WHEN YOU ENTER THE LAND THAT THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU

AS A HERITAGE, AND YOU POSSESS IT AND SETTLE IN IT, YOU SHALL TAKE SOME OF

EVERY FIRST FRUIT OF THE SOIL, WHICH YOU HARVEST FROM THE LAND THAT THE LORD

YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU, PUT IT IN A BASKET AND GO TO THE PLACE WHERE THE LORD

YOUR GOD WILL CHOOSE TO ESTABLISH HIS NAME.

(Devarim 26:1-2)

Of every first

fruit of the soil – Education towards Humility and

Generosity and the Struggle against Self-Satisfaction

All first produces have been assigned to God so that the

moral quality of generosity be strengthened and the

appetite for eating and for acquisition be weakened. As for the reading on the

occasion of the offering of the first fruits, it also is conducive to the moral

quality of humility, for it is carried out by him who carries the basket on his

shoulders. It contains an acknowledgment of God's beneficence and

bountifulness, so that man should know that it is a part of the divine worship

that man should remember states of distress at a time when he prospers. This

purpose is frequently affirmed in the Torah: And you shall remember that you

were a servant, and so on (Devarim 5:15; 16:12). For there was a fear of the

moral qualities that are generally acquired by all those who are brought up in

prosperity – I mean conceit, vanity, and neglect of the correct opinions: When

wealth for me" (Devarim 8:12-17). And it says: So Yeshurun grew fat and kicked – you grew fat and gross and

coarse – he forsook the God who made him and spurned the Rock of his support

(Devarim 32:15). It is because of this apprehension that the commandment

has been given to carry out a reading every year before Him, may

He be exalted, and in the presence of His Indwelling, on the occasion of the

first fruits.

(RaMBaM, Guide of the Perplexed III:59,

following Pines translation)

In honor of the

forthcoming marriage of my daughter

Talia and Avishai Horowitz

Today You Become a People

Benjamin Segal

One

thing God has spoke, two things have I heard. (Psalm 62:12)

In this week's reading,

approaching the Blessing and the Curse, and at the same time approaching the

end of the second of Moses' three speeches which make up the book of

Deuteronomy, we encounter a verse most dramatic… and problematic.

Moses and the Levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: Silence! Hear,

O Israel! Today you have become the people of the Lord your God (27:9). We here focus on three

difficulties.

Among the puzzlements is the

word you, the singular in Hebrew. We would have expected an address to

the group who were coalescing. Here the address is to the individual. One might

reply that the change is of no import, for there are other such examples in the

Bible. However, one can see from the beginning of next week's chapter that this

is not so. There the people are all addressed in the plural, with the blatant

exception of the two verses in the singular which describe the same process of

becoming a people (29:11, 12).

Clearly the emphasis on the individual is quite purposeful, and demands

explanation.

No less difficult is the

reference to today (which appears in an emphatic form, this today).

Certainly we are not surprised to find the term. The book of Deuteronomy, based

on speeches, uses the word today more than any other book of the Bible. The

specific reference, however, is surprising, to say the least. Even though the

text here describes the future pledge of the people to God (once they have

heard the Blessing and Curse), and even though Moses described the very day on

which he was speaking as the day of the giving of all the commandments (26:16), nevertheless the same process

of becoming a people has been attributed before to two other events which would

seem to have been more basic! Concerning the exodus, Deuteronomy itself states

that the Lord took and brought you out of Egypt… to be his very own people

(4:20), and the Song of the Sea speaks

of Your people whom You redeemed. Exodus

further indicates that the purpose of leaving Egypt was: I will take you to

be My people (6: 7). The revelation at Mount Sinai is even more clearly

identified as the moment of becoming a people – coming there, the Israelites

are told: you shall be My treasured possession among all the peoples… you

shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19: 6). This relative weight of the

events was already noted as a problem by Rabbi Yehuda

in the Talmud on our verse (Brachot 63b): "Was the Torah given that

day?! That day was forty years after the event!"

After the exodus and the

revelation at Sinai, the nation is frequently referred to in the Torah as a people.

What, then, is the reference to today becoming a people? The modern

commentary Etz Hayim

laconically notes, "There were varying views as to when the Israelites

actually became God's people." This is an insufficient explanation, for in

any case the Torah includes all these events, and certainly Moses remembered

the exodus and the revelation even as he spoke. How, then is the reader to

understand today in our Torah reading?

A third difficulty is reflected

in the word Silence!,

a word appearing only here in the entire Bible. Moses, in Deuteronomy, had four

times earlier called the people to attention through the phrase, Hear O

Israel, perhaps reflecting the oral nature of the book. What was it that

now called for the additional demand for quiet?

