Devarim 11;26 - 16:17
Haftarah Yeshayahu 54:11 - 55:5
Summary
- Blessing and Curse
- Worship in the Beit HaMikdash
- Laws Regarding Meat Consumption
- Prohibition of B'al Tosif
- True and False Prophets
- Laws of the Inciter to Idolatry
- Ir HaNidachat
- Prohibition Against Excessive Mourning
- Kosher and Non-Kosher Animals
- Kosher and Non-Kosher Fish and Fowl
- Tithes
- Laws of Shemittah
- Laws of Charity
- Laws of a Hebrew Servant
- Laws of a First-Born Animal
- Pesach
- Counting the Omer and Shavuot
- Sukkot
Devarim 11:26 See, this day I set before you blessing and curse.
A traveler is face with two diverging roads; one appears smooth and trouble-free, but this appearance is deceptive for distally the road turns treacherous. The other route does not look promising judging by the condition of its origin. But again, this initial impression is false for in reality the remainder of the road is in excellent shape making it the far superior choice. Now, without proper guidance all would err and would select the incorrect course.
This is the function of the Torah, reminding us not to be deceived by the initial successes of the wicked, "for the evil have no future" (Mishlei / Prov. 24:20). So we are instructed by the subsequent verses Devarim / Deut. 11:27 - 28, "Blessing if you obey the commandments... and curse if you do not obey..." If you obey, there is only blessing despite what initial appearances may demonstrate: if you disobey, there is only curse no matter that first impressions may impart otherwise. (Or HaChaim)
Deciding between a life of righteousness or a life of evil-doing is not dependent on chance, or a matter of luck. G-d Himself instructs and encourages us to make the correct decision. "G-d supports my lot," we are told in Tehillim / Ps. 16:5. There is also no accommodation among these options, no middle ground between these antipodes. Only two paths are open, one leads to utmost and everlasting blessing while the other condemns one to perdition and curse. Therefore the Torah uses the term "see" (re'eh); discern well so that you may choose correctly.
Turning towards the future leader, Yehoshua, Moshe instructed him: "After leaading the Benei Yisrael across the Yarden, station half the nation on Mt. Gerizim and the other half on Mt. Aival. I shall soon reveal to you the blessings and curses to be pronounced there.
Then Moshe offered to the entire people the following advice: "In each aspect of daily life you are faced with the choice whether or not to obey Hashem. Know that this actually involves the choice of whether to bring blessing or curse, life or death, upon yourselves. Even though each person has free choice of action, G-d is not indifferent to the path he chooses. As it were, He entreats and counsels us, 'Contemplate the options: doing good and reaping a blessing, or doing evil and incurring a curse - and choose life!'"
Hashem warns: "While the road of Torah and mitzvot may at times seem troublesome, it will assuredly lead to your destination. Moreover, it seems bumpy and winding only before yu embark on it; once on the road, you will see that it is scenic and comfortable. The path of sin may look smoother at the beginning, but will ultimately be obstructed. Therefore choose wisely!
*All roads lead to acknowledging Hashem. A person can either "take the direct road" - that is, acknowledge Haashem with his free will while he is alive - or else his soul will be compelled to admit the truth through punishments after death. Our Sages warn: "Do not let your evil inclination convince you that the grave is your refuge" (Pirke Avot 4:29) It is better for a person to spend his life in obedience of Hashem.
Moshe explains that a Jew brings blessing upon himself by fulfilling a mitzvah and incurs a curse for a transgression.
12:2-3 You must utterly destroy all the sites at which the nations you are to dispossess worshiped their gods, whether on lofty mountains and on hills or under any luxuriant tree. You must tear down their altars, break up their sacred pillars, burn their Asherah trees, and chop down the statues of their gods, obliterating their names from that place.This command serves as a prelude to the Mitzvah of bringing sacrifices to the Beit HaMikdash (Temple) which appears in verse 5. Otherwise, the Jewish People might have desired to utilize the impressive temples of the pagan Kenaani as sites to offer sacrifices in honor of Hashem. We are, therefore, taught not to spare the pagan places of worship since only evil was practiced there. G-d Himself, in due time, would choose a location suitable for His Temple, a site untainted by idolatry. (Abarbanel)
A parable can be applied to this thought. A king decided to construct his residence at a particular location, but first he ordered his subjects to cleanse the area of all previous pollution. This too, was Hashem's intention.
