In Honor of Succot
This week, due to the chol hamoed reading we will not have a selection from the parsha- which would be v’zot habracha.
But I leave you with the concluding lines of a midrash Tanhuma from within the portion of Pinchas in the book of Bemidbar (Numbers)
The midrash is discussing what does it mean when God asks something of you, as is the nature of commandments. The midrash brings a few examples. The midrash also asks by way of implied argument, can the same demand be made of God? Will God do what he promised? The theme of the midrash is God only asks of us to do what we can. The answer to the question is that God demands of Himself only that which He can do as well. But for the Omnipotent, what is out of bounds?
The connection is the closing prooftext of the midrash, that of the command to take the four species of the festival of Succot.
This week, due to the chol hamoed reading we will not have a selection from the parsha- which would be v’zot habracha.
But I leave you with the concluding lines of a midrash Tanhuma from within the portion of Pinchas in the book of Bemidbar (Numbers)
The midrash is discussing what does it mean when God asks something of you, as is the nature of commandments. The midrash brings a few examples. The midrash also asks by way of implied argument, can the same demand be made of God? Will God do what he promised? The theme of the midrash is God only asks of us to do what we can. The answer to the question is that God demands of Himself only that which He can do as well. But for the Omnipotent, what is out of bounds?
The connection is the closing prooftext of the midrash, that of the command to take the four species of the festival of Succot.
מדרש תנחומא )ורשא( פרשת פינחס סימן יד
כשבקש מהן לא בקש אלא כפי כחם שנאמר (ויקרא כג:מ)"וּלְקַחְתֶּם לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן פְּרִי עֵץ הָדָר כַּפֹּת תְּמָרִים וַעֲנַף עֵץ עָבֹת וְעַרְבֵי נָחַל וּשְׂמַחְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְדֹוָד אֱלֹקיכֶם שִׁבְעַת יָמִים"
When God asks of us he only asks that which is within our ability. The prooftext for this is the commandment to take the four species on Succot: Etrog (citron), Lulav (Date brach), hadas (myrtle), and arava (willow). There are a few midrashim that comment that the commandment is specifically one etrog, one lulav, three willow and exactly two aravot. No less and no more. This is what God asks of us.
וכשהוא נותן לפי כחו שנאמר (ישעיהו מא:יט) " אֶתֵּן בַּמִּדְבָּר אֶרֶז שִׁטָּה וַהֲדַס וְעֵץ שָׁמֶן אָשִׂים בָּעֲרָבָה בְּרוֹשׁ תִּדְהָר וּתְאַשּׁוּר יַחְדָּו"וכתיב (ישעיהו נה:יג) "תַּחַת הַנַּעֲצוּץ יַעֲלֶה בְרוֹשׁ <תחת> וְתַחַת הַסִּרְפַּד יַעֲלֶה הֲדַס וְהָיָה לַידֹוָד לְשֵׁם לְאוֹת עוֹלָם לֹא יִכָּרֵת"
And when God gives us, or fulfills his end of the deal, He also gives within his strength. The prophecies of Isaiah denote a time where God will bring trees to grow in the wilderness, and fir trees will grow in place of the nettles.
אין תגובות:
הוסף רשומת תגובה