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Yerushalayim -- "The Place that G-d will Choose"

Yerushalayim -- "The Place that G-d will Choose"

הרב מרדכי גרינברג
נשיא הישיבה

In Parshat Re'eh and Parshat Shoftim the phrase, "the place that G-d will choose," appears many times. The Torah contrasts this "place," Yerushalayim, with idolatry. The heathens worship on all "the high mountains ... and under every leafy tree" (Devarim 12:3), whereas, "You shall not do this to Hashem, your G-d. Rather, only at the place that Hashem will choose ... there you shall seek out his Presence." (12:4-5) The ma'aser sheni must also be eaten, "before Hashem, your G-d, in the place that He will choose." Why is Yerushalayim described specifically with this term?

Yerushalayim is mentioned twice in Sefer Bereishit, both in the context of Avraham: He meets "Malki-Zedek, king of Shalem" following the war of Sodom, and the trial of the Akeidah takes place there.

In the meeting with Malki-Zedek, Yerushalayim is described as the city of justice and perfection, in contrast to Sodom. The names of the respective kings attest to this. The king of Sodom is called "Bera" ("bad"), and of Amorah is called, "Birsha" ("wicked"), in contrast to Malki-Zedek ("justice"), king of Yerushalayim. Sodom and Amorah symbolize the evil in the world, both in character and in deed. G-d says about them, "The outcry of Sodom and Amorah has become great." (Bereishit 18:20) In contrast, G-d testifies about Avraham, "he commands his children ... that they keep the way of Hashem, doing charity and justice." (18:19) When there is no justice -- there is crying out, as we find that if one returns a security pledge there is "tzedakah" (Devarim 24:13), but if not -- there is "crying out." (Shemot 22:26) Similarly, Yeshaya says, "He had hoped for justice, but behold, affliction! For righteousness, but behold, an outcry!" (5:7)

The trait of Sodom is, "Mine is mine." (Pirkei Avot) Without a recognition of Divine guidance, each person grabs for himself whatever he can. Avraham, in contrast, refused to take from the booty of Sodom, and swore, "If I shall take from anything of yours." (Bereishit 14:23) That is why Malki-Zedek declared, "Blessed is Avram to G-d, the Most High, Maker of heaven and earth," because Avraham showed that G-dliness is on the earth as well. Yeshaya, as well laments about the distortion of justice in Yerushalayim, "She had been full of justice, righteousness lodged in her, but now, murderers!" (1:21) His consolation is, "Zion will be redeemed through justice, and those who return to her through righteousness." (1:27) Yerushalayim is the antithesis to Sodom.

The other aspect of Yerushalayim is that highlighted by the Akeidah, the most difficult of the ten trials of Avraham. First, the very demand to sacrifice a son is difficult. Second, the very trial is hard to comprehend, since we find that the sacrifice of children is despised in Parshat Re'eh. The idea of a sacrifice reflects a great truth; it is an expression of man's willingness to completely submit all to G-d, as the Ramban writes in the beginning of Vayikra. The heathens, in fact, offered their sons, that which is dearest to them. Why then is such mesirut nefesh (self-sacrifice) so far from Judaism? The answer is because G-d declared it an abomination. In a similar vein, R. Yehuda Halevi explains why the golden calf was different from the cherubs -- because G-d commanded the cherubs! We must worship the way G-d dictates, not based on our own understanding. This is where the other religions are different, in that they worship based on own conjectures. That is why the angel tells the Kuzar king, "Your intentions are worthy, but your deeds are not."

This is explicit in Yirmiya (7:31), "They have built the high places ... to burn their sons and their daughters, in fire -- which I had not commanded and had not entered my mind." The emphasis is not that objectively such rites are atrocious, but that, "I had not commanded." In the same way, the Torah tells us that the heathens worship on every hill that they see fit, whereas we are not to do so, but only in the place that G-d desires. Just as the manner of worship has to be ordained by G-d, without adding or detracting, so too the place must be Divinely ordained.

This difference between Yisrael and the nations, worship based on Divine command vs. worship based on human rationale, should find expression in the dedication of the Mikdash. G-d tells Avraham to offer Yitzchak on "one of the mountains which I shall tell you." (Bereishit 22:2) This is exactly the test of the Akeidah. How does Avraham differ from the heathens? They observe rites without Divine command, whereas Avraham worships because he was commanded to do so. Whoever worships as instructed is the one who upholds the trial, regardless of whether the offering is a son or an animal. The Akeidah shows that we refrain from offering sons not because we are unable to rise to the challenge, but because G-d does not desire it. Chazal comment that Yitzchak's ashes are piled before G-d's Throne. Their intention is that the sacrifice of the lamb was accepted as if Yitzchak himself had been offered. "G-d will seek out for Himself the lamb for the offering, my son." (22:8) The sacrifice will be whatever G-d shows, whether a lamb or my son. The animal sacrifice is symbol of human willingness.

