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Parshat Hashavua

Sep 18, 2024

Parshat Ki Tavo 5784

Bikkurim & The Presence of God By Rabbi Johnny Solomon

This Shabbat we read Parshat Ki Tavo which describes the ritual of bringing the Bikkurim to the Kohanim in the Beit Hamikdash. Alongside this, we are in the month of Ellul during which Selichot are recited and which has at its core the י''ג מדות הרחמים (the 13 Attributes of Mercy (that Hashem taught Moshe in Shemot 34:6-7).

From first glance these two texts appear to have little in common. One concerns the physical bounty of First Fruits which farmers joyfully brought as gifts to the Kohanim, and the other is the formula for heavenly forgiveness about which we are told that “whenever Israel sins, let them do (יעשו) this [the Thirteen Attributes] in its proper order and I will forgive them” (Rosh Hashanah 17b). However, as the Meshech Chochmah (Rabbi Meir Simcha of Dvinsk) points out in his commentary to Devarim 26:11, there is more to this than meets the eye.

The Bikkurim and 13 Attributes of Mercy

In the Parshat Bikkurim, we find God’s name being mentioned on thirteen occasions, and just a few verses after the 13 Attributes of Mercy appear in Shemot 34:6-7 we are taught that ‘the first of your land’s early produce shall you bring to the Temple of God’ (Shemot 34:26). According to the Meshech Chochmah these two factors means that there is a strong connection between these two ideas. However, like the greatest of movies, he leaves the reader with this cliffhanger leaving it for us to work out what the unifying idea is.

To do so we must return to the above mentioned Gemara which states that “whenever Israel sins, let them do (יעשו) this [the Thirteen Attributes] in its proper order and I will forgive them” (Rosh Hashanah 17b). While some have translated the word יעשו as ‘say’ as if to mean that the mere recitation of these verses achieves forgiveness, a more correct translation is that we should emulate God by ‘doing’ these 13 attributes of Mercy, meaning that we should be compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in kindness and truth, preserve kindness and forgive others.

Gifting those in need

Understood this way, Bikkurim takes on an entirely new identity. Rather than merely being the gift of First Fruits, it is actually the gift of the farmer’s choicest produce to a person in need (nb. Rambam writes that this rule applies in many other areas of life, and that when we feed or clothe the needy, we should give of our finest – see Issurei Mizbeach 7:11) and it expresses the compassion and graciousness that God wishes us to perform.

Moreover, the declaration made by the farmer when they bring their Bikkurim (see Devarim 26:5-9) itself supports this idea. We are told that when the Bikkurim were brought to the Temple, the farmers would recount how God saw the affliction of the Jewish people in Egypt and how He redeemed them from slavery. Ultimately, what the farmer is saying is that just as God was there for those in need, so too their gift of Bikkurim emulates God by bringing their best produce as a gift to others.

While we may recite the 13 attributes of Mercy in selichot, the laws of Bikkurim provide us with an inspiring example of ‘doing’ acts of mercy by giving to others, and by placing His name 13 times in the portion of Bikkurim, God teaches us that He is most present when we give of our best to others. Shabbat Shalom!

A note from Rav Johnny: As you may know, I provide online spiritual coaching and halachic consultation services as #theVirtualRabbi exclusively through WebYeshiva. To find out more, and to book a free discovery call, visit https://webyeshiva.org/about-virtual-rabbi/

Parshat Hashavua

Sep 12, 2024

Parshat Ki Tetze 5784

Rabbi Johnny Solomon Leave a Comment

Chessed & Derech Eretz (Ki Tetze) By Rabbi Johnny Solomon Among the various stories and laws recorded in Parshat Ki Tetze is a description of how Bnei Yisrael’s treatment by the nations of Amon & Moav: ‘An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Hashem; even to the tenth generation none belonging to them shall enter into the assembly of Hashem forever, because they didn't meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came forth out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Bilam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you’ (Devarim 23:4-5). According to the Ramban, the structure of these verses is intentional so as to teach us that it was the Ammonites who did not provide Bnei Yisrael with bread and water, while it was the Moabites who demonstrated their ill-will by hiring Bilam to curse Bnei Yisrael. However, this then raises a question: Bnei Yisrael received their daily portion of heavenly manna in the merit of Moshe, while they drank from the miraculous well which accompanied them in the merit of Miriam. Given this fact, why did it matter to them that the Ammonites did not provide them with bread and water? They already had food and water?!

