YOU SHALL RISE BEFORE THE AGED

 AND SHOW DEFERENCE TO THE OLD;

YOU SHALL FEAR YOUR GOD: I AM THE LORD.

 (Vayikra 19:32)

 

"You Shall Rise Before The Aged And Show Deference To The Old" -An Expression Of Human Dignity

One must rise before one who is very old, even if he is not a wise man; even a young man who is wise must rise before a very old man, but he is not required to rise fully, but just enough to show deference, and even if he be an old Cuthean, one must honor him in speech and offer a hand to support him, as is written "You shall rise before the aged" - this refers to every old person.

 (Rambam, Laws of Talmud Torah 6:9)

 

 

"And you shall do that which is just and good in the eyes of God" - Simple understanding of the plain reading of the text is: Observe God's mitzvoth and his admonitions and his laws, and, by doing them, intend to do that which is good and just in His sight alone. "That it may go well with you" - a promise, saying that by your doing that which is right in His eyes, it will go well with you, for God does well by those who are good and straight in their hearts. Our rabbis explained this in homiletic fashion, saying that this refers to compromise and to acting beyond the letter of the law. The meaning is this: Initially He said that you should observe his laws and his admonitions which He commanded; now it says that even with regard to that which He did not command you, give thought to do that which is good and straight in His sight, because He loves that which is good and just.

This is a very important matter, because it would have been impossible for the Torah to mention all behavior of man with his neighbors and friends, all his dealings, and all local and national regulations in their entirety. But, after having mentioned many of them, such as "Do not go about as a talebearer among your countrymen", "You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge", "Do not stand upon the blood of your fellow", You shall not insult the deaf", You shall rise before the aged", etc., the Torah establishes a general rule, decreeing that one should do that which is good and just in all matters, e.g., compromise and behavior beyond the letter of the law - such as the law of bar metzra (The right of pre-emption. When a field is sold, the owner of the neighboring field has first right of purchase.) and even that which they said (Yoma 81a, paraphrased) 'His personality is without blemish and his speech with others is gentle', so that - in all matters - he will be considered a blameless and upright person.

 (Ramban, Devarim 6:18)

 

 

 

HOLINESS AS COMMITMENT TO MAN AND HIS CREATOR

Yochanan Flusser

 

I wish to dedicate the following words in honor of the Boleg family in Switzerland whose unique contribution to those who work in special education in Yerushalayim is a true fulfillment of the first commandment in our parasha - and also in honor of their son Yonatan, who becomes a Bar Mitzvah this Shabbat.

 

The requirement "You shall be holy" is a commandment for us. When we read this requirement for the first time, it seems impossible, or perhaps unrealistic. Perhaps we are to see it as a goal or a vision, with which The Holy One, Blessed Be He, presents us, a goal which each of us is obligated to strive for. If we are, indeed, ready for the challenge, we must ask how does one achieve that nebulous goal? How can the entire nation of Israel be expected to fulfill the obligation of "Kedoshim tih-yu" - "You shall be holy"? This is a great, powerful, incomprehensible demand - to transform all the nation of Israel into angels or metaphysical beings.

 

Can everyone really reach that goal? And if so, how?

We will deal with two central questions that arise from the reading of the parasha:

• How are we to understand the demand "You shall be holy"?
• How can we respond to this divine command?

The parasha begins with "Speak to the entire assembly of the Children of Israel". The Netziv of Volozhin emphasizes that the word "kol" (entire), connotes every individual! - not the collective. The verse acknowledges differences between people, recognizes their diverse capabilities - resulting from each person's personality and talents - of reaching the goal of "Kedoshim tih-yu". But each of us is under the obligation to aspire and to strive to reach that goal, each in his own way.

An additional challenge is suggested by other commentators, who see significance in the word "tih-yu" - "you shall be" - future tense; a kind of continuing mitzvah, without end. In our modern terminology - "vision".

How to reach the goal? The mitzvoth are a means through which the obligation and demand to reach the goal, the holy vision, are laid upon man. The mission and goal require strenuous effort. There are conditions for attaining this kedushah. In Midrash Tanchuma we find:

Said The Holy One, Blessed Be He, to Moshe: "If you have merited - i.e., if you have succeeded in reaching the goal of holiness, then you are called "kedoshim" - "holy people"; but if you have not merited, you will be called "a wicked assembly."

