Readings for Tuesday, May 14, 2024 (6th of Iyar)
Yom Ha’Atzmaut - Israel Independence Day
Yom
Ha’Atzmaut As A Religious Event
The anniversary of the proclamation of Israel’s
Independence on the 5th of Iyar, 5708, was declared a religious
holiday by Israel’s Chief Rabbinate. A
special order of service was created which is now part of many prayer books in
Israel and in communities outside of the state of Israel. For example, the Conservative Movement in the
United States has designated the following readings from the Torah and the
Prophets. In addition to which, Hallel,
the special collection of Psalms recited on such events as the Three Major
Festivals and Rosh Chodesh, is chanted. If the 5th of Iyar falls on a Friday or
Saturday, “the celebrations are moved up to the preceding Thursday. This rule
has been effective since 1951. If the 5th of Iyar is on a Monday, the festival
is postponed to Tuesday. This rule has been effective since 2004, in order to
avoid potential violation of Sabbath laws by preparing for Yom Hazikaron or Yom
Ha'atzmaut on a Shabbat.”
Torah
Portion
7:12-8:18 Devarim (Deuteronomy)
The Special Torah reading for Yom Ha’Atzmaut is the opening section from the weekly reading of Eikev. In these opening verses of the reading, Moshe is telling the children of Israel of all the blessings they will enjoy when they enter the Promised Land if they remember to observe the laws God has given them. Moshe recounts the travails that the Israelites have faced but reminds them that God has always been with them. Their entrance into the land is proof of His might and a reminder of the covenant between Him and the Jewish people. The parallels between the scene in the Wilderness and the events of the fifth of Iyar are too striking to require much commentary. The children of Israel had suffered two thousand years of exile. Now, they are returning to their homeland; a homeland that is more than a political entity. It is the spiritual homeland of the Whole House of Israel. The rebirth of the Jewish state is a challenge for the Jewish people to renew its connection with the letter and the spirit of the Law which has sustained us.
Haftarah
10:32-12:6 Isaiah
The Man: The reading is the product of the historic or First Isaiah who lived during the eighth century, B.C.E. He began preaching around 740 B.C.E. His public career lasted for some forty to sixty years spanning the reign of four Kings of Judah beginning with Uzziah and ending with Hezekiah. He was married to a woman he refers to as “the prophetess” and he had two sons. Apparently he was related to the royal family which meant he could address his teachings directly to those in power. According to tradition, Manasseh whose reign was both long and wicked, murdered Isaiah. Isaiah lived in a time of great political turmoil. Assyria was the leading power of the day. He witnessed the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel and the exile of the ten tribes. He encouraged the Judeans not to make a military alliance with the Egyptians who were the enemies of the Assyrians. Rather, he urged the Judeans to trust in the Lord for their deliverance. Isaiah lived in a time of affluence and economic inequality. He chastised the people for failing to care for the disadvantaged. God would punish them for this as well as their other moral shortcomings.
The Message: The reading opens with a description of “the Assyrian army’s destruction at the very moment when it believed itself to be knocking at the gates of victory.” (10:32-34). The reading continues with a description of the Messianic Age when the exiles will be gathered back to the Promised Land (All of Chapter 11). The reading ends with “two hymns” that begin “I will give thanks unto Thee O Lord” (12:1) and conclude with “Cry aloud and shout, thou inhabitants of Zion; For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of Thee” (12:6).
Theme Link: The connection is to the events of the day - the historic rebirth of the state of Israel. Just like the Assyrians, the Arabs were clamoring at the gates thinking that victory was in their grasp. And like the Assyrians, the mightier military force lost out to the outnumbered defenders of the Jewish state. The creation of the state of Israel is seen by many as the first part of the fulfillment of the Messianic Vision. It certainly has marked the ingathering of the exiles. A feeling of thankfulness must permeate the accomplishment of this great act.
