Shabbat Parashat Bechukotai - 5782

Shabbat Parashat Bechukotai - 5782

Rabbi Hal Miller And if during these you will not heed Me, I will increase tormenting you, seven for your sins. [Vayikra 26:18] Repeatedly through our portion this week, God refers to the number seven when relating the sins and punishments of Israel. What does the number mean here? In our verse, then again in 21, 24, and 28, it sounds like God plans to punish Israel sevenfold for their sins, but Rashi and others explicitly rule out this understanding, "Seven punishments for the seven sins that are stated above." He is referring to a verse [26:16] that lists panic, wasting away, fever, eyes to pine, souls to feel anguish, sowing seed in vain, and enemies eating the crop. These are the punishments and perhaps they refer to the compendium of the warnings in chapter 25. Rashi then continues that verse 21, "then I shall lay a further blow upon you, seven like your sins" means "seven other punishments", for which he lists "I will crush your proud glory, no rain, the land will be hard as brass, your labors will be useless, the land will not yield harvest, no fruit will grow, if it grows it will be inedible." The same approach applies also in verses 24 and 28. He does not accept the argument that these punishments are seven times what the people earned for their sins. But others look at the number with a different approach. Rashbam says that "you will be struck many times for your sins" and cites Mishlei [24:16], "the just will fall seven times" meaning many times. Onkelos ties our verse to Israel's failure to observe the Shemittah, the seventh year. He gives two alternate meanings as well, that seven is an indication of completion, such as the seventh day of Creation, and that seven is used here merely to mean 'many'. Rav Hirsch follows Onkelos in the explanation of seven meaning complete. God is telling the people that whatever wrong they do, His punishment will be fully fitting. Nobody takes this as a sevenfold type approach. Whether it refers to Shemittah or is merely a way of saying 'many' or 'complete', what is clear is that God will respond to punish for the sins of His people.