Parashat Ki Tavo

by Rabbi Frank Dabba Smith of Harrow & Wembley Progressive Synagogue

Summary

Ki Tavo begins with prescribing two separate ritual declarations for the farmer dwelling in the Land of Israel to say when bringing the first fruits to the Temple in Jerusalem and when giving a certain portion of his crops to the poor. Although the two recitations are different from each other, each involves the farmer acknowledging with gratitude the richness of the land and, moreover, that the land and its gifts represent the fulfilment of divine promises; God has acted in history.

After detailing these (and other) declarations and ceremonies, the text appeals at length to the Israelites to affirm God’s laws. Within the context of this covenantal relationship, a grateful Israel obeys and then God protects this people who will also be blessed with a land brimming with bounty. If Israel does not uphold God’s laws, then the consequences will prove utterly disastrous; God will continue to act in history.

Commentary

As Rabbi Janet Burden suggested in her comments concerning parashat Ki Tetze, the redactors of Deuteronomy are hugely concerned with the issue of how humans are inclined not to uphold ethical laws that might otherwise be in their individual or collective long term best interests to do so. However, in the language of the ancient Middle East --hardly unique to the Hebrew Torah-- blessings and curses are catalogued in terms of inevitable ‘cause and effect’.

To us, this form of attempted motivation through bribery/fear seems crudely coercive not to mention being hugely problematic. (As would be stated in the extreme, what kind of a God would inflict, as some kind of a punishment, the murders of 1.5 million innocent children during the Shoah?) Deuteronomy does contain noble ethical ideals and laws but it also contains glaring flaws. Perhaps, the coercive elements reflect the interests of Ellis Rivkin’s priestly Aaronides in establishing power and maintaining domination.

But within the text there might be another approach suggested by the ceremony of of the farmer offering first fruits. The farmer speaks to the priest as the fruits are donated, ‘I declare this day to the Lord your God….’ Doesn’t this imply that God is being addressed as the God who is exclusively intimate with the priests and not as the God of the less involved, ordinary citizens?

A couple of verses later, however, the text says, ‘The priest shall take the basket of fruit from your [the farmer’s] hand and set it down before the altar of your God.’ So, why the switch? Rashi explains the transformation as follows: ‘To lift the offering up, the priest places his hand beneath the hand of the donor and then lifts it up.’ In this service, the priest helps the donor to perform the ceremony effectively. The Israelites may offer thanksgivings and become close to God through the use of their own hands.

This ritual may contain a strong element of enabling. The priest shows, teaches and gives the farmer the opportunity to participate fully in a significant ritual. A sense of involvement and joy is felt. Perhaps, too, there is created an abiding sense of gratitude and awe for the gifts of the land.

Rabbi Frank Dabba Smith