Pemikiran Yahudi Ulangan 15:9: Akeidat Yitzchak, Yesod Mora VeSod HaTorah & Sefer Yesodei HaTorah

Moses heard the people cry in family groups, it was bad in his eyes." Moses had only seen the outer manifestations of the people's complaints. He did not realise that the word "families" mentioned here, alluded to the deeper cause of the Israelites' dissatisfaction, namely the laws of purity forbidding various incestuous relationships. Moses therefore thought that it was the manna itself which was the cause of their dissatisfaction. The word ra, needs to be understood as tzorat ayin, envy, jealousy. The Torah commands that when the year of release approaches shemittah, overdue loans must be "released," i.e. forgiven. Prior to that, loans should not be refused out of fear that the debtor would be tardy in repayment in order to take advantage of the "release" mechanism. (Deut. 15, 9-10) According to the Sifri, Moses, in this instance worried less about G'ds honour. He was concerned that the people's request should not be granted, since it was unjustified. This is the reverse of what had happened at the time of the golden calf, when it had been Moses trying to convince G'd that it was not worth getting angry about. (Exodus 32, 11) For that reason, Moses did not even relay the people's request to G'd. Moses saw himself as unfit to provide satisfactory leadership, therefore he asked for help from G'd in the form of a management team. Failing this, he asked to be relieved through death, so that he would not have to witness the failure of his efforts to date. Moses listed three possible causes that can commit a man to provide for others. 1) Begetting a human being. This makes the one who begets responsible for his offspring's continued life and well being. 2) The natural instinct to raise one's young, something observed even in the animal kingdom. 3) Freely assumed obligations such as marriage, purchase of slaves etc. Moses underlines that in the case of the Jewish people, he has no responsibility for them arising from any of the causes listed. (compare chapter 11, verse 12) Foreseeing his own ultimate death as being due to frustration, he asks to be released before that happens, in the event G'd does not agree to appoint assistants for him. Verse 15, i.e. horgeyni na harog, "kill me dead," means "if You kill me, You will be killing someone who is already dead. A further argument used by Moses was that a leader who has at his disposal the means to satisfy his people's request, does have some responsibility in the matter. Since he, Moses, was however, in no position to provide the meat asked for, he felt no obligation in the matter. (4) G'd was displeased by Moses' request, although He acceded to it. By not providing additional ruach, spiritual power, but merely redistributing it amongst Moses and the seventy elders, i.e. "I will delegate from the spirit which is upon you" (verse 17), He demonstrated that He did not feel that the task allotted to Moses had been beyond his capacity. (6) Moses seemed unconcerned about G'ds reputation in the matter, concentrating on his own role in providing the meat, not worrying about the damage to G'ds image in the eyes of the people as an inadequate provider. G'd wished to show that even henceforth with the seventy elders, the combined leadership of the people would not be able to draw on an enlarged reservoir of spiritual resources.

