[Par-new] Parshat Re'ay - new shiur

Fri Aug 18 10:53:08 EDT 2006

*************************************************************
        THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org]
  In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag
 Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag
*************************************************************

     for Parshat Re'ay 5766

             Who's to Blame, or What's to Gain

    There's a short sentence in Parshat Re'ay, that appears to be
'misplaced' - for it commands us to 'remember our slavery in Egypt'
specifically on the holiday of Shavuot!  [See Devarim 16:12]
 Would it not have made more sense to include this commandment
together with the laws of Passover?
 In the following shiur, we'll explain how this 'misplaced pasuk' is
precisely where it belongs, by considering its connection to a
mega-theme of the Bible (and Sefer Devarim).
    Hopefully, it will also shed some light on what we can relate to
more 'current' events.  

INTRODUCTION
 As you were probably aware, the Torah 'repeats' the holidays towards
the end of Parshat Re'ay (see 16:1-17).  In that section, we find
three distinct 'parshiot'; corresponding to Pesach (16:1-8), Shavuot
(16:9-12), and Succot (16:13-17).
[In Chutz la'aretz, this section is the Torah reading for 8th day of
Passover, 2nd Day of Shavuot, and Shmini Atzeret!] 

 Even though these laws seem to be pretty much a repeat (or summary)
of the laws of the holidays recorded earlier in Chumash (see Shmot
23:14-17, Vayikra 23, and Bamidbar 28-29), this unit adds (and
emphasizes) an additional element - the need to celebrate these three
'pilgrimage holidays' at "ha'makom asher yivchar Hashem" [the site
that God will choose]. 
[See 16:2,6,7,11,15 & 17!  - In our previous shiur, we explained how
this was congruent with theme of "ha'makom asher yivchar Hashem" that
began back at the beginning of Parshat Re'ay.]

 However, there is another "chidush" [something new] in this section,
i.e. the commandment of "simcha" (see 16:11 & 16:14-15) - i.e. to
rejoice before God.  Yet for some reason, this commandment is
mentioned specifically in regard to Shavuot and Succot (and not in
regard to Pesach).  
 To explain why, we must take a closer look at how the Torah words
this commandment 'to rejoice'.  In doing so, we will arrive at a
deeper understanding why the Torah tell us immediately afterward 'to
remember'. 

SIMCHAT YOM TOV - FOR WHOM?
 Let's begin our study with the laws of Shavuot in Parshat Re'ay.
Note how the opening psukim describe what appears to be a very simple
agricultural holiday, thanking God for the seasonal grain harvest.
"Count seven weeks; from the time the sickle is first put to the
standing corn, you shall begin to count seven weeks. 
And you shall keep the 'feast of weeks' unto Hashem your Lord - by the
measure of the freewill-offering of thy hand, which you shall give as
Hashem has blessed you." (16:9-10)

    This commandment to keep "Shavuot" is followed by the special
mitzvah to rejoice on that holiday.  As you read these psukim, pay
careful attention to WHO is commanded to be happy:
And you shall REJOICE before HASHEM... you & your son & your daughter
& your man-servant, & your maid-servant, & the Levite that is within
your gates, & the stranger, &  the orphan & the widow, that are in
your midst - in the place which Hashem shall choose to cause His name
to dwell there.  And your shall remember that you were once a slave in
Egypt..." (see 16:11-12)

 Two obvious questions arise :
1) Why doesn't the Torah just tell us that EVERYONE must be happy?
[Why such a lengthy list of people?]  
2) What is the purpose of the 'additional' commandment to remember
that we were once slaves in Egypt?  Wasn't that the purpose of the
holiday of Passover, celebrated only six week earlier!

 Furthermore, when the Torah continues with the laws of Succot, we
find a similar commandment to REJOICE on that holiday as well,
followed by an almost identical lengthy list of people who need to be
happy (see 16:14)!  Yet for some reason, this 'mitzvah to rejoice' is
only recorded by Shavuot and Succot, but not by Pesach. 

 The answers to these questions (as you probably guessed) are
inter-related, and relate to the purpose of these two harvest holidays
- Shavuot, when we thank God for our grain harvest; and Succot - when
we thank God for our fruit harvest.

