Pensamento Judaico sobre Deuteronômio 6:24

The ten rulers referred to are the ten brothers of Joseph, since it is written, "Ten of the brothers went down." They could have laid Egypt waste with their strength, but Joseph vanquished them with his wisdom. Since man is forced to sojourn on this earth although he has been provided with a soul by G-d, it is fitting that his fate be similar to the fate of other strangers in this world. Due to the soul's celestial antecedents, plus the fact that man was created in G-d’s image, his place should not really be down here on earth, but his natural habitat should be near the Almighty Himself. This is what David says in Psalms 119,19, "Do not hide Your commandments from me, because I am a stranger on this earth." It is natural for man to keep his intimate secrets from those whom he considers of inferior status. David pleads with G-d in Psalm 55,14 not to keep His secrets from him, because he is aware that his place of abode is so inferior. Also in Psalms 39,13, he pleads that though he may have become estranged from G-d through some of his deeds, G-d should not turn away from his supplication, since at least his ancestry is so superior. The reason that ordinary man, i.e. the one who does not constantly advance towards moral and spiritual perfection, is called am ha-aretz, people of the earth, is precisely because he has made the "lower" world his permanent home instead of treating it like the foyer to a far superior world (Avot 4,21). This world is reserved for those who preserve the Divine image in which they were created. Because our world is merely a foyer to the ultimate palace reserved for us, it is only natural that during our stay on this earth we must submit to the indignities usually reserved for aliens everywhere. The two major areas in which aliens are disadvantaged while far from home are A) They cannot claim the respect due them as they would in their native society, and B) they have to perform work unbefitting the dignity of their real status in order to earn their livelihood. Jeremiah already compares G-d as not insisting on the respect due Him, since He is in exile when His people are in exile (Jeremiah 14,8). "Why should You be a stranger on earth, like a guest requiring lodging, when Your name is proclaimed with us?" The meaning there is "Since You are not a stranger, and since You have existed from time immemorial, if You do not help us as our Savior, You will be considered like a man without recourse, like a disabled hero." This too is the line Moses took when he argued that people will comment on the demise of the Jewish people as evidence of the inability of G-d to overcome the Canaanites (Numbers 14,13-17). When our sages advise a person who is unable to master his passions to go to a place where he is unknown (Chagigah 16), they want to prevent the sin to be committed to fall into the category of chilul hashem, desecration of the holy name of G-d, something that it is impossible to atone for in this life. When a stranger is observed committing a sin, this does not influence the society of the place in which the sin is committed, since nobody pays the stranger any heed anyways. If the same sin were committed in one's hometown, others may use it as an excuse to do likewise, and the chilul hashem is beyond recall. The second major indignity suffered by strangers is their inability to converse in the language of that country, thereby making themselves laughingstocks and misfits in the new society they find themselves in. Even if in order to earn some money one subjects oneself to such indignities by becoming a stranger in a foreign land, since one has no guarantee that one will return home with a sizable fortune, what guarantee is there that even if the money has been earned, it will endure (see example of Rabbi Eleazar ben Charsum in Yuma 35)? Forsaking preoccupation with the acquisition of permanent wealth, namely Torah knowledge, cannot be justified. Our purpose in this world is to prepare ourselves for the world to come. It follows that those who demean themselves by unnecessary preoccupation with the acquisition of material wealth, demean the "palace" in favor of the "foyer." When the Midrash comments on the words Vayeshev Yaakov, that if a person of the caliber of Jacob wanted to live serenely on this earth, Satan interfered, the meaning is quite plain. A tzaddik who demonstrates too much interest in material wealth and pleasure in this world imperils his standing as a tzaddik and invites yissurim, painful tribulations, to remind him of the error of his ways. This is what the Midrash meant when it says one cannot demand the "goodies" of both worlds. "Peace" is real only in the other world, as indicated by the promise to Abraham, "And you will join your fathers in peace" (Genesis 15,15). The yissurim, afflictions, make its recipient realize that his presence on this earth is comparable to that of a persecuted stranger. Jacob's experiences are a perfect example of this analysis. The disappearance of Joseph, the rape of Dinah, the famine, the apparent loss of Shimon, the threatened loss of Benjamin, all combined to bring home that truth. Unless Jacob was a stranger on this earth whose rightful abode was in the celestial regions, how could we account for all the indignities he had to suffer? The second disadvantage we have mentioned as being suffered by aliens in a country not their own, the language problem, is also relevant when we view man's temporary stay on earth. As a rule, speech is used to articulate man's physical needs, i.e. food and drink etc., or to put it more crudely, to communicate those of his needs that he shares with the animal kingdom to others. Whenever mere language does not suffice to assure him of his needs, he resorts to violence, i.e. a call to arms: (Proverbs 18,6) "The lips of the fools engage in quarrels, his mouth calls for turbulence." Their very language becomes an instrument of violence. Jeremiah 18,18 illustrates this point further: "Let us smite him by means of language!" Wisdom, however, is superior to violence and to instruments of war and strife (Kohelet 9,16). When speech is employed to express the spiritual yearnings of man, it does not become an instrument of war or a means of animalistic gratification. When Solomon says, "Do not answer the fool according to his foolishness; answer the fool in accordance with his folly!" this means, "Do not use the power of speech to answer the fool on his own level, but use the power of speech so that even a fool can recognize his folly (Proverbs 26,5). The ox is the animal that uses its brute strength to work hard uncomplainingly. Joseph had to suffer many indignities in the early part of his life, such as the brothers' jealousy, the Midianite slave merchants, Potiphar's wife's accusations etc. Nevertheless, he proved his moral superiority in his encounter with his master's wife. This moral superiority which he demonstrated when it clearly hurt his chances of a continued career (when he refused the advances of his master's wife), was richly rewarded by G-d, who alone was aware of the pure motives which had governed Joseph's behavior throughout. Joseph's ability to control his carnal urges made him a paragon of virtue. The Talmud Shabbat 63 says that whoever fulfills one single mitzvah completely, wholeheartedly, will not receive evil tidings. He will not need to worry about receiving bad news, but can enjoy undisturbed confidence that G-d’s personal Providence will remain at his side. Joseph's strength, i.e. the ox's strength, lay in the certainty that his cause was righteous, not in his ability to pull heavy loads. The lion, on the other hand, represents mere physical prowess. The brothers, in being described as "rulers" are conceived as having made themselves at home here on earth, not being content with remaining aliens, the purpose of man's sojourn on this globe. For this reason, then, Joseph representing the inner strength of a man of spiritual values, was able to overcome the combined strength of his brothers who had threatened to destroy Egypt failing release of their brother Benjamin.

