From: "Ohr Somayach"
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To: weekly@vjlists.com
Subject: Torah Weekly - Reeh
* TORAH WEEKLY *
Highlights of the Weekly Torah Portion
Parshat Reeh
For the week ending 25 Av 5759 / 6 & 7 August 1999
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Overview
Moshe presents to the nation the blessing of a spiritually oriented life,
and the curse of becoming disconnected from Hashem. When the nation enters
Eretz Yisrael they must burn down any trees that had been used for idol-
worship, and destroy all idolatrous statues. Hashem will choose only one
place where the Divine Presence will dwell. Offerings may be brought only
there; not to a private altar. Moshe repeatedly warns against eating animal
blood. In the desert, all meat was slaughtered in the Mishkan, but in Eretz
Yisrael meat may be shechted anywhere. Moshe lists the categories of food
that may only be eaten in Jerusalem. He warns the nation against copying
ways of the other nations. Since the Torah is complete and perfect, nothing
may be added or subtracted from it. If a "prophet" tells the people to
permanently abandon a Torah law or indulge in idol worship, he is to be put
to death. One who entices others to worship idols is to be put to death. A
city of idolatry must be razed. It is prohibited to show excessive signs of
mourning, such as marking the skin or making a bald spot. Moshe reiterates
the classifications of kosher and non-kosher food and the prohibition of
cooking meat and milk. Produce of the second tithe must be eaten in
Jerusalem, and if the amount is too large to carry, it may be exchanged for
money with which food is bought in Jerusalem. In certain years this tithe
is given to the poor. Bnei Yisrael are instructed to always be open-
hearted, and in the seventh year any loans must be discounted - Hashem will
bless the person in all ways. A Jewish bondsman is released after six
years, and must be sent away with generous provisions. If he refuses to
leave, his ear is pierced with an awl at the door post, and he remains a
bondsman until the Jubilee year. The Parsha ends with a description of the
three pilgrimage festivals of Pesach, Shavuos and Succos.
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Insights
The Roof Of The World
"You shall make the festival of Succot..." (16:13)
The roof of a succah cannot be higher than 20 amot (about 35 feet). The
Talmud gives three views as to why a height greater than this renders the
succah invalid.
Rabba says that because the eye does not normally travel so high, a person
sitting in such a succah doesn't have the feeling of being in a succah, and
thus such a succah is invalid.
Rabbi Zeira says that the essence of the succah is that its roof should
give shade, and in such a high succah the vast majority of the shade would
come from the walls and not from the roof.
Yet a third opinion is that of Rava who says that a succah must be a
temporary building, and such a large succah comes into the category of a
permanent structure.
There is a deeper message beneath the surface of this seemingly technical
dispute: These three views hint to the three pillars on which a righteous
person must build himself.
The first pillar is the pillar of fearing G-d.
The essence of fearing G-d is to imagine that we are in His presence at all
times, that there is never a moment, a deed or a thought which G-d doesn't
perceive. The gematria (numerical equivalent) of the word "succah" is 91.
The gematria of the Name of G-d which we say as "Adon-ai" is 65. That Name,
which we do not pronounce the way it is written, consists of the letters
"yud" and "heh" and "vav" and "heh," which add up
to 26. Adding this Name
the way it is spoken to the way it is written, comes to 91.
In other words, the succah is a combination of G-d's Names. It represents
the Divine Presence. Thus, if the succah is so high that the eye doesn't
normally travel up that much, then it's as though G-d is not "in front of
my eyes." If so, then I am lacking in the fear of G-d.
The second pillar is the pillar of trust in G-d.
If I say, "I need to do such and such to get out of the spot I'm in, and
through that action G-d is going to save me," it's as if I'm narrowing
G-d's ability to save me to the scope of my own actions. The correct
mode of trust in G-d is to act, but not to assume that my action in
any way limits G-d's options. I may do one thing, and my rescue may
come from an entirely different source.
Rabbi Zeira hints that the fist attitude is invalid. The shade of the
succah roof represents the Heavenly "shade" of G-d's protection. The four
walls symbolize the physical world extending to the four directions of the
compass. By making a succah so high that all its shade comes from the
walls, it is as though I'm saying that G-d's "shade" and protection (the
succah roof) needs to be supported by my actions in this world (the four
walls).
The third pillar is the pillar of humility.
Wealth and success in this world can inflate a person's ego. But when a
person realizes how temporary his stay is here, it's hard for him to get a
big head. The succah hints to us that this world is but a brief stay in a
temporary dwelling, that life is but a passing shadow. This is the third
reason that such a high succah should be invalid, for the essence of
humility is to make this world into one's temporary dwelling, and
concentrate on fitting out our permanent residence in the future world.
* Source - Aruch L'Ner
======================================================
Ohr Somayach International
22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103
Jerusalem 91180, Israel
Tel: 972-2-581-0315 Fax: 972-2-581-2890
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Commentary on the Weekly Torah Reading for 25 Av, 5759
(August 7, 1999)
by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
EFRAT, ISRAEL: The Biblical portion this week opens
with an eternal drama set before humanity for all eternity.
"Behold I give before you this day a blessing and a curse...the
blessing when you hearken to the words of the Lord your G-d...and the
curse if you reject (these words)..." [Deuteronomy 11:26]
This very choice was primordially presented to the very first human
beings, Adam and Eve: the blessings of the Garden of Eden and eternal
life if they accepted the divine command not to eat of the fruit of
the knowledge of good and evil, or the curse of exile and mortality if
they spurned the world of G-d and ate the forbidden fruit.
In the Book of Genesis, the geographic ramifications are logically and
intimately built into the choice: the luscious Garden of Eden versus
bleak exile.
In our Torah reading on the other hand, the blessings are linked to
Mount Gerizim and the curses to Mount Eyval, two magnificent and
majestic mountains visible from the city of Shekhem (Nablus).
What is the connection between these mountains and the contrast of the
choice?
Our Biblical formulation, "Behold, I give before you this day a
blessing and a curse" seems strange. As the Pri Zaddik (Rabbenu Zadok
of Lublin) points out, the Hebrew word "give" always suggests the
positive connotation of gift. The blessing is certainly a gift, but
this is hardly the case concerning the curse! Why does the Torah call
the curse a gift as well? No one wants the gift of a curse!
The resolution of this basic question is found in a careful reading of
the Midrash (Chapter Four of Devarim Rabbah) which has the Almighty
explain: "...not to their detriment did I give them blessings and
curses, but rather to inform them that the good path was that they
should choose."
As the Pri Zadik comments, the essence of the gift is the possibility
of choice. The fact that we are human creatures of choice makes us
personalities, not mere puppets; potential partners with the Divine,
not mere pawns in his chess game. Yes, the fall-out as a result of
the wrong choice is exile and destruction, but the Almighty apparently
believes the very possibility of choice -- despite the downside --
remains a blessed Divine gift!
This concept of choice is also at the heart of the events surrounding
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. We must remember that according
to the Midrash, the entire episode of the eating of the forbidden
fruit and the expulsion of the first couple from the Garden of Eden
took place on the sixth day of creation. The significance of this
dating is that free choice, and the concomitant possibility of fall as
well as the challenge of repair and redemption, is built into the
Divine design of the creation of the human being and is thus part of
the Divine Will.
Adam uses a variation of the Hebrew word "netinah" or gift when
addressing G-d in the context of his own defense for having eaten the
forbidden fruit:
Eve "...gave me of the tree, and I did eat." [Genesis 3:12]
It was this 'gift' which resulted in Adam and Eve being exiled from
the Garden of Eden. Having established that 'choice' is G-d's true
gift to humanity, Adam's use of the word "netinah" in reference to
Eve's involvement may be a subtle suggestion that beyond the tragedy
of the Garden, and the cures of their expulsion, exists a blessing of
choice. The blessing is their essential humanity as G-d's creatures
who are part of the process of history and not merely fixtures in a
display window.
Given, then, the importance and even blessing of free choice, how can
we guarantee -- or at least strengthen the chances -- that our loved
ones, and especially our children, make the right choice in hearkening
to G-d's commands?
I can still hear my sons's perceptive words, when only fourteen,
smilingly accusing me of disingenuousness: "Abba, you only pretend to
be liberal because you believe that will be the most effective way to
make us come out like you and Imma (Mommy)."
Thus the mountains, Mount Gerizim and Mount Eyval. They are virtually
twins, two average peaks in a land where Himalayan ecstasies are not
part of the landscape. Average mountains, average children. What is
the message of the mountains?
Geographically and botanically speaking, there is a reality here which
has psychological implications. Two almost identical peaks, but their
topography is different. The peak of blessing, Mount Gerizim, is
nearer the sun, and is therefore moist and fruitful, while the peak of
curse, Mount Eyval, is lean, arid and dry.
The Ramban (Nahmanides) adds a mystical dimension: Mount Gerizim is
more southwards, which is the right side, symbolizing Divine love.
Mount Eyval is more northwards, which is the left side, symbolizing
strict justice and law. Parents must give their children love and
limits, concern and curtailments, however, when push comes to shove,
the ultimate choice in favor of blessing will depend upon the strength
of the portion of love in the dosage of the mixture.
A number of years ago, an individual with whom I'm very close came to
me with the horrific possibility of asking his eldest son, who had
returned from the army completely alienated from Torah observances, to
move out of the house.
This individual remonstrated with tears in his eyes, "I fear the
influence on the younger siblings." I was close to agreeing with his
most agonizing decision when by chance I heard a radio interview with
a Professor of Hebrew and Semitics that very night. The interviewer
asked the Professor, who had a very European sounding name, why he had
never Hebraized his surname.
Came the response: "I would never change my name. My father would
have loved me to change my name. He was very religious, you see, a
world renowned Torah Scholar. He threw me out of the house because I
wasn't observant. Wherever he is, I want him to know that he has a
son with the same name who eats shrimp on Yom Kippur!"
I called my friend that very moment and urged him not to close his
door on his son.
The story is told about Rav Yisrael baal Shem Tov, the founder of the
Hassidic movement, who advised a distraught father complaining about
his irreligious son, to "love him".
"But you don't understand," cried the father. "He is stubborn,
rebellious, scornful of everything sacred."
"Then love him even more," responded the Baal Shem Tov.
My friend's son is married, and a completely Torah-observant Jew
today.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Shlomo Riskin
Efrat, Israel
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