ספר דברים - פרשת שופטים - יח:ו-יג - רביעי

The verse says, "When the Levi will come from one of your cities, from all of Yisroel, where he lives there, and he comes whenever his soul desires to the place that Hashem has chosen." This means that a Levi, who is living in any of the cities of Yisroel, has the right to come to the place that Hashem chooses—meaning the Beis HaMikdash—whenever he wants. The verse emphasizes that it is up to the Levi's own desire; he is not limited to a specific time or shift. He can come to serve in the Beis HaMikdash whenever he wishes.

The verse continues, "And he will serve in the name of Hashem, his G-d, just like all his fellow Leviim who are standing there before Hashem." This means that when the Levi comes, he is able to serve just like all the other Leviim who are already there. There is no distinction made between him and the others; he is entitled to serve before Hashem together with them.

Rashi comments on the phrase Vechi Yavo HaLevi—"when the Levi will come." He asks: Are we talking about any Levi, for sure a Levi and not a Kohen? The verse is not clear, so Rashi explains that the next verse, which says Vesheires—"and he will serve"—teaches us that we are talking about a Levi who is fit to serve. This excludes Leviim who are not eligible for service. So the verse is referring specifically to those Leviim who are able to perform the service in the Beis HaMikdash.

On the phrase U'va b'chol avas nafsho v'gomer vesheires—"he comes whenever his soul desires and he will serve"—Rashi teaches that this refers to the Kohen who comes and brings his korbanos, whether they are voluntary offerings or obligatory ones, even if it is not his assigned shift. In other words, even if it is not his week to serve, he can still come and bring his korbanos. Rashi brings another interpretation: This also teaches about the Kohanim who come for the festivals. Even if it is not their shift, they are allowed to bring the korbanos that are brought because of the festival, such as the additional offerings for the holidays. Even though it is not their assigned week, they can participate in the service and bring these special korbanos that come because of the festival.

The verse says, "They should eat equal portions, except for what was sold by their forefathers." This means that all the Kohanim or Leviim who come to serve are entitled to share equally in the portions of the offerings, with the exception of certain things that were sold by their ancestors. There is an equal division among those who serve, but there are some exceptions based on previous arrangements.

Rashi explains the phrase Cheilek k'cheilek yocheilu—"they should eat equal portions." This teaches that they would divide up the skins and the meat of the goats that were brought for chatos offerings. You might think that this equal division applies even to things that are not brought because of the festival, such as the regular daily offerings, the additional offerings for Shabbos, or voluntary and vow offerings. But the verse says, Levad mimkorov al ha'avos—"except for what was sold by their forefathers." Rashi explains that this means, besides what their fathers sold in the days of Dovid and Shmuel, when the shifts were established and they sold to each other: "You take your week, and I will take my week." So the equal division applies except for those things that were already arranged and sold among the shifts in earlier generations.

The verse says, "For you are coming to the land that Hashem your G-d gives you. Do not learn to do like the abominations of those nations." This is a warning that when the Jewish people enter Eretz Yisroel, they should not learn to do the practices of the nations living there, which are considered abominations. The Torah is emphasizing that we are not to imitate their ways or adopt their customs, especially those that are considered detestable by Hashem.

Rashi comments on the phrase Lo silmad la'asos—"do not learn to do." He explains that you are not allowed to learn in order to do like them, but you are allowed to learn in order to understand and to teach. In other words, you can study their ways to understand how corrupt they are and to teach your children, "Do not do such and such, for this is the custom of the nations." The prohibition is only against learning in order to imitate or perform their actions, but not against learning for the sake of understanding or warning others.

This verse lists various forbidden practices: "There shall not be found among you one who passes his son or daughter through the fire, a soothsayer, a me'onen, a menachesh, or a mekhashef." The teacher explains that "passing his son or daughter through the fire" refers to a specific idolatrous practice. "Kosem kesamim" is a soothsayer, someone who tries to predict the future or give advice through magical means. "Me'onen" and "menachesh" are different types of sorcery or superstition, and "mekhashef" refers to a sorcerer. The teacher elaborates on each of these terms in the following Rashi comments.