Showing common courtesy

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabbah 34:8) answers this question and while doing so provides us with a remarkable lesson about derech eretz (common courtesy): ‘Rabbi Simon in the name of Rabbi Elazar said: “Who was it that did not perform chessed (kindness) for those who were not in need of chessed? The Ammonites and Moabites towards Bnei Yisrael, as it is written: “because they didn't meet you with bread and with water” (Devarim 23:5). But did Bnei Yisrael need additional bread and water? Is it not so that during all those forty years that Bnei Yisrael were in the wilderness that the manna fell for them, the water arose for them, the quail was provided for them, the clouds of glory surrounded them, and the pillar of cloud traveled before them? Rather, it is derech eretz that one greets travelers with food and drink. And how did the Holy One blessed be He repay them as a result? “An Ammonite or a Moabite shall not enter into the assembly of Hashem” (ibid. 23:4). From here we can infer an a fortiori (kal vachomer). If God punished those who did not perform chessed for those who were not in need of chessed, then someone who does not perform chessed for one who is in need of chessed, all the more so [that God will punish them].”’

How to perform chesed

Clearly this teaching provides us with a powerful mussar lesson regarding how we must show derech eretz both to those not in need of chessed, and especially towards those in need of chessed. In fact, the Midrash then proceeds to explain that we learn from Avraham (who performed chessed by giving food to the angels even though they did not need food – see Bereishit 18:8), and from Boaz (who performed chessed by giving food to Ruth who was in need of food - see Ruth 2:14) how the performance of chessed brings rewards & blessing to those who do so. With this in mind, and as we near towards Rosh Hashanah, now is the opportune time not only for us to upgrade our general behaviour to ensure that we act with derech eretz, but also to look around our local communities while asking ourselves what acts of chessed can we perform - especially for those in need. Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Hashavua

Sep 05, 2024

Parshat Shoftim 5784

Rabbi Johnny Solomon Leave a Comment

God is on our side (Shoftim)

By Rabbi Johnny Solomon Parshat Shoftim informs us that before Jewish soldiers would go out to battle the Kohen (priest) would deliver the following stirring words: “Hear Israel (Shema Yisrael), today you are about to engage in battle with your enemies; do not be fainthearted, don’t be afraid, or tremble, or be scared of them, for the Lord God is the One who goes out with you to fight for you against your enemies in order to save you” (Devarim 20:3-4). Significantly, though just the two words of ‘Hear Israel’ (Shema Yisrael) are used in this verse, Rashi explains that this alludes to the Shema prayer, and how its recitation by those about to go to battle girds them and strengthens them. But the question is: how?

The purpose of Shema

Maharal answers in his Gur Aryeh commentary that when a Jew recites the Shema, they declare their faith in the Oneness and Unity of God, and through doing so, they attach themselves to something greater than anything else, which overrides everything else. Accordingly, faith in Hashem Echad gives us hope and strength to fight against and hopefully overcome all the challenges we may face. Interestingly, the Midrash (Midrash Aggada) focusses in on the phrase ‘with your enemies’ on which it notes that though Jews can be unkind to each other, we are not viciously cruel to one another. In contrast, ‘if Jews fall into the hands of our enemies, they will show no mercy.’ As we sadly know from the past 11 months and from the recent sickening murder of six hostages, this lack of mercy is a chillingly accurate description of who our enemy is, and this is why we must continue to fight against them be victorious over them.

We will be victorious

Finally, commenting on the words ‘for the Lord God is the One who goes out with you to fight for you’, Rashi explains that while our enemies, ‘are coming as flesh and blood to be victorious, the Jewish people are coming with the support of God to be victorious’, then adding, ‘[this is like the story of] the Philistines who came with Goliath to be victorious. But what was his end? He fell, and they fell with him!’ Taken together, these verses - which speak so deeply to us in these difficult times - serve as a reminder to us that we should continue to have faith in God and each other; that we should be kind to each other not only because it is the right thing to do but also because our enemies are so cruel towards us, and that when we continue to go out to battle, we should know that God is on our side and that we will ultimately overcome our enemies and be victorious. Shabbat Shalom! If you are a man, woman or couple looking to grow or looking for guidance, then now is the perfect time to book your free, confidential, no-obligation discovery call to share what is on your mind and to find out about Rabbi Johnny Solomon's #VirtualRabbi spiritual coaching and halachic consultation service. To book a discovery call, visit https://webyeshiva.org/about-virtual-rabbi/

