Dvar Torah Parashat Ki Tavo

Dedicated in Honor of our new Grandson Baby, Norman   

By Norman and Debra Balasiano

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Parashat Ki Tavo

Bikkurim – First Fruits

This week’s parasha contains the mitzvah of bikkurim – bringing the first produce from one’s crops to Yerushalayim. The Mishnah tells us that as Jews from the towns and farms made their journey to Yerushalayim carrying the Bikkurim, delegations of elders from the cities on the way would come out to greet them with praises to Hashem. When they reached the gates of Jerusalem, additional verses and praises were recited. It was a very elaborate ceremony. Other things were brought to Yerushalayim during the year, like maaser sheni.

Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz notes that the concept of bringing the first fruits to the kohen is meant to demonstrate hakarat hatov—gratitude for all that Hashem has given the people. Whether it be material or intellectual achievements, we must know that they are all gifts from Hashem, and the greater our awareness of these gifts, the more we will appreciate them. 

Bikkurim does not usually make one’s list of “The five most important mitzvot in the Torah.” And yet, the midrash in Bereshit lists bikkurim as the cause for this entire world’s creation. The Alshich explains that bikkurim represents two fundamental principles of Judaism. Farmers know that cultivating crops is one of the most difficult professions in the world. It is hard, backbreaking work. One plants in the spring, and he does not know what will happen to his crop. There can be droughts, floods, or pests. Everything can go wrong, and so often, it does. Here we have a successful person with a bountiful crop in front of him. It is easy for such a person to think, “It was my strength and the power of MY hand that made me this great wealth (18:17).”

Bikkurim counteracts such thoughts. It teaches us that it’s G-d’s land, G-d’s sustenance, and G-d’s Hand that has given us the power to gain wealth. A person must appreciate this and recognize the favor. Bikkurim helps a person understand that it’s not his brains, talents, or cleverness that help him acquire wealth. Rather it is his Siyata D’shmaya—help from Heaven. It is also his mazal—fortune that G-d decides to be kind to him.

Saying Thank You to Hashem

Rabbi Shalom Arush quotes in his book “Say Thank You” and “See Miracles” that David Hamelech wrote, “Thank Hashem and call His Name—inform the nations of His wonders (Tehillim 105).” The Zohar says, “We are obligated to tell the world about the miracles Hashem does.” By doing so, we sanctify Hashem’s name, and His honor is magnified in both the spiritual and physical realms. Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk teaches that when we talk about the wonders and miracles that Hashem performs, we invoke more wonders and miracles. But, if a person attributes the wonderful things that happen in life to natural phenomena, he no longer sees them as miracles. Even worse, he is left at the mercy of natural phenomena.

So many miracles happen to people in every facet of life. As soon as they decided to live with gratitude and thank Hashem for everything, they benefited from outright miracles, and their lives turned around. Childless mothers were suddenly expecting. Debtors no longer owed people money. Unmarried people were suddenly finding their soulmates. Sick people with no hope in sight suddenly recovered. How? They said, “thank You,” and saw miracles.

“This is the gate of Hashem through which the righteous and holy ones shall enter. I thank You, for You have answered me and become my salvation (Tehillim 118:19-20).” We learn from these pesukim that when someone lives with gratitude, he is called holy and righteous. And when someone is thankful, all the gates of salvation are open to him.

Rabbi Arush says that when we pray to Hashem with requests like parnassah, health, shidduchim, or children, the Satan stands in front of Hashem and says, “Look at all the sins done by this person, why grant his requests?” But when a person prefaces his prayers with true gratitude—even for the challenges that Hashem has bestowed upon him—the Satan can’t argue against him, and Hashem grants the requests without question.

We must emphasize the great responsibility that comes with this. Many learn about being grateful and having hakarat hatov, but they don’t understand just how much of a basic obligation this is. They think it is just a nice idea and a positive character trait to work on. But that’s not so! Gratitude is the first step in having a true connection with Hashem. It is not only our duty to sing His praises, but also the responsibility of every created being to give thanks, to praise, to glorify, to magnify, and to exalt His Holy Name. Rambam, in Hilchot Berachot says, “Ask for mercy in the future, yet thank Hashem for everything in the past. The more one thanks Hashem, the more it is praiseworthy (10:26).”

