This past Thursday night my Chavrusa piously decided to help a person in need by learning Hilchos Brachos/Pirkei Avos with him. This awarded me a "night seder" to see a few pieces on this past weeks Parsha.... Efmeister, shkoich!
One of these pieces was by the "Baal Haturim on the Parsha" (Parenthetically, the Tur, who was most famous for his work, the Arba Turim, was the son of the Rosh).
Getting back to the Parsha...the second topic discussed in this past weeks Parsha are the halchos regarding an Eved (a slave). When talking within the context of an Eved Ivri (Jewish slave), the Torah discusses the laws of a Nirtza, a Jewish slave who makes the personal decision that instead of going free after six years of servitude that he wants to stay with "his master" for the rest of his life (until the next jubilee year).
After pro actively making this decision to stay in servitude, the "owner", must take an awl and thrust it through his slave's right ear.
But Why? What is the significance of specifically piercing the slaves ear?!
Rashi on this pasuk answers, that this same ear that heard at Mount Sinai, "for the Children of Israel are slaves unto me."STILL Nonetheless decides to take a new master,. We therefore pierce his ear.
The Baal Haturim based on this Rashi answers, that the gematria of the word, Martzea (awl), is 400. the same as the amount of years that Klal Yisrael spent in Mitzraim.
By becoming a Nirtza this slave made the decision that he was not done with his servitude to mankind and that he had no interest in keeping the Torah that redeemed him from Egypt.
Along with the Nirtza we also were in servitude in Mitzrayim. Along with the Nirtza we also spent 40 days and 40 nights waiting to receive the Torah at Sinai. It is our responsibility as Hashem's chosen people not to make the same mistake as the Nirtza. Choose the right master.
1 comment:
Thanks for giving me a shout out on your blog! way to be. -kret
Post a Comment