Parsashas
BeChukotai
Rabbi Bernard Fox
“And
the produce of your threshing season will last until the grape harvest. And the produce of the grape harvest will
last until the planting. And you have
your fill of food. And you will live
securely in your land.”
(VaYikra 26:5)
Hashem promises Bnai
Yisrael that observance of the Torah will be rewarded with a blessing of
abundant crops. The pasuk also assures security and peace.
The Midrash Torat
Kohanim observes that the pasuk
contains an additional message. The
people are promised that observance of the Torah will be rewarded with security
in their land. This is a reference to
the land of Israel. The implication of
the pasuk is that the promise of
security can only be fulfilled in the land of Israel. The assurance does not extend to life in exile, outside of
Israel.[1]
This is an amazing
assertion. The midrash is telling us the observance of the Torah is rewarded with
security in the land of Israel.
However, Jews in exile are not assured of shelter. Observance of the Torah cannot procure
salvation outside of Israel.
A poignant comment
ascribed to Rav Yisrael Meir HaKohen – the Chafetz Chayyim – is relevant to
this message. The Chafetz Chayyim often
discussed the advent of the Messianic era.
Towards the end of his life he delivered an informal discourse on this
issue. He explained that the Messianic
era is inevitable. We do not know when
the Messiah will arrive. Nonetheless,
we are certain that the Almighty’s plan for humanity will only be fulfilled in
the Messianic era.
He explained that we
are not passive participants in the unfolding of history. Our actions and attitudes can hasten or
delay coming of Meshiach. What can we do to expedite the Messiah’s
arrival? The Chafetz Chayyim explained
that we must truly desire his accession.
We must recognize exile as banishment.
We must sincerely long for deliverance.
Conversely, apathy
delays the coming of the Messiah. If we
are complacent and comfortable in exile, we fail to recognize our banishment.
The Chafetz Chayyim
offered a proof of his assertion. The
Chumash, in Sefer Shemot discusses our redemption from Egypt. The Chafetz
Chayyim argues that this event is a model for future redemptions. In order to understand the conditions
required for the arrival of the Messiah, we must study this previous
redemption.
The Torah explains
that Bnai Yisrael cried out to Hashem, in their suffering. Immediately after this appeal, the
redemption began.[2] Our delivery from bondage was not initiated
by repentance. It was set in motion by
a much simpler event. The people turned
to Hashem and asked for salvation. This
provides a model for future redemptions.
In order for the Almighty to act, we must recognize that we need His
salvation.
The Chafetz Chayyim
concluded by asserting that many Jews of his time were complacent. They had come to accept exile. They did not regard exile as banishment. They uttered the prayers beseeching the
Almighty for redemption. But they were
not completely sincere. He felt that it
was crucially important to change this attitude. Bnai Yisrael must acknowledge exile as a severe punishment. The people must earnestly turn to the
Almighty and pray for salvation.[3]
The Chafetz Chayyim’s
comments are reflected in the midrash from
Torat Kohanim. We can never achieve
security in exile. Why? We must always recognize that exile, by
definition, is a punishment. In order
to assure that banishment never becomes too comfortable, the Almighty denies us
security in exile. Throughout history
this lesson has been repeated. Many times the Jewish people became apathetic
and began to feel secure and comfortable in exile. On each occasion the Almighty provided a terrible reminder of the
instability and terror of exile.
The Chafetz Chayyim
made these comments at the end of his life.
He passed away in 1933.
“These
are the commandments that Hashem commanded Moshe on behalf of Bnai Yisrael, at
Mount Sinai.” (VaYikra 27:34)
The Midrash Torat
Kohanim derives from this pasuk a
fundamental principle of the Torah.
“These are the commandments”, teaches that a future prophet may not add
any mitzvot or nullify any of the
commandments.[4]
Maimonides explains
that the six hundred and thirteen mitzvot
enumerated in the Torah are a permanent system. Any prophet claiming that Hashem revealed to him a new mitzvah is a false prophet. The same conclusion applies to a prophet
claiming that Hashem has removed a mitzvah
from Taryag – the six hundred and
thirteen mitzvot. The consequence for false prophecy is death.[5]
Maimonides continues
with an interesting comment. A prophet
does have the authority to temporarily suspend a mitzvah. If a prophet
commands us to disobey a commandment for a specific period, we are obligated to
obey this command. This is not a
theoretical principal. In practice,
prophets did suspend mitzvot on a
temporary basis. The most famous
example involves Eliyahu the Prophet.
Eliyahu challenged the priest of Baal
to a test. This test involved the
priests and Eliyahu each offering separate sacrifices on Mount Carmel. The Torah forbids offering sacrifices
outside of the Beit HaMikdash. Eliyahu suspended this law, in order to
participate in the demonstration he designed.
However, this suspension of the law was temporary. Therefore it was permitted.[6]
Why can a prophet
suspend a mitzvah on a temporary
basis? It seems that the Torah does not
forbid a prophet from issuing a command that contradicts the Torah. He has the authority to adjure us to ignore
a mitzvah. The limitation upon the prophet is that he may not tamper with Taryag.
This means he may not add to or subtract from the system of Taryag.
The temporary suspension of a mitzvah
does not represent a subtraction from the system. The mitzvah remains a component
of Taryag. It is merely temporarily suspended. In contrast, if a prophet tells us that we no longer are required
to observe a mitzvah, he has
subtracted a component from Taryag. This is beyond the authority of the prophet.
[1] Midrash Torat Kohanim, Parshat BeChukotai, Chapter 1.
[2] Sefer Shemot, 2:23-24.
[3] Rav Ahron Sorasky, Rabban Shel Yisrael (Netzach, 1979), pp 99-100.
[4] Midrash Torat Kohanim, Parshat BeChukotai, Chapter 13.
[5] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Yesodai HaTorah 9:1.
[6] Rabbaynu Moshe ben Maimon (Rambam / Maimonides) Mishne Torah, Hilchot Yesodai HaTorah 9:3.