"A man or woman..." It begins like that, doesn't it? So simple, yet so profound. It reminds us of the verse: "For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who scorn Me will be dishonored" (I Samuel 2:30). This verse, seemingly straightforward, opens a window into the very heart of how we relate to the Divine.
Rabbi Yosei offers a teaching on this, a practical application: Anyone who honors the Torah, their body is honored by the people. Conversely, anyone who scorns the Torah, their body is scorned. It's a powerful idea: that our respect, or lack thereof, for the sacred affects how we are seen in the world.
But the Rabbis don't stop there. They delve deeper, exploring historical examples of this principle in action. Consider Pharaoh. Yes, that Pharaoh. According to this passage in Bamidbar Rabbah, Pharaoh actually showed honor to God. It seems a bit strange, doesn’t it? We think of him as the ultimate oppressor! But the text points to a specific moment: "And Pharaoh drew near" (Exodus 14:10). When Pharaoh went out before his entourage, his servants questioned him. Why was he, a king, leading the way? Pharaoh's response? He was going to greet the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence. He was, in his own way, honoring the "King of kings."
The text tells us that because of this act of perceived honor, God Himself took retribution upon Pharaoh, as it is stated: “To My mare among Pharaoh’s chariots…” (Song of Songs 1:9). As Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:4 points out, this verse alludes to God's direct involvement in Pharaoh’s downfall.
Then there's Sennacherib, king of Assyria. A very different story. He blasphemed God, as it is stated: "By means of your messengers you blasphemed the Lord..." (II Kings 19:23). And how was he punished? Not directly by God, but through an angel: "An angel of the Lord emerged and smote in the Assyrian camp..." (II Kings 19:35). The text suggests that because Sennacherib scorned God, he was "dishonored" by having retribution exacted through an intermediary.
The passage continues, offering another perspective: “For I will honor those who honor Me” (I Samuel 2:30) – this is speaking of the gerim, the proselytes. These are individuals who choose to embrace Judaism, leaving behind their former lives and seeking shelter "beneath the wings of the Divine Presence." They honor God by forsaking their previous ways, and in turn, God honors them.
It teaches us that anyone who makes their ways upright honors God. As we find in Psalms 50:23, "One who sacrifices a thanks offering honors Me; [and I will show [vesam] one who sets his path]." The midrash cleverly interprets the word vesam as vesham, meaning to evaluate or measure, suggesting that God sees and values those who strive for righteousness. The passage also references Jeremiah 13:16, urging us to "Give honor to the Lord your God before it grows dark [and before your feet stumble]."
And "those who scorn Me will be dishonored?" These are the wicked, those who stray from following God. Who are they in this context? The worshippers of the Golden Calf. Their punishment? They were afflicted with leprosy and zivut (a type of discharge), and sent out of the camp, as stated in Numbers 5:2: "And they shall send out from the camp [every leper, and every zav]."
What's fascinating is what follows. Immediately after the portion dealing with sending out the impure, we find the portion concerning the prohibition against robbing proselytes. This juxtaposition is deliberate. The text is teaching us that while God distanced the sinners of Israel, He drew near to the proselytes who came in His name. Their legal status was made as stringent as that of Israelites, meaning that robbing a proselyte was akin to robbing an Israelite. This is the ultimate expression of "for I will honor those who honor Me."
So what does it all mean? It’s more than just a simple reward and punishment system. It's about the consequences of our actions, the ripple effect of our choices. Do we choose to honor the Divine, to seek righteousness, to welcome the stranger? Or do we choose to scorn, to stray, to turn away? The choice, ultimately, is ours. And the way we choose shapes not only our own destiny, but also the world around us.