(7)(3) The Midrash illustrates Moses' quest for relief by using the parable of an orchard whose owner had hired a general manager. During the term of the contract, said manager requests additional staff from the owner. The owner, while acceding to the request, refuses to pay the additional staff out of his own pocket, but deducts the wages for the additional staff from the salary of the general manager. The fact that G'd provided assistants indicates that basically, G'd was in agreement with Moses' request. Regarding the matter of the meat however, G'd seems to disagree with Moses, since He does provide it, even though Moses had not even relayed the people's demand. G'd considered it vital that the people not continue to view their situation as inferior to what their situation had been while they had still been in Egypt. For that reason, He provided such an enormous amount of meat. The fact that the people continued gorging themselves on the meat even while they had observed many dying as a result of their meat intake on the very first day already, seems to prove that they were thoroughly dissatisfied with their present situation, when compared to their former situation in Egypt. Had their real concern been the meat, their desire would have petered out as soon as they saw people die from eating meat. It was exactly these people who died for their unpardonable sin. The revulsion the people would ultimately feel for that meat, is punishment fitting the crime. (chapter 11, 20) They who had pretended that it was the meat they wanted, whereas in fact it was the moral strictures of Torah law that irked them, would see the object of their professed desire turn into something that revolted them. In this manner G'ds justice was displayed, since He did not have to devise a means to punish them, seeing their punishment was the natural result of being allowed to gratify their desires. The name kivrot hata-avah, given to that place does not refer to the original desire, but to the ultimate greed which raged until it had burned itself out, i.e. "buried itself." Ta-avah, greed, lust, is self consuming. This is the lesson taught in this chapter. Even the rationalisation that those who did not die from the meat were apparently immune to it, teaches volumes about the grip the ta-avah, had on the people. "Now you will see if indeed My word is dear to you or not." (11,23) The elders I have asked you to select, will indeed help you carry the burden. G'd implies that Moses had been somewhat hasty in rejecting the role of sole leadership of the people. Even at this time, when some of the worst traits of the Jewish people have been publicly displayed, it was easy to find seventy elders capable of providing leadership. Among them were such humble prophets as Eldod and Meydod who, though of the seventy two selected for potential leadership, drew blanks in the lottery that determined which seventy men were to fill these positions. Since they had been selected for potential leadership roles, their prophetic powers were not now curtailed. Joshua thought it strange that they could use their gift outside the holy tabernacle, just anywhere within the confines of the encampment. Moses, in his reply, expressed the wish that all of Israel would receive the gift of prophecy directly from Heaven, not like the seventy who had received their inspiration through him, since in the final analysis all of the people, being Moses' students had received their inspiration through him. From here we learn the source of the dictum in the Talmud that though most other things are the subject of envy and jealousy, a father or teacher is not jealous of his respective sons or pupils. (Sanhedrin 105) (5) Upon the seventy elders having been selected, G'd supplied the promised meat, the people not heeding the warning that it would be zarah, for them, i.e. loathsome. Otherwise, they would not have eaten from it in the manner described. Spending forty eight consecutive hours collecting fowl, (verse 32) shows us what a burning desire for meat there must have been. G'd demonstrated then that granting the people their own desire in abundance, led to tragic results, whereas nothing that G'd had provided for them, had ever proved harmful to them.

It is written (Exodus 13) "Consecrate to Me every firstborn," and it is written (Exodus 13) "Therefore, I sacrifice," and the matter of Shabbat (Exodus 20) "For six days," and likewise the Sabbatical year and the release of slaves (Deuteronomy 15) "So that you may remember." And the commandments of Matzah and Maror, and the appointed festivals in the spring—the measurements, the firstfruits of wheat, and the offering brought before the Lord to express gratitude. And it is written (Deuteronomy 16) "Each person shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God that He has given you," give according to their means, as it says (1 Chronicles 29) "For everything comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You." And He commanded (Exodus 23) "They shall not dwell in your land," and the reason is lest they lead you astray. And it is written elsewhere (Deuteronomy 20) "You shall not let any living thing live," so that they will not teach you to imitate them, and likewise for intermarriage with the nations and taking their daughters, and the reason (Exodus 34) "And they will lead your children astray." And it is said on Shabbat (Exodus 23) "So