Concerning the individual

becoming a nation: The Torah was given in the framework of human communication,

and we limited human beings are often reduced to reliance on our experience for

understanding. Indeed, by metaphor in miniature we can testify to the ability

of the single person to become part of a collective, above and beyond him or

herself. Certainly marriage is that example. The individual, even while not

losing personal identity, becomes a defining (and at the same time defined)

part of something other, something greater. This is within our power, and

indeed this is part of the awe we experience at the wedding ceremony. If a

person can become a couple, a person can become a people.

Our metaphor, however, is

disturbing. The perfection of the wedding ceremony is not consistently

reflected throughout life. In fact, the other "difficulties" of the

verse serve to clarify and refine our metaphor as well.

Concerning today: What

day is today? Three possibilities present themselves, and as is always

best in biblical interpretation, if we detect three meanings, it is well to

assume that all were intended from the beginning.

Today might indeed be one of the two

days related to the context – either the day of the ceremony on Mount Grizim and Mt. Ebal, which is

here described (this is the view of Ibn Ezra – the

day is "when he will establish the covenant with you") or the day

Moses was speaking. (The latter is the view of one modern critical commentary

referring to the joint commitment of God and the people reflected in

Deuteronomy 26:16-19.) If so, the Torah seems to be teaching that one can

almost move back in time, as if in some time tunnel through which one returns

to the commitments of the exodus and Sinai. The implication is that there are

major moments of reconfirmation of the past. In celebration or in trial (after

all, there are both curses and blessings) there is opportunity, perhaps even

demand, to reestablish that existence which is beyond oneself. And as in the

case of our metaphor, the marriage, pivotal moments can and must become

restatements of the original commitment to be more than oneself.

But a different explanation is

possible. Today appears cut off from its context by the arrangement of

the text, for it is a paragraph set apart. According to the approach of "lack

of temporal order in the Torah text," perhaps the reference is to every

single day. (So holds Rashi, basing himself on Rabbi Yehuda's statement in Brachot: "Every

day must appear to you as the day you entered the covenant." Rashi is thus consistent with his earlier interpretation in

our chapter on The Lord your God commands you this day… (26:16), which he interprets: "let

them be new to you every day .") Despite all the

grand moments, the verse might be teaching us that in all moments, each

individual has the power and the ability to create or, Heaven forefend, destroy

that larger identity. Again as in the case of our metaphor, the marriage, it is

so grand and so fragile as to demand caution, concern

and care every moment. In the words of the modern Israeli poem (by Amir Gilboa) – "Suddenly, a

person gets up the morning and feels that he's a People, and begins to move

forward." What power for change every one of us carries!

Concerning the call for quiet:

There is yet a third possible implication of today, which is reflected

in the use of the word Silence! It may be that the most important

connection is between today and "quiet." One must stop all the

running around, step back from the rush of time, seek refuge from the noise,

and make an honest strong effort – to see, to understand and to build. The

change of status, from individual to people, the creation of an entity that

extends far beyond the limits of the lone person, will not just happen. Whether

the moment is one of great excitement (and every bride and groom should, even

under the wedding canopy, seek that instant of silence), or simply every single

day (as in the case of marriage), the text seems to be telling us that being

part of something greater does not "just" occur, independent of our

determination, independent of our acts. It takes constant attention and effort.

And just as in the case of our metaphor of the marriage, the reward of great

effort is almost immeasurable.

As these words

are written (a few weeks before they are published), it would sadly seem that

for a while some of us forgot that every Jew every day has the power to be or

not to be a people.

Even when the people chooses a path which is not one's

preference, one must not make use of his or her inherent power to destroy

everything. It behooves all of us to take a moment of silence, to listen and to

recall that each of us is addressed – you today can become the

people Israel. That means going beyond oneself, not imposing oneself. Just as

in marriage – with a little silence, listening and determination, one can bring

heaven closer to earth. It is time for every individual to decide – to become

the people, and we can again begin to move forward.

Benjamin Segal is the president

of Melitz, the Centers for Jewish Zionist Education,

in Jerusalem

And walk in His

ways: "Clinging to God"

Must not Justify Disregard for Ethical Commandments

The Lord will establish you as

and walk in his ways:

If you keep [them] in such a way that one

who wishes to practice holiness and clinging to God will not want to shun the

observance of the commandments, for sometimes they [the commandments] disturb

the clinging [to God]. In any case, it is necessary to observe the commandments,

whether they be related to Heaven or to relations between people; that is the

meaning of walk in His ways – just as He is merciful, so too, you should

be merciful, etc…This admonition was already made clear in the passage

dealing with tzitzit, that customs of holiness

and piety should not detract from the observance of commandments – even of

commandments dealing with relations between people…some commandments cannot

be observed while one is in a state of clinging [to God], including that of walk

in His ways, which deals with human concerns. Therefore one should break

one's concentration from holiness in order to act. In any case the Lord will

establish you as His holy people, and immediately after performing the deed

you will again achieve the state of holiness and clinging that you had attained

earlier.

(The NeTziV Mi'Volozhin's Ha'Amek Davar on Devarim 28:9)

And on those

stones you shall inscribe… most distinctly

Most distinctly teaches us that the words

should be explained and made understandable. They learned from this that this

copy of the Torah included a translation so that the nations of the world might

understand it, since Israel is far removed from the kind of particularism

attributed to it by gentiles. Rather, it saw its mission from the very start as

the bringing of spiritual and moral redemption to all of humanity, and the

future salvation of all nations began with the Torah's entrance to the Land of

Israel.

(Rabbi S.R.

Hirsch on Devarim 27:8)

Cursed be he

al of the people shall say, Amen.

(Devarim 27:19)

That is because he [the stranger] has no one to help him,

and so it is with the fatherless and the widow, and it [the sin] also remains

hidden – if the judge were to pervert judgments involving other people they

would protest and publicize it, but the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless

are without power.

(Rabbi R.Y.S.R Reggio ad loc)

…the widow is explained as being a stranger's widow, who

only converted for her husband's sake. Because of that, she turned back from

the way of Judaism upon her being widowed, and is in need of disciplining. In

any case, judgments involving her must not be perverted.

(Ha'Amek Davar ad

loc)

Taking them altogether these curses would express the

thought:

Cursed – all blessing is denied to him

who outwardly plays the pious man devoted to God, but in secret denies the

exclusive existence of One God and His Rule; who outwardly is respectful to his

parents but inwardly considers himself vastly superior to them; who in the eyes

of men preserves the reputation of an honest man, but where it is unobserved

does not hesitate to injure the rights of his neighbor to his own advantage;

who is full of enthusiasm for the welfare of his neighbors in the presence of

clever and intelligent people, but pushes shortsighted and blind people into

misfortune; who grovels before the powerful, but denies the weak and the

helpless their rights…who enjoys the highest confidence in his community but

misuses it in secret corruption…

(Rabbi S.R.

Hirsch ad loc, Levy translation)

If

you enjoy Shabbat Shalom, please consider contributing towards its

publication and distribution.

• Hebrew edition distributed in

  Israel $700

• English edition distributed via

  email $ 100

Issues

may be dedicated in honor of an event, person, simcha,

etc. Requests must be made 3-4 weeks in advance to appear in the Hebrew, 10

days in advance to appear in the English email.

In Israel, checks made out to Oz VeShalom

may be sent to Oz VeShalom-P.O.B. 4433, Jerusalem

91043. Unfortunately there is no Israeli tax-exemption for local donations.

US and British tax exempt contributions

to Oz VeShalom may be made through:

New

Israel Fund, POB 91588, Washington, DC 20090-1588, USA

New Israel Fund of

Great Britain, 26 Enford Street, London W1H 2DD,

Great Britain

PLEASE

NOTE THAT THE NEW ISRAEL FUND IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING DONATIONS UNDER $100.

PEF will also

channel donations and provide a tax-exemption. Donations should be sent to P.E.F.

10017 USA

All

contributions should be marked as donor-advised to Oz ve'Shalom,

the Shabbat Shalom project.

About

us

Oz

Veshalom-Netivot Shalom is a movement dedicated to

the advancement of a civil society in Israel. It is committed to promoting the

ideals of tolerance, pluralism, and justice, concepts which have always been

central to Jewish tradition and law.

Oz

Veshalom-Netivot Shalom shares a deep attachment to

the land of Israel and it no less views peace as a central religious value. It

believes that Jews have both the religious and the national obligation to

support the pursuit of peace. It maintains that Jewish law clearly requires us

to create a fair and just society, and that co-existence between Jews and Arabs

is not an option but an imperative.

Oz

Veshalom-Netivot Shalom's

programs include both educational and protest activities. Seminars, lectures,

workshops, conferences and weekend programs are held for students, educators

and families, as well as joint seminars for Jews, Israeli Arabs and

Palestinians. Protest activities focus on issues of human rights, co-existence

between Jews and Arabs, and responses to issues of particular religious

relevance.

5,000

copies of a 4 page peace oriented commentary on the weekly Torah reading are

written and published by Oz VeShalom/Netivot Shalom

and they are distributed to over 350 synagogues in Israel and are sent overseas

via email. Our web site is www.netivot-shalom.org.il

Oz

Veshalom-Netivot Shalom's

educational forums draw people of different backgrounds, secular and religious,

who are keen to deepen their Jewish knowledge and to hear an alternative

religious standpoint on the subjects of peace and social issues.

Oz Veshalom-Netivot Shalom fills

an ideological vacuum in Israel's society. Committed both to Jewish tradition

and observance, and to the furthering of peace and coexistence, the movement is

in a unique position to engage in dialogue with the secular left and the

religious right, with Israeli Arabs and with Palestinians.