וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי. וְלָמָּה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי. מִכָּאן שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים נִתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה, בָּאֵשׁ וּבַמַּיִם וּבַמִּדְבָּר. בָּאֵשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהַר סִינַי עָשַׁן כֻּלּוֹ מִפְּנֵי אֲשֶׁר יָרַד עָלָיו ה' בָּאֵשׁ וַיַּעַל עֲשָׁנוֹ כְּעֶשֶׁן הַכִּבְשָׁן וְיֶחְרַד כָּל הָהָר מְאֹד (שמות יט, יח). בַּמַּיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ה' בְּצֵאתְךָ מִשֵּׂעִיר בְּצַעְדְּךָ וְגוֹ' (שופטים ה, ד). בַּמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי לֵאמֹר. וְלָמָּה נִתְּנָה בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ. לוֹמַר לְךָ, מַה דְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ חִנָּם לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, אַף הַתּוֹרָה חִנָּם לְכָל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: הוֹי כָּל צָמֵא לְכוּ לַמַּיִם וַאֲשֶׁר אֵין לוֹ כֶּסֶף לְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ וֶאֱכֹלוּ וּלְכוּ שִׁבְרוּ בְּלוֹא כֶסֶף וּבְלֹא מְחִיר יַיִן וְחָלָב (ישעיה נה, א).
(Numb. 1:1:) “Then YHVH spoke unto Moshe in the Sinai wilderness (bemidbar Sinai).” Why “in the Sinai wilderness”? From here our rabbis taught: The Torah was given through three things: through fire, through water, and through wilderness. Through fire, as it says (in Exod. 19:18), “Now all of Mount Sinai was smoking...” Through water, as it says (in Jud. 5:4), “YHVH, when You went forth from Seir... even the clouds dropped water.” Through wilderness, as it says, “in the Sinai wilder-ness.” And why was it given through these three things? Just as these are free (chinam) to all who come into the world, so too are the words of the Torah free to all who come into the world. Thus it said (in Is. 55:1), “Ho, all who are thirsty, come to the waters (of Torah); even if you have no money, come, get food, eat....without cost.”
בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי, לָמָּה בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי. אֶלָּא כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ הֶפְקֵר כַּמִּדְבָּר, אֵינוֹ יָכֹל לִקְנוֹת אֶת הַתּוֹרָה. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: בְּמִדְבַּר סִינַי.
“In the Sinai wilderness.” Why “in the Sinai wilderness”? Because whoever does not make themself ownerless (hefker) like the wilderness cannot acquire the Torah. Therefore it says, “in the Sinai wilderness.”
What is free and ownerless, open to all, is the only real possession in Torah one can acquire. This is like what Rashi says about Sabbatical year produce: when you set aside some of your grapevines for yourself, those are the grapes that you are forbidden to eat. Only the grapevines you declared ownerless are you free to eat from. Maharal explains that hefker means not specifically given for the human species.
Lev 25:5: You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest, and you shall not pick the grapes you had set aside [for yourself], [for] it shall be a sabbath of sabbaths, a year of rest, for the land.
(ב) לא תקצור. לִהְיוֹת מַחֲזִיק בּוֹ כִּשְׁאָר קָצִיר, אֶלָּא הֶפְקֵר יִהְיֶה לַכֹּל: (ג) נזירך. שֶׁהִנְזַרְתָּ וְהִפְרַשְׁתָּ בְנֵי אָדָם מֵהֶם וְלֹא הִפְקַרְתָּם: (ד) לא תבצר. אוֹתָם אֵינְךָ בוֹצֵר, אֶלָּא מִן הַמֻּפְקָר: (ספרא)
(2) You will not reap — to grab Shmitah produce (as your property), as you do other harvests, but it shall be free (hefker) to all. (3) [and your grapevines] set aside — that you barred and kept people away from them, not declaring them free/ownerless —(4) you will not gather to store — but you may gather from what is declared hefker.
וביאור ענין זה, כי ראוי שתנתן התורה באלו שלשה, כי התורה אינה מתיחסת לאדם, כי האדם בעל גשם, ואילו התורה היא שכלית. ולפיכך אין לתורה התיחסות לאדם כלל, לריחוק מעלתה מן האדם, והיא מובדלת מן האדם. ולכך נתנה התורה באלו שלשה דברים, כי כל אלו דברים הם הפקר לעולם, וזה מורה שאינם מיוחדים לאדם.
(Maharal of Prague) The Torah is not related/relative to humanity, for humanity is materialistic, but the Torah is idealistic, intellectual... and is separated from humanity. Therefore the Torah was given through these three (fire, water, wilderness), for these things are forever irrevocably ownerless (hefker), which shows they are not specifically for (ownership by) people...
