From: Netvort@aol.com
Sent: Friday, September 03, 2004
3:11 AM
To: JoshHoff@aol.com
Subject: Netvort : parshas Ki
Savo, 5764
Beginnings
By
Rabbi Joshua (variationally known as The Hoffer) Hoffman
This week's
parsha begins with the mitzvoh of bringing one's bikkurim, or first fruits, to
the Temple, and expressing thanks to God for achieving this milestone. Included
in the expression of thanks is a recitation of the section of the Torah
beginning with the words, "Arami oveid avi," variously translated as 'my father
was a wandering Aramean,' or ' an Aramean tried to destroy my father.' In either
case, this section relates, in short, the descent of Ya'akov's family to Egypt,
and the emergence of the bnei Yisroel from that country as a people redeemed by
God. This section, in fact, forms the basis of the Haggadah that is recited on
the night of the Passover Seder. We have discussed, in the past, the relevance
of this section in connection with the bringing of one's first fruits. However,
based on a theme that we mentioned in last week's message, I would like to re-
explore this issue, and present an expanded explanation.
We mentioned
last week that even according to all opinions in the Talmud, it is legitimate,
in regard to the book of Devorim, to expound halochos based on the juxtaposition
of different laws to each other in the text of the Torah. Many commentators have
gone the further step of deriving more homiletic - type messages from such
juxtapositions. In this week's parsha, some commentators note the juxtaposition
of the mitzvoh of bikkurim to the last mitzvos in parshas Ki Seitzei, those of
remembering what Amaleik did to us when we came out of Egypt, in order to arouse
us to action and wipe out that nation. Ibn Ezra writes that in connection with
the mitzvos of remembering and wiping Amaleik in order to wipe it out, the Torah
says, " And it shall be that when the Lord, your God, gives you rest from all
your enemies all around, in the land that the Lord, your God, gives you as an
inheritance to take possession of it, you shall wipe out the remembrance of
Amaleik from under the heaven - you shall not forget" (Devorim 25: 19). In
contrast to this requirement of resting from all our enemies, which is a
prerequisite for waging battle against Amaleik, the Torah then tells us that the
mitzvoh of bikkurim requires only that we enter the land, inherit it and take
possession of it. In practical terms, this means that the mitzvoh was operative
after the seven initial years of conquering the land and an additional seven
years of dividing the captured sections among the various tribes. The Chizkuni
takes a similar approach to the juxtaposition, but expands the contrast to
include many of the mitzvos that follow in parshas KiSavo, as well. Rabbeinu
Ya'akov ben Asher, in his commentary Ba'al HaTurim, reaches a somewhat different
conclusion from the juxtaposition of these mitzvos. He says that the mitzvoh of
bikkurim is dependent on the nation entering Eretz Yisroel, and Amaleik sought
to prevent them from entering. For this reason, he adds, the farmer who brings
his first fruits to the Temple recites the section of 'Arami oveid avi,' because
it refers to Lavan, the Aramean who sought to destroy Ya'akov, our father, by
trying to prevent him from returning to Eretz Yisroel with his family, just as
Amaleik later tried to do to the entire nation.
