Such an insignificant mitzvah

Ki Tetze

Deut. 21:10 - 25:19

Précis:  The parasha might be subtitled “entering society” because it describes the creation of a just and moral social network. It begins with the phrase “when you go forth” (ki tetze) to battle. This parasha, according to Maimonides, contains 72 mitzvot (commandments). Although they seem unrelated, they all deal with the morals and values that God wanted to be deeply implanted in the Israelites' society. They cover a wide variety of topics, from family life, human kindness, respect for property and animals, the safety of others, sexual relationships, escaped slaves, financial loans and charging interest, keeping promises, and remembering to blot out the name of one of Israel's greatest enemies. This assortment of commands included requirements that there be sex-distinct clothing; that mother birds not be separated from their eggs; that roof-tops have parapets; that seeds not be mixed in a field, and that “tzitzit” (fringes) be worn on garments.

Deut. 22:6 "If [walking] along the road, you chance upon a bird's nest . . . and the mother is sitting over the fledglings or on the eggs, do not take the mother together with her young. Let the mother go and take only the young, in order that you may fare well and have a long life").

            Rabbi Irving Greenberg has written (MyJewishLearning.com 8/28/12) “the reward of long life for the seemingly simple commandment of shooing away a mother bird before taking her young teaches us that no act is trivial.”

This week’s reading, containing as it does more commandments than any other parasha, provides an opportunity of weighing the importance of each mitzvah on some kind of “mitzvah scale.” We know that saving a life (b’kuach nefesh) trumps other mitzvot (even allowing one to desecrate the Shabbat). According to the Sages, this particular mitzvah is called the “lightest” or most insubstantial of all of the mitzvot. Merely approaching a mother bird on her nest will usually result in the bird flitting away. Why should such an easy to accomplish mitzvah offer a specific reward of “long life?” In fact, this reward is identical to what is promised for fulfilling the commandment to honor one’s parents!

The Sages respond: every action has importance and is significant. This is a lesson which certainly applies to Jewish communal professionals, to parents, spouses, and to children as well. Sometimes, it’s the “small” things we do (a warm greeting on Shabbat, a comfortably handled response to special needs for seats on the holidays, attending a shivah minyan, helping an elderly neighbor bring grocery bags in) which may have great value.

This verse reminds us of another important aspect of Jewish history and tradition. According to Talmud, Rabbi Elisha ben Abuyah was a rabbi of significant authority in midrashic times. The story is related that he observed a young boy climbing a tree, and dutifully fulfilling the mitzvah of this verse before collecting the eggs in the nest. He watched the boy then fall to his death. This created a crisis of belief, since the promise of the Torah had obviously not been fulfilled. Because of his shaken faith, he was named “Acher” (“the other”) in Talmudic literature. But despite his heretical status, his opinions were not stricken from Rabbinic writings. From this we learn that our tradition honors wisdom from all sources.

As to the verse itself, Maimonides has written in his laws of repentance that we should consider the world to be perfectly balanced between good and evil, between life and death; our next act, even if minor or trivial, can tilt  the entire world towards one side or the other. We need to act mindfully and chose life.

Spare That Tree!

Shoftim

Deut. 16:18-21:9

Précis: The parasha Shoftim (literally, “judges”) is devoted primarily to various themes of justice, and includes warnings against false testimony, idol worship, and the dangers posed by mortal kings. The parasha also warns the people against false prophets, magicians, soothsayers and witches. It establishes requirements for cities of refuge in the Promised Land. In short, the parasha is devoted to ways to create a just society in the Land of Israel.

Deut. 20:19 “When in your war against a city you have besieged you have to besiege it a long time in order to capture it, you must not destroy its trees, wielding the ax against them. You may eat of them, but you must not cut them down. Are trees of the field human to withdraw from before you into the besieged city? Only trees which you know do not yield food may be destroyed.”

These verses found toward the end of the parasha form the basis for the mitzvah “bal tashchit” ("do not destroy"). While the verse itself deals specifically with cutting down trees during war, the Sages extended its meaning to cover all forms of wasteful destruction. We can infer that for at least 2,500 years, we Jews have been concerned about the environment. Our ancestors understood that life on Earth depends on preserving and protecting its natural resources.  

            The tree in the Torah text is an often used metaphor (tree of life, tree of knowledge, etc.). Here, it is a metaphor for all of the natural aspects of the Earth. We are not prohibited from using the “fruits” of the tree, but we are enjoined from destroying them. In fact, other verses in Torah, particularly early in Genesis, remind us that human beings are stewards of an Earth that God has provided us and other creatures for sustenance.

            In more modern terms, the concept of “bal tashchit” means we must not pollute our air or water, we must oppose the destruction of the rain forests, we need to defend against overfishing, we need to protect endangered species, and we need to learn how not to waste the blessings of nature with which we have been provided.

            There remain some who continue to deny that humanity has had an impact on climate change, and that there is no scientific “proof” that human activity has led to the rapid changes we see occurring all around us, from shrinking glaciers to rising sea levels.

            This verse teaches us that such “proof” is not required for us to take action. We are commanded to treat the earth and all of its resources as a precious heritage and avoid, in any way we can, their destruction.