B"H
Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers), Ch. 1:1 reads:
משה קיבל תורה מסיניי ומסרה ליהושוע ויהושוע לזקנים
וזקנים לנביאים ונביאים מסרוה לאנשי כנסת הגדולה
Loosely translated:
Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and gave it over to Joshua, and Joshua gave it over to the elders, and the elders to the prophets, and the prophets gave it over to the sages of the great assembly.
Based on a drasha heard from the Rabbi at the pulpit, an interesting דיוק (=clarification) follows:
The obvious question here, which has already been addressed by many mishna commentators already, is: why does it say משה קיבל תורה מסיניי (=Moshe Moshe received the Torah from Sinai) where in fact it should have said משה קיבל תורה מהשם (=Moshe received the Torah from the Almighty) or perhaps משה קיבל תורה בסיניי (=Moshe Moshe received the Torah at Sinai).
However, we can compound it with a question from another angle: why does the mishna goes to such great length to list all the recipients after Moshe -- it could have just as easily stated:
משה קיבל תורה מסיניי, ומסרה לדורות הבאים (=Moshe received the Torah from Sinai and transmitted it to the following generations.) Why does the mishna find it necessary to list the recipients by name or title?
An explanation to both questions follows. But first, some background:
When Moshe was at the scene of the burning bush, Hashem tried to enlist Moshe to go on a rescue mission. Moshe retorted by giving a list of arguments why he's not suitable, and indeed Hashem should choose someone else. Hashem responded with His reasoning, and the whole thing repeated. The midrash and commentators teach us that these negotiations went on for a few days(!)
However, when Hashem tells Moshe to come up the mountain and receive the Torah, there were no such arguments. There was no negotiations. Moshe simply went up and did it. Why is that? Why the difference?
And explanation can be given as follows: according to the midrash one reason why mount Sinai has been chosen as the address to receive the Torah is because it doesn't stand out! As a matter of fact, it's the lowest mountain in the area. Sinai was chosen, in other words, because it represents humility.
So, when Moshe was asked to go up the mountain to receive the Torah he did not object, simply because he figured out: since it's mount Sinai that's chosen, the lowest of all mountains, I have no problem going up that mountain, just don't ask me to go up a taller mountain, because I'm really not worthy. However, mount Sinai is acceptable.
Back to the two questions posed at the top:
The wording מסיניי (=from Sinai) can be understood to mean ממדת סיניי (=from/through the character trait of Sinai.) What is the character trait of Sinai? Answer: humility.
How can a person receive the Torah? Only when he/she has humility. We see this in a number of cases, such as the siddur, end of amidah: "ונפשי כעפר לכל תהייה" (=my soul should be like dust before anyone else) humility and only then "ופתח ליבי בתורתך" (=and open my heart to your Torah._
Another case is the verse (G-d's words about an arrogant person): "אין אני והוא דרים תחת כפיפה אחת" (=I will not dwell with him under one roof.) Bottom line, in the context of transmission of Torah, the beginning needs to be מסיניי = through Humility.
Next the mishna continues to ומסרה ליהושוע (=and transmitted it to Joshua.) What is the meaning of Joshua in the context of Torah transmission? Joshua was not only a student of Moshe, but the commentators record that he has never left אוהל מועד (=the Tent of Meeting) while Moshe was there. Joshua represents astuteness and consistency.
So, a person might receive the Torah with humility and be very astute and consistent in learning it. However, there's just so much that he/she can achieve on their own. So, the mishna continues
לזקנים (=[Joshua transmitted it] to the elders.) What is the meaning of the Elders in the context of Torah transmission? Wisdom is associated with old age. (citation needed). A person needs to approach those who are wiser than him/her -- a great Torah scholar, or sage.
However, human wisdom is still limited regardless to whom one approaches. At this point in time, after receiving the Torah through humility and learning it with exemplary astutenesses and under the tutelage of a wise scholar, one hits the roof of what can be achieved through human effort. To continue to grow Jewishly what's needed at this point is לנביאים (=[the elders transmitted it] to the prophets.) Prophecy represents super-human, super-rational connection to the divine. Just as prophecy came down from High to a prophet after much preparation on the side of the prophet, so to transmission of Torah. After a person goes through the process of receiving the Torah through humility and learning it with exemplary astutenesses and under the tutelage of a wise sage, the next stage is that he/she is helped from High, because one can only rely on סיאתה דישמיה (=Heaven's help.)
Finally, when all is said and done, a person comes to the stage of לאנשי כנסת הגדולה (=[and the prophets transmitted it] to the sages of the great assembly.) The great assembly was responsible for laying-down the foundation upon which Halacha (=practical law) will later be based on. In other words, the sages of the great assembly represent the ability to take Torah learning and apply it in day-to-day living.
Thus both original questions are answered:
1. From Sinai means through humility, but it doesn't stop there, because:
2. The transmission of Torah is restricted to transmission through the generations, but also through one's own life -- one receives it with humility, learns it with astuteness and consistency, gets tutelage from a scholar which brings upon help from above (in order to advance above and beyond human ability) which finally culminates in a person applying his/her studies in daily life -- a Torah-true life.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
How is shmita related to Mt. Sinai?
B"H
In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) Ch. 5 it reads:
גלות באה לעולם על עבודה זרה, ועל גילוי עריות, ועל שפיכות דמים, ועל שמיטת הארץ.
Loosely translated:
Exile manifests in the world due to idol-worship, immoral relations, murder and not obeying shmita laws (=laws pertaining to the sabbatical year we must give the land on a 7-year cycle.)
What immediately jumps out are two questions. But first some background:
1) The prohibition of idol-worship is at the very foundation (and indeed fabric) of Jewish belief and practice.
2) Murder is a very serious crime which warrens an equivalently serious punishment. Practically every civilized society has laws pertaining to murder.
3) Immoral relations are also very serious crime in Judaism to the point that any product of such relations is forever branded a mamzer. These relations are also widely outlawed in most civilized societies.
Indeed all of the above three appear as prohibitions in the ten commandments as well as the 7 Noachide laws, outlawing them for all of humanity.
In light of this, we can see why the exile be brought-upon by transgressing these three prohibitions, as they are very serious indeed.