Readings for Saturday, May 18, 2024
Emor (Say or Speak)
21:1-24:23 Vayikra (Leviticus)
Emor is the eighth sedrah in Vayikra (Leviticus). The sedrah takes its name from the opening sentence “The Lord said unto Moshe: Say (‘Emor’) unto the Kohanim, the sons of Aaron, and thou shalt say unto them.…” The Hebrew word “Emor” maybe translated in English as “to say.” The Hebrew root of the word “Emor” is composed of the letters Aleph, Mem, Raysh. In its various forms, these letters mean, “to say.” But they also can mean “to command,” “to promise,” “to think,” and “to intend.” So when God tells Moshe “Emor,” He is telling him to “command” Aaron and his sons to follow certain laws. But the sedrah also contains laws for all of the Israelites. We are not to follow the laws blindly because we are commanded to obey them. We should also “think” about them. Even when we have not yet followed the law, we should “intend” to follow the law. And we should always “promise” God and ourselves that we will strive to follow the law.
Emor should be read as a continuation of the Holiness Code that we started reading in the sedrah of Kedoshim. Previously we have addressed the need for the Israelites to be holy, a concept that includes being separate. Now the emphasis shifts to rules that make the Kohanim holy or separate. If the Israelites are to be the exemplars of holiness for all the nations of the earth, then the Kohanim, their anointed leaders, need to be the exemplars of holiness for the Israelites. As the editors of Etz Hayim point out, this sedrah reinforces the alternative name for Vayikra, which was Torat Kohanim or the Priestly Manual since much of it pertains to rules unique to the lives and ritual practices of the Kohanim.
The material covered in Emor may be divided into three parts: Laws Directly Related to the Kohanim (21:1-22:33), The Holiday Calendar (23:1-44), and Daily Observance and Blasphemy (24:1-23). Emor contains another sixty-three commandments. Why not go through the list and see how many we can observe regardless of where you live?
Laws Directly Related
to the Kohanim (21:1-22:33)
Chapter 21 includes a series of laws pertaining to the Kohanim in general and then to the Kohein Gadol in particular. These laws address the need for ritual purity and the avoidance of contamination or the appearance of contamination. Thus they include admonitions about staying away from corpses, definition of acceptable marriages and unacceptable physical characteristics for those offering sacrifices as well the sacrifices themselves. Chapter 22 continues with the theme of the rights and responsibilities of the Kohanim and the need to safeguard the sanctity of the sacrificial system. In addition to items that we have seen mentioned before, we read of the “Terumah” which the Stone Chumash defines as “the approximately one-fiftieth of a crop that is given to a Kohein.” Previously we had read about rules concerning consumption of the sacrifices offered on the altar. Now we read that these rules are extended to cover other offerings brought to the Kohanim. While much of these two chapters may seem rather arcane, especially since the Sacrificial System stopped with the destruction of the Second Temple, the thirty-second Verse of chapter 22 provides one of the cornerstones of Judaism - Kiddush Ha-Shem or the Sanctification of the Name. “And you shall not profane My holy name; but I shall be sanctified in the midst of the Children of Israel.” (See Themes below for further commentary.)
The Holiday Calendar
(23:1-44)
The holiday calendar appears four times in the Torah: Shemot 34, Vayikra 23, Bamidbar 28-29 and Devarim 16. Each rendering has a slightly different spin and may serve a slightly different purpose. From an historic perspective, Shemot would be the first time the Israelites hear about all of the holidays. The rendition in Vayikra might be a reminder to the Israelites and the Kohanim that observing the holidays is a key ingredient to being holy. The rendering in Bamidbar includes a specific enumeration of the offerings brought for each holiday. The re-statement in Devarim may be viewed as consistent with the summary nature of the fifth book of the Chumash.
Unlike the first two chapters of Emor where God tells Moshe to instruct Aaron and his sons, here God tells Moshe to speak to all of the Israelites. In other words, the obligation to observe the holidays falls on each individual and not just on the priestly class. By beginning with the statement “These are My fixed times…” God is letting us know that we are not to reschedule holiday observances to fit our convenience. It is also sanctification for the calendar we follow today. The list begins with Shabbat, which is the anchor of the Jewish people. It then moves sequentially through the year beginning with Pesach, moving on to Shavuot, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkoth and Shemini Atzeres. The commands surrounding the Omer fall between the description of the observance of Pesach and Shavuot. Unlike other holidays, Shavuot is actually not assigned a date on the calendar. Rather its observance is to come after counting the Omer for seven weeks. Hence its name, the Festival of Weeks. The holiday we call Rosh Hashanah (the New Year) is mentioned but not by that name. Instead, the holiday that falls on the first day of the seventh month is described as a day of remembrance. The description of Yom Kippur differs in tone from what we read previously in the sedrah of Acharay Mot. In Emor, the emphasis is on the role of the individual in observing this day of affliction rather than the role of the Kohanim. The calendar concludes with Sukkoth and Shemini Atzeres (the Eighth Day of Assembly). Here we find the commands concerning the Lulav and the Etrog. We also find the command to dwell in booths, but the real reason for doing this has been lost in the haze of history.
