Ramban (11:29) opens with a discussion of Har Girizim and Har Eivel. The Torah never tells us which side they were on, which is on the right, which is on the left. Ramban, who’s a kabbalist says that I would imagine, “yitachein”, that Har Grizim was in the west, on the right. That was the one where the blessings were enumerate, and Har Eivel, which was the one the curses, was in the north, on the left because it says “Mitzafon tifatach haraah (Jermiah 1:14).” The gemara (Pesachim) darshans that it refers to the direction of evil, which is north. What does this mean?

Ramban explains elsewhere that the sun rises in the east, which is mizrach, and that’s where, the word zericha means to shine forth. It travels to maarav, the west, where the sun sets. The sun spends most of the time in the darom, south. The word darom means to dwell there because the sun spends most of its day in the southern hemisphere. North, tzafon, is the least exposed to light. Tzafon means hidden, like we say in the haggaddah shel Pesach, “tzafun” is to hide something.  That is the darkest area.  Thus,  north which is covered, has the least amount of sunlight, is called tzafon.

Bring Hashem’s Light

Tzafun is the north. You always find it used in reference to darkness and evil. “Tashes choshech vayihi laylah bo sirmos kol chayso ya’ar”.  That’s where evil lurks, and that is the dark place of the world, but we need to have bitachon and rely on Hashem, and bring the Rebono Shel Olam into that area. Har Grizim, which is the blessings, that’s going to be on the right side, which is chesed and light, and Har Eivel is going to be on the north side which is darkness.  And, our job is to fulfill the mitzvos of Hashem and to bring Hashem’s light into the world.  Interesting idea that I believe the Ramban is hinting to.

2) Torah Shel Baal Peh

It says in the pasuk (12:21), “U’zavachta,” you should slaughter, “kaasheir tzivisicha, as I commanded you.” We don’t find this command written anywhere in the Torah? Chazal (Chullin 28a) explain, in one of the most fundamental gemaras we should know: the proof for Torah SheBaal peh is here: “kasheir tzivisicha,” as I commanded you, “al peh,” verbally.  It’s a halacha l’Moshe M’Sinai. Moshe was commanded how to saughter. Hence, the Torah itself mentions the Oral transmission.

Foundation

Ramban brings this drasha down because it’s a foundation of the entire Torah. When we look at the Torah there’s the oral part which is from Chazal, and those are the lessons that teach us how to understand the Torah, and that’s what Chazal’s objective is, to keep the mesorah alive in how to read the Torah, and that is that pasuk.  The Ramban has his own p’shat about what shechita is.  Ayein sham.

3) Positive and Negative Spiritual Powers

The pasuk (13:2) says that if a navi or a choleim chalom, a dreamer will arise and enamor you with his or her prediction, well, they’re a false prophet based on their magical things that they perform, and they should be put to death. Ramban brings down that there is a power in the world that does allow people to tap into this.  These powers were created by G-d, so to speak, as part of a natural way the world works, and a person could tap into these things,

Alternative Medicine Claims and Avodah Zarah

Rav Belsky has a whole book on alternative medicines. Many of the energy “healers” and other alternative healers are treading on dangerous territory. One should discuss the matter with his or her rav if he or she is considering alternative medicine usage or practice.

Rav Belsky is extremely machmir when it comes to weegy boards or other things that seem to be based on avodah zarah, and trying to tap into spiritual mediums. Ramban and other rishonim seem to say that such a power actually exists, and there was concept of telling the future based on, perhaps, oracles, like ove v’yidoni, necromancy, and other procedures that were done.  Ramban is certainly discussing this right here. He even say that this is something that the philosophers called kayin which there’s apparently an Arabic word which is kahana, and it’s a power that a man has that he could tell the future.  Rambam in Igeres Teiman says that it means kesem, kiseim, a witch.  Either way, Hashem created certain powers in the world and there are also prohibitions of utilizing them.

Physical or Psychological Explanation

Many contemporary poskim that I’ve spoken to about this have said that if there is some logical, physical or psychological way to explain what a person is doing through their alternative medical interventions, then it is fine as long as it is not presented as ‘magic’. If someone is claiming that they are speaking to spirits or tapping into spiritual forces, then that would be considered avodah zarah and be an issur d’oriaisa to practice these things.

Forces

The bottom line is that there’s certainly, as the Ramban here says, there is a power in the world, and if a person is tapping into that it’s an issur d’Oraisa, and we do admit that it does exist and the Rebono Shel Olam created it.  Yes.  There’s an idea of “ein od milvado afilu kishafim.” A person should believe fully that nothing could hurt them unless the Rebono Shel Olam determines, and that’s still true.  However, there is a power in the world of evil just like there are evil aveiros that a person could do, there is an aspect of tapping into this negative force that the Jewish people should stay away from.

