Monday 26 May 2008

Parsha: Sh'mini - Olam Chesed Yiboneh

Another D'var Torah from Cantor Wolberg
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Kol Tuv / Best Regards,
RabbiRichWolpoe@Gmail.com
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There's a verse in Parshat Shemini (Lev. 11:13) which states: "These shall you abominate from among the birds, they may not be eaten; they are an abomination..." In other words, fowl that are cruel are not eligible to be kosher. One will not always find cruel fowl necessarily exercising cruelty (we see this in the human species as well). It would therefore have been impractical and impossible to have positively identified a specific bird as being unfit. Therefore, the Torah must list all the fowl that are unsuitable for eating.

There is an overriding concept in the laws of kashruth that the characteristics of what we eat somehow have a great influence on the way we behave. The old saying: "You are what you eat." We do not want to associate ourselves for instance with cruelty, therefore we are forbidden to eat cruel animals, and in this case, some species of fowl. Among the fowl that are listed as being non kosher is the chasidah, the white stork. You may ask what cruel character trait does the stork possess. Rashi mentions that the reason it is called a "chasidah" is because it does chesed only with its friends regarding the food it finds. On the surface this seems strange. If the stork acts kindly with its food, why is it disqualified as being kosher?

A beautiful explanation to this difficulty has been given by the Chidushei Harim, in which he explains the nature of the stork. He says that the fact the stork only shows its kindness with its friends defines its cruelty. A fowl who is not in the circle of the stork's good buddies is excluded from getting any help from the stork in finding food. In other words, the stork is very selective in its kindness. This type of kindness is misleading. We, as Jews, are commanded even to help our foes. If we come across someone we dislike intensely who needs help, we are commanded to help. The stork, on the other hand, helps only his inner circle of friends. It is this character trait of differentiating between close friends and others when it comes to providing food that makes the stork non-kosher.

Chesed means reaching out altruistically, with love and generosity to all. The process of maturing involves developing our sense of caring for others. This is crucial for spiritual health. The Talmud likens someone who doesn't give to others as the "walking dead." A non-giving soul is malnourished and withered. It is only through unconditional love that our successful future will be built. In the words of King David (Psalm 89:3): Olam chesed yiboneh - "the world is built on kindness." The more this kindness dissipates and degenerates, the more danger of the foundation collapsing.

ri

3 comments:

micha said...

RRW, well said.

A lesson for our times.

Rabbi Ben Hecht said...

While I believe there is much truth in what Cantor Wolberg has said, I also feel that it should be recognized that sometimes we have to prioritize and closeness, friendship, community are factors that have to be considered in regard to this prioritization. This is clearly expressed in Hilchot Tzedakah of the Rambam as he presents a method of prioritization based on closeness. The difference with the stork, I believe, is that he doesn't care about others who are not his "friends" and even more so wishes to perhaps deprive them in order to benefit his "friends". We are though called upon to recognize friendship in our prioritization of our chesed ablilities and, also, the prioritization of others in their considerations on this matter. See, further, Maharsha, Shabbat 31a. Also see my article on the different considerations in how we give to others at http://www.nishma.org/articles/journal/tzedakah.htm

Rabbi Ben Hecht

micha said...

Having sat in Rav Dovid Lifshitz's shiur, I am partial to R' Shimon Shkop's formulation. (I have the introduction to Shaarei Yosher with my translation on line for quick reference.)

Love for others is an extension of love of oneself. The closer I am to that person, the greater the love. The task of developing chessed is to maximize that circle. Not by denying self-love, but by extending it -- "ve'ahavta lerei'akha kamokha".

However, the notion that it decreases with the distance of our relationship is built into the system.

I am reminded of the difference between a wife who is truly hated by her husband and Leah, who was called "seneuh" because she was relatively less loved. It's an important distinction -- that between loving the non-Jew, albeit less than a fellow Jew, and racism.

-micha