[Par-disc] FW: Shiur on Bechukotai

[Menachem Leibtag]

-----Original Message-----
From: Annette Meth [mailto:metha at gghlaw.com] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 31, 2005 12:51 PM
To: tsc at bezeqint.net
Subject: Shiur on Bechukotai


Dear Rabbi Leibtag,

I would like to humbly share 2 thoughts that occurred to me in relation
to the shiur on Bechukotai.  

With regard to the matter of the "bookends" of Sefer Vayikra (towards
the end of the shiur), namely, the chronologically misplaced parshiot
regarding nedavot of various kinds: Perhaps it can also be said that the
very cornerstone of avodat ha'korbanot (the primary theme of the sefer)
is nedava.  That is to say that, in the derech of the Rambam, the whole
system was only instituted to accommodate mankind's age-old impulse to
worship Hashem through korbanot.  It is not that G-d "needs" our
korbanot ("Ha'ochal besar abirim, ve'dam atudim eshteh?"), but rather
that we DESIRE to be makriv korbanot -- hence, that impulse needs to be
checked and regulated, so that it does not devolve into avodah zarah,
etc.

On another note, it's interesting to observe that the first "bookend"
begins with the words "ADAM ..." while the 2nd begins "ISH ..."
Possibly as if to say that over the course of the sefer, the "Adam" has
been refined into an "Ish."
--------------------------------------------------------------

May I also ask a question?  Please pardon me if it's very elementary.
When, in a shiur like this one, you are discussing the strategic
placement of certain parshiot, to whom/Whom are you attributing this
placement?  To Hashem, to Moshe Rabbeinu, or even to a 3rd party?  Are
we to understand that:

1) Hashem dictated the actual ORDER of the parshiot, not just the
parshiot themselves

2) Hashem spoke/dictated the parshiot, and Moshe Rabbeinu transcribed
and arranged them

3) Hashem spoke/dictated the parshiot, Moshe Rabbeinu transcribed them,
and possibly a 3rd party arranged them into their order

Thank you for your time.

  ===================
REPLY:
From: Menachem Leibtag

thank you for sharing your insights,
re: the first,

I often use the following analogy [similar to what you
suggest] - that God doesn't need our korbanot -
we need to bring something to Him
like when you go to spend shabbat with someone,
you 'must' bring something - as a present ; even though
your hosts don't 'need' anything - you 'need' to bring something.

adam/ish is also very cute - and fits nicely!
chazak

re: who put chumash in the order we have it.
see chizkuni on Shmot 34:32
  I'd assume Hashem told Moshe Rabeinu to organize as we have it,
but even if Hashem had left it to Moshe Rabeinu to finalize the
order of the parshiot - I don't think the thematic meaning of those
semichot parshiot would be any less meaningful.
I see it as more of a 'techinical issue', rather than a fundamental one.
  hope that helps.
thanks again
menachem