Lacking Everything

Rabbi Melanie Aron

September 8, 2001

Jojo and Hannah have concentrated their remarks on the first and more positive section of this week's Torah portion.

As I mentioned last week, some scholars understand the book of Deuternomy as Moses' extended Midrash on the 10 commandments. Shoftim develops ideas found in the 5th and 6th commandments: Honor Thy Mother and Father, Thou Shalt Not Murder. Ki Tavo is an extended commentary on the next three commandments, and this week's portion begins with a lesson about coveting, in this case learning not to covet that which is God's, the first fruits of one's harvest. If one learned in this way to share with God, it is hoped that one would also learn not covet that which one was able to give to the poor, the orphan and the widow, those in need in our community.

The connection between this week's Torah portion and the upcoming High Holidays is often understood to come through the second and third sections of the portion, the sections that deal with blessings and curses. In particular, the portion concludes with 55 verses, 98 curses, describing in great and vivid detail the afflictions that would be the consequence of not following the rules and guidelines established in the Torah. This portion is so graphic and disturbing that in many congregations it is read aloud only in a whisper. The text implies that sometimes things will get very, very bad before the people repent and return to God. It is somewhat like our modern concept of bottoming out, of hitting some very low point before investing in the effort to turn things around.

The Torah tells us that the impenitent Israelite will be choser kol- lacking everything, before he stops and considers the need to repent.

He will be choser kol-lacking everything; well the rabbi's ask, what do you have to be lacking to be considered lacking everythin? The Talmud gives us an answer.

Rav said: Without a candle and without a table.

These were two basic necessities of life in Rabbinic times. If a home was lacking these two simple things, then a person was reduced to living as an animal, eating off the floor, unable to make light for himself when it is dark.

Another rabbi disagrees. And in a beraita it was taught: Without salt.

This is an even greater level of neediness. Salt was the staple of the poor. Pirke Avot tells us that the poor drank water and ate break with salt. Salt was also the major preservative of food at that time, and thus enabled you to save some of your foodstuffs for the future. If a household lacked salt, once could assume they lacked all other things as well.

Rabbi Chisda said: Without a home and some interpret without a wife. In the Hebrew language of this period the word for wife was often the same as the word for home.

Those who have been homeless can speak to the significance of this lack. Even if you have a job, even if you have some money and a car, being homeless prevents you from being able to live as a mensh, a person in the community and thus you can said to be lacking all.

Lacking a wife, lacking family, lacking someone who loves you and whom you love, that is also lacking all as the Rabbis firmly believed in the Biblical teaching, it is not good for Adam to be alone, humans are intrinsically social creatures..

And finally: Another view: In want of knowledge, devoid of Torah study. (Talmud Nedarim 41a, Mechilta Yitro 19:1)

We have also hit bottom when we have no education, no direction, no way of giving meaning to our life.

By forcing us to think of the depths to which a person could sink, the Torah is trying to get our attention. Moses wanted the Israelites to listen in a way they never had before. Reading these words, just before the High Holidays, is meant to jolt us as well. We don't need to come to the point of choser kol before we are willing to look reflectively at our own lives. With gratitude for our homes and the plenty we enjoy, for our families and friends, and the opportunities we have for study and spiritual growth, we can dedicate ourselves to living better lives in the year to come.