5784/2024
In this week’s Parashah, the first two Pesukim state:
וַיְדַבֵּ֤ר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בְּהַ֥ר סִינַ֖י לֵאמֹֽר׃ דַּבֵּ֞ר אֶל־בְּנֵ֤י יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כִּ֤י תָבֹ֙אוּ֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֲנִ֖י נֹתֵ֣ן לָכֶ֑ם וְשָׁבְתָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ שַׁבָּ֖ת לה':
Why does the Torah feel a need to say the Mitzvah of Shemittah was given at Har Sinai? Isn’t it obvious that all Mitzvot were given at Har Sinai?
Rashi says it is here to prove that even every Mitzvah’s minute details were said at Har Sinai. Why would someone think otherwise? Because most Mitzvot were repeated in Devarim in the fields of Moav with more details. Because Shemittah was not repeated there, one might say that Shemittah is the exception as it says all of its minute details here. So, the Torah says it was at Har Sinai to teach that all of the Mitzvos’ minute details were said at Har Sinai, but only were said over in the Torah in the fields of Moav.
The Chattam Sofer explains that Shemittah is proof that Har Sinai happened. Those who doubt Hashem say “Mattan Torah never really happened”. But religious Jews somehow being provided for while not planting for a whole year proves that Hashem is real and that the Torah was given to Bnei Yisrael, hence the connection between Har Sinai and Shemittah.
Rashbam answers quite simply, saying that this indicates that these laws were already taught at Har Sinai, but only now are being said over. Rav Yoni Grossman explains that this Rashbam is a message to all of us that Kedushah can be achieved in this day and age. He says that during the Galut Bnei Yisrael will begin to think that Kedushah is unachieveable. The Mitzvah of Kedoshim Tihyu is only attainable when there is a Beit HaMikdash or a Mishkan. The point of this statement of the Rashbam is to let the learner know that even though at this point (sefer VaYikra) there was a Mishkan, you still have to remember that Keudshah can still be achieved without a Mishkan or Bait HaMikdash. When Bnei Yisroel received the Torah, they were in the desert, fresh out of 210 years of slavery. That is when they received the Torah. If they were able to attain Kedushah after losing nearly all of their Jewish identity in Mitzrayim, so too we can in Galut. The Passuk says BeHar Sinai to remind us that these Mitzvot were originally given over when Bnei Yisrael was able to achieve Kedushah in the most dire of situations; so too we can achieve Kedushah B’zman HaZeh. Even though we have been waiting for 2,000 years for Moshiach to come and we are feeling frustrated, we must remember that must continue to do Mitzvos and try to achieve Kedushah.