Va'eschanan: The Wholeness of Brokenness

By Zachary Fish

Yesterday, in the kinna איכה את כבר עשוהו, ‘Alas-that is has already been done’, we cried out that the churban and galus we are currently experiencing was already planned from the start, even before creation itself was finished. We referenced the berishis rabba that explains when the the pasuk says והארץ היתה תהו ובהו that this is alluding to the destruction that was already planned to happen. In our emotional state we may have felt that this is not fair- this was preordained from the start! There was clearly nothing we could do!

And while in our state of mourning we may have been OK keeping these questions unanswered, leaving us bothered and hurt, the question still needs an answer. How does it make sense that galus was preordained before any individual walked on the earth?

To answer this question, we must first answer another seemingly unrelated question.

Why didn’t Sefer Devarim start with Parshas Va'eschanan? Parhas Va'eschanan contains within the most foundational aspect of Yidishkeit: the aseres hadibros, shema, and ahavas Hashem. If Moshe Rabainu wanted to start his final speech with captivating introductory remarks, this is what he should have opened with. So why then did Moshe find it necessary to start with Parshas Devarim and first remind bnei yisroel of all their sins in the midbar.

The Nesivos Shalom answers this question. He explains that the only way people can reach their highest levels is by first embodying the midda of הכנעה, humble submission, and a לב שבור, a broken heart. He quotes a Shelah that explains that this is why ארץ ישראל is still called ארץ כנען even after the כנענים were no longer there: because only the נכנעים, those with a broken heart who are able to humble themselves, are able to appreciate the kedusha of the land.

As the Kotzker said “There is nothing so whole as a broken heart.” It is only in the times when we feel broken in which we are able to grow and actually obtain true completion. When a heart is full, there is no room for anything else.

This is why Moshe needed to start with mussar. Before getting to the great and grand foundations of Judaism, he first had to make a little room in the hearts of the people. They needed to be a slightly broken first before they were able to work towards being whole.

Likewise, the Nesivos Shalom explains, this is why there always needed to be a galus, even before anyone sinned. Because the only way Am Yisroel will be able to reach the heights that we need to be by experiencing the dark devastating brokenness that only galus can provide. Galus is exactly the process we need in order to become the best version of ourselves.

Similarly, the Ramchal in Daas Tevunos explains this is why Hashem created evil in the world. Because only through evil taking control will good be able to strengthen itself and bring out all its potential. Similar to how it is the presence of darkness that allows there to be light.

This reality that the Nesivos Shalom and Ramchal describe is the source of a great irony in the world. While challenges, roadblocks, and mistakes seem to be obstacles to our ultimate goals, they are in reality the only way in which we can fully actualize all of our potential and reach those very goals. Just like an immune system only gets stronger by being exposed to what hurts it, humans only grow when they are faced with challenges. We should not run away from hard times, rather we should embrace them as opportunities in which we can strengthen ourselves in ways we would never be able to if everything was going according to plan.

B’ezrat Hashem, with this in mind, may we live our lives humbly accepting whatever Hashem sends our way, knowing that our sole focus should be how we can grow from the opportunity that He is presenting us.