So, the first question here is: what does transgressing shmita have to do with exile and why does it appear at the same place and said with one breath along with idol-worship, murder and immoral relations? The question becomes even stronger when we consider that the first three are prohibited to all of humanity, whereas shmita only applies to the Jewish people. Not only that, but not even all Jews, just those living in the Land of Israel. And amongst those, even, it only applies to Jews who work the land.
The second question is: if the exile is a product, by divine decree, for transgressing the laws of shmita, then while the Jewish people are being punished in exile, they certainly cannot keep the laws of shmita (which only apply in the Land of Israel, as previously stated.) In other words, how does the punishment fit the crime, since by the very nature of the punishment (=exile) the laws of shmita cannot be kept? Indeed, during the time of the Babylonian exile, which lasted 70 years, the Jewish people have "missed" 10 potential shmitas that they could have kept, had they not been exiled for not keeping shmita. (See Rashi on Vayikra (Leviticus) Ch. 25:18)
A possible answer:
Rashi begins his commentary on the portion Behar with the following idea:
Why are the laws of shmita listed in great detail at the beginning of Behar? To teach us that just as the laws of shmita were given in detail and at great length, right there at mount Sinai, so too were all other Torah laws given in great detail on the same occasion.
On this very Rashi, a child might pose the question: Why specifically all the laws of shmita given? The Torah could have chosen any other law and listed its details at great length -- and Rashi could have had the very same commentary with a slight change of wording to account for the specific law chosen. We're forced to conclude, therefore, that there's a special connection between the laws of shmita and the revelation at mount Sinai during the giving of the Torah. In other words, somehow the laws of shmita, specifically, are representative of all other Torah laws, more so than any other law. But How?
To answer, we need to delve into some Jewish philosophy:
According to Jewish philosophy there is one level of emunah (=trust and belief in the Almighty) that a Jewish farmer may posses where he/she believes that the Almighty created nature and instilled in it everlasting laws. And because we trust the Almighty, we also trust that his laws are eternal. The farmer's emunah then is that if he/she plows, plants, waters and takes care of the field, and all the other conditions are just right (e.g., the temperature, humidity and wind are just right) then according to the laws of nature, which the Almighty himself created, there will be a good yield of crop.
Above that there's a higher level of emunah: the Jewish farmer believes that the Almighty is actively involved in the laws of nature. In other words, this emunah is at that the Almighty is pro-active in the development of the crop, not merely by orchestrating nature as a whole, via some laws, but rather in detail.
Both these levels of emunah are confined to nature, since they are solely within the framework of nature: either at the macro level (the first level of emunah) or at a micro level (the second level of emunah).
However, there's a higher level of emunah yet, as we can see in Vayikra Ch. 25:3-4 which read:
שש שנים תזרע שדך ושש שנים תזמר כרמך ואספת את תבואתה
ובשנה השביעת שבת שבתון יהיה לארץ שבת להשם שדך לא תזרע וכרמך לא תזמר
Loosely translated:
For six years you shall seed your wine and you shall harvest it, and the seventh year shall be a sabbatical to the land (i.e., shmita), a sabbatical to G-d, your field you shall not seed and your vine you shall not prune.
At this is the level of emunah that the farmer believes that really everything is in the hands of the Almighty. On the seventh year the Jewish farmer is not required to plow, plant, water or otherwise take care of the field. As a matter of fact, he/she is prohibited to do so. Yet the land will continue to produce. This teaches us that really, it's the Almighty in control -- not us, for if it was up to us, inaction of the seventh year would mean no food. See the article about Superrational Trust for further clarification on this point.
Whereas the first two levels of emunah are limited by the framework of nature, the third level is not. At the third and higher level of emunah the Jew (farmer or otherwise) believes that although the Almighty acts within nature (making the crop give good yield, for instance) however the flux of abundance comes from a level higher than nature. In other words, Hashem acts within nature but from beyond nature.
What better mitzvah (=commandment), from the set of 613, is there to demonstrate that the flux of abundance originates beyond nature? What better mitzvah is there to demonstrate that the Almighty's ways are incomparable to nature?
Even the mitzvah of the Red Heifer, which is the most irrational mitzvah (as testified by Shlomo HaMelech, King Salomon, the wisest of all people) lacks in this respect. Whereas the Red Heifer defies logic to demonstrate the Hashem is beyond logic and understanding, more so than any other mitzvah, by purifying the tainted while tainting the pure in the process, there is no visible difference to the human eye. An impure person looks no different than a perfectly pure one. We know that there's a difference, but we cannot perceive it. This is precisely where the laws of shmita excel: there is nothing more tangible to a person than food on the table. There's nothing that announces that "The Almighty manipulates nature from beyond the laws of nature" than when the Jewish farmer abstains from working the land on shmita years, and yet there's food in the field, on the table and in the tummy. The farmer made no effort on his-/herown behalf, and yet all his essential needs were taken care of by Hashem.
This is then the connection between Behar and shmita: Rashi's comment can now be understood to also mean that just as the laws of shmita were given in their entirety (that is, in a way that would announce loud and clear that Hashem works within nature but from beyond nature, i.e, just as the laws of shmita affect this lowly world, but are rooted in higher realms) so too all the other mitzvahs. This includes those that we can logically explain -- although there's a logical explanation, you should know that at their essence these mitzvahs are rooted in higher reals, they're all supernal and super-rational. To come to this realization, we specifically need the most tangible instance of such a mitzvah -- shmita laws.
We can now undertand better Pirkei Avot: The first question was asked why shmita was mentioned in the same breath as the prohibition of idol worship, murder and improper relation, in lieu of these three being fundamental laws. The explanation is, then, that shmita is most fundamental from a philosophical point of view as it reflect the supernal source of all Torah laws.
The second question was what's the connection between shmita and the exile, especially in lieu of the fact that shmita laws can certainly not be kept while in exile. The explanation to that is already given at length in the Superrational Trust article. See the part about Hashem defying logic due to the promise/blessing that on the sixth year the land gives the greatest yield.
Good shabbos with lots of emunah and yield both physically and spiritually.
In Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) Ch. 5 it reads:
גלות באה לעולם על עבודה זרה, ועל גילוי עריות, ועל שפיכות דמים, ועל שמיטת הארץ.
Loosely translated:
Exile manifests in the world due to idol-worship, immoral relations, murder and not obeying shmita laws (=laws pertaining to the sabbatical year we must give the land on a 7-year cycle.)
What immediately jumps out are two questions. But first some background:
1) The prohibition of idol-worship is at the very foundation (and indeed fabric) of Jewish belief and practice.
2) Murder is a very serious crime which warrens an equivalently serious punishment. Practically every civilized society has laws pertaining to murder.
3) Immoral relations are also very serious crime in Judaism to the point that any product of such relations is forever branded a mamzer. These relations are also widely outlawed in most civilized societies.
Indeed all of the above three appear as prohibitions in the ten commandments as well as the 7 Noachide laws, outlawing them for all of humanity.
In light of this, we can see why the exile be brought-upon by transgressing these three prohibitions, as they are very serious indeed.
So, the first question here is: what does transgressing shmita have to do with exile and why does it appear at the same place and said with one breath along with idol-worship, murder and immoral relations? The question becomes even stronger when we consider that the first three are prohibited to all of humanity, whereas shmita only applies to the Jewish people. Not only that, but not even all Jews, just those living in the Land of Israel. And amongst those, even, it only applies to Jews who work the land.
The second question is: if the exile is a product, by divine decree, for transgressing the laws of shmita, then while the Jewish people are being punished in exile, they certainly cannot keep the laws of shmita (which only apply in the Land of Israel, as previously stated.) In other words, how does the punishment fit the crime, since by the very nature of the punishment (=exile) the laws of shmita cannot be kept? Indeed, during the time of the Babylonian exile, which lasted 70 years, the Jewish people have "missed" 10 potential shmitas that they could have kept, had they not been exiled for not keeping shmita. (See Rashi on Vayikra (Leviticus) Ch. 25:18)
A possible answer:
Rashi begins his commentary on the portion Behar with the following idea:
Why are the laws of shmita listed in great detail at the beginning of Behar? To teach us that just as the laws of shmita were given in detail and at great length, right there at mount Sinai, so too were all other Torah laws given in great detail on the same occasion.
On this very Rashi, a child might pose the question: Why specifically all the laws of shmita given? The Torah could have chosen any other law and listed its details at great length -- and Rashi could have had the very same commentary with a slight change of wording to account for the specific law chosen. We're forced to conclude, therefore, that there's a special connection between the laws of shmita and the revelation at mount Sinai during the giving of the Torah. In other words, somehow the laws of shmita, specifically, are representative of all other Torah laws, more so than any other law. But How?
To answer, we need to delve into some Jewish philosophy:
According to Jewish philosophy there is one level of emunah (=trust and belief in the Almighty) that a Jewish farmer may posses where he/she believes that the Almighty created nature and instilled in it everlasting laws. And because we trust the Almighty, we also trust that his laws are eternal. The farmer's emunah then is that if he/she plows, plants, waters and takes care of the field, and all the other conditions are just right (e.g., the temperature, humidity and wind are just right) then according to the laws of nature, which the Almighty himself created, there will be a good yield of crop.
Above that there's a higher level of emunah: the Jewish farmer believes that the Almighty is actively involved in the laws of nature. In other words, this emunah is at that the Almighty is pro-active in the development of the crop, not merely by orchestrating nature as a whole, via some laws, but rather in detail.
Both these levels of emunah are confined to nature, since they are solely within the framework of nature: either at the macro level (the first level of emunah) or at a micro level (the second level of emunah).
However, there's a higher level of emunah yet, as we can see in Vayikra Ch. 25:3-4 which read:
שש שנים תזרע שדך ושש שנים תזמר כרמך ואספת את תבואתה
ובשנה השביעת שבת שבתון יהיה לארץ שבת להשם שדך לא תזרע וכרמך לא תזמר
Loosely translated:
For six years you shall seed your wine and you shall harvest it, and the seventh year shall be a sabbatical to the land (i.e., shmita), a sabbatical to G-d, your field you shall not seed and your vine you shall not prune.
At this is the level of emunah that the farmer believes that really everything is in the hands of the Almighty. On the seventh year the Jewish farmer is not required to plow, plant, water or otherwise take care of the field. As a matter of fact, he/she is prohibited to do so. Yet the land will continue to produce. This teaches us that really, it's the Almighty in control -- not us, for if it was up to us, inaction of the seventh year would mean no food. See the article about Superrational Trust for further clarification on this point.
Whereas the first two levels of emunah are limited by the framework of nature, the third level is not. At the third and higher level of emunah the Jew (farmer or otherwise) believes that although the Almighty acts within nature (making the crop give good yield, for instance) however the flux of abundance comes from a level higher than nature. In other words, Hashem acts within nature but from beyond nature.
What better mitzvah (=commandment), from the set of 613, is there to demonstrate that the flux of abundance originates beyond nature? What better mitzvah is there to demonstrate that the Almighty's ways are incomparable to nature?
Even the mitzvah of the Red Heifer, which is the most irrational mitzvah (as testified by Shlomo HaMelech, King Salomon, the wisest of all people) lacks in this respect. Whereas the Red Heifer defies logic to demonstrate the Hashem is beyond logic and understanding, more so than any other mitzvah, by purifying the tainted while tainting the pure in the process, there is no visible difference to the human eye. An impure person looks no different than a perfectly pure one. We know that there's a difference, but we cannot perceive it. This is precisely where the laws of shmita excel: there is nothing more tangible to a person than food on the table. There's nothing that announces that "The Almighty manipulates nature from beyond the laws of nature" than when the Jewish farmer abstains from working the land on shmita years, and yet there's food in the field, on the table and in the tummy. The farmer made no effort on his-/herown behalf, and yet all his essential needs were taken care of by Hashem.
This is then the connection between Behar and shmita: Rashi's comment can now be understood to also mean that just as the laws of shmita were given in their entirety (that is, in a way that would announce loud and clear that Hashem works within nature but from beyond nature, i.e, just as the laws of shmita affect this lowly world, but are rooted in higher realms) so too all the other mitzvahs. This includes those that we can logically explain -- although there's a logical explanation, you should know that at their essence these mitzvahs are rooted in higher reals, they're all supernal and super-rational. To come to this realization, we specifically need the most tangible instance of such a mitzvah -- shmita laws.