In Shmitah the principle is that rich and poor have the same rights and prohibitions -- the right to eat from any field and the prohibition against hoarding any food. We are also forbidden to hoard our Torah or to lord it over others through our learning. See Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk at the end.
בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים, הֶפְקֵר לָעֲנִיִּים, הֶפְקֵר. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים, אֵינוֹ הֶפְקֵר, עַד שֶׁיֻּפְקַר אַף לָעֲשִׁירִים, כַּשְּׁמִטָּה.
Beit Shammai says: [That which is] made ownerless (hefker) only (for the sake of giving it) to the poor is indeed ownerless. Beit Hillel says: it is not ownerless unless it is even available (yufkar) to the rich, like in the Shmitah (sabbatical year).
In the Shmitah year, as Maimonides explains, every field becomes like the wilderness, hefker and open to all. All means to rich and poor, to Jew and non-Jew, but also, to human and animal, and to the wild animals -- just as the wilderness is by definition open to the wild animals, our human fields become like the wilderness.
פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית אֵין אוֹכְלִין מֵהֶן אֶלָּא כָּל זְמַן שֶׁאוֹתוֹ הַמִּין מָצוּי בַּשָּׂדֶה שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כה ז) "וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ וְלַחַיָּה אֲשֶׁר בְּאַרְצֶךָ תִּהְיֶה כָל תְּבוּאָתָהּ לֶאֱכל". כָּל זְמַן שֶׁחַיָּה אוֹכֶלֶת מִמִּין זֶה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה אַתָּה אוֹכֵל מִמַּה שֶּׁבַּבַּיִת. כָּלָה לַחַיָּה מִן הַשָּׂדֶה חַיָּב לְבַעֵר אוֹתוֹ הַמִּין מִן הַבַּיִת וְזֶהוּ בִּעוּר שֶׁל פֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית:
The fruits of the seventh year can only be eaten as long as that species can be found in the field, as it is stated (Leviticus 25:7) “And for your beast and for the wild animal that is in your land, all of its produce will be for food.” The whole time wild animals can eat from this species in the field, one may eat what is in the home. When it has been finished (and none is left for) the wild animal in the field, one must remove that species from the home. And that is biur of the fruits of the seventh year.
ד"א למה ניתנה במדבר. שאילו ניתנה להם בארץ, היה השבט שניתנה בתחומו מדיין ואומר אני קודם בה, לכך ניתנה במדבר שיהו הכל שוין בה, ועוד למה ניתנה במדבר, כשם שמדבר לא נזרע ולא נעבד, כך המקבל דברי תורה פירקין ממנו עול מלכות ועול דרך ארץ, כשם שמדבר לא מעלה ארנונא, כך בני תורה בני חורין.
Why was it given in the wilderness? Because if it had been given in the land (of Canaan), the tribe in whose border it was given would...say: I come first in claiming it. For that reason it was given in the wilderness, where all would be equal (shavin) in claiming it. And why else was it given in the wilderness? Just as wilderness is not sown or cultivated, so are those who receive the words of Torah. They remove from them the yoke of government and of society. Just as a wilderness does not get levied; so the progeny of Torah are progeny of freedom (b’nei chorin).
מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה לְהַשְׁמִיט כָּל מַה שֶּׁתּוֹצִיא הָאָרֶץ בַּשְּׁבִיעִית שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג יא) "וְהַשְּׁבִיעִת תִּשְׁמְטֶנָּה וּנְטַשְׁתָּהּ". וְכָל הַנּוֹעֵל כַּרְמוֹ אוֹ סָג שָׂדֵהוּ בַּשְּׁבִיעִית בִּטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה. וְכֵן אִם אָסַף כָּל פֵּרוֹתָיו לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ. אֶלָּא יַפְקִיר הַכּל וְיַד הַכּל שָׁוִין בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג יא) "וְאָכְלוּ אֶבְיֹנֵי עַמֶּךָ".
(Maimonides) It is a positive command-ment to release [ownership of] everything that comes out of the earth in the seventh year as it says, “and the seventh, you will release and forsake” (Exod 23:11). And one who locks up their vineyard or fences their field in the seventh year has nullified a positive commandment, and similarly if one gathers all their fruits into their house. Rather everything should be made ownerless and everyone’s hand equal (shavin - having equal claim) as it says, “the poor of your people will eat.”
Nationalism and tribalism are contrary to the spirit of the Torah, which belongs to all humankind.
To become a wilderness in relation to the Torah also means to learn not for the sake of receiving the fruits of one’s labor but for the sake of Torah itself. Like the wilderness and like the fields in the Shmitah year, to remain uncultivated, to let what grows grow naturally.