that your ox and your donkey may rest, and your servant's son and the stranger may be refreshed by your cessation of work." And the reason (Genesis 9) "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for in His image God made man." And (Deuteronomy 24) "You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is your brother or a stranger," for he is a soul to be cherished. And the reason is mentioned (Leviticus 25) "And she has no child, and returns to her father's house, as in her youth." And during the festival of Sukkot (Leviticus 23) "So that your generations may know," and the reason (Leviticus 25) "You shall not sell land permanently, for the land is Mine," and likewise (Leviticus 25) "For the children of Israel are servants to Me," and the reason (Exodus 21) "They shall not be sold as slaves are sold." And He commanded to sound the trumpets for the burnt offering, to serve as a remembrance, as they are sounded in war, as in (Psalms 47) "God has ascended amid shouting." And the tzitzit (fringes) (Numbers 15) "So that you may remember and perform all My commandments," as you see them at all times, and thus "You shall tie them and inscribe them." And it mentioned regarding (Numbers 25) the incident with the Midianites, which had two reasons: one was the matter of Peor, and the other was the scheme they devised to bring further harm to the Israelites through the seduction of the daughter of their leaders. And the reason is mentioned (Deuteronomy 23) "You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land," and the reason for the Ammonites and Moabites is that they did not offer you bread and water when you came out of Egypt, and furthermore, Balak was rewarded for his intent to harm you. And the reason is mentioned (Deuteronomy 17) "He shall not multiply wives for himself, so that his heart does not turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself," and it is also mentioned (Deuteronomy 17) "Nor shall he return the people to Egypt." And the reason for the Levirate marriage (Deuteronomy 25) is to carry on the family name, so that the children of Israel inherit their fathers' portion, and the reason (Deuteronomy 6) "What are the testimonies and statutes that the Lord our God commanded you?" is because we were servants in Egypt, and He redeemed us, and we are obligated to listen to His voice, as He has done this goodness for us, and furthermore (Deuteronomy 6) "And righteousness will be for us." And the reason for the Sabbatical year (Exodus 23) is that the poor of your people may eat, and the reason (Exodus 23) "You shall not make a covenant with them" is because the Levite has no portion or inheritance with you, for he serves the honored Lord, and the reason (Exodus 18) "The first of your grain, which is the best of it, you shall bring to the Lord, and it shall be a blessing for you" is that the Lord chose to pray for you with it, as in (Leviticus 22) "And Aaron lifted up his hands." And the reason (Deuteronomy 19) for the three cities is lest the avenger of blood pursue the manslayer and shed innocent blood, and the reason for execution and the remaining (Deuteronomy 17) is so that they will hear and fear and not continue to do evil, and the reason (Deuteronomy 20) "You shall not destroy its trees" is that man is like a tree of the field. And the reason for the prohibition of a fence around the roof (Exodus 22) is "You shall not put blood in your house," and the reason is "Lest the fullness of the bloodshed come upon you." The reason for mixed fabrics (Deuteronomy 22) is because everything should return to its sanctity, as explained by Rabbi Menachem Sefardi. The reason for killing the young bird (Deuteronomy 22) is when the young girl does not cry out in the city, indicating that she consented to the act, and it occurred outside the city, as when a man rises against his neighbor where no one sees him. The reason for the obligation of leaving the corner of the field (Deuteronomy 15) is because the Lord has called upon you, and the reason for loving the stranger (Deuteronomy 10) is because you were strangers in the land of Egypt. The reason for the laws concerning the orphan, the widow, and the garment pledge (Deuteronomy 15) is "And you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt; therefore I command you this." And likewise (Deuteronomy 24) "You shall not take the mill or the upper millstone as a pledge, for he takes a man's life to pledge." And the reason for teaching them the song (Deuteronomy 31) is that it shall be a witness for them. The prohibition of consuming blood (Deuteronomy 12) is "You shall not eat the soul with the flesh," and the command is to offer it on the altar, where one soul is exchanged for another, for the blood atones for the soul. And the command is to bring every sacrifice to the tent of meeting, and the reason is that they should not offer sacrifices in the open field, as was the custom in Egypt to sacrifice to the satyrs and to put blood on the lintel and the two doorposts. The reason is explicitly stated (Exodus 23) "And the destroyer shall not come in to your houses." This was already mentioned by Moses at the beginning of his approach to speak to Pharaoh, and the reason for asking "Why shall we sacrifice?" (Exodus 5) is "Lest he meet us with pestilence or with the sword." This secret is also well explained in the words of Isaiah, and the intelligent will understand.