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.
Showing posts with label Behar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Behar. Show all posts
Sunday, May 13, 2007
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!
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