Pisqa’ 41¹

1

“Now, if you comply obediently with My commandments” (Dt.11:13).

Why is [obedience] mentioned?

Because it is stated:

“Study them and take care to observe them.” (Dt.5:1).

Shall I infer that

they were not obliged to study the Torah

until they were obliged to observe it?

The Teaching states:

“If you comply obediently with My commandments” (Dt.11:13)—

this explains that

they were immediately obliged to study.²

Now, from this verse I might infer that

Israel was obliged to study only the commandments

observed prior to entering the Land—

such as Firstlings,³ sacrificial offerings⁴ and the Cattle-tithe.⁵

How do we know of the obligation to study

those commandments observed after Israel entered the Land—

such as the Barley-sheaf,⁶ the Dough-offering,⁷ the Two loaves,⁸

and the bread of the Presence.⁹

The Teaching states:

“If you comply obediently with My commandments” (Dt.11:13)—

including the rest of the commandments!

From this verse I might infer

an obligation to study only those commandments

observed prior to the conquest and settlement!

How do we know of the obligation to study

those observed after the conquest and settlement—

such as Gleanings,¹⁰ the Forgotten-sheaf,¹¹ the Corner-offering,¹²

Tithes, the First-batch,¹³

and the seven-year Sabbatical cycles¹⁴, and the fifty-year Jubilee cycles? ¹⁵

The Teaching states:

“If you comply obediently with My commandments” (Dt.11:13)—

by adding to these the other commandments!¹⁶

2

“Study them and take care to observe them.” (Dt.5:1)—

this indicates that deeds [of Torah]

depend upon your ability to study,

but your ability to study

does not depend upon deeds [of Torah].

And so we find:

He punished neglect of study

more than neglect of deeds.

For it is said:

“HASHEM has a complaint against those dwelling in the Land,

for there is no truth, and no kindness, and no knowledge of God in the Land!” (Hos.4:1):

“No truth”—truthful words are not spoken,

for it is said:

“Acquire truth, and never sell it”¹⁷ (Prov.23:23).

And no kindness—kind words are not spoken.,

for it is said:

“Your kindness, HASHEM, fills the world”¹⁸ (Ps.119:64)

And no knowledge— knowledgeable words are not spoken,

for it is said:

“My people were destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you despised knowledge” (Hos.4:6).

And He says:

“And, therefore, as straw devours a tongue of fire,

and hay shrivels the flame” (Is.5:24)—

now, is there such a thing as straw that devours fire?

Rather, straw stands here for Wicked Esau.

For whenever Israel relaxes its hand

from commandments, he dominates them.

And He says:

“Who is the man wise enough to understand this? . . .

Why is the Land perished and wasted like a desert? . . .

Because they abandoned My Torah, which I placed before them,

and didn’t obey My voice, and were not guided by it” (Jer.9:11-12).

And He says:

“For three transgressions of Judah, indeed, for four, shall I not restore it—

because they have rejected the Torah of HASHEM,

and have failed to preserve His statutes” (Am.2:4).

3

One time, R. Tarfon, R. Akiva, and R. Yose the Galilean

were reclining to dine at Beit Aris, near Lod.

A question was raised before them:

Which is greater—

study [of Torah] or deeds [of Torah]?

Said R. Tarfon:

Deeds are greater.

R. Akiva said:

Study is greater.

Everyone else [at the table] replied, saying:

Study is greater,

since study leads to deeds.

R. Yose the Galilean said:

Study is greater,

for the obligation of Torah-study preceded

[the actual observance of] the Dough-offering by forty years,¹⁹

[the observance of] the Tithes by fifty four years,

[the observance of] the Sabbatical cycles by sixty one years,

and [the observance of] the Jubilees by a hundred and three years.

And just as He punished

neglect of study more than neglect of deeds,

so, too, He gave a reward for study

greater than that given for deeds.

For it is stated:

“And you shall train your children, to speak of them” (Dt.11:19).

And, then, what does He say?

“So that your days, and those of your children shall be extended” (Dt.11:21).

And He says:

“And He gave them populous lands,

and the labor of nations they inherited,

by virtue of preserving His laws” (Ps.105:44-45)—

[the reward for deeds is this worldly,

while that for study is eternal life].

4

“Which I command you today” (Dt.11:13).

