Parshas Netzavim-VaYeileich

L'ilui nishmas Chaya Malka bas Avraham and Frayda (19th Ellul 5739)

Gradually Ascending Spirituality

Devarim 30:12-14 "It is not in heaven…for the matter is very close to you, to perform [it] with your mouth and heart"

Certainly, even if it would only be possible to fulfill the Torah by going to heaven – meaning to immediately engage in avodos g’vohos (very spiritually high activities) that relate to the high concept of heaven – certainly we would need to go up after it. After all, it is certainly fitting for us to serve Hashem at the ultimate, highest level that relates to the concept of heaven.

Nevertheless, Hashem desires loving kindness. He knows our earthly desires [as in] “remember that we are dust”. He knows that “the bad inclination of the heart of a man is evil from his youth” and that it’s impossible for anyone to embark upon holy work by starting with the avodos g’vohos that relate to heaven itself. Even after a person has started his path, not everyone can attain – even at the end of his life – these avodos g’vohos.

For if this wouldn’t be the case, if, Heaven forbid, Hashem would not accept the simple avodos/spiritual activities of the kosher common folk - then all hope would be lost, G-d forbid, for most of the world. Consequently, the Torah cautions regarding this “it is not in heaven” and concludes “rather the matter is very close to you, in your mouth and heart, to perform it”. This means that Hashem does not come to his created beings with complaints – He doesn’t require man to ascend to heaven, to perform avodos g’vohos that are beyond his current capability.

Hashem only wants us to do what we can on our level. This relates to “the ladder is fixed in the ground and the top reaches the heavens”, meaning, we should extend ourselves upwards very gradually each time, rung by rung. We actually request this every day [in the last of the preliminary morning blessings] “make us study Torah in a regular way” – in a regular, habitual fashion, in the same way that someone accustoms himself to a new practice in a gradual way.

Thus, at the start of our avodah, we should not be looking for an immediate ascent to a high level – for that is the concept of “it is not in heaven”, where there is no requirement to immediately arise heavenwards. Rather, we just need the required self-fortification to ascend to the next closest level to us – for “the matter is very close to you”.

Hashem really desires that we fulfill the Torah and avodah that is currently closest to us. We only need to overcome our nature to the degree that lifts us from our present level to the next immediate one that “is very close to you”. The Torah thus cautions regarding this matter [at the conclusion of this verse] “to perform it with your mouth and heart” – to self-fortify by saying words of Torah and prayer in order to cool down the passions of the yetzer hara/evil inclination. These words prevent the heart from burning with evil desire. They also cool off the excessive, fiery desire for sanctity that would otherwise burn more than the required amount; they prevent the craving for too much mysticism. Through this we merit to rise, slowly but surely, level by level and “fulfill all the words of this Torah”.

Yoreh De’ah Hilchos T’rumos U’Ma’asros 3:10 (In Otzar HaYirah – Yirah Ve’Avodah 111) Also see Talmud Torah 81 & 82.

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