Parashat Va’etchanan: Particular or Universal? | Rabbi Shai Finkelstein

[00:00:08]Shalom from beta and thank you for joining me in the study of parashatan.

[00:00:13]So particular or universal. And what do I mean by that? The Torah has one of the most famous verses in the entire Torah that I think everyone knows.

[00:00:29]here. O Israel, Hashem is our God.

[00:00:31]Hashem is one. When you look at this very short sentence, which so many people, so many Jews have said it so many times in their lifetime, there is something very very interesting in this verse, which is what does it mean Israel? Listen, O Israel, who are we talking to? To the nation, to Yakov, who his name is also Israel? Who who are we talking to? That's the first question.

[00:01:00]The second question was what what does what does it mean? Hashem elocu. Hashem our God. And then again we repeat hashem the name of god is one. So what exactly is the content of this verse?

[00:01:17]So the Talmud inim the Babylonian Talmud in tracted page 56A says the following one of the in the land of Israel says the following.

[00:01:38]This is a verse from the end of paras in the book of Genesis of book of perishit where Yakov before he died he asked all his children to come and to gather around his bed and he wanted to tell them to share with them what will happen to them at the end of times. However, when you read the narrative Yakov does not share what will happen to the Jewish people at the end of times but rather he is sharing with them a blessing to each tribe. So what exactly happened there?

[00:02:09]Says Jacob really wanted to share with his children a prophecy about the end of times but he couldn't.

[00:02:24]So Jacob said so was concerned. and says, "You know what? Maybe one of my children is not worthy to be here and to know what will be in the future. Maybe I'm like my grandfather Abraham that had Ishmael or maybe like my father that had Asav.

[00:02:48]Maybe something is wrong with my family and this is what prevents me from sharing with you the end of times."

[00:02:57]So his children told him, "Listen, O Israel, listen our father.

[00:03:04]So what does that mean? So they said meaning Jacob's children.

[00:03:12]We know that in your heart you believe in one God.

[00:03:16]We also believe in one God. Which means each one of us is worthy.

[00:03:22]But perhaps there is another reason why can't you why you can't predict the future for us. But we are all believers in one God. like you.

[00:03:38]So at that moment when Jacob heard that all his children declare that they believe in one God which means they are manifest he says blesses God's name forever.

[00:03:56]So the rabbis after they heard that story they said okay what should we do what should we do with what Jacob said if we will say it it's a problem why because Moshe didn't say it in the Torah if we will not we'll ignore it and we will not say it how can we ignore what Jacob said so what should we do so we say it quietly After we say we say quietly with one exception on we say it out loud. Now we will leave we were not going to address the last part of this Talmudic paragraph. I would like to focus on the first part.

[00:04:44]It seems to be that according to Benish and this story that he created, it seems to be that is very particular. It's basically between Yakov and his children or should I say between Jacob and the nation because the 12 tribes obviously represented the Jewish nation which means Israel. It's almost like when I say Isa today I redeclare and I reexperience I in a way rejuvenate this experience that I am declaring to my ancestor to Yakov that the same way he believed in one God I also believe in one God but it's all about me my family my tribe my nation and Jacob so Israel according to this Talmudic paragraph is very particular It's about the Jewish people. That's it.

[00:05:40]The Rashbam who was Rash's grandson says the following.

[00:05:56]What does it mean?

[00:05:58]Hem is the only God that we have. He is also not only Hashem, it is also our God. and we don't have any other gods besides him. Now we are talking about obviously here the beginning of the 12th century in France and you can understand that obviously the Jewish people were surrounded be by Christian world and the difference in theology and in belief between the Jewish belief and the Christian belief at that especially at that time was between trinity and monotheism. And the rashbam in France emphasize the fact that we believe in one God.

[00:06:44]Meaning Hashem is our God and we will not abandon him.

[00:06:50]Meaning you have other gods.

[00:06:57]So what is now? Take a look here. The history that comes from this commentary from the Hashem is one.

[00:07:08]We're going to worship only him and we will not add any other god with him which is obviously the trinity that rejects which means we believe only in one god and we will never add any other god to him. Again, very particular, very focused on the Jewish people and our faith. Israel, listen, O Israel, elo. By the way, the first Hashem is utu is God, which means the attribute of mercy and compassion and the attribute of judgment is all one. There is one God that everything comes from God. We believe in one God and that's it. That's what the Rashbam says.

