Re'ei - 3rd Portion

Join me as we learnish for Tuesday the third Torah reading of paras. Yesterday we learned about the laws pertaining where one is allowed to bring sacrifices and when the Jewish people they come to the land of Israel only in the holy temple in Jerusalem would they be would they be allowed to bring sacrifices. Today the Torah goes on to tell us the laws pertaining that when the Jewish people should not learn from the idolattors around them or the ways of the non-Jews as well as the Torah tells us about the idea of false prophets and also as well with people who try to get others and persuade them to follow idolatry. And concluding today we learn about the law which is a law which actually never happened to that extent. When a city and everyone in the city are completely immersed in idolatry. Chapter 12 verse 29. When God your God cuts down the nations in with those that are inhabiting the land into which you will be coming in order to dispossess them, you will dispossess them and you will then settle in their land. Verse 30, be aware. May you begin to imitate them. them after you see that they've been destroyed before you may seek out their gods, their deities. Saying, "How did these nations serves their serve their gods? I will do likewise." Rashi verse 30. Pentinokesh. What does the word mean? As we translated, it means to imitate. That comes from the however the which is the Aramaic says that they will cause you to stumble. However, Rashi says that actually in this case the Aramaic translation was not so accurate to make sure what the actual word comes here. And he says as follows. Always when you have a root word then you have to put the word whatever may be the prefix or the suffix before it and afterwards which will give it the a name for it. And therefore Rashi says you never find that the word when it comes to stumbling should have a nun before it. Technically it should be pentivish as we had before in chapter 7. The fact that it has the word before it comes to tell me when it comes to imitating and disgusting and coming confused if you want to call it that's where we do find the like for example like you find in anal that the knees of his knees were banging one and the other as as if he was very so afraid. Those two over here I say in the explanation of this case maybe you'll imitate them you'll do exactly what they were doing and be intertwined and enveloped in what they're doing. We also find this inim that those that imitate that he curses the evil that there will be many people coming to collect and ask him and bother him and uh coming to ask him for his money. What does this mean? That you'll imitate them after you were they exterminated after you'll see that I got rid of them from before you. Technically, you should think about and understand and say, "Why were these people destroyed?" because of the terrible actions and behaviors that they've done. Okay. So therefore, you don't behave that way as well that others should not come and get rid of you. How did they there were so many different idolatries. How did they deserve them? Over here he's telling them that really they weren't only punished. The verse is telling us that they weren't technically punished because of the concept of idolatry, but because of the different services that they did for the idolatry. Like we find in the book of Exodus, it says one who serves sacrifices will other than to God coming to tell us that things that were done, other things that were doing it to other gods, things that are meant to be done to God. And over here the Torah is teaching us that all these different things that were done by the different idolatries that if the idolatry has all these different kinds of the behaviors like we mentioned previously that the was that they would uh excuse their waste to it or they would throw stones at one even if it seems like an odd type of thing of way of doing it but one who does these kind of behaviors W to that idolatry would be obligated. However, if one were to do opposite, let's say he would let his waste on the one that they throw stones to. Throw the stones at the letter's waist, then he wouldn't be obligated in the idolatry because that's not the way the idolatry is served. However, if a person brings sacrifices or bows or does anything of that nature to any of the type of idolatries, even if that's not the usual way that the idolatry is being served, still in all, he will still be obligated and liable for the death penalty for serving idolatry. Verse 31, you must not do this to God your God because you've been told because these are all these deities. They're an abomination to God. They did to their gods. Because also they would burn their their boys, their d their sons and their daughters. They would burn and fire to their deities. [snorts] Verse 31. meaning it's including something. Not only would they bring their fathers and mothers, but also their sons and daughters that they would burn to their God. Says testimony to this fact that he tied his father before his dog. Meaning gave his father. He tied up his father to feed his father to the dog and his dog ate consumed his father and this was not something the Rash is telling us is not something theoretical this is something that actually happened. Chapter 13 verse one. All the things that I command you today, you must be careful to follow them. Add on them and do not detract from them. Verse one, whether it's something which is seemingly a simple, lenient, an