Daily Observance and
Blasphemy (24:1-23)
Some commentators view this chapter as a pastiche of unconnected laws and events. But consider this alternative interpretation. The first part of the chapter deals with the Menorah (24:1-4) and the Showbread (24:9-5). The Stone Chumash says that having dealt with special observances in the previous chapter, the Torah now turns to matters of daily spirituality - the on-going kindling of the lamp and the continuing preparation of the “lechem hapanim” or “bread of display.” So what do these two commands have to do with the story of the blasphemer that follows (24:10-23)? The act of blasphemy mentioned in Emor follows an ordinary daily event, a fight between men over some supposed but unmentioned insult (think of it as an ancient form of Road Rage). This mundane event escalates into a level of anger where somebody improperly invokes God’s name, which is a crime punishable by death. In other words, daily events can elevate us (proper observance of the commands about the Menorah and the Showbread) or they can degrade us (losing control of our emotions to such a degree that we end speaking the unspeakable). Being holy is a daily event, not just behavior for a few red-letter days on the calendar.
Themes
Commandments
263-264. The prohibition against
a Kohein (priest) making himself ritually unclean by coming into contact with a
corpse, except upon the death of very close relatives, in which case he is
commanded to defile himself (21:1-3).
265. The requirement that a
priest who becomes defiled during the day and who undergoes ritual immersion
not serve at the sanctuary until the evening (21:6).
266. The prohibition of a
priest marrying a harlot (21:7).
267. The prohibition of a
priest marrying the child of a priest whom entered into a forbidden marriage
(21:7).
268. The prohibition against
a priest marrying a divorcee (21:7).
269. The obligation of
ordinary Jews to treat Kohanim as holy (21:8).
270. The prohibition against
the Kohein Gadol (High Priest) entering a place containing a corpse (21:11).
271. The prohibition against
the Kohein Gadol defiling himself for any corpse including those of his closest
relatives (21:11).
272. The commandment that
the High Priest marry only a virgin (21:13).
273. The prohibition against
the High Priest marrying a widow (21:14).
274. The prohibition against
the High Priest having relations with a widow (21:14).
275. The prohibition against
a priest with a permanent physical blemish serving at the sanctuary (21:17-20).
276. The prohibition against
a priest with a temporary physical blemish serving at the sanctuary (21:17-20).
277. The prohibition against
a priest with a physical blemish entering those areas of the sanctuary
restricted to priest (21:13).
278. The prohibition against
a ritually unclean priest carrying out priestly functions (22:2).
279. The prohibition against
a ritually unclean priest eating “trumah” (22:4).
280. The prohibition against
a non-priest eating “trumah” (22:10).
281. The prohibition against
a priest’s Hebrew servant eating “trumah” (22:10).
282. The prohibition against
an uncircumcised person eating “trumah” (22:10).
283. The prohibition against
a daughter of a priest who is married to a non-priest eating “trumah” (22:12).
284. The prohibition against
Israelites eating “tevel” - produced from which the part to be given the priest
has not been deducted (22:15).
285. The prohibition against
a blemished animal being offered as a sacrifice (22:20-21).
286. The requirement that,
to be sacrificed, an animal must be without disfigurement (22:20-21).
287. The prohibition against
disfiguring an animal that has been consecrated to be sacrificed (22:21).
288. The prohibition against
sprinkling the blood of blemished animals on the altar (22:22).
289. The prohibition against
ritually slaughtering a defective animal for an offering (22:22).