The greatest tragedy is the death of the soul, which, but for the sins of its owner would have retained an eternal existence. When the Torah in this chapter talks about "life and good" and "death and evil," the terms are not employed in the usual manner. In verse 15 "life" is contrasted with "death", blessings with curses. In the first half of our Parshah we talk about two kinds of life and about two kinds of death. We distinguish between "life" and "good life" on the one hand, and "death" and "absolute death" on the other hand. When observance of Torah commandments is counselled in Deut 6,24, i.e. "so that it shall be good for us for all times, to keep us alive as of this day," the "good" that is meant is being part of a world that is all "good" i.e. without death; the part about "to keep us alive as of this day," however, refers to our existence here on earth. The matter is similar to a person who is offered the choice of two precious stones. One of them is reputed to possess healing powers, but lacks in lustre. The second stone is all brilliance, but is not known to possess any intrinsic qualities. The fool will choose the second stone, being mindful only of what the eye beholds. The wise buyer however, will weigh quality against external eye appeal, and choose the stone with the reputed intrinsic value. Similarly, the Torah in our Parshah. Concerning death also, two choices are offered. 1) There is death due to physical pain, disability etc. 2) There is death that results from the soul having become corrupted. The latter death is absolute, and though at first glance it might appear that people are doing everything to avoid death, they ought to be mindful of our sages' interpretation of the verse (Numbers 19,14) "this is the Torah, man dies in the tent." The Rabbis understand this line as follows; "He who dies in the tent," refers to him who is willing to face physical death to assure himself of a continued existence. The Yalkut Genesis 14, phrases it thus, "if he will live, he will die; if he will die, he will live." The Torah was not satisfied in telling its reader what his objective in life should be, but also explained how to reach that objective. Not only does the Torah explain the way towards that objective, but it also explains how to avoid losing one's way. Just as the science of medicine is divided into therapy on the one hand, and preventive medicine on the other, so does Torah address itself to both problems. Naturally, having once lost one's health, regaining it is a laborious process. On the other hand, preserving one's health and guarding it against the ravages of disease is relatively easier. Regaining one's moral health is also a laborious process. The Torah is quite precise in spelling out the consequences of treading the right path. (30,16) "You will live and multiply," as opposed to the result of taking the wrong path, (30,17) "You will surely perish." The emphasis on "I am informing you this day," at the outset of this verse, introduces a concept that former generations for a variety of reasons did not heed. This concept is that there is something beyond physical death that has to be considered. The reference to life in Eretz Yisrael, which is described as yerushah, an inheritance, something enduring, is to stress that life assumes a totally different dimension from life in chutz la-aretz, outside the holy land. Isaiah describes it in chapter 60,21, (discussion of Israel restored to its land) "Your nation are all righteous people; they will endure in the land forever." Moses calls Heaven and Earth as witness, (verse 19) They are reliable advisors to ensure that we tread the right path. Their existence being an enduring one, they will be around forever, to remind us by their presence of the covenant we have entered into.

The truth that faith constitutes an objective to be attained by our mental faculties is expressed in Exodus 19,9, "And also in you they will believe forever." The commandments which we perform because of our faith in G-d, His superior wisdom, rather than because our intellect has persuaded us of their usefulness and value, are the ones which entitle us to be called human beings. The true human being submits to the imperatives of His Creator. We are superior to the animals by doing not only what is functional, sensible. Were we to do only those things, even though on a more sophisticated level, we would not be superior to animals. It is precisely they that are programmed with instincts to do what is good for them in the context of their lives. This is what Solomon had in mind when he said, "For this is the whole human being," i.e. the whole advantage of a human being over the animals is his ability to demonstrate such faith in the Creator that one keeps the type of commandments which one's reason neither dictates nor is able to justify. The reward for the physical part of us performing mitzvot is spelled out in Deut. 6,24, "To perform these commandments...to keep us alive and well on this day." Similarly, reference is made to the reward for the souls which participated in the performance of these mitzvot when the same verse speaks about, "It will be good for us for all times." Clearly, this refers to a reward in another world. The nature of the reward in that world is not spelled out, since our comprehension of that world is limited to a very general knowledge of its existence. As long as man is in a physical shell, he cannot really understand the true nature of such a world.