The legendary Vince Lombardi, the coach of the Green Bay Packers, was renowned for his passionate and motivating speeches. Once, at half-time, his team was down by one touchdown. Lombardi furiously stormed into the dressing room, glanced at his despondent players, and screamed: “If you aren’t fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm!”

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Re’eh: The Promised Land

In this week’s Torah portion, Moses tells the Jewish People who are about to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land of Israel: ‘When you enter into the Land you will make a special ceremony to charge the people with the responsibility to keep Judaism alive. The whole nation will congregate on the two mountains, Gerizim and Eyval.[1] The tribe of Levi will then recite a list of blessings and curses which will be the consequences of your actions, and you will say Amen to each.’ Where are these mountains? The Torah says,

“Are (these mountains) not on the other side of the Jordan, after it, on the path of the setting sun…?[2]

‘After’ (or ‘far beyond’) is a translation of the Hebrew word acharei. The word ‘path’ is a translation of derech. Acharei has a cantillation mark called a Pashta (see below). According to Gur Aryeh,[3] a Pashta indicates a pause. Pashta therefore grammatically suggests the end of a concept. Derech has a cantillation mark called a Yesiv. Yesiv literally means ‘to sit’. The Pardes Rimonim explains, Yesiv is the “Secret of Delay”.[4] Furthermore, derech has a Dagash, a dot, in the middle of the letter Dalet. The Dagash gives the letter Dalet a harder sound.

A SIP OF WINE
Rashi comments on these two words, acharei derech: “The cantillation notes on the verse prove that they (acharei and derech) are two separate terms, for they are punctuated with two notes. Acharei is punctuated with a Pashta, and derech is punctuated with a Mashpeil (a Yesiv). And it (the Dalet in the word derech) has a Dagash. For if acharei derech were one syntactic phrase, then acharei would have been punctuated with an ‘inverted shofar’ (a Ma’pach), and derech would be with a Pashta-the Dalet would be soft, without a Dagash.”

Rashi’s commentary is called the ‘wine of the Torah’, for it alludes to the intoxicating deeper dimensions of the Torah. What then is the deeper message in these fine details?

TO ENTER THE LAND
In general, the parsha discusses the proper way to enter into the Land of Israel. This will be a new beginning for the Jewish People, and it will be difficult. Stabilizing and prolonging our inhabitation of the Land will be even more difficult. Therefore the Torah offers us the tools of how to live in Israel: acharei and derech.

DESIRE AND PASSION
The word acharei means ‘after’. It suggests a passionate yearning after G-d–as it is written in the Book of Hosea,[5] “Go after (acharei) G-d like a roaring lion.” Chassidus teaches us that our desire and passion should be for the sake of G-dliness and transcendence of self. Passionate prayer is a way to become nullified in G-d’s oneness.[6] This concept is highlighted by the Pashta mark on the word acharei. The Pardes Rimonim notes, “Pashta calls for a raising of the voice.” Therefore this alludes to the yearning roar of the lion. The Pashta also suggests the spiritual urge to divest oneself of the garment of the body to join with G-d–as it is written in the Song of Songs,[7] “But I have taken off (pashat’ti) my clothes, how can I dress again?”

TORAH AND MITZVOS
The word derech, ‘path’, alludes to Torah study and the performance of mitzvos–as it is written,[8] “That they keep the path of G-d, doing charity (mitzvos), and justice (Torah).” The Book of Proverbs says of the Torah, “Her paths are pleasant paths.” The Yesiv on the word derech suggests yeishev, ‘to sit’, as in yeshivah, a place to sit and study. Torah is only acquired through sitting, through tranquility. The purpose of Torah study is to increase and enhance our mitzvos.

By placing the words acharei and derech next to each other, the Torah is urging us to create a passion for G-d that leads us deeper into the path of Torah and mitzvos.

The Mittler Rebbe notes [9] that in the Shema, first we read “Love God with all your heart,” then we come to the sentence, “And these are the words that I command you today…” The Torah wants us to create within ourselves a state of desire before studying Torah and doing mitzvos.

