Parshat Shelach
Rabbi Avrohom Gordimer

The commandment of tzitzis is found at the end of this week's parshah, and the Torah places special emphasis on the visual symbolism of this mitzvah. "...and you shall see it (tzitzis) and remember all of the mitzvos of God and do them; and you shall not go astray after your hearts and eyes..." (15:39) Rashi explains (ibid.) that "the eye sees, and the heart desires, and the body performs the sin." If this is the meaning of the Torah's exhortation, why does the pasuk warn against going "astray after your hearts and eyes"? Should not the eyes - which first detect the forbidden act, according to Rashi - precede the heart in the verse, for the heart follows the eyes?

The answer is that a person who transgresses Torah (out of the heart's desire) usually has an initial and internal, often subtle, proclivity for or interest in doing that which is assur (off-limits). Rarely does a fully-committed, zealous soul suddenly stumble into sin. It can certainly happen, but such an occurrence often indicates an inner lacking which was heretofore unknown. When a person's heart is not in the right place - even slightly - it enables him to open his eyes and desire that which he cannot have or do. When an individual has a sublime inclination to sin, and he finds himself in circumstances which present the averah (forbidden act), he will likely follow through and engage in that which is not permissible.

Thus, the eyes direct the heart to the averah, but the heart itself stealthily first puts the eyes on the look-out for opportunities for desire which are not allowed.

Only by constantly working on ourselves and internalizing the Torah's values and rules may we - with the help of Hashem - not stray, and may we "remember all of the mitzvos of God and do them".

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