Moshe Chafetz (Gentili)

This week's Torah reading, Shoftim, speaks famously about justice, but some additional context elaborates what it's saying.

Deuteronomy (16:20) "Justice justice you'll pursue that you'll live and inherit the land:"

To the point that was said in Pirkei Avot, "Here pray for the government's welfare for, if not for the fear it inspires, every man would swallow his neighbor alive" (3:2) they'll kill each other and one will steal his friend's wealth such that no one will inherit his ancestral heritage, rather "whoever is stronger prevails" (Bava Batra 34b).

Thus, "justice justice you'll pursue" is about the law and judgment – if you seek life and won't be killed by bloodthirsty and deceitful men, "you'll inherit the land" of your heritage and it won't be stolen from you:

This week's Torah reading, Re'eh, includes statements about celebrating holidays, but there are questions about what (and in what quantities) qualifies as such celebration, and how it can help us.

Deuteronomy (16:15) "Seven days you'll celebrate to the Lord your God in the place which God will choose because the Lord your God will bless you (and so on):"

It's true that idleness brings to hands boredom and it's an opening that calls out to sins and crimes.

And goodness, when a man was influenced by it, will turn around idleness "and Yeshurun grows fat and kicks." (32:15)

How, then, did God command us to rejoice and celebrate in stoppage of work and what does the rejoicing do but divert the man from knowing his intention?!

And the thing is that holidays weren't given to Israel except to engage in the Torah, and one's not engaged in it except out of joy and not from sadness of heart and melancholy.

But the joy of a mitzvah isn't to rejoice more than appropriate in levity and frivolity, as practiced "the Sages who were excessively joyous... and broke it before them (etc. Berachot 31a:2)" to bring them to the appropriate small degree of rejoicing in a happy heart, and to the average measure stated in the words of the Sages "the spirit of prophecy rests... rather upon the joyous" (Shabbat 30b) [as it's written] (Kings II 3:15) and it was "as the minstrel played and was on him God's hand."

So, they permitted the work in the middle of the festival to remove from us the idleness that brings sin to hands.

And if we had to rejoice and also be completely idle, I'd be afraid of sin. But to rejoice and do work, or learn the laws of God and the Torah and the commandments, this is a desirable joy and not a crime.

Indeed it said "because the Lord your God will bless you (etc.) and all the work of your hands, and you'll be only happy."

As if to say when you do the work of your hand, and don't sit and idle, then you'll be only happy and will want a small happiness and your intention is desirable:

This week's Torah reading, Re'eh, includes a simple statement that actually says something deeper about restraint and addiction, well beyond the food of which it directly speaks.

Deuteronomy (12:20) "Because your soul longs to eat meat in all your soul's longing you'll eat meat:"

He came to enlighten on the repetition of "longing," because while a man longs and aspires for something more, he'll long even if his soul is satisfied from it, and he who's satisfied in the goodness, his throat again will hunger and yearn and won't be satisfied, rather he'll be hungry.

So, he who loves money won't be satisfied by money, rather he'll increase his longing for increasing the money.

And, in the stomach of the wicked, if they eat to fill their longing and don't need to, they'll always be hungry and while the meat is still between their teeth they'll seek more meat.

As the word that's written "because your soul longs to eat meat" meaning if you eat meat not from hunger rather from longing, I inform you in this instance that "in all your soul's longing you'll eat meat" as if to say that even in the time you eat meat you'll eat to your soul's longing, and won't let go away the longing even by the force of that eating:

This week's Torah reading, Re'eh, talks about taking care of the Levites. When is enough enough?

Deuteronomy "Because if before the Lord your God you'll eat (and so on) and the Levite which is in your gates (and so on; 12:18): You guard to yourself that you not forsake (and so on; 12:19):"

If the Levite who's at the gate will eat, it's explained that we won't foresake, and why repeat "You guard to yourself (and so on)" according to the literal meaning
and the two of them are one thing?

