Perashat Re'eh: In the Eyes of God and Man Based on an article by Rav Ari Kahn. Source 1: Devarim Chapter 12

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1 1 Perashat Re'eh: In the Eyes of God and Man Based on an article by Rav Ari Kahn Source 1: Devarim Chapter 12 1 These are the statutes and the ordinances, which ye shall observe to do in the land which the LORD, the God of thy fathers, hath given thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth. א א ל ה ה ח ק ים ו ה מ ש פ ט ים, א ש ר ת ש מ ר ון ל ע ש ות, ב א ר ץ, א ש ר נ ת ן י הו ה א לה י א ב ת י ך ל ך ל ר ש ת ה: כ ל-ה י מ ים--א ש ר-א ת ם ח י ים, ע ל- ה א ד מ ה. ב א ב ד ת א ב ד ון א ת-כ ל-ה מ ק מ ות א ש ר ע ב ד ו-ש ם ה ג וי ם, א ש ר א ת ם י ר ש ים א ת ם--א ת- א לה יה ם: ע ל-ה ה ר ים ה ר מ ים ו ע ל-ה ג ב ע ות, ו ת ח ת כ ל-ע ץ ר ע נ ן. ג ו נת צ ת ם א ת-מ ז ב ח ת ם, ו ש ב ר ת ם א ת-מ צ ב ת ם, ו א ש ר יה ם ת ש ר פ ון ב א ש, ופ ס יל י א לה יה ם ת ג ד ע ון; ו א ב ד ת ם א ת-ש מ ם, מ ן-ה מ ק ום ה ה וא. 2 Ye shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree. 3 And ye shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and burn their Asherim with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods; and ye shall destroy their name out of that place. ד God. 4 Ye shall not do so unto the LORD your ל א- ת ע ש ון כ ן, ל יהו ה א לה יכ ם. ה כ י א ם-א ל-ה מ ק ום א ש ר-י ב ח ר י הו ה א לה יכ ם, מ כ ל-ש ב ט יכ ם, ל ש ום א ת-ש מ ו, ש ם--ל ש כ נ ו ת ד ר ש ו, וב את ש מ ה. ו ו ה ב את ם ש מ ה, ע לת יכ ם ו ז ב ח יכ ם, ו א ת מ ע ש ר ת יכ ם, ו א ת ת ר ומ ת י ד כ ם; ו נ ד ר יכ ם, ו נ ד ב ת יכ ם, וב כ ר ת ב ק ר כ ם, ו צ אנ כ ם. ז ו א כ ל ת ם-ש ם, ל פ נ י י הו ה א לה יכ ם, ו ש מ ח ת ם ב כ ל מ ש ל ח י ד כ ם, א ת ם וב ת יכ ם--א ש ר ב ר כ ך, י הו ה א לה י ך. 5 But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come; 6 and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and the offering of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herd and of your flock; 7 and there ye shall eat before the LORD your God, and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto, ye and your households, wherein the LORD thy God hath blessed thee.

2 2 A Recurring Theme in the Persasha - Moses commands the Israelites to destroy all idols and their accessories that they will find when they enter Israel He informs the nation that in the future G-d will designate a specific location (Jerusalem) where He will choose to rest His Presence. All sacrifices must be offered in this location. - Although it is forbidden to offer sacrifices in any location other than the one designated by G-d, it is permitted to slaughter cattle for consumption purposes, but blood may never be eaten. The consumption of various tithes and sundry sacred foods is also restricted to the designated holy city. - Moses admonishes the Israelites not to be lured by the heathen abominable practices of the Canaanites, and to remain true to the Torah; neither adding to nor subtracting from its laws. A person professing to be a prophet who claims to bring instructions from G-d to worship idols must be put to death. This is true even if the individual performs supernatural acts or accurately predicts the future. This section also prescribes the death penalty for one who attempts to entice others to idolatry, and the catastrophic price paid by a city which has completely succumbed to idolatry. - As G-d's children, we are forbidden to deface our bodies with tattoos or via other forms of mutilation. Source 2: Rambam, Guide for the Perplexed 3:46 Although blood was very unclean in the eyes of the Sabeans, they nevertheless partook of it, because they thought it was the food of the spirits; by eating it man has something in common with the spirits, which join him and tell him future events, according to the notion which people generally have of spirits.."i will set my face against that soul that eateth blood" (Lev. xvii. 10). The same language is employed in reference to him "who giveth of his seed unto Molech"; "then I will set my face against that man" (ibid. xx. 5). There is, besides idolatry and eating blood, no other sin in reference to which these words are used. For the eating of blood leads to a kind of idolatry, to the worship of spirits. Pershat Re'eah only cites the three רגלים Pesah, Shavuot and Succot the Bet Hamikdash is the central place of worship, and pagan practice is prohibited.

