Feature Tidbit

A Major Medley of Mitzvot

G-d says, BEHOLD, I Am presenting you today — Blessing and Curse. In the opening p'sukim of R'ei, we find that both the blessings and the opposite are Mitzvot. If we keep them, then they are our greatest source of Bracha. If we don't... don't ask.

Parshat Re'eh has 55 of the Torah's 613 mitzvot. That's 9% of the Torah's mitzvot in only 2-2.5% of the Torah's content. Re'eh actually has more than 55 mitzvot, but the others are counted elsewhere.

With so many mitzvot in one place, there are some interesting observations that can be made concerning the nature of mitzvot.

Specifically, we see what seems to be duplication and triplication of mitzvot. For example, the Torah forbids eating Ma'aser Sheini outside of Jerusalem. The prohibition includes the second tithe from grain, the vineyard, and the olive grove. Each type of Maaser Sheni is counted as a separate mitzva. Why?

And sometimes we find a positive mitzva and a prohibition that say the same thing (or seem to). It is forbidden to demand payment of a personal loan once the Shmita year has passed. It is also required to let such loans go without demanding payment. Is that not the same thing? An EVED IVRI must be given a stipend at the end of his service. We may not send him away empty- handed. Those two mitzvot (one positive and one prohibition) say the same thing. Why?

A different kind of "extra mitzva": The Torah gives us permission to eat the meat of a kosher animal. It forbids eating from a living animal. It forbids eating of an animal that died on its own or was killed in any way other than by Sh'chita (ritual slaughter). Technically, it is "unnecessary" to command us to perform Sh'chita. It is the only method by which we can use the Torah's permission to eat meat. Yet, sh'chita IS one of the mitzvot.

There are many other examples of these types of "extra mitzvot" throughout the Torah: Fast on Yom Kippur; do not eat or drink on Yom Kippur. Abstain from Melacha on Shabbat; do not do any Melacha on Shabbat. What's the story?

Aside from specific answers which we might find for individual examples, there is a general picture about mitzvot that emerges.

The last mishna in Makot (which we borrow to conclude each chapter of Pirkei Avot and which is used whenever a sample of learning is needed to be shared in order to say a Kaddish D'Rabbanan) is attributed to Rabbi Chananya b. Akashya. He says: G-d wanted to give merit to the People of Israel, therefore he heaped upon us Torah and Mitzvot. It does not say, "therefore he gave us..." - it says HIRBA, from the word HARBEI (much).

G-d gave to the rest of the world 7 mitzvot; He gave us 613.

Actually, He gave the non-Jews 7 categories of mitzvot, which include many more than 7 mitzvot. But that's the point. The rest of the world received a practical, common sense body of mitzvot. Keep the list short. Just tell them what they must and must not do.

We, on the other hand, have a special relationship with G-d. Because of our love of Him and our commitment to Him, we revel in His mitzvot. The more the merrier. Of course, this is not the way the non-committed would look at things. But a Jew who is willing to give his all in the loving fulfillment of the Torah, delights at the opportunities to do mitzvot. It is to our advantage to have a "mushrooming" of
mitzvot. Imagine the great reward that is in store.

And that isn't even why we do mitzvot. We do them out of love and reverence of G- d. The Baal Shem Tov said that the reward for mitzvot is the joy we receive when we do G-d's bidding.

As we begin the month whose name stands for the mutual loving relationship we have with HaShem - ANI L'DODI V'DODI LI, let us strengthen our commitment to Torah and Mitzvot, spread the word to our fellow Jews, and hope that this is the right formula for "moving" G-d to answer our prayers for true peace, happiness, and prosperity for us all and for the People of Israel in the Land of Israel according to the Torah of Israel.

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