Also are "all your days on your land" (12:19) allowable words?

And it seems the words admonish and warn against a man, saying whereas and I'll be condemned to feed the Levite from my wealth in Jerusalem in the three festivals, why would I give them my oil and drink also in my city and do to them in my house and in my walls hand and name?

It's enough for them what I'll give them in Jerusalem in the place which God will choose!

And it'll be if the Levites in your city are afflicted in hunger and in lacking all.

Commanded the scripture that if he did the imposed on him in Jerusalem, as God commanded, righteous meals he'll keep also in his house "You guard to yourself that you not forsake the Levite" the rest of your days on your earth and in your land
as Rashi's words "If you don't have to give to him from your portion give to him from tithe for the poor (and so on)" and always they'll be in your eyes and your heart be to them all the days, and to the wretched poor you'll bring house:

In this week's Torah reading, Re'eh, there's a commandment to keep the commandments that's repeated over and over, and then tied to destruction. Why?

Deuteronomy "And you'll guard to do (and so on; 11:32): These are the rules and laws (and so on) all the days which you live on the earth (12:1): You'll completely destroy (and so on 12:2):"

We need to scrutinize why these words were duplicated and not mixed together, "And you'll guard all the days (and so on)"? and more "These are the rules" and he didn't specify them?

Also "you'll completely destroy" has no connection to what was before it?

And I say that the Scripture came to answer the unbelievers among us, that it says that it's appropriate to renew conditions of the religion as having been according to the times and that in every generation Torah and etiquette must be restored when it's trained and will be righteous in their eyes in that generation.

So, Moses wrote "And you'll guard them to do" on this day "the rules and the laws" and "these are the rules and the laws" by themselves "they'll guard to do in the land" and "all the days that you live" because no man is God, and he'll fail, and there's nothing in our hearts that's repaired and renewed. Rather "You'll completely destroy (and so on)":

Related to last week's Torah reading, Ekev, people who are starving will be satisfied with anything regardless of familiarity or liking. Perhaps this played into how the manna came about, and plays into what's really meant on Passover by the bread of affliction.

Deuteronomy (8:3) "And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you manna which you didn't know (and so on):"

He who seeks to feed a man something to which he's unaccustomed and won't know, they'll give him when he's hungry because famine and hunger are flavoring to every dish.

And since the manna seems to them "as spoiled bread" (Numbers 21:5) and they won't eat to the appetite of the people who crave to eat meat, God was forced to starve them and when they were hungry and also thirsty and their souls are fleeting in hunger they'll eat every mouthful and it'll satisfy them.

And so it's established in the Haggadah "This is the bread of affliction (and so on) all who are hungry will come and eat" for it's a bread of affliction we won't eat it –rather those who are hungry for bread, and wanted to inform that this is how it becomes a bread of affliction in this night that we'll feed the hungry for its sake and not for the sake of hoggish eating:

Also in yesterday's Torah reading, Ekev, it's unclear whether he's talking about commandments commanded specifically today, or today they'll keep them to do.

Deuteronomy (8:1) "Every commandment which I command you today you'll guard to do (and so on):"

Why did he say "today"; will seek an explanation for it being correct that they'll guard the commandments even if they're not commanded "today"?

And it seems to say that it's attached with what follows it, and emerges from it to inform us that it's a good thought God attaches to the deed and in reward for guarding to do later what Moses commands now, he'll bestow to them
the land.

And it's what Moses commanded – to destroy the name of the nations who'll come in them to smash and destroy their idols, and this they can't do to them until after they come to the land.

And in reward this is the thinking and the guarding today to do later; they'll attain the land and they'll inherit the cities of God in which they'll live:

Yesterday's Torah reading, Ekev, oddly says to devour all the nations in the land of Israel. What does it mean by "devour" here?

Deuteronomy (7:16) "And you'll devour all the nations which the Lord your God gives to you:"

Let's interpret "devour" being together with "all the nations which the Lord your God gives to you."

