This week, we take leave of Chumash Bereishis and start Chumash Shemos. As we close the final aliyah of sefer Bereishis, we say in shul three times, “Chazak.” The Elya Rabbah says that three times the value of chazak in gematria is 345, which is the same numerical value as the word Moshe, to remind us of the Torah that was given by Moshe Rabbeinu. Rav Leibel Katz, zt”l, zy”a, in his wonderful sefer Ohel Aryeh, says that chazak is an acronym for choreish, zorei’yah, kotzer – to plow, plant and harvest, teaching the lesson that Torah learning needs a strong effort. There is no quick fix when it comes to learning Torah. It takes painstaking work, like tilling a field with all of the steps such as plowing, planting and harvesting. As Rabbi Berel Wein, shlit”a, points out, one of the 48 Kinyonei HaTorah, tools to acquire the Torah, is yeshiva, to sit and study. You can’t become a talmud chacham without wearing out the seat of your pants.
The Pri Chadash however explains that we say chazak, chazak, chazak three times as words of encouragement for, as the Gemara says in Masechtas Sanhedrin, “Torah mateshes kocho shel adam – The Torah weakens the constitution of man,” and thus it needs constant encouragement.
We must realize that we all have a yeitzer hara that preys on us every day. As the Gemara teaches us, “Yitzro shel adam misgaber alov b’chol yom – A person’s inclination prevails upon him every day.” Similarly, the Gemara in Masechtas Berachos says that the perennial battle of life is against the yeitzer hara, as it teaches us, “L’olam yargiz adam yeitzer tov al yeitzer hara – A person should always incite his good inclination against his evil inclination.”
While the yeitzer hara has many arrows in his quiver, and his aim is focused on getting us to speak lashon hara and to fight with our spouse, to look at the wrong things, and to say hurtful words, there is nothing that the yeitzer hara tries harder to accomplish than to stop people from learning Torah. Torah is the yeitzer hara’s nemesis, as the Gemara in Masechtas Kiddushin states categorically, “Barasi yeitzer hara, barasi Torah tavlin lah – I (Hashem) created the yeitzer hara and I (Hashem) created the Torah as the antidote against it.” Therefore, at the very top of the yeitzer hara’s agenda is to stop a person from learning Torah.
The Chofetz Chaim, zt”l, zy”a, explains that this is the reason why, although the yeitzer hara is not lazy and is not one to procrastinate, he didn’t fight with Avraham nor did he fight with Yitzchak. The yeitzer hara, says the Chofetz Chaim, waited to battle with Yaakov. The Chofetz Chaim explains this is because the yeitzer hara is willing to live with the chesed, kindness, of Avraham and tolerate the avodah, service, of Yitzchak. But, when it comes to the Torah of Yaakov, it’s all-out war.
Forewarned is forearmed. When it comes to going to a shiur, a lecture, the yeitzer hara will tell us it’s too cold, it’s too slippery, you won’t find parking, it’s not nice to leave your wife, you’re too tired, the shiur is boring, ad infinitum. It’s also encouraging to know that, “L’fum tzara agra – According to the difficulty is the reward.”
Since there is so much to overcome when embarking on the study of Torah, its reward is proportionately that much greater. This knowledge is very important for the young mother and wife as well. The mother who prays by the candles for her children to be talmidei chachamim, and reads them stories by the bed about tzaddikim, the mother who celebrates their Torah milestones with sincere happiness, she will reap the rewards of Torah. The wife who doesn’t make her husband feel guilty for going out in the night or spending the morning on Sunday in pursuit of Torah study but, to the contrary, shows her admiration and appreciation of her husband’s Torah accomplishments, is actively sharing in her husband’s Torah efforts.
Our public chanting of chazak, chazak, v’nis’chazeik in unison, says the Pri Chadash, is a reminder to be strong in our resolve to make Torah study the mission statement and mainstay of our lives. In the merit of our Torah learning, may Hashem bless us with long life, good health, and everything wonderful.
Transcribed and edited by Shelley Zeitlin.
