"ומשה עלה אל האלקים"
“And Moshe went up to G‑d.” (Shemot 19:3)

QUESTION: According to the Gemara (Shabbat 88b), when Moshe came up to Heaven to take the Torah, the angels objected “Tenah hodecha al hashamayim” — “Set Your glory (Torah) on the Heavens.” Hashem told Moshe to inform them why Torah was not for them. Moshe gave them a number of arguments, such as “The Torah says, ‘I am G‑d, your G‑d, who brought you out of Egypt’ — were you ever in Egypt? It says, ‘You shall not murder; you shall not commit adultery; is there a yeitzar hara — evil inclination — among you?”

The angels conceded, but why, to begin with, did they think the Torah was for them?

ANSWER: Once a great Torah scholar assumed the position of Rabbi in a large city. After a short while, he realized that the position would not leave him sufficient time for his own Torah study. He therefore decided to resign his position and look for a small city. He approached a nearby small city and, as soon as the residents were convinced that he was serious, he was hired. Concerned that his townspeople might object to his leaving, he returned home to seek their permission. Realizing that he was adamant about dedicating more of his time to Torah study, they reluctantly agreed to let him go.

When the small community received word that their new Rabbi was ready to come, they sent an entourage of the most prominent people to bring him to the city. Upon arrival in the large city, the townspeople met them with sticks and stones and assaulted them for having the audacity to take away their Rabbi. In amazement, the Rabbi asked, “Why are you hitting them? Did I not discuss my leaving with you and received your consent?!”

The townspeople told their Rabbi, “If we did not show our opposition to your leaving, they might think us dissatisfied with you and happy to see you leave. Consequently, they would not hold you in the high regard you deserve. When however, they notice that we are fighting over you and do not want to let you go, they will regard you in high esteem.

The angels really knew that Torah was appropriate for human beings and not for them. However, to ensure that man keep Torah in the highest regard, they fought over it so that when a man acquires Torah, he will cherish it dearly.

(מצאתי בכתבי אבי הרב שמואל פסח ז"ל באגאמילסקי)


כלום יצר הרע יש בכם
“Is there a yeitzer hara — evil inclination among you.” (Shabbat 89a)

QUESTION: Moshe showed the angels that many laws in the Torah do not apply to them — of what significance is the argument that they have no yeitzer hora?

ANSWER: Superficially, a question can be raised as to why the angels were upset. The Torah was in heaven for all these years and the angels made no special request for it, so why were they so upset if the Jews were getting it?

A question is asked: which is greater? Eino metzuvah ve’oseh — One who is not commanded and who observes Torah on his own volition or metzuvah ve’oseh — one who is commanded and fulfills what he has been commanded?

While at first thought one may reason that the former is greater, the Gemara (Kiddushin 31a) says “one who performs a precept having been commanded to do so, is greater than one who performs a precept without having been commanded to do so.”

Though Hashem had not specifically given the Torah to the angels they were content since they held that observing Torah voluntarily is more commendable and receives greater reward. However, when they saw that Moshe had come up because Hashem was going to give him Torah (though the Jews too observed Torah voluntarily for many years) so that they would be a metzuvah ve’oseh — one who is commanded and performs — they suddenly realized that they were in error all these years, and in reality one who is commanded and performs is greater.

Hence, they argued with Hashem, “Bestow Your glory on Heavens, give it to us, that is, make us metzuvah ve’oseh, so that we will receive even greater reward than we received hitherto.”

A reason why the one who is commanded and performs is greater is because he has to overcome a battle with his yeitzer hara, whose job it is to dissuade and discourage a Jew from doing what Hashem wants of him. Since our Sages have declared “commensurate with the painstaking effort is the reward” (Avot 5:21), his reward is much greater than the one who is not commanded and performs, because he did not need to deal with an antagonistic yeitzer hora (Ritva).

Upon realizing what was in the minds of the angels, that they wanted Hashem to give them the Torah so that from then on they would be in the category of one who is commanded and performs, Moshe said to them “You have no yeitzer hara to contend with, so you can never be greater than you were up until now, even if Hashem gave you the Torah. The only ones who could benefit from being given the Torah and becoming metzuvah ve’oseh are we Jews.” Immediately, they conceded that Moshe should receive the Torah on behalf of the Jewish people.