We can now undertand better Pirkei Avot: The first question was asked why shmita was mentioned in the same breath as the prohibition of idol worship, murder and improper relation, in lieu of these three being fundamental laws. The explanation is, then, that shmita is most fundamental from a philosophical point of view as it reflect the supernal source of all Torah laws.
The second question was what's the connection between shmita and the exile, especially in lieu of the fact that shmita laws can certainly not be kept while in exile. The explanation to that is already given at length in the Superrational Trust article. See the part about Hashem defying logic due to the promise/blessing that on the sixth year the land gives the greatest yield.
Good shabbos with lots of emunah and yield both physically and spiritually.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Super-rational trust
B"H
Vayikra (Leviticus) Ch. 25:20-21 reads:
וכי תאמרו מה נאכל בשנה השביעת הן לא נזרע ולא נאסף את תבואתנו
וצויתי את ברכתי לכם בשנה הששית ועשת את התבואה לשלש השנים
Loosely translated:
And should you say "what will we eat on the seventh year, since we will not seed nor shall we harvest our crops?" And I shall command upon you My blessing on the sixth year, and [the land] shall produce its crop for three years.
In the previous post it was pointed out that the whole shmitah-cycle and associated laws fit nicely with emunah (=trust in G-d.)
Further analysis reveals how super-rational emunah is:
The nature of things is that the more they're used, the more wear and tear they're exposed to, and the weaker they become. Take a car, as an example: typically it's in a much better condition when the odometer reads 1,000, than when it reads 218,000.
Since a Jewish person is expected to "work the land" for 6 years before letting it rest on the seventh, one might expect that on the first year of the cycle the land is fresh and revived and by the time the 6th year rolls around the fields are overworked and depleted of nutrients. Not so, says Hashem! The natural order of things and rationality not withstanding, on the 6th year when the land should really be depleted that's when fields produce three-fold. All is required of us is to have emunah that indeed that's what going to happen.
When it comes to matters of trust and our connection to the Almighty, rationality can (and often will) get in the way.
Normally a person will refrain from operating a complex device before reading the manufacturer's instructions. Who knows better than the manufacturer of the device to tell you how to make proper use of it. On a incomparably greater scale, who knows better than the Manufacturer of the universe to tell us how to make proper use of the land. All we need to do is read the instruction manual (i.e., Torah).
At a higher level this matter also relates to the situation the Jewish people are in nowadays: as generations pass, we descend further and further spiritually. One might rationally conclude that by the time the sixth millennium ends and the seventh one rolls around the Jewish people will be completely spiritually-depleted, G-d forbid. To say noting about the pogroms, expulsions, forced conversions, mobbings, executions, evil decrees, wars, mayhem and the rest of what the Jewish people gone through, also left deep and painful marks. (This is another meaning for "working the land" -- being involved in lowliest of things.)
In reality it's quite wondrous that we're even here, at this day and age. Rationality cannot explain us. We need to go beyond the rational: in this 6th millennium, Hashem provides us with spiritual strength and stamina -- three-fold -- to overcome all obstacles and succeed in the face of adversity and to arrive into the 7th millennium which is likened to Shabbos (יום שכולו שבת). We can all go from strength to strength (לעלות מחייל לחייל). It's all in the instruction manual: וצויתי את ברכתי לכם בשנה הששית which can now be understood as "and I shall command upon you my blessing on the sixth millennium."
Good Shabbos!
Vayikra (Leviticus) Ch. 25:20-21 reads:
וכי תאמרו מה נאכל בשנה השביעת הן לא נזרע ולא נאסף את תבואתנו
וצויתי את ברכתי לכם בשנה הששית ועשת את התבואה לשלש השנים
Loosely translated:
And should you say "what will we eat on the seventh year, since we will not seed nor shall we harvest our crops?" And I shall command upon you My blessing on the sixth year, and [the land] shall produce its crop for three years.
In the previous post it was pointed out that the whole shmitah-cycle and associated laws fit nicely with emunah (=trust in G-d.)
Further analysis reveals how super-rational emunah is:
The nature of things is that the more they're used, the more wear and tear they're exposed to, and the weaker they become. Take a car, as an example: typically it's in a much better condition when the odometer reads 1,000, than when it reads 218,000.
Since a Jewish person is expected to "work the land" for 6 years before letting it rest on the seventh, one might expect that on the first year of the cycle the land is fresh and revived and by the time the 6th year rolls around the fields are overworked and depleted of nutrients. Not so, says Hashem! The natural order of things and rationality not withstanding, on the 6th year when the land should really be depleted that's when fields produce three-fold. All is required of us is to have emunah that indeed that's what going to happen.
When it comes to matters of trust and our connection to the Almighty, rationality can (and often will) get in the way.
Normally a person will refrain from operating a complex device before reading the manufacturer's instructions. Who knows better than the manufacturer of the device to tell you how to make proper use of it. On a incomparably greater scale, who knows better than the Manufacturer of the universe to tell us how to make proper use of the land. All we need to do is read the instruction manual (i.e., Torah).
At a higher level this matter also relates to the situation the Jewish people are in nowadays: as generations pass, we descend further and further spiritually. One might rationally conclude that by the time the sixth millennium ends and the seventh one rolls around the Jewish people will be completely spiritually-depleted, G-d forbid. To say noting about the pogroms, expulsions, forced conversions, mobbings, executions, evil decrees, wars, mayhem and the rest of what the Jewish people gone through, also left deep and painful marks. (This is another meaning for "working the land" -- being involved in lowliest of things.)
In reality it's quite wondrous that we're even here, at this day and age. Rationality cannot explain us. We need to go beyond the rational: in this 6th millennium, Hashem provides us with spiritual strength and stamina -- three-fold -- to overcome all obstacles and succeed in the face of adversity and to arrive into the 7th millennium which is likened to Shabbos (יום שכולו שבת). We can all go from strength to strength (לעלות מחייל לחייל). It's all in the instruction manual: וצויתי את ברכתי לכם בשנה הששית which can now be understood as "and I shall command upon you my blessing on the sixth millennium."