easy mitzvah or one that's difficult and strict, you should be careful to do it. Here he's also putting as we mentioned previously in other mitzvah that anytime there was only a positive commandment to do something not doing it is not only neglecting a positive commandment but also telling us neglecting to do it also becomes part of a negative commandment as well anytime the word lest you do it or be careful to do it is a language of a negative commandment the only difference is that you would not be liable to get lashes that is only for an absolute negative commandment not for one which is only telling you to be careful about the positive commandment as well. What does it mean to add for example is to put four four uh five sections in the instead of four that the Torah says for have five species in the instead of four to give four blessings in the blessing of the of the priests instead of the three that are there. Verse two. And over here we start learning about the false prophets. If there will arise among you a prophet or a a dreamer of a dream and it will give you a sign or a marvel meaning what does it mean a sign in the heaven king like it says by gon the terminology is used that gon asked of the angel how do I know that you're legit? So he said give me a sign. and he says and he says over there what or like he continues in the verse over there that there should be the wool that the dew should come down on the wool that was the different sign that he asked that gon asked of the angel to make sure to know that he was saying the right thing where he put down um a piece of wool that gone put down that was dry and all over around it with the do made everything else wet or marvel that means something in this world in over here so the ice The sign is in the heaven. And the marvel is something which happens on earth. In the heaven, how do I know that it means the heaven? Because when the Torah tells us about the signs in the heaven, it uses a terminology. It will be for signs and for festivals because it says because going back to the story of where he tells him that if the actual wool would stay dry and it would be do all over and the terminology there is don't listen to him if you may say so you may ask but if this person is not legitimate and he's a false prophet so then why does God give him the power to make a miracle so therefore before he continues in the verse right afterwards because God is only testing you. It wouldn't be a test if the miracle wouldn't be able to happen. Verse three, and the sign and the marvel which the person said does take place and he said and the sign or the marvel which he spoke to takes place as we mentioned. He says, "Let us go now and observe other deities, other gods that you don't know about and let us worship them." Verse four, do not listen to the words of that prophet to the one that has that dream because God is testing you to ascertain. you actually and truly love your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Verse five, you must follow the God, your God, your God. and him you shall fear of and his mitzvah and his commandments you should keep and in his voice you should listen and him you should serve and unto him you should cleave and mitzvah you should keep these are the laws of the Torah that are mentioned in the Torah what does it mean in the voice and the voice of the prophets that follow that say in the prophecy in the name of God In him you should serve referring to in the holy temple to him you should cleave to God's ways meaning act like God meaning just like God is kind just like God buries the dead just like God visits the sick just like God did all these different types of behavior whether it was to Abraham that he visited him while he was sick to Moses who he buried to the people who he's kind to the Jewish people. So two, you should follow in God's ways. Verse six. However, this prophet or the dreamer, you must must be put to death because he spoke deceptively about God your God who took you out of the land of Egypt who redeemed you from the land from the house of slaves to try to get you to go astray from the way that God commanded you but to go in it. You must eliminate the evil from amongst your midst. What is the word? Meaning something which is non-existent of the world. Never happened and never will happen. And I never commanded him to speak or say any of these things. If the even if the only thing that God did for you was to take you out of Egypt, that would be enough. Now the Torah goes to telling us about people who try to persuade others to do idolatry. Verse four, verse seven. We even if anyone even if it's a close relative to you whether it's your brother the son of your mother or your son your daughter or your you're the wife of uh the wife who lies in your embrace or your friend as your own soul. He incites you are hidden in secret lay saying let us go and serve other gods serve other deities that you don't know about you and your forefathers over here he's going to tell us about what these different relatives mean what does the word mean the word over here means to convince to persuade as it Like if God persuades you, he convinces him, persuades him to do so. He is your brother. You're both from the same father. You're both from the same mother. One who lies in your embrace. One who you li who you love very much. So meaning from the embrace, the one that's stuck together with you, one that you're very connected with who is like your soul, which refers