- The graven or molten image, which he "setteth it up in secret."
- Dishonoring father or mother is private behavior. Sometimes it emerges into the public sphere, as in the case of ben sorer umoreh, but usually this is personal, family behavior.
- Removing the neighbors landmark is something which would kind of have to be done in secret, because it is hidden theft and claiming that his land now belongs to you.
- Misleading the blind probably will not come back to haunt you, since he will be unlikely to identify you.
- Perverting the justice due to the stranger, fatherless, and widow, is rendering a judgment and pretending that this is the valid judgment for them.
- Incest and bestiality are things usually done in private.
- Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour in secret -- once again, we have the stress on secrecy, and thus on private behavior.
- Taking a bribe to slay an innocent person, also seems secretive.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Ki Tavo: Adoption In Public of Required Behavior in Private
That seems to be the theme in parshat Ki Tavo, in perek 27. They stand in public on Har Gerizim and Har Eval and in between, and accept certain private practices on penalty of a curse. Thus,
Labels:
ki tavo
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
While the citation escapes me, if I recall correctly, the gemara understands this section to be an indirect admonishment for illicit relationships - the sins listed are those performed by the product of such a relationship, estranged as they would be from the Jewish people. In other words, the curse is not for making a molten image, for instance. Rather, it is for begetting an illigitimate child who will ultimately go astray and come to make such an image. The curse is for *his* actions which ultimately stem from *yours*. The fact that they all seem to be in secret, then, is less difficult, alluding to the estrangment of that progeny.
Post a Comment