Spiritual and
Ethical Issues in the Historical Books of Tanach;
SPIRITUAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE BEREISHIT STORIES These four books ostensibly are merely the history of Israel from the entry into the Promised Land until the destruction of the Temple and the temporary loss of independent statehood. In fact they are actually, in a specifically Jewish sense, the most deeply religious and spiritual books of the Bible. One does not have to be specifically Jewish to see or feel the religion and spirituality in the revelations of the prophetic writings or in the words of the Tehillim. They speak to all people, as evidenced by the fact that the Bible is still the world's bestseller and there are millions of non-Jews who regularly recite the Psalms. However, it is specifically and intrinsically Jewish to understand that G-d is revealed in the prosaic material, in the political, social and military events in the lives of ordinary men and women, kings and leaders that are described in the Nevim Rishonim. Here are described the ideology and religious thoughts in Judaism, while in Chronicles we have the purely historical. "Megilat Yaakov" [3] In his vow, Yaakov, in addition to asking for G-d's protection in Exile and His help in his return home, adds an element to the blessings promised him that is singular to this occasion and has much relevance to our personal individual lives. He asks for a livelihood - parnasa - thus teaching us the first stage in our treatment of wealth and the desire for it; the most truthful and effective segula is direct prayer to G-d. Yaakov's understanding of parnasa has become a role model for us, exemplified by the prayer said during Birkat Kohanim on the festivals: "Bestow on me and on the souls of my household, our food and livelihood, generously and not sparsely, honestly not in forbidden ways from your generous hand, just as You gave food and clothing to our father Yaakov called Ish Tam, a wholesome man". "That our commerce should be done in faith does not mean honesty in commerce, for that we have halakhot that militate against fraud, theft and robbery, false weights and measures, oppression, lying and interest. Rather it means faith that G-d is the sole source of all our wealth" (Orech HaShulchan 156); he who does not say in Ashrei, 'You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing' with full devotion, does not fulfill his obligation. Furthermore, Yaakov does not ask for more than bread to eat and clothes to wear. He thus lays down for us the Torah's teaching that modesty does not apply only to dress but also to consumption and standards of living; the economics of enough, without which there can be no morality, business or otherwise. He reaffirms this teaching when in reply to Eisav's, "I have a lot" which always leaves space for wanting more, he answers "I have everything". This places limits on how much we want to earn and thereby also on how we earn it. Now that Yaakov was elevated to great spiritual heights through his prophetic vision, he was able to realize that there is sanctity even in the material possessions that G-d will grant him. It is this sanctity of material possessions that makes him [and us] obligated to tithe maaser. Maaser flows from the intrinsic kedusha that only Eretz Yisrael has; a sanctity that is connected to the People who share its name" (Mei Marom, Harav Harlap). There are many mitzvot that come to teach us that our wealth really belongs to G-d and this obligates to act according to His commandments. Omer that is a payment as it were, to the real owner that permits us to eat of our new harvests, shmita and yovel which abrogate our legal ownership, bikurim with its humbling confession that He has granted us everything so we bring First Fruits to His Temple, and the grace said before and after eating or enjoying material things. The conclusion of the vow, "And every- thing that You give me I shall repeatedly tithe unto You"", shows that is not a matter of asking for G-d's blessing and then promising something in return, but rather a promise to act in a way that recognizes the Source of the benefits. "Maaser comes to make us keep in mind that G-d is the real master of our property even after it becomes ours. We have to dedicate a share of it according to His wishes and this dedication comes in two forms. The first, at the outset of our earning: b'chor, bikurim and t'ruma. These are easy to accept since with the first cent that we get we still have the feeling that G-d gave it. However, those that follow seem to be the natural result of the preceding stream of effort or of income. Then we need the second form, maaser, to remind us that these too are a direct gift from G-d" (R. S.R.Hirsch, B'reishit 14:20). "Pe'ah is brought only on completion of harvesting the field. This ending shows that our intention throughout the agricultural work [wealth creation] was to fulfill His Will and commandments. A nation whose whole material activity is geared to be able to do just this, will never be completely harvested-destroyed" (Shem Mi Shmuel). G-d could provide directly for the needs of the poor, but He established the world in such a fashion that we receive wealth to be used for our own needs but also to provide for the needs of the weak. In that, there is created not only the vertical relationship between us and G-d, the Provider, but flowing from that relationship also a horizontal relationship between us and others. "G-d wanted that His creatures should be well-versed and actively engaged in Chesed and mercy. Through His kindness to each of us, He thereby provides for all His creatures. Furthermore, we thereby learn to fear Hashem, our G-d" (Sefer HaChinuch 473,474). "We give a tenth of the wealth that Hashem gives us to those who are in need, so that they become G-d fearing and worship Him [apparently to forestall their rebellion against Him due to their poverty]. This tithing applies also to the sons (B'reishit Rabba 70:7) as we learn from the maaser that has to be given to the Leviyim who busy themselves with G-d's worship more than their brothers" (Radak). The Talmud (Ketubot 50a) learnt from our verse that a person of average wealth should not spend more than 20% on charity in cases where they would themselves be reduced thereby to poverty. ''Although this restrictive ruling has been extended to one's spending on the observance of positive mitzvot, regarding spending in order to prevent failing in negative mitzvot, one is required to spend even all one's wealth (Rama, Orech Chaim 656). "Kingship will not be established in Israel and the True Faith not established except through tzedaka as it is written: "Establish yourselves through righteousness" (Isaiah 54:14), and we will not be redeemed except by virtue of tzedaka as it is written (Isaiah: 1:27): "Zion shall be redeemed with Justice and her returnees through righteousness"." (Matnat Aniyim 10:1). This is installment #130 in Dr. Tamari’s series on “Tanach and its messages for our times” [The
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