Pensamiento judío sobre Levítico 26:1

When Rav Ashi, in Shabbat 156, advises the person born under the zodiac sign of Mars (symbolising bloodshed) to engage in vocations involving blood, such as becoming a ritual slaughterer or a mohel, someone who circumcises babies, this is meant to help such a person counteract his natural tendencies, sublimate them, channeling them into constructive activities. If Rav Ashi had been of the opinion that such a person's actions were predetermined, his advice would be totally gratuitous. Claiming that mazzal influences our lives, and claiming that mazzal governs our lives are two totally different propositions. Why would the Torah make rainfall dependent on our conduct (Leviticus 26,1-5) if our behavior were not free? The idea of receiving a reward for decisions made under duress would be difficult to swallow. Rabbah and Rav Chisdah, though sharing character traits and accomplishments, were born under different mazzalot. Each achieved what it was possible for him to achieve considering his respective mazzal. Perhaps Rav Chisdah having been born under the influence of a favourable mazzal, needed ninety-two years to achieve on this earth what Rabbah who had been born under an unfavourable mazzal had been able to achieve in forty years, seeing that he had to overcome so many obstacles? Consider the following parable. A king had two ministers. They both enjoyed equal status at Court. One was appointed commander of the king's land based forces, the other was made commander-in-chief of his navy. The commander of the navy obviously had the more challenging task. His task necessitated that he be away from home and family a great deal of the time, would be deprived of the comforts of home. He would also be deprived of the counsel and proximity of the king. The situation of Rav Chisdah and Rabbah may be viewed in a similar light. The Rabbis said in Taanit 2 that G-d reserved three keys for Himself which He did not entrust to messengers (nature). They are: 1) the key to life; 2) children, i.e. the key to being able to have them. 3) rainfall, i.e. the key to livelihood. The Talmud supplies scriptural proof for the fact that G-d retained these keys personally. In view of this, how is it possible to argue that three keys are not subject to one's merit, i.e. that one's behavior does not influence one's access to what these keys stood for? Why would G-d keep these three keys to Himself, except to use them in accordance with people's individual merits? Surely G-d did not keep them to Himself in order to use them capriciously! The answer is that although to begin with, these keys and their availability are subject to mazzal, man's merit does affect their availability. Abraham, according to his mazzal, would not have had children. Due to his merit however, G-d intervened and superimposed His will on that of natural law (compare Shabbat 156). Isaac found himself in a similar situation. Vaye-atar lo, G-d allowed Himself to be entreated by him (Genesis 25,21). G-d allowed Isaac's prayer to activate the key to "children." Compare also Taanit 25, the story involving Rabbi Eliezer ben Pedot. Because we have clear proof concerning these three matters from the lives of our historical giants, these instances were singled out for mention. When Rabbi Akiva, in Yevamot 50, says that those who deserve it have their lifespan completed rather than increased, this is based on his conviction that G-d has decreed the maximum good for each person at the beginning of such person's life. However, this maximum good is subject to review, i.e. reduction, if man does not live up to his respective potential.

The shemittah sabbatical agricultural year legislation, referred to in the Torah in several places, (Parshat Mishpatim, Behar, Re-ay) is therefore of extreme importance. Disregard of it brings in its wake a host of punishments including national exile. This is somewhat difficult to understand, since if the purpose of the legislation is agricultural, i.e. teaching us that working the soil in rotation restores the earth's fertility, non observance would produce poor crops and be a punishment in itself. On the other hand, it is difficult to fathom why G'd should be more jealous of the state of the earth, than of sins which appear far more serious. It seems therefore, that the shemittah legislation is to alert us to the important truth that ownership of the land is an asset to our development towards our national and individual spiritual goals only, when such ownership is used in the way the Torah wishes it to be used. Just as the week, i.e. six working days plus one Sabbath testify to the fact that there is one Creator, so do six years of work on the land plus one year of rest, shemittah, remind us that ownership rests with G'd, and that we have to fulfil His commandments. Once one accepts that creation had been ex nihilo, it follows that the Creator is entitled to be the lawgiver. The Torah spells out that the purpose of shemittah is "for G'd," and that our function in taking advantage of the land is basically le-ochlah, to fulfil our physical needs, not as in the case of the gentile, our greed. Chamor, the king of Shechem refers to the purpose of land, when he describes it as "being capable of accomodating all the requirements of the sons of Jacob." (Genesis 34,21). This is an attitude which is quite different from the Torah viewpoint. The requirement in that year to release all monetary debts, is a further clear indication that material wealth must never be allowed to become an end in itself. The seven times seven years yovel legislation is representative of an entire "world," a complete cycle. "He shall serve him le-olam, means until the completion of the cycle, until the yovel year. This is a reminder to man that just as he has to return to the earth at the end of his life, so the idea of a rejuvenation of the land, restoring it to original ownership, keeps alive the idea that we ourselves are not on this earth litzmitut, permanently. The commandments concerning treatment of "slaves" who had become such due to having lost their financial independence, is stated here to enlist our empathy. Once we have realised that our own hold on life is tenuous, that our possessions are transient, we can appreciate better that the "slave" deserves humane treatment from us. The same applies to the laws governing unfair financial dealings, overcharges etc. The fact that G'd is prepared to demonstrate that He supervises our welfare by providing excess yield by our fields in the year preceding the shemittah, is further encouragement to observe the commandment. Ignoring the shemittah, legislation then, expresses disregard of our entire philosophy. This is why the consequences are commensurate, not disproportionate to the sin committed. The Talmud Erchin 30, draws our attention to the fact that the consequences of disregarding even regulations that are only peripheral to the actual shemittah observance, can be most severe. If someone deals in produce that has been grown illegally during the shemittah year, he may wind up having to sell himself into slavery to keep body and soul together. Our long national exile is due to our having failed to observe the shemittah legislation.

99. The Rabbi: Thou art right. Our laws were written in the Torah by Moses, who had them direct from God, and handed them down to the masses assembled in the desert. There was no necessity to quote any older authority with regard to the single chapters and verses, nor with regard to the description of sacrifices, where and in what manner they were to be offered up, and what was to be done with the blood and the limbs, etc. Everything was clearly stated by God, as the smallest matter missing would interfere with the completeness of the whole thing. It is here, as in the formations of nature, which are composed of such minute elements that they defy perception, and if their mutual relation suffered the smallest change, the whole formation would be damaged, that plant or animal, or limb, would be imperfect and nonexisting. In the same manner the law prescribes how the sacrificed animal should be dismembered, and what should be done with each limb, what should be eaten and what burnt, who should eat and who burn, and which section [of priests] should have the charge of offering it up, and which dared not. It also prescribed in what condition those who brought the offerings must be, so that they should be faultless, both as regards appearance and apparel, especially the High Priest, who had the privilege of entering the place of Divinity which enclosed God's glory, the ark and the Torah. To this are attached the rules for cleanliness and purity, and the various grades of purification, sanctification, and prayer, the description of which would lead us too far. In all these matters they had to rely on the reading of the Torah, combined with the traditions of the Rabbis, based on God's communications to Moses. In the same manner the form of the Tabernacle was shown to Moses on the mountain, viz. the tabernacle, the interior, the candlestick, the ark, and the surrounding court, with its pillars, coverings, and all appurtenances, were caused by God to appear to him in their real shape, in the form in which He commanded to have them executed. In the same way was the temple of Solomon built according to the model revealed to David. So also will the last sanctuary promised us be shaped and arranged according to the details seen by the prophet Ezekiel. In the service of God there is no arguing, reasoning, and debating Had this been possible, philosophers with their wisdom and acumen would have achieved even more than Israel.