Shelach:rebellion and expiation 2011
Shelach:rebellion and expiation
The parsha begins with a communal loss of faith. A group of representative spies are sent to tour the Promised Land and bring back a report. The report includes a [ possibly unsolicited] unfavorable military estimation of the situation. The people lose faith in The Promise and are punished with a 40 year desert meander. In the course of the story, the people come close to stoning the defenders of the faith (Moshe, Joshua, etc.)
This failure of faith comes in the context of Moshe’s doubting Gd’s ability to supply the meat promised to the people in the last parsha. Taught helplessness?
Perhaps Moshe’s depression added to the people’s motivation to appoint a new leader?
The announcement of the punishment is followed by a description of the meal offerings and libations. Elements of the sacrificial ceremony that required -grain, wine and oil,- that would be available after entry into the promised land. This constitutes a reinforcement of the promise to enter the land. It is also put in to the context of expiation of sin - both communal sin and individual sin.
Then comes the story of the man who gathered wood on the Sabbath, The people recognize the transgression, but which rule applies? Sacrificial expiation? communal repentance? …. STONING. The stoning of the individual sinner, this human sacrifice, corrects the attempted stoning of the faithful. .
Finally, there is
וְלֹא-תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם, וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-אַתֶּם זֹנִים, אַחֲרֵיהֶם
the warning against sexual tourism:
The parsha begins with a communal loss of faith. A group of representative spies are sent to tour the Promised Land and bring back a report. The report includes a [ possibly unsolicited] unfavorable military estimation of the situation. The people lose faith in The Promise and are punished with a 40 year desert meander. In the course of the story, the people come close to stoning the defenders of the faith (Moshe, Joshua, etc.)
This failure of faith comes in the context of Moshe’s doubting Gd’s ability to supply the meat promised to the people in the last parsha. Taught helplessness?
Perhaps Moshe’s depression added to the people’s motivation to appoint a new leader?
The announcement of the punishment is followed by a description of the meal offerings and libations. Elements of the sacrificial ceremony that required -grain, wine and oil,- that would be available after entry into the promised land. This constitutes a reinforcement of the promise to enter the land. It is also put in to the context of expiation of sin - both communal sin and individual sin.
Then comes the story of the man who gathered wood on the Sabbath, The people recognize the transgression, but which rule applies? Sacrificial expiation? communal repentance? …. STONING. The stoning of the individual sinner, this human sacrifice, corrects the attempted stoning of the faithful. .
Finally, there is
וְלֹא-תָתוּרוּ אַחֲרֵי לְבַבְכֶם, וְאַחֲרֵי עֵינֵיכֶם, אֲשֶׁר-אַתֶּם זֹנִים, אַחֲרֵיהֶם
the warning against sexual tourism:
posted by Sheldon Goldberg at 8:08 AM
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