There is a well known section of gemara at the end of Massechet Chullin which tells the unfortunate story of a son instructed by his father to climb up a ladder, send away the mother bird and bring him the chicks. The son did as asked by his father, yet on the way down he fell and died. The Gemara asks how this could be seeing as this young man had fulfilled the two mitzvoth in the Torah, the reward for which is clearly stated :

  למען יאריכון ימיך — In order that your days should be lengthened

The Gemara suggests various answers and invites us to reconsider the exact understanding of this phrase.

Based on this episode, most people are familiar with the connection made by the Torah between   אריכות ימים – the lengthening of days, and these two mitzvothכיבוד אב ואם  – honoring one’s parents, and שילוח הקן  – sending away the mother bird. However, towards the end of this week’s parsha (Chapter 25) we find the Torah lists a further mitzvah with this “reward”:

{I put “reward” in speech marks because I feel that this is an inadequate translation. One might prefer consequence or result.}

We note that this phrase of למען יאריכו ימיך  – that your days should be lengthened, or similar notions, are found in several places throughout the book of Devarim. Possibly the most well known is found at the conclusion of the second paragraph of Sh’ma למען ירבו ימיכם וימי בניכם על האדמה אשר נשבע ה’ לאבותיך לתת לך – in order that your days and those of your offspring on the earth which Hashem has promised to you shall be lengthy. Here we see, as in almost all the similar instances throughout the sefer, that the promise of long life is coupled with our existence on the land given to us by Hashem.

However, we cannot ignore that in the above quoted pesukim the promise of long life relates to the observance of a specific mitzvah much like the two better know mitzvoth of kibbud av ve’em and shiluach haken. The many citings of this phrase in Devarim are found  in connection with keeping mitzvoth or heeding Hashem’s commandments in more general terms.

The commentators explain the relevance of the long life promise to this mitzvah. These verses enjoin us to deal honestly in business and to exhibit integrity in our dealings with others.  Ibn Ezra states “a monarchy (government) of justice will self sustain for justice is like a (strong) building, whereas dishonest behavior is destructive and will cause the wall to collapse”.

In a similar vein, Rav Hirsch writes:

The duration of your existence as a state on your own soil depends on the most conscientious honesty in business which your God demands from you and which is to form one of the fundamental traits in your national character … The Jew with a false weight or measure may no longer call God ‘his God’.

Both Ibn Ezra and Rav Hirsch seem to point out that the Torah here is not offering a quid-pro-quo system of long life for honesty in business. Rather, should false weights be found among Am Yisrael this would undermine the legitimacy of existence in Eretz Yisrael; we would be forced to forfeit our national role as God’s people.

This notion is found over and over again in the words of our nevi’im, the most famous of which is in the opening chapter of Sefer Yeshayahu. In the verses which we read on the Shabbat prior to Tisha B’Av, Yeshayahu laments the social injustice which will surely bring the downfall of the kingdom. He implores Am Yisrael to embrace justice, for through this Yerushalayim will be redeemed.

Malbim, while not ignoring the national effect of observing this mitzvah, relates first to the individual.  Malbim explains that by exhibiting integrity and honesty in one’s business dealings one will internalize the trait of  שלי שלך” – what’s mine is yours”. This will inherently create a sense of harmony within society. On the other hand, should a person act dishonestly, focusing on שלך שלי” -what’s yours is mine”, this will obviously lead to discord and hatred. Malbim also connects these ideas with the need to avoid שנאת חנם  – baseless hatred, which we know to be a cause of destruction.  We should rather embrace  אהבת חנםas a method to maintain our society.

Now that we have explained the relevance of אריכות ימים, of our prolonged existence on the land and as a nation of Hashem to this mitzvah, we ask whether it is related in any way to כיבוד אב ואם and/or שילוח הקן.

In order to suggest an answer to this question, let us pose a different question: How would we categorize this mitzvah? Is this a mitzvahבין אדם לחבירו  or בין אדם למקום?

At first glance, it would appear to be an interpersonal mitzvah for it relates to our business dealings with one another. However, the Torah explicitly states that is a תועבה לה’  should anyone commit this transgression.

The same question may be asked about כיבוד אב ואם. This mitzvah concerns our relationship with our parents, yet it appears in the בין אדם למקום  section of the Ten Commandments. Many answers have been offered to this question and we will not list them all here. Suffice it to say that both these mitzvoth appear to hover at the seam between the two categories of mitzvoth. Maybe that is the connection between the two.

And what about שילוח הקן? The Mishna in Brachot tells us that we are to silence one who claims על קן ציפור יגיעו רחמיך  – that God’s mercy is displayed  towards the bird’s nest. This suggests that this mitzvah is simply a decree from God and cannot be explained any other way. However, this is a subject of much discussion. Should anyone wish to delve into this subject, I would recommend beginning by learning the long Ramban on Devarim22:6-7.

How does this connect to our main idea? I have a theory but I leave you to develop your own. I welcome your thoughts and comments. ryh@harova.org

Shabbat Shalom

Rav Yonatan