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Why does the pasuk distinguish "befischa" (in your mouth) from "uvelevavcha" (in your heart)? Rashi (רש"י) identifies these as Torah (תורה) shebichsav and Torah sheba'al peh. The Shelah's yesod explains: written Torah carries intrinsic kedushah in its words alone, earning reward even without understanding, while Oral Torah requires comprehension (lev=understanding) to fulfill the mitzvah (מצוה) at all.
The shiur analyzes Rashi (רש"י)'s commentary on the pasuk "Ki karov eilecha hadavar me'od befischa uvelevavcha la'asoso" (Nitzavim), exploring the fundamental distinction between Torah (תורה) shebichsav (Written Torah) and Torah sheba'al peh (Oral Torah). Rashi identifies "befischa" with Torah shebichsav and "uvelevavcha" with Torah sheba'al peh, a position clarified by the Sifsei Chachamim. The core of the shiur develops a yesod from the Shelah HaKadosh that explains this distinction. The Shelah teaches that Torah shebichsav possesses intrinsic kedushah in its very words, as they are directly Hashem (ה׳)'s words. Therefore, even when a person recites Written Torah without understanding the meaning—whether reading Chumash, Tehillim, or other biblical texts—he receives reward (sechar) for the learning. This does not mean that understanding adds no additional reward, but rather that the baseline act of recitation itself has value.
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Parshas Nitzavim 30:14
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Why didn't Noach daven for his generation while Avrohom advocated for Sedom? Noach viewed each person as an independent island responsible only for their own teshuvah. Avrohom understood that all humanity is interconnected through shared perspective and values, making prayer for others both possible and necessary.