290. The prohibition against
burning the forbidden parts of blemished animals on the altar (22:22).
291. The prohibition against
castrating an animal (22:24).
292. The prohibition against
offering a defective animal brought by a non-Israelite to the sanctuary
(22:25).
293. The requirement that a
sacrificed animal be at least eight days old (22:27).
294. The prohibition against
slaughtering an animal and its young on the same day (22:28).
295. The prohibition against
profaning God’s name (22:32).
296. The commandment to
sanctify God’s name (22:32).
297. The obligation to
sanctify the first day of Pesach (23:7).
298. The prohibition against
doing work on the first day of Pesach (23:7).
299. The commandment to
bring a “Musaf” (additional) offering on each of the seven days of Pesach
(23:8).
300. The obligation to
sanctify the seventh day of Pesach (23:8).
301. The obligation against
doing work on the seventh day of Pesach (23:8).
302. The commandment to
bring the priest an omer from one’s new barley harvest on the second day of
Pesach (23:10-11).
303-304-305. The prohibitions
against eating cereal grain, roasted grain, or fresh grain until they are
brought as an offering (23:14).
306. The commandment to
count the omer, here meaning the forty-nine days between Pesach and Shavuot
(23:15).
307. The obligation to make
a meal offering of two loaves of bread baked from new wheat on the holiday of
Shavuot (23:15).
308. The commandment to
observe Shavuot as a sacred day (23:21).
309. The prohibition against
working on Shavuot (23:21).
310. The obligation to
observe Rosh Hashanah as a day of solemn rest (23:24-25).
311. The prohibition against
working on Rosh Hashanah (23:24-25).
312. The commandment to make
a Musaf offering on Rosh Hashanah (23:25).
313. The obligation to fast
on the tenth day of Tishrei, Yom Kippur (23:27).
314. The commandment to make
a Musaf offering on Yom Kippur (23:27).
315. The prohibition against
working on Yom Kippur (23:28-29).
316. The commandment to
afflict oneself on Yom Kippur (23:28-29).
317. The commandment to make
Yom Kippur a solemn day (23:28-29).
318. The commandment to
sanctify the first day of Sukkoth (23:34-35).
319. The prohibition against
working on the first day of Sukkoth (23:34-35).
320. The obligation to bring
a Musaf offering on Sukkoth (23:36).
321. The commandment to rest
from work on Shemini Atzeret (23:36).
322. The commandment to
bring a Musaf offering on Shemini Atzeret (23:36).
323. The prohibition against
working on Shemini Atzeret (23:36).
324. The specifications of
the four species which are to be raised and blessed during Sukkoth (23:40).
325. The commandment to
dwell in a “Sukkah” (booth) for seven days (23:42-43).
Biblical
Literacy
by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin (edits by the author of this guide)
Kiddush
Ha-Shem (22:32)
Kiddush Ha-Shem means Sanctification of the Name. The term “the Name” refers to God. Kiddush Ha-Shem has come to be connected with martyrs - those Jews who accept death rather forsake the name of God. But Kiddush Ha-Shem means much more than that. It means living your life in such a way that observance of the commandments is seen as spiritually elevating. Consider this in the context of the discussion we have been having about being holy. At the same time, Vayikra (22:32) begins with the admonition “You shall not desecrate My holy Name.…” Desecration of the Name is the opposite of the Sanctification of the Name. As can be seen from Vayikra (22:31), at the least Desecration means failure to observe and perform the commandments. But we can also Desecrate the Name if we appear to follow the commandments, but lead our lives in such a way that others turn away from God because of our poor example. Why does the command to not desecrate come before the command to sanctify? Could it be an acknowledgement that some people may not be able to get it right, but everybody should be able to avoid getting it wrong?
