One nation, One body

Hi,

Regarding Yehoshua 7, in which a man named Achan took from the consecrated property of the city of Jericho, and the entire nation suffered as a result:

"All Israel are bound together as one body, such that each individual will relate to the community as a limb of the body relates to the body. Just as illness or destruction of one limb causes illness or a defect in the entire body, so, too, when Achan took from the spoils it was considered as though the entire nation had trespassed."

(Commentary of Malbim to Yehoshua 7:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Collective responsibility

Hi,

In Joshua 7, the Jewish nation suffers military defeat, and it is blamed on the sin of an individual, Achan. Some commentators explain that collective responsibility is a natural function of the Jewish nation. For example:

"All Israel are bound together as one body, such that each individual will relate to the community as a limb of the body relates to the body. Just as illness or destruction of one limb causes illness or a defect in the entire body, so, too, when Achan took from the spoils it was considered as though the entire nation had trespassed..."

(Commentary of Malbim to Yehoshua 7:1)

"It is possible, without any impropriety, for chance to cause children to suffer punishment for parental sin; this will not involve impropriety at all. For example: If a person were to sin against the government and they would punish him justly, such that he would lose his wealth, this wwould cause punishment for his children, who would be paupers and would not inherit anything that they had been due to receive from their father's assets."

(Commentary of Ralbag to Yehoshua 7:1)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

He is your relative!

Hi,

[Introduction: Michah 7:18 says that Gd forgives "the she'eirit of His portion". The word she'eirit implies a blood relationship; see Vayikra 18:6, for example.]

"This is how Gd acts with Israel, saying, 'What shall I do to Israel? They are My relatives, she'eir of My flesh!' For they are partners to Gd, and Gd calls them 'My daughter,' 'My sister,' 'My mother,' as seen in the words of the sages…

"And one should be thus with his friend. All Israel are she'eir relatives of each other, for their souls are interwoven. One has a portion in the other, the other has a portion in this one… "

(Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Tomer Devorah 1:4)

חג סוכות שמח,
Mordechai

The goal of shemitah: Eliminate brutality

Hi,

"That which Shabbat accomplishes for each individual, shemitah accomplishes for the nation as a whole… And if that brutality which must accompany the structure of on-going communal life reduces the gentle character of ethical life… then halting the social order in specific ways, from time to time, brings this nation – when it is established on its foundation – to powerful elevation to the heights of the inner traits of ethical, spiritual life…"

את אותה הפעולה שהשבת פועלת על כל יחיד, פועלת היא השמטה על האומה בכללה... ואם אותה האביריות המוכרחת להתלוות עם כל סדר של חיי-צבור קבועים גורמת להקטין את עדינות־החיים המוסרית... הנה הפסקת הסדר החברתי בצדדים ידועים מתקופה לתקופה, מביאה לאומה זו, כשהיא מסודרת על מכונה, לידי עליתה העצמית למרומי התכונות הפנימיות שבחיים המוסריים והרוחנים...

(Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak Kook, Shabbat haAretz, Introduction)

חג עצמאות שמח,

Mordechai

King David and the Givonim

Hi,

Why the Givonim were forbidden from marrying into the Jewish people:

"'And the Givonim said to him: We have neither silver nor gold with Shaul and with his household, and we have no man [to kill in Israel]… Let seven men of his children be given to us, and we will hang them before Gd.' (Shemuel II 21:4-6) 

"King David tried to appease them, and they would not be appeased. He said, 'There are three signs for this nation: Merciful, bashful, and generous... One who has these three signs is suited to cleave to this nation.'"

"ויאמרו לו הגבעונים אין לנו כסף וזהב עם שאול ועם ביתו ואין לנו איש וגו' יותן לנו שבעה אנשים מבניו והוקענום לד' וגו'." מיפייס ולא פייסינהו. אמר, שלשה סימנים יש באומה זו: הרחמנים, והביישנין, וגומלי חסדים; רחמנים, דכתיב... כל שיש בו שלשה סימנים הללו ראוי להדבק באומה זו. 

(Talmud, Yevamot 79a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

The role of Israel

Hi,

"There is no assertion in the Bible that the Israelites are inherently better or more moral than others. Their vocation represents not a privilege but a reponsibility. It confers no material advantages, only the religious life itself. Nor is there any implication that G-d is not accessible to others. On the contrary, he is the creator and sustainer of all. Job, the supreme example of a righteous man, is not a Jew… Israel's role is to be an example: no more, no less… If Israel's role is to be an example, then its conduct must never be less than exemplary. That is the meaning of 'sanctifying the name'."

(Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, To Heal a Fractured World, pg. 66)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

National priorities

Hi,

"After the Six-Day War, when a Torah scholar and professor came to Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook and asked him why he did not begin to build the Temple, he responded, 'The mitzvah of building the Kingdom of Israel takes precedence, according to the ruling of the Rambam at the beginning of the Laws of Kings.'" 

(Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, Sichot HaRav Tzvi Yehudah, Chapters of Messiah 4:Talmud Torah 1 addendum 2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Angels, Nations and Jews

Hi,


"Each nation has a constellation and star in the heavens, and it has an [angelic] officer above which instructs all of them, and so the reign of the nation and empire, according to the alignment of stars, is influenced.

"Only the Jewish nation lacks a constellation or star; this is the portion of Gd. As Moshe said (Devarim 4:19), 'Lest you raise your eyes heavenward… to that which Gd distributed to all of the nations… And Gd has selected you.'"

(Don Isaac Abarbanel, Maayanei haYeshuah 11:2)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Why we are called "Jews"

Hi,

A midrash regarding Yehudah's reward for acknowledging his responsibility for Tamar's pregnancy:

"[Yaakov said, in Bereishit 49:8:] 'Yehudah, your brothers praise you' – Your brothers praise you, your mother praises you, I myself praise you.

"R' Shimon bar Yochai said: May all of your brothers be called upon your name. One does not say, 'I am Reuveni' or 'I am Shimoni,' but 'I am Yehudi.'"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 98:6)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The source of Moshe's greatness

Hi,

"Gd told Moshe... I only gave you your greatness in the merit of the Jewish people."

(Talmud, Berachot 32a)

Have a great day,

Mordechai

Jews and Figs

Hi,
"R’ Yuden said: This fig, in the beginning of the season they collect it one by one, then two by two, then three by three, until they collect it with baskets and shovels. So in the beginning was Avraham, then Avraham and Yitzchak, then Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, until “And the Jewish people bore fruit and spread and multiplied…”"

(Midrash, Bereishit Rabbah 46:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A kingdom of priests and sacred nation

Hi,

"You have seen that which I did to Egypt; and I will raise you up on the wings of eagles and bring you to Me.

"And now, if you will listen to My voice and guard My covenant, and you will be a unique splendor for me from among all the nations, for all the land is Mine. And you will be for Me a kingdom of priests and a sacred nation."

(Sh'mot 19:4-6)

[Note: The Hebrew word נשרים may be translated as 'vultures' rather than 'eagles'.]

Have a great day,
Mordechai

A Jew dare not lie

Hi,

"If you were to turn truth and justice into lies and deception you would be detested by Gd, for He could no longer acknowledge you as His image - and how could you then still claim to belong to His people and to His estate? You would have lost your human dignity, and yet still want to be a Jew? Would not Gd's Name be desecrated if He let you prosper?"

(R' Samson Raphael Hirsch, Horeb, paragraph 358, based on Deuteronomy 25:13-16)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Torah will never disappear

Hi,

"This is My covenant with them, declares G-d: My spirit upon you, and the words I have put in your mouth, will never leave your mouth, and the mouth of your descendants, and the mouth of the descendants of your descendants, from now and forever."

(Isaiah 59:21)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Isolation

Hi,

Bereishit 33:12-16 says:
And Esav said: Let us travel and go, and I will go alongside you.
And Jacob replied: My master knows that the children are soft and my sheep and cattle are nursing their young; if they would hasten one day, all of the sheep would die. Let my master pass before his servant; I will travel at my slow pace, according to the task before me and according to the needs of the children, until I will meet my master in Se'ir.
And Esav said: I will delegate to you some of the nation who are with me.
And Jacob replied: Why would this find favour in the eyes of my master?
And Esav returned that day to his path, to Se'ir.

To which R' Naftali Tzvi Yehudah Berlin (Netziv) commented:

"Esav understood from this that Yaakov's loving company with him was only due to temporary need, and that the idea of companionship with him and his men in general was not pleasing to him, and that Yaakov's eye was really toward dwelling securely, alone."

(Haamek Davar to Bereishit 33:1)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

The nature of the Jew

Hi,

"For from the tops of boulders I see him, and from hills I espy him. He is a people who dwells alone, and who will not be numbered among the nations."

(Bamidbar 23:9)

Have a great day,
Mordechai

Gd will watch out for us

Hi,

[Regarding Gd's declaration to Moshe at the Red Sea, "Why do you cry out to me?" (Shemot 14:15) before Gd split the sea.]

"R' Elazar haModai said: “Why are you crying out to Me? Do I need instructons regarding My children? Will you instruct me about My children and My creations? They were prepared before Me from the six days of Creation! It is written, 'Should all of the universe’s natural laws fall from before Me, this is the word of Gd, so the Jews would cease to be a nation before me, for all time!'”"

(Midrash, Mechilta d'Rabbi Yishmael Beshalach 3)

Have a great day,
Mordechai