4) Latent Abilities Nurtured

“Ki menaseh Hashem Elokeichem eschem” (13:4). Hashem is testing you (by allowing the false prophet to appear to carry out a sign). Ramban says that the Rebono Shel Olam tests us.  He tests us and tells us that there are going to be neviim that come; there are going to be people that try to convince you not to believe in Hashem, and our job is to fight against this by grabbing onto the Torah and our Jewish leaders.  

Ramban explains in Lech Lecha about what a nissayon is.  He says that same thing here.  ‘Menaseh’ means to lift you up because the purpose of a test is to bring out your latent potential into actualization and to bring it out.  And, we know that some of the best learning takes place when you’re studying for the test because you know it’s coming, and you know you need to just get that reading done and get that paper written and understand exactly what’s going on in order to be able to pass.  So, when a person is pushed in that moment, it really helps them become who they are and bring out their greatness.

5) Appropriate Tears

“Banim atem laHashem Elokeichem (14:1).” You are children to Hashem. Therefore, a person should not be overly mournful when they lose a loved one. Ramban, who often gives mussar to Rav Avraham Ibn Ezra, here quotes him and praises his words, and there are two he’aros I would like to share that are very  important. 

Don’t Preach At That Time

This is a message that a person can only tell themselves, rachmana l’tzlan, if it’s applicable.  In any situation in life that’s going on we have to be very careful and very sensitive in how we talk to other people because it’s very easy to be frum on someone else’s cheshbon and say: Well, just believe in Hashem.  Just get over it! 

Your mitzvah is not to do that.  It’s true the person who’s going through the challenge might have a mitzvah of bitachon, and if they ask you to help them, you could definitely be mischazeik them and strengthen them.  However, for you to just start preaching: Just believe in Hashem – that’s not your job.

From Hashem

Rav Avraham Ibn Ezra says that this is a perspective that a person who’s going through a challenge, rachmana l’tzlan, could think about.  A person should know that we are children of the Rebono Shel Olam, and He loves us more than a father loves his own son, and, therefore don’t cry bitterly “lo sisgodidu”, on any bad that takes place because anything that Hashem does is for the best, and even if I don’t understand it, just like children, little children don’t have any understanding of their parents, and they don’t understand why their parents are doing something.  Why are they doing this thing that hurts?  Why are they being mean to me?  Why are they giving me this rule? But, yet, it’s exactly what they need. 

We are an am kadosh to Hashem, and, therefore, a person should not cut themselves or do other things that were done in the olden days that represented excessive mourning, and a person should always know that the Rebono Shel Olam loves us more than a father loves his son, and when we have that perspective it’s extremely inspirational because anything that’s going on to us is like a father meting out the exact punishment.  We don’t know, necessarily, always why we have to have that punishment, but we always know that it’s coming from the Rebono Shel Olam and it is with an exact calculation.  What a deep concept.

One Can Still Have Feelings

Ramban asks: If this is true, then why do we cry? Perhaps a person shouldn’t cry because if he cries when something bad happens, then he is denying Hashem’s involvement?! Says the Ramban - absolutely not! The pasuk never prohibits bichi because it’s teva.  A person is misorreir, awakened to cry even when just a loved one departs to go out of town we cry.  So, certainly, if someone dies and they went up to Shamayim a person could cry. “Vayavo Avraham lispos Sarah v’livchosa”.  Avraham was crying for Sarah his wife, his life partner, who had passed away.  

Sarah was 127 years old when she died.  According to the Midrash Yalkut Shimoni they got married when Avraham was 25 and Sarah 15. So, they were together for over a hundred years. There was a big relationship there. 112 years of marriage, a person has a right to cry.  Or anything less as well. We are human beings.  The Rebono Shel Olam created us that way.  He gave us emotions.  We’re supposed to use our emotions to serve Him.  That is not an issur and that is not going against.  On the contrary, the tears help facilitate the mourning process and the grieving process and the healing process.  The tears are a way to release endorphins and help the person relax, but they are a natural thing which is perfectly fine.  But, the perspective that we always have is that the Rebono Shel Olam knows what’s best even if I don’t understand now, and I may never understand in my entire lifetime, I know, with emunah sheleimah that everything that Hashem does is for the best

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Rabbi Yosef Tropper is a rav and psychotherapist. Learn more and subscribe at ParshaThemes.com