Omer
(23:15)
The command reads, “You shall count for yourselves.…” This gives rise to the custom in which you are now participating, the Counting of the Omer. The practice is also referred to “s’firah” which is the Hebrew word for counting. You do not need a Priest, Rabbi or other official. You do not need a minyan. Each Jew can count the Omer by following the simple formula in the prayer book. See how easy it is to obey a commandment. The Omer ceremony of ancient times is an example of how something is made holy. Harvesting, especially when it was a totally manual operation, is one of the most mundane activities imaginable. In creating the Daily Omer Offering, the Israelites turned a dirty, backbreaking necessity into an event infused with Godliness. There is a controversy as to when to begin counting the Omer. The text says that the counting is to begin “on the day after the sabbath” (23:11). In Hebrew the verse uses the term “Shabbat.” It is only in the English translation that the word is spelled with a lower case “s” to distinguish the term from the Sabbath, the Day of Rest or the Seventh Day of the week. Some Jews have taken the text literally and count the Omer from the Shabbat that falls during or at the end of Pesach (on Sunday in modern terms) and not on the evening of the second day of the festival. The origins of this controversy are shrouded in the mists of history since we lack many of the writings of the proponents of the alternative observance. For more on this and the meaning of the Omer in general you might want to read pages 199 through 205 of Torah Studies, a collection of commentaries by the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
Holidays
Obviously we have added to the list - Simchat Torah, Chanukah and Purim being the three most obvious additions. Rosh Hashanah is described as a Day of Remembrance, but what are we to remember? On the first day of the seventh month we are to remember our behavior from the past year so that on the tenth day of the month you will know why you are atoning. All of the holidays call for a cessation from labor but that does not mean the same thing on each holiday. The rules for permitted work are less stringent on the Festivals than they are for Shabbat and Yom Kippur. For example you may cook and carry on the Pilgrimage Festivals. You may not perform these tasks on Yom Kippur or Shabbat. It would appear that each holiday required a Musaf or additional sacrifice, which is the reason for the Musaf or Additional Service that is part of the Morning Shabbat and Festival Services in Orthodox and Conservative Synagogues. Of course, we will continue to discuss each holiday in detail as it arises on the calendar. In the meantime, you might want to read pages 919 through 926 of the Plaut Chumash for a well-written summary of the Jewish Festival Calendar described in this sedrah including a section on the controversy concerning the Counting of the Omer.
Social Justice
In the welter of laws about the holidays, we find a command to leave the corners of the field unharvested and not to pick up the “gleanings of your harvest” (23:22). These are for the poor and the stranger. Once again, we see that from the earliest days of the Torah, being holy was a combination of proper ritual combined with proper behavior. The festivals were observed with sacrifices but with caring for the less fortunate as well. (We will discuss the particular command in more detail when we study Shavuot in a couple of weeks).
Every Shabbat
In talking about the Sabbath observances the text says, “B’yom Ha-Shabbat, B’yom Ha-Shabbat…or in English, “On the Sabbath Day, On the Sabbath Day” (28:8). Why not just “On the Sabbath” once? By repeating the term, the Torah is telling us to observe the ritual, including the lighting of the candles, on each and every Sabbath.
Death
The
sedrah contains many references to the dead and dead bodies. One of the highest levels of mitzvoth are
those for which there is no reward. In
Hebrew, they are called “Chesed shel Emet.”
You might remember that “Chesed” (Kindness) and “Emet” (Truth) are two
of the Thirteen Attributes of God you read about in Shemot 34:6-7. (Do you see how all of this studying starts
to get interconnected after a while?
Fun, isn’t it!?) Any way, taking
the dead to the cemetery is considered “Chesed shel Emet” since the dead cannot
repay you. Also, there is mitzvah called
“Met Mitzvah.” “Met” is translated as
corpse or dead. “Met Mitzvah” refers to
taking care of the burial needs of a person who dies without family. As part of the daily Shacharit service we
recite a section of the Talmud that lists things that we are to “enjoy” doing
while awaiting our portion in the “World to Come.” The list includes obvious sources of pleasure
including giving hospitality to guests, studying and providing for a
bride. But it also includes “escorting
the dead.” In God’s scheme, we each play
a role. The Kohanim are critical when it
comes to the mitzvoth of the Temple.
But, under most circumstances, it is left to the ordinary Jew to perform
“Met Mitzvah” and one of the ultimate forms of “Chesed shel Emet,” caring for
the dead.
