In this week's parsha one of the most famous phrases makes its appearance. The phrase has often been used to define the Jewish faith as a whole. This phrase consists of two words: “na’aseh venishma” “we will do and we will hear” (Ex. 24:7). What does this mean and why is it so significant?
Rabbi Jonathan Sacks says that there is a few ways to interpret this phrase. One way to understand it is that na’aseh venishma means, “We will do and we will understand.” From this
We can learn that the only way to understand judaism is by doing it, by performing the commands and living a Jewish life. We are constantly looking to understand what we are committing ourselves to before making the commitment. That is fine when what is at stake is a new phone or a new subscription, but not when making a deep existential commitment. The only way to understand a way of life is to take the risk of living it. So according to Rabbi Jonathan Sacks: na’aseh venishma, actually means “We will do and eventually, through extended practice and long exposure, we will understand.
How else can one translate “na’aseh venishma”?
Chabad.org explains that Bnei Yisrael’s responce of na’aseh venishma was the perfect response. Hashem wanted Bnei Yisrael to fully commit themselves to his torah and in his laws. Their response shows exactly that, they will not only fulfill his laws by doing them but really listening deeply and really Knowing God to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteThe Sfat Emet explains the words as "we will do and then we will listen". Are we supposed to just do the commandments without even understanding them to show our faith in Hashem? He explains that only once you complete the commandments, you will have the merit to understand them even if they are impossible to understand.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Simai from the gemara says that it means we will do and we will listen. The we will listen is after because you are commiting to do the commandment before you even know what it is. Only someone who is completely commited to learning Torah and respevcting Hashem will be willing to do that. (Aish.com)
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Naaseh venishma according to myjewish learning.com means do first, and then later you will understand. When you do a mitzvah, you perform your religious obligation. A lot of times when doing mitzvot, you may not understand why you are doing them. I think this is important to realize this, because you should still do the mitzvot, even if you do not always understand why, and then later in life you will one day understand. When the jews received the torah promised first to do the laws and then study them. Therefore, Naaseh venishma is what jewish commitment to torah is.
ReplyDeleteleora adler
Yitzi Hurwitz writes that when bnei yisroel said 'we will do and we will hear' meaning that they will do their actions and mitzvot with meaning and intent. Just like in the beginning of the year when we spoke about the different ways to understand 'pakad' one was to count with understanding and meaning, so too this is what am yisroel meant when they responded. Yitzi Hurwitz elaborates by saying that often times we get so caught up in actually doing all of the actions that we are commanded to do that we lose sight of the enjoyment and our actions become meaningless. Hashem wants us to do more than just keep his torah. He wants us to know what His purpose is and feel the meaning behind what we are doing (even if we may not fully understand mitzvot sometimes). Arielle Borger
ReplyDeleteRabi Levin offers and alternate explanation to the words "naaseh vneshma". Usually those words are translated as "we will do and we will see". He translates it as "we will do and we will pay attention". The mitzvoth are there to help us slow down and pay attention to the important things in life.
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ReplyDeleteMekhilta rabbi Shimon bar yochi says it means we will do what we understand meaning they said that before the got the Torah. They will do the laws the fully understand
According to Aish.com na'aseh Venishma is so important because it signifies a commitment to performs Hashems commandments before even hearing how to observe them. The only person who could make this commitment is someone who is completely willing to have a life full of Torah. I think this is a good significance to this phrase because it is so true. You can not commit to this if you do not have a love for Torah and the desire to live a life shaped with Torah. If you do accept this you are declaring you love for Torah.
ReplyDeleteRabbi Dan Levin understands the words “naaseh v’nishma” to mean “we will do and we will pay attention”. He derives this from the words of Shma which are generally translated as, “Hear O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One.” However is read as, “Pay attention, O Israel, Adonai is our God, Adonai is One.” In the same way, the words “naaseh v’nishma” which are commonly translated to mean, “we will do and we will hear” should be read as “we will do and we will pay attention”. Bnei Yisrael will pay attention to what matters most in life. When we give tzedakah we are able to focus on those in need. By doing mitzvot and working to make the world a better place we can pay attention to the small moments in our lives. We are supposed to only focus on the important things and the mitzvot are pathways to realizing what is significant.