At the conclusion of the Akeidah, the angel of G-d calls out to Avraham, "Do not stretch out your hand to the lad nor do anything to him, for now I know that you are a G-d- fearing man." (22:12) The Malbim writes that the true test of the Akeidah was whether Avraham would refrain from offering his son with the same motive that brought him to sacrifice -- not out of compassion and personal interest, but because of Divine decree. The Malbim infers this from the phrase, "since you have not withheld your son ... from Me" -- because I commanded you. That is why Avraham wanted to at least draw blood, as Chazal write, to show his willingness and dedication. But "G-d- fearing" means to submit completely to G-d, whether through action or inaction. The roots of "ra'ah" and "yir'ah" appear seven times in the chapter of the Akeidah. The idea is that if one accepts whatever G-d shows him -- then he will see G-d.

Thus, Yerushalayim has a dual struggle, one on the social level of justice, and the second on the nature of worship based on Divine command. Therefore, to build Yerushalayim required two people, David and Shlomo. David represents the second aspect, that of "seeing." When G-d sends Shmuel to choose David, again we find the root of "ra'ah" seven times. G-d tells Shmuel, "Man sees what his eyes behold, but Hashem sees into the heart" (Shmuel I 16:7), and He will show who is worthy of being king. In the end, among the attributes for which David is chosen is that he is "tov roi" (a pleasing appearance). David, however, does not relate to the first aspect of Yerushalayim, that of peace. He was "admoni" (ruddy); he shed blood, albeit in Sanhedrin. Yerushalayim cannot be built only on the base of "yirah," but it also needs the trait of peace, that represented by Shlomo. Therefore, it says, "Shlomo began building the Temple of Hashem in Yerushalayim on Mount Moriah, where He had appeared to his father David." (Divrei Hayamim II 3:1) Yerushalayim combines the peace of Shlomo with the seeing of David. Chazal express this in the Midrash that G-d debated how to call the city, "Shalem" or "Yireh," and so joined them -- "Yerushalayim." Since these are the essential traits of Yerushalayim, when they are lacking -- the city is meant for destruction. There are not just additional aspects, but the basis of it. "For there sat the thrones of judgment ... Pray for the peace of Yerushalayim." (Tehillim 122:5-6) "Praiseworthy is each person who fears Hashem ... May Hashem bless you from Zion ... Peace upon Israel." (122:1-6) A city of yirah and of shalom!

Are these two struggles, social justice and ordained worship, connected or distinct? At first glance, they seem disparate, since the first is logical, social, and moral. However, Rav Kook points out that Israel was chosen not only because of their high moral level in contrast to the corrupt nations of the world, but rather, they are even better than other moral, humane people. "Ata bechartanu" -- "You chose us among all the nations ("amim") ... and elevated us over all cultured people ("l'shonot")." In one of his Drashot, he explains the phrase from the Haggadah, "Had you brought us before Har Sinai, and not given us the Torah -- that would have been enough," as follows: The Midrash explains that the "zuhama" (taint) that the serpent introduced into Chava, and still finds expression in other nations, ceased amongst Israel at Har Sinai. In Egypt, the standards of morality were low, as the Torah warns regarding the arayot (incest relations), "Do not perform the practice of the land of Egypt." (Vayikra 18:3) However, rising above this level is not enough; even without Torah man can achieve this level by learning from various animals. (Cf. Eruvin 100b) By nature, "G-d has made man straight." (Kohelet 7:29) In addition, though, He gave us the Torah which raises us to a level of Divine morality. We must do good, first, because it is humane, and second, even greater, because it is Divinely ordained.

With Matan Torah, human and Divine good joined: "I said, 'You are angelic, sons of the Most High are you all.'" (Tehillim 82:6) But the "erev rav" thought that human good is sufficient. There is an important principle, that when Israel loses their special status and decline, they deteriorate not only to the neutral level of other nations, but much lower. The Netziv points out that anything that had a positive attribute and loses it, not only does it lack the attribute, but it sustains further loss. Thus, we find that while minerals only disintegrate, vegetables rot, animal defile upon death, humans cause the high level of "tumat met," and Jews defile even "b'ohel." Therefore, when Yisrael fall, they fall down to the dirt. (Cf. Megilla 16a) The Torah's goal is that we should rise to the Divine level of morality and social good.

The Midrash provides a parable to a king who married a queen, who brought with her two precious stones. The king gave her an additional two. When she lost her two, the king took away his two, and when she found her's, he gave them back and said to her, "There are now four together, put them in your crown." Similarly, the two of Yisrael are "tzedek" and "mishpat" (righteousness and justice), and G-d added "chesed" and "rachamim" (kindness and mercy). Amos (5:7) rebukes the people for abandoning tzedakah and mishpat, and Yirmiya (16:5) declares that G-d has taken back his chesed and rachamim. When Zion will be redeemed through mishpat and tzedakah, as Yeshaya prophesizes, G-d will return his two, and then, "I will betroth you with Me with righteousness, with justice, with kindness and with mercy." (Hoshea 2:21) The Ba'al Akeidah explains that Avraham instilled the trait of justice in his descendents, but that could be of just a social nature. It says, though, that Avraham "commands his children ... that they keep the way of Hashem, doing charity and justice." That is the teaching of Avraham, and so G-d gave him chesed and rachamim -- of Divine nature. When they don't observe justice, though, G-d removes his chesed entirely, and they drop even lower than goyim.

