 Parshat Ki Tavo U'S'FUNEI T'MUNEI CHOL Beachcombing the G'matriya Beach with
the help of "Otzrot Yisrael", one of the CDs of the "Responsa Project"
of Bar Ilan University. Animals are created for our use, not our misuse. One of the prime uses of animals is Korbanot to G-d. D'varim 27:7 commands us to sacrifice a SHLAMIM offering and eat from it, and rejoice before G-d. Vayikra 24:18 states that if one strikes an animal and kills it, he shall pay "a life for a life". While this pasuk is not to be taken literally, it does emphasize the terrible waste and serious offense to G-d in His world of killing an animal (not for a Korban or for food, etc.) Both of these p'sukim have the same G'matriya, 2656. This is an example of contrasting ideas that G-match to say to us - One the one hand... but on the other hand... Remember, I'm not claiming that what I'm about to say comes from the G'matriya-match, but rather the GM pushed me to think in a particular direction. In our sedra, D'varim 28:1, it speaks of our listening to G-d's voice and keeping all of the mitzvot, then G-d will give us ascendancy over the other nations of the world. Vayikra 23:22 matches this pasuk with a value of 5960, and talks about the mitzvot of PE'AH and LEKET, agricultural mitzvot that at the same time teach us to be kind and charitable with those less fortunate than we, and also teach us that G-d is the Boss, the real owner of the land we call our own, and has the authority to command us what to do with our produce. Perhaps, in some way, there is a comparison made between the specific mitzvot and the general command to keep all mitzvot. There are several different mitzvot that our Sages teach us are "equivalent to the whole Torah". Because of the concepts that PE'AH and LEKET, etc. teach us, we can say this about them. D'varim 26:7, from the Bikurim Declaration, became more famous because of its place in the Pesach Hagada. "And we called out to G-d, the G-d of our ancestors, and He heard us..." To be sure, one of the major functions of prayer is to call out to G-d and ask for things we need. But there is more to prayer than that (of course). Yeshayahu 40:26 (Haftara, Shabbat Nachamu) tells us to lift our eyes heavenward and see Who has created all this. Acknowledging G-d for the wonders of creation is no less an important function of prayer. These 2 p'sukim have the same G'matriya, 3925. Again - it does not prove anything, it does not invent or innovate. These GMs just point you in a certain direction to think about something that might otherwise go unsaid, un-thought of, taken for granted. And one more GM, this time a triple
one. It is another in a long list of GMs related to the Bil'am-Balak episode. Bil'am and
Balak definitely underestimated the specialness of Bnei Yisra'el and the uniqueness of our
relationship with G-d. (In addition to overestimating their own abilities.) Bamidbar 23:27
contains one of the suggestions of Balak that perhaps changing viewing location of the
People will Bil'am left parting advice as to how to
get G-d angry with us. Only then, can a Bil'am and Balak see the results they desired. The
formula is simple. If we remain faithful and obedient to G-d, then no Balak and no Bil'am
in the world can touch us. The one reciting the Vidui of Tithes states in D'varim 26:14
(partial pasuk) - "...I have listened to G-d's voice; I have done all that is com
manded of me." If we do that, then Balak's plan and Bil'am's advice will always come
to nought. The three p'sukim mentioned here (2 whole ones and 1 partial) all have the same
G'matriya, 2957. [The Ki Tavo Homepage] |