Results tagged ‘ Emor ’
Emor
Emor
Emor
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Emor
“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not remove completely the corner of your field as you reap and you shall not gather the gleanings of your harvest; for the poor and the proselyte shall you leave them; I am Hashem, your G-d” (23;22).
Rashi (23;22) asks: Why does the Torah mention the laws regarding the parts of a field in which one must leave over for the poor in the middle of the passages regarding the festivals? He answers: “To teach you that whoever gives gleanings, (“lecket”) “forgetting,” (“shikcha”) and the corner of a harvested field (“peah”) over to a poor person properly, is considered as if he built the Bais Hamikdash and brought his offerings inside it.”
The question arises: What’s the connection between giving over parts of one’s field to the poor and bringing sacrifice offerings to Hashem?
Similarly, what’s the connection between giving over parts of one’s field to the poor and the festivals (Yom Tovim) that they are written together just because one who allows the poor to collect from their field is considered as if he built the Bais Hamikdash and brought his offerings inside it?
Rabbi Yochanan Zweig explains that regarding all areas of tzedaka (charity) a person is able to decide where their money goes. As a result, even when a person gives tzedaka they are still showing a sense of ownership. The only exception to this is in regards to “lecket” (gleanings) “shikcha” (forgotten pieces of produce) and “peah” (the produce on the corner of a harvested field) as the law is that a person is not allowed to direct which poor people are able to collect from their field. Therefore, by performing the mitzvot of “lecket,” “shikcha” and “peah” one effectively shows that they are able to give up complete control to others and not always need to feel a sense of ownership.
Rabbi Zweig explains that the only way to develop a sense of closeness with another person is through giving up control. For example, in a marriage two people must have a total sense of trust in each other through which they are then able to give up control to their partner. In relationships we should learn how to give up control out of having a sense of trust for the other person. This is the definition of a merger-the giving up of control to another due to trust. Merging is the whole essence of bringing “korbanos” (sacrifice offerings) to Hashem. The whole purpose of bringing sacrifices to Hashem is in order to become closer to Him and develop a relationship. Similarly, we find that the root of the word “korban” (sacrifice offering) is “karuv”-meaning “close.”
We could now understand that the mitzvot of “lecket,” “shikcha” and peah” are connected to bringing sacrifices to Hashem as both are acts of merging. Similarly, we could now understand how giving up from one’s field to the poor is related to holidays (Yom Tovim) as the whole idea of the Yom Tovim is to get close and merge with Hashem. For this reason we are told to go to Jerusalem 3 times a year for Succot, Pesach and Shavuot as we are supposed to establish a relationship with Hashem.
In this week’s parsha we have a mekalel (someone who curses Hashem using His 4 letter name–see, 24;11).
Rashi (24;14) relates that the witnesses and judges would place their hands on the mekalel and say “Your blood is on your head and we do not suffer punishment through your death for you caused it to yourself.” The Rambam (Hilchos Avodah Zarah, 2;10) states that this is only said during a prosecution for a blasphemer. However, what’s the reasoning for this? Every time one is put to death it’s because that person caused it upon himself!?!
Secondly, the torah (24;14) states that all those who heard the mekalel curse Hashem must place their hands on his head during the prosecution. Rashi (24;14) states that each member of the court had to do it as well. However, what’s the reasoning for this? What was gained by placing their hands on the mekalel’s head?
Thirdly, the Mishna (Sanhedrin, 7;5) relates that the court would repeat what the blasphemer said after they decided to put him to death. However, why did the court have to repeat the blasphemy if the court case was over already? Why should we make a jew say blasphemy for nothing? Very interestingly, the Mishna also relates that the court wouldn’t use Hashem’s name during the case…Why did they only use Hashem’s name after the case–when their ruling was already decided?
Fourthly, the Gemara (Sanhedrin, 46a-b) states that a mekalel must be buried on that very day he curses Hashem. Why? Because man is created in His same fashion. The Gemara (Sanhedrin, 46b) relates the following parable: There were 2 brothers that were identical twins…one of them was the king and the other a robber. The king then issued a decree against his brother and he got hung. However, everyone who saw him hanging thought that it was the king who was hung. Therefore, the king ordered that his brother be taken down and buried, for he felt himself disgraced. Similarly, Hashem feels disgraced when a person of his likeness is hung. However, the parable isn’t comparable for no one would confuse man and Hashem (like the people confused the 2 identical brothers)!?!
Fifthly, the torah (24, 17-22) repeats a group of laws from parshat Mishpatim. Why were these laws repeated?
Lastly, the torah (24; 17-22) interrupts the story of the mekalel with a group of laws. However, what’s the reasoning for this? Why did the torah interrupt the story with a group of laws?
To answer these questions we must first understand: What’s the reason we kill a mekalel? Rabbi Yochanan Zweig explains that curses have power, for they have the ability to bring harm. And what harm is that? Rabbi Zweig explains that blessings have the power to connect Hashem to the universe, and in contrast, curses have the power to separate Him from the universe. And how exactly do curses have this power? Rabbi Zweig explains that man’s speech is a Godly power. As a result, it has the power to destroy something which Hashem created. Therefore, through destroying all of Hashem’s creations, curses are able to separate Hashem from the world. Thus, a mekalel is killed for he attempts to destroy Hashem’s world.
Similarly, Rabbi Zweig explains that one must put their hands on the head of the mekalel because that focuses the curse on the mekalel. As a result, after the mekalel is removed from this world so is his curse.
We can now understand why the court would repeat the blasphemy after their ruling had already been decided…By placing the curse on him we make him into an android. As a result, it’s not considered as though we killed a human being-rather, we consider it as though we killed an animal. Therefore, we say “Your blood is on your head” in order to say that his blasphemy had nothing to do with us, for he caused his own death. Thus, we repeat the curse afterwards in order to show how he’s not a human being and deserves to be hung like an animal.
Rabbi Zweig explains that we bury the mekalel on the same day of his curse in order so that people don’t see him for too long and being to think that he was able to destroy Hashem. By killing him we show that Hashem still exists and controls the universe. However, we must first hang him in order to show that he was successful in making himself a “piece of meat.” The torah is teaching us that prior to his cursing, the mekalel was in a state of holiness, similar to Hashem. Although one would never confuse their fellow man with Hashem, they are both nevertheless similar in the fact that man possesses the godly power of speech.
Further, Rabbi Zweig explains that the torah made an interruption in the story because they are 2 different points. The first part of the story is meant to teach us that the mekalel deserves to die, and the second part of the story is meant to teach us that he took the godliness out of himself.
Lastly, Rabbi Zweig explains that the torah repeated the laws concerning man hitting humans and animals because there’s a different lesson. By parshat Mishpatim, one must compensate their fellow because they caused a loss. Over here, however, it’s because you caused a “blemish.” One must compensate their fellow not because they caused a loss-rather, because they violated the dignity of man. The torah repeats all these laws in the middle of the story in order to teach us that man in his regular state is holy–and a mekalel loses that holiness by cursing Hashem.
Summary: In this week’s parsha we deal with a mekalel (someone who curses Hashem using His 4 letter name–see, 24;11) who gets put to death. Rabbi Yochanan Zweig explains that the reason why one who curses Hashem gets put to death is because man’s speech is a Godly power. As a result, it has the power to destroy something which Hashem created. Therefore, through destroying all of Hashem’s creations, curses are able to separate Hashem from the world. Thus, a mekalel is killed for he attempts to destroy Hashem’s world.
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