By Rabbi Oury Cherki, Machon
Meir, Rabbi of Beit Yehuda Congregation, Jerusalem
Bible
critics insist that the prophets guided the people of their generation about
moral principles only and were not interested in religious rituals. Their
proof, as is quoted by Rabbi Yehuda Halevi in the Kuzari (Volume 2, 47), is
from a verse in this week's Haftara: "Does G-d want to be appeased by
thousands of rams, by tens of thousands of streams of oil, shall I give Him my
firstborn as an atonement, the fruit of my womb to appease my soul? He tells
you, mankind, what is good and what G-d wants from you – merely to do justice
and to love kindness, and to go in humility with your G-d." [Micha 6:7-8].
Rabbi
Yehuda Halevi gave the critics a worthy response. The prophets were talking to
a society which had not even observed the most basic moral requirements. In
such a culture, to become involved in exalted heavenly pursuits is nothing more
than a travesty, which can be described by the verse, "a sacrifice by a
wicked person is an abomination" [Mishlei 21:27]. This is not true for one
who has acquired a basic level of morality, and a sacrifice by such a person is
very welcome. "They will favorably be brought up on My Altar, and I will
glorify My House of Splendor" [Yeshayahu 60:7].
And
this makes it clear why the criticism of the sacrifices is juxtaposed to the
actions of Bilam and Balak. "My people, just remember what Balak, the King
of Moav, advised, and what Bilam replied to him" [Micha 6:5]. Bilam and
Balak thought that offering sacrifices is something that is good in its own
right even if it would serve such a terrible purpose as eradicating Yisrael,
and they therefore brought more and more sacrifices. But in the end it was
clear that the ethical principles that were upheld by the nation of Yisrael were
much more important in setting the actions of the Divine guidance than the
sacrifices by Bilam and Balak.
The
exalted values operate within history through the nation of Yisrael, and they
are the justification for its existence for all eternity. But they do not
depend on the extent to which the nation remains loyal to them. Just the
opposite may be true – at times it may seem to the casual observer that Bnei
Yisrael do not adhere to the restrictions of general ethical behavior. However,
one who sees the general viewpoint that can be seen from the tops of the
mountains, "I will view him from the tops of the cliffs" [Bamidbar 23:9],
can still say "How good your tents are, Yaacov" [24:5], even when
Yisrael are camped in Shitim and turn to vain actions. Evidently this is what
the prophet hinted at when he wrote, "From the Shitim to Gilgal" [Micha
6:5] – both when the people are their lowest level, that of Shitim, and when
they are occupied with the exalted service in the Tabernacle at Gilgal.
The
moral values which Yisrael is passing on to the world begin first of all with,
"to do justice." That is, justice is a precursor that validates the
trait of kindness. That is how the nation of Yisrael acts in its wars, whose
purpose is to get back the land from those who stole it and to avenge the blood
of those who were exploited. This then leads to "love of kindness,"
referring to a desire to do good to all of the creatures. And going in
"humility with your G-d" is an expression of the highest possible role,
to form a link between the world and the Divine. The secrets that are hidden
from all the other creatures, which are the exclusive heritage of Bnei Yisrael,
are what make them an appropriate channel for revelation to the entire world.
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