5784/2024
One of the many Mitzvot mentioned in Parashat Ki Teitzei is שילוח הקן, the mitzvah that requires us to shoo away the mother bird before we take her eggs. At first glance, this mitzvah expresses Hashem’s deep love and compassion for the motherbird. The Peshat of the Pesukim is that we shoo her away so she wouldn’t witness the taking of her eggs. The Rambam says in the Moreh Nevuchim that just as Hashem shows compassion to the mother bird, we will learn to have compassion for others. When we show compassion to the mother bird, we will show compassion to other Jews.
However, the Mishna in Masechet Berachot (לג) tells us something completely different. The Mishna says that if you hear someone say “Just as your mercy Hashem is extended to a bird because you commanded us to shoo away the mother bird, please have mercy on us too” in their davening, you must silence them; they are not allowed to daven like that. But why? The Mishna gives two explanations: One opinion is that this kind of tefillah might cause jealousy among Hashem’s creations; it makes it seem that Hashem favors one creation over another. But the other opinion is because that person ascribes the reason for the mitzvah as being an expression of mercy, when in reality Mitzvot are nothing but decrees of Hashem, that have to be fulfilled without requiring going into the reason behind them. So why is it so bad to say that the reason behind Shiluach Haken is to teach us compassion, so much so we have to silence someone when they daven?
Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook says there are two planes upon which we serve Hashem. One of them is serving Hashem with our minds and with שלימות השכל (completeness of mind), and from that perspective Ta’amei HaMitzvot are a key component of our Avodat Hashem. Figuring out to the best of our ability the reasons behind the Mitzvot, what one can gain from the Mitzvot, and what the Mitzvot are supposed to teach us, is necessary when we serve Hashem from the perspective of our minds. But that is only one aspect. The other aspect, another element of our Avodas Hashem, is what Rav Kook calls, שלימות הרגש (completeness of emotion). At this level, we connect to Hashem through our hearts, emotionally and we are completely dedicated to Hashem no matter what. This is better for our Tefillah and our learning. Tefillah is Avodah SheBaLev and you don’t need to know every aspect of every mitzvah as long as you have Sheleimut HaRegesh.
On the one hand, we should do everything we can to see the reasoning behind every Mitzvah, including Shiluach HaKan, and have compassion for it as the Rambam says, but this endeavor is not for Tefillah. Tefillah is Avodah SheBaLev, where our complete loving dedication to Hashem overrides our intellectual connection to Hashem. And that is why we silence somebody during their tefillah. If they are focusing too much on Shelaimut HaSechel, we should ensure that they Daven with Shelaimut HaRegesh. Now that we are in the month of Elul, we have to use our שלימות הרגש to connect to Hashem and to reflect on ourselves spiritually and emotionally.