We begin the Fifth book of the Torah this week, thebook of Devarim. We have mentioned many times that the Rabbis teach us thatthis book made up primarily of Moshe Rabeynu’s final speech and testament wasan optional book to be included at Moses discretion. The first three portionsfeature Moses narrating a brief history of the past four decades to those aboutto enter the land (see our short class on Deravim, memory and Tisha BeAb). 
אֵ֣לֶּה הַדְּבָרִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֨רדִּבֶּ֤ר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־כׇּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל בְּעֵ֖בֶר הַיַּרְדֵּ֑ן בַּמִּדְבָּ֡רבָּֽעֲרָבָה֩ מ֨וֹל ס֜וּף בֵּֽין־פָּארָ֧ן וּבֵֽין־תֹּ֛פֶל וְלָבָ֥ן וַחֲצֵרֹ֖תוְדִ֥י זָהָֽב׃ 
  
The Rabbis teach us that these words refer to placesand hint at where the Jews sinned in the desert. But then Moses adds one moreplace, “Di Zahav.” 
I would like to share a story and a lesson based onthe teachings of Maran Rav Ovadia Yosef ZSL as posted by Halacha Yomit whichshould motivate each of us lilmod ulelamed. Not only to learn but to realizethe best path to learn is to give over what I learn, lishma, for the sake ofHeaven.  
One day the gabbaim of the bet knesset came to therav and asked him that since they don’t have a rav who can give derashot thathe come on Shabbat to the bet knesset and give them a derashah before Musaph.The rav replied that since the bet knesset was far from his home and he wasgetting old he was unable to come and give them a derashah. The gabbaim greatlypressured him to head to their request to come just for one Shabbat. Until therav was unable to withstand their pressures and he ceded to their request tocome and give them a derashah. 
  
On Sunday the gabbaim came to the rav’s home. Theysaid to him, “Kavod harav we have brought you something, not chas veshalom as apayment, for it is impossible to paid his honor for the words more preciousthan gold and fine gold, just a token due to ‘appreciation’, we brought hishonor a gold watch!” The rav saw and accepted the watch. The gabbaim said tohim, “Kavod harav, his honor saw how much the congregation benefitted from hiswords on Shabbat, do us a favor for Hashem’s sake and darshen before us alsothis coming Shabbat, this is a matter of meriting the many!” The rav responded,“I cannot! It is difficult for me to make the journey to you on Shabbat!” Thegabbaim said to him, “How hard is it? Since this Shabbat his honor already cameto us, if so, just like on one Shabbat his honor was able to walk, so shall hedo also on this coming Shabbat!” The rav answered them, “Fine, I will come alsothis Shabbat! One Shabbat and that will be enough!” 
On the next day, Sunday, again the gabbaim arrivedat the rav’s home, they said to him, “Kavod harav the payment which his honoris entitled to has no bounds, but we have just brought a token gift, theyproduced an expensive chandelier and presented it to the rav.” Immediatelyafterwards they again pressured the rav that he come again on the next Shabbatto the bet knesset to darshan for a third time since “a three-ply cord Is noteasily severed” [see Kohelet 4:12] and the rav’s words in a further derashah willcertainly make a tremendous impression! 
  
Again, on Sunday the gabbaim went up to the rav’shome and presented him with a unique gift, an etrog box of pure silver! And asthey were accustomed to, they again pressured the rav that he continue to givederashot in their bet knesset. The rav answered, “Enough! I already told youthat I will darshan a third time because ‘a three-ply cord Is not easilysevered’, and is now required ‘a four-ply cord’? What do you want from me?”They pressured and pressured, and attempted to convince the rav that he presenton a permanent basis in the bet knesset. 
  
The gabbaim were astonished. “What’s the connection?Why is the rav not prepared to accept the gifts?” The rav replied to them, “Iwill respond with a parable. A person entered a watch shop. He was interestedin a unique expensive gold watch, he paid the full price and immediately infront of the seller he took the watch and threw it on the floor smashing it athis feet! The shop keeper won’t be angry with such a person, since he paid forthe watch, on the contrary perhaps now he will buy another watch! 
  
‘The analogy is as follows. I see that I gavederashot in the bet knesset three times. Indeed, the congregation wereattentive and very much enjoyed them, but I didn’t notice that the wordsinfluenced them to change their ways, and why is this? Because they know thatthe gabbaim took money from the congregation’s funds, and bought gifts from it!If so, the feeling of the congregation is that they paid me for the derashot!And now they don’t care to address things in a practical level! In contrast tothis, when I speak for free and the congregation hear the derashah and theyknow that I don’t receive payment for it, they won’t be brazened to despise thematters, the rav stands and makes every effort in his old age to darshan, surely,they will learn that they must change their ways!” 
  
Each person that has the ability to enthuse othersto fulfil Torah and mitzvot, especially regarding Torah-study, for through themerit of Torah-study Hashem will send Eliyahu HaNavi because the Bet HaMikdashwas destroyed due to not sufficiently studying Torah. Likewise, the redemptionwill be due to the merit of Torah-study, as it states, “Remember the Torah ofMoshe My servant, which I commanded him at Chorev for all of Yisrael – [its]decrees and [its] statutes”, and immediately after this the prophet said,“Behold, I send you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and awesomeday of Hashem. And he will turn back [to Hashem] the hearts of fathers with[their] sons and the hearts of sons with their fathers” (Malachi 3:22-4).Be”Ezrat Hashem we will merit Eliyahu and Mashiach Bimhera Beyameynu Amaen!  
  
Moshe, in an effort to defend the Jews, toldHashem that the Jews were not completely at fault for the sin of the GoldenCalf because “You gave them so much gold, until they said ‘enough.'” Theabundance of gold caused them to sin. 
  
We must clarify: What is the meaning of and DiZahav? The Sages of the school of Rabbi Yannai said that Moses said thefollowing before the Holy One, Blessed be He, to atone for Israel after the sinof the Golden Calf: Master of the Universe, because of the gold and silver thatyou lavished upon Israel during the exodus from Egypt until they said enough[dai]; it was this wealth that caused Israel to make the Golden Calf. 
  
A grandson of Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz zt”l,a Rosh Yeshiva of Ponovezh in Bnei Brak, bought a gift for his grandparents – abeautiful mirror nameplate for their front door, completely customized with theHebrew name “Lefkowitz” engraved – a standard household ornament in Israel.However, a few weeks went by and the front door remained bare. Lefkowitzdid not put up the nameplate. 
  
Rav He quoted his grandfather, Rav When the Jews received the Torah at Mount Sinai, andHashem revealed Himself with all his glory, they reached such a lofty spirituallevel, that their impurity ceased (“paska zuhamasan”). The evil inclinationleft their bodies, and only affected them externally. When they took theEgyptians’ gold and riches from the shores of the Sea of Reeds, they were ableto control controlled themselves. They took what they needed and then said,“Enough!” 
  
Beis Hamikdash, do we really need one moregolden nugget? We can also sacrifice for Hashem, and say, “Enough”. 
  
I have told the story of how my friend Abie and Ifretted one evening over yerida hadorot, 'the decline of thegenerations', as we looked at ourselves and compared ourselves with ourmeritorious fathers and holy grandfathers. In comparison, we were the bottom ofthe barrel and what would our children be? And how we breathe a sigh of reliefthat we are blessed to live in the age of Mashicach when children will teachtheir fathers. We are blessed with special children and we remain the bottom ofthat barrel.  

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