Sep. 9, 1997

On Shabbos I saw the Or Hachaim HaKadosh on the Psukim about Ir Miklat, who says that there is a reference to the Gemora in Makkos about the three mistakes that the Sar of Romi will make in the future when Hashem comes to destroy him.
The Gemora says:
1) That he runs to Bazrah, but the Ir Miklat is really Bezer.
2) An Ir Miklat only protects a Shogeg and he is Meizid.
3) An ir miklat is only for people, and he is a Malach.
I was always bothered by these three rather obvious oversights on the part of a Malach who should know better.

I thought of a partial Pshat on this Chazal. The Gemora at the beginning of Avodah Zorah tells how on Yom Hadin all the Goyim will come and ask for reward for all they did for Am Yisrael, and they explain how all was for the good. Hashem will laugh at them and tell them that they did what they did for their own benefit, and they get punished. What it means is that on Yom HaDin when everything is revealed, we will understand how all our suffering of the Golus was for our ultimate good. The Goyim see that as well and come and claim a reward, after all, all the persecutions were for our good. Hakadosh B"H tells them that that is no defense since their intention was for other purposes.

What happens is the Sar Shel Romi claims protection in Bozrah which could be read Bezarah. He says that the troubles that He caused for us, the Tzarot, were for our own good. HKB"H tells him no, the Ir Miklat that can protect you is Bezer, or Bazar as the Pasuk says, Bazar Lecha UMetzaucha Kol HaDevarim HaEile BeAcharis Hayamim Veshavta Ad Hashem Elokecha (Devarim 4:30). Bazar, when you will experience the Tzaar of Golus, you will be moved to Teshuva. That is the function of Golus and the Tafkid of Sar Shel Romi. If that were what he did, then it would be his protection. But, what he really did was cause Tzarot for their own sake, to try to destroy us. Furthermore, the Sar Shel Romi (who is the power of Evil), instead of limiting himself to his job of bringing us back to Hashem, sets himself up as a Tzarah, or rival, to Hashem - as the term Tzarah is used in Yevamos for the two wives of one man.

If he would limit himself to his actual job, then any destructive result would be considered Shogeg or even Patur like a Shaliach Beis din. But, once he oversteps his limits he becomes like a Meizid, and there is no escape for him.

I hope that was somewhat coherent
Please Daven for us here in Yerushalayim and for all of Am Yisrael that Hashem should protect us from all Tzarot. And we should all be Nichtav and Nechtam Lechaim Tovim Ulshalom (although the Be'er Heitev says to do it at the beginning of a letter, I hope it's okay at the end as well (Siman 581or TKP"A Seif Katan 10 or Y).

Regards,
Rav Segal