THE COST OF GOING IT ALONE

Those familiar with shul fundraising will recognise the Yiddish term shnoddering. This is not to be confused with that other, somewhat similar word, shnorrering, which means ‘to beg’. Shnoderring is the process whereby the officials who stand at the bimah (the gabbaim and/or rabbi) solicit those who receive honours to pledge a donation. The etymology of this word is as follows: A blessing is recited for the honouree and for members of his family that includes the phrase ba’avur she’nadar, “inasmuch as he has vowed” to give such-and-such an amount to the shul. Vows and vowing which occupy the first part of this week’s parasha (Bamidbar 30:2-17), as well as several volumes of the Talmud (Tractates Nedarim, Nazir and Sh’vuot), have largely disappeared from Jewish practice. The most notable exception is the aforementioned vow to donate funds to a shul or charity. There are many different types of vows and oaths, the most common being nidrei issurim, whereby a person prohibits something that is normally permitted. Thus, for example, a Jew might feel that he is eating too much chicken soup but that he lacks the willpower to overcome his bad habit. He therefore recites a vow that ‘transforms’ chicken soup into a forbidden substance for his consumption. The vow can be made for a stipulated time-period or indefinitely. He will then think twice before indulging in this dish, as a broken vow is subject to several prohibitions. Should the vow prove too difficult to keep, the person may present himself to a single expert in this field of Jewish Law or to a tribunal and, under certain conditions, the vow will be annulled ab initio.

The primary reason for the reluctance of Jews to make vows and oaths is the famous statement of Rabbi Natan in the Talmud (Nedarim 22a): “One who makes a vow [thereby prohibiting something that is normally permitted]; it is as if he has built a private altar. And if he fulfills his vow, it is as if he has offered a sacrifice upon it.” This intriguing passage is subject to various interpretations by the great commentators. Rashi explains that one who makes a vow is like a person who builds a private altar to idolatry. The Rosh disagrees. He explains that one who makes such a vow is compared to someone who erects a private altar to God during the period when such altars were prohibited.

The Rosh is referring to a passage in the Talmud (Zevachim 112b) regarding the permissibility of erecting private altars (bamot) for the service of God. Before the First Temple was built by King Solomon, the Tabernacle, originally constructed by Moshe and the Israelites in the Wilderness, stood in several locations in the Holy Land. During much of this time, Jews were permitted to erect private altars and offer certain sacrifices upon them. There were, however, some sacrifices that had to be brought to the communal altar in the Tabernacle. Moreover, for as long as the Tabernacle was situated in the town of Shilo, private altars were prohibited. The same applied after the Temple was built in Jerusalem – no more private altars were permitted, even following the destruction of the Temple. Hence, according to the Rosh, one who takes a vow and creates a new prohibition upon himself is akin to a Jew who builds a private altar and offers a sacrifice upon it when such behaviour is proscribed. The Shulchan Aruch (Yoreh Deah 203:3) rules in accordance with this explanation: “One who make a vow, it is as if he has erected a private altar during a time when they are prohibited and, if he fulfills his vow, it is as if he has offered a sacrifice upon it, for it is much better to have his vow annulled. This applies to most vows, but in regards to vows whereby one pledges money for a holy purpose [such as to a shul or charity], then it is a mitzvah to fulfill them.”

Although the Torah explicitly grants a Jew the power to create a new prohibition, this power has a very negative aspect to it for it causes the vow-taker to separate himself from the general community. The Torah has no less than 365 prohibitions and yet this person sees fit to add another one, if not more. He might have very good reasons to make the vow but the net result is the same – he alienates himself from others in a particular area. He dissociates himself from the community much the same as one who fails to travel to the Temple to worship with his brethren and erects his own altar instead. This is a ‘sickness’ that is still prevalent among Jews today. Rather than join an existing community, there are those who always seek to set themselves apart and build new communities with their own characteristics. Sometimes their intentions are noble, but once again, the net result is negative. This malady has affected the Jewish people since biblical times. We find a common theme throughout the Book of Kings: “Yehoash was seven years old when he became king…Yehoash did what was proper in the eyes of Hashem all his days that Yehoyada the Cohen taught him. However, the high places (bamot) did not cease; the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense at the high places” (II Kings 12:1, 3-4); “In the second year of Yehoash son of Yehoachaz, king of Israel, Amatziah, son of Yehoash king of Yehudah, became king…he did what was proper in the eyes of Hashem, but not like his forefather David; he did everything as his father Yehoash had done.  However, the high places did not cease; the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense at the high places” (ibid 14:1, 3-4); “In the twenty-seventh year of Yeravam king of Israel, Azariah, son of Amatziah king of Yehudah, became king…He did what was proper in the eyes of Hashem, entirely as his father Amatziah had done. However, the high places did not cease; the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense at the high places” (ibid 15:1, 3-4); “In the second year of Pekach son of Remaliah king of Israel, Yotam, son of Uzziah king of Yehudah, became king…He did what was proper in the eyes of Hashem, just as his father Uzziah had done, he did. However, the high places did not cease; the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense at the high places…” (ibid 15:32, 34-35).

These four righteous kings all did “what was proper in the eyes of Hashem” and yet, they seemed to be powerless to stop the worship that was taking place at the private altars in their kingdom. Metzudot David (II Kings 12:4) explains that these altars were not used for idolatrous purposes but for the service of God. Nevertheless, they were forbidden because the Temple now stood in Jerusalem and sacrifices were only permitted there. Despite the presence of a single place of Divine service, the inhabitants of Yehudah still preferred to “go it alone” and worship in their own small groups. This all changed when the great and righteous King Chizkiyahu took the throne (ibid 18:1,3-5), “It was in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Chizkiya, son of Achaz king of Yehudah, became king…He did what was proper in the eyes of Hashem, just as his forefather David had done. He removed the high places, shattered the pillars, and cut down the Asherah-trees; he also ground up the copper serpent that Moshe had made – for until those days the Children of Israel used to burn incense before it; he called it Nechushtan. He trusted in Hashem, the God of Israel; after him there was not anyone like him among all the kings of Yehudah, nor among those who preceded him.”  Chizkiya did not just uproot idolatry from the land; he also removed the private altars, thereby unifying the nation.  Perhaps for this reason alone the Sages proclaimed (Sanhedrin 94a) that Chizkiya should have been the Messiah, if not for his failure to recite a song in praise of God after the armies of Assyria were miraculously laid waste. The Messiah will be a unifying force for the world in general and the People of Israel in particular. The nations will no longer serve their numerous deities but, instead, in the words of the prophet (Zephaniah 3:9), “For then I will change the nations to speak a pure language, so that they will proclaim the Name of Hashem, to worship Him with a united resolve.”

Lee, Chani Merryl & Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom!

Rabbi Liebenberg.

This week’s YouTube message: https://youtu.be/NomiqMQm2cg?si=BTteyQ6p4Ucjz704

*Tuesday night 14 & Wednesday 15 July – Rosh Chodesh Av

Rosh Chodesh Av (or, Menachem Av) is the start of the Nine Days of mourning that culminate in the fast of Tisha B’Av. (See Three Weeks of Mourning newsletter for details). The Talmud states that we decrease our joy when Av begins. After the Fast, we look forward to the month of Elul and the High Holy Days. The month also contains the 15^th Av, an ancient quasi-festival that commemorates many joyous events. The Molad (appearance of the new moon) is on Tuesday 14 July at 19h30 and 17 chalakim (a chelek, literally a “portion”, is a Talmudic measure of time equal to one-eighteenth of a minute, or 3 and 1/3 seconds).