3 3 Source 3a: Devarim 12:28 )כח( ש מ ר ו ש מ ע ת א ת כ ל ה ד ב ר ים ה א ל ה א ש ר א נ כ י מ צ ו ך ל מ ע ן י יט ב ל ך ול ב נ י ך א ח ר י ך ע ד ע ול ם כ י ת ע ש ה ה ט וב ו ה י ש ר ב ע ינ י ה א לה י ך: ס Observe and hear all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you, and with your children after you forever, when you do that which is good and right (literally, straight) in the eyes of the Eternal, your God. 3b) Rashi הטוב - בעיני השמים: והישר - בעיני אדם: The good in the eyes of Heaven; the right (straight or upright) in the eyes of man. Are Rashi's comments the simplest understanding of the verse? Why or why not? What is Rashi's source? 3c) Sifrei Re'eh Piska 27 וכי תעשה הטוב והישר. הטוב בעיני שמים והישר בעיני אדם דברי ר' עקיבא. ר' ישמעאל אומר הישר בעיני אדם והטוב בעיני שמים. וכן הוא אומר משלי ג ומצא חן ושכל טוב בעיני אלהים ואדם: Why did Rashi choose this specific comment to explain the verse? What convinced Rashi that this is the "straightforward" meaning of the text? Source 4a): Bereishit Ch. 4 יב ו ת וצ א ה א ר ץ ד ש א ע ש ב מ ז ר י ע ז ר ע, ל מ ינ ה ו, ו ע ץ ע ש ה-פ ר י א ש ר ז ר ע ו-ב ו, ל מ ינ ה ו; ו י ר א א לה ים, כ י- ט וב. יג ו י ה י-ע ר ב ו י ה י-ב ק ר, י ום ש ל יש י. }פ{ 12 And the earth brought forth grass, herb yielding seed after its kind, and tree bearing fruit, wherein is the seed thereof, after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, a third day. {P}

4 4? טוב Connotation of the word 4b): Rashi Bereishit Ch.1 ומפני מה לא נאמר כי טוב ביום שני, לפי שלא נגמרה מלאכת המים עד יום שלישי, והרי התחיל בה בשני, ודבר שלא נגמר אינו במילואו ובטובו, ובשלישי שנגמרה מלאכת המים והתחיל מלאכה אחרת וגמרה, כפל בו כי טוב שני פעמים, אחד לגמר מלאכת השני ואחד לגמר מלאכת היום: טוב That which is not complete cannot be called 4c) Torah Temimah Devarim Ch. 12 קיג( נראה דמכוין לפרש כן הלשונות האלה ע"פ מש"כ רש"י בפ' בראשית )א' ז'( דכל דבר שלא נראה גמר ענינו ותכליתו אינו יוכל להקרא טוב אע"פ שבתחלתו נראה טוב, יעו"ש. ולפי"ז דבר הנראה לטוב בעיני אדם אפשר רק לקרוא בשם ישר, מה שנראה ישר לעינים בשעתו, אבל לא בשם טוב, יען כי לתכלית שם טוב דרוש לדעת עתידות הדברים ותוצאותיו מה שאי אפשר לאדם קצר עין לראות, ולכן א"א לומר הטוב בעיני אדם כי אם בעיני ה' הרואה לתכלית וקץ. ישר or not ישר Man = can only identify that which is G-d = can identify the ultimate good 4d) Maharal Gur Aryeh Devarim 12:28 הטוב בעיני שמים וישר בעיני האדם. ומה שלא פירש איפכא, דהשתא הוי "הישר" דבק אל "בעיני ה'", וזה מסתבר יותר לפרש. ישר In terms of the language of the verse, it seems that the word is connected to the "eyes of G-d" so