Skip to main content

Adding and Subtracting - Parashat Re-eh 5776 - September 2, 2016

Torat Hashem Temimah Meshivat Nafesh – G-d’s Torah is perfect; restoring the soul.

Besides being one of my favorite songs to sing on Simchat Torah, this verse from Tehilim describes the Torah as being perfect. This week’s parasha explains one aspect of the perfection of the Torah.

Parashat Re’eh continues the explication of Moshe Rabbenu’s tochacha – his rebuke of the Jewish People. In this rebuke, Moshe discusses the mitzvot of bal tosif and bal tigra – to not add or subtract from the mitzvot of the Torah. Our sages teach us that the Torah is comprised of taryag – there are 613 mitzvot in the Torah. These two mitzvot teach that the Jewish People are not permitted to add a 614th commandment or to remove one of the 613 commandments from taryag.

The Seforno gives some context to each of these commandments. Concerning the prohibition of adding to the Torah, he explains that this mitzvah is designed to prevent a person adding something which is detestable to Hashem, even something that may seem like a service of Hashem. Concerning the prohibition of subtracting to the Torah, he explains that, at times, people may feel that the reason for a certain commandment no longer applies and that, consequently, the commandment no longer applies.

At first glance, Seforno’s comments seem somewhat difficult. Bal tosif and bal tigra are presented by the Torah as a pair – neither add nor subtract. However, Seforno’s explanation seems to provide very different rationales for the two prohibitions – do not allow yourself to do something detestable to Hashem in the name of serving Him and do not allow yourself to think that a commandment no longer applies.

Apparently, Seforno understands that these two prohibitions stem from the same error in thinking – a personal judgement about G-d’s Will is a reasonable substitute for Hashem’s declaration of His Will through the mitzvot. In fact, Hashem has shared with us His Will through taryag – the 613 commandments. In the case of bal tosif, the Torah prohibits a person (or a Jewish court) from acting on the thought that he can determine how Hashem should be served. The Torah prohibits us from adding a new mitzva. In the case of bal tigra, the Torah prohibits a person (or Jewish court) from acting on the thought that he can determine the ultimate reasons for the mitzvot. The Torah prohibits us from subtracting a mitzva.

One of the ideas that the verse, Torat Hashem Temimah Meshivat Nafesh – G-d’s Torah is perfect; restoring the soul – conveys is that Hashem gave us a perfect Torah. Hashem is perfect and His Will is unchanging. As a product of His Will, the Torah is not subject to change – and certainly not subject to alteration based on human whim.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow - Rabbi Owen's Operational Dinner Remarks - Monday, September 17, 2018

You may have noticed that we have two new huge street-side banners on White Station Road. One of them says, “Learning Today, Leading Tomorrow”. What do we mean by this? How does learning prepare for leading? The distinctiveness and difference of the Jewish People is a theme that appears regularly and intensely throughout the Yom Kippur prayers. On Yom Kippur afternoon, we read the section of the Torah dealing with immorality. The Torah says, “Do not act in the ways of the land of Egypt in which you lived; and do not act in the ways of the land of Cana’an to which I, Hashem, am taking you – and do not follow their customs. Follow My laws and guard My customs to walk in these ways – I am Hashem your G-d.” The Torah is teaching that Egypt and Cana’an represent spiritually harmful elements of each culture in which the Jewish People will find themselves over the centuries and instructs us to separate from the temptation to assimilate these ideas. The Jewish People dwell alone. Hashe...

Honor and Glory - Parashat Termuah 5780, February 28, 2020

This week’s  parasha , Termuah, and next week’s parasha , Tetzave, introduce Hashem’s command regarding the plans for the  mishkan  and its vessels – including the clothing worn by the  kohanim . One of the vessels that Hashem commands to be built is the  menorah  – the candelabra. The description of the plans for the menorah are described in Parashat Terumah and the description of its service is described in Parashat Tetzave. In Parashat Tetzave, the Torah says, “and they will take for you pure olive oil pressed to be lit to raise an everlasting candle.” Each evening the  kohanim  were obligated to light the candelabra with enough oil to last the night. In the morning, the  kohanim  were obligated to fix and relight the  menorah , as necessary, thus ensuring that the candelabra would constantly be lit. The Rambam – Maimonides – explains, based on a later verse, that the  mitzvah  to light the candelabra in the mishk...

Building Appropriate Fences - Parashat Ki Seitzei 5778, August 24, 2018

Among the many mitzvot described in this week’s parasha , Parashat Ki Tetze, is the law of the ma’ake – a fence. “When you build a new house, you shall make a guard rail for your roof, so that you shall not cause blood to be spilled in your house, that the one who falls should fall from it.” In this verse, the Torah commands us to build a fence around any exposed high area, such as a flat roof or deck, that is commonly used by human beings. Viewing this law as a positive commandment, the Rambam teaches that one must make a blessing when constructing a ma’ake . The law of the ma’ake is one of many Torah laws that teach us to protect human life. Positive commandments such as ve’nishmartem me’od et nafshotechem (and you shall greatly guard your physical life) and ve’rapo yerape (and you shall surely heal) reveal the Torah’s appreciation of man’s vulnerability and the lengths that we must go to foster human safety. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik extends this concept of bui...