Rav Kook explains the pasuk, "Tzedakah will uplift a nation, but the kindness of regimes is a sin" (Mishlei 14:34), as follows: If the tzedakah is of Divine origin -- it is good, but if it is only human good -- it is a sin for us. Thus, the struggle against Sodom and idols is linked; even the struggle against the injustice of Sodom has to be based on a Divine basis. Tzedek even in contrast to the upright of nations -- "G-d will show." This is the lesson of ma'aser (tithes). Aristotle writes that the Greeks also used to give a tenth to the poor. However, we give to priests, the Levites and the poor not because we have compassion on them, but because G-d wants Israel to be constructed in this way -- some are completely dedicated to the service of G-d, and some support them. The Tur writes that a person should not say, "Why should I give away my money?" Rather, he must recognize that money is not truly his, but rather a deposit in his hands from Hashem -- "When you lend money to ... the poor person who is with you." (Shemot 22:24) G-d ordained it this way now, but the circumstances can be overturned -- don't cause Me to turn the wheel around. Money must be viewed through viewpoint of yirah, that G-d gave the money to fulfill the Divine will, not because the person has compassion.

This concept is the basis of numerous laws. For example, regarding tithes, a person cannot give more than one-tenth ma'aser, because this would show that he is guided by human considerations. As well, the kohen cannot help process the grain. Why not? Because this would imply that he doesn't deserve his portion otherwise, and we must show that he gets it rightfully. Rav Kook, in Ein Ayah, similarly explains the Mishna that the poor should cut the pe'ah themselves. The owner should not cut and distribute it himself, so that poor should feel as if they are landlords. Furthermore, even after a person gives all his tithes to others, and feels that the remainder is his -- he must give ma'aser sheni, to show that everything he has is for purpose of serving G-d: "So that you will learn to fear Hashem, your G-d, all the days." (Devarim 14:23) Everything is merely a deposit from G-d. The kohanim's portion is "mishulchan gavoah," and, similarly, ma'aser sheni is "mamon gavoah." After distributing all the tithes, a person says "viduy ma'aser" (in years four and seven.) This is to declare that they were not given out of compassion, but as a fulfillment of the Divine will -- "according to whatever commandment You commanded me." (Devarim 26:13) That is why it is called "viduy" -- it is both an expression of thanks and an admission.

When Avraham meets with Malki-Zedek, king of Shalem, he gives him a tenth. Similarly, when Yaakov reaches the level of yirah, after dreaming of the ladder reaching heaven, he pledges a tenth. This reflects an understanding of the principle that money is to be used only to fulfill the Divine purpose. Thus, Avraham's giving ma'aser is the first mitzvah mentioned, and viduy ma'aser is the last (other than hakhel and writing a Sefer Torah, which are mitzvot of a more communal nature), because this is indicative of the whole nature of service of Hashem. The Prophets, as well, end in Malachi with a complaint about trumah and ma'aser. The Brisker Rav explains that the whole chapter is not about outright violation of these mitzvot, but about legal circumvention of the mitzvot. "It is useless to serve G-d!" (Malachi 3:14) It is possible to bring the grain into the house through the roof, and thereby avoid the obligation of ma'aser. Malachi rebukes the people that this attitude shows they don't understand the nature of service of Hashem; they don't understand that to do mitzvot and support the kohanim and Levites is the purpose of money. By willingly giving tzedakah properly a person will actually gain, because this will show G-d that you understand and use the deposit that He entrusted you with properly. [It is comparable to a young portfolio manager, that through proper management is given greater and greater responsibility and larger portfolios to manage.] That is why a person can "test" G-d in ma'asrot.

"Bring all the tithes into the storage house." (Malachi 3:10) This teaches us that it should not be done out of compassion, only when the poor come to beg, but rather it should be done because it is right. Bring it to the storage house even before poor come. "One who pursues righteousness and kindness..." (Mishlei 21:21), like Avraham who actively sought visitors. The Prophets conclude, "Remember the Torah of Moshe My servant, which I commanded him at Hereby ... decrees and statutes." Moshe was the paradigm "eved Hashem." Even justice must be motivated by Divine command, as demonstrated by the mitzvah of ma'aser.

 

 

קוד השיעור: 4059

סרוק כדי להעלות את השיעור באתר:

Rav Meir Orlian In Honor of the Yahrzeit of Rav Kook zt"l, 3 Elul

לשליחת שאלה או הארה בנוגע לשיעור:




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