Shabbat Parashat Chukat 5785

Parashat Hashavua: “… Harvest Your Grain…” – The Torah of Life in Eretz Yisrael

Our parasha recounts Bnei Yisrael’s arrival near Eretz Yisrael’s borders and the capture of land that became an extension of the Land. The people understood that the miracles keeping Bnei Yisrael alive in the desert would cease upon entering the Land, which, though blessed with fruitfulness, would require hard work in the fields. They would also need an army for protection. Success in both fields has great advantages. We will focus on developing the Land materially.

One of the greatest poskim of the last 200 years taught us about agricultural work’s value in Eretz Yisrael. Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Shimon (Berachot 35b) argued on reconciling two apparently contradictory p’sukim. We are told “You shall harvest your grain, wine, and oil” (Devarim 11:14). Yet, it says “The Torah scroll shall not move from your mouth, and you shall contemplate it day and night” (Yehoshua 1:8), which sounds like there is no time for agriculture. Rabbi Yishmael says one should work the land “like the way of the land” and learn Torah in the remaining time. Rabbi Shimon says learning should be constant, and if we are on the proper spiritual level, others will handle our physical needs. Thus, the pasuk discussing harvesting refers to those insufficiently serving Hashem.

Questions asked on Rabbi Shimon include: 1) How does one give precedence to the pasuk in Yehoshua over that in the Torah? 2) How can the pasuk in Devarim, following “If you listen to My commandments…” (11:13), refer to one not acting properly?

The Chatam Sofer (Sukka 36a) posits that Rabbi Yishmael’s approach applies only in Eretz Yisrael, where working the land is itself a mitzva of developing the Land and extracting its holy produce. There, “you shall harvest …” is a mitzva, and the holy Boaz (David’s great grandfather) processed his grain (Ruth 3:2). The Chatam Sofer argues in Rabbi Yishmael’s name: Would you tell someone not to put on tefillin because he is too busy learning Torah?! Finally, he says this mitzva may apply to any work advancing society. Practically, developing Eretz Yisrael is a constant mitzva, as even the mundane is holy here.

The Chatam Sofer thus didn’t imagine that Am Yisrael would return to the Land with very committed Jews forming a segment divorcing itself from physically developing the Land, saying “I will not harvest my grain because of Torah study.” Can one rely on miracles, or on the State (itself a miracle), putting the burden on others? We have no precedent of a whole segment of society claiming exemption from building community and supporting families (as husbands obligate themselves in their ketubot).

Torah study is a crucial pillar of Jewish society. Along with modest work should come “make your Torah set” (Avot1:15). There should be shiurim in workplaces during breaks. Even in the Diaspora, Jewish communities made Torah study central, and Israel should encourage it. However, only an elite cadre should set aside many years for full-time Torah learning, afterward going on to important rabbinic positions.

Top of page

Print this page

Send to friend