This portion
contains more rules, regulations and directives than any other
parashah; 27 of which are positive and 47 negative. There does
not seem to be any order to them however as we study them we can
see a beautiful and important theme emerging. The regulations of
G-d were given to us at that time to counteract the immoral society
in which the Israelites were living. It is always important to
study the Word of G-d in the context in which it was delivered,
remembering that it was given to a specific people at a specific
time. Down through the centuries, man has had the tendency of replacing
G-d's rules and regulations with their own forms of religions,
taking harsh measures to make certain that their followers are
obedient to them.
Yeshua
himself during his "Sermon on the Mount" (Matthew 5-7)
said many times that we have heard what the elders say but by his
own words, he was demonstrating that he was overriding their authority
and restoring the real meaning of the Word of G-d as G-d's representative
on earth. This is a problem that continues until today where "smart
men" try to override G-d's Word with their own understanding
and in so doing invalidate His Word.
In
this particular parashah, if we take a closer look at the regulations
set forth we can see that they were filled with compassion and
mercy for both human beings and animals. Very often we hear that
G-d's Word is no longer for today; that it is harsh, archaic belonging
to another time having no relevance to this day and age. Yet again
if we examine it carefully we will find the progressive nature
of His Word. For instance, let us look at the value of woman. At
the time of Yeshua, women were considered less than cattle. G-d
allowed man to have several wives in order to be their protector
since the woman at that time had no means of supporting herself
outside the home of either her father or husband. She could be
sold as a slave, abused with no one to come to their aid or simply
left to die.
G-d
asked us to respect even the women of our enemies unlike most men
who go to war. The first thing that is done to demoralize the enemy
is to rape their women. In this portion it is written that if a
man goes to war and sees a woman from the conquered tribe who he
"loves", he is to bring her home, shave her head, cut
her nails and allow her to mourn for one month. This shows not
only a sign of respect but also would be a certain cure for any
lust that he felt for her in the first few days of their union.
It would certainly show him clearly if he really loved her. This
would protect Israel from having the men take foreign women with
their gods into the camp.
The
G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in opposition to today's popular
belief placed a very high value upon woman. Eve was the crowning
glory, the final of His creation and given a higher spiritual connection
to G-d than even Adam. The rabbis teach that she was taken from
Adam's side; that Adam contained the DNA of both male and female
and was androgynous until that point. We can see through study
of matter that males have the XY chromosomes and women, only XX.
By stating that it is not good for man to be alone, he is telling
us that man's natural helpmate is the woman who was made especially
for him as a life partner and supporter throughout his life. Unfortunately
it is man who does not wait to find the life partner chosen for
him by G-d but instead rushes into a union based on the wrong reasons.
The
parashah tells us not to take the mother bird from the nest when
we take the eggs or the chicks. This shows mercy to even the smallest
of creatures. With the same spirit, we are not to seethe calf in
its mother's milk as was a pagan custom. The young calf would be
torn away from its mother and killed before her eyes as if the
animals could not feel anything. We know differently today from
the study of animals that they all have a basic maternal instinct.
The
last injunction we see in this parashah is to blot out the memory
of Amalek. In Genesis 36:12 we read that Timna was a concubine,of
Eliphaz, son of Esau, and she bore Amalek. The prophet Samuel had
ordered King Shaul to completely wipe out all the Amalekites including
the women, children and even the animals. Why would a G-d who has
just given us all these injunctions showing mercy for women and
children now have these same creatures killed?
Who
are we to question G-d's motives? Can we know the mind of G-d?
We simply need to do what He asks us with perfect faith that He
knows the outcome. G-d wanted us to wipe out all traces of evil
from Israel. In Exodus 17:16 we read that the Amalekites had come
to attack Israel. We know that as we had left Egypt, they had attacked
us from the rear killing our women, children and the sick and elderly.
It has been our tradition from that moment that Amalek, as descendants
of Esau, the Edomite, represented evil, bound with Satan and needing
to be destroyed. It is because of King Saul's refusal to obey Samuel
and G-d that hundreds of years later, there emerged an evil in
Persia named Haman who tried to wipe out all the Jews. Before Arafat,
the terrorist enemy of Israel died, he announced that he was descended
from Amalek. Did G-d know what he was doing?
When
we make our own rules by creating our own religion, we erode true
trust in G-d forcing us to trust in man. This sets up the battle
for who has the best set of doctrines. When we need men to protect
us instead of allowing for G-d's protection we lose the true understanding
of G-d's mercy toward ourselves and others. G-d gave us these rules
to be able to live in a society where all are treated with justice
and respect. G-d is constantly given pre-eminence to the woman
but like Rabbi Shaul describes the body parts each having its role;
man and woman have both been given their roles. When we live outside
the guidelines set down by G-d's Torah, we live outside His love,
mercy and protection. The eye cannot be an ear; the foot cannot
be a hand. One is no less important than the other. The roles are
different. G-d's 5th commandment is to honor mother and father…mother,
coming first. He knew that man would fall and abuse the role of
the woman in this world. We look forward to the day when His perfect
order will be restored.
In
conclusion in the entire Torah, we have MItzvot (commandments),Huquim
(ordinances) and Mishpatim (judgments), each one as G-d's regulations
to give us clear direction for our lives in order that we can have
a fulfilled lives. Being obedient means being faithful to G-d and
thus adding years to our lives while following the right path.
May G-d give us the faith and the courage to be obedient to His
Word.
May
G-d add blessings to His Word!
Rabbi
Percy Johnson
Netanel
ben Yochanan
[nxy
[b lantn
©
2008 Use by Permission
Kehilat
She’ar Yashuv
