Hands - Beshalach 5772

(וְהָיָה, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָרִים מֹשֶׁה יָדוֹ--וְגָבַר יִשְׂרָאֵל; וְכַאֲשֶׁר יָנִיחַ יָדוֹ, וְגָבַר עֲמָלֵק). Moshe stretching his arms out heavenward caused Klal Yisrael to be able to win in battle. The Gemara in Maseches Rosh Hashanah 29a (16 lines from the top) says (מתני' והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וגבר ישראל וגו' וכי ידיו של משה עושות מלחמה או שוברות מלחמה אלא לומר לך כל זמן שהיו ישראל מסתכלין כלפי מעלה ומשעבדין את לבם לאביהם שבשמים היו מתגברים ואם לאו היו נופלים) that that was related to Klal Yisrael looking heavenwards. What is the Remez of the stretching out of these hands by Gedolei Yisrael who Daven that way? They Daven as Shlomo Hamelech did by stretching out their arms to heaven. Here by Amaleik it is especially important. Because Rashi says that Amaleik came because Sherafu Yidaihem Min Hatorah. Rashi uses the same idea of the symbolism of hands. Rafu Yidaihem Min Hatorah, their hands were weakened in their torah study or Torah observance and therefore, Amaleik came. What is the symbol of this Remez of Yadaim?

I had once seen and I don’t remember the name of the Sefer someone who quoted in the name of the Chiddushai Harim in Parshas Re’ey not in regard to Amaleik but in regard to Bikkurim. Bikkurim is the gift brought to the Bais Hamikdash, one’s first fruits. The Posuk in Parshas Re’ey in 12:17 refers to it as (ותרומת ידך: אלו הבכורים) the gift of your hands. There too the question is why mention the hands? The Posuk in Devarim 26:4 says (וְלָקַח הַכֹּהֵן הַטֶּנֶא, מִיָּדֶךָ). When the Bikkurim are brought to the Bais Hamikdash the language is the Kohen takes the basket from your hand. Why mention the hand? Anything brought to the Bais Hamikdash is given with the hand.

The Chidushei Harim says the mention of the hand is to show that a person has to understand that whatever he does with his hands comes from Hashem and not from him. The opposite of the sense of Kochi V’otzem Yadi. The sense that a person’s own ability is what causes success. On the contrary, it comes from Hashem. The first fruits of a farmers work is brought to the Beis Hamikdash as Terumas Yedchem. As an expression of the fact that the fruit comes from the Ribbono Shel Olam. Once he stretches out his hands towards heaven in Davening he is saying symbolically that my hands, the work of my hands all comes from the Ribbono Shel Olam. My prayer is that my hands should be successful. In Tehillim we find in 134:2 (שְׂאוּ-יְדֵכֶם קֹדֶשׁ; וּבָרְכוּ, אֶת-יְ רוָר) S’u Yidaichem Kodesh Uvarchu Es Hashem. Dovid Hamelech says stretch your hands out in holiness when you bless Hashem. Show that your hands, whatever they do comes from the Ribbono Shel Olam.

We find that Rebbi (the Tanna) before his death stuck out his fingers towards heaven. That idea that the hand represents that, is an idea of stretching out your hands towards heaven and saying that the Koach of my hand comes from Hakadosh Baruch Hu.

Sheivet Levi had no portion in Eretz Yisrael. They understood that everything they received came from Hashem. When the Kohen accepts the basket from the Yisrael Rashi says that the basket of the Bikkurim is brought to the Beis Hamikdash (ולקח הכהן הטנא מידך: להניף אותו. כהן מניח ידו תחת יד הבעלים ומניף).The Yisrael (the farmer) would be holding his hands under the basket. The Kohen would put his hands under the hands of the Yisrael and lift it heavenward. What a beautiful expression, showing the Kohen’s hands which are hands that understand that there is no Kochi V’otzem Yadi that it all comes from Hashem. He lifts up the Yisrael’s hands with his towards heaven. That is the expression of lifting ones hands heavenward. (והיה כאשר ירים משה ידו וגבר ישראל). When Jews understand that everything depends on the blessing of heaven then (וגבר ישראל), Klal Yisrael has strength and Klal Yisrael is successful.