120 Torah Book & Portion, Book of Deuteronomy, Shoftim (Deuteronomy 16:18–21:9), Source Book Keys, SINAI3 DEUTERONOMY | 20:19 trees — DEUT1020 Would you like assurance of the personal... DEUT1020 Would you like assurance of the personal concern of Providence, that it will never consider you utterly worthless and insignificant? Become a holy part of a holy undertaking. Join your religious community. Become a vital part and partner of a project for the support and study of Torah. Make yourself an indispensable, irreplaceable "cog" in the system of the Almighty. In Scripture we read: "When you besiege a city a long time, in waging war against it to take it, you shall not destroy its trees… for you may eat of them; hence you shall not cut them down; for man is [as] the tree of the field" [this verse]. The prohibition applies only to fruit-bearing trees--"for you may eat of them"; they are not to be destroyed, says Scripture, even to help win a war--because they are like people. The metaphor bears us out, once we turn it around: Man is not to be destroyed, because he is a fruit-bearing tree. A human being is to be especially safeguarded from harm and destruction, Scripture indicates, when and if he "bears fruit" and contributes productively to a worthwhile community. The Torah signifies its protection for those who will nourish others, especially spiritually. Then see to it that the world of Torah and good deeds benefits from you. Share Print Source KeySINAI3Verse20:19Keyword(s)treesSource Page(s)72-3 Switch article DEUTERONOMY | 20:19 trees — DEUT1018 See [[LEV354]] Leviticus 19:13 defraud S... Previous Article DEUTERONOMY | 20:19 trees — DEUT1014 Great stress is laid in Jewish economic ... Next Article