[00:07:57]show in the 13th century also friends he says the following listen oh Israel is our god hem is one he says this verse that says hem is our god hem is one is needed we need all three of them why do we need all three of Not because we need it but because of what the other nations will say. Why if we will say just listen oh Israel Hashem is one because if it will say in a general way listen oh Israel Hashem is one each nation will say ah it talks about what my God and my God is one that's it so therefore we obviously cannot say that therefore says the beho So therefore this is why we need to add listen our God is this one God.

[00:09:22]Okay. So says the you know what? So let's rephrase it. Say why do I need the first at the beginning of the verse?

[00:09:40]If you will not say thee at the beginning, people would think that God is just one of the multiplicity of gods.

[00:09:48]There are many gods and elokenu the god of Israel is also one of them. So therefore we need to say elu which means meaning we had to be very specific.

[00:10:09]We had to say Israel listen O Israel Hashem what kind of Hashem elokenu our God he is the only god that you need to worship now it's very interesting what the says because we are talking about the 13th century in France and he is talking about the puk that was written by Mosher Rabenu many many ages before and he says that Mosher Rabenu had to write it in the Torah like that because of what other nations will say which is a fascinating interpretation, but he goes ahead to in a in a very specific way to detail to us why we need each component, each word in that verse. And he continues and he says, "And for those people who deviated and they said that trinity is the right way to look at God."

[00:11:08]So therefore he says to those people who believe in trinity and they look at that and says this is what our belief is. He elu the trinity is one. So you need to believe in what we believe. Says he says if they will come with a claim like that. By the way, just to pause here for a second, you can see how leading commentators like the Rashbam beginning of 12th century in France, beho in the 13th century in France are dealing theologically with the Christian claim of trinity of believing in their God. You could see that even if they didn't sit together in a table arguing theologically, they knew what's going on around and outside of the little of the shoe. And they knew that regular Jews who go to the marketplace, they hear it.

[00:12:14]And sometimes they are even being trying to be convinced to believe in Christianity. And the rabbis here had to stand up and to give interpretation that will cement the Jewish faith. So you can read the commentary as commentary but you can also listen to what to the history that we have in this commentary.

[00:12:33]So he says if you would think that that mentioned three things and they are one it comes to support trinity he says no exactly the opposite because the next verse is and you shall love your god that's it only two not three.

[00:12:53]If it's like what they say, you should say one or three.

[00:12:58]But rather where it says doesn't mean that there are three. It just what? It's just reference to the fact that you shouldn't get confused. We are talking only about the God of Israel.

[00:13:15]You shall love that your God.

[00:13:25]He says when you look at this verse there can be a place for a mistake.

[00:13:31]People can look at that says ah trinity hashem hem and this is one says the no no this three mentioning of god doesn't come god forbid to teach you about trinity but rather about what about the fact that we are talking about the god of Israel and god of Israel is a mantheist god and therefore you need to believe in one god it doesn't come to count names but rather to reflect or to describe God's attributes but really we are talking about one God.

[00:14:09]So if you look at the rashbam also the Babylonian Talmud inracted on page 56A the rashbam theore it's all about the particular it's all about Israel the nation of Israel and through the rashbam and the behos we see that in the 12th century and 13th century this theological tension between Christian theology and Jewish theology obviously came to some kind of a boiling point Well, the Jewish commentators obviously failed that they what they they need to explain a verse that can be misinterpreted by other religions.

[00:14:49]Abuadono who lived already in the 16th century in Italy, he has a different view.

[00:14:59]Perhaps he was not under the stress of uh crusaders and crusades that obviously took place in the 12th and the 13th century in France.

[00:15:11]The first crusade was in 1096 in Germany and then later on they went to France as well in the 16th century has a different take and he says the following first does not mean only to listen but it's also to look in a deep way in a cognitive way in what I'm about to tell you. Hashem What does it mean? Hashem. Hashem is the creator who gives life to every creature.

[00:15:50]Our God.