Disqualifying
the Blemished
God
forbids the bringing of a blemished animal as a sacrifice (22:17-25). God also forbids a Kohein with a blemish from
offering a sacrifice (21:16-24). The
same Hebrew word, “moom”, is used when speaking of the blemished sacrifice or
the blemished one offering the sacrifice.
The reasons for forbidding the use of blemished animals for a sacrifice
are almost self-evident. But why the
prohibition against the blemished priest, especially when you look at the
description of the blemishes? There are
those who say the prohibition existed so that the people would not be
distracted from the sanctity of the sacrifice by staring at the blemished
priest. I do not find this a very
satisfactory answer and find the command inconsistent with what we have read in
the Torah. We know from the prohibition
about putting a stumbling block in front of the blind, that God wants us to
care for those with handicaps. And
Moshe’s speech impediment certainly did not disqualify him from leading us out
of slavery or receiving the very law that disqualifies the blemished
priest. Unless you have a found a better
explanation, this might just be a “Chukat” which Elijah or the Moshiach will be
able to explain.
Contradictions
and Confusion
In “Choice and Lineage,” Nessa Raporport’s D’var Torah on Emor we are reminded of just how contradictory and confusing the portion can be for many of us. It begins with the harsh, strict rules for the Kohanim. The reading then shifts to the joyful cadence of the holiday calendar. And then, just as abruptly, the reading shifts again and ends with the stoning of the blasphemer. The blasphemer who dies so violently has an Egyptian father and an Israelite mother. The mother’s name is Shlomit, which is a form of the Hebrew for “wholeness” and “peace.” What does all of this mean? For once, I will take refuge in the words of Rashi, “of this I do not know.”
Priestly
Purity
This week’s reading with its list of acceptable characteristics for the Kohanim including permissible marriages reminds again of the importance that God placed on the purity of the Priestly class. The priests were entrusted with the performance of the sacrifices which for our ancestors was the key to making expiation for our sins so of course they would have to be pure in the truest sense of the word. As uncomfortable as it may be for us to admit, the Jewish people lost the Temple long before the Romans sacked it in 70 AD. For decades prior to that event, the Priestly class had been compromised by Jewish leaders more concerned with conquest and grandeur than following the words in Leviticus in which God not only describes the qualifications for priestly acceptability but also says that He wants us to be “a nation of Priests.” This should serve as a reminder that there is more to being Jewish than holding on to territory or participating in ritual that is unacceptable because it lacks the underlying level of morality.
Haftarah
44:15-31 Ezekiel
The Man: Ezekiel is one of the Three Major Literary Prophets; the other two being Isaiah and Jeremiah. Ezekiel lived in the last days of the First Temple and was among those exiled to Babylonia. He probably was sent to Babylonia with the first wave of exiles about ten years before the actual destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem. He is a younger contemporary of Jeremiah, who also lived during the last days of the First Temple. (I have not been able to find a record of the two of them ever having met. Maybe one of you has come across such a mention in your studies.) The Book of Ezekiel is comprised of forty-eight chapters, half of which were written before the destruction of the Temple and half of which were written after the destruction of the Temple. You have already read several summaries about Ezekiel since his writings provide at least ten of the haftarot during the course of the year.
The Message: This week’s haftarah comes from the second half of the book which means it was written once the prophet was living in Babylonia. In an amazing act of specificity, the commentators for Etz Hayim report that this was written “in the beginning of year 572 B.C.E., fourteen years after the fall of Jerusalem.” These sixteen verses are a small portion of Ezekiel’s grand design for the new Temple, which is to be built at some future date. They describe the role of the Kohanim including matters of lineage, attire and ritual practices. There are discrepancies between Ezekiel’s Temple and the practices described in the Torah concerning the First Temple. Some of the sages did not want to include Ezekiel’s writings in the TaNaCh because they seemed to contradict the Torah. At the same time, Ezekiel’s writings concerning a future Temple were not consistent with the reality of the Second Temple built after the Babylonian Exile. This could have made him a “false prophet.” The inconsistencies between Ezekiel’s writings about the Temple and the realities of the First and Second Temple led other commentators to conclude that Ezekiel was really writing about the Temple that would be built at the time of the coming of the Moshiach. This interpretation kept Ezekiel in the TaNaCh because it explained away inconsistencies with the Torah and any claim that he was a false prophet since the future he described had not yet come to pass.
