The Torah's Introductions - Vayikra and Bamidbar

This book, called [by our Sages] Toras Kohanim (Priestly Law),¹“The greatest part of this book deals with the offerings, the laws of the offering itself and of those who perform its rite and of the place where it is to be brought; some commandments are also mentioned incidentally to those dealing with the offerings” (Nachmanides’ Introduction to Leviticus, pg. 4 as translated by Rabbi Dr. Charles B. Chavel). has many more interpretations than the other sections of the Torah, as stated in Tractate Sanhedrin 103b:

Our Rabbis taught: Manasseh interpreted Toras Kohanim, (Leviticus), in fifty-five different ways, corresponding to the years of his reign, Ahab [in] eighty-five, and Jeroboam [in] one hundred and three [ways].

Though all the [Torah’s] Books are subject to halachic inferences derived from [analyzing] textual nuances, i.e. additions or textual differences noted between two different parashios dealing with similar subjects ²An example is discussed below in footnote 25 pertaining to Lev. 5:21-23, that meshichah effects ownership.—as “there is no trivial matter in the entire Torah,”³“[Moshe stated regarding the Torah,] ‘For it is not an empty thing from you’ (Deut. 34:27). [This teaches us that the Torah is never an empty thing], but if it [seems] empty, it is from [i.e., because of] you. Why? Because you do not toil over it” (Jerusalem Talmud, Tractate Peah 1:1).—this particular Book has more interpretations.

It has been stated in Bereishis Rabbah 3: “And God saw that the Light was good,” refers to the Book of Leviticus which is filled with numerous laws.

The apparent understanding of this Midrash is just as it is beneficial to the eyes [i.e. for the one perceiving the light] to see the sun (i.e. the source of the light), and thus one appreciates the light even more; such is it beneficial to perceive in the Book of Leviticus, the source of the numerous laws found in the Talmud. [For by knowing the source of the laws] one understands the light of the laws even more.⁴⁴The Torah’s statement, “And God saw that the light was good” (Gen.1:4), means that God had created man with an intellect whose capability for comprehension is greatly enhanced when he actually sees or experiences that which he is studying. Similarly, when the sources of the Torah laws are “seen” – in other words, understood – his understanding of these concepts is greatly enhanced. See Ha’amek Davar on Gen. 1:4.

Thus the greatest part of this book deals with the offerings, the laws of the offering itself and of those who perform its rite and of the place where it is to be brought; some commandments are also mentioned incidentally to those dealing with the offerings. Thus at first He commanded concerning the freewill offerings,¹¹Freewill offerings are those which can be brought at any time by any individual. These include: the burnt-offering (Chapter 1), the meal-offering (Chapter 2), and the peace-offering (Chapter 3). On the other hand, the sin-offering (Chapter 4) and the guilt-offering (Chapter 5:14-26) can be brought only to expiate certain sins if committed unintentionally, and therefore are not freewill offerings. and prohibited the eating of fat and blood on account of [mentioning] them.¹²Further, 3:17. Following that He commanded concerning the offerings that are to be brought upon committing a sin,¹³Ibid., Chapters 4-5. and incidentally to these He mentioned the laws of forbidden foods;¹⁴Ibid., Chapter 11. for they defile the person, and he who eats them or touches them must not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the Sanctuary, and if he does go in there [or eat of the hallowed things] while in a state of uncleanness, he has to bring the offering of higher or lower value¹⁵This offering was so called [the offering of higher or lower value] because it did not have to be of one specified kind, but varied in accordance with the means of the transgressor who has to offer it. See in my translation of Rambam’s “The Commandments,” Vol. I, pp. 82-83. which He had already mentioned.¹⁶Further, 5:1-13. After that it was necessary to mention the law of the leper¹⁷Ibid., Chapters 13-14. and the ordinances of the woman in childbirth¹⁸Ibid., Chapter 12. and of the zav¹⁹A man suffering a flux. Ibid., 15:1-15. and zavah,²⁰A woman suffering a flux outside her menstrual period. Ibid., Verses 25-30. in order to tell that they must bring an offering [at the end of the period of their uncleanness], and to warn them further concerning their uncleanness — as He said at the end [of these laws], Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile My Tabernacle that is in the midst of them.²¹Ibid., Verse 31. As a result of mentioning these laws, He warned afterwards about those persons with whom it is forbidden to have sexual relations,²²Ibid., Chapter 18. since association with them defiles, and their sin is called “defilement”²³Ibid., Verse 24: Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things. and brings about the removal of the Divine Glory, and exile.²⁴Ibid., 26:31-32. Besides, he who commits any of these sins [of forbidden sexual relations] unwillfully, must bring the sin-offering which He mentioned already in the verse, And if anyone sin through error.²⁵Ibid., 4:27. Following that He mentioned the commandment of the Sabbath and the appointed seasons of the Eternal²⁶Ibid., Chapter 23. on account of the offerings [which are brought on those days], just as He said, These are the appointed seasons of the Eternal etc. to bring an offering made by fire unto the Eternal.²⁷Ibid., Verse 37. In most of the sections of this book He speaks with reference to the priests: Speak unto Aaron, and to his sons;²⁸Ibid., 22:18. Command Aaron and his sons.²⁹Ibid., 6:2. In the section of Kedoshim³⁰Chapters 19-20. however, there are some commandments addressed to the children of Israel, but most of them are mentioned because of some connection with the offerings or matters similar to them. I will explain them in their place with the help of the Holy One, blessed be He.