Good Shabbos!
Monday, May 7, 2007
Agriculture brings upon trust?
B"H
Vaikra (Leviticus) Ch. 25:3-4 reads as follows:
שש שנים תזרע שדך ושש שנים תזמר כרמך ואספת את תבואתה
ובשנה השביעת שבת שבתון יהיה לארץ שבת להשם
Loosely translated:
Six years you shall seed your fields, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and you shall collect its harvest. And on the seventh year shall be a sabbatical of the land, a sabbatical to the L-rd.
The Torah here speaks of a seven-year cycle wherein the Jewish farmers would work the land for six years and then abstain from any cultivation on the seventh year, giving the land a good shabbos.
Rashi (on Ch. 25:1) explain that the reason the laws dealing specifically with working the land (known as "Shmita laws") are given in this Torah portion (i.e., Behar) is to teach us that just as shmitah laws were given in their entirety, all other laws were given in their entirety right there at the Mountain (=Behar) Sinai.
The obvious question is: "Why did he Torah single out specifically shmitah laws and not some other ones for Rashi to make his comment about?"
An explanation:
This cycle of six years that a person cultivates and harvests the land and rests on the seventh comes to teach simple wholesome אמונה (pron. emunah = belief & trust) in the Almighty:
There is a level of emunah that a person experiences when he/she plants the field that stems from their awareness that the Almighty created nature and instilled in it a certain behavior: if you plant a seed, give it water and protect it from the elements, it will grow and flourish and you can expect to harvest and benefit from your effort.
A much higher level of emunah is that a person experiences knowing that the Almighty expects us to
plant the field (שש שנים תזרע שדך) and do other type of effort, but ultimately it is the Almighty is the one that provides the harvest by actively being involved in the produce-growing.
These two levels of emunah both relate to working within the framework of nature: In the first level of emunah a person places his/her trust in Hashem that nature will continue to function "naturally", the way it always does because Hashem made it so. So by planting the seed, nature will take its course, with G-d's help, there will be produce. In the second level of emunah a person places their entire trust in G-d, however there must still be some activity within the framework of nature -- namely plating the seed, but in reality Hashem takes a proactive role.
Comes the seven-year cycle and teaches yet a higher form of emunah, one which does not even require a person to take action within the framework of nature. In fact, shmitah laws state that any such activity on the seventh year is strictly prohibited. (It is said that the First-Temple 70-year exile occurred partly because the Jewish farmers neglected to let the land rest every seventh year!)
This type of total and complete rest required the Jewish farmers to produce on the sixth year of the cycle enough produce to have enough food on the sixth and seventh years of the cycle, plus on the first year of the following 7-year cycle -- a total of 3 years!
So a farmer may say: "I cannot! It's unreasonable! How can it be?!?! Surely the land cannot produce enough crop to feed us for 3 whole years!" (See Ch. 25:20) To which the answer is "emunah!" Trust the the One who instituted the laws of nature and set it in motion, and indeed keeps it functioning each and every-day is also able to sustain you and your beloved for three whole years -- without any action on you own. (See Ch. 25:21) In other words, the One who created the laws of nature also created shmitah laws and they surely complement each-other, and certainly there's no conflict.
Jewish mysticism attaches a significance to the number 7. Seven days of creation. 7 year shmitah cycle, etc... The number 7 signifies the working of nature, natural progression etc. So, in a sense Torah is expecting the Jew to work within the framework of nature, by planting, pruning and harvesting the natural way and yet it expects a Jewish farmer to go beyond nature and having trust in Hashem that plentifulness will come from a level that's above nature.
We can also note that the original verse can be understood to mean that the purpose of the six years on which person works the land is indeed to arrive at the seventh year on which he/she shall exhibit total emunah.
This is a general motif in performance of all 613 mitzvot (=commandments): a person should act within the boundaries of nature (and indeed utilize nature), but at the very same time be aware that he/she is connection to- and tapping into G-dliness that goes beyong (and indeed transcends) nature. Indeed the performance of the 613 mitzvot is suppose to cultivate within us total and complete trust in G-d Almightly.
This motif, then, is the connection between the laws of shmita and their appearance specifically here at Mt. Sinai (Behar) as they exemplify our performance of mitzvot.
In a wider sense the laws of shmitah also teach more about our daily conduct:
Just as working for six years is a means to get to the seventh year of rest, so too working for six days in the office (שש שנים תזרע) is a means to get to Shabbos (ובשנה השביעת שבת).
Moreover, a soul comes down to this earth (i.e, gets born) to live and toil (שש שנים תזרע) but ultimately it prepares for itself a nice nest in heaven once a person passes on (ובשנה השביעת שבת).
And finally, for nearly six thousand years we're been toiling to repair this פארשטינקינע גלות (=unbearable exile, שש שנים תזרע) and with every additional mitzvah we do, with every act of kindness, and every coin we place in the charity box, we are getting this much closer to the ultimate redemption (ובשנה השביעת שבת) also know as יום שכולו שבת.
May we all merit ובשנה השביעת שבת this very week!
Vaikra (Leviticus) Ch. 25:3-4 reads as follows:
שש שנים תזרע שדך ושש שנים תזמר כרמך ואספת את תבואתה
ובשנה השביעת שבת שבתון יהיה לארץ שבת להשם
Loosely translated:
Six years you shall seed your fields, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and you shall collect its harvest. And on the seventh year shall be a sabbatical of the land, a sabbatical to the L-rd.
The Torah here speaks of a seven-year cycle wherein the Jewish farmers would work the land for six years and then abstain from any cultivation on the seventh year, giving the land a good shabbos.
Rashi (on Ch. 25:1) explain that the reason the laws dealing specifically with working the land (known as "Shmita laws") are given in this Torah portion (i.e., Behar) is to teach us that just as shmitah laws were given in their entirety, all other laws were given in their entirety right there at the Mountain (=Behar) Sinai.
The obvious question is: "Why did he Torah single out specifically shmitah laws and not some other ones for Rashi to make his comment about?"