This means that "You shall be holy" is not an innate trait given man as though with a magic wand. When one reads the early commentators on this matter, it seems that holiness is beyond vision, something elevated and metaphysical, beyond human nature. According the plain reading of Parashat Kedoshim, the path to holiness is not at all metaphysical. The path to this kedusha is open to every man, and may be achieved by observing the mitzvoth.

As mortals, we have a need to sort out our commitments and our relationships with the world into two categories - the privileges and the duties in our lives. Concomitantly, in Judaism we deal with the religious obligations, the mitzvoth, which compose that wonderful fabric which Rambam saw not only as "decrees" or arbitrary laws, but as mitzvoth given for man's benefit: "The purpose of the Torah in general (the reason for the mitzvoth) is dual: perfection of the soul, and perfection of the body." The first purpose is the teaching of correct ideas, and the second is the establishment of proper social relationships (Guide for the Perplexed, III 27). Rav Saadia Gaon viewed the mitzvoth as a gift that God gave man that makes it possible for him to achieve eternal bliss. If, indeed, it is within our power to see the mitzvoth as a means for attaining eternal bliss, perfection of soul and body, and as means for achieving good social relations, Parashat Kedoshim imposes another obligation: the elimination of the commonly accepted division of mitzvoth: 'Between man and the Omnipresent', 'between man and man'. I wish to contend that Parashat Kedoshim, which contains fifty-one mitzvoth, breaks, once and for all, this artificial dichotomy.

The fifty-one mitzvoth in Kedoshim contain both types. They are not - as men would tend to arrange - classified into two separate groups; they are mixed and interspersed among each other. We find 'God-man' and 'man-man' mitzvoth mixed in the same parasha and even within the same passage. If we can succeed in maintaining the same attitude towards both categories, we will have a chance to read the goal of "Kedoshim tih-yu".

For example: (Vayikra 19:3) "You shall each revere his mother and his father, and keep My Sabbaths: I the Lord am your God." This passage offers an absolute mix of 'God-man' and 'man-man'. The order of appearance is interesting. Reverence for parents precedes the mitzvah of Shabbat. Throughout the parasha the types are interwoven. It is possible to bind up all the 'man-man' mitzvoth' of Parashat Kedoshim into the single verse "Love your fellow as yourself." Rabbi Akiva considered this verse to be "a major principle in the Torah."

We must note: "Love your fellow as yourself, I am the Lord!" You must love your fellow not only because it is the humane and ethical thing to do, but also because God commands it! It is a mitzvah! (The phrase 'I am the Lord' appears eight times in Parashat Kedoshim. 'I am the Lord your God' is repeated eight times). And this appears davka in reference to the mitzvoth between man and man.

"You shall not insult the deaf, or place a stumbling block before the blind. You shall fear your God: I am the Lord" (Verse 14).

"You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. (Verse 32)

"When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your God" (Verse 32).

In other words: the mitzvoth between man and his fellow are also mitzvoth of God, "with His seal."

When we study Judaism in school, we are taught to differentiate between the two categories. About a year ago, an Israeli newspaper published a scientific study of pupils in the religious school system. Two thousand six hundred youths participated in the survey. The study investigated the degree of mitzvah observance as a measure of 'religiosity'. Questions asked were: How many are diligent in observance of Kashrut? Do they light electricity on Shabbat? Do they put on Tephilin? Do they pray the evening service? Do they pray the Shacharit service with a minyan, etc? Certainly these are all very important, but not a single question was asked about mitzvoth between man and man. Nothing was asked about attitude to parents, attitude to the elderly, the weak, the stranger, the other; nothing about relating to friends, about "Love your fellow as yourself"! Isn't this also 'religiosity'? Are these second-class mitzvoth?

In the Ten Commandments, there is, indeed, a general division between the kinds of mitzvoth, but there is reference to 'man-man' mitzvoth. The above-mentioned study cracked the Tablets a second time; it smashed one of the tablets, ignored it as though it never existed.