On what basis

can you claim that

if a person hears a word of Torah

from the mouth of the least of Israel,

he should regard it as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of a sage?

The Teaching states:

“Which I command you” (Dt.11:13).

And not only as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of a single sage,

but, rather, as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of sages as a whole!

For it is said:

“The words of sages are like cattle-prods” (Ecc.12:11)—

just as your cattle-prod directs the cow along her furrow

to bring life to her owner,

so, too, words of Torah direct a person’s mind

toward the mind of the All-Present!

And not only as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of a majority of sages,

but, rather, as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of the Sanhedrin as a whole,

for it is said:

“Masters of assemblies” (Ecc.12:11)—

and the term “assemblies” (‘asupot) implies the Sanhedrin,

for it is said:

“Assemble (‘esfah)²⁰ for me seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Nu.11:16).²¹

And not only as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of the Sanhedrin,

but, rather, as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of Moses,

for it is said:

“They were given by one shepherd” (Ecc.12:11).

And He says:

“Then His people remembered the old days, with Moses” (Is.63:11).

And not only as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of Moses,

but, rather, as if he’d heard it

directly from the mouth of the Power!

For it is said:

“They were given by one shepherd”(Ecc.12:11)

And He says:

“Lend an ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

Who guides Joseph like a flock” (Ps.80:2).

And, furthermore, He says:

“Listen, Israel! HASHEM is our God, HASHEM is One” (Dt.6:4)

5

See what He says:

“Your eyes are like pools in Heshbon, by the gate of Bath-rabbim” (Song 7:5):

“Your eyes”—

these are the elders appointed over the communal welfare.

And similarly He says:

“For HASHEM has spread over you a spirit of sleep,

and He has shut your eyes” (Is.29:10).

“Pools” (Song 7:5)—

just as it is impossible to know

what is sunk within a pool

so, too, one cannot fathom the words of sages.

Heshbon (Song 7:5)—

this concerns considerations (kheshbonot) reached

through calculation and contemplation.

Where are these reached?

In sages’ disciple circles (batei midrashot ) —

“by the gate of Bath-rabbim”(Song 7:5).²²

6

What does He say?

“Your face²³ is like the tower of Lebanon,

that looks out toward Damascus” (Song 7:5)?

If you have observed this Torah, have hope in Elijah,

for I told him:

“Go, return on your way to the wasteland of Damascus” (1 Ki.19:15),

And He says:

“Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant” . . . (Mal.3:22)

And He continues:

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet

before the coming of the awesome, fearful Day of HASHEM . . .

he shall reconcile parents with children” (Mal.3:23-24).

7

“To love HASHEM your God” (Dt.11:13).

Lest you say:

indeed, I will study Torah

for the sake of getting wealth,

for the sake of being called My Master,

or for the sake of receiving reward in the coming eon—

The Teaching states:

“To love HASHEM your God” (Dt.11:13)—

in all you do, act only out of love.

“And to serve Him (le`avdo; Dt.11:13)—

this refers to Torah-study.

You claim this refers to Torah-study!

Perhaps it simply refers to the sacrificial service (‘avodah)?

Look, He says here:

“And HASHEM-God took the Adam, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden

to work it (le`ovdah) and to preserve it” (Gn.2:15).

Now, what kind of work was needed in that [simple] time?

And what kind of preservation was needed in that [simple] time?

Thus you learn that

“to work it” implies Torah-study,

and “to preserve it” implies observing the commandments.

And just as the work of the Altar

is called service (`avodah),

so, too, is Torah-study called service (`avodah).²⁴

8

Another word:

“And to serve Him” (Dt.11:13)—

this refers to prayer (tefillah).

You claim this refers to prayer!

Perhaps it simply refers to the sacrificial service?

The Teaching states:

“With all your heart and with all your soul” (Dt.11:13)—

Now, is there a sacrificial service in the heart?

What, then, does the Teaching mean by

“And to serve Him?” (Dt.11:13)

This refers to prayer.

And so David says:

“Let my prayer be equivalent to incense before You,

And my uplifted hands like a sweet offering” (Ps.141:2).

And He says [of Daniel]:

“And he knelt upon his knees three times a day and prayed” (Dan.6:11).

And He continues:

“O, Daniel, servant of the Living God!