An explanation:
This cycle of six years that a person cultivates and harvests the land and rests on the seventh comes to teach simple wholesome אמונה (pron. emunah = belief & trust) in the Almighty:
There is a level of emunah that a person experiences when he/she plants the field that stems from their awareness that the Almighty created nature and instilled in it a certain behavior: if you plant a seed, give it water and protect it from the elements, it will grow and flourish and you can expect to harvest and benefit from your effort.
A much higher level of emunah is that a person experiences knowing that the Almighty expects us to
plant the field (שש שנים תזרע שדך) and do other type of effort, but ultimately it is the Almighty is the one that provides the harvest by actively being involved in the produce-growing.
These two levels of emunah both relate to working within the framework of nature: In the first level of emunah a person places his/her trust in Hashem that nature will continue to function "naturally", the way it always does because Hashem made it so. So by planting the seed, nature will take its course, with G-d's help, there will be produce. In the second level of emunah a person places their entire trust in G-d, however there must still be some activity within the framework of nature -- namely plating the seed, but in reality Hashem takes a proactive role.
Comes the seven-year cycle and teaches yet a higher form of emunah, one which does not even require a person to take action within the framework of nature. In fact, shmitah laws state that any such activity on the seventh year is strictly prohibited. (It is said that the First-Temple 70-year exile occurred partly because the Jewish farmers neglected to let the land rest every seventh year!)
This type of total and complete rest required the Jewish farmers to produce on the sixth year of the cycle enough produce to have enough food on the sixth and seventh years of the cycle, plus on the first year of the following 7-year cycle -- a total of 3 years!
So a farmer may say: "I cannot! It's unreasonable! How can it be?!?! Surely the land cannot produce enough crop to feed us for 3 whole years!" (See Ch. 25:20) To which the answer is "emunah!" Trust the the One who instituted the laws of nature and set it in motion, and indeed keeps it functioning each and every-day is also able to sustain you and your beloved for three whole years -- without any action on you own. (See Ch. 25:21) In other words, the One who created the laws of nature also created shmitah laws and they surely complement each-other, and certainly there's no conflict.
Jewish mysticism attaches a significance to the number 7. Seven days of creation. 7 year shmitah cycle, etc... The number 7 signifies the working of nature, natural progression etc. So, in a sense Torah is expecting the Jew to work within the framework of nature, by planting, pruning and harvesting the natural way and yet it expects a Jewish farmer to go beyond nature and having trust in Hashem that plentifulness will come from a level that's above nature.
We can also note that the original verse can be understood to mean that the purpose of the six years on which person works the land is indeed to arrive at the seventh year on which he/she shall exhibit total emunah.
This is a general motif in performance of all 613 mitzvot (=commandments): a person should act within the boundaries of nature (and indeed utilize nature), but at the very same time be aware that he/she is connection to- and tapping into G-dliness that goes beyong (and indeed transcends) nature. Indeed the performance of the 613 mitzvot is suppose to cultivate within us total and complete trust in G-d Almightly.
This motif, then, is the connection between the laws of shmita and their appearance specifically here at Mt. Sinai (Behar) as they exemplify our performance of mitzvot.
In a wider sense the laws of shmitah also teach more about our daily conduct:
Just as working for six years is a means to get to the seventh year of rest, so too working for six days in the office (שש שנים תזרע) is a means to get to Shabbos (ובשנה השביעת שבת).
Moreover, a soul comes down to this earth (i.e, gets born) to live and toil (שש שנים תזרע) but ultimately it prepares for itself a nice nest in heaven once a person passes on (ובשנה השביעת שבת).
And finally, for nearly six thousand years we're been toiling to repair this פארשטינקינע גלות (=unbearable exile, שש שנים תזרע) and with every additional mitzvah we do, with every act of kindness, and every coin we place in the charity box, we are getting this much closer to the ultimate redemption (ובשנה השביעת שבת) also know as יום שכולו שבת.
May we all merit ובשנה השביעת שבת this very week!
Friday, May 4, 2007
Which Shabbos?!?!
B"H
Vaikra (Leviticus) Ch. 23:15 reads:
וספרתם לכם ממחרת השׁבּת
Loosely translated:
And you shall count for yourself, on the day following the שׁבּת (Sabbath).
This verse refers to the mitzvah of counting the Omer. More specifically it instructs us when to start counting.
The tzdokim (Sadducees) have misinterpreted this verse to mean that the counting should start on the day following the Shabbos literally, that is on Motzei-Shabbos or Sunday. Rashi answers them by stating that if that was the case we would not know which specific shabbos in the year we should start from.
Side note: some further confuse matters by answering the above with: "שבת בראשית" referring to the Holy Shabbos -- the 7th day of creation. This answer also leads to yet another misunderstanding, because שבת בראשית can also mean the Shabbos on which we read the Torah portion of Bereshit.
Be it as it may, the halacha is that שׁבּת in the original verse's context means Pesach (Passover). It would seem that it has nothing to do with שבת בראשית (as the Sadducees claim) and certainly it has nothing to do with the Shabbos we read Bereshit on (which would place Shavuot something around Chanukah).
But there must still be a connection between שׁבּת literally and Pesach -- for otherwise the Torah should have chosen different wording. What's the connection?
Explanation:
Upon exiting Egypt, the Jewish people were confronted with a dilemma: one one hand they need to go and receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai, on the other hand they have sunk into the 49th portal of tumah (=spiritual impurity.) How can one receive the holiest of the holiest while being at the depths of impurity.
To help-out Hashem did a marvelous thing: Hashem in his infinite kindness has elevated the Jewish people by revealing himself in Egypt (אני ולא מלאך, אני ולא שרף) and at the Sea of Reeds (Red sea) whereby a lowly servant could phonetically see more than a bona fide Prophet.
Essentially the great giluy (=revelation) at Mitzrayim (=Egypt) was a gift bestowed upon the Jews, from above. The Jews did not have to work and toil for it at all, and in fact it was out of their control -- this giluy was a pure eetorerut (=awakening) from Above that temporarily removed the jews from the 49 portal of tumah. In fact, it was a model and prototype for all subsequent awakenings.