The phrase "utterly destroy" consists of two Hebrew words, אבד תאבדון (abbed te'abbedun). The seeming redundancy is to instruct us that a tree sacred to the Kenaani must be cut down as often as it grows back, regardless of how may times this happens.
In the Land of Yisrael it is a mitzvah to actively seek out and destroy all places of idol worship. Outside the Land, however, Jews are not required to search for pagan temples. Only if one comes across them, is there an obligation to destroy.
The need to destroy even inanimate, completely passive objects such as idols, altars etc., stems from their having served as agents of sin. Therefore, people who actively cause others to sin and turn away from G-d are certainly much more morally reprehensible and more deserving of destruction.
12:4 You shall not do so to Hashem, your G-d.
This verse forbids us to destroy any object which has been sanctified by G-d. This includes any item from the Beit HaMikdash, any of the sacred writings, or any forms of G-d's Name. We deduce these prohibitions because the previous verses commanded us to completely blot out all traces of idolatry. We are now warned that this behavior is, of course, strictly forbidden with regard to Hashem. Although this teaching would appear to be obvious, it is necessary for we do find one instance where it is permissible, in fact, a Mitzvah to erase the Name of G-d. This is in the case of a Sotah - a faithless wife. As part of that ceremony, which took place only in the Beit HaMikdash, it was necessary to write the Name of G-d on a special document and then rub it off into the waters of bitterness which the Sotah had to drink. Since there is this exception, the Torah must inform us that this practice is generally strictly forbidden. The allusion to Sotah can be found in the juxtaposition of this verse with the next one: "You shall not do so to Hashem your G-d.. Only in the place which Hashem your G-d will choose from among your tribes to establish His Name there...," i.e., only in the Beit HaMikdash may this be done.
Seven Names of G-d are included in this prohibition of erasure. These are:
- the Tetragrammaton (the name of Four Letters Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh)
- Alef-Dalet-Nun-Yud
- Alef-Lamed
- Alef-Lamed-Vav-Heh
- Alef-Lamed-Heh-Yud-Mem
- Shin-Dalet-Yud
- Tz-va-'o-t
Not only the Names are forbidden to be erased, but all suffixes attached to these Names are inclulded in the prohibition since these are sanctified by the preceding letters. Prefixes to these Names (which usually are the prepositions "to," "from" etc.) are, however, permitted to be erased. (Yoreh De'ah 276)
This prohibition extends to printed materials as well, and therefore when sacred books are worn out they need to be placed in a specially designated Genizah or storage locations, rather than be discarded.
12:5 Only in the place which Hashem your G-d will choose from among all your tribes to establilsh His Name; there you shall go to seek His Presence.
The site of the Beit HaMikdash must be chosen by G-d. But Benei Yisrael must expend the effort to search for the Temple site by diligent inquiry: לשכנו תדרשו (leshichno tidreshu), i.e., for His dwelling place search. The correct site must, however, be confirmed by a prophet, both to ensure the precise location as well as to ascertain that no idol-worship defiled the holy ground. (Sifri)
Our verse indicates that the Temple be built in a location held by all the tribes in common since the verse states, "from among all your tribes"; while verse 14 reads "the place with Hashem will choose in one of your tribal territories." This contradiction is resolved by realizing that although the Temple was physically within the territory of the tribe of Binyamin, all the tribes were considered owners, since David collected money from all tribes to purchase this tract of land from the Yevusi. (Zevachim 54).