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Rabbi Jonathan Sacks also comments that the phrase can mean 'we will do an we will hear'. Bnei Yisroel say these words even before they receive the Aseret HaDibrot. They were so committed to Hashem and His laws, that before they even head the commandments, they were committed to following them. This is why the word do is written before the word hear.
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ReplyDeleteChabad.org explains that Bnei Yisrael’s answer of of na’aseh venishma was the best response. Hashem wanted Bnei Yisrael to fully commit themselves to the torah. Their response shows that they will not only fulfill his laws by doing them but really listening deeply and really Knowing God to the fullest.
Chavad.org also brings up another question from “na’aseh venishma” ( “ Everything that Hashem has said we will do and we will listen”), is that why do Bnie Yisroel say “venishma”/ we will listen, after saying “na’aseh”/ we will do? Grammatically, something seems off… The Gemara expounds that from the pasuk in Devarim, “He shone forth to them from Seir, He appeared from Mount Paran”, we see that Hashem primarily suggested to Bnie Eisav, living in Seir, to agree to take the Torah, yet they rejected to do so. Later on, Hashem went to Bnie Yishmael, who were living in Paran, and asked them if they would like to accept the Torah, and just like Bnie Eisav, they rejected to do so. The name Eisav correlates with the word עַשִיָה, to perform an action. The name Yishmael correlates with word שמע א-ל, to listen to Hahsem. Eisav, who’s name is related to “doing”, had declined to “do” the mitzvot of Hashem, by rejecting the Torah. Yishmael, who’s name is related to “listening to G-d”, refused to “listen”/follow the commandments of the Torah. Therefore Bnie Yisroel corrected this evilness, in constrast to Esiav and Yishmael, who disregarded the importance of their names and declined to “do” and to “listen” to Hashem’s Torah, and took the job that Eisav and Yishmael did not want.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Sforno, the words mean that it references something that they can do to obey HaShem without considering the possible reward.
ReplyDeleteLiat Silver
ReplyDeleteAnswering for Parshat Mishpatim question #3
"We will do (the Mitzvot) and then we will find out the instructions." According to Rav Kook this is not as backwards as it sounds, anything that is a part of nature does not need instruction, bees know how to build hives without a manual, that just their nature. People unfortunately are too distracted and too conflicted to be in their natural state. Apparently when Moshe offered the Torah to Bnei Yisroel it came so naturally to them that they did not need to hear the instructions first.
Aish.com says that saying na'aseh v'nishma shows that beni israel is willing to obey Hashem's mitzvot before even hearing what the observance of those mitzvot involves. Only a nation that is willing to commit their whole lives to torah and Hashem would be able to make such a commitment
ReplyDeleteThe Rashbam believes that the statement is so important because it's a declaration of faith for Hashem by the Jews. The statement is saying that we will do all God commands and any future commandments he sets. It's a milestone in Jewish history where we accepted God and all the would come with our roles as Jews
ReplyDeleteRav Moshe Feinstein explains the words of naaseh v'nishma. For נעשה ונשמע
ReplyDeleteנעשה means we will do the commandments that we heard directly from hashem
נשמע means we will also follow the commandments that we heard from rabbanim
saying naaseh vinishma shows that the jews are committing to keeping the torah before they even know what's held inside and what the torah commands they jump at it because they really care about hashem and whatever he gives to us i think this is a very nice idea because it shows that the jews loved hashem so much that they were accepting of whatever he offered
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na’aseh venishma has two parts one for each of the words, one means doing and the other is listening.Just as Rabbi Yosef Dov Soleveitchik writes in the Beit HaLevi:Naaseh is talking about accepting doing the commandments and nishma is talkng about accepting of the learning of torah.
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