[Par-reg] for Parshat Re'eay - additional shiur

Thu Aug 1 03:29:33 EDT 2013

*********************************************
****************

     THE TANACH STUDY CENTER
[http://www.tanach.org]

          In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag

     Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem
Leibtag

*********************************************
****************

          PARSHAT  RE'AY  - Part Two

     Bad influences?  Surely we should stay
away from them,

but how do we identify them?  In Parshat
Reay, we find an

example of how the Torah deals with this
problem, as Bnei

Yisrael prepare to enter the land.

INTRODUCTION

     Our previous shiur on Parshat Re'ay,
discussed how

"ha'makom asher yivchar Hashem" - emerged as
its primary

topic. Even though this holds true for
chapters 12 and 15,

chapters 13 and 14 appear to form a
digression from this

topic.

     To illustrate how the topic of 'bad
influences' is

sandwiched with the topic of "ha'makom asher
yivchar", the

following table summarizes the main topics of
the Parsha:

* HA'MAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM

12:1-19 - Establishing the Bet ha'Mikdash as
the national

center

12:20-28 - Permission for eating meat outside
of that center

* BAD INFLUENCES

12:29-31 - Don't seek after the gods of the
nations of Canaan

13:2-6   - Don't follow the instructions of a
false prophet

13:7-12  - Don't follow a family member who
may lead you astray

13:13-19 - Ir ha'nidachat - when an entire
city goes astray

14:1-21  - Misc. dietary laws (what one
cannot eat)

* HA'MAKOM ASHER YIVCHAR HASHEM

14:22-27 - Eating "maaser sheni" (there) in
years 1,2,4,& 5

14:28-29 - Giving this "maaser" to the poor
in years 3 & 6

15:1-18  - The laws of "shmittah" for the 7th
year

15:19-23 - Bringing the 'first born' to
"ha'makom asher..."

16:1-17  - Celebrating the "shalosh regalim,
ba'makom asher..."

====

     As you most probably have guessed by
now, in our shiur we

will search for a theme that ties all of
these topics

together.

FOUR 'BAD EXAMPLES'

     To begin our shiur, we must first
explain why we

categorized all of the topics in chapter 13
as 'bad

influences'.

     Note how each topic relates to a certain
warning that

'somebody else' will not lead you astray
towards following

other gods.

     First we find a warning against
following the gods of

your 'non-jewish' neighbors (12:29-31).  Then
we are warned

not to follow a charismatic leader (be he a
'prophet' or

'dreamer'), even if he performs a miracle,
should he suggest

that we worship a different god (13:2-6).
Afterward, we are

warned against following a family member or
close friend who

may secretly suggest that we worship a
different god.

Finally, as a society, we are warned not to
allow an entire

town to go astray; and if so, that entire
town must be

destroyed.

     Note how we find examples of influences
from:

a) society at large, i.e. our global
community

b) our leaders, either religious or lay

c) our family and close friends

d) our city, i.e. our local community

     These laws are followed by a lengthy
list of dietary laws

in 14:3-21.  Note however that the reason for
keeping these

laws is given both at the beginning and end
of this unit, in

14:2 and 14:21 - for you are an "am kadosh
l'Hashem elokecha"

- a designated [holy] nation for your God -
hence you must

separate yourselves from them.

     Even though the Torah does not explain
HOW these laws

accomplish this goal, we know quite well from
our daily life

how the laws of "kashrut" severely limit our
cultural contact

with people of other religions.  Therefore,
we find yet

another example of how the laws of the Torah
protect us from

the influences of those who may lead us
towards following

other gods.

     With this in mind, we must now consider
the connection

between this unit of 'bad influences' and the
primary topic of

"ha'makom asher yivchar Hashem".

INFLUENCES - GOOD & BAD

     When we consider the purpose of
"ha'makom asher yivchar

Hashem", i.e. the establishment of the city
of Yerushalayim

and the Bet ha'Mikdash as the nation's
vibrant cultural and

religious center, we find yet another example
of what will

influence the society of Am Yisrael, this
time from the

positive aspect.

     In other words, Parshat Re'ay discusses
all types of

influences that will shape the nature of
society (as Bnei

Yisrael prepare to enter the land). First and
foremost, by the

establishment of "ha'makom asher yivchar
Hashem" and the

requirement that every jew frequent that site
and eat his

"maaser sheni" in Yerushalayim, we assure the
proper

development of Am Yisrael as an "am kadosh
l'Hashem".

     By warning against bad influences, the
Torah attempts to

make sure that the fabric of that society
won't crumble.

     In Parshat Shoftim, we will find
additional examples of

what will provide a 'good influence' upon the
nation. The

Torah will discuss the judicial system, the
priesthood, and

the various other institutions of political
leadership in

their ideal form.

                         Till then,

                              shabbat shalom

                              menachem

*********************************************
****************

        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    //
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 national calamities, we usually tend to
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 contemplate the
suffering in those events, and take a 'hint'
from God that maybe 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 friendship.

    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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