Similarly, three prophets were involved in building the Second Temple - Chaggai, Zecharya, and Malachi. They were needed to ascertain the exact site of the altar. (ibid. 62)
G-d chose not to establish the Holy Temple in Yerushalayim immediately, but set up the Mishkan in temporary quarters in Shiloh, Nov and Gov'on. The reason for this interruption in G-d's ultimate purpose is traced back to the sin of Adam, whose actions caused the Divine Presence to leave the world. It was only through the merit of the Patriarchs, Moshe and other righteous people in the generations which followed, that the Shechinah (Divine Presence) gradually began to descend into this world. Before the time could arrive for the Shechinah to find its permanent home, and for the Benei Yisrael to be worthy of the event, the Divine Presence resided in temporary locations.
Prior to the first Beit HaMikdash, when the Mishkan was the central sanctuary, personal altars (Bamot) were permitted for non-obligatory sacrifices. However, while the Mishkan was in Shiloh, all sacrifices where required to be brought there and personal altars were outlawed.
12:18 These you must consume before Hashem your G-d in the place that Hashem your G-d will choose - you and your son and your daughter, your male and female slaves, and the Levi in your settlements - happy before Hashem your G-d in all your undertakings.
With the words "before Hashem your G-d," the Torah stresses the importance of being aware, while one is eating, of G-d's presence. Whatever one consumes should be for the sake of Heaven and not to satisfy one's basest instincts. Moreover, the place and company where and with whom one eats are also of great importance. One must be certain that these contribute to an atmosphere of sanctity and purity. It was the custom of the spiritually refined people of Yerushalayim to dine only with individuals who shared their stringent ethical and spiritual beliefs. This ideal form of behavior is alluded to in the words, "the place that Hashem your G-d will choose." The "place" must be fitting and proper, and only then will one be worthy of being "happy before Hashem your G-d..."
In discussing the ideal mode of behavior where eating and drinking are involved, it may be useful to study the attitude of Jewish law to eating and drinking.
The table is compared to an altar, and one who eats with Heaven in mind, merits the special blessings the presence of the Shechinah brings.
Devarim 12:28 Observe and heed all these commandments which I enjoin upon you; thus it will go well with you and with your descendants after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of Hashem.
The word "observe" refers to the Mishnah, the study of the Mitzvot. One must study them thoroughly and diligently so they may not be forgotten. A passage in Mishlei / Prov. reflects this ideal, "They are pleasant if you keep them within you." (22:8) Only when one studies the Torah properly, can one "heed" its words and perform its Mitzvot.
Our Rabbis have emphasized in numerous places the importance of constant review in the study of Torah. The Talmud states (Chagigah 9b) that one who has reviewed his studies one hundred times cannot be compared to one who has dones so one hundred-one times. The number 101 has special significance because the angel given dominion over the Torah and over memory is Micha'el (מיכאל), and the numerical value of his name equals the number 101. If one reviews his study of the Torah 101 times, Micha'el endows him with the ability to retain all that he has learned.
A similar use of numerology again reveals the significance of the number 101. In the verse "When Moshe charged us with the Teachings as the heritage of the congregation of Yaakov" (Devarim 33:4) the word "charged" - צוה (tzivah) has a numerical value of 101. The lesson implied here is that if Benei Yisrael (the "congregation of Yaakov") study and review the Torah 101 times, it will remain a permanent legacy for them.
Another verse, found in Divrei HaYamim (I Chron. 16;15), contains the same allusion to the number 101. The passage refers to the Torah as having been "commanded for a thousand generations." Again, the word tzivah (commanded) signifies that if one reviews one's study of Torah 101 times, the reward will include retaining it for a thousand generations.
The numerical value of the Hebrew word זכור (zachor - remember) is 227, while the value of the word שכוח (shacho'ach - forget) equals 328. The difference between these sums is 101. Again, the number 101 suggests that reviewing the Torah 101 times makes the difference between remembering and forgetting it.
- Me'am Lo'ez
