Throughout the Jewish calendar time is set aside for meaningful introspection. We are now in the month of Elul. “Elul is a time of repentance and introspection in preparation for the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. This period is known as teshuvah, which means returning to a clean state’ or ‘forgiveness’” (https://www.jewishindianapolis.org/elul#:~:text=As%20Elul%20is%20the%20last,time%20for%20Teshuva%20and%20introspection.)
“Jewish tradition points to the name of the
month as symbolically appropriate — the letters of Elul form an acronym for the
words in the verse Ani le‑dodi ve‑dodi li–“I am my
beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (Song of Songs 6:3) . Believing that the
“beloved” refers to God, the sages take this verse to describe the particularly
loving and close relationship between God and Israel.
Elul, then, is our time to establish this closeness so that we can approach
the Yamim Noraim, or Days of Awe, in trusting acceptance of
God’s judgment. We approach the trial not out of fear, but out of love.” (Rabbi
Reuvan Hammer, Entering the High Holy Days,
published by the Jewish Publication
Society.)
Moses and the Israelites defeated Sihon who
would not allow the Israelites to pass
through his land to reach the promised land and furthermore went to war against
them. (Numbers 21:23-26) Immediately afterwards the Torah recounts in poetry how
Sihon defeated the Amorites. What does this have to do with the Israelites
battling Sihon? These verses cry out to be interpreted. I don’t believe in
coincidences. Just in time today’s daf
TB Baba Batra 78 teaches us important musar
how we should live our lives as we approach our High Holidays.
“The
Gemara cites a related discussion. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says that Rabbi
Yoḥanan says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “Therefore
they that speak in parables [hamoshlim] say: Come to Heshbon! Let
the city [ir] of Sihon be built and established! For a fire is gone out
of Heshbon, a flame from the city of Sihon; it has devoured Ar of Moab, the
lords of the high places of Arnon” (Numbers 21:27–28)?
"The Gemara interprets these verses homiletically. “Hamoshlim”; these are the people who rule over [hamoshlim] their evil inclination. They will say: “Come to Heshbon,” meaning: Come and let us calculate the account of [ḥeshbono] the world, i.e., the financial loss incurred by the fulfillment of a mitzva in contrast to its reward, and the reward for committing a transgression, i.e., the pleasure and gain received, in contrast to the loss it entails.
“Let it be built and established” means that if you make this calculation, you will be built in this world and you will be established in the World-to-Come. The phrase “city [ir] of Sihon” means that if a person fashions himself like this young donkey [ayir] that follows after pleasant talk [siḥa], i.e., if one is easily tempted to listen to his inclination, what is written after it? “For a fire is gone out of Heshbon…it has devoured,” i.e., a fire will go out from those who calculate the effect of their deeds in the world, and will consume those who do not calculate and examine their ways but instead do as they please.
“A similar interpretation applies to the continuation of the verse: “A flame from the city of Sihon”; this means that a flame will come from the city of righteous people, who are called trees [siḥin]. “It has devoured Ar of Moab”; this is referring to one who follows after his inclination like this young donkey [ayir] that follows after pleasant talk. “The lords of the high places of Arnon”; this is referring to the arrogant. As the Master says: Every person who has arrogance in him will fall into Gehenna (Hell-gg).
“The Gemara interprets a subsequent verse:
“We have shot at them [vanniram], Heshbon is perished, even until Dibon,
and we have laid waste even until Nophah, which reaches until Medeba” (Numbers
21:30). “Vanniram”; this indicates that the wicked person says:
There is no higher [ein ram] power governing the world. “Heshbon
is perished” means: The account [ḥeshbon] of the world has
perished, i.e., they claim there is no accountability for one’s actions. “Even
until Dibon [divon]”; the Holy One, Blessed be He, says: Wait until
judgment comes [yavo din]. “And we have laid waste even until
Nophah,” meaning until the fire comes that does not require fanning [nippuaḥ],
i.e., the fire of Gehenna, which will consume them. “Until Medeba [Medeva]”;
this means until their souls are pained [tadiv]. And some say an
alternative explanation: It means until God does what He wishes [mai
deva’ei] with them and punishes them as they deserve.” (Sefaria.org
translation)
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