Of course this reminded me of the shirt George wore in the “Wake Me Up” video (see picture). Am I the only one who remembers the ’80s?

Why George Michael, John?

Let’s hope I figured out how to post this so we can continue our email discussions on this site and encourage more people to join in.

I like your D’var Torah and appreciate the message that even IF we (as Jews) are “taken care of ” (well fed, etc.) there will always be those who need help. I have two contrasting ideas to offer:

First, are we ever NOT needy? As humans we are never satisfied and always want more. Is it possible that this verse reflects human nature? Torah and Halacha are good at identifying human nature and typically account for it in various ways — perhaps this is saying that even if we were to fulfill all the mitzvoth we may not feel “full” but still feel want. I’m reminded of the line during Bircat Hamazon “I have never seen a righteous man forsaken that his children must beg for bread” — obviously the literal translation isn’t true: many tzadiks have had to beg. The question is what is “forsaken” and what is “bread”?

Second, and this thought is one I usually have on my mind but it contradicts the first. I do not think that we are supposed to fulfill the mitzvoth in exchange for something. Even though it says in this week’s parsha there is a blessing if we obey the laws and also we find the same language in the Shema: if you follow these words I will bless your lands with rain in the proper season, etc. but take care lest you heed other gods…I will withhold the rain, etc.”. I take these statements as a lesson that we should follow the mitzvoth and the specifics of doing x in order to get y strike me as an elementary approach. We should do the mitzvoth because we are supposed to do it — end of story. Doing it in exchange for something weakens the purpose and, worse, I think it threatens Yiddishkite. This type of faith — I do x in order to get y — is a weak one and easily ignored when facing tough times. How many people have looked throughout our history and seeing the pogroms, the forced migrations, the holocaust have said God has forsaken us. He didn’t fulfill his end of the bargain ?

I think the writing of doing x in exchange for y is a teaching mechanism so that we know we are supposed to do it. This is the same approach someone takes with their children when trying to teach them something — eat your dinner and you will get dessert, don’t eat your dinner and you will not get dessert. And perhaps for some people this approach is necessary, good, and there is nothing more.

However, I think there is something more. I think we are charged with keeping the mitzvoth regardless of whether we receive anything in return. As my husband frequently says, we are supposed to sacrifice ourselves for God –we see this with the Akeda. After God had promised Abraham that a great nation would come from him, his children would be as numerous as the stars, Abraham was then asked to sacrifice this son — this promise of a nation ended. And Abraham took his only son to be sacrificed and was stopped at the last minute by an angel.

A key point to be made here: we do not observe the laws in exchange for benefits but because God asked us to observe these laws. Observing the laws in order to “get something” in return sounds like a “what have you done for me lately” kind of religion — again easily lost. Further, it isn’t for God to “do” for us — that strikes me as Christianity where Jesus died for “our” sins. Here we are sacrificing for God.

I look forward to your response and to what anyone else has to say. Shavua Tov!