Illustration Credit: Noa Kelner
Commentary פַּרְשָׁנוּת
How do you understand what freedom is? Our parshanim learn about it from its Hebrew word, דְּרוֹר (dror), which the Torah uses to describe the יוֹבֵל (yovel) year.
וְקִדַּשְׁתֶּ֗ם אֵ֣ת שְׁנַ֤ת הַחֲמִשִּׁים֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וּקְרָאתֶ֥ם דְּר֛וֹר בָּאָ֖רֶץ לְכׇל־יֹשְׁבֶ֑יהָ יוֹבֵ֥ל הִוא֙ תִּהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֔ם וְשַׁבְתֶּ֗ם אִ֚ישׁ אֶל־אֲחֻזָּת֔וֹ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶל־מִשְׁפַּחְתּ֖וֹ תָּשֻֽׁבוּ׃
and you shall hallow the fiftieth year. You shall proclaim release throughout the land for all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: each of you shall return to your holding and each of you shall return to your family.
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַהוּ לְשׁוֹן דְּרוֹר?... שֶׁדָּר בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶה וְאֵינוֹ בִרְשׁוּת אֲחֵרִים.
R. Yehudah said, “What is the meaning of the word “dror”?... A person who can דָּר (dar, live) in any place they want, and is not controlled by others.
- Rashi highlights two important parts of freedom. Can you name them?
- How do these explanation of freedom fit with a servant who is being released in the yovel year?
Ibn Ezra points out that there’s a kind of bird called “dror”:
יָדוּעַ, כְּמוֹ: חוֹפֵשׂ, "כַּדְּרוֹר לָעוּף" (משלי כו:ב). עוֹף קָטָן מְנַגֵּן כְּשֶׁהוּא בִּרְשׁוּתוֹ, וְאִם הוּא בִּרְשׁוּת אָדָם לֹא יֹאכַל עַד שֶׁיָּמוּת.
The meaning of the word is known. It means free “as the flying דְּרוֹר (dror, swallow)” (Mishlei 26:2). This is a small bird that sings when it’s free. But if it’s taken captive, it refuses to eat until it dies.
- How does this bird represent freedom?
- Why would this bird only sing when it’s free, but not sing (and not even eat) when it’s not? What can that teach us about freedom?
- What is Ibn Ezra adding that wasn’t included in Rashi’s interpretation?
- Can both Rashi and Ibn Ezra be right? How so?
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