הרי דוקא משום שהמדבר אינו מקום מיוחד וחשוב, אלא מקום הפקר, לכך התורה ניתנה בו, כי התורה שייכת לכל. וכן הקב"ה נגלה למשה דוקא מתוך הסנה, כי העדר חשיבותו מורה שהשכינה נמצאת בכל מקום.
It is because the wilderness is a place that isn’t special and important (in the sense of property), but a place that is ownerless (hefker) that the Torah was given there, for the Torah is relevant and related to everyone and everything. Just as the Holy One revealed itself to Moshe in a bush -- for the Shekhinah is in every place.
וְלָמָּה נִתְּנָה הַתּוֹרָה בַּמִּדְבָּר. לוֹמַר, מָה הַמִּדְבָּר מֻפְקָר לְכָל בְּנֵי אָדָם, אַף דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מֻפְקָרִין לְכָל מִי שֶׁיִּרְצֶה לִלְמֹד. שֶׁלֹּא יְהֵא אָדָם אוֹמֵר, אֲנִי בֶּן תּוֹרָה וְתוֹרָה נְתוּנָה לִי וְלַאֲבוֹתַי וְאַתָּה וַאֲבוֹתֶיךָ לֹא הֱיִיתֶם בְּנֵי תוֹרָה אֶלָּא אֲבוֹתֶיךָ גֵּרִים הָיוּ, לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: מוֹרָשָׁה קְהִלַּת יַעֲקֹב (דברים לג, ד), לְכָל מִי שֶׁמִּתְקַהֵל בְּיַעֲקֹב. אֲפִלּוּ הַגֵּרִים שֶׁעוֹסְקִין בַּתּוֹרָה, שְׁקוּלִים הֵם כְּכֹהֵן גָּדוֹל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֲשֶׁר יַעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם הָאָדָם וָחַי בָּהֶם אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם (ויקרא יח, ה), כֹּהֵן וְלֵוִי וְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא אָדָם. לְפִיכָךְ תּוֹרָה אַחַת וּמִשְׁפָּט אֶחָד יִהְיֶה וְגוֹ' (במדבר טו, טו).
Why was the law given in the wilderness? To teach us that just as the wilderness is freely open (mufkar) to all humanity, so the words of the law are free to all who desire to learn. So no one should say: “I am a student of Torah and Torah was given to me and my ancestors, while you and your ancestors were not... your ancestors were strangers”... Even outsiders who immerse in Torah are equal to the high priest, as it says, “Which if a person (adam) do, he shall live by them: I am the Lord” (Lev. 18:5). It doesn't say priest or Levite or Israelite but person. Thus, “One Torah and one law shall be (for you and for the stranger living with you)” (Num. 15:16).
The fundamental principle of Shmitah, and the fundamental fact about the giving of the Torah, is that all are made equal, all have equal right and access, all treat each other with equality. And this is the principle of Shekhinah as well.
Lev 25:6 And [the produce of] the Sabbath of the land shall be yours to eat for you, for your male and female slaves, and for your hired worker and stranger residing with you. 7 And for the domestic animal and for the wild animal
(1) And the sabbath of the land will be [food for you] — you should not make use of them as a property owner would, but all must be equal (shavim) as regards it (the Sabbatical year’s produce) — you and your hired servant and your resident stranger. (2) [will be] food for you all — Only that which has rested (from ownership) and been declared free to all may you eat, but not that which has been horded/guarded by you. (3) for you and for your servants— Because it states (Exodus 23:11) “the needy of your people may eat”, you might think the fruits are forbidden as food for the rich. So scripture teaches: “for you, and for your servant” — owners and servants are included (4) and for your resident stranger — Even non-Jews.
So the acquisition of Torah is the opposite of the acquisition of property, and it teaches us about how to live in equality with others even with all our differences (Maharal), how to become interwoven with each other's lives and souls (Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk - last text). And this is the same thing that Shmitah teaches us. But the giving of the Torah in the wilderness, and making our fields like the wilderness in the Shmitah year, also teach us that an important way to do this is to become like the wilderness, open to all, and to find those values by going into the wilderness.
כי אף בשאר הנמצאים אף שהם כולם מין אחד, יש בהם שנוי בדבר שאינו מגיע לעצמו, שזה גדול וזה קטון, לזה יש כח גדול, וזה אינו בעל כח. אבל הם שוים בדבר שמגיע לעצמו, ואין בהם שנוי. וכן נתן התורה אל הכלל ביחד, והוא השלמה אחת בכלל, מבלי תוספת ומבלי חסרון...
ודבר זה השלמת המין עד שיהיה הכל שוה, וכדכתיב (במד׳ טו:כט) "תורה אחת יהיה לכם וגו'". ומפני זה נתנה התורה במדבר (שמות יט, ב), שהוא מקום הפקר, שתהיה התורה השלמת מין האנושי בכלל.
