A Thought On Parshas Ha'azinu

A Thought on Parshas Ha'azinu

"...va'yishman Yeshurun va'yivat..."
"...v'oyev'einu pelilim..."
"...and Israel grew fat and rebelled..." (32:15)

"...and our enemies can judge this..." (32:31)

The first of the verses I cite above is quite familiar. We often quote that phrase which seems to link affluence with entitlement and rule-breaking. The second verse is less familiar, and links the clause of "their god is not like ours" with the idea that the nations are judges. The second verse has a variety of interpretations among the commentaries whereas the first seems straightforward with its metaphor of "fat" connoting over-indulged, and how that spoils us to the degree that we dare challenge or even disregard Divine authority.

Let us start with the first verse. We all understand the "fat" reference as a metaphor for having too much. We can understand, thus, how being spoiled and affluent can indeed lead one to feeling haughty and to flaunt consequence. That may be what the verse intends by saying, "the Jews grew fat and rebelled."

The Ralbag offers an original angle. "Fat" can be a synonym for "having too much" but it has a more concrete meaning as well. At an anatomical level, fat covers the body's core. It conceals and pads the insides. It blankets the heart. It is a cushion and a buffer. This is what, says the Ralbag, the Torah is intending with the image of fat. Whereas affluence can be a threat to a person's piety and religious outlook, there are other factors which can do damage to the soul. At times, it is the habitual and automatic approach to acting religious which can lead to a discounting of one's inner sensitivity. One can, over time, be much less "present" and much less conscious of HaShem and our role in His world. When that happens, whether or not we are affluent, our "heart" grows dull and insensitive. It is as if we have developed a thick blob of "fat" around our inner selves. This too can lead us to strike out, to defy, and to lose interest in the world of the heart and soul. We grow "fat" in the sense that we are immune to sacred influence.

The second verse also takes on another meaning according to the Ralbag. What does the Torah intend by connecting the clause of "their god is not like ours" with the phrase about the nations being judges? The Ralbag observes that there are many nations who create many faith systems and their respective deity images. Yet, says the Ralbag, amidst each one's ethnocentric stance about their own superiority, there can be found some level of acquiescence that the G-d of the Jews is very different. They recognize generally that our system is organic, is structured and that when the Jews adhere to the word of HaShem, we have a special quality and spiritual beauty. Nobody does it better.

The Ralbag says that the verse means that with the very same breath in which the nations may assert their prowess and pride, they still concede that somehow their god is just not on par with ours. The verse captures this with the clause "and even our enemies can discern this!" That is in contradistinction to our own problem wherein we grow insensitive about all that we have. We do not tend to our own vineyard, as King Solomon says, and we try to graze in foreign pastures. This is the damage of growing "fat" about matters of the spirit. Even our enemies can see what we have, while we lose feeling and become out of touch.

I had a patient who was a devout Catholic, referred by a priest who had seen me professionally while struggling with spiritual matters. The patient once mentioned that during Lent, which is a yearly interval of becoming more abstinent as a form of sacrificing something important to the individual, that she refrains from shellfish and pork and uses separate dishes for meat and milk. She explained that this is a time for spiritual growth for her, and she looked into the Old Testament (the Torah) in order to find an act of spiritual devotion that the G-d of the Jews would find worthy and favorable. She reasoned that true religion began with HaShem and His commandments, and that this has remained the higher standard.

Now, how many of us observe kashrus with the feeling that this is an expression of the soul? Have we become too fat?

Wishing you a good Shabbos and gmar chasima tova. D Fox

A thought on Parshios Nitzavim - Vayelech

"...ha'chayim v'ha'maves...ha'brocha v'haklalla u'bocharta b'chayim..."

"...I offer you life and death, blessing and curse; Choose life!..." (30:19)

This clause, "and you should choose life", is one of the more celebrated ideas in a lot of Jewish thought. The Torah lays out the choices and the challenges yet prompts us to make the right choice, which is that of choosing life.

There is no doubt that given the options of life and death that we would opt for the former. There is no doubt that given the options of blessing and curse that we would also opt for the former. The question, though, is if given the choice of all four, why we would select "life" over bracha? One could argue that between quantity (life) and quality (blessing) that there might be some room for personal preference. Can't we also "choose blessing" - u'bocharta b'bracha?

The Ralbag addresses this puzzle and reminds us that the "life" we are prompted to choose is actually the life path, the way of wisdom that is Torah which is the road to eternity, the enduring existence of the spirit within the Heavenly realm. Besides, he adds, it is not proper for a Jew to serve HaShem by "choosing bracha", namely, for the purpose of being blessed with bounty and sustenance of a material quality. The Torah prompts us to look beyond bracha, even though bracha is also a product of serving HaShem properly. It is not the product of Torah life which we seek, but it is being on the path of Torah life which is the best choice.

A week ago my wife and I were in the Alps. We looked at some high mountain ridges and had the option of taking a train, a cable car, a ski lift or a horse cart up to the top so that we could enjoy the view. We chose the hiking path. The goal was not to enjoy the ride and enjoy the view. The goal was hiking the long way to the top. We enjoyed the process and we enjoyed the view immensely yet it was being on the path and staying there which made the trip meaningful with enduring memories. It is the path you choose that really matters.

* * * * *

Now this is not to say that meaning is unitary and that there is only a single value which one can find. The Ralbag notes that the Torah commands us to keep the Shabbos. In Shmos 20:10, the Torah tells us that this is in order that we recall that HaShem created the world. In Devarim 5:14, we are commanded to keep the Shabbos in order that we recall the exodus from Egypt. Now, is it one or is it the other? Is the reason for keeping Shabbos the former or the latter? The Ralbag explains that the Torah is teaching us that one may find within a mitzva some perspective, some value, yet may also discover a different perspective within the same mitzva. None of us has a complete grasp of the reason, the rationale or the true meaning of HaShem's commandments. There may be many aspects which occur to us and if they past the test of Torah tradition, they may be worthwhile, each in its own way.

But as for the priority, the priority is not the meaning we ascribe to serving HaShem but rather it is the serving of HaShem itself which fosters meaning within. We have many decisions and choices in this world and our vision aims for a place far beyond the blessings and the bounty. We head for the trail and we stay on it. The goal is traveling along the Derech HaChayim

Wishing you a good Shabbos and hoping to resume these Parsha Thoughts after Rosh HaShanna, with parshas Ha'azinu b'e'H. D. Fox

A thought on Parshas Ki Tavo

"...arur ha'ish asher ya'aseh pesel...makleh aviv...masig gvul..." (27:15-17)
"...one who makes idols...debases parents...displaces land boundaries..."

 

The Torah assails those who commit any one of a spectrum of sinful acts. There are many prohibited behaviors and offenses in the Torah and many virtuous and obligatory ones. Yet in our parsha, only a selection of these are cited in the Declaration of Baruch and Arrur. As we look at the various arrur acts which are cited in the above verses, it seems difficult to see a relationship or continuity between making idols, debasing parents and displacing land boundaries.

 

The Ralbag suggests a link: each of us has a relationship with our parents which is based in our profound gratitude for having been raised, nurtured and cared for. This relationship has a spiritual parallel in our ideal orientation to HaShem. A devout Jew will view his or her connection with HaShem as one of awe and gratitude for His having watched over us and having seen to our needs in a protective manner. Thus, one who debases his parents will likely lack authentic reverence for HaShem, and is more apt to stray in his allegiance to Torah, ultimately getting involved with pagan images and involvements. He or she may fail to appreciate HaShem's sovereignty and Oneness, and not see the "big deal" in showing regard to other "deities."

 

Moreover, there is a relationship between that involvement with pagan entities and hasagas gvul. Displacing boundaries is when one fails to respect other's property or possessions, and one goes so far as to venture onto another's land, clandestinely setting the markers or fences in a way which deceptively appropriates another's boundaries. This is, says the Ralbag, what happens in the spiritual parallel when one gives homage or regard to the sun, the moon,  the planets or other celestial entities. It is true that there are natural forces which are generated through the balance of luminaries in the cosmos. Gravity, tides, light, the wind, all have an interaction with those higher entities. Yet those higher entities are still not Higher entities. When one imbues them with a false aura of divinity, he or she is venturing into HaShem's exclusive domain. He is 'displacing the boundaries' by suggesting that some other entity shares or owns that cosmic majesty. HaShem alone contains the world and the universe. Doing anything which implies that there are other forces or powers out there is the theological form of being ma'sig gvul.

 

As we prepare for Rosh HaShanna, let us proclaim our allegiance to HaShem Echad with awe and honor that are due Him alone.

 

Wishing you a good Shabbos. D Fox