Parashat HaShavua - Behar

כִּֽי־לִ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ עֲבָדִ֔ים עֲבָדַ֣י הֵ֔ם אֲשֶׁר־הוֹצֵ֥אתִי אוֹתָ֖ם מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲנִ֖י ה׳ אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃

For it is to Me that the Israelites are servants: they are My servants, whom I freed from the land of Egypt—I am Adonai your God.

This verse appears in this week’s Torah portion, Behar, as an explanation for why slaves cannot be held in servitude for perpetuity, but rather must be granted freedom in the jubilee year. The rabbis note the repetition of the word עבד (servants) and offer various interpretations for the way the repetition justifies the procedures surrounding freeing slaves. I would like to look at this pasuk out of context and take a look at a Talmudic debate where this verse is quoted.

In Baba Bavtra, Rabbi Akiva is having an argument with Turnus Rufus (a senator and provincial governor under the Roman Empire).  They are arguing about whether we should support poor people in our community and about the theological implications of doing so. Rabbi Akiva (obviously) argues that we are obligated to financially support the poor and Turnus Rufus (referred to in rabbinic literature as the wicked Turnus Rufus) argues against. They each bring a parable and verse to explain their position.

Turnus Rufus offers a parable to a king who imprisons a slave and orders that he should not be fed or given anything to drink. Nonetheless, a person goes ahead and indeed does feed him. Turnus Rufus quotes the verse from this week’s Torah reading: “For the children of Israel are servants to me” and concludes that this King would necessarily be angry (and punish) the person who fed his imprisoned slave.

Rabbi Akiva offers a different, yet remarkably similar, parable. In Rabbi Akiva’s parable, there is a king and an imprisoned person. Only in this case, the imprisoned person is not a servant or a slave, but rather the king’s child. Rabbi Akiva cites a different verse (from Deuteronomy): “You are sons to Adonai your God.” To Rabbi Akiva it is clear that if, even after he had forbidden it, a person had given the king’s child food or drink and sustained the child, the father/king would be grateful and would respond by sending that person a gift. 

Rabbi Akiva chooses a different paradigm to understand the relationship between God and the Jewish people and to understand the relationship between God and people in need. Rabbi Akiva cannot imagine a situation where God would not be pleased that people treated other people with compassion and forgiveness, even if in that moment God did not demonstrate the same qualities. For Rabbi Akiva, God, like any parent, would not actually wish any harm on her children. 

Yet, rather than focus on a different verse and offer a different parable, I  wish Rabbi Akiva had disagreed with Turnus Rufus’ understanding of the verse from this week’s Torah portion. I wish Rabbi Akiva had pointed out that the pasuk that Turnus Rufus quotes is specifically meant to offer humanity to slaves. Highlighting that they are God’s slaves is not meant to emphasize their vulnerability and place them in danger, but rather to protect and guard them. This is protection God offers us as God’s slaves and as God’s cherished children. 

May we always see all human beings - those in need and those capable of offering assistance - through God’s eyes: as children - naive, innocent, and with great potential, and as servants - carrying tremendous burdens and responsibility. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Dahlia Kronish
High School Associate Head