LAND OWNERS & HAPPINESS
 Take a look once again at the list of the people who the Torah
commands to rejoice, noting how just about all of them do not own
land.  The Levite by the Torah's decree (see 18:1), the stranger due
to his social predicament, the orphan and widow due to a family
tragedy.
 Note how this list looks more like a roster of those who are NOT
happy at this time of the year - as everyone around them are gathering
their wealth (while own nothing). 
    In other words, the land owner will be very happy during this time
of year - even if the Torah didn't command him to be happy; while the
other people in the Torah's list will not be happy (more likely
jealous), commandment or not! 
    And this is exactly what the Torah is talking about! 
    Unlike our original assumption, the Torah does not command
everyone in this list to be happy; rather it commands the land owner
to share his natural happiness with the 'have-nots'.  
    Surely he must rejoice by thanking God for his harvest, but he
accomplishes this by sharing his produce with the downtrodden, helping
them rejoice at this special time of the year.
    This interpretation also explains why this mitzvah of "simcha" is
recorded in regard to Shavuot and Succot - which are both seasonal
harvest holidays, and not on Pesach - when the harvest is just
beginning, and its outcome remains in doubt
[This does not imply that there is not a mitzvah of "simcha" on
Pesach, rather its application by providing for the needy does not
apply in realm of agriculture (harvest produce), as it does on Shavuot
& Succot .] 

REMEMBER YOU WERE ONCE A 'HAVE-NOT'!
 This interpretation also neatly explains why the Torah reminds us to
remember that we were once slaves in Egypt, specifically after this
commandment to rejoice with the downtrodden on Shavuot.  Recall once
again the juxtaposition of these two commandments:
"... REJOICE before HASHEM... you & your son & your daughter & your
man-servant, & your maid-servant, & the Levite that is within your
gates, & the stranger, &  the orphan & the widow, that are in your
midst....
 ** Remember that you were once a slave in Egypt!" 

    This 'reminder' to - remember you were once a slave - should not
be understood as an additional commandment, but rather as a 'statement
of motivation'.  In other words, to make sure that we fulfill the
Torah's commandment that we share our happiness with the needy, the
Torah reminds us that once the entire nation of Israel was in the
position of the 'downtrodden' under Egyptian bondage.  That difficult
experience should be remembered to sensitize our feelings toward the
poor, and hence motivate our commitment to follow God's command to
share our rejoicing on Shavuot and Succot with the 'have-nots'.
    In fact, that may have been the very reason why God put is through
that difficult period of "shiabud mitzraim" - enslavement in Egypt- in
order to sensitize our national character, to ensure our constant
awareness to care for social justice.

THE SAME PHRASE THROUGHOUT SEFER DEVARIM
 To support our interpretation that to 'remember you were once a slave
in Egypt' should be understood as a 'statement of motivation' (and not
a separate mitzvah).  Let's examine how this identical phrase is used
numerous times in Sefer Devarim, and always in this same context, i.e.
as a motivator to follow commandments relating to social justice.

EVED IVRI 
 Previously in Parshat Re'ay, in regard to the laws of how to free an
"eved ivri" [a Hebrew servant], we find this exact same phrase:
"If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, be sold to you, he
shall serve you six years; and in the seventh year thou shall let him
go free. And when our let him go free - don't let him go empty; You
shall furnish him liberally out of thy flock, and out of thy
threshing-floor, and out of thy winepress; of that which Hashem has
blessed you...
** Remember that you were once a bondman in the land of Egypt, and
Hashem redeemed you..."  (see 15:12-15)

    Clearly, in this context, this phrase serves as a 'motivator' to
keep the previous commandment (and not as a commandment in itself).
[Note how most all of chapter 15 relates to social justice.]

IN PARSHAT KI-TEZE
 Later on in Sefer Devarim, we find numerous mitzvot relating to
social justice, and especially in chapter 24.  We bring two examples
where this phrase is used once again as a 'motivator':
"Do not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be
your brother or a stranger in your land... In the same day thou shalt
give him his hire....
Do not pervert the justice due to the stranger, or to the orphan; nor
take the widow's raiment to pledge. 
Remember that you were once a bondman in Egypt..."
     (see 24:14-18)

 Only a few psukim later, when the Torah discusses the laws of "leket"
& "shikcha", we find this phrase once again:
"When you reap thy harvest in thy field, and hast forgot a sheaf in
the field, thou shalt not go back to fetch it; it shall be for the
stranger, for the orphan, and for the widow ....
When you beat your olive-tree, do not go over the boughs again; it
shall be for the stranger, for the orphan and widow.
When you gather the grapes of thy vineyard, do not glean it, it shall
be for the stranger, for the orphan and widow.
Remember that you were once a bondman in Egypt..."
     (see 24:19-22)

IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS!
    Based on these examples, we can bring one final (and thematically
significant) proof from Sefer Devarim - and this time from the Ten
Commandments!
    Recall how the Fourth Commandment - to keep Shabbat - is worded
differently in Sefer Devarim.  Not only is the opening word "shamor"
instead of "zachor", but the very reason for keeping Shabbat is
different.  According the Commandment in Shmot, the reason for resting
on Shabbat is to remember that God created the Heavens & Earth in
seven days; while the reason to rest in the Sefer Devarim version is
to allow your workers a day of rest!
    As you read this Commandment, note how we find our 'phrase', and
how once again it is employed as a 'motivator' - to ensure that we
keep this commandment:
"Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy...
You shall not do any work, you, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy
man-servant, nor thy maid-servant...
nor the stranger that is within thy gates; in order that your
man-servant and thy maid-servant may rest as well as you!
Remember that you were once a bondman in Egypt and the LORD thy God
brought you out..." (see 5:11-14)

    We are commanded to rest on Shabbat, in order that our workers can
rest - followed by the 'motivator': Remember you were once a slave in
Egypt - and there, your bosses never gave you a day of rest!

    Based on these numerous examples, the meaning of the phrase
'Remember you were once a slave in Egypt' is very clear in Sefer
Devarim.  It consistently serves as a 'motivator' to encourage us to
keep a rather wide range of laws, but all relating to social justice -
and our need to be sensitive to the needs of others. 

A MEGA-THEME 
 Let's return for a minute the concluding lines of the mitzvah to keep
Shabbat in Sefer Devarim.  Even though it is commonly understood that
the reason for Shabbat in Devarim is to remember the Exodus ("zecher
l'yetziat Mitzraim"), a careful reading of its final lines leads us to
slightly different conclusion:
"Observe the sabbath day, to keep it holy ...  You shall not do any
manner of work... in order that your servant and maid-servant may rest
as well as you.  Remember that you were a servant in the land of
Egypt, and God brought you out with a mighty hand and an outstretched
arm; THEREFORE God commanded you to keep the sabbath day " (5:11-14)

 Note how the purpose of Shabbat, according to this commandment, is
NOT to remember the Exodus, but rather to allow your workers a day
rest!  This commandment, as we explained above, is followed by the
'motivator' - Remember you were once a slave in Egypt.  In other words
- when you were slaves in Egypt, you masters never gave you a day of
rest.  Now that you have become God's special nation, be sure give
your servants the kindness that you wished your masters had given you.
    However, immediately after this 'motivator' statement, we find an
additional comment, which explains HOW God brought us out of Egypt
(see again the quote above).  It appears that the Torah wants us to
remember (on Shabbat) not only that we were once slaves in Egypt, but
also HOW God took us out of Egypt.
    In the context of giving our workers a day of rest, it makes sense
that we must remember our 'slavery in Egypt', but why must we also
remember that God took us out?  Is this simply an expression of
gratitude, or does this comment serve as a 'motivator' as well?  If
so, what is its meaning?
    To answer this question, we must return to our discussion of the
purpose of "brit bein ha'btarim" (see related shiurim on Parshat Lech
Lecha, Sefer Shmot, and the Haggada), and the reason why God
forecasted Am Yisrael's 'bondage in a foreign land' at the same time
when he chose Avraham Avinu to become the forefather of His special
nation.  
    In those shiurim, we explained how God chose Avraham to  establish
'model nation' (characterized by "tzedek u'mishpat" /Breishit
18:18-19), that would bring the 'Name of God' to mankind.  Towards
this purpose, God promised Avraham not only offspring and a special
land - but He also forecasted the need for his offspring to endure
decades of slavery followed by redemption - in order to become that
nation.  We posited that one of the reasons for that 'slavery
experience' would be to 'sensitize' the nation - to encourage them to
establish a nation with a much higher moral and ethical standard (than
Egypt).

    If so, one could suggest that the Torah mentions the Exodus in
relation to Shabbat in order that we remember WHY God took us out
Egypt (and not simply that He took us out).
    In this sense, our mention of the Exodus on Shabbat serves not
only as an expression of gratitude, but more so as a 'recognition of
destiny and purpose'. 
[This would be the deeper meaning of "zecher le'yetziat mitzraim" that
we mention in Kidush on Friday night.   See also Rashi on Shmot 13:8
("ba'avur zeh"), where he explain to our children how God took us out
of Egypt in order that we eat matza (& keep all of His mitzvot); in
contrast to eating matza - because God took us out of Egypt.]

    This mega-theme is congruent with Sefer Devarim, for in the main
speech, Moshe Rabeinu is teaching Bnei Yisrael the mtizvot that they
must keep once they enter the Land of Israel.  As the overall purpose
of these mitzvot is to establish Am Yisrael as a nation representing
God, it only makes sense that we find this theme of 'remembering you
were a slave in Egypt' repeated so often.  [See Devarim 4:5-8 and
26:16-19.]