Theme-link: The first part of the Sedrah deals with the
rules pertaining to the Kohanim. The
haftarah contains a shortened version of rules pertaining to the roles and
practices of the Kohanim.
Pirke Avot - (Sayings of the Fathers) is a collection of sayings, teachings, and
ethical maxims. A popular and eminently
quotable work, it is one of the sixty-three tractates of the Mishnah. The Mishnah, consisting of centuries of oral
teachings passed down from one generation to the next, was finally codified by
Rabbi Yehudah Ha-Nasi in 200 C.E. Pirke
Avot is unique among the tractates of the Mishnah in that it doesn't
contain any halachah (law), only aggadah (stories or legends). Its popularity is reflected in the fact that
it is included in most prayer books (including, in part, in Gates of Prayer).
Rabbi W. Gunther Plaut one of the great teachers of the Reform Movement suggests that Pirke Avot "teaches us the essentials of what life might be at its best." It deals with some of life's most basic and important questions: What is our purpose and destiny? What is sin, and how do we conquer it? What is wisdom? What is my relationship to God? Pirke Avot is divided into chapters, and each chapter is further divided into individual statements, each called a Mishnah. It is customary to study a chapter of Pirke Avot starting with the first Shabbat after the end of Pesach (Passover). Since Pirke Avot consists of six chapters, the work may be completed by the start of Shavuot. However, other groups of Jews follow a cycle where they study and re-study each of the chapters until the last Shabbat before Rosh Hashanah. Regardless of the format you choose, each week the Torah page will include one verse from the chapter of the week with a few comments from a variety of sources.)
Excerpts from Chapter 3
3:2 Rabbi Chanina, an assistant of the high priest said: Pray for the welfare of the government, since but for fear of it men would swallow each other alive. Rabbi Chananyah ben Teradyon said: If two sit together and no words of Torah are interchanged between them, theirs is the session of the scornful, as it is written (Psalm 1:1) "Nor sit in the seat of scoffers." But when two sit together and words of Torah pass between them, the Divine Presence rests between them, as it is written (Malachi 3:16) "Then those who revered the Lord spoke with one another. The Lord took note and listened, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who revered the Lord and thought on his name." Scripture speaks here of two. Whence do we learn that if even one sits and occupies himself in the Torah, the Holy One blessed be he, appoints him a reward? Because it is written (Lamentations 3:28) "to sit alone in silence when the Lord has imposed it."
Rabbi Chanina lived during the first and
second centuries of the Common Era. He
is also referred to as Rabbi Chanina, Segan ha-Kohanim. Segan is usually translated as deputy meaning
he was the Deputy to the High Priest.
The Segan was the one who was authorized to take over from the High
Priest on Yom Kippur “should the need arise.”
So once again we see that members of the priestly class played a key
role in the creation of so-called Rabbinic Judaism. In other words, the line between Sadducees
and Pharisees was not necessarily as clear as people would have you
believe. When Chanina spoke of “the
government” he was referring to
Rabbi Chananyah ben Teradyon lived during the second century in the time preceding Bar Kochba’s Rebellion. He is one of Ten Martyrs, Sages who were cruelly murdered by the Romans for teaching Torah. Further proof of his belief that all should study Torah is the fact his younger daughter was the famous Beruryah, the quick witted and loving wife of the great Sage Me’ir who is mentioned over 3,000 times in the Talmud. Ben Teradyon lived in a time when the spirits of the people were at a low ebb and that studying Torah was a capital crime. How would this have caused him to deal first with the need for two to study Torah (think of the concept of “The Pairs”)?
Then how would this have caused him to deal with issue of one person studying alone? Later, classic Talmudic study would always involve two studying together. However, given the danger of his time, the ever practical sage also was supplying a justification based on the TaNaCh for a person to study alone since studying alone was preferable (and safer) than not studying at all.
3:3 Rabbi Shimon said: If three have eaten at one table and have not spoken over it words of Torah, it is as though they had eaten of the sacrifices of the dead, for it is written (Isaiah 28:8) "All tables are covered with filthy vomit; no place is clean." But if three have eaten at one table and have spoken over it words of Torah, it is as if they had eaten from the table of God, for it is written (Ezekiel 41:22) "He said to me, ‘This is the table that stands before the Lord.’"