why would Rashi identify ישר with man? ויראה כי יותר יש לפרש "הטוב" 'בעיני שמים', כי לשון "טוב" נאמר על דבר שהוא טוב בעצמו, אבל אינו נראה לבריות. ולפיכך יאמר "הטוב" 'בעיני שמים', כי השם רואה ללב, ויודע אם הוא טוב. אבל אדם לא ידע זה בעיניו. אבל לשון "ישר" הונח ראשונה על כל דבר ישר ואינו מעוות, והישר והמעוות הוא למראית העין, והאדם יש לו מראית עין גם כן, לכך יתפרש "הישר" 'בעיני אדם'. וזה ידוע, כי יאמר על הקו - שהוא ישר או מעוות - למראית העין. Rav Ari Kahn: Good is an absolute term, a value statement. To know and declare something to be good, one needs an overarching, independent perspective. The term "right" is far more subjective; what is right in one situation may be wrong in another.

5 5 Source 5a): Devarim 6:18 )יח( ו ע ש ית ה י ש ר ו ה ט וב ב ע ינ י ה ל מ ע ן י יט ב ל ך וב את ו י ר ש ת א ת ה א ר ץ ה ט ב ה א ש ר נ ש ב ע ה ל א ב ת י ך: 18. And you shall do that which is right and good in the eyes of God; that it may be well with you, and that you may go in and possess the good land which God swore to your fathers, Q: What is different about this pasuk and does it compliment or detract from Rashi's approach? 5b) Ramban Devarim Ch. 6 וזה ענין גדול, לפי שאי אפשר להזכיר בתורה כל הנהגות האדם עם שכניו ורעיו וכל משאו ומתנו ותקוני הישוב והמדינות כלם, אבל אחרי שהזכיר מהם הרבה, כגון לא תלך רכיל )ויקרא יט טז(, לא תקום ולא תטור )שם פסוק יח(, ולא תעמוד על דם רעך )שם פסוק טז(, לא תקלל חרש )שם פסוק יד(, מפני שיבה תקום )שם פסוק לב(, וכיוצא בהן, חזר לומר בדרך כלל שיעשה הטוב והישר בכל דבר, עד שיכנס בזה הפשרה ולפנים משורת הדין, וכגון מה שהזכירו בדינא דבר מצרא )ב"מ קח א(, ואפילו מה שאמרו )יומא פו א( פרקו נאה ודבורו בנחת עם הבריות, עד שיקרא בכל ענין תם וישר R. Kahn: The Ramban regards this statement as an overriding commandment of the Torah to be decent: While there are many commandments that teach specific actions which must be performed or avoided, in the Ramban s view this is a broad law which creates an umbrella for other interpersonal laws. Thus, aside from specific obligations and prohibitions, the Torah also legislates decency. What issue have we not yet resolved? In this week s parsha we find a phrase, echoed numerous times in Scripture, used to describe the practice of idolatry: ב א ב ד ת א ב ד ון א ת-כ ל-ה מ ק מ ות א ש ר ע ב ד ו-ש ם ה ג וי ם, א ש ר א ת ם י ר ש ים א ת ם--א ת- א לה יה ם: ע ל-ה ה ר ים ה ר מ ים ו ע ל-ה ג ב ע ות, ו ת ח ת כ ל-ע ץ ר ע נ ן. 2 Ye shall surely destroy all the places, wherein the nations that ye are to dispossess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every leafy tree.