(Maharal of Prague) Even though creatures may all be from one species, there are differences that don’t reach their essence -- this one is big and that small, this one has great strength, and that one is not strong. But they are equal with respect to what reaches their essence... and so the Torah is given universally, together, and is the singular fulfillment of the collective, without extra and without lack (for any individual).
And this is the fulfillment of the species to the point that all will be equal, as it’s written, “One Torah will there be for them all...” (Numb 15:20) And because of this the Torah was given in the wilderness, which is an ownerless place, for the Torah would be the fulfillment of the human species universally.
(מלכים א ב, לד) ויקבר בביתו במדבר אטו ביתו מדבר הוא אמר רב יהודה אמר רב כמדבר מה מדבר מופקר לכל אף ביתו של יואב מופקר לכל
The verse states that Yoav (David’s general) “was buried in his own house, in the wilderness” (I Kings 2:34). The Gemara asks: Is that to say that his house was a wilderness? Rav Yehuda said that Rav said: like a wilderness; just as wilderness is freely open to all (mufkar lakol ), so too, Yoav’s house was freely open to all.
The lesson of Yoav’s house is to be open to the vulnerable, as one must be if one is sensitive to Torah.
What are the connections to making oneself ownerless, making oneself naked, and making oneself as nothing, and separating oneself from everything, as we read below? How are they the same and how different? Is this the opposite of Yoav’s house, which was open to all and included everyone?
דָּבָר אַחֵר, בַּמִּדְבָּר, מִי מְקַיֵּם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, מִי שֶׁמֵּשִׂים עַצְמוֹ כְּמִדְבָּר וּמַפְלִיג עַצְמוֹ מִן הַכֹּל.
Another interpretation, [why] “in the wilderness”? Who is the one who fulfills the Torah? One who makes themself like a wilderness and separates themself from everything. (Numb. 21:19)
וְרַבָּנַן הַאי אֲנִי חׇכְמָה מַאי עָבְדִי לֵיהּ מִיבְּעֵי לֵיהּ לְכִדְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אֵין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מִתְקַיְּימִין אֶלָּא בְּמִי שֶׁמַּעֲמִיד עַצְמוֹ עָרוֹם עֲלֵיהֶן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֲנִי חׇכְמָה שָׁכַנְתִּי עׇרְמָה אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מִתְקַיְּימִין אֶלָּא בְּמִי שֶׁמֵּשִׂים עַצְמוֹ כְּמִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וְהַחׇכְמָה מֵאַיִן תִּמָּצֵא
The Gemara asks: And the Rabbis, what do they do with this verse: “I, wisdom, dwell with cunning (arma)”? The Gemara answers: They require that verse in accord with what R. Yosi son of R. Chanina said: Words of Torah do not endure except in one who stands naked for them, as it says, “I, wisdom, dwelt naked (arma)” (Proverbs 8:12). R. Yochanan said: Words of Torah do not endure except in one who makes themself like nought, as it says: “From ayin (which can mean “from where” or “from nothing”) can wisdom be found” (Job 28:12).
כי מדריגת התורה באמת הוא כח הגרים ביותר... כי כל כך מדריגת התורה עליונה כוללת הכל, עד שהכל משותפים בה...אף האומות. שלכך נתנה התורה במדבר במקום הפקר, עד שאפילו האומות שייכים אל התורה. וכל זה מפני מדריגת ומעלת התורה העליונה, שהיא על הכל והיא אל הכל... ומזה תראה כי הגירות בפרט מורה על מעלת התורה העליונה
(Maharal of Prague) For the level of the Torah is truly the most [connected to] the power of converts... for it includes all and all participate in it... For this is why the Torah was given in the wilderness, in a place unowned (makom hefker), such that even the nations are connected to the Torah. And all of this is because of the level and stature of the supernal Torah, which is above all and for all... And from here you see that conversion in particular teaches us about the high stature of the supernal Torah.
אין התורה מתקיימת אלא במי שמשים עצמו כמדבר הפקר לעניים ולעשירים בדעת ואינו גדול יותר מחבירו אדרבא בטל במציאות נגדו ובזה מתאחדי' ונכללי' זה בזה
(R. Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk): The Torah is only established in one who makes themself like an open wilderness (midbar hefker) before those poor or rich in know-ledge, and who doesn’t think of themself as greater than their friend. On the contrary, they should feel nullified in existence next to them, and through this they are united and included within each other.
Equality, mutuality, openness, humanism (loving the stranger as well as one loves the neighbor), sharing food with all the other species, sharing insights with each other, are what makes a society Jewish, a wilderness a place of revelation, a field a source of spiritual sustenance.