I have two things to say about lo bashamyim hi - one from rashi and the other from the rambam, but I don't think they're really connected. the one from the rambam is better, so I'll say that second (and if you only read 1, read that 1).
1. rashi comments: לא בשמים היא - שאלו היתה בשמים היית צריך לעלות אחריה וללומדה. I think this speaks to a tension we face as a religion. On the one hand, we view G-d as master and ourselves as slaves - as such, we expect absolute obedience to G-d no matter how difficult and unpleasant it might be. On the other hand, we know that Judaism isn't about sacrificing / destroying ourselves in order to worship G-d - we believe that G-d gave us the torah as a tovah for us - the torah makes this world a good and beautiful place to live in - and this emphasis seems to contradict that of viewing humanity as slaves whose only focus is the will of our master G-d. I was thinking about this tension when I read a few articles recently about distortions certain sects of judaism make to the high holiday davening in order to make it more appealing to the less observant. The orthodox response was, Judaism isn't about what makes you feel good - its about the will of G-d. I agree. But you do have this other side (obviously its misapplied by the reform) that the torah isn't just about slavery to G-d, but also close to our hearts and for our good. so the pasuk says, lo bashamayim hi - torah isn't hard and about slavery and back breaking labor - karov eilecha - its close to you. but chazal jump in - dont forget the slavery aspect - if it would be bashamayim, and involve back breaking labor, you still have to do it. obedience has to be unconditional, but that fact is tempered by the fact that in reality, torah isn't bashamyim.
the better vort
2. the rambam quotes lo bashamyim hi in hilchos talmud torah: כתוב בתורה לא בשמים היא ולא מעבר לים היא. לא בשמים היא לא בגסי הרוח היא מצויה ולא במהלכי מעבר לים היא. לפיכך אמרו חכמים לא כל המרבה בסחורה מחכים. וצוו חכמים הוי ממעט בעסק ועסוק בתורה :
its interesting that the halacha starts about gasei haruach, arrogance, and then switches to talk about people who spend too much time in business and not enough time learning. This becomes even more strange when we look at the next halacha:
דברי תורה נמשלו כמים שנאמר הוי כל צמא לכו למים. לומר לך מה מים אינם מתכנסין במקום מדרון אלא נזחלין מעליו ומתקבצים במקום אשבורן כך דברי תורה אינם נמצאים בגסי הרוח ולא בלב כל גבה לב אלא בדכא ושפל רוח שמתאבק בעפר רגלי החכמים ומסיר התאוות ותענוגי הזמן מלבו ועושה מלאכה בכל יום מעט כדי חייו אם לא היה לו מה יאכל ושאר יומו ולילו עוסק בתורה
the rambam goes back to talking about gaavah, and then goes back again to talking about people who waste time with other pursuits and dont learn. there must be a connection between these two concepts, or else the rambam is doing a terrible job organizing his sefer.
we've discussed part of this before (http://doleh-u-mashkeh.blogspot.com/2013/07/extension-of-balaks-dvar-torah.html). but i really think this is a powerful idea, so I'm going to write it again.
the mishnah compares bilaam harasha to avraham avinu - while bilaam had a ruach gevoha, avraham had a ruach shefala - bilaam was a baal gaavah, while avraham was an anav.
we quoted that rashi writes that bilaam's gaavah was reflected by his refusal to go to balak with lowly officers - he needed a more respectable accompaniment. but the rambam says something much deeper: bilaam's gaavah was in his calling himself one who is shomea imrei kel and yodea daas elyon - a man who hears the word of G-d and understands G-d's will. avraham's anavah was the opposite - when he speaks to G-d, he says he knows nothing and is nothing but dust and ashes.
The first thing to notice is that the rambam thinks gaavah centers around spiritual matters - its not gaavah to want to be accompanied by higher ranking officers - caring about such unimportant things is too stupid to be gaavah. only concerning spiritual matters, such as knowledge of G-d, can we be begin to discuss gaavah and anavah.
but whats critical to notice is the context of the statements of both bilaam and avraham: true avraham calls himself dust and ashes, but that is in the middle of fighting with G-d! what greater arrogance can there be? True Bilaam says he is yodea daas elyon, but he is in the middle of the ultimate submission to G-d - although he wants to curse bnei yisrael, he will only say exactly what hashem commands him to, even if it is the exact opposite of what he wants- doesn't that reflect humility in the face of G-d?
you see that one can fight with G-d and still be humble - or submit to G-d, and still be the paradigm of arrogance. because gaavah is when you think you are like g-d - even if you obey, it is out of understanding g-d's will - which you are able to do because you are so godly. anavah doesn't mean not caring about emes - to the contrary, anavah is about fighting for emes because you realize that thats the only thing that makes anything worthwhile - without that you are just dust and ashes.
in other words, gaavah = spiritual complacency. you might keep the mitzvos, but if you are comfortable with where you are spiritually, that means you think that as you are right now, you are shomea imrei kel and yodea daas elyon - hence you don't need to improve. and anavah is the opposite - its when you constantly seek to grow. fighting with G-d is not a contradiction to, but actually a reflection of avraham's humility. he wasn't spiritually complacent - he knows that after all he has accomplished, he is still but dust and ashes, and hence must continue to grow spiritually and do the right thing - even if he has to fight with G-d to do it.
the rambam in hilchos talmud torah is now very powerful. a person who is osek in other things instead of talmud torah reflects spiritual complacency - he is happy with his level of shmiras hamitzvos right now and doesn't need to learn more and grow more - that is lo bashamayim hi - the torah isnt found by gasei haruach who think they are bashamayim - shomea imrei kel and yodea daas elyon.
as the high holy days rapidly approach, we have to root this complacency out. G-d should help us all grow higher and higher and higher in torah and yiras shamayim.
shavua tov, and kesiva vachasima tova to everyone!
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