The Art of Compromise Rabbi Alex Hecht Does G-D Want Us to Compromise with Aharon’S Compromise
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בס“ד Parshat Ki Tisa/Parah 22 Adar, 5781/March 6, 2021 Vol. 12 Num. 26 (#487) This issue of Toronto Torah is dedicated by Ricky and Dianna Zauderer and Family לע“נ אסתר בת חיים ז“ל in memory of our dear mother and grandmother, Erika Zauderer z”l The Art of Compromise Rabbi Alex Hecht Does G-d want us to compromise with Aharon’s compromise. (Sanhedrin 6b- and gold intermediaries. Consequently, each other, reaching a settlement 7a, as we will see below) In his Aharon sought to compromise with the rather than pursue justice? The judgment surrounding the incident of rabble-rousers, and helped them Talmud (Sanhedrin 6b-7a) records a the Golden Calf, why did Aharon feel fashion an intermediary through which debate about whether, in a civil that it was appropriate to yield to the they could connect with G-d, in order to dispute, it is ideal for the judges to demands of those who doubted Moshe’s prevent them from worshiping a foreign offer the litigants the option to settle return (ibid. 32:1), and why was deity altogether. Unfortunately, the (pesharah), or to judge the case compromise in this situation deemed nuance with which Aharon understood according to the strict letter of the law. inappropriate by our sages? the distinction between serving G-d with The argument for each approach is as a graven image functioning as an follows: Rabbi Binyamin bar Yefet defended intermediary, and worshipping the • The Torah is a “Torah of Aharon’s intentions by noting that object as a god, was lost on many of the truth” (Malachi 2:16); it is our Aharon wanted to prevent the agitators people, who exclaimed that it actually mandate to judge truthfully and from committing an even greater sin. was, “your G-d, Israel, who brought you impartially according to the laws The Talmud tells us that the mob had up from the land of Egypt.” (ibid. 32:4) of the Torah, with the already killed Aharon’s nephew, Chur, understanding that G-d will who had protested their uprising; had These two explanations of Aharon’s ensure ultimate justice. (Devarim Aharon not found a way to compromise, error may help us understand the art of 1:17) they would have killed him as well. proper compromise. Both Rabbi Aharon knew that if he, as a Kohen and • Alternatively, there is great value Tanchum bar Chanilai and the Netziv prophet, were to be killed, it would in pursuing peace, which is contended that Aharon did not serve as an indictment of the nation in frequently achieved through understand the position of one of the the future. [See Eichah 2:20.] In his compromise. Indeed, sensitive “litigants” – G-d. According to Rabbi estimation, making the Golden Calf compromise can achieve greater Tanchum bar Chanilai, Aharon did not would be the lesser of two evils, as the understand that G - d r e j e c t s justice than application of a people could more easily repent for this uniform law. substituting one party’s lesser sin for sin, than for Aharon’s murder. In practice, the Shulchan Aruch rules another party’s greater sin. According to Nevertheless, Rabbi Tanchum bar that a court should provide litigants the Netziv, Aharon did not understand Chanilai argued that one may not with the opportunity to settle at the that the Divine position prohibited commit or sanction a minor outset, in order to promote peace creating intermediaries. Both views transgression in order to prevent a between people. (Yoreh Deah 12:1) highlight an important point: Creating greater one. Therefore, it is peace between parties is admirable, but inappropriate to praise Aharon’s Proponents of each perspective point we cannot impose it based on our willingness to compromise in this to Aharon: On one hand, Aharon is perspective on a situation. The situation, despite his noble intentions. praised as “a lover of peace and a necessary first step is to understand the pursuer of peace” (Avot 1:12); on the positions of both sides. Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehudah Berlin other hand, his willingness to (“Netziv”) also viewed Aharon’s compromise led to the construction of [email protected] involvement with the Golden Calf as an the Golden Calf! (Shemot 32:2) effort to reduce harm – specifically, to Apparently, while compromise is noble prevent actual idolatry. (Ha’ameik Davar in principle, one must exercise caution to Shemot 32:1-5) The Netziv contended about when and how to do so; indeed, that Aharon had not yet heard Shemot some of the talmudic sages criticized 20:20, which prohibits making silver OUR BEIT MIDRASH ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI MORDECHAI TORCZYNER SGAN ROSH BEIT MIDRASH RABBI SAMMY BERGMAN AVREICHIM RABBI ALEX HECHT, NETANEL KLEIN, RABBI CHAIM METZGER SEDER