Parsha Halacha – Chukat-Balak
Walking Modestly with G-d
and May One Lie to Preserve Humility?
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The Haftorah of parshat (Chukat-) Balak finishes with an inspiring exhortation of Micha, the prophet, הִגִּיד לְךָ אָדָם מַה טּוֹב וּמָה ה׳ דּוֹרֵשׁ מִמְּךָ כִּי אִם עֲשׂוֹת מִשְׁפָּט וְאַהֲבַת חֶסֶד וְהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם אֱלֹקֶיךָ – “You have been told, O mortal, what is good, and what G-d requires of you: Only to do justice and to love goodness and to walk modestly with your G-d.”[1]
The Talmud says[2] that Micha established these three mitzvot (doing justice, loving kindness, and walking modestly) as the most central principles of the Torah. Rabbi Yonatan Eibeshitz explains[3] that “doing justice” refers to following all of the mitzvot between man and man, “loving kindness” means going beyond the letter of the law, and “walking humbly with G-d” means correcting any mistakes or shortcomings in our obligations towards the Almighty.
“You Have Been Told…”
The Chafetz Chaim asks,[4] why does the prophet need to urge us to do justice by saying, “You have been told, O mortal, that which is good…” After all, the Torah is full of the importance of following the path of justice (treating people fairly)? He explains that many people cut corners and earn money in crooked ways, thinking that they will only be held accountable for their actions in the afterlife (and ignoring the fact that that time can come sooner than one thinks).
In fact, money earned unlawfully jeopardizes all of the money one owns. This is why the Talmud says,[5] “One who leaves a court and his cloak was taken from him (to pay his litigant, as decided by the court), let him sing a song and go happily on his way.” Similarly, the Talmud says,[6] “On account of four matters people’s property gets destroyed: On account of those who delay or withhold payment of the salary of hired laborers…” In fact, the Talmud says[7] that even for the sin of not giving sufficient tzedakah one can lose all of his wealth.
The Rebellious Gang
The Chafetz Chaim gives the following example:
“In a certain city there was a group of rebels who were joined by a number of people. In order to strengthen their gang and be able to recognize each other, they agreed that all the members of their group would wear a certain uniquely colored garment.
“One day several of them went to a bar and got very drunk. Some of them refused to pay what they owed. The innkeeper wouldn’t allow them to go and forced them to leave their garments with him as collateral. They departed from his establishment in anger.
“A short time later, this gang’s shenanigans became known to the king, along with the identifying garment they had adopted among themselves. Everyone found wearing that distinctive garment was arrested. Their actions were investigated, their rebellion was uncovered, and they and all of their property were destroyed. Only those who were not wearing those garments were saved as they weren’t recognized. They said to one another: ‘We thought that the innkeeper wronged us by making us leave our garments as security. In truth, he did us an immense favor as we’re only alive due to his actions.’
“Let’s go to him and express our deepest gratitude for what he did for us. And from now on, let’s accept upon ourselves never again to act like our wicked companions, so that we will not be captured as they were.”
This is why the verse begins with the words הִגִּיד לְךָ אָדָם מַה טּוֹב – “It has been told to the man as to what is good.” The prophet is telling us that which is good for us right now, not just what is good for us in the next world.
“Loving Kindness”
The verse refers to the action of “doing justice” whereas regarding kindness the verse refers to the feeling – “loving kindness.” It would seem that the verse should have said “doing justice and kindness.” The Chafetz Chaim explains this by pointing out that most people do acts of kindness only out of necessity, i.e., when they are requested to do so and there is no one else to do it. In truth, we should seek out opportunities for doing kindness and do so in the most exemplary manner – out of love for the recipient.
When assisting one’s child, one will provide all that is needed, whether it be food, clothing, or making his wedding out of one’s love for him. One attempts to provide the best in all of those areas for one’s son or daughter and tries to figure out exactly what is needed and will do so gladly because it comes from love. This is the way we should treat others as well.
“Walking Humbly with G-d”
The Talmud says[8] that “Walking humbly with your G-d” (הַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם אֱלֹקֶיךָ) refers to taking the (indigent) dead out for burial and accompanying a poor bride to her wedding canopy. This is derived from the word לֶכֶת (walking) which is used in a different verse to refer to both of those activities. As the verse says,[9] טוֹב לָלֶכֶת אֶל בֵּית אֵבֶל מִלֶּכֶת אֶל בֵּית מִשְׁתֶּה – “It’s better to go to the house of a mourner than to a wedding hall.” The Talmud concludes that if even such the mitzvah of assisting in such activities, which are usually done with great fanfare, are supposed to be done in a modest manner, how much more so when giving (regular) tzedaka and studying Torah, one should do these in an inconspicuous manner.