Is the God whom you constantly serve able to save you from the lions?” (Dan.6:21).

Now was there a sacrificial rite in Babylonia?

What, then, does the Teaching mean by

“And to serve Him?” (Dt.11:13)

This refers to prayer!

And just as the work of the Altar is called service,

so, too, prayer is called service.

9

R. Eliezer b. Jacob says:

“And to serve Him, with all your heart and with all your soul” (Dt.11:13)—

indeed, this is a warning to priests

to be undivided in their hearts

at the hour of the sacrificial service.

Another word:

What does the Teaching mean by

“with all your heart (levavkhem) and with all your soul” (Dt.11:13)?

Now, isn’t it already stated:

“with all your heart (levavekhah) and with all your soul” (Dt.6:5)?

Elsewhere (Dt.6:5), the addressee is an individual,²⁵

while here (Dt.11:13) , the addressee is the community.²⁶

Elsewhere (Dt.6:5) the theme is Torah-study;

while here (Dt.11:13) the theme is deeds [of Torah].

[The Holy One said, as it were:]

When you heard the commandment, do—

you did your duty;

therefore, I, too, will do My duty!²⁷

“And I will bring the rain to your Land in its time.” (Dt.11:14)

1. H:82-86; NJ1:126-131.
2. //T. Men.6:20.
3. Heb: bechorot (see Ex.13:1).
4. Heb: qorbanot; Lv.1:1ff.
5. Heb: ma`aser behemah. Lv.27:32
6. Heb:`omer. Lv.23:10. A sheaf of the first of the barley crop is offered daily for the fifty days between the second day of Passover and the the first day of the Feast of Weeks.
7. See Pisqa’ 40.3
8. Heb: shtei halekhem: Lv.23:17. Two barley loaves offered with the morning sacrifice of the Feast of Weeks.
9. Heb: lechem hapanim; Ex.25:30. The twelve loaves of unleavened wheat-bread offered every Sabbath.
10. Heb: leqet. Lv.19:9. Gleanings consist of the remains left in the field after the harvest. These are left for the poor and are considered their property ( M. Pe’ah 4:10).
11. Heb: shikhechah. Produce overlooked by harvesters may not be retrieved. It is left for the poor. (Dt.24:19; M. Pe’ah 6:1).
12. Heb: pe’ah. Unharvested produce must be left in the corners of the fields for the poor (Lv. 19:9; M. Pe’ah 1:2).
13. Heb: terumah. “Of the finest oil, must, and grain, the first choice of what is given to HASHEM have I given to you” (Nu.18:12; cf. Dt.18:4, Pisqa’ 166).
14. Heb: shemitah. “The Year of Release.” Landholders relinquish ownership of what grows in their fields (Lv.25:1-7, Dt.15:1-3), minimize field-work (M. Shev.1:5-8) and creditors release their debtors from claims against them (Dt.15:9-10 M. Shev.10:1-4).      .
15. [xv] Heb: yovel. In the fiftieth year, after seven sabbatical cycles, all ancestral property sold during the previous jubilee must be returned to its family of origin ( Lv.25:3-11).
16. //T. Men.6:20.
17. Yet truth is commonly bought and sold!
18. But the people ignore it.
19. RH and TA follow Rashi (B. Qid. 40b) in explaining these computations as a combination of the 40 years that elapsed from the giving of the Torah, which required study, till the point, after the entry to the Land, at which the actual fulfillment of the commandment was required. Thus, Dough-offering, which was due immediately upon entry into the Land was studied without practice for 40 years (Nu.15:17-21), Tithes, which were required only after the conquest of the Land under Joshua, a process taking 14 y ears, was exclusively studied for 54 years, and so on.
20. The assonance of ‘asupot and ‘esfah enables Moses’gathering of elders to anticipate that of Solomon’s Sanhedrin.
21. //T. Sotah7:11; ARNA:18
22. When the various word-plays are decoded, Song 7:5 yields the following message:“Israel’s eyes are the elders, whose deep pools of prophetic wisdom conceal mysteries, shared only in the sages’ discipleship circles.”
23. Hebrew: ‘af; literally nose. As at Pisqa’ 1.29.
24. //ARNB:21.
25. As the suffix, khah, attests.
26. The suffix is khem.
27. Cf. Pisqa’ 49.3.