BOKER DIRECTOR RABBI MOSHE YERES WOMEN’S BEIT MIDRASH MRS. SHIRA METZGER CORRESPONDENTS EZER DIENA, RABBI ADAM FRIEDMANN, RABBI BARUCH An affiliate of Torah MiTzion and YU WEINTRAUB, RABBI JONATHAN ZIRING CHAVERIM NADAV GASNER, SHAUL HARRIS, ARI KARON, YEHUDA LEVI, SHIMMY NAUENBERG, NATAN Find Toronto Torah online at SNOWBELL, AKIVA WEITZ, ELI WELTMAN tiny.cc/torontotorah CHAVEROT ORLY AZIZA, MINDY CHAPMAN, SHULA DIENA, SOFIA FREUDENSTEIN, TEHILLA HELFENBAUM, We are grateful to ARIELLA MARKUS, SYLVIE MOSCOVITZ, HADASSA NAUENBERG, YEJIDE OMOTOSO, KINNERET WITTY Continental Press Journey Through Tanach: Melachim I, Chapter 2 Rabbi Mordechai Torczyner Summary concubines. [This despite the fact that preserve the status of a successor Our chapter begins with King David King David had never been intimate whose authority came from popular issuing two sets of deathbed with Avishag, as noted in Radak to acclaim. The rule would not be instructions to his son and successor, 2:16.] Solomon ordered Benayahu, his necessary under a successor who King Solomon: Fulfill the Torah, and father’s loyal warrior (see Shemuel II inherited the throne. To this deception deal appropriately with Yoav, Barzilai, 23), to execute Adoniyahu. Solomon we might add Adoniyahu’s powerful and Shimi ben Gera. Specifically, also ordered Evyatar, the kohen gadol sense of entitlement (1:6, reiterated in Solomon was to kill the general Yoav for who had supported Adoniyahu’s initial 2:15); he truly believed he could get his murders of Avner and Amasa coup, to retire to his home and stay away with this. (Shemuel II 3 and 20), reward Barzilai’s out of trouble. (22-27) family for his loyalty to King David (ibid. However, a close read of the previous 17, 19), and kill Shimi for his attack on King Solomon then fulfilled the rest of chapter, in which Batsheva and the King David (ibid. 16). King David then King David’s deathbed instructions. He prophet Natan defeated Adoniyahu’s died, and King Solomon assumed the ordered Benayahu to execute Yoav, coup and guaranteed her son the throne. (2:1-12) despite Yoav’s attempt to claim throne, demonstrates that Batsheva sanctuary in the Mishkan. (28-34) He was the superior tactician. She did not In the previous chapter, King David’s replaced Evyatar as kohen gadol with rebuke David, she did not inveigh son Adoniyahu had attempted to Tzaddok, and Yoav as lead general against Adoniyahu and she did not leverage popular support to claim the with Benayahu. (35) Finally, Solomon demand specific actions; she only told monarchy before his father died. Now, placed Shimi ben Gera under house David the news of Adoniyahu’s actions, Adoniyahu attempted a new gambit. He arrest; when Shimi violated the order, and recalled his oath to put Solomon on asked King Solomon’s mother Batsheva Benayahu executed him. (36-46) the throne. Her careful words won the for help in seeking Solomon’s day; Abarbanel to 1:15 even notes that permission to wed Avishag, who had Insight her strategy was more effective than the taken care of King David in his waning Why did Adoniyahu think Batsheva approach taken by Natan. Perhaps days. Batsheva conveyed the request to would help him, and why did Batsheva Batsheva used the same approach here, Solomon as though it was her own. (13- convey the clearly duplicitous request recognizing that she did not need to 21) to her son? oppose Adoniyahu directly; conveying his request to her son quietly King Solomon discerned Adoniyahu’s Malbim (commentary to 2:16) suggests accomplished the same end. plan: living with Avishag would present that Adoniyahu justified his request, Adoniyahu as the new king, since only arguing that the rule restricting a [email protected] a king may live with the previous king’s king’s concubines was meant to The Israeli Farmer: Tithing Exported Israeli Produce Rabbi Adam Friedmann As a rule, produce grown in Israel requires the removal of Furthermore, Raavad contends that the biblical terumot and maasrot (tithes). This tithing can be performed dispensation is only in cases where g’mar melachah has not any time after the produce is harvested, though it is happened before shipping the produce. Otherwise, there is a permissible to eat produce without tithing until it has been biblical obligation to tithe; once it was processed, and the fully processed (g’mar melachah). Produce grown outside of biblical requirement to tithe it set in, how could exporting it Israel does not require tithing. What is the status of food that change this status? Rambam’s view on this is unclear. He was harvested and processed in Israel, and then exported? appears to exempt the produce regardless of whether g’mar This question has ramifications for both Israeli farmers and melachah occurred in Israel, and some authorities take this consumers abroad. view of the Rambam’s position (e.g.