Rabbi Daniel Siegel

נעשה ונשמע/ Na’aseh ve-Nishma

The Voices of Revelation

This week’s parashah, Mishpatim, contains a celebrated enigmatic expression:

נעשה ונשמע/ Na’aseh ve-Nishma.

Gathered together at Mt Sinai, the people, speaking of the words of the Covenant, declare: “נעשה ונשמע /Na’aseh ve-Nishma” – “We will do and we will hear”. As the Israelites cannot do the prescribed actions before hearing them, tradition views this two word response as an expression of the eagerness of our people to commit to the Covenant.

It might be considered, as well, that the root word שמע/Shema, which is multi-valent, means here ‘understand’- “נעשה ונשמע/Na’aseh ve-Nishma” – “We will do and we will understand”. Often, true understanding is only gained through the experience of personal engagement and action.

More intriguingly, however, we may read these words in a radically different sense: ונשמע  נעשה/ Na’aseh ve-Nishma – ‘We will do and He (God) will be heard/understood’. The divine revelation, this reading suggests, is dialogic and discursive. We give meaning and presence to the word of God in our understanding of and in our acting upon the same.

This is exemplified by means of another well-known expression in our parashah – “עין תחת עין/Ayin Tachat Ayin” – “An eye for an eye”. Understanding that retaliation does not lead to restoration nor ‘measure for measure’ to an equitable resolution, the Rabbis interpret these words as meaning ‘just compensation’.

Thus, the Covenant that speaks through our considered actions, born of deliberative understanding, constitutes the divine voice that will be heard.

Immediately after the people say “נעשה ונשמע/Na’aseh ve-Nishma”, we read: “Then Moshe wrote down all the words of God”. The Covenant which bespeaks a partnership is only realised through and when revelation is a human/divine enterprise.

We hope you enjoy the Divrei Torah of our students, Year 9 Jemma Salamon and Year 11 Joshua Amoils, which appear in this week’s Ma Nishma. Their understanding, interpretive readings and application of the values of the Torah text continue and contribute to our people’s tradition of ongoing revelation.