However, after that event Hashem concealed Himself again, causing the Jews to go back to tumah. At their very essence, the giluy did not change them -- this giluy was an external force that extracted them out of the tumah of Egypt. When external stimulus was gone the Jewish people descended back to their old self.
So Hashem, with His infinite mercy, gave them a recipe for successfully attaining Torah (viz. purity): for the following 49 days leading to the reception of the Torah on Shavuos, the Jewish people should work on their midos (character traits). Each day they shall remove themselves from one of the portals of Tumah, and place themselves into a portal of holiness. Then after the 49th day, they will be free of tumah and in the 49 portal of Holiness, ready to receive the Torah. Essentially where they were (spiritually) at the time of the exodus from Egypt.
However, unlike at the exodus where the giluy was an eetorerut from Above, at the time they arrive at Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah they have refined themselves with their own effort and hard-work. Their self refinement is an "eetorerut from below".
So, to summarize: the eetorerut from above brought upon by Hashem (without any impetus from the Jewish nation, and indeed out of their control) and then the return to normal-reality has brought upon a period in which the Jewish people can reach the the same level of holiness they experienced at the exodus, on their own, through their toil to refine their character traits (viz. eetorerut from below)
This is essentially the same idea as Shabbos, which is an eetorerut from above. We see this in the prayers: "מקדש השבת וישראל והזמנים" (="He who sanctifies the Shabbos, the Jewish nation and [through them] the holidays.") The text does not read: "מקדש ישראל והשבת והזמנים" (="He who sanctifies the Jewish nation, and [through them] the Shabbos and the holidays.") In other words, the sanctity of the Shabbat is something that's not in the hands of the Jewish nation. (Not so for the holidays which are subject to when Beit Din determines when months start and end.)
That's where the parallel between Shabbos and Pesach is seen. Both are outside the control of the Jewish nation. Both are awkaning from Above. Both are gifted to us by Hashem with no connection to our spiritual standing, out desire, or even our deeds.
So, now the original verse וספרתם לכם ממחרת השׁבּת can be understood to mean: and you shall count for yourselves from the day following the שׁבּת, the great proto-awakening from above -- Pesach.
Any cyber-Sadducees out there who are still unclear about this, should feel free to comment.
Good Shabbos with a lot of eetorerut.
Vaikra (Leviticus) Ch. 23:15 reads:
וספרתם לכם ממחרת השׁבּת
Loosely translated:
And you shall count for yourself, on the day following the שׁבּת (Sabbath).
This verse refers to the mitzvah of counting the Omer. More specifically it instructs us when to start counting.
The tzdokim (Sadducees) have misinterpreted this verse to mean that the counting should start on the day following the Shabbos literally, that is on Motzei-Shabbos or Sunday. Rashi answers them by stating that if that was the case we would not know which specific shabbos in the year we should start from.
Side note: some further confuse matters by answering the above with: "שבת בראשית" referring to the Holy Shabbos -- the 7th day of creation. This answer also leads to yet another misunderstanding, because שבת בראשית can also mean the Shabbos on which we read the Torah portion of Bereshit.
Be it as it may, the halacha is that שׁבּת in the original verse's context means Pesach (Passover). It would seem that it has nothing to do with שבת בראשית (as the Sadducees claim) and certainly it has nothing to do with the Shabbos we read Bereshit on (which would place Shavuot something around Chanukah).
But there must still be a connection between שׁבּת literally and Pesach -- for otherwise the Torah should have chosen different wording. What's the connection?
Explanation:
Upon exiting Egypt, the Jewish people were confronted with a dilemma: one one hand they need to go and receive the Torah at Mt. Sinai, on the other hand they have sunk into the 49th portal of tumah (=spiritual impurity.) How can one receive the holiest of the holiest while being at the depths of impurity.
To help-out Hashem did a marvelous thing: Hashem in his infinite kindness has elevated the Jewish people by revealing himself in Egypt (אני ולא מלאך, אני ולא שרף) and at the Sea of Reeds (Red sea) whereby a lowly servant could phonetically see more than a bona fide Prophet.
Essentially the great giluy (=revelation) at Mitzrayim (=Egypt) was a gift bestowed upon the Jews, from above. The Jews did not have to work and toil for it at all, and in fact it was out of their control -- this giluy was a pure eetorerut (=awakening) from Above that temporarily removed the jews from the 49 portal of tumah. In fact, it was a model and prototype for all subsequent awakenings.
However, after that event Hashem concealed Himself again, causing the Jews to go back to tumah. At their very essence, the giluy did not change them -- this giluy was an external force that extracted them out of the tumah of Egypt. When external stimulus was gone the Jewish people descended back to their old self.
So Hashem, with His infinite mercy, gave them a recipe for successfully attaining Torah (viz. purity): for the following 49 days leading to the reception of the Torah on Shavuos, the Jewish people should work on their midos (character traits). Each day they shall remove themselves from one of the portals of Tumah, and place themselves into a portal of holiness. Then after the 49th day, they will be free of tumah and in the 49 portal of Holiness, ready to receive the Torah. Essentially where they were (spiritually) at the time of the exodus from Egypt.
However, unlike at the exodus where the giluy was an eetorerut from Above, at the time they arrive at Mt. Sinai to receive the Torah they have refined themselves with their own effort and hard-work. Their self refinement is an "eetorerut from below".
So, to summarize: the eetorerut from above brought upon by Hashem (without any impetus from the Jewish nation, and indeed out of their control) and then the return to normal-reality has brought upon a period in which the Jewish people can reach the the same level of holiness they experienced at the exodus, on their own, through their toil to refine their character traits (viz. eetorerut from below)
This is essentially the same idea as Shabbos, which is an eetorerut from above. We see this in the prayers: "מקדש השבת וישראל והזמנים" (="He who sanctifies the Shabbos, the Jewish nation and [through them] the holidays.") The text does not read: "מקדש ישראל והשבת והזמנים" (="He who sanctifies the Jewish nation, and [through them] the Shabbos and the holidays.") In other words, the sanctity of the Shabbat is something that's not in the hands of the Jewish nation. (Not so for the holidays which are subject to when Beit Din determines when months start and end.)