‘B’MIDBAR SINAI’ (IN THE WILDERNESS OF SINAI). After having explained the laws of the offerings in the third book, He now began to set forth in this book the commandments which they [the children of Israel] were told with reference to the Tent of Meeting. Now He had already given a warning for all times about [the prohibition of] impurity relating to the Sanctuary and its holy things.¹Leviticus 5:2-3. See Ramban there (Vol. III pp. 52-54). Here He defined the boundaries of the Tabernacle whilst it was in the wilderness, just as He had set bounds for Mount Sinai when the [Divine] Glory was there,²Exodus 19:12. Ramban here, in stressing the parallels between the Tent of Meeting and Mount Sinai, is developing the idea that he mentions in Exodus at the beginning of Seder Terumah, that the Tent of Meeting was, as it were, a continuation of Mount Sinai. See Vol. II p. 435. and He commanded that the common man that draweth nigh shall be put to death,³Further, 1:51. just as He had said there, no hand shall touch him [i.e., the mountain], but he shall surely be stoned.⁴Exodus 19:13. He also commanded [here], And they shall not go in to see the holy things as they are being covered, lest they die⁵Further, 4:20. just as He warned there [at Sinai], lest they break through unto the Eternal to gaze, and many of them perish.⁶Exodus 19:21. He commanded here. And ye shall keep the charge of the holy things and the charge of the altar, [that there be wrath no more upon the children of Israel],⁷Further, 18:5. just as He said there, And let the priests also, that come near to the Eternal, sanctify themselves, lest the Eternal break forth upon them;⁸Exodus 19:22. and let not the priests and the people break through to come up unto the Eternal, lest He break forth upon them.⁹Ibid., Verse 24. Thus He commanded [here] how the Tabernacle and its vessels are to be guarded, and how they [the people] are to pitch round about it and how the people are to stand afar off, and how the priests that come near the Eternal⁸Exodus 19:22. are to treat it [the Tabernacle] when it is resting and when it is being carried [during the journeyings], and how they are to guard it. Now these are all [signs of] distinction and honor for the Sanctuary, just as the Rabbis of blessed memory have said,¹⁰Sifre Zuta Korach 18:4. “A King’s palace¹¹“And it is known that the term ‘palace’ is a reference to the Sanctuary” (“The Commandments,” Vol. I, p. 31). — It is possible, on first thought, to explain Ramban’s expression “and how they are to pitch round about it” that the pronoun “they” refers to all the Levites, and in that case the continuing expression “and how the people are to stand afar off” would thus complete the thought by contrast: the Levites are to encamp round about the Tabernacle, while the people are to stand afar off. But see in Chapter 2, Verse 2, that Scripture speaks clearly of the children of Israel encamping round about the Tabernacle. Hence the words of Ramban are to be understood as follows: the people are to pitch round about the Tabernacle, and when they approach it they are to stand afar off. This interpretation is fully borne out in the following chapters of this book of the Torah. that has guards over it cannot be compared to a palace that has no such guards.”