Have we ever asked ourselves why is it that the chances that a kippa-wearing Jew is more likely to drive through a red light - endangering his own and others' lives - are immensely greater than the possibility that he will light an electric bulb on Shabbat? Without doubt, conventional education lays great stress upon meticulousness in observance of 'religious' mitzvoth, and less emphasis upon strictness in performance of the 'social' mitzvoth. This disparity and differentiation is liable to lead to the absurd, to putting life in jeopardy. It could be that had we succeeded - as per our parasha - in doing away with this differentiation, the terrible assassination of Yitchak Rabin, z"l, might have been avoided. Incidentally, Yigal Amir, Yitzchak Rabin's murderer, is very diligent in observance of the laws of kashrut lim'hadrin even in prison.

From Parashat Kedoshim it is evident that the 'social' mitzvoth are no different from the 'religious' mitzvoth. The same power ordained both. The mitzvoth between man and his fellow man are certainly no less important that those between man and God. It is not for naught that Scripture adds, "I am the Lord" or "I the Lord am your God". By these additions, the Torah clarifies that 'I, The Holy One, Blessed Be He, order you to observe these mitzvoth'. In this melding of the mitzvoth into a single piece for the single goal of holiness - with no differentiation between them - can be found at least a partial answer to the question "How can man attain the divine demand of "Kedoshim tih-yu" - You shall be holy."

(Yochanan Flusser, past director and spokesman for "Oz V'Shalom - Netivot Shalom", works in special education.).

 

 

The Real Moral Trial Is "In Your Land"

It has been taught - Rabbi Eliezer the Great said: Why did the Torah issue warnings in thirty-six places - and some say forty-six places - regarding the ger, the proselyte? Because he may relapse to his earlier state. What is the meaning of "You shall not deceive the ger, nor shall you oppress him, for you were sojourners in the Land of Egypt." It was taught - Rabbi Natan said: Do not taunt your neighbor with the blemish you yourself have.

 (Bavli, Bava Metsia 59b)

 

"A sojourner in your land": For if he is a stranger in a foreign land where you, too, are strangers, it is understood that you would love him like strangers love one another (Pesachim113), and you that you be concerned with his travail, lest you be in his place. But if he is a sojourner in your land, in any case "do not deceive him."

 (From Haamek Davar, Vayikra 19:33)

 

The Beginning of the Flowering Of Our Redemption?

Do not imagine that the Mashiach - the Anointed King - will have to perform omens and signs and introduce new things in the world, resurrect the dead, etc. Such is not the case, for Rabbi Akiva was a great sage, one of the scholars of the Mishna, and he was an active supporter of Ben Koziba (Bar Kosba, considered by Rabbi Akiva and others to be the Messiah, was - and is - commonly known as Bar Kochba - "Son of the Star". Because of his sins and consequent failure, he was later called Bar Koziba - "Son of the Lie".) the king, and he claimed that he was the Mashiach, and he and all the scholars of his generation thought that he was the Mashiach, until he was killed because of sins. When he was killed, they realized he was not; the sages did require of signs and omens. The main point is as follows: This Torah, its laws and ordinances, are eternal; they are not to be added to, nor detracted from.

 (Rambam, Laws of Kings, Chap. 11)

 

Rabotai, it may be that all who spoke of 'the beginning of the flowering of our redemption' erred. It is possible that the disciples of the Gaon of Vilna erred; it is possible that that the disciples of the Besht erred; it may be that the disciples of Rabbi Akiva Eiger erred when they spoke of 'the beginning of the flowering of our redemption' as described in books. It is possible that Rav Kook was wrong; it is possible that Rav Charlop was wrong. Rabbi Akiva, the greatest of the Tanaim, was also wrong.

(Rabbi Amital, "To Hear the Voice of a Crying Child", in Moshe Maya's book: "A World Built, Destroyed, and Built." P. 40).

 

"... with independence we gained control of ourselves, we achieved freedom of choice. We are not dependent upon others, and the process of Geula - redemption - can be carried out to its completion, if so we please.

Geula is not one of the 613 mitzvoth, and the halachic meaning of the Geula lies in political independence - in the possibility of observing those mitzvoth which require sovereignty and territoriality in Eretz Yisrael. "Reishit ha-geula" - the beginning of the redemption - is the possibility of observing the mitzvoth through the sovereignty granted us. The Geula itself is the actual observance of the mitzvoth.

(Dov Rappel: "Pitchei Shearim", p. 213)

 

 

 

 

Editorial Board: Pinchas Leiser (Editor), Miriam Fine (Coordinator),Itzhak Frankenthal and Dr. Menachem Klein

Translation: Kadish Goldberg

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