Similarly, the expression “repentance and good deeds” appears in many places in the writings of our Sages.[10] Yet, it seems “repentance” should come after “deeds”, because if someone made a mistake in their deed, afterwards they should repent and repair the mistake. However, teshuvah, repentance, does not mean only repairing our mistakes, but ‘returning’–running towards G-d, like a child returning to his father’s embrace. Once we have opened ourselves to the Divine embrace, our deeds can become “good and bright”[11]–more spiritually elevated.

ENTHUSIASM
The Dagash in the Dalet represents din, ‘judgment’ and ‘difficulty’. Din derives from the sefirah, or Divine attribute, of Gevurah: strength and enthusiasm. As the Talmud explains, all beginnings are difficult, requiring additional enthusiasm to overcome them. This is why the first letter of the first word of the Torah, Bereshis, “In the beginning”, has a dot. G-d used great strength in the beginning of the creation of the world.

A dot at the beginning of a word also means a new concept is beginning.[12] Such is derech–a new concept in the sentence, and a signal that our path will require additional strength and enthusiasm.

IN A NUT SHELL
The Torah is teaching us, ‘When you begin your lives in the Holy Land you should 1) create a passionate intimacy with G-d through prayer. This will help you manage the initial difficulties that you will encounter. 2) Later, when the time comes for you to settle (yishuv) in the Land and become more stable, you should study Torah, and 3) perform mitzvos with enthusiasm. As long as you follow this formula, you will be protected and you will flourish in the Land.’

This is also the pattern that we follow each and every day. In the morning we stir up love for G-d through our prayers, like a lion roaring. Then we sit and study Torah, and enthusiastically perform many mitzvot throughout the day.

EDUCATION
As the new school year approaches, it’s important to consider the implications of this teaching regarding educating our children. Growing up in these times is difficult. The way we can help our children overcome the many challenges they will face is acharei derech. The Tanya [13] teaches that we, as teachers and parents, must have a passion to teach our children and create a rapport and a loving bond with them. Then with enthusiasm we should instruct them in the paths of the Torah and mitzvos. This way, the transmission of our tradition will take root and we will see the Coming of Mashiach, when we will all dwell peacefully and flourish in the Land of Israel.

A STORY
Chassidim are sometimes to be heard singing quietly to themselves while praying. One day Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Lubavitcher Rebbe, entered his small study hall, where two of his disciples were sitting, contemplating a Torah teaching. The Rebbe sat with them, and then spoke, “The Mishnah discusses the question, With what (tool) may an animal go out (from a private domain to a public domain) on Shabbos?[14] The prayer-time of each weekday is its own Shabbos. And during this prayer-time, with what does an animal go out? That is, how can a man drive out his animal soul? The Mishna says, All animals bearing a chain or ring (‘sheir’) may go out wearing their ring, and may be led along by it. Therefore, singing (‘shir‘) during prayer can help a worshipper separate and distill the elements of holiness within his animal soul, and this way, he can arouse himself to pray with devout intent.” The Rebbe thus taught his disciples how to arouse their souls in prayer, ‘the service of the heart’.

ACTION:Before you pray today, sing a Jewish song that gives you spiritual inspiration.

FOOTNOTES
[1] For more details regarding Gerizim and Eyval, see Deuteronomy, Chapter 27.
[2] Deuteronomy, 11:30
[3] Gur Aryeh on the above verse
[4] Shaar HaTaamim
[5] Lekutei Torah, Bamidbar 10:1
[6] Hosea, 11:10
[7] Song of Songs, 5:3
[8] Genesis, 18:19
[9] From the maamar, “Ki Atah Neri“, also called Flames, in the Kehot Heritage Series.
[10] For example, Ethics of our Fathers, Chapter 4
[11] See Lekutei Torah, Mattos 82a, and Sefer HaSichos 5748, page 602
[12] These are the seven letters that primarily at the beginning of a word at a new concept have dots on them Beis, Gimmel, Dalet, Kaf, Pey, Reish, and Tav.
[13] See Tanya, Igeret HaKodesh, Chapter 15.
[14] Tractate Shabbos