6 6 Accessibility of Religious Worship Rav Ari Kahn: The Land of Israel is full of mountains, hills and trees. A person who wanted to serve his idol could easily and immediately turn to any available mountain, hill or tree. This made idolatry extremely accessible; it was a wonderful solution, an "instant" salve for those in need of immediate gratification. Compare with Yerushalayim tehilim ch. 125 ב י ר וש ל ם-- ה ר ים, ס ב יב ל ה: ו יהו ה, ס ב יב ל ע מ ו-- מ ע ת ה, ו ע ד- ע ול ם. 2 As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, {N} so the LORD is round about His people, from this time forth and for ever. Source 6: TORAH AND HUMILITY based on a lecture by Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik zt"l [This lecture was originally delivered in 1971, on the fourth Yahrzeit of Rebbetzin Tonya Soloveitchik zt"l. It has been adapted by Rav Ezra Bick. A shorter adaptation of this lecture appeared in Shiurei Harav, 1974, by Rav Yosef Adler.] Knowledge does not naturally contribute to humility. Normally, the greater the intellectual achievement, the greater the sense of arrogance. But Chazal demand that the acquisition of Torah be associated with humility - pride and Torah are mutually exclusive. The transition from Torah to humility is effected by the idea of kedusha. Kedusha logically should be associated with pride; it is rooted in human greatness, the potential for man to come close to the Almighty. How does the experience of being close to God lead to the experience of humility and human abnegation, which is man's remoteness from God? What is the bridge between these two contradictory states of mind? The bridge is defeat, which inevitably must accompany kedusha. Kedusha is ceaseless in its motion, in its spreading, searching over the vastness, yearning for the infinite. There can be no final fulfillment in the quest for kedusha, because perfect union is not possible; it can never be realized. Man wants to be more, not for the sake of his own honor, but in order to reach out further, to understand more. The unique character of the "matmid" is based on this ideal - the incessant pursuit of an unattainable goal, of a fugitive vision, which springs not from intellectual curiosity but from the kedusha embedded in the human personality. The yearning for God can never be satisfied. Tehillim (24,3) asks, "Who shall climb on the mountain of God?" (not "who shall climb to the top of the mountain" - "mi ya'aleh le-har HaShem"; but "mi ya'aleh BE-har HaShem") - man is engaged in climbing the mountain but never reaches the peak. This interminable quest for kedusha is

7 7 portrayed in Shir HaShirim (Song of Songs), a never-ending search for "that which my soul loves," searching and not finding. Kedusha is a hierarchy, a pyramid, which many can enter at the base, but whose apex no one can reach. The drive is never terminated until man is finally defeated. Every man, no matter how great and powerful, must experience frustration, even - no, especially - in the battle he most wants to win. Even Moshe had his most ardent desire denied him. The Sages explain that had Moshe entered the Land of Israel, it would never have fallen to its enemies, the Temple would never have been destroyed. In other words, Moshe's crossing of the Jordan would have ushered in the messianic era, and Moshe would have been the mashiach. He would have succeeded in climbing to the apex of kedusha, combining the crowns of Torah, kingship, and priesthood (keter Torah, malkhut, kehuna) in their fullest expression, with nothing left to achieve. But that can never be. Moshe had to be defeated. God told him, No. You must stop. You will remain the greatest leader of Israel, the standard of Torah scholarship, but you will not be crowned with the crown of the messiah. You are human, you must lose. You must be defeated. Now we understand how kedusha and humility merge into one. In the very movement where kedusha exults, "I am near God, I am a great being," it decrees its defeat. Being close to God awakens in me the desire to be closer yet, and that itself informs me that complete fulfillment of my desire is impossible, because I am but a small being. I am near