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This Week's Portion:"See! I Am Placing Before You..."[ Deut 11:26-16:17 ]Sat Aug 7, Shabbath "Menahem" Av 27
The children of Israel are about to enter the promised land. This week's portion opens with Moses addressing the assembled people. He repeats many of the laws of Israel relating to sanctity (such as a central sanctuary, dietary discipline, and festivals) and civil conduct (such as economic laws and labor laws).
This week's concluding reading from Isaiah describes the restoration of the people of Israel to their social role as God's "witness to the world," as they gain confidence in God's commitment and dedication to them.
Questions and Commentary
"See! I am placing before you a blessing and a curse today." [ 11:26 ]
Is there any logical reason for this 'blessing & curse' to appear specifically at this point in Sefer Devarim? Menachem Leibtag
"You shall not eat anything that has died a natural death; give it to the stranger in your community to eat, or you may sell it to a foreigner...." [ 14:21 ]
The Mosaic Law accepts as legitimate the presence in the land of Israel of foreigners who do not adhere to the Mosaic religion. Such a "proselyte of the gate" or resident stranger (ger-toshav), fellow-citizen thought not co-religionist, is to be distinguished from the "proselyte of the law" (ger-tsedek), who has completely converted to Judaism. Not only are proselytes of the gate exempt from the dietary prohibitions in the Law, but Israelites, who cannot eat the flesh of an animal which has not been ritually slaughtered, are urged to give it to them rather than sell it to an ordinary stranger. This statute is valuable to us for two reasons: the charitable motive which inspires it, and its clear recognition of a legitimate though non-Mosaic category of religion. Elijah Benamozegh
"You shall set aside every year a tenth part of all the yield of your sowing...You shall consume the tithes...in the place where God will choose...." [ 14:22-27 ]
Since the tithes are of foodstuffs which can be easily accumulated in preparation for the visit to Jerusalem, and since he can probably not consume them alone, he will be compelled to give part of it away as charity. This gathering together of many people simultaneously in the same place, and their sharing possessions with others, will inevitably strengthen the bond of community and love among the people. Moses Maimonides
"Ho! All the thirsty, come for water, and the one without money; Come! Buy and eat! Buy without money, Free! Wine and milk! Why do you spend money for what is not bread, your profits for what does not satisfy?" [ Isaiah 55:1 ]
The prophet warns us not to waste our resources on objects of illusory worth. In contrast to the apparently physical riches of the first part of the haftarah, the riches of the second part are spiritual. These are true delicacies, not distracting material enticements. True food, true knowledge, and true spirituality are not material. They are not "empty calories." God's spiritual bounty here is metaphorically called water, milk, and wine. ...In the physical world, man, woman, and God are all partners in bringing forth nourishment. In the symbolism of our text, water, milk, and wine are seen as the products of this partnership. Looking again at the haftarah, we see that God is telling us that the best things in life are free. They are not the illusory treasures and toys of materialism. The best that life has to offer is spiritual. Joanne Yocheved Heiligman
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