Praising Hashem for His Kindness

Rabbi Biderman said in Torah Wellsprings, Reb Menachem Mendel of Linsk, said, “One must praise Hashem for the kindness Hashem bestows on him all the time, all types of kindness, the revealed and concealed.” There was a bachur, a yatom—orphan, and his Rosh Yeshivah, Reb Yehudah Zev Segal of Manchester, ZT’L, advised him, “Every night when you pray arbit, and you say the words, “nisech shebechol yom imanu—Your miracles that all day are with us,” I want you to think of a miracle that happened to you that day.”

The boy grew up and he’s a very chashuv talmid chacham in London. “For forty years, every night I did and continue to do what my Rosh Yeshivah recommended, and I can testify that there wasn’t one day all these years that I didn't find some miracle to praise Hashem for.”

Reb Shlomo Zalman Aurbach, ZT’L, explained that it’s a segulah to remember all the kindnesses Hashem granted him that day during Modim in Amidah. It is a proven and true segulah to free a person from all worries.

A Midrash tells the following story. A talmid chacham was traveling with an innkeeper when they met a poor, blind man collecting money on the outskirts of a city. The talmid chacham gave tzedakah, and he urged the innkeeper to do the same, but the innkeeper replied, “You know him, so you gave him tzedakah. I don't know him, so I won't give him anything.”

They walked further, and the Malach Hamavet appeared to them and said to the talmid chacham, “You gave tzedakah, so your life will be spared, and you’ll live another fifty years.” Then he turned to the innkeeper. “But your final day has arrived.” The innkeeper begged, “Let me give tzedakah now!” But the Satan explained to him that it was too late. He had lost his opportunity.

The innkeeper, stoic, said, “Before you take me, just allow me to praise Hashem for all the kindness He has done for me throughout my lifetime. Then I will come with you.” The Malach Hamavet paused and then decreed, “Since you want to praise Hashem, years have been added to your life. You will not be going with me today.”

We learn from this story the great benefit of counting Hashem’s kindnesses. Yes, tzedakah is lifesaving, and we should aspire to give as much charity as possible. However, praising Hashem for His infinite chessed can offer a great amount of protection as well.

Hashem is Waiting

There is a true story from a Rabbi in our community’s grandfather who was drafted in WWII. His wife and baby missed him terribly. The wife framed a nice picture of her husband and put him on the dining room table. In order her baby would not forget her father, every night the mother would remind her to give Daddy a kiss good night. The baby would run over to the picture frame and give the picture a kiss. Every morning the baby would hug and kiss “Daddy” good morning and wish him a good day.

Finally, her husband returned. The mother excitedly told her three-year-old girl, “Go hug Daddy!” The father kneels down, arms stretched wide. He had not seen his little girl since she was a baby. The child runs to the front of the house and kisses….the picture on the dining room table.

Elul is a time where Hashem is waiting at our front door. His arms are open, waiting to embrace us with love. “Ani Ledodi V’dodi Li—I am to my Beloved and my Beloved is to me.”

We have this special time with Hashem. Elul is our anniversary of our connection with Hashem. On Rosh Hashana we anoint Hashem as our King. Anniversaries are a time to renew vows. Couples take that special day out of the year, away from their children to remember why they got married all those years ago.

Every day in Amidah we thank Hashem for all that he does for us. He heals the sick, frees those that are bound, and “HaRotzeh B’teshuvah—He waits for our Teshuvah.” All He could do is wait. During this holy month, Hashem, Master of the Universe is standing at our front door with His arms open, waiting for us to return.

Greatness Around Us

Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Jacobson tells a story that a young man shared with him. Growing up this boy had a hard time staying still in class, and school after school would tell him not to return. Exasperated, the boy’s father would punish the boy harshly in hopes that the boy would correct his actions. After the eighth school expelled his son, the father sent him to Israel because he could not deal with his son anymore.

Alone, the fourteen-year-old boy goes into the empty Slonimer shul in Bnei Brak where he sees a 95-year-old Jew davening. Little did this boy know that that was Rebbe Usher Arkovich. When he was done davening, the old man questions the young boy if it was late in the day, why he was not in school?

The boy, embarrassed replied, “I haven’t had luck in any school system. I was expelled from school after school, eight in all. My father sent me off to Israel. I am forlorn.”