to another person as well, which tells us this is your father. of years. The Torah enumerates the people that you love. Meaning a brother, a sister, a son, a daughter, a wife, or a father, telling us that even if it's these people that you love convince you and try to persuade you to have mercy on them, how much more so how much more so people that you don't know? What does it mean in secret? Only in secret? What happens if they tell it outright? The Torah is talking about practical things. Then generally speaking, a person trying to persuade and convince somebody something. He's like telling you a special secret. It's not a guy that announces it in public. that mo that king Solomon he talks about in the book of proverbs that when the evil inclination comes to try to convince somebody and persuade them it's usually in the dark of night that the person comes to tell you this fact that he tells you that he's coming to convince you something and to follow the word the ways of the other gods this is something that's very embarrassing to you because even the nations of the world don't detract from where their parents have given on something. This detractor, this guy that's trying to persuade you to follow idolatry is telling you to leave something that your parents have always been doing. Verse eight, from among the deities, from among the gods, of the people that are around you, the ones that are close to you or the ones that are far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, why does he detail? Why does the Torah enumerate those that are near to you, those that are far from you? Why would one think that it'll be different in the distance? This is what the Torah is saying from the what the guides near you look like. You can learn about the ones that are far from you as well. Meaning don't think that the ones that are far are different. Uh these guys that idolattors that I know next to me, I know them. So therefore, I know not to behave like them. Oh, but the ones from someplace else, they're very far. They're different. They may have some all different things. He says, "No, no, no. The same ones that are near are just like the ones that are far. The same way there's nothing to there's nothing and no substance into the idolatries and deities of the ones that are near you. There's also no substance and and the idolatries of anything away that are far from you. From one end of the land to the other." This is referring to these are the sun, the moon, and the galaxies the nations of the world used to serve. Because they go from one edge of the world to the other. Verse N. You must not love him. You must not listen to him. And you must not have any pity on him. You must not have any mercy. You must not cover up for him as well. The word comes from the word that you should not love him. You should not show any love towards him. that the Torah tells me in the book of Leviticus, you should love your fellow as yourself. And therefore, I would think that this person I have to show some love to. However, this guy who's a persuader, this guy who's trying to get people to serve idolatry, you should not love him, but you must kill him when he's pleading with you about his life, you should forgive him because it says we learned previously in the book of Leviticus in the book of Exodus, you should help your fellow but this guy do not help him and do not be there to be of assistance with him because we learned by other In the book of Leviticus, it tells us if you see a person suffering, you have to make sure do not stand by your brother's blood idly. So therefore, I would think the same with this individual. Therefore, the Torah tells you do not have any mercy on him and do not save him. Do not find try to find any merit for this individual. Though by any other time when a person's liable to death penalty, we try to find and see maybe we can find some type of merit for this individual and save him. However, this person who is called a mess, that he is looking to deter others and persuade others to do something that's wrong, we do not look for any merit for him. If you know that he has a um if you know that he has a reason to be uh liable in court to be quiet and say, "I'm not going to say anything or just let it pan out." If you know that you have a way that you can get this person that he should be liable, then you have to say it and you have to pronounce it. Verse 10, you must kill this person. Your hand should be first. You must be the first one to kill him to kill him and then everybody else will follow the hand of all the people. This is talking about whenever a person's liable of the death penalty. that guy even if he came out. That means what happens over here if they found after the uh after they decided that this person is liable then they find a way that they can excuse him from it. Then you have to bring him back into court and you have to rejudge him again. But what happens if after they already finished the court and they found that this person's responsible? Then we don't start again. then we don't uh look for any way to be able to to help this person. However, when it comes to a person who's a uh a person who tries to persuade a masis in this case, it's the opposite. If he walks out of guiltless, meaning that he's innocent, bring him back to be able to make him guilty. If he went out guilty, you do not bring him back to find him innocent. So you see that you're extra strict to be able to get and eradicate a person who tries to