This week we read the fascinating parsha of R’eh, it contains why we celebrate the various festivals listed in the Torah: Sukkot, Pesach and Shavuot. R’eh also lists the animals that are kosher to eat, Our Chumash informs us about Kashrut by saying: “Dietary rules are part of Deuteronomy’s emphases on manifesting one’s humanity by controlling instinct and on the Israelites separating themselves from pagans whose land they would shortly be entering.” (Etz Chayim 1072) Another part of our parsha I found both intriguing and difficult to reconcile with is in the end of chapter 12. It describes God dispossessing the Canaanite people and cutting them down. It also mentions the Israelites dispossessing the Israelite people as well. The idea behind this is that the Israelites wouldn’t be tempted to adopt the religious practices of the Canaanites and be lured into their ways if they were not living in the land with the Israelites. However isn’t the faith of the Israelites strong enough that they could live with the Canaanites? The previous generations who had lost faith in God and had worshipped the golden calf had died out in the desert. Did they have to dispossess them? I struggle greatly with this passage and have trouble with the idea of taking land away from people who were already living there.
Switching gears a little bit I want to focus on chapter 15 of our parsha. This chapter is focused on “ensuring that there not emerge in Israel a permanent underclass-persons unable to lift themselves out of poverty.”(Etz Chayim 1076) There are many measures put into place to prevent this from happening, remission of debts, loan forgiveness, and finally helping your fellow kinsman. This idea comes to a point in verse 11, “For 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.” The solution God is putting to poverty in this chapter is of building a social structure that prevents it and does not rely on people’s generosity. Someone who is poor doesn’t need to feel embarrassed to receive Tzedakah because giving Tzedakah is a mitzvah, a commandment, not charity resulting from being kind. (Etz Chayim 1078)
If we had these practices in our society of first helping our fellow Jews in this way imagine how strong we could be. We could work together to help one another, we may have different observances between orthodox, conservative, and reform but we are all Jews and all need each other. If we are not helping each other as God wants us to then we are not living up to the commandment of Tzedakah.
God knew there would always be poor and God knew that we might not always feel like giving so God put the social structures into the Torah to show the significance of them and how important it is to help your fellow person. We are all doing the best we can but each of us could use more help. I ask that as the High Holiday season approaches we look to homeless shelters or soup kitchens and volunteer there and do whatever we can to help the people in our community and beyond.
Wishing everyone a peaceful relaxing Shabbat filled with thought about how we can help our neighbor in this New Year.
Shabbat Shalom, Cantor Kowitz
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SERVICES Friday, August 30-Thursday, September 5
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