Deuteronomy 22:8-23:25 Chavurah Shalom Shabbat 8/4/18 22:8 The Parapet Deuteronomy 22:8 “When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof, so that you will not bring bloodguilt on your house if anyone falls from it. This mitzvot is for a guard-rail, or parapet, to be built around the edge of a roof or balcony. In the ANE, most houses were built with a flat roof and utilized for various purposes: the drying and storing of produce, socializing, and even sleeping in warm weather. In the case of King David and Bathsheba, the roof was also used for bathing. This open area could provide a gathering area for family and friends, or as a place to stay for hospitality to travelers. It was therefore imperative that safety from falling be provided. A home owner who did not make such provision, was liable for the injury or death of anyone who fell from his roof, hence the phrase "bring bloodguilt on your house." Negligence in this matter would be considered equal to homicide. This law is comparable to Exodus 21:33–34, which holds a person responsible if an animal falls into a pit he has left uncovered. Halakhic literature sees it as an example of an obligation to block or remove anything on one’s property that is capable of causing death, such as a pit, a faulty ladder, or a vicious dog; and to personally avoid potentially harmful food and drink and other risky practices. It has recently been argued that the principle underlying this obligation would support a ban against smoking. When you build a new house According to the halakhah, one must also build a parapet if he acquires an old house that lacks one, and a blessing is to be recited when building it. The Sages ruled that the parapet should be a minimum of 10 handbreaths tall (approximately 30 inches), and strong enough not to collapse is someone were to lean upon it.--JPS Torah Commentary, p. 201. Illustrations of the use of the flat roof are found at Joshua 2:6; Judges 16:27; 1 Samuel 9:25-26; 2 Samuel 11:2; 16:22; Jeremiah 19:13; Zephaniah 1:5; Matthew 24:17; Acts 10:9. Some of these passages reveal that both false worship and true worship of God were both expressed at times on the rooftops of their homes. It would appear to be a place fixed for the daily prayers in the case of - 1 - Sh'mon Kefa in Acts 10:9. 22:9-11 Forbidden Mixtures Deuteronomy 22:9 “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, or all the produce of the seed which you have sown and the increase of the vineyard will become defiled. 10 “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. 11 “You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together. These same mixtures are mentioned at Leviticus 19:19. The halachic ruling of the Sages concerning these mitzvot are found in the Mishnah tractate Kil'ayim, "two kinds." The first, v. 9, prohibits the sowing of two kinds of seed in a vineyard. The restriction at Leviticus 19:19 is the sowing of a field with two kinds of seed. Josephus and R. Jonathan both understood this to mean grapes and one other kind of seed. R. Josiah however, understood this to mean two kinds of seed in addition to the grapes. The Sages understood this to mean that one is permitted to sow one ground crop between rows of grapevines, but not two. Grapevines are most often not planted, but are grafts from existing vines. Mixing of crops in the same field (“mixed cropping” or “intercropping”) is practiced in many places, especially in areas of subsistence farming and where arable land is scarce. Although mixed cropping is less efficient, for the purpose of harvesting, than growing each crop in a separate field, it enables different species of plants to benefit from the nutrients given off by each other and can thereby increase the yield of all species in the field. It also spreads the risk of crop failure in case of a shortage of water, since different plants require less water than others do. Also, because pests and diseases attack specific plants and not others, the entire field is not at risk in the case of these dangers. These protective benefits are not entirely eliminated by the present law: the replenishing of depleted nutrients can be accomplished by crop rotation, the Sages ruled that crops were sufficiently separated if they did not draw sustenance from each other and the separation was visible. The reason for the prohibition of mixed cropping is not clear. Since it is not a method of hybridization, the practice does not undermine the species distinctions established at creation. Nevertheless, mixing of plant seed may have been - 2 - regarded as sufficiently similar to the mixing of animal seed that they seemed analogous. Ramban’s explanation may well express the reasoning of the Torah: “The nature and form [of the mixed seeds] are modified by their drawing nourishment from each other, and it is as if each resultant grain is composed of two species.” may not be used - Hebrew tikdash, literally, “become sacrosanct.” This probably means that the crop will become forbidden for use. According to the halakhah, it must be burnt.--JPS Torah Commentary, p. 202. to ,קַָדַ שׁ ,This is an interesting interpretation, for the word is our familiar kadash make holy, to consecrate. In this case, it means it is not for ordinary use by man, but is only for God. Since it is a negative commandment, it is understood that it must be destroyed. This is particularly difficult since the process here is not to produce a new crop, it is not cross-breeding, not modifying the plant in any way. The second prohibition is that of yoking an ox and a donkey. The stronger one might exhaust the weaker one. Additionally we would note that the ox was a clean animal and the donkey was unclean. The Creator continues to show His concern for the animals. Paul uses this concept in 1 Corinthians 9:9; 1 Timothy 5:18. Paul uses this picture to speak of caring for the leadership of the local synagogue/ congregation. A third prohibition, is wearing of a garment in which wool and linen are woven together. It is interesting that is does not forbid the making of such cloth, but forbids the wearing of such material. The Hebrew literally reads, "You shall not wear sha'atnez," which appears to be a loanword from Egypt made up of two words, "to weave" and "to thread." It is used elsewhere in the Tanach only in Leviticus 19:19. The common Jewish way of understanding is that what is said in general in Leviticus 19:19 is now specified in Deuteronomy 22:11, "don't wear a garment made of a mixture of wool and linen." Pairing wool and linen made for a stronger fabric; fragments of such fabric have been unearthed at the site of Kuntillet Ajrud in the Sinai Peninsula, where religiously heterodox inscriptions in Hebrew were also found, along with inscriptions in other languages.--JPS Torah Commentary, p. 203. Josephus (Antiquities 4.208) suggests this prohibition relates to those things pertaining to the High Priest which was not to be used by the common people. In Exodus 39:8, the High Priest wears garments woven of wool and linen. The status - 3 - of such garments is thus comparable to that of the sacred anointing oil and the incense that is used in the sanctuary and may not be made or used by laypersons, as stated in Exodus 30:22–37. The very next section deals with Tzitzit, which were made of white linen threads combined with wool threads dyed blue or teichelet. Since these threads are not a garment, they do not violate the prohibition of mixtures. Yet in combining the two substances, the common Israelite wore something that symbolically connect to the Ephod of the High Priest. Since the tzitzit were to remind you of the commandments so that you would do them, the combination of linen and wool reinforced the fact that obedience to God required the service and duties of the High Priest. As a kingdom of priests, Israel's life revolved around the Mishkan/ Temple where God's way of atonement was constantly displayed in the priestly service and sacrifices.--Hegg, Parashah 143, p. 2. 22:12 Tassels on Garments Deuteronomy 22:12 “You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of your garment with which you cover yourself. The more detailed instructions for the tzitzit are found in Numbers 15:37-41. In our present text the Hebrew word is g'dilim, from gadil, used only here and in 1 Kings 7:17. In the 1 Kings passage it describes the "wreaths of chain work" on the captials of the courtyard of King Solomon's Temple. The Kairites have understood this to mean that the tzitzit is to be made in a twisted or braided fashion. The Sages regarded the wrapping of the teichelet and the tying of knots as complying with the words of our text. The only other place tzitzit is found is at Ezekiel 8:3, where it refers to Ezekiel being picked up by the tzitzit of his head and carried away in a vision in the Spirit to Jerusalem.