Rabbi Shimon’s full name was Shimon bar Yochai. He was so famous that he could be referred to without the patronymic and people knew who he was. He was born at the beginning of the Second Century of the Common Era. He studied with the great Rabbi Akiva. Shimon and Me’ir (see reference above) were the only two Rabbis ordained by Akiva. Do the math - does this have anything to do with the concept of “the threes” cited in this Mishnah? “The threes” cited in this manner in the Mishnah has found its way into the customs surrounding the recitation of the Grace After Meals. It also provides a clue as to the timing of the drinking of Third Cup of Wine at the Seder. Finally, how did the political conditions create this Mishnah? Shimon was an expert on Halakah as well as great teacher of ethics. If you do not get to all of him when studying Chapter Three, relax, he appears again in Chapter Four.
“Rabbi Chanina, the son of Chachinai, said, ‘He who keeps awake at night, and goes on his way alone, and turns his heart to idle thoughts, such a one sins against himself.’” (3:5). Rabbi Chanina lived in the first half of the second century A.D. He was a disciple of Rabbi Akiva. Chanina is stressing the importance of studying Torah in the truest sense of that term. Chanina sees the opposite as leading to folly which ultimately leads to sin. The sedrah commands that “you shall speak of them (God’s laws) while you sit in your home, while you walk on the way…” (6:7). Chanina warns not to walk on the “way alone.” In other words, travel with somebody so you can talk with him about Torah. If you travel alone your thoughts might wander to matters of frivolity that will ultimately lead you to behave in an unfit manner.
3:7 “Rabbi Elazar a man of Bartota says: ‘Give Him what is His, because you and all that you have are His. That was also expressed by (King) David who said: All things that come from You and we have given you only what is Yours.’”
Rabbi Elazar was contemporary of Rabbi
Akiva. He lived in a town called
Bartota, which is in a section of
3:6 Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa, a man of Kfar Chanina says: “If ten (people) sit and engage in Torah study, the Divine Presence abides among them, as it is said, ‘God stands in the Divine Assembly’ (Psalms 82:1). How do we know that it applies to five? Because of the verse ‘He has found His bundle on the earth’ (Amos 9; 6). How do we know it applies even to three? Because of the verse ‘He will judge in the midst of judges’ (Psalms 82:2). How do we know it applies even to two? The verse teaches, ‘Then they who feared Adonai spoke on to the other and Adonai listened and heard’ (Malachi 3:16). It applies even to one, since it is said, ‘In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come and bless you.’”
Rabbi Chalafta ben Dosa lived during the second century of the Common Era. He was a younger contemporary of Rabbi Akiva and student of Rabbi Meir one of the great sages of the day. This is an appropriate verse to study since it begins by talking about ten people just as the Torah portion talks about ten people. In the case of the sedrah, it is ten spies. In the case of the Mishnah it is ten people coming together for the study of Torah. Rabbi Chalafta like to include texts from the TaNaCh in his sayings to enhance their credibility; hence the quote (and the Biblical source) for each of his offerings is found here. “Rabbi Chalfta contends that God’s presence joins those who study Torah. He works backward from the Minyan (ten) to the solitary student (one) since anybody who studies Torah is performing a Mitzvah.” Why are we encouraged to study with others? According to the sages, “The more people join in performing a good deed, the greater its cumulative value.” Why was the number five acceptable of merit? Because when Amos used the term bundle, he was referring to a handful and a hand is made up of five fingers. Why was the number three of merit? Because as David points out in the Psalm God is present where judges sit and a court was made up of three judges. Hopefully study of this verse will help you to understand that references to certain numbers in Jewish ceremonies and practices is grounded in the basic text and not just the product of caprice or whim.
Verses
17 through 20 of Chapter Three are all attributed to Rabbi Akiva. Akiva is considered to be one of the
greatest teachers in Jewish history. He
lived from 60 to 135. In other words, he
was born ten years before the destruction of the
Copyright, May 2024;
Mitchell A. Levin