Now this whole book deals only with those commandments which were meant only for a particular time, being the period when the Israelites stayed in the desert, and [it deals also] with the miracles which were done for them, in order to tell all the wondrous deeds of the Eternal which He wrought for them. It tells how He began to destroy their enemies before them by the sword, and He also commanded how the Land should be divided up amongst them. There are no commandments in this book which are binding for all times except for some commandments about the offerings which He had begun in the Book of [the Law of] the Priests [i.e., Leviticus], and whose explanation was not completed there, therefore He finished them in this book.

עקב ענוה יראת ה' עושר וכבוד וחיים, “the result of humility is fear of the Lord, wealth, honour and life.” (Prov.22,4)

Solomon informed us in this verse that the virtue of humility brings in its wake a number of other virtues. The plain meaning of the text is that the reward to be reaped in this life by people who practice the virtue of humility is four-fold. It consists of 1) fear of the Lord; 2) wealth; 3) honour; 4) long life. The virtue of humility is a virtue practiced with one’s body, a virtue practiced in man’s capacity as an active member of human society. [A hermit, though undemanding, does not practice this virtue. Ed.]. Practice of this virtue is demonstrated by the owner being reticent and patient, suffering what others would consider insults, etc., without protest. A person who is humble shows respect and honour to other creatures (humans), and speaks well of them and for their benefit. Having trained himself to acquire this virtue it is only a small step to acquiring fear of the Lord. This virtue is an intellectual virtue. A person who has acquired both the virtue of humility and fear of the Lord will automatically acquire wealth, as wealth is defined by our sages as the ability to be happy with what G’d has seen fit to grant one, without being envious of others who appear to have more (compare Avot 4,1). He will also reap honour; this is the meaning of Proverbs 29,23: “the humble in spirit will retain honour.” We have another verse on that subject in Proverbs 18,12 where Solomon writes: “humility goes before honour.” The author meant that the honour bestowed on a person was preceded by his demonstrating true humility.
Finally, the words: “he will acquire life,” have to be under-stood. He who desires and longs for material wealth is obviously worried all the time he has not yet achieved his objective. When he does achieve part of his desire he is worried that he should not lose it. People who have these kinds of worries contribute to their lives becoming shorter as their worries undermine their health. He who enjoys what he has and is grateful for it will live longer as his peace of mind helps him maintain his physical well-being.