[00:16:09]He says what does it mean our God? Our God is that we in a way chose God to be our God and all our expectations is really directed towards him because he is the creator. We will serve only him and all our requests, claims, whatever we have we will direct towards him.

[00:16:37]What does it mean? God is one.

[00:16:44]So after he created the world and the reality after nothingness, there is no one like him.

[00:17:03]He says, "By the fact that God created this world, he's obviously not like us because he created us. It's not like the angels. He's not like the star and the moon and the and the and the sun. And he is separate from the world he created."

[00:17:24]If you look at the Torah, is the last letter of which is big and the last letter of which is also big. If you put in and together you have obviously you have a witness. He says what we need to do when we say is to to be a witness to God's creation to his separation from this world. So on one hand he created us. He obviously has providence. So he's quote unquote connected to us. But at the same time he's fully totally separated from us.

[00:18:14]Now if you look at this phono this phono here does not talk about trinity about Christianity about different faith. He's talking about the content of what does it mean?

[00:18:29]And in a way, by the way, I think we can also read this photo as somewhat of a deviation from the particular reading that we saw at the Babylonian Talmud, the Rashbam and and um and the Beho talks about listen to that. Look, everyone, not only Jews, but definitely Jews, but also everyone, look at the creator. Look at the world around you.

[00:18:57]Not only through physics, chemistry, biology, but through a faithful eyes.

[00:19:04]Think for yourself, who is the creator of this world? What can I learn about the creator from the universe he created? What kind of relationship I have with him? meaning it's more I would say not so much about theology it's about faith it's about uh understanding of religion and it's not about you know what do you need to believe in but rather after you establish faith in God and he is the creator now think okay what does that mean for me for my life for my nation rashi in tractive says also listen Israel to their father again rash's 11th century friends talks about again the particular swano more about the universal rashi however in his commentary to Dvarim perhaps has a bit of universalism in his commentary Not for now, for the future. And Rashi says the following.

[00:20:25]God is our God now and is not the God of the other nations.

[00:20:32]He's going to be one God for everyone.

[00:20:36]How do we know that?

[00:20:39]It says in who was the prophet Because there's going to be a day that I will transform everyone to really call out the name of God and on that day Hashem will be one and his name will be one. So Rashi brings that interpretation basically says we need to distinguish between our days and the future days.

[00:21:10]Our days, Hashem is only our God. But in the future, Hashem is going to be the God of the entire world and everyone will recognize him and he will be one God with his one name.

[00:21:24]Just as a side note, I would like to share that there's something very interesting that took place really in the world since Christianity and Islam and the Rambam. My manad is already alludes to it by saying that even though Christianity and Islam is not Judaism, but in a way it transformed the world into more of a manifested world.

[00:21:55]Before it was a pagan world. Judaism obviously was an exception. But later on now with Christianity and Islam, most people believe in God and most people believe in one God.

[00:22:11]God is the creator. God is someone who provide providence.

[00:22:17]God who has commandments which means what Rashi was talking about it's already in a way taking place in front of our eyes.

[00:22:29]on says why would Rashi say that now Hashem is only our God but in the future Hashem is going to be the God for everyone because if not the verse should have said note it's like he says now listen oh Israel it's only our God but the time will That says found his interpretation in the verse itself says Hashem is our God now but in the future Hashem will be what? One by everyone.

[00:23:25]The clear in a little bit of a lengthy interpretation says the following.

[00:23:36]He brings Rashid that says that now Hashem is only our God. That's in the particular way. But in the future it will be a universal God which by the way every time we recite a blessing we say the king of the universe. Not only Melodim the king of the Jews or the king of Israel say king of the universe which we are already trying to implement that God will be the God for everyone says the Zechariah it says that on that day Hashem would be one.

[00:24:18]So the Gar is asking what do you mean now God is not one? Obviously God is one.

[00:24:29]He says, "I will tell you on bad things that happen to people, we say Diana." When God forbid someone is in a funeral for his relative, he makes a ka. He's tearing his garment and he says, "God is the true judge." And on good things, we say that God is good.

[00:24:52]But in the next world when Mashiach will come on everything we will say God is good. What is the idea behind it? Says the clear.

[00:25:09]He says in this world when you experience bad things, evil things and good things, it's very hard to have faith that everything comes from God.