While the approach of
the Ba'al HaTurim is somewhat technical, focusing on the relation of the various
mitzvos to the presence of the Jewish nation in Eretz Yisroel, other
commentators make a more essential connection. They point out that just as
Amaleik is referred to as 'reishis goyim' - the first among the nations'
(Bamidbar 24:20) - so, too, bikkurim is referred to, in parshas Ki Savo, as
'reishis kol pri ha-adamah' - the first of every fruit of the ground (Devorim
26:2). Rav Moshe Shapiro, as presented in MiMa'amakim by his student, Rabbi
Alexander Aryeh Mandelbaum, and somewhat differently in a taped address on this
topic, notes this connection, and adds that the Jewish nation is also referred
to as 'reishis,' in a verse in Yirmiyahu (2:3) - " Yisroel is holy to the Lord,
the first fruits of His increase. The midrash, in fact, based on this verse,
says that the world was created ' bereishis,' in the beginning, in the merit of
Yisroel, which is called reishis, and in the merit of bikkurim, which are called
reishis. The idea being expressed here, explains Rabbi Shapiro, is that God's
presence in the world is hidden, and the Jewish people help make His presence
discernable, by recognizing His hand at work behind the scenes. By expressing
gratitude to God for the first fruits that they produce in Eretz Yisroel, they
are acknowledging that it is God Who created the world and is behind the
workings of nature. Amaleik, on the other hand, denies that God created the
world and works within it. The Torah says of Amaleik, 'Amaleik is the first of
nations, and its end is destruction." Rabbi Shapiro explains that Amaleik
considers itself the beginning and end of history, and, therefore, will,
ultimately, be destroyed. Yisroel, however, by proclaiming that the true
'reishis' is God, constitutes a beginning that has a story that follows, the
entire history of the universe, as orchestrated by God. Although Rabbi Shapiro
does not say this, perhaps we can add that for this reason, when the farmer
brings his first fruits, his 'reishis,' to the Temple, he recapitulates the
account of the exile and redemption of the Jewish nation, to emphasize that God
is the true 'reishis,' the Creator and controller of the world.
Rav Ya'akov Moshe Charlop, in his Mei Marom to parshas Ki Savo (no. 47),
also notes the connection between Amaleik as reishis, and bikkurim and Yisroel
as reishis, but in a different way than does Rabbi Shapiro. Rabbi Chaim ben
Attar points out in his commentary Ohr HaChaim that parshas Ki Savo begins with
the words, "And it will be when you enter the land" (Devorim 26:1). The Hebrew
word for the expression "and it will be" is 'vehaya,' and the Talmud teaches us
that whenever the word 'vhaya' is used in Scripture, it implies a situation of
simcha, of joy. What kind of joy is involved in this section of the Torah? Rav
Charlop writes that true joy comes through a sense of renewal, of awareness that
everything in the world is constantly being renewed by God, Who created it. Only
the Jewish people, as God's nation, understands this, and only in Eretz Yisroel,
which is under God's constant special providence, can it be truly recognized.
The task of the Jewish nation is to teach this truth to all the nations of the
world. Amaleik, on the other hand, denies God's creation of the world, and
believes that everything is old, and run solely through the laws of nature. In
order to promote its view of the world, Amaleik constantly tries to prevent
Yisroel's from entering Eretz Yisroel. When the nation does enter, and merits
the first fruits of their land, they bring them to the Temple in a joyous
ceremony, as described at length in the third chapter of Mishneh Bikkurim.
Because of the great joy involved in bringing the bikkurim, through the
recognition of God's constant renewal of the universe, the Torah ends the
section by saying, " And you shall rejoice with all the good that the Lord your
God has given to you - you and the Levite and the convert who is in your midst"
(Devorim 26:11). Rabbi Charlop's explanation of the connection between the end
of Ki Seitzei and the beginning of Ki Savo thus incorporates both the approach
of the Ba'al HaTurim, who points to the element of Eretz Yisroel, and the
approach of Rabbi Shapiro, who points to the element of 'reishis.'
Based
on Rabbi Charlop's approach to the juxtaposition of the end of Ki Seitzei to the
beginning of Ki Savo, we can understand why the farmer recites the paragraph of
'Arami oveid avi' when he brings his first fruits to the Temple. Since this
mitzvoh emphasizes God's constant renewal of the world, the farmer must
recapitulate the historical experience of the nation, and thereby come to a
renewed understanding of all the goodness that God has bestowed, and continues
to bestow, on them. Just as God renews the universe on a constant basis, so,
too, the Jewish people, as his nation, bears within itself the ability of
self-renewal, and, as a result, carries the obligation to constantly renew its
relationship with God. May we all, in this month of self-introspection, achieve
a renewed relationship with God, and merit a wonderful new year.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As Sukkos approaches, you are invited
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Please address all correspondence to the
author (Rabbi Hoffman) with the following address - JoshHoff @ AOL.com.
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