That's where the parallel between Shabbos and Pesach is seen. Both are outside the control of the Jewish nation. Both are awkaning from Above. Both are gifted to us by Hashem with no connection to our spiritual standing, out desire, or even our deeds.
So, now the original verse וספרתם לכם ממחרת השׁבּת can be understood to mean: and you shall count for yourselves from the day following the שׁבּת, the great proto-awakening from above -- Pesach.
Any cyber-Sadducees out there who are still unclear about this, should feel free to comment.
Good Shabbos with a lot of eetorerut.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Educating... at a higher level
B"H
Parashat Emor, Vayikra (Leviticus) Ch. 21:1 reads:
אמֹר אל הכהנים
Loosely translated:
(G-d spoke to Moshe saying:) speak to the priests...
Rashi interprets the above:
להזהיר גדולים על הקטנים (=to educate the elders about the younger.)
At the simple textual interpretation, Rashi says, what Moshe was to speak to the priests is about educating the next generation. This is contextually sound, considering that what follows are some of the laws pertaining to priests.
In a more general sense, Rashi's comment can be taken as a general principle applicable to all: the adults are responsible for the education of the next generation.
One may ask: if Rashi's comment is meant to hint about educating the young, then surely this comment should have appeared somewhere in the torah portion of Yitro (where the ten commandments are given), in the book of Shmot (Exodus). Why wait until we get this far into the book of Vaikra?
The explanation, could be as follows:
The Torah portion Emor, is always read during the month of Eeyar. There's a unique advantage to Eyar over all the other months: this is the only month which has a special mitzvah associated with ever one of its days. Specifically, the mitzvah is ספירת העומר (=Sfirat HaOmer, counting of the Omer.) Incidentally, this mitzvah happens to be mentioned in the portion of Emor.
The word ספירה (Sfira) means "count" but is also related to ספיר (a precious stone, a sapphire, perhaps.) On the other hand the word עומר (Omer) means a certain measure, but also refers to barley -- the food of animals in ancient times.
Putting it all together: one is suppose to fulfill Sfirat HaOmer, that is, counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuos. But also, one is suppose to utilize this time to turn his own personal animal (i.e., the yetzer) into a precious stone. In this context the term ספירת העומר can be rendered as "refining, cleansing and purifying of one's animal soul until it shines like a sapphire". This can be achieved by utilizing the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuos to work on one's character traits and attributes (מידות). This is the central focus of the month of Eeyar.
Back to Emor, which is always read during this very special month: the word להזהיר in Rashi's commentary normally means "to warn" or "to instruct". That's where the idea of education comes from. However, it can also be understood to come from the root זהר (=illumination). So in this context, להזהיר means "to illuminate."
This teaches us that albeit education of the next generation is something that starts with Matan Torah (giving over of the Torah) in the portion of Yitro, that's only entry level. At this level one educates the young about differentiating between good and bad, right and wrong, permitted and prohibited, practical mitzvot, etc...
Now comes the month of Eeyar, whose main focus is refining our character traits (ספירת העומר), so Rashi tells us to educate the young at a higher level than before: not to educate merely about what's right and what's wrong, etc, but to further illuminate (להזהיר) how to achieve a higher level of personal perfection via a higher level of refining one's character traits.
This is the perfect melding of the message of Emor (Educate) and the month of Eeyar (Refine). They complement each other thus they coincide.
Parashat Emor, Vayikra (Leviticus) Ch. 21:1 reads:
אמֹר אל הכהנים
Loosely translated:
(G-d spoke to Moshe saying:) speak to the priests...
Rashi interprets the above:
להזהיר גדולים על הקטנים (=to educate the elders about the younger.)
At the simple textual interpretation, Rashi says, what Moshe was to speak to the priests is about educating the next generation. This is contextually sound, considering that what follows are some of the laws pertaining to priests.
In a more general sense, Rashi's comment can be taken as a general principle applicable to all: the adults are responsible for the education of the next generation.
One may ask: if Rashi's comment is meant to hint about educating the young, then surely this comment should have appeared somewhere in the torah portion of Yitro (where the ten commandments are given), in the book of Shmot (Exodus). Why wait until we get this far into the book of Vaikra?
The explanation, could be as follows:
The Torah portion Emor, is always read during the month of Eeyar. There's a unique advantage to Eyar over all the other months: this is the only month which has a special mitzvah associated with ever one of its days. Specifically, the mitzvah is ספירת העומר (=Sfirat HaOmer, counting of the Omer.) Incidentally, this mitzvah happens to be mentioned in the portion of Emor.
The word ספירה (Sfira) means "count" but is also related to ספיר (a precious stone, a sapphire, perhaps.) On the other hand the word עומר (Omer) means a certain measure, but also refers to barley -- the food of animals in ancient times.
Putting it all together: one is suppose to fulfill Sfirat HaOmer, that is, counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuos. But also, one is suppose to utilize this time to turn his own personal animal (i.e., the yetzer) into a precious stone. In this context the term ספירת העומר can be rendered as "refining, cleansing and purifying of one's animal soul until it shines like a sapphire". This can be achieved by utilizing the 49 days between Pesach and Shavuos to work on one's character traits and attributes (מידות). This is the central focus of the month of Eeyar.
Back to Emor, which is always read during this very special month: the word להזהיר in Rashi's commentary normally means "to warn" or "to instruct". That's where the idea of education comes from. However, it can also be understood to come from the root זהר (=illumination). So in this context, להזהיר means "to illuminate."
This teaches us that albeit education of the next generation is something that starts with Matan Torah (giving over of the Torah) in the portion of Yitro, that's only entry level. At this level one educates the young about differentiating between good and bad, right and wrong, permitted and prohibited, practical mitzvot, etc...
Now comes the month of Eeyar, whose main focus is refining our character traits (ספירת העומר), so Rashi tells us to educate the young at a higher level than before: not to educate merely about what's right and what's wrong, etc, but to further illuminate (להזהיר) how to achieve a higher level of personal perfection via a higher level of refining one's character traits.
This is the perfect melding of the message of Emor (Educate) and the month of Eeyar (Refine). They complement each other thus they coincide.
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