The Holiness of Avoiding Milk/Meat Combinations

 Parshat Re'eh

by Rabbi Avi Billet

One theme of Parshas Re’eh focuses on the rules of what an Israelite may and may not eat. We see this first in chapter 12 when we are told about when we may come to eat from certain vows and offerings in “the place God will have chosen” (the place of the Temple in Jerusalem), such as during holidays or really throughout the year. The middle of the chapter speaks of eating meat as part of offering, the rules related to the (non)consumption of blood (12:16, 23-27), and how to eat meat outside of the context of offerings (12:20-22). 

Observing these rules, following a theme of Devarim, is למען ייטב לך (so it will be good for you) (12:28). A similar sentiment is conveyed at the beginning of chapter 14, that you are a holy nation, and you are God’s treasured people (14:2) – and this is the lead-in to the rules of Kosher, as in “which animals you may consume and which animals you may not consume.” Some animals are defined by certain characteristics (split hooves and ruminant is a kosher quadruped, fish need fins and scales), while there is a list of the non-kosher birds. Unfortunately the identity of the birds listed is debated, thus we only eat birds that have a tradition of being kosher. 

A Bat Mitzvah Address (Week of Eikev)

 This past Shabbos we celebrated our daughter becoming a Bat Mitzvah. The following is the Torah and message components of the sermon I delivered in shul, with the personal parts removed.

"Parshas Eikev," the second installment – in terms of 'Parsha's in Devarim – of Moshe’s 21-chapters-long speech that covers most of the last book of the Torah, contains a lot of repetitive features. So much so, were I to be pushed to find themes in today’s Torah portion, I think they could be brought down to three major classifications.

1. The value of the observance of Mitzvos and what a true connection to Hashem could be 

2. The stubbornness of the Bnei Yisrael and their need to work hard to counter it, a challenge which can be overcome through humility 

3. A love of the land of Israel 

In honor of our celebration in shul this morning, I will touch upon each of these subjects, and conclude with a message for our Bat Mitzvah. 

A Simple Matter

Parshat Eikev

In the “Otzar Chaim” anthology of Divrei Torah, Rabbi Tzukerman (the editor) records a story of a certain man who was aiming to get his certification to be a recognized shochet, so he would be recognized as someone who could slaughter animals for the kosher consumer. The rabbi he went to was a righteous and punctilious man, who would not simply offer his consent to anyone who came his way, but would only put his stamp of approval on a person he felt met all the qualifications, knew all the laws, etc. 

 After several rounds of inadequate tests and not-to-snuff-shechitahs (in the good rabbi’s opinion), the candidate frustratingly asked if the rabbi could hurry up and fulfill his request for the certification. The rabbi hinted to him “Nu, and what about the small matter?” The candidate thought he understood and brought the rabbi a small donation. 

Does Our Life Have a Purpose? Depends on How You Look At It

Parshat Va'Etchanan 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

The methodology behind coming up with each topic for a weekly Dvar Torah is a study unto itself. Sometimes the thought is driven by something the writer really wants to say – the message is there, and it’s just a question of attaching it to a verse in the Parsha. Sometimes the writer has a burning question that is personally troubling, so answering that conundrum becomes the driving force behind the research. Sometimes a cursory reading through Midrash will beg the question “what is this telling us?” or “what does this really mean?” and will lead the thought in a different direction. 

 And sometimes one comes across a troubling passage and has a need to “think aloud” but on paper. 

 The following is of the latter variety. 

Timeliness and a Different Kind of Rebuke

Parshat Devarim

by Rabbi Avi Billet

The parsha begins by setting the time and stage for Moshe’s goodbye speech to the Children of Israel, giving us many geographical coordinates while noting that it’s the beginning of the 11th month. The Sifrei (Midrash on Devarim) tells us that “This teaches that Moshe waited to rebuke them until close to the time of his death. He learned this tactic from Yaakov Avinu who gave rebuke to his own children just before he died. Yaakov did this so he wouldn’t have to rebuke more than once. And also, if his words were negative, it would prevent people from having to look him in the face and be embarrassed, since he wouldn’t be around for very long after the rebuke was given.” 

What’s the difference on the timing? What if he would choose to only rebuke once, thinking “I’ve said my piece, I don’t need to repeat it, even though the opportunity may present itself again.” Besides, what’s the benefit anyway, if in the end of the day they won’t listen? 

Nine Days Rules To Wean us INTO Mourning

 Here is a link to the summary of Nine Days rules I shared 6 years ago. It was for a year in which Tisha B'Av was observed on Sunday. [It is a little more comprehensive than what is presented this year, below. But what is below reflects on when Tisha B'Av is observed on a Tuesday - as it is this year.]

