Two Minute Torah Podcast

Ki Tetze 5769 by Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb

Shalom, I'm Rabbi Daniel Goldfarb, Director of the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem, which, like KOACH, is a project of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism. Parashat Ki Tetze contains many mitzvot, from all areas of life, including Deut 23:25 which tells us:

כִּי תָבֹא בְּכֶרֶם רֵעֶךָ, וְאָכַלְתָּ עֲנָבִים כְּנַפְשְׁךָ שָׂבְעֶךָ;

When you come into another's vineyard, you may eat as many grapes as you want, until you are full; וְאֶל-כֶּלְיְךָ, לֹא תִתֵּן; but you must not put any in your vessel.

The next verse says that when in another's field, one may pluck grain with one's hand, but not with a sickle.

The verses allow one passing through another's field or vineyard, to eat while there, but not to take more than satisfies the momentary appetite.

While the Torah may have originally been speaking to passersby in general, the Talmud narrowed the permission granted here to agricultural employees. There is something unkind about engaging people to pick the harvest yet not allowing them to eat some while doing so.

But note the final phrases - don't put grapes in your bag or cut the grain with a sharp instrument. According to the classic Torah commentator Rashi, the verse warns us against achila gasa, excessive indulgence.

The message here applies equally to urban society today - Starbucks puts out packages of sugar and sweeteners, for the cup of coffee the customer has just bought. It's not right to grab a handful of such packages to take home so we don't need to buy our own for a week. It's OK for an employee to make an occasional short personal phone call at the workplace, but one's not supposed to conduct extensive conversations on the employer's time and expense.

The Torah is striking a realistic balance. On the one hand it is teaching the landowner, the host, to be kind, not stingy or tightfisted. On the other, it's teaching the employee, the guest, to know proper limits, to avoid abusing kindness. The behavior of too many individuals in the current economic crisis shows us that this lesson against greed and gluttony is still one that needs to be learned.

Shabbat shalom.