persuade others to do something wrong. It is the mitzvah by the person who was trying to be persuaded to kill him. But if he didn't die with this guy at first, then other people will then help out. That's why it says afterwards and everybody else joins in. Now the next few verses in verse 13 tells us now if you still you didn't hear clear testimony but you heard other people saying well there's a guy that's doing a b and c and this is what the rest of the Torah is telling Torah reading is telling us if it was not a clear testimony and you only heard about it that's when you will uh make a thorough investigation but getting back to this case which is verse 11 how do we do the capital punishment and you will stone him to death and he will die because he tried to persuade you to go away from the ways of God who took you out of each from the house of slaves and all the Jewish people should hear and watch and they should so they should no longer commit any evil as such amongst you in nor in your midst. Verse 13. Now we come to the laws pertaining an idolatric city. This is what's called an a city which has to be destroyed. If you hear one of your cities that God has given you to settle meaning it's a residential city to settle their lamer saying. Verse 14 as we mentioned previously the rashi mentioned it. You hear about it people are talking about it. And therefore you have to go and investigate the situation. Verse 14. There were people who are unfaithful who have gone from among you and they persuaded the inhabitants of their city and they got them to and they got them to go astray. Lamer saying let us go and serve other gods that you've never known. What does it mean? Means people who are unfaithful. Rashi [snorts] explains why they called that oil without a yoke. They don't have any of subservience. They removed from them the faith in God and the subservience to the almighty men not women. They have to actually be from that city. They can't be living from a different city. number from here the sages say that's why it was so complicated and as we mentioned previously this is a law that actually never happened because there were many different details that have to occur to be able to happen now step number one is that the people who are leading them astray and the people who are going astray must be from the same exact local do you do verse 15 you must inquire you will investigate you will question very well thoroughly and you find out that indeed it's true this abomination has been committed in your midst from here we learn that when people take testimony from witnesses there are seven different types of investigations they have to ask [snorts] number one we learned this where do we learn this from Khan from the way that the Torah goes on to uh be detailed and you will ask, you will inquire and you will question. So what we have over here in just in this versehiml there's already three different terminologies inquire investigate. Hey Dave, very well and then what's you will ask? That's not from the uh account because it's just like investigate. It's not sound like investigation or interrogation. You're asking questions. From this we learned of how you're supposed to ask and how you have to investigate the questions later on. We're going to learn in chapter 19 in the Bible when it comes about the judges and the judges will be thorough and in another place later on in chapter 17 he says and you will investigate and you will check very well and being in both places it's the same terminology which then it's something called when you have two words in the same exact place you can learn the laws from one to the other bazette to take the laws that are mentioned in this case where it says the word hate and in this case where it says hate. So now we have seven different types of terminologies or seven times that the Torah uses a terminology of proper and thorough investigation which that's what the rabbis had to do any time in investigating a case. Verse 16, what's the punishment for the people of the city? You got to um strike down the inhabitants of the city by the sword, by the edge of a sword, completely destroying it and everything that's in it and even its animals by the sword. If you're not able to kill them by the sword by the actual punishment of death which is mentioned in the actual verse then just kill them in any other way as well. Verse 17 and all the uh and all the stuff that was in there, all their spoils, you're going to gather into the center of the city, you will burn it in fire. Everything the city and all it spoils, everything complete destruction to God your God will become a heap of destruction forever, never to be rebuilt. because of God's namesake and because of the keeping of God's mitzvah. And this was a place that had to be completely eradicated and destroyed. Verse 18, even more so. Nothing should be connected to you. Nothing should remain in your possession, anything of it from whatever was doomed to be destroyed. so that God may turn his fierce wrath and treat with you with compassion and he will have mercy on you and he will multiply you and you'll be compassionate with you like he swore to your forefathers because as long as there's idolatry in the world God's wrath is in the world as Verse 19, you will follow what God says to follow to to protect and keeping all those commandments that I command you here today to do what is proper in the eyes of God your God. This concludes the third Torah reading for paras.