[00:25:19]Therefore, it's easier in a way to separate. There is the bad God and there is the good God. The bad God is punishing me. The good God is giving me all the good things.

[00:25:30]But he says, He says but in the next world to come when you see the big picture and you see that there is really nothing bad on everything you will say you will say God is good.

[00:25:55]Therefore, he says the kakar says the following. He says, look, it's hard to have faith, especially in challenging times when people suffer. It's very hard to believe that the same God that gives me a blessing, it's the same God that gives me a curse. The same God that saved me from troubles gives me tribulations.

[00:26:31]It's much easier. And that's what the Greek philosophers did basically. And later on some other religions as well is to try to basically divide God to two, the good God and the bad God. Like the good cup and the bad cup, so to speak.

[00:26:45]We Jews since the inception of the Jewish nation, we believe that compassion and de judgment is intertwined to one entity.

[00:26:57]It's difficult.

[00:26:59]It's challenging. Sometimes it's almost impossible.

[00:27:03]But we have that faith. And therefore we proclaim even in this world which is mercy and judgment is one God.

[00:27:15]It's one entity at the end of times. Not only us but all humanity will be able to recognize this idea this philosophical theological perspective of God and therefore they will be able to accept God as one God which means what the Cleakar says and explaining Rashi is not only that like God is going to reveal himself and everyone will accept him there's going to be some kind of a transformative ative um or really I I should say probably a drastic transformation in people's mind and perception of God and not only God but all the experience that they go through in their lives in a beautiful way explains this is this verse in a very insightful way and he says the following I met the true understanding and meaning of Judaism.

[00:28:31]Which means this phrase does not only declare that God is one.

[00:28:51]He says it's also does not only declare that these two realms compassion, hashem, judgment, god is intertwined together. This is not only the content of he says it's not only talking about God's attributes. It's talking about the way God leads humanity.

[00:29:22]It's one way. It's one way of leadership.

[00:29:44]what here says is you can have a very superficial understanding by saying ah God is one and we Jews believe in it now and everyone will believe in it in the future that what that there is an attribute of mercy There is attribute of dinen of judgment and God is able to what to intertwine them together. He says this is true but this is superficial.

[00:30:10]We are expect we are expected to believe in something much deeper which is that in every attribute of mercy and compassion there is judgment.

[00:30:23]And whenever there is judgment there is also mercy. which means the two attributes are intertwined to one.

[00:30:32]Not that they are two working together and God can do it but rather it's one attribute. This is the depth of what is telling us.

[00:30:46]Listen oh Israele our God is one means what? that in everything that we experience that we go through the two attributes compassion and judgment work together not as separate attributes but as one attribute.

[00:31:05]This is much more difficult.

[00:31:08]There is one way to understand okay God has the ability to take judgment and to take comp compassion and to walk with them together and everything comes from one entity.

[00:31:19]reads this verse in much deeper way. In everything that has mercy, there is judgment. Everything that has judgment also has compassion and mercy.

[00:31:29]And how fitting it is for Shabbat.

[00:31:34]This Shabbat after Shab is one of the most difficult days on our calendar. sadness, frustration, disappointment, feeling of abandon, abandonment, and sitting on the floor mourning for our destruction and all other events in Jewish history that that were terribly terrible to us.

[00:32:00]And this Shabbat we hear, my people, I'm sending you comfort twice.

[00:32:09]You need to see that even in times of judgment there is mercy and even in times of mercy you have judgment. If we look at the world and events that uh we are going through in such a way, I think we can find comfort because even at times that are very challenging.

[00:32:30]We know that there is someone behind it with all the frustration of asking okay so stop it do something for us. If you have faith that hashemad your perception on life is very different. So we need to go through this transformation.

[00:32:48]The midra says that on a hashem created mashiach. Hashem created redemption. The future ga for us at the time of the destruction of the temple.

[00:33:01]God already created the remedy. And now this Shabbat that we will read in the we need to remember that. We need to remember this declaration of to know that it might be very particular now but we never lose hope that there's going to be the day that all nations will recognize God's greatness, God's unity, our uniqueness as his people and will join us together in accepting God as our God, the God of the universe.

[00:33:38]Thank you.