Parashah - Page: Parshat Yitro 5755

Rabbi Mordechai Kornfeld

"And all the people answered together and said, 'All that Hashem has spoken we will do [Na'aseh]!'" (Sh'mot 19:8)

"Moshe came and told the people all the words of Hashem and all the laws, and all the people answered with one voice and said, 'All the things that Hashem spoke we will do [Na'aseh]!'" (ibid. 24:3)

[Moshe] took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the ears of the people, and they said, 'All that Hashem has spoken we will do and we will hear [Na'aseh V'nishma]!'" (ibid. 24:7)

The three P'sukim cited above describe the Bnai Yisroel's acceptance of the Torah at various stages in the drama of Kabbalat HaTorah at Sinai. If we examine the wording closely, however, we will see that there are some interesting differences between these different stages. For one thing, in the first two verses the "togetherness" with which the people expressed their readiness to accept Hashem's words is stressed, a fact which is not mentioned in the account of the third stage. Also, the first two times the Bnai Yisroel only mention their eagerness to do, i.e. to act upon, Hashem's commandments, while in the third verse they say that they will do and hear His commandments. What is the reason for these variations in the phrases the people used to demonstrate their willingness to accept the Torah?

II

A very interesting and insightful interpretation of these verses is offered by my father-in-law, HaGaon Rav Gedaliah Aharon Rabinowitz, the Monastrishtcher Rebbe, who explains the discrepancies in the expressions used in the three verses, in his work "Neveh Tzaddikim" on the Haggadah shel Pesach.

There are two parts to the acceptance of the Torah, my father-in-law explains: (1) the acceptance to perform and obey the 613 Mitzvot of the Torah in their entirety, and (2) the acceptance to study these Mitzvot in order to better understand what exactly Hashem wants us to gain through their fulfillment. The first facet of Torah acceptance is what the Bnai Yisroel refer to as "doing" the Torah, or "Na'aseh". The second is what they called "Nishma", or hearing the Torah -- with the connotation of understanding what is being heard. (The verb "Sh'ma", which is usually translated as "listen" or "hear" can also mean "understand," as in the verse "They did not realize that Yosef understood them [Shome'a]" -- B'reishit 42:23.)

Regarding the first aspect of fulfilling the Torah's commandments, there is no difference in implementation between one individual and another. Every member of the community of Israel is obligated to perform the Mitzvot that apply to them in the same fashion. (There may be varying opinions as to a specific detail in a particular Mitzvah,but all agree to the general obligations entailed in keeping each of the Mitzvot.

When it comes to the second aspect, however, this unity is not evident. Since Hashem created no two people with the same mind, there will always be differences between one individual and another regarding the understanding and meaning of the Mitzvot. This, obviously, was all part of His will in the Giving of the Torah. These differences in understanding are expressed in the different attitudes that Torah scholars have in the performance of the Mitzvot. While some will demonstrate a boundless love for their Creator when performing the Mitzvot, others show more of their awe of Hashem. Some approach Judaism with a more intellectual bent, while others may have a more emotional leaning. Some will choose to "specialize" in one particular Mitzvah, giving it more emphasis than others in their daily lives, because they feel that this Mitzvah in particular carries a special message for them, and can offer them guidance in life, ultimately bringing them closer to Hashem. No two people are exactly the same as far as the "Nishma" of the Torah is concerned.

This, explains the Monastrishtcher Rebbe, is the difference between the expressions used in the above verses. When Moshe Rabbeinu came to the Bnai Yisroel before the Giving of the Torah, he told them "the words of Hashem and all the laws" (Sh'mot 24:3), which, as Rashi explains, is a reference to the Seven Laws of Noach and the Mitzvot given at Marah (Sh'mot 15:25). At that point the people answered "with one voice" that they would do these laws. As far as the performance of the Mitzvot are concerned, the Bnai Yisroel accepted the Torah "with one voice" -- in one unified fashion. Similarly, in Sh'mot 19:8, it was only in reference to the observance of the Mitzvot that the people responded together.

But when Moshe "took the Book of the Covenant (Rashi: the entire Torah from B'reishit until the events of Mattan Torah) and read it in the ears of the people," the people saw that the Torah was more than just a list of commandments and obligations, but an entire Sefer Torah, which had to be studied, analyzed and understood. To this, they exclaimed, "Na'aseh V'nishma -- we will do and we will understand!" Now the people did not respond "together" or "with one voice". Nishma was to be a personal experience which would, of necessity, vary from one individual to the next. Every person would have his own unique approach in serving Hashem and understanding what the meaning of the Mitzvot is to him. Therefore, when they accepted not only the "doing" but also the "understanding" of the Torah, they answered as individuals: "We will do and we will understand!"

[Haggadah shel Pesach "Neveh Tzaddikim", towards the end, on the verse L'gozer Yam Suf Ligzarim]

III

A similar idea is expressed by HaGaon Rebbi Akiva Eiger (c. 1800 C.E.). The Gemara says at the end of Massechet Ta'anit that in the future Hashem will have all the Tzaddikim dance in a circle, with Himself sitting in the center of the circle in Gan Eden. Each one of the Tzaddikim will then point to Hashem and say, `This is our G-d; this is Hashem, Whom we have so longed to behold!'

What is the symbolism behind a dance that is specifically in a circle around Hashem? Rav Akiva Eiger explains the lesson of this dance of the Tzaddikim as follows:

In this world every Tzaddik has a unique, individual approach to serving Hashem. On the surface, every one of them appears to be heading in a completely different direction. The truth is, however, that this is not the case. All of the different Tzaddikim are united by a common goal -- to draw closer to Hashem and fulfill His will in the best possible manner. In the World to Come this will become apparent to all. The Tzaddikim will dance around Hashem "arranged in a circle". In a circle, every individual is facing a different direction -- yet they all revolve around the same central point. The Tzaddikim, although each has a unique approach, are all trying to accomplish the same goal. Their lives revolve around the same central point, the point where "Hashem is sitting". In the World to Come, each of them will point to Him and announce to all that this is their G-d, Whom they had strived to come close to and serve throughout their lives!

[Rebbi Akiva Eiger, quoted in Chut Ha'Mshulash and Torat Emet]

© 1995 The AishDas Society