A thought on Parshas Re'ay
A Thought on Parshas Re'ay
"...V'ha'yah ha'makom asher yivchar HaShem..."
"...and the place which HaShem will choose..." (12:11)
The Torah introduces the promise of a central shrine which our people will flock to once our homeland is settled. The verses here, particularly 9 and 11, seem cryptic. They do not name nor define "the place." There is no description of its location. This seems curious as well as tantalizing. Why does HaShem keep us in the dark about Jerusalem?
The Rambam (Moreh HaNevuchim 3:45) sees "three wisdoms" in the concealing of the place. First, it prevented the nations of the world fighting to keep us from there, which they would have tried to do had they known that our chief goal in returning to Israel was to have a central place of worship and service. Since they did not know where the place was, they could not prepare to keep it from us.
Second, had they known, those nations already occupying the place would have destroyed it rather than allow us to claim it as our holiest place. (Sound familiar?)
Third, and the Rambam says that this third reason is the most important, had our nation known the precise location, each tribe would have vied to have it in their territory. This would have led to infighting and internal strife similar to that which Korah and his band of rebels tried in wanting the kahuna each one for himself.
For these reasons, the location of Jerusalem was hidden from us until we established unity and a monarchy. The king of Israel would have as his task the mission of settling conflict among Jews. Tension and rivalry were to be avoided until peace prevailed between each Jew, and then there was the possibility of each Jew living in peace with HaShem.
* * * * *
The Rosh finds a related theme in understanding the downplaying of the temple's place. He suggests that the gift of being able to attain this sacred shrine was contingent on our fulfilling the ideal of peace among Jews. He notes that the Torah tells us (16:14) that "you shall be happy on your festivals, you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, the Levite, the convert, the orphan and the widow." He cites a midrashic message that if we are careful to take care of those four types of people - those dedicated to serving HaShem, the convert, the orphan and the widow - then HaShem will fulfill the promise to care for the four types of people who are part of our own family.
The navi Yeshaya (56:7) foretells that we will flock to the chosen place on the consecrated mountain which HaShem will call "His House." If we welcome the needy into our house, then HaShem will bring us to His consecrated mountain (Har Kadshi) and care for us in His House (Bais Bechirasi, Bais Tefilasi).
Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...V'ha'yah ha'makom asher yivchar HaShem..."
"...and the place which HaShem will choose..." (12:11)
The Torah introduces the promise of a central shrine which our people will flock to once our homeland is settled. The verses here, particularly 9 and 11, seem cryptic. They do not name nor define "the place." There is no description of its location. This seems curious as well as tantalizing. Why does HaShem keep us in the dark about Jerusalem?
The Rambam (Moreh HaNevuchim 3:45) sees "three wisdoms" in the concealing of the place. First, it prevented the nations of the world fighting to keep us from there, which they would have tried to do had they known that our chief goal in returning to Israel was to have a central place of worship and service. Since they did not know where the place was, they could not prepare to keep it from us.
Second, had they known, those nations already occupying the place would have destroyed it rather than allow us to claim it as our holiest place. (Sound familiar?)
Third, and the Rambam says that this third reason is the most important, had our nation known the precise location, each tribe would have vied to have it in their territory. This would have led to infighting and internal strife similar to that which Korah and his band of rebels tried in wanting the kahuna each one for himself.
For these reasons, the location of Jerusalem was hidden from us until we established unity and a monarchy. The king of Israel would have as his task the mission of settling conflict among Jews. Tension and rivalry were to be avoided until peace prevailed between each Jew, and then there was the possibility of each Jew living in peace with HaShem.
* * * * *
The Rosh finds a related theme in understanding the downplaying of the temple's place. He suggests that the gift of being able to attain this sacred shrine was contingent on our fulfilling the ideal of peace among Jews. He notes that the Torah tells us (16:14) that "you shall be happy on your festivals, you, your son, your daughter, your servant, your maid, the Levite, the convert, the orphan and the widow." He cites a midrashic message that if we are careful to take care of those four types of people - those dedicated to serving HaShem, the convert, the orphan and the widow - then HaShem will fulfill the promise to care for the four types of people who are part of our own family.
The navi Yeshaya (56:7) foretells that we will flock to the chosen place on the consecrated mountain which HaShem will call "His House." If we welcome the needy into our house, then HaShem will bring us to His consecrated mountain (Har Kadshi) and care for us in His House (Bais Bechirasi, Bais Tefilasi).
Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 7:10 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home