Parshat Hashavua

Aug 26, 2024

Parshat Re’eh 5784

Rabbi Johnny Solomon Leave a Comment

What will happen when I die? (Parshat Re’eh)

By Rabbi Johnny Solomon

Early on in Parshat Re’eh, Moshe refers to the ceremony which would occur when Bnei Yisrael entered the Land of Israel (see Devarim 11:29), and he then tells Bnei Yisrael what they must do upon entering the land and how they must destroy all traces of idolatry (ibid. 12:1-13:19). This includes the command to destroy altars that were used for idolatrous practices (ibid. 12:3), the prohibition to consume blood, the prohibition against idolatrous prophets and missionaries (ibid. 13:2-12), and the command to destroy apostate cities whose inhabitants have turned to idol worship (ibid. 13:13-19).

Then, Devarim 14:3-21 details the kashrut laws relating to the food which Bnei Yisrael would need to eat once the manna ceased to fall upon entering the land of Israel (see Yehoshua 5:12), while Devarim 14:22-29 details the tithe laws that would begin to apply once Bnei Yisrael enter the Land of Israel.

Self-harming when mourning the death of a relative

However, in between these sections we find two verses which seem to discuss something completely different. Specifically, Devarim 14:1-2 tells us about the Torah prohibition of self-harming when mourning the death of a relative: ‘You are children of the Lord your God. Do not lacerate yourselves or [pull out your hair to] make bald patches in the middle of your heads for the dead. For you are a people sacred to the Lord your God. The Lord has chosen you of all the peoples on earth to be to Him a treasured people’ (Devarim 14:1-2).

Of course, this prohibition may well have been rooted in idolatrous practices from that region and that time, and as such, this likely connects it to the previous section. However, this fact is not obvious from the verses. Beyond this, unlike the previous section and the section that follows, Devarim 14:1-2 does not seem to have any specific relevance to the land of Israel. Given this, what is the point of this seemingly random reference to mourning rituals in between these two sections of laws relating to life inside the land of Israel?

Chizkuni suggests that it is possible that these verses immediately follow the law of the apostate city to teach us that even if a parent, sibling or other relative is killed in an apostate city, we should still recognize that God’s commandments are just, that even if we don’t understand the ways of God they still have a purpose, and therefore, even in our hour of anguish and mourning, we should not self-harm.

Understanding Death

Beyond this, Chizkuni (paralleling the interpretations of the Ibn Ezra, Bechor Shor & Rosh) adds a further powerful insight which is that even if one’s parent has died, a Jew should remember that they are not orphans and that we are, ‘children of the Lord your God’ (Devarim 14:1). Accordingly, while an idolater who worships stones or trees whose parent dies might feel that they are now totally alone, a Jew who believes in God never truly feels alone because they always have their Father in Heaven.

However, alongside these remarks, I believe that these verses carry a further meaning. As we see from Bemidbar 11:11-12, Moshe regarded himself as a parent figure for the Jewish people. And as is clear from the previous chapters in Sefer Devarim, Moshe already knows that he will soon die. Given all this, while there is much talk about what will happen when the people enter the land of Israel, Moshe is also concerned that the journey of Bnei Yisrael might be jolted following their mourning of his death.

Death is part of life

Accordingly, I believe that the purpose of Devarim 14:1-2 is that it is a pep-talk that Moshe gives Bnei Yisrael about his upcoming death. It is here when he tells the people that death - and especially the death of a parent or a spiritual parent - is a part of life. And it is here where he tells the people that what makes the Jewish faith so special is that we are never truly orphaned because we always have God with us. Understood this way, this also helps us explain why these verses don’t mention the land of Israel, because unlike the laws that precede and follow this section, the focus of Devarim 14:1-2 is Moshe’s death - which takes place outside of the land of Israel.

Perhaps we may wonder whether Moshe’s pep-talk worked? The answer is ‘yes’ - as we see in the final lines of the Torah where we are told that, ‘The Israelites wept for Moshe in the plains of Moav for thirty days. And the weeping and mourning for him came to an end’ (Devarim 34:8). And why did it ‘come to an end’? It is because Moshe had previously told the people that even when he died they should not feel hopeless, that they still had their Father in Heaven, and that from his death onwards, they now had Yehoshua to lead them into the land of Israel.

Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Hashavua

Aug 22, 2024

Parshat Ekev 5784

Rabbi Johnny Solomon Leave a Comment

Cleave to God (Ekev) By Rabbi Johnny Solomon Twice in Parshat Ekev we are taught about the mitzvah of dveikut – cleaving to God: ‘Revere the Lord your God and worship Him. Cleave to Him and swear by His name’ (Devarim 10:20); ‘If you carefully keep all of this command with which I am charging you, loving the Lord your God, walking in all His ways, and cleaving to Him’ (ibid. 11:22). Significantly, the Torah makes three further references to the mitzvah of dveikut (Devarim 4:4, 13:5 & 30:20). Nevertheless, in terms of the mitzvah of dveikut as classically understood, it is derived from our parsha (see Sefer HaMitzvot Asseh 6, Sefer HaChinuch No. 434). I stress the words ‘as classically understood’ because there are at least four different approaches to the mitzvah of dveikut, and whether or not word dveikut is part of your religious or spiritual lexicon is likely based on which approach you have adopted (or which you’ve been taught to adopt).

The classical approach

The ‘classically’ understood approach to dveikut is found in the Sifrei as quoted by Rashi in his commentary to Devarim 11:22 who writes: ‘How is it possible to ask us to cleave to God? Is God not “a consuming fire” (Devarim 4:24)? Instead, this is understood to mean that we should cleave to Torah scholars and their students, and by doing so, God will consider doing so as if we are cleaving to Him.’ What this implies is that we can cleave to God by studying Torah and by cleaving to those who study Torah. In fact, the Gemara (Ketubot 111b) stretches this principle to claim that by marrying a Torah scholar, you are ultimately fulfilling the mitzvah of cleaving to God. A different approach to dveikut is offered by the Gemara (Sotah 14a) and is quoted by Rashi in his commentary to Devarim 13:5 who explains that we ‘cleave to His ways’ by bestowing kindness as God bestows kindness, by burying the dead as God buries the dead, and by visiting the sick as God visits the sick. This means that we cleave to God by imitating God (Imitatio Dei) and by following His ways.

Communion with God

A third approach to dveikut considers this duty in its more literal form – namely communion with God. As the Ba’al Shem Tov explains in Likkutei Yekarim no. 175 (as quoted by R’ Lamm in The Religious Thought of Hasidism p. 156): ‘when you seek to achieve dveikut, you must first traverse the world of Asiyah. Then, in thought, you must soar much higher, and still higher, to the world of the angels and the ophanim, and after this to the world of Beriah, until you feel that your thoughts have soared as high as the world of Atzilut. In the Zohar this is called “thought in which there is no action.”’ As should be evident, and as Rabbi Lamm points out, this approach to dveikut is likely to be achieved ‘privately, in seclusion and isolation’. Finally, the Ramban (in his commentary to Devarim 11:22) explains that, ‘included in dveikut is remembering God and loving Him constantly; your thoughts never leaving Him when you walk, when you lie down, when you rise; so much so that when you talk with others, it is only with your mouth and tongue that you talk, but your heart is not in it because it is in the presence of God.’ As Rabbi Lamm observes, ‘what is especially noteworthy is the Ramban’s understanding of dveikut as taking place not in seclusion, but [instead] in the course of day-to-day life.’

Our ultimate friend

Clearly, some of these approaches to dveikut will likely resonate with us more than others. Still, the Torah speaks of this mitzvah five times. As such, we are dutibound to consider how we fulfil this mitzvah and how we choose to live our lives in a manner that is reflective of dveikut. I shall end with a beautiful thought of the Kotznitzer Maggid (in his Avodat Yisrael, commenting on Avot 3:10), as shared by the Slonimer Rebbe (in his Netivot Shalom: Devarim, in his essay on cleaving to God). The Gemara (Shabbat 31a) relates how a prospective convert approached Hillel and requested that he teach him the entire Torah while standing on one foot, to which Hillel responded: “What is hateful to you, do not do to your friend. That is the whole Torah; the rest is commentary, go and learn!”. In response to this teaching, the Koznitzer Maggid writes that he once heard his teacher explain that when Hillel referred to ‘your friend’, this refers God who is our ultimate friend. On this basis, Hillel’s lesson teaches us that the entire Torah is about acting in a way that shows sensitivity to our relationship with God towards whom we are commanded to cleave. Shabbat Shalom!

Parshat Hashavua

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