God because I am great; I am not as near as I would want to be, because I am small. Rav Ari Kahn: Spiritual growth is necessarily the result of hard work, long hours, introspection; this is the path to enlightenment, and it is represented by the metaphor of the physical Jerusalem. Whereas idolatry was practiced under every tree, on every hill, on every mountain, required no effort, was immediately available like a narcotic for an addict in withdrawal--it provided no growth. Idolatry is just a "quick fix". Serving God requires an act of surrender. Man must first recognize that he is created in God s image; then, he can worship his Maker. The idolater worships his own handiwork. Instead of an act of submission, it is an act of narcissism. In serving God, man must recognize the impossible chasm between God s greatness and man's failings; this is the starting point for the grueling journey. It is man's striving to shorten this divide, to bridge the chasm by learning to emulate God, that creates spiritual growth. Only when man acknowledges that he may be able to emulate God, to draw closer to the source of holiness and spirituality, but will never breach the gulf, is man a true servant of God. A central place of worship was not merely about geography; it was more than a socially-accepted, nationally-appointed place to pray and serve God. It was meant to be transformative. Religious growth is designed to combat man's self-absorbed, self-involved proclivities. Climbing to Jerusalem was the polar opposite of idolatry, bringing about a metamorphosis that cancelled out self-indulgence and immediate gratification.

8 א) 8 Is this "climb" to Jerusalem enough to uproot pagan attitudes? A link to the cryptic Rashi Korbanot satisfying a "needy" G-d? Is religious transformation a "done deal"? Rav Ari Kahn: Such a schism results in a compartmentalized worldview: On the one hand, man serves God in Jerusalem; on the other hand, his personal life is unaffected. He lacks decency in his relationships with his fellow men. The idolatry is still there, buried beneath the religious practice, for such a person is still worshiping himself, submitting to his own needs, seeking immediate gratification. Service of God is a perfunctory gesture if the person performing it is unwilling to emulate God in their everyday dealings with others, to strive for and maintain a level of spirituality and holiness that flows from the spiritual apex of Temple sacrifice, but reaches far beyond. While he may have served God on the festival, a person who does not make the transformation in the interpersonal sphere has not surrendered to God. In the words of our verse, it is not enough to do only what is good in the eyes of God; we also need to do what is "straight" in the eyes of man, for these concepts are intertwined. Neither perspective is sufficient; only the two perspectives together will bring harmony between man and God and between man and man. Only when we make that climb, and allow the surrender of our own will to permeate all of our relationships, will we realize the prophetic vision expressed by King David in his Song of Ascents, recited by the Levites on the final steps leading to the Temple Source 7: Tehilim Ch. 125 ש יר ה מ ע ל ות ה ב ט ח ים ב ה כ ה ר צ י ון ל א י מ וט ל ע ול ם י ש ב: )ב( י ר וש ל ם ה ר ים ס ב יב ל ה ו ה ס ב יב ל ע מ ו מ ע ת ה ו ע ד ע ול ם:)ג( כ י ל א י נ וח ש ב ט ה ר ש ע ע ל ג ור ל ה צ ד יק ים ל מ ע ן ל א י ש ל ח ו ה צ ד יק ים ב ע ו ל ת ה י ד יה ם: )ד( ה יט יב ה ה ל ט וב ים ו ל יש ר ים ב ל ב ות ם:)ה( ו ה מ ט ים ע ק ל ק ל ות ם י ול יכ ם ה א ת פ ע ל י ה א ו ן ש ל ום ע ל י ש ר א ל: ) A Song of Ascents: Those who trust in God shall be like Mount Zion, unassailable and abiding forever. As Jerusalem is surrounded by mountains, so God surrounds his People, from this time forth and forever more. For the scepter of the wicked shall not rest upon the share allotted to the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands to do wrong. God is good to those who are good, and to those who are straight (upright) in their hearts. As for those who turn aside to their crooked ways, God shall lead them away with the evil doers; but peace shall be upon Israel.