Summary of Laws of the Nine Days 

 When Rosh Chodesh Av begins this Sunday night (8/4) (Rosh Chodesh is Sunday night and Monday), the days which follow - through Tisha B’Av - are observed as a time of mourning. Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik compared the mourning of these 9 days to the style of mourning for a Shloshim period – the 30 days following the death of a loved one. As such, the mourning practices of this period are intended to be a little stricter than the days which began on 17 Tammuz, to help us be more prepared for the ultimate day of mourning, Tisha B’Av. 

Fighting the War With Midian - Instruction for Our Time?

As emphasized below, this is NOT to be taken as suggestions for strategy in Israel today. There are parallels in the way the enemy views to destroy Israel and the need to defend your people and even assert your strength. This is a reporting of how things were dealt with in the Torah's narrative, and observations of a few ways in which things are very different now.

Parshat Matot-Masei 

by Rabbi Avi Billet

 With the war in Israel intensifying on different fronts, some of the most important instruction from our Parsha seems rather timely, particularly concerning three specific topics. 

The first is about how to deal with the enemy that is bent on your destruction, in this case Midian. The Israelites were given very detailed instruction of how far they were to go to be sure Midian’s defeat was final. They were told which population demographics were to be killed and which were to be allowed to live. 

While I don’t suggest that this instruction was meant to be utilized beyond that specific war, please note the following theory, about the relevance of killing the young boys of Midian: https://arabbiwithoutacause.blogspot.com/2011/07/revenge-anything-but-sweet.html 

The second topic is the debate of universal conscription into the army. 

Those who are learning Mishnah Yomis recently learned the Mishnah which speaks of the t’nai kaful, the double edged condition made by the tribes of Gad and Reuven when negotiating for their tribes to be given land outside of Israel proper. Moshe’s initial response to them, perhaps not seeing their intentions completely, was “How can your brothers go out to fight while you remain behind?” (32:6) 

Their response was “We will build certain structures and infrastructure for our families, but then we will go out to war, not returning until all the land of Canaan has been captured and is in Jewish hands.” (32:16-17)

The point Moshe was driving home was that the responsibility to see to it that the land is in the hands of Am Yisrael rests on all members of Am Yisrael. No one can shirk their responsibility and say “I don’t live there.” Or “This is not my fight.” 

As in the previous example, one could argue that the instruction was for the original conquest and that that circumstance was unlikely to repeat itself in the future. 

One of the more relevant arguments I have heard against full conscription for all takes two parts: 1. The army lends itself to people who are “frum” but perhaps on the fences of finding out their true self to find a certain kind of individual freedom while in the military, leading to the dropping of observance, and 2. “If we have to be in the army for three years, then everyone in the army should have to be in yeshiva for 3 years.” [Those who are not in the ‘religious camp’ would likely never agree to this.] 

It’s not an answer to the larger question- and perhaps it’s not my place to opine. But at least it’s a perspective that some are advancing emphasizing the value of Torah, and the ease through which one can be led to drop one’s adherence to Torah (not necessarily automatic, or even by design… but the numbers are not insignificant).

Obviously there are ways to go through the army with a cohesive unit, such as those who study in Hesder, or those who go through a Mechina program, and have a much more supported Army experience that jibes with religious values. So these are generalizations, not necessary reflective of everyone’s experience. But there is a necessary balance that promotes service while supporting Jewish commitment in a way that is certainly not “automatic” when in an army setting. 

And this says nothing about the role Diaspora Jewry should undertake – do our children all need to serve in the IDF, so that our brothers and sisters in Israel not carry the burden alone? 

The third topic is about what it means to have enemies planted within your borders. 33:55 makes the case to the Bnei Yisrael that if you don’t rid yourselves of the enemies in the land, it will come back to haunt you in the most significant ways - “Then those whom you leave over will be as spikes in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and they will harass you in the land in which you settle.” 

 This is not to suggest any particular strategy for the IDF, or the State of Israel, going forward. But it does inform us that the Biblical Israelites faced similar problems, and found a way to do what needed to be done, albeit imperfectly, for the sake of the nation. [One can argue that Israel, imperfect as it is, has found a way with the rainbow of ethnicities in Israel… The problem remains with the enemy at the edge of its borders, as well as their sympathizers who live within its borders.] 

May all those directly involved find a path forward for everyone, balancing sensitivities with a sense of responsibility, so the Jewish people in Israel, and by extension abroad, can feel we are doing our part for the sake of bringing about full sovereignty and peace for the Jewish people in the Holy Land.