Rashi explains that "ma'avir beno u'bito ba'esh"—passing his son or daughter through the fire—is the service of the idol called molech. The way this was done is that they would make bonfires on both sides, and then pass the child between the two fires. This was a form of idolatrous ritual, not simply walking through fire, but specifically this ceremony associated with the molech idol.

Rashi explains "kosem kesamim"—a soothsayer—as someone who holds his stick and says, "Should I go or should I not go?" He seeks advice from his stick, as if the stick can tell him what to do. The teacher brings the verse, "Ami be'etzoi yishal, umaklo yagid lo"—"My nation asks its wood, and its stick tells it." This is the idea of seeking guidance from inanimate objects, which is a form of forbidden divination.

Rashi explains "me'onen" with two opinions. Rabbi Akiva says these are people who give times—they say, "This is a good time to start something." They claim to know auspicious times for different activities. The sages, however, say that "me'onen" refers to those who create optical illusions, tricking the eyes of others. So there are two interpretations: either it is about giving lucky times, or about deceiving people with illusions.

Rashi explains "menachesh" as someone who interprets signs from everyday occurrences. For example, if his bread falls out of his mouth, or a deer crosses his path, or his stick falls out of his hand, he takes these as omens or signs for what he should or shouldn't do. This is a form of superstition, where a person reads meaning into random events and uses them to make decisions.

This verse continues listing forbidden practices: "A choveir chaver, one who asks of the ov or yidoni, or one who seeks out the dead." The teacher explains that these are all different types of sorcery or attempts to communicate with the dead. Each of these practices is then explained in detail in the next Rashi comment.

Rashi explains "choveir chaver" as someone who gathers together snakes, scorpions, or other animals to one place. This person has some sort of power or uses sorcery to bring these creatures together. It is a form of magical practice that is forbidden by the Torah.

Rashi explains the phrase "V'shoel oiv" as referring to a type of sorcery called "pitom." This is a form of witchcraft where the person speaks from his armpit. The sorcerer brings up the dead, and the dead speaks from within the sorcerer's armpit. This is the specific method of the oiv, as described by Rashi.

Rashi explains "V'yidoni" as follows: the sorcerer brings a bone from an animal called "yidua" and places it in his mouth. Through sorcery, the bone itself speaks. This is the method of the yidoni, where the bone communicates by means of witchcraft.

Rashi explains "V'doresh el hameisim" as referring to someone who raises the dead spirit upon his membrane, or someone who consults a skull. These are examples of seeking information from the dead, either by raising a spirit or by asking a skull for answers.

The verse says, "Because it is an abomination to Hashem, all who do these things, and because of these abominations, Hashem your G-d is driving them out from before you." The Torah is emphasizing that all these practices—sorcery, seeking out the dead, and so on—are considered abominations by Hashem. It is specifically because of these abominations that Hashem is removing these nations from the land before Bnei Yisroel. The verse is making clear that these actions are the reason for the nations being driven out.

Rashi comments on the phrase "Kol osei eileh"—it does not say "osei kol eileh" (one who does all of these), but rather "kol osei eileh" (anyone who does these). This teaches that even if a person does just one of these abominations, not necessarily all of them, it is already considered an abomination to Hashem. You do not have to do all of them to be included in this prohibition; even one is enough.

The verse says, "Tamim tiye im Hashem Elokecha"—you should be wholehearted with Hashem your G-d. This means that a person should walk with Hashem in simplicity and sincerity, without trying to investigate or figure out the future. Instead, you should rely on Hashem, accept whatever comes your way with simplicity, and not seek out what is going to happen. By doing this, you will be with Hashem and be part of His portion.

Rashi explains "Tamim tiye im Hashem Elokecha" to mean: Go with Hashem with simplicity. Depend on Him and do not investigate the future. Rather, whatever comes upon you, accept it with simplicity. Then you will be with Him and to His portion. This is the approach the Torah wants from us—to have simple faith and trust in Hashem, not to seek out what will be, but to accept what comes with wholeheartedness.