A Midrashic approach (Jerusalem Talmud Shabbat 1,9): the words עקב ענוה יראת ה' mean that whereas wisdom is considered the crown, humility is considered the heel of one’s shoe. On the one hand, we are told by David (Psalms 111,10) ראשית חכמה יראת ה', normally translated as “the beginning of all wisdom is fear of the Lord,” on the other hand, Solomon (his son) told us that עקב ענוה יראת ה', that the fear of the Lord is a product of humility. The author wanted to teach us by using the word עקב in connection with humility that this virtue is greater than wisdom as it is the product of fear of the Lord. A product is the result of something more primitive preceding it, hence it is more advanced, superior to the ingredients which contributed to it.
It is well known that all virtues manifest themselves in opposite extremes. [If I understand the author correctly he means that one can be described as “the most humble,” or as “the least humble;” “the wisest” or “the one most lacking in wisdom,” etc. I suppose that the word “virtue” must then be divided between “positive” virtues and “negative” virtues. The correct translation of the word מדה used by the author then is not “virtue,” but “characteristic.” Ed.] However, in addition to possessing any such characteristic (virtue) in either of these extremes one may also possess it in a degree which is ממוצע, “average,” i.e. somewhere between the extremes we mentioned. The characteristic (virtue) of humility is such a virtue. The reason that this is so is that it is somewhere in between pride and self-abasement. As a general rule, man should strive to possess these characteristics which are at neither end of the extremes as everything that is extreme is usually something negative. (compare Maimonides Hilchot Deyot 2,2). Concerning this subject Solomon said (Proverbs 4,26) “survey the course your feet will take so that all your ways will be prosperous.” With this warning Solomon wanted to exhort man to pursue paths which lie between two extremes. The very word פלס which he used and which we translated as “survey” is derived from the noun peless, meaning “ balance,” as in the balance of a set of scales. It is in the centre. When keeping this advice in mind, a person will be able to plan his activities properly, giving due weight to all the pros and cons of a situation. Solomon made this crystal clear in the verse following where he said: “do not turn to the right or the left; remove your feet from evil.” The message is that he who veers neither to the right nor to the left of the true path will avoid evil.
The exception to all this is the manner in which the virtue of humility is to be practiced (compare Maimonides HiIchot Deyot 2,3). When training oneself to acquire this virtue one must endeavour to practice it to the greatest extreme possible. In fact, the extreme of the virtue ענוה is called שפלות, “a kind of debasement practiced relative to one’s posture in the presence of one’s king.” Any attempt to practice the virtue of humility by applying the yardstick of sticking to the middle of the road might give rise to people thinking that one is somewhat overbearing, arrogant. Seeing that arrogance is the very worst of all negative virtues it is clear that one has to make every effort to steer clear of that characteristic. People guilty of arrogance put their afterlife at risk . Concerning this whole subject our sages in Avot 4,4 said: “be exceedingly humble in spirit.” The reason they repeated the word מאד, i.e. “very much,” was to teach the people to practice this virtue in the extreme, as opposed to the other virtues. The reason is also that this is the greatest virtue and it is one which is evident to people with whom one comes into contact. This is why David described himself as possessing לב נשבר ונדכה, “a contrite and crushed heart” (Psalms 51,19), in spite of the fact that he was a powerful king as well as a prophet. He was also the head of the seventy elders who were the Supreme Court of his generation. (this is based on Samuel II 23,8: where our sages (Moed Katan 16) interpret the words יושב בשבת תחכמוני, to mean that when David took his seat amongst the sages he did not sit on a cushion but on the ground. G’d said to him: “seeing you have humbled yourself you are like Me,” a play on the second part of the word תח-כמוני). Moses also, although the most outstanding of the prophets who ever lived, is described by G’d as the “most humble person” (Numbers 12,3). [This editor has always felt that the virtue of humility is reserved for outstanding people as these have something to be proud of. If the likes of us appear humble it only reflects the fact that we have nothing to boast about. This is hardly a positive virtue.] When the Torah also used the adjective מאד to describe the level of Moses’ humility, this was to tell us that he deliberately tried to practice this virtue in the extreme. Anyone who contents himself with practicing the virtue of humility just as he practices other virtues, i.e. following the middle path between arrogance and total self abasement, may quality for the description ענו, but not for the description ענו מאד.
Seeing that Moses was so humble, he did not want to enter the Tabernacle until G’d had invited him to do so seeing the Tabernacle was still enveloped in a cloud housing G’d’s attribute כבוד. Even though Moses had been told by G’d that He would meet with him in that Tent and speak to him inside from above the kapporet, from “between the cherubs” (Exodus 25,22), he was afraid to enter; he was afraid to prophecy inside, to pray inside, or to offer sacrifices inside until G’d would give him express permission by calling him and inviting him inside. This invitation was tendered when the Torah writes: “He called to Moses and Hashem spoke to him from the Tent of Meeting, to say.”