A Thought On Parshas Ekev
A Thought On Parshas Ekev
"...hu Elokae ha'elokim v'Adonae ha'adonim...asher lo yisa panim..." (10:17)
"...for your G-d is G-d of gods and Lord of lords...impartial..."
Moshe Rabbeinu presents to our nation the Supreme majesty of HaShem. In describing Him as "G-d of gods and Lord of lords", however, it might seem at first glance that he is defeating his own purpose of lauding HaShem as One. A concrete reading of the verse might suggest that there is c'v some type of competition among various gods and lords and that baruch HaShem our own one has won out as Lord of lords. We know that our own one is truly our One and Only! What is learned and what is gained by implying that there are many others deities out there? Besides, what has this to do with the end of the verse which says that HaShem is impartial and takes no bribes? Impartial compared to whom? Bribes from whom?
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel offers a different view of our verse. We know that the term elokim is also used (and literally can mean) a judge or judges. Since the end of the verse is clearly discussing a judicial standard (the court system is meant to be impartial and the justices are forbidden to accept bribes), the beginning of the verse is also referring to judges.
The verse means to say that our judges, our true shoftim and dayanim, merit a sense of the Divine Presence. HaShem's Presence hovers over the judges who rule according to Torah. Hence, the first clause means "HaShem is the G-d over the judges."
The second clause ties in to the close of the verse. For a judge to avoid the temptation of being biased or swayed, he must have great self control and sense of purpose. He must rule over himself. While there are different synonyms for judge (shofet, dayan, elokim...), we usually would not include the word adon - lord- on that list. Rather, the "lord" of our verse is illustrating how a judge needs to be lord over himself. He needs to be the master of his moods and his reasoning. The verse should be understood, according to Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel, as "HaShem is the Lord over those judges who rule over their temptation and who remain impartial, avoiding bribes."
HaShem's Presence is sensed around Torah judges. He is the G-d of those judges, and the Lord of those who lord over themselves by remaining honest, objective and who rule by the integrity of absolute halacha.
May we merit to live within that sacred system. Good Shabbos. D Fox
"...hu Elokae ha'elokim v'Adonae ha'adonim...asher lo yisa panim..." (10:17)
"...for your G-d is G-d of gods and Lord of lords...impartial..."
Moshe Rabbeinu presents to our nation the Supreme majesty of HaShem. In describing Him as "G-d of gods and Lord of lords", however, it might seem at first glance that he is defeating his own purpose of lauding HaShem as One. A concrete reading of the verse might suggest that there is c'v some type of competition among various gods and lords and that baruch HaShem our own one has won out as Lord of lords. We know that our own one is truly our One and Only! What is learned and what is gained by implying that there are many others deities out there? Besides, what has this to do with the end of the verse which says that HaShem is impartial and takes no bribes? Impartial compared to whom? Bribes from whom?
Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel offers a different view of our verse. We know that the term elokim is also used (and literally can mean) a judge or judges. Since the end of the verse is clearly discussing a judicial standard (the court system is meant to be impartial and the justices are forbidden to accept bribes), the beginning of the verse is also referring to judges.
The verse means to say that our judges, our true shoftim and dayanim, merit a sense of the Divine Presence. HaShem's Presence hovers over the judges who rule according to Torah. Hence, the first clause means "HaShem is the G-d over the judges."
The second clause ties in to the close of the verse. For a judge to avoid the temptation of being biased or swayed, he must have great self control and sense of purpose. He must rule over himself. While there are different synonyms for judge (shofet, dayan, elokim...), we usually would not include the word adon - lord- on that list. Rather, the "lord" of our verse is illustrating how a judge needs to be lord over himself. He needs to be the master of his moods and his reasoning. The verse should be understood, according to Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel, as "HaShem is the Lord over those judges who rule over their temptation and who remain impartial, avoiding bribes."
HaShem's Presence is sensed around Torah judges. He is the G-d of those judges, and the Lord of those who lord over themselves by remaining honest, objective and who rule by the integrity of absolute halacha.
May we merit to live within that sacred system. Good Shabbos. D Fox
posted by Rabbi Dr. Fox at 6:21 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home