Chaverim:
This is one of those times of dilemma. The traditional readings for the second day of Shavuot are Deut 14:22*-16:17 and Num 28:26-31; the haftarah is Habakkuk 3:1-19. (*-when the second day of Shavuot falls on Shabbat, we start the reading at Deut. 14:22, and not 15:19.) However, in Reform settings where second day chagim are not usually celebrated, this year we read the usual readings for the weekly parasha, Naso (Num 4:21-5:31) and the haftarah from Judges 13:2-12.
So the question becomes, which of these do I muse upon? I have, at various times on the past years, written musings on three of these four readings, all of which can be found at my archives: http://www.durlester.com/musings.htm .
Shavuot II 5760-Getting Through the Crap (Habakkuk) http://www.durlester.com/musings/shavuotII5762.htm
Naso 5759-The Fourth Fold
http://www.durlester.com/musings/naso5759.htm
Naso 5760-Bitter Waters
http://www.durlester.com/musings/naso5760.htm
Naso 5761-Keeping Me On My Toes
http://www.durlester.com/musings/naso5761.htm
Naso 5762-Wondrous Names (Haftarah Naso from Judges) http://www.durlester.com/musings/Naso5762.htm
One is conspicuously missing--the Torah reading for Shavuot II. Now, I've written on many parts of this text as it appears as part of parashat Re'eh. Yet it is in a different way that I wish to examine this Shavuot II reading today.
Torah is so of wonderful moments. Many of them are the result of what appear to be seeming contradictions. Here, in the text we read for Shavuot II, is a most intriguing one.
In Deut 15:4 we read:
"There shall be no needy among you--since the Lrd your Gd will bless you in the land which the Lrd your Gd is giving you as a hereditary portion-- 5) if only you heed the Lrd your Gd and take care to keep all this Instruction that I enjoin upon you this day."
Then, in 15:7 we read:
"If, however, there is a needy person among you, one of your kinsmen in any of your settlements in the land that the Lrd your Gd is giving you, do not harden your heart and shut your hand against your needy kinsmen. 8) Rather, you must open your hand and lend him sufficient for whatever he needs."
And further, in 15:11
"There will never cease to be needy ones in your land, which is why I command you: open your hand to the poor and needy kinsman in your land."
Now, I relish in the powerful words of 15:8 and 15:11. (And the caution to be found in 15:9-10, where we are warned against using the approaching sabbatical year as a reason to withhold money from the poor.) So much of the basis of the Jewish view of giving to the needy is made apparent in these verses. And they do come into my head each and every time I encounter someone in need. I can no longer simply drive past the homeless beggar on the street corner. And while I can't realistically respond to every appeal for help I receive in the mail, it is not without great regret that I have to choose which ones to support and which ones to not support--this time.)
Yet I am drawn to the seeming contradiction of what we read here. First we are told that as long as we follow the mitzvot, there will be no needy among us. Then it prevaricates with "If, however, there is a needy person among you..." and finally ends up with "there will never cease to be needy ones in your land."
Does this mean that, even if we, as a community, all follow Gd's mitzvot, that there will still be needy among us? Or is it yet another recognition on Gd's part, as we so often see in the Torah, that human beings are simply destined to not be able to keep all the mitzvot?
Now, there is a more simple contextual explanation--that verse 4 refers to the fact that no Israelite shall be needy due to the sabbatical year--so long as Israel follows the commandments. Verse 4 is applying to a specific situation, whereas verse 11 applies more broadly to the human condition in general. In view of the subsequent text in verse 7-10, it would seem this is the logical explanation.
Yet there is another, I believe. In verse 4: "there will be no needy among you --lo yihiye b'cha evyon." In verse 11: "for there will never cease to be needy ones in your land -- lo yechdal evyon mikerev ha-aretz."
Yes, as long as we follow the mitzvot, and keep Gd in our hearts, in our minds, and on our lips, we will not be needy. Oh, perhaps we may be wanting, or not fully sated. We may not be fulfilled, physically. But we won't be needy-spiritually. For Gd is with us always. And when our faith is strong, often our physical conditions, our wealth, etc. seem to matter less.
Yet those who have lost sight of Gd, lost their faith, lost their sense of covenant, they will have great need for fulfillment--both spiritually and physically. They will need our support, our love, our charity.
In a universe where things can happen that make us question Gd, in a universe where we have free will and can do all sorts of negative things, where we can even reject Gd, there is ever the need to open our hands to those in need. In a time when Jews live all over the world, the entire planet is our land. We must open our hands to those in needs the world over.
It's not easy to be a Jew. It's an awesome responsibility. Gd grant us all the strength to live up to what Gd expects of us.
Shabbat Shalom,
Adrian
©2003 by Adrian A. Durlester
Shavuot II 5760-Getting Through
the Crap (Habakkuk)
Naso 5759-The Fourth Fold
Naso 5760-Bitter Waters
Naso 5761-Keeping Me On My Toes
Naso 5762-Wondrous Names (Haftarah Naso from Judges)
