Parshat Shoftim
The Book of Deuteronomy
August 9th-10th, 2002
2 Elul, 5762

Some of us might remember that certain rock-and-roll guitarists used to destroy their instruments as part of the finale at live concerts. Whatever the theatrical or cathartic value of such displays, there were no doubt many observers (and even fans of the music itself) who were disturbed by the needless destruction. One sensitive songwriter--himself a rock-and-roller--even penned a composition lamenting that kind of smashing of a "perfectly good guitar."

More importantly for our purposes, though, the Torah would not stamp its approval on such a practice. In this week’s parsha, we learn the source of the prohibition against wantonly destroying anything at all in this whole wide world…including those six-stringed electric contraptions.

Discussing the unfortunate (but sometimes necessary) circumstance of waging a war against an enemy, the Torah nonetheless sets limits on its conduct, and commands the Jewish people not to engage in total warfare:

"When you besiege a city for many days to wage war against it to seize it,  do not destroy its [fruit] trees by swinging an axe against them, for from it you shall eat, and you shall not cut it down; is the tree of the field a man that it should enter the siege before you? Only a tree that you know is not a food tree, it you may destroy and cut down, and build a bulwark against the city that makes war with you, until it is conquered." (20, 19-20; Artscroll translation)

As with every mitzvah, the exact parameters of this prohibition are discussed by the Sages in the Talmud (Oral Law), and explicated in the commentaries. (Ramban explains that it is, in fact, permitted to cut down a fruit-bearing tree to build a bulwark in the course of a siege, but a fruitless tree must be felled first.)

Two things are clear, however. First, this passage is the source of the general prohibition of bal tashchis, not destroying anything if we have no constructive reason to do so. Second, the prohibition only extends to wanton, or needless, destruction--like burning the fields surrounding a city purely to assert one’s domination over, or display one’s hatred of, the enemy. To cut down a fruit tree because it is damaging one’s lawn, or to break a guitar over an intruder’s head, however, would be perfectly permitted acts of destruction.

Of course, some cases will be harder than others to adjudicate in this area. Certainly, the "devil" (or at least much of Talmudic discourse) is in the details. But we should at least take to heart the basic--and beautiful--perspective of our Torah that we are taught here: we must take care not to destroy things, even the "littlest" things, for no reason. To idly rip off a single leaf from a tree, for example, is a needless act of destruction, and one that would greatly upset tzadikim (righteous individuals) among our people who had worked to develop their sensitivity to all of G-d’s creations.

The Sefer HaChinuch (Book of Mitzvah Education) discusses the root of this mitzvah of not destroying:

"[it is in order] to teach our souls to love the good and the useful, and to cling to it; and by doing this, good will bind itself to us, and we will distance ourselves from everything evil and from all manner of destruction. And this is the way of the holy ones and people of noble deeds: they love peace, and rejoice in the good of all creatures, and bring them close to the Torah…." (#429; my translation)

We are meant to love all that is good (and, indeed, G-d’s creation is "very good"), and work to further the good through bringing all Creation close to Torah. For as explained by Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzatto (in Mesilas Yesharim), when a person subdues his evil inclination and clings to his Creator, "he is uplifted and the whole world is uplifted with him" (my emphasis).

It’s indeed a big responsibility that G-d gave us when he entrusted the world--or a guitar--to our stewardship. We are meant to use everything He gave us to sanctify His name, and further His will.

By talking about peace and love, please don’t think I’m trying to make a political statement here regarding our future plans in the foreign policy arena. How we should deal with proven enemies of the Jewish people, and of America, is not the issue here. The Torah clearly allows us to kill the one who is trying to kill us, and also tells us that we should hate the evil perpetrated by those who are truly destroyers of innocent life.

But at the same time, with death and destruction crowding the airwaves so much at this difficult time, and with death and destruction the very creed of the unholy warriors who threaten our well-being, it wouldn’t hurt to remind ourselves (constantly) that the Torah teaches us ways of pleasantness, life and peace. Certainly when interacting with our spouses, neighbors and colleagues (not to mention the trees overhanging the sidewalk), we must remember that the Torah’s warning: Keep far from destruction!

And perhaps most important of all, we must beware of destroying our own spiritual (and physical) selves. Our Sages tell us that each human being constitutes a world unto him or herself. Therefore, for each and every one of us, this is the most intimate stewardship we have: to develop (and not destroy) our own worlds, our own G-d-given potential as Jews and as human beings. Sin and transgression destroy our souls, while Torah and mitzvos enlighten and perfect them.

We have just begun the sacred month of Elul, the days of preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It is a time meant to be devoted to teshuva (turning back to G-d), and a period when our sources tell us that there is a potential for unique closeness between the Jewish people and G-d. (These days, from Rosh Chodesh Elul until Yom Kippur correspond to the final 40 days Moshe spent on top of Mt. Sinai, receiving the second set of tablets that represented G-d’s reconciliation with the Jewish people after the Golden Calf.) Mystically, it is an es ratzon, a time of unique divine favor and spiritual accessibility.

The S’fas Emes, great Chasidic commentary on the Torah, says a remarkable thing in this regard. It is known that G-d deals with man "measure for measure," responding to our attitude and actions in like fashion. If we want to benefit from Hashem’s rachamim (mercy)--and surely that is the very essence of what we are praying for on the High Holidays--, then we must have mercy on ourselves! That is to say, each of us must feel more deeply for the plight of the "holy spark" from the Holy One, Blessed be He, i.e., our neshama, that is mired in the physicality of this world (and our body). We must avoid actions (transgressions) that--as we mentioned before--destroy the soul’s light, and pursue actions (mitzvos, Torah study, acts of kindness) that strengthen its illumination. G-d wants us to have (spiritual) self-pity, so to speak! We need to have a heart…for the benefit of our souls!

This is similar to the language used by Rabbeinu Yonah, in the ethical classic,

Shaarei Teshuva (Gates of Repentance). He explains to us how to fulfill the very first principle of repentance, regret for having fallen short of our potential:

"He must regret his evil deeds, and say within his heart: … ‘I have been cruel to my precious soul and have sullied it with the impurities of my evil  inclination…" (First Gate; Feldheim translation)

We’re not talking neurotic guilt here (as I never tire of reminding people); we’re talking honest self-assessment. We’ve all fallen short, we’ve all destroyed when we could have nurtured and created, and we should feel sorry about that…just enough so that it spurs us to resolve to do better in the coming year. We must feel the distance we’ve created between ourselves and G-d in order to strenuously pursue the closeness for which we were created.

Elul is here, and it’s time to wake ourselves up to the preciousness of our lives and our souls…and of the Torah that guides us in perfecting them. Maybe then we will take more care not to destroy, as we deal with everything, and everyone, around us.

GOOD SHABBOS!

My new e-mail address is yosefe@comcast.net

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Rabbi Yosef Edelstein, Savannah Kollel. Phone: 912-351-0469; fax: 354-9923