The Reb Usher looked at the boy and said,” You know we say every day in Ashrei: ‘Lehodia livnei ha’adam g’vuratav u’chvod hadar malchuto—Hashem wants tot tell people about His own strength and His own royalty.’ The great Chassidic master, the Maggid Lechovich gave another interpretation to this passuk. Hashem wants us to talk about His wisdom and strength so that we should tell a person of his strengths. Teach every person you meet his own strengths, glory and holiness. G-d does not need our praises. When we list Hashem’s praises, we recognize Hashem’s ultimate wisdom and power. If G-d is perfect that means He did not make a mistake when creating you. Your creation is testimony that Hashem was making a statement by putting you in this world. The world is not complete without this person’s contribution! It is a mitzvah to make every person you meet aware of their g’vuratav—strengths. Whatever happens, never forget your own power.”

After six months later this boy was expelled again. He finally got into a tenth Yeshivah a half a year later he was asked not to return. At fifteen yours old, the boy was rejected from ten schools, and he had no father to call. He felt so alone, lost and broken from the world that he decided he would end his life. He climbed a tall building in Yerushalayim and paced on the edge of the roof about to jump to take himself out of his agony.

Suddenly, he had a flashback to the conversation he had with that 95-year-old man, Rebbe Usher Arkovich. He decided he would have to make himself aware of all his strengths before he could make the decision to end everything.

He climbed down from the building, got his life together, got married with kids, and built a successful business. Could Reb Usher have known that the impact of his words would save a young life from suicide. Do not be stingy with your words, embraces and compliments. Every soul is a manifestation of G-d in this world. Let every person you meet know about their strengths, beauty and amazing gifts.

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, may we all praise Hashem loudly for His miracles and kindness, both big and small. May we all take advantage of the great opportunity that Hashem is giving us for another year of life and sustenance. Let us also say thank You and be happy with all the blessings that Hashem bestows upon us!

Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Amram Sananes, written by Jack Rahmey

Discussion Point:

• Although we all appreciate what Hashem gives us, do we consciously make the effort to say thank you to Hashem?

This book is a compilation of Divre Torah from the weekly parasha classes from Rabbi Sananes’ teachings over the last 10 years along with my own experiences in those classes which has stimulated my Torah growth. I’ve included many pertinent stories and life lessons to grow from at your Shabbat table. There’s also questions and discussion points at the end of each Parasha to stimulate a Torah conversation at your Shabbat table for the whole family to participate in. Also, included is a holidays section at the end of the book to use for all of our special holidays and Yomiim Toviim.  Now available in all Jewish bookstores and Amazon! Scan the barcode on the right to purchase from Amazon.

Rabbi Sananes and I look forward to hearing your feedback.

Sincerely, Rabbi Amram Sananes and Jack E. Rahmey

AmramSananes@me.com and jrahmey@rahmeyfinancial.com (917-226-6276)               

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Le’ilui Nishmat…

Eliyahu Ben Rachel

Rabbi Shimon Chay Ben Yaasher

Avraham Ben Garaz

Sarah Bat Chanah

Esther Bat Sarah

Avraham Ben Mazal

Shulamit Bat Helaina

Rabbi Meyer Ben Chana

Rahamim Ben Mazal

Batsheva Bat Sarah Esther

Rafael Ben Miriam

Ovadia Ben Esther

Rav Haim Ben Rivka

Moshe Ben Mazal

Moshe Ben Yael

Yitzchak Ben Adele

Avraham Ben Mazal

Meir Ben Latifa

Chanah Bat Esther

Yaakov Ben Rachel

Malka Bat Garaz

Moshe Ben Garaz

Avraham Ben Kami

Yaakov Ben Leah

Mordechai Ben Rachel

Chacham Shaul Rachamim Ben Mazal

Natan Ben Rachel

Saadia Ben Miriam

Eliyah Ben Latifa Simhon

Margalit Bat Mazal

Ovadia Haim Ben Malaky

Rabbi Aharon Chaim Ben Ruchama

Luratte Bat Masouda

Esther Bat Menucha

Uri Ben Rahel

Rivka Bat Dona

Shalom Ben Zahra

Rachel Bat Sarah

Shalom Ben Zahra

Chava Yvette Bat Jamile

Refuah Shelemah…

Rachel Bat Devorah

Gimol Sarah Ester Bat Batsheva

Haim Ben Miriam

Rachmim Ben Leah

Anyone interested in dedicating this Divre Torah Le'ilui Nishmat or Refuah Shelemah or In Honor of someone, can email me at

jrahmey@rahmeyfinancial.com. Checks can be made out to “A Life of Torah” for $101 and mailed to 2387 Ocean Ave Suite 1G, Brooklyn, NY 11229 (please put in the memo “Divre Torah”). Anyone interested in past parshiot please go to the website ParashaPerspective.org