TREES OF LIFE – OR, THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN BY “IS”

7 Elul 5775 / 21-22 August 2015
Parashat Shoftim
Torah - Deuteronomy 16:18 - 21:9
Haftarah -  Isaiah 51:12 - 52:12

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TREES OF LIFE – OR, THAT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU MEAN BY “IS”

"When you besiege a city many days, to war against it, to seize it, you shall not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them, for you eat from them and you may not cut them down; for is the tree of the field a man to come before you in the siege?" Deuteronomy 20:19

One of the most difficult things about the Hebrew language is its lack of the word "is". The word is understood, in context. To make matters more difficult, a Torah scroll is written without punctuation of any kind. There are no periods, question marks, etc., to guide the reader in understanding text. When a series of nouns runs together, it becomes harder still.

However, these same difficulties also make for richly varied alternative readings of text. This week's offering is a case in point.

The translation is given in accordance with the reading of Rashi, who teaches that fruit trees may not be destroyed for the purpose of building siege engines because they are not the enemy. Why should they suffer? Should we not have compassion for God's creation?

Ibn Ezra renders the passage differently – not a question, but a statement - "it is for humanity, the tree of the field which is before you in the siege." The trees are our lives - we need their food to live. In his view, the passage teaches that destroying a fruit tree for no good reason, a scorched earth policy, is suicidal. This is not about compassion, but survival.

Taking this further, Maimonides says the tree is merely an exemplar. There is a mitzvah of "bal tash'chit", do not destroy anything which is beneficial to humanity, unless there is a greater benefit to be had, or greater harm to be prevented.

This utilitarian view may be taken further still. A forest, offering as it does quiet, solitude and beauty, is beneficial as is. Humanity, as well as the plants and animals of the forest, also benefit from the diversity of ecosystem the forest creates. Absent a truly compelling reason, why should something which has "only" an abstract benefit be destroyed?

"It is a Tree of Life to those that hold fast to it, and all its supporters are happy."Proverbs 3:18 (Window at Valley Beth Shalom) 

Destruction of any of God's creation is thus prohibited.  So we come nearly full circle, because of "is".

If the Torah is the tree of life, then these readings are its branches. We should be careful how we prune our trees.

Have a wonderful Shabbat!

Rabbi Richard Flom

Congregation Beth Meier

Studio City, CA

www.bethmeier.org

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This d’var torah is offered in memory of my sister-in-law, Janis Devorah Kronzek, whose yahrzeit falls this Shabbat. Her memory is a blessing.

This d’var torah is offered for a refuah shleimah for Avi Shmuel Yosef Hakohen ben Bella, Miriam Minya bat Alisa Batya, Sarah bat Devorah, Ken Bitticks, Elsbet Brosky, Jerry Daniels, Howard Ehrlich, Maya Fersht (Maya bat Esther), Dr. Samuel Fersht (Shmuel Natan ben Gittel), Leonard Foint, Annabelle Flom (Chanah Bella bat Kreina), Gig Flom (Gittel Tobi bat Blanca), Jerry Forman, Pamela Huddleston, Philip Kovac, Annie Rivera, and Gil Robbins.

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