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LEVITICUS — 26:14 obey

LEV1118 A covenant of mutual promises binds both parties only as long as they both abide by their agreement, and the intent of the covenant is to accomplish mutually beneficial goals. A covenant of love, on the other hand, is intended to establish a lasting relationship that will survive misdeeds by either party, for the purpose of the covenant is the relationship itself. As indicated above, the Torah describes God’s covenant with Israel in both ways. Therefore sometimes God calls Israel to account by punishing Israel severely for failing to abide by the terms of the covenant (e.g., Leviticus 26:14-43; Deuteronomy 28:15-29), and at other times God asserts that even when Israel strays, God will stick by the covenant in maintaining the loving and lasting relationship God formed with our ancestors, the patriarchs and matriarchs, in some sources on condition that Israel return to God's ways and in some sources even without the act of teshuvah, return (e.g., Leviticus 26:44-45; Deuteronomy 7:6-11; 30:1-10).

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LEVITICUS — 26:16 wreak

LEV1119 Humans may and should use medicine to prevent, mitigate, or cure illnesses. The Torah maintains that God imposes illness as punishment for sin [this verse, Deuteronomy 28:22, 59-61] – although the biblical Book of Job strongly challenges this belief – and that God is our healer. (Exodus 15:26; Deuteronomy 32:39; cf. Isaiah 19:22; 57:18-9; Jeremiah 30:17; 33:6, etc.). That idea might lead some to conclude that medicine is an improper human intervention in God's decision to inflict illness, indeed, an act of human hubris. The Rabbis of the Talmud and Midrash were aware of this line of reasoning, but they countered it by pointing out that God Himself authorizes us to heal. In fact, the Rabbis maintained, God requires us to heal. They found that authorization and that imperative in several biblical verses. Exodus 21:19–20 requires that an assailant must provide for his victim to be "thoroughly healed," thus presuming that physicians have permission to cure. Deuteronomy 22:2 ("And you shall restore the lost property to him"), in their interpretation, imposes an obligation to restore another person's body as well as his/her property. On the basis of Leviticus 19:16 ("nor shall you stand idly by the blood of your fellow"), the Talmud expands the obligation to provide medical aid to encompass expenditure of financial resources for this purpose. (Continued at [[LEV649]] Leviticus 19:18 love OXFORD 314). (By Elliot N. Dorff)

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LEVITICUS — 26:18 afflict

LEV1121 … if one does not repent from his evil ways on the day of misfortune, and if when painfully reminded he does not return to the One who has reprimanded him [he knows that his distress is the outcome of his sins, but he is still not motivated enough to complete his repentance (Zeh Hasha'ar)], his sin will be compounded, and his punishment will increase twofold (he will be punished for the actual sin he has committed and also for not heeding the signs that Hashem has sent him--consequently, it is twofold). For observe -- if one is punished by a king for sinning against him and he does not learn his lesson, the king will increase his punishment and bear down upon him heavily. Similarly, the pesukim state [this verse], "If despite these you do not listen to Me, I will further afflict you," and (Iyov 36:13), "Those who flatter their [own] hearts (I.e., sinners who give into their heart's desire) incur wrath, for they do not beseech [Him] when He afflicts them." If he fails to realize and to contemplate that the hardships that have befallen him are due to his own sins [he knows that he is sinning, but believes that his misfortune is a chance occurrence and not the result of his sinning (Zeh Hasha'ar)], but rather says, as the Pelishtim said (I Shmuel 6:9): "It was not His hand that struck us; it was all by chance that this occurred to us" -- by doing so he incurs Hashem's wrath upon himself. The transgression of this class of sinners is greater than that of the previous class [Those of the previous class have simply not aroused themselves to repentance; the sinners in the second group, however, deny Divine providence and, as such cannot be aroused to repentance in their present state of mind.] For this reason it states first, regarding the prior class, "I will further afflict you," and only subsequently does the pasuk state regarding the second class mentioned (Vayikra 26:21), "If you walk with Me in a random way [I.e., You do not see Hashem's providence in your affliction, as punishment for your sins, but attribute it to random chance.] and refuse to listen to Me, I will then further bring upon you seven plagues corresponding to your sins" -- because the sin of each successive class referred to in this portion of the Torah is more severe than that of the preceding one. Following this the pasuk states (ibid., 23–24) "If with these you will not be chastened before Me, and you walk with Me in a random way, I, too, will walk with you in randomness." Following this the pasuk states (ibid., 27-28), "If despite this you do not listen to Me, and you walk with Me in a random way, I will then walk with you in a fury of randomness" (The sin of each succeeding class of sinners becomes progressively more severe, and therefore, the Divine response becomes progressively harsher.). The meaning of "you walk with Me in a random way" is that you will say, "This all happened to us as a chance occurrence."

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