Consider that it's impossible to expel all the nations of the land all at once, and the land isn't a deserted place. Therefore, be careful and quiet to eat with them
from the land's goodness until the Emorites' suffering is complete.

And, thus, he was forced to warn them (the Israelites) not to serve their (the Emorites') gods. And if it's not so, there's no reason to speak.

For, indeed, eating and socializing in a meal will bring the eaters to the hands of brotherhood and friendship, as is known, so it was required to teach the idea that even though they eat together with "all the nations" the people of the land;
in any case, your eyes won't have mercy on them and won't unite with them (the Emorites) "for it would be a snare" (7:16) to them (the Israelites):

Another interpretation from last week's Torah reading, v'Etchanan. If for every two rabbis there are three opinions, sometimes I must myself off two opinions. I'm afraid that my first offering here might seem sexist to modern eyes in how it's portrayed. Both regard how commandments were conveyed to the Israelites, and by whom, focusing in part on a seemingly odd placement of a feminine pronoun.

Deuteronomy (5:21, 5:24) "This day that we saw God spoke to man and he lived: You go near and hear all which the Lord our God says and you tell us everything (and so on):"

For surely when the living God and king of the world speaks formidable words it'll frighten the man and he'll fall in shock and be terrified and his heart within him will die.

However, when He'll speak by means of his intermediary (Moses), the burning coals of fire cool down and they'll return to being a softer statement. Even though he'll also speak his words in a formidable tongue.

In any case, "and you (fem.) tell us everything" (5:24) they feared his strength as a female's, and it wouldn't be formidable in their eyes.

Another interpretation, because to Israel a soft statement from God will be considered formidable words; not so with Moses, it'll be considered a soft statement as he's a member of the house:

In last week's Torah reading, v'Etchanan, the Ten Commandments receive an encore. The fifth commandment stands out for some additional interpretation about its impact not just on our parents but also ourselves – in a way that our obeying it makes it easier for our children to as well.

Deuteronomy (5:16) "Honor your father and mother (and so on) that you may long endure and that you may fare well:"

The intention of honoring a father and mother is so that our sons from it will see and so do for generations, and to their time of old age his son will also behave with honoring.

For it's natural that the elderly become degraded in the eyes of many when they can no longer do their work now and then, and will sit in idleness and have no use.
Thus comes the command to honor them.

And the scripture tells that when we're accustomed to honoring the elderly and make precious and great our father and mother, we realize that when we live longer to our old age, we'll be honored and it'll be good for us:

Another quick elaboration from yesterday's Torah reading, v'Etchanan, about a simple familiar relationship...

Deuteronomy (4:25) "When you beget sons and sons of sons:"

It's from here that you see sons-of-sons [grandchildren] as sons:

From yesterday's Torah reading, v'Etchanan, Moses recaps that he's commanded a bunch of laws and rules to the Israelites. Was there additional meaning in how he said it?

Deuteronomy (4:5) "See I have taught you the rules and laws which the Lord my God commanded me� for you to do in the land which you're coming to, to settle in:"

Whereas many suspect the ruler who'll want doctrines and statutes for his own gratification and benefit and to honor himself; he demands that his rule exist over the people.

And now when Moses commands to observe in that direction all that he commanded them, he recognized to add a disclaimer that this isn't to his gratification, rather it appeases God's desire because God alone severely punished the servants of Ba'al Peor, and don't begrudge Moses the man, because of God's envy you'll do this. And, you who cling to God, live and observe.

And my [Moses's] reason isn't to be confused in the matter because already I'm dead and "I won't cross the Jordan" (4:22), and all the commandments and rules that I command you are commanded for you to do in the land which you come to, and I don't, and what benefits me if you do them or not when I'm not with you
as a head and as a ruler!

From this is proof that God commands them for your own good, and not for my heart or my sake: