COMPLETE IS G-D’S JUSTICE
דברים פרק לב, ד הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלו
HaShem imparted His wisdom to Moshe and allowed him to understand His method of justice. This wisdom was granted to the Chachamim of each generation.
The following monetary dispute was placed before the Ibn Ezra (1093–1167). The disputants (with their intonations) indicated their complaint against HaShem for the seeming injustice in life.
Case: Reuven & Shimon were traveling together and sat down to eat. Another traveler, Levi, came upon them without food, and offered to pay them if they would share. They agreed. Reuven had three loaves of bread and Shimon had two loaves. All loaves were the same size. The three ate all the food, and Levi left 5 gold coins to pay for the portion that he had eaten.
Question: How should the 5 gold coins be distributed?
Select the Correct Answer Provided by Ibn Ezra: Please explain your selection
- Reuven receives 3 gold coins and Shimon receives 2 gold coins
- Shimon receives 2 ½ gold coins and Reuven receives 2 ½ gold coins
- Shimon receives 2 gold coins and Reuven receives 2 gold coins and one is returned to Levi
- Reuven receives 4 gold coins and Shimon receives 1 gold coin
- Reuven receives 1 gold coin and Shimon receives 4 gold coins
PARSHA MATH -NOTES FOR TEACHER OR PARENT
ANSWER SHEET
As related by Yalkut Meam Loaz:
Reuven offered that he should receive 3 gold coins since he had provided 3 out of the five loaves
Shimon offered that the five gold coins should be divided equally since Levi consumed equally from each of their offered breads
Ibn Ezra ruled that Reuven deserved 4 gold coins and Shimon deserved one gold coin. The two disputants “laughed” at the wisdom of Torah that awarded more than asked by the disputant.
Ibn Ezra explains just how perfect is the justice of HaShem:
- Five loaves were combined to be eaten by the three people
- The five loaves were divided into 15 equal shares
- Each of the three people (Reuven, Shimon, Levi) eat five shares of the bread
- Thus, Reuven provided 9 shares of the bread. He ate 5 shares and provided 4 shares to Levi
- Shimon provided 6 shares of the bread. He ate 5 shares and provided only one to Levi
- Therefore, of the five gold coins from Levi to pay for the bread, four coins goes to Reuven and only one goes to Shimon
תהלים פרק יט , י יִרְ אַת ה' טְהורָּה עומֶדֶת לָּעַד מִשְפְטֵי-ה' אֱמֶת צָּדְקוּ יַחְדָּו:
Age group – 10 years and up
Objective of this lesson:
Appreciate math in the Parsha
Introduction to concepts within Judaism of justice
