Subj:Netvort : parshas Acharei Mos, 5763 Date:04/25/2003 5:26:38 AM Eastern Daylight Time From:Netvort To:JoshHoff BCC:UncleYitz Get a Life By Rabbi Joshua (regeneratively known as The Hoffer) Hoffman Before presenting a list of forbidden sexual relations, God commands Moshe to tell the people, “Like the practice of the land of Egypt in which you dwelled do not do : and do not perform the practice of the land of Canaan to which I bring you, and do not follow their statutes. Carry out My judgments and observe My decrees to follow them… You shall observe my decrees and My judgments, which a man shall carry out and live by them - I am God” (Vayikra 18:3-5). Rabbi Don Yitzchak Abarbanel, in his commentary to Acharei Mos, asks why there is a need to refer to the practices of Egypt and Canaan as a prelude to the prohibitions of arayos, of forbidden sexual relations? He also asks why there is such a marked redundancy in these verses, seemingly repeating the same cautions twice. He answers that the Torah speaks of two specific kinds of prohibitions - those of idolatry, as practiced in Egypt and as detailed in the previous section of the Torah, and those of forbidden sexual unions, as practiced in Canaan and detailed in the verses to follow. The Torah then tells us that by being careful to observe the Torah’s prohibitions in both of these areas, we will merit life in the world to come. The verse, which tells us to carry out these commands and “live by them,” must be referring to eternal life, explains the Abarbanel, because the inhabitants of Egypt and Canaan lived in this world, even though they carried out their evil practices. Although Abarbanel’s explanation of the words “and live by them” is based on the authoritative Targum Onkeles, as well as on a sound logical argument, it does not explain why caution in specifically these two areas of prohibitions will merit one life in the world to come. There is, however, another explanation of the words “and live by them,” which can help us explain why these two areas are so unique. The Sefas Emes cites his grandfather, Rabbi Yitzchok Meir of Gur, the first Gerrer Rebbe, as saying that the word ‘vechay’ - ‘and live’ - should be interpreted in the sense of enthusiasm. A person, he explains, should bring enthusiasm into his life through observing the mitzvos of the Torah. Working with this explanation, I believe that the areas of idolatry and sexual morality were specifically emphasized by the Torah, because one could ostensibly argue that the opposite holds true, as I will demonstrate. The rabbis tell us that in relating the exodus from Egypt on the seder night, we should begin by speaking of the earlier, degraded state of the Jews, and end with their elevated state. Rav Avrohom Yitzchok HaKohein Kook explains that we need to do this in order to show that it was the degraded state that actually generated the elevated state. This explanation is understandable in regard to Shmuel’s opinion, that the degraded state refers to the fact that the nation was in enslavement to Pharaoh in Egypt. Their experience of slavery inculcated within the people a notion of what it means to be submissive to a master. After they were redeemed, they channeled this sense of submissiveness towards their service of God. However, according to Rav, who says that the degraded state of the people was that their ancestors worshipped idols, it is very difficult to understand how the earlier degraded state generated the elevated state that came after redemption. Rav Kook explains that one characteristic of idolatry is the enthusiastic attitude its adherents have towards their idolatrous practices. This is understandable, since the idols the person worships are really extensions of forces within himself, and so he feels very close to these projected forces. It is, however, more difficult to have that kind of enthusiasm in our service to God. Although in reality He is close to all those who call Him, as we say each day, still, He is also transcendent and, thus, seemingly, removed from our experiences. The fact that our ancestors themselves worshipped idols, then, helped inculcate an element of enthusiasm that could then be transferred over to our worship of God, once we were redeemed. Thus, by relating the words “and live by them" in connection to refraining from idolatrous practices, the Torah is, perhaps, hinting to us that the enthusiasm idolaters display in serving their idols should be used in our service of God. The words “and live by them” would seem to have special relevance to forbidden sexual relations, as well. The mishnah in Makkos tells us, in regard to these forbidden liaisons, that a person has a special attraction to them, and that it is very hard to abstain from them. The rabbis, in fact, tell us that when the people, in the wilderness, were “crying among their families” (Bamidbar 11:10), what they were really doing was crying over the Torah’s sexual prohibitions that Moshe had informed them of. One does not need to be too steeped in popular culture to know that freedom in sexual matters is perceived by many to give particular meaning to life. The Torah is therefore telling us that, contrary to what some may think, that restricting the range of one’s choices in sexual matters diminishes quality of life, in actuality it enhances it. Thus, in both areas, spirituality and sexuality, the Torah is telling us that enthusiasm is important, but it must be channeled properly. When this is done, following the guidelines of the Torah, our lives will be imbued with profound meaning and richness. Please address all correspondence to the author (Rabbi Hoffman) with the following address - JoshHoff @ AOL.com. 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