Parshas Re'eh 5777

QUESTION:

 

Why is the bracha of Sheoso li kol tzorchi, He made all my needs, particularly on shoes?

 

ANSWER:

Hakadosh Baruch Hu didn't want to mention the word shoes openly because V'rachamuv al kol maasov, shoes are made out of hides of animals. It's a tzaar. The animal is being used just to tread on, so Hakadosh Baruch Hu wants us to say in a loshon n'kiyo, loshon shel kovod, He gave me all my needs, and we understand what a great benefit a shoe is. A shoe is a very complicated benefit, you have hard leather for the sole, softer leather for the top of the shoe, you have rubber heels too - to cushion the shock. You have holes in the shoe to put in the shoestrings, and therefore it's a very great achievement to make a shoe, we can't make a shoe ourselves. A shoe is a beautiful contraption.

     Hakadosh Baruch Hu said, "When I give you a shoe, appreciate the benefit of the shoe." Now it's a pity many people don't even think of what they are saying. Take a look at your shoes when you make this bracha, and think how the shoes are complicated. Today a pair of shoes costs plenty money too, and it's worth it.

     There are some countries where people don't have shoes; most of the people walk barefoot. When I was in Lithuania I saw the peasants coming to town, they wore their shoes hanging around their necks, they didn't want to wear out their shoes on the roads; they walked barefoot. When they had to go into the town they put on their shoes. Shoes are too expensive to use on the roads.

     Baruch Hashem we wear our shoes at all times, it protects our feet. There's glass in the street, there are nails in the street, what would happen to us? So the shoes protect us. Also there's fungus in the street, all kinds of foot diseases, shoes are a benefit for us, and it's a kovod, it's a convenience, it's a comfort for us.

     Therefore we have to praise Hakadosh Baruch Hu for it. Only you have to keep in mind, Hashem doesn't want us to mention the leather of the shoes, because leather is already a matter concerning the animals. Some animals are slaughtered for their leather. "Oh, that I don't want to talk about," Hashem says. "Only b'remez b'alma, only hint at it." 

Good Shabbos To All