Imago Dei (to Resemble G-d)
When G-d buried Moshe, He did so without fanfare (i.e., no one else was present),[10] and when the Almighty prepared Chava (the first woman) for her wedding, there was no one else present.[11] We should emulate His ways and do these mitzvot (and others) in a discreet manner. (Although weddings are public affairs, one who assists financially should do so discreetly.) This is the meaning of the verse “Walk humbly with G-d,” i.e., in a similar manner to G-d.[12]
Better than Moshe
The Talmud says,[13] “One who gives tzedaka discreetly reaches a higher level than Moshe Rabeinu. As regarding Moshe it says, ‘I was afraid of (G-d’s) anger and fury’[14] whereas one who ‘gives (tzedaka) in secrecy will subdue (Divine) anger.’[15]”
Everything in Moderation
Rabbi Menachem Tzvi Taksin (1850 – 1918) writes that when the Talmud says one should bring in the Kallah and escort the dead with modesty it means that one should be moderate at such occasions. One shouldn’t rejoice excessively at a wedding as “this too shall pass,” nor should one grieve excessively at a funeral since the soul doesn’t cease to exist.[16]
Don’t Publicize a Mitzvah
The Jerusalem Talmud recounts[17] that a woman by the name of Miriam was punished in the afterlife[18] for the fact that she would fast and publicize that she was fasting (this refers to private, voluntary fasts for extra atonement from sins). Others say that she would fast one day but indulge in pleasures for the next two days (to “make up” for her pain).
Based on this, the Shulchan Aruch states[19] that “one who fasts and publicizes and brags that he is fasting, will be punished.”
Rabbi Chaim Vital (the main student of the Arizal) adds[20] that “Telling of one’s good actions to others detracts from his reward and instead can bring one to Gehinnom. (See Avodah Zara 18b that whoever is arrogant descends into Gehinom.) A person who is able to do every action for the sake of Heaven and not tell any person about any one of them will receive a double and quadruple reward.”
Publicizing Tzedaka
The Rama writes,[21] “A man should not pride himself for the charity he gives; if he does, he not only receives no reward but there is punishment in store for him. However, one may have his name inscribed on anything he donates as a remembrance; in fact, this is the proper thing to do” as it will encourage others to follow suit.[22]
Lying out of Humility
One who is fasting an extra fast and is questioned as to why he’s not eating should make up an excuse, even if it’s not the truth rather than state that he’s fasting.[23] This is based on the Talmud[24] that a Torah scholar may lie and claim that he didn’t learn a certain tractate when asked about it in order to remain humble. Elsewhere the Talmud recounts[25] that Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi told Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai that rainbows appeared during his lifetime although in fact none did (due to Rabbi Yehoshuah’s merit which protected his generation[26]) because he wanted to remain humble. On the other hand, if, after not admitting that he’s fasting, the people continue to pressure him to eat, he should tell them that he’s fasting rather than break his fast.
Claiming to be Fasting
In some cases, one may claim to be fasting if this will enable him to observe a stringency in an inconspicuous manner. For example, if one is in the company of people who are drinking coffee made by gentiles but he is careful not to drink such coffee (following the opinion of the Arizal that the laws of Bishul Akum apply to coffee), he should rather claim that he’s fasting than explain to them about his (unusual) stringency.[27]
Public Fasts
All of the above doesn’t apply to obligatory public fasts. Quite the contrary, if one is in a place where people treat these fasts lightly, he should publicize that he is fasting in order to strengthen this mandatory observance.[28]
BaHaB
If one is in a place where the community fasts on BaHaB (the Monday, Thursday, and Monday after the months of Tishrei and Nissan as an atonement for too much levity on the holidays) and he is unable to fast, he shouldn’t publicize this matter and should eat only in private.[29]
Fasting for Well Known Sins
One who transgressed in a public manner should publicize when he fasts (or does another form of atonement) so that people don’t suspect him of not doing teshuvah.[30]
May We Merit to Walk Humbly with the Almighty!
[1] Micha 6:8.
[2] Makot 24a.
[3] In Ahavat Yonatan on the verse.
[4] Ahavat Chessed, Part 2, chapter 1.
[5] Sanhedrin 7a.
[6] Sukkah 29b.
[7] Ketubot 66b and 67a.
[8] Sukkah 49b.
[9] Ecclesiastes 7:2.
[10] Sotah 14a.
[11] See Avot DeRebi Natan, 4:3.
[12] Rabbi Moshe Yehudah Leib HaLevi Berman of Horodlo, Poland (1866 – murdered by the Nazis in the Holocaust) in Chok Moshe on Sukkah, ibid.
[13] Bava Batra 9b.
[14] Deut. 9:19.
[15] Proverbs 21:14.
[16] Orach Yesharim on Sukkah ibid.
[17] Chagigah 2:2.
[18] Some say that the hinge to the door of Gehinom was opening and closing on her ear while others describe an even more painful punishment.
[19] O.C. 565:6.
[20] Cited in Kaf HaChaim, 545:32.
[21] Y.D. 249:13.
[22] Biur HaGra based on Rut Rabbah 5:7.
[23] Commentaries on O.C. ibid.
[24] Bava Metziah 23b
[25] Nedarim 77b.
[26] A rainbow is a sign that G-d wanted to destroy the world. During the lifetimes of extraordinary tzadidkim no rainbows were visible as, due to their merit, G-d never considered destroying the world.
[27] Kaf HaChaim O.C. ibid. 36 citing the Shulchan Gavoha.
[28] Mishnah Berurah ibid, 14.
[29] Ibid.
[30] Responsa Halachot Ketanot vol. 2, 242 cited in the Dirshu Mishnah Berurah, note 21.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom Umevorach!