Reply To: ???? ?????

Do As I Say, Do As I Do…-The Brisker Rav

The pasuk in the parsha (28:9) “V’Halachta B’Drachav” ??????????? ???????????, to go in the ways of Hashem, is the basis for all good Middos Min HaTorah. Chazal tell us that the gemara says (Sotah 14a) that this mitzva teaches us to clothe the poor and visit the sick.

Generally this Mitzva is used to teach us that kindness and compassion is Min HaTorah because by acting this way we are emulating Hashem. The MiShulchan Govoa says that the Brisker Rav understood this Mitzva to be FAR BEYOND the realm of compassion. Its root is Hashem’s will.

The Gemara (Megila 13b) tells the story of Rochel warning Yaakov that her father Lavan is a crook and he will not give her to him to marry. Yaakov tells her not to worry because he knows how to deal with trickery himself. Rochel then asks him, “Is it permitted for a tzaddik to deal with trickery?” Yaakov answers with the pasuk [(slightly different) Shmuel bais 22:27 and Tehillim 18:27], “Im Navar Tisbarar V’Im Ikeish Tispatal” with the pure -deal purely, with the crooked- deal crookedly.

Even so the question remains, how can a tzaddik be crooked?

The Brisker Rov answers that there is no such thing as absolute crooked and straight. Only the Ratzon of Hashem matters. Since Hashem commanded us to follow His ways, when dealing with people whom the pasuk tells us that Hashem acts crookedly with the crooked, kiviyachol, so too, we must emulate his ways and act crooked at times.

Middos are not an end to itself. Do not be holier than thou or more compassionate than Hashem. Do as he does and do not create your own Torah. The only benchmark we focus on, is the will of our creator!

revach.net