A SIGNIFICANT CONTRADICTION
 This apparent contradiction in regard to the reason for Shabbat
between Shmot (to remember Creation) and Devarim (to be kind to your
workers) carries a very powerful message.
 By intentionally 'contradicting itself', the Torah expects the reader
to notice this contradiction and contemplate why!  In other words, why
would the Torah first provide a reason for Shabbat in the realm of one
personal relationship with God ("bein adam la'makom"), and in a later
version of the Ten Commandments provide a totally different reason in
the realm of man's relationship with his fellow man ("bein adam
le'chaveiro").
 This contradiction may be precisely the message! The simple
recognition by man that God created the heavens and earth is not
enough.  For that knowledge to become meaningful, man must translate
his intellectual understanding into the realm of his daily actions, or
in our case, to the realm of social inter-action.  In this manner, he
not only shows God his belief in Creation, but also his recognition of
its purpose.
[It should be noted that these two 'complementing' reasons for Shabbat
appear in Sefer Shmot itself (and are not only a contradiction between
Devarim and Shmot).  See Shmot 23:9-12, noting the context on Shabbat
within the laws of Parshat Mishpatim.]

BACK TO SHAVUOT
 With this background, we can return to the laws of Shavuot in Parshat
Re'ay.  Recall how the first commandment is to rejoice before God at
the time of your grain harvest (see Devarim 16:9-11) - which was
followed immediately afterward by the commandment to rejoice together
with those who don't own their own land.  
 Here were find a theme very similar to what we found in regard to
Shabbat.  The Torah wants the farmer to recognize that his harvest
comes from God, but to formalize that intellectual understanding, the
Torah commands the farmer to take action.  He must rejoice in front of
God by sharing his harvest with those who are needy - with those who
would otherwise be rather depressed during this time of the
agricultural year.
 We find a beautiful expression of this understanding in Rashi's
commentary to these psukim:
"The Levite, stranger, orphan, and widow: - My four against your four:
your son, daughter, servant, and maidservant.  If you make My four
happy, I [God] will make your four happy."  (See Rashi on 16:11.)

BACK TO SEFER SHMOT
 This concept, that our slavery in Egypt should serve as a
'sensitizing experience' for all future generations of Am Yisrael,
finds a similar expression in Sefer Shmot - both at the beginning and
end of a full set of ethical laws within Parshat Mishpatim (see 22:19
thru 23:9).  That section of ethical laws begins with:
"And a stranger shalt thou not wrong, neither shalt thou oppress him;
for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 
Do not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. Should afflict them in
any wise--for if they cry at all unto Me, I will surely hear their
cry...."

And concludes with:
"Keep thee far from a false matter ....Do not take a bribe...
Do not oppress the stranger - for you know the soul [nefesh] of a
stranger, seeing you were strangers in the land of Egypt."  (see
23:7-9)

 This theme which he have discussed in Sefer Devarim had already
emerged when the Torah presented its first set of laws that followed
the Ten Commandments (in Parshat Mishpatim). 

BACK TO THE FUTURE
 We will never know for sure exactly why God found it necessary to put
us through such a difficult bondage in Egypt.  Was it in punishment
for the sins of our forefathers, or was it in preparation for the
challenges of our future?
    We may conjecture and ponder, but we trust that God is just in all
His ways (see Devarim 32:4-6).
    However, based on our shiur, we do have a pretty good idea of how
God wanted us to learn from those negative experiences; and how our
national suffering can become the impetus for the improvement of our
own behavior.
    Similarly, we will never know for sure exactly why God has brought
upon us such calamity throughout the thousands of years of our
history, even in our own time.  We may conjecture and ponder, but we
will never know for sure.
    But we can be pretty sure that God would expect that we become
sensitized by our experiences.  
    After the difficult events of the last month, we could dedicate
our energies in search of who's to blame, or to gloat in 'I told you
so', or to conjecture regarding God's deeper motives.
    However, we can also take 'hint' from God that he would like us to
improve ourselves.  To increase our sensitivity for those who are
homeless, for those in need of food, and for those in need of friends.
    Over the last few weeks, we have seen the brightest side of our
nation, in acts of "chessed" [kindness] and "gevurah" [bravery]; as
well its darker sides in the neglect and corruption of its
institutions, and the despair of those in need.
    If we follow the lesson from Parshat Re'ay, we have much to gain -
if we can translate the understanding of our experiences into actions
of increased "chessed", "mishpat", and "tzedaka" in the months and
years to come. 
    If not, we will only have ourselves to blame.

         shabbat shalom,
         menachem  

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