preservation of Israels safety. If our enemies knew that may be defined as essential but not life threatening.
Israels public relations office does not function on Shabbat, they
Conclusion
would easily manipulate the situation to their advantage and our
We will, God willing, complete our discussion of this topic
loss. On the other hand, not every situation, as is clear from the
next week by highlighting an enlightening and surprising
examples we presented, warrants Chillul Shabbat. Thus, each case
interaction between religious Israeli diplomat Yehuda Avner and
must be evaluated separately as to its potential impact on Israels
Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach.
security.
Rav Dov Lior, the Rav of Kiryat Arba/Chevron and Rosh
Yeshivah of its Yeshivat Hesder, permits activities that are
forbidden only rabbinically on Shabbat or Yom Tov but forbids
violating Biblical level prohibitions for the purposes of public
relations. Rav Lior defines telephone calls and writing on the
computer as forbidden only on a rabbinic level. Rav Lior regards
public relations as indirect Pikuach Nefesh that is analogous to
manufacturing ammunition which is usually not produced even in
Editors-in-Chief: Hillel Koslowe, Yehuda Koslowe
war time.
Publication Editors: Moshe Davis, Tani Greengart,
Rav Lior suggests that Biblically forbidden activities, such as
Shlomi Helfgot, Binyamin Jachter, Ned Krasnopolsky
driving a motor vehicle, should be performed by a Nochri in case
of legitimate need. He suggests that a trustworthy Nochri be
Publishing Manager: Eitan Leff, Avi Roth
designated to drive items such as a disc from a battlefield to
Staff: Shmuel Bak, Eli Englard, Gabe Greenberg, Meir
6

military headquarters in Tel Aviv8.

Rav Shlomo Levy, the Rosh Kollel of Yeshivat Har Etzion,
responds similarly that in general only rabbinic level prohibitions
may be violated for the sake of Israels public relations and that
arrangements should be made in advance wherever possible to
have Nochrim perform forbidden tasks on Shabbat and Yom Tov.
Rav Levy compares this situation to Chazals concern for Eivah
(hatred or enmity), for which they consider permitting violation of
rabbinic prohibitions (see the many sources addressing this issue,
cited in Nishmat Avraham Volume 1 to Orach Chaim 330:2). Rav
Levy wisely suggests that experts should be consulted to help
formulate guidelines9 as to which public relations situations
6

With Sabbath observant Jews holding very high offices in the United States
government (such as Senator Joseph Lieberman and Jack Lew, who served
as the Presidents Chief of Staff from 2012-2013), some have suggested that
these high placed officials can explain the reason for delay to United States
government officials. However, a Torah Academy of Academy of Bergen
County graduate who has worked with the government for many years noted
that the idea of a twenty-four hour delay due to Sabbath observance is
completely foreign and unfathomable to many and would not be received
well by government officials.
7 Students who study at Yeshivot Hesder serve in the Israeli army, usually in
combat units. Each of the four Posekim cited in this essay are Religious

Lightman, Shai Rosalimsky, David Rothchild, Yehuda

Saks

Rabbinic Advisor: Rabbi Chaim Jachter

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Zionists who are deeply committed to the continued thriving of Medinat

Yisrael.
8 The utilization of Nochrim, as well as the use of telephone and computer,
appears to provide adequate public relations responses.
9 Formal guidelines are a must in these scenarios to avoid hesitation and
delay when a timely response is sorely needed. The Yerushalmi (Yoma 8:5;
cited by the Mishnah Berurah 328:6) condemns Torah scholars who are
posed with the question as to whether danger to life warrants the desecration
of Shabbat. The Mishnah Berurah explains that a Torah scholar should
publicize the fact that one must desecrate the Shabbat in case of Pikuach
Nefesh, in order that if an emergency arises people respond expeditiously
and without delay.