Parsha Thoughts: Reah
Rich-Poor
Turnus-Rufus asked Rabbi Akiva; Obviously Hashem hates the poor, otherwise He would have provided for them. So why give tzeddakah? Is that not a contravention of Hashem’s Will?
Rabbi Akiva answered cryptically: ‘So that we may merit through them.’
Rabbi Akiva expressed a paradigm shift; Hashem does not really hate the poor, rather He wants us to merit. So why didn’t Hashem provide for them? Hashem did not grant one person a million dollars for their own use. Proof: some people have so much money they couldn’t possibly use it! Hashem’s scheme is simple; instead of giving parnassah to Reuven and giving parnassah to Shimon, He gives double parnassah to Reuven, and instructs him to help Shimon.
This way is more profitable, points out Rabbi Akiva, for had Hashem provided the poor man directly, the rich would not have gained a merit. Hashem gives the poor man’s portion to the rich man so that he can do a mitzvah, not because He hates the poor man.
Rashi points out an apparent contradiction; we are told to keep shmitta and nullify debts owed us. We are promised; ‘there will not be a poor man among you for Hashem will bless you in all your endeavors.’ The very next parsha, however, talks about helping the poor man, ‘for the poor will never cease from the land…’ Will there be poor or not? (Rashi answers that if we are good, there will be no poor, but if not…)
We suggested that there will be poor, but they will be provided for. How? By us helping them! Hashem will bless us, so that we receive the poor man’s portion too, which we will then give them. In fact, that is actually Hashem’s plan!
@@@@@@
The Price Tag On Eretz Yisrael
‘These are the laws and judgments that you should be careful to keep in the Land that Hashem the G-d of your fathers gave you to inherit, all your life’.
Sounds like we are about to hear the important ideas of the Torah. Yet what follows? Destroying Avodah Zara from the land, an injunction against bringing sacrifices anywhere one pleases, not to learn from idolaters ways to serve Hashem, not to believe in idols and to kill anyone promoting them etc. Are these the main points of the Torah?
Perhaps we discuss here living in Eretz Yisrael. These are the things specially important in Eretz Yisroel. Keeping idol worship away from the land and guard it’s sanctity. Eat kosher. Although these are binding even out of Eretz Yisroel, they are the sticker price for Eretz Yisroel. That’s why they are listed here.
Some mitzvos are because we’re human, others because we are Jews, and still more to merit Eretz Yisroel.
@@@@@@
When More Is Less
“Do not add to the mitzvos, nor subtract from them” Why not add??
Perfection needs no adjustment. Adding implies that we believe the mitzvos to be man-made, in need of revision, not Hashem’s perfect instruction.
Another problem is that adding to mitzvos means we take possession of them, adding and adjusting them. Leave off; they are not ours to touch.
Another thought: We are weak creatures, limited in brain and spirit. We fail in understanding the depths of human psyche, spiritual entities and their relationship to one another, absolute moral right and wrong, and what is and is not pragmatic or good. In fact we often don’t even see the effects of the interplay any action we do will have on our daily routine. It would be folly and conceit to consider ourselves capable of setting down a proper course of behavior. Absolute presumptuousness.
Were there no option, of course we would be duty-bound to try and figure out the best way to act. But since we were handed a Torah, we would be nuts to try ‘improving’ it. Are we out of our minds? Its plain wrong!
@@@@@@
Noblesse Oblige?
Rabbi Chiya told his wife that when a poor man knocks, she should run to help him, so that when their own children beg, others will help them out quickly. She was shocked at the implication. She asked ‘Are you cursing us that our children will be poor?’ He answered: ‘No, I’m merely quoting the pasuk: If we help out the poor, Hashem will bless us. That means that He will return us in coin when we will need His help for the same thing. And that will happen when our descendants will need charity themselves.’
Is that why we give tzedakkah, to have it returned? Is the Torah telling us to focus on this ulterior motive?
A person must find and feel personal meaning in Mitzvos. It need not necessarily be the true goal of the mitzvah, but it connects one personally to the mitzvah. That’s why we even consider the benefit that our children may reap from tzedakkah, so that we do the mitzvah eagerly.
Another thought is that true tzeddakah is done of humility; Noblesse oblige is not our mantra. We think: ‘We are all in it together. Its just a matter of timing.’ Today I have money. Tomorrow someone else will. I’d better give tzeddaka…
@@@@@@
Goodbye Presents
The Torah bids to load a departing slave with presents from all we have. The reason given is that we too were slaves, and when we left Egypt Hashem loaded us with presents.
So what? Are we Paroh? We bought the slave, and paid him good money for himself. All is fair and square; why give him more?
A man who has worked long hours and walks away with nothing in his pocked feels bitter frustration. Although he was compensated, it feels as if the time spent came to naught; practically speaking, he walks away empty-handed. The Torah demands from us the sensitivity to ensure our fellowman walks away feeling decent.
When we left Egypt we gained freedom. But Hashem took care that you also felt good when leaving Egypt, and loaded you with gifts. You must grant others this feeling too. Load him up with goodbye presents!
@@@@@@
Proof Of Torah
“These do not eat… the Shesuah….” The Shesuah is an animal with two backs and two spines, explains the Gemarah (hence ‘shasuah’).
Chazal (Chillin) tell us that this proves Torah is from Sinai, for was Moshe a hunter, that he would know of such an animal?
In Meseches Niddah the Gemarrah has a dispute if the Shesuah is a species, or a freak born of nomal (-kosher) parents. Obviously the gemarah had never heard of, and certainly did not positively know a Shesuah!! So how could Moshe talking about an animal no one knows be proof of knowledge!?!?
We suggested that no one making up a religion would talk of something weird. There is simply no motivation to do so – it only makes the talker appear foolish. Had Moshe invented the Torah, would never have talked of Shesuah. That he did so proves his sincerity, hence this indicates Torah Min HaShamayim.
@@@@@@
Giving Charity:
When a person gives tzeddakkah, ought it be out of pity or because there is a mitzvah to? Is having pity unworthy?
Lets say someone is inducted into the army. He may go for idealistic reasons – to protect others, and he may have boatloads of fun there besides. As a matter of fact, the army is pleased to have an idealistic soldier, and the fun plays an important role too.
But bottom line, there is that induction notice and he must obey it even if he does not appreciate it. He has done his duty when he finishes his stint, whether he enjoyed it or not.
The same goes for mitzvos. Bottom line, we have to do them, like it or not. Therefore any personal meaning and attachment is praiseworthy and profitable, for it makes us do the mitzvah well and with commitment. However the primary consideration – the l’sheim Shamayim – persists, because we do it no matter what.
@@@@@@
Please, Be Convinced…
If a prophet presents a miracle but tells us to worship idols, we ought not to listen to him. The Torah says that this is just to test if we love Hashem with all our heart. What test; can we fail to be convinced by the miracle?!
We believe what we want to. Yes, a miracle was worked. However we choose to be convinced by it or to explain it away. Belief cannot be forced.
This is important to know: Belief is a choice. If we love Hashem, we will choose to believe in Him. And if we choose to, we can even deny the Holocaust.
What is the lesson? We can concentrate on making Mitzvos meaningful and pleasant. If Mitzvos are attractive, we will choose to believe in them. Our attitude determines how we will perform at crunch time.
Aren’t humans funny?
©2013
kollel parshah | Tiferet Ramot 83-21, Jerusalem, Israel, 97290
This email was sent to [email protected].
To ensure that you continue receiving our emails, please add us to your address book or safe list.
View this email on the web here.
You can also forward to a friend.
Unsubscribe
Powered by Mad Mimi ®