בס "דI

Intégrer la Torah dans sa vie par la réflexion et la conversation peut être une expérience incroyablement amusante et engageante. C'est un voyage de découverte, où la sagesse ancienne et les enseignements intemporels prennent vie dans nos expériences quotidiennes. Grâce à la réflexion, nous avons la possibilité de plonger dans la riche tapisserie de la Torah, d'en extraire des idées et des leçons profondes qui résonnent dans notre vie moderne. La joie réside dans les moments "aha", ces occasions où un verset ou une histoire de la Torah se connecte soudainement à nos défis personnels, nos aspirations et nos valeurs. Et lorsque nous nous engageons dans des conversations sur la Torah avec d'autres personnes, cela devient une exploration interactive, où des perspectives et des interprétations diverses améliorent notre compréhension. Ces dialogues suscitent souvent l'enthousiasme et la curiosité intellectuelle, rendant le processus d'apprentissage à la fois agréable et satisfaisant. La Torah devient une partie vivante et dynamique de notre vie, offrant non seulement des conseils mