Posted on 08/12/21
This week’s parshah discusses an interesting scenario: When a murder-victim is found in an open stretch of land between two cities, the elders and judges of the nearest city are required to perform a unique process called “Egla Arufa”. As part of the process, they must announce that they didn’t spill the blood of the deceased.
The pious sages, of course, aren’t suspected of cold-blooded murder. Rather, Rashi explains that they must testify that they didn’t see this wayfarer leaving their city without escorting him and providing him with food (20:1-8. See Rashi 20:7. Also, see Sotah 45b).
This requirement is difficult to comprehend. In what way would providing a traveler with food have protected him from a would-be murderer?
It is interesting to note that this week’s parshah is always read in close proximity to Rosh Hashana.
What possible relevance could there be between the halacha of Egla Arufa and Rosh Hashana?
The answer may lie in a humorous, albeit fictitious, story:
A proctor was administering a final exam for a large college class. After giving due warnings, the proctor announced that time had expired and all exam booklets must be brought forward, yet one student continued frantically writing. The proctor warned “everyone put down your pen or else your exam will not be accepted”. Yet, the student continued writing, completely ignoring the proctor, until he completed the exam.
When the student brought his booklet forward a few minutes later, the proctor refused to accept it. The student bellowed, “Do you have any idea who I am?”, implying that he came from a prominent family and deserved leniency. The proctor answered, “I don’t know and I don’t care. You broke the rules and now you’ve failed this course.” The wise student, secure in his anonymity, smugly opened the stack of exam books to the middle, stuck his book in, and quickly walked out the door.
R’ Yehuda Loew, more commonly known as the Maharal, explains that on a natural level, having extra food in his backpack wouldn’t have protected the traveler against armed robbers. On a spiritual level, however, it would have assisted him greatly. When a person exists in a vacuum, he is judged solely on the basis of his own merits (just as the student would have been, had the proctor known his identity). The traveler may have been righteous and merit the performance of miracles, however, the average person is not on such a level. If so, what is he to do?
The Maharal explains that when a person is part of a larger community, he is able to benefit from their accumulated merits, just as the anonymous student benefitted from blending in with the rest of the class. This may protect him even if his own merits are insufficient.
When the traveler is lodging in the town, he is automatically part of the community. When he sets out on his own, he breaks this bond. Escorting him on the beginning of his journey and giving him food allows him to maintain his connection to the community even when he is traveling on his own. A town which allows a visitor to depart without cementing the connection between them, and refuses to do so, is partially liable for any misfortunate that befalls him. It may have been in their power to prevent it, and the elders of the town closest to the corpse are required to testify that this wasn’t the case. For, had they given him food and escorted him, they would have forged and maintained a solidarity with him, and thus very well may have saved him in their merit. Clearly, being connected to the group, of Klal Yisroel, is a tremendous zechus that can truly save one from harm in a very real way.
Living Inspired
As the month of Elul begins and a person prepares for the impending judgment of Rosh Hashana, he may find comfort in the message of the Maharal. We are all “travelers” through this world. If we live in our own vacuums, we will be judged on our own merits in less than a month, a scary thought. However, if we connect ourselves with Klal Yisroel in a meaningful way, we will benefit from their collective merits. As a result, we will have an easier time enjoying an inscription for a year of health, happiness, and all good blessings! (These thoughts are inspired and based directly from a beautiful Dvar Torah by R’ Ozer Alport).
So, how does one connect oneself to Klal Yisroel? There are many methods to do so*. One simple way is to avoid speaking ill of Klal Yisroel (lashone hara), both regarding an individual, as well as about large segments of Klal Yisroel in general, and to speak positively regarding as many yidden as possible; for nothing unites people as much as speaking well of them, nor does anything break a connection more than slandering them.
Everyone searches for a method to be inscribed for a K’siva V’chasima Toiva. This year, let us utilize the above method of connecting ourselves to Klal Ysiroel and thereby merit with Hashem’s help, to truly be inscribed for one.
Gut Shabbos and a K’siva V’chasima Toiva
*- R’ Avigdor Miller offers some additional thoughts and a method, to connect to Klal Yisroel and achieve the merit that this affords on a regular basis (based on the following tapes #520 - Looking Back — Messages From Hashem, #879 - Gaining Approval and #E-197 - Program for Salvation. As well as Parshah with R' Avigdor Miller Zt"l 5781):
Firstly, bear in mind and focus regularly on two very important concepts:
1. Hashem loves Klal Yisroel. In fact, His Mind, kavayachil, is concentrated only on one thing in the universe: on Am Yisroel. We read it explicitly in the Torah, in Parshas Eikev: “Behold the heavens belong to Hashem – and all the space above the heavens as well and the world and all there is in it. But only in your forefathers did Hashem delight to love them and He chose their children after them. YOU, from among all the peoples, as of this day”. (Devarim 10:14-15). Emulate Hashem by training yourself to love Klal Yisroel as well.
2. If you hope for Olam Haba, eventually after 120 years, you have to know that you’ll never actually get in on your own merit. Of course, once you get there, your own merits will determine your seat – will you be sitting in the back or closer to the front? – but your ticket to Olam Haba is ONLY because you're a member of Yisroel and because “Kol Yisroel Yesh Lo Chelek L’Oilam Haba”. Without that, we wouldn’t have a chance. Remember that. Our greatness is only due to the fact that we are a part of Klal Yisroel.
It is therefore essential to love and to be as connected as possible to every Yisroel; for doing so is emulating Hashem and being connected to Klal Yisroel is the fabric of what makes us great. That’s why when you stand on Rosh Hashanah and you beg Hashem, “Please kasveinu b’sefer ha’chaim,” you don't say “kasveini”, inscribe me; it’s inscribe US.
One practical method to engender these thoughts as well as earn guaranteed blessing is to do what Hakadosh Baruch Hu told Avraham Avinu (Bereishis 12:3): “I’ll bless those who bless you”. Bilam said it as well, in a nevuah regarding Klal Yisroel: “those who bless you, will be blessed by Me (Hashem) (Bamidbar 24:9). When you pass by a Yeshiva, Bais Yaakov, shul, any yid’s house or when you see yidden, BLESS them. Say: “Hakodosh Boruch Hu should give long life to all of them. They should all be happy and healthy and be successful. And Hakodosh Boruch Hu should give parnasah b’revach and tremendous nachas”. Doing so accomplishes two things: 1. You will now get a blessing from Hashem. 2. You are now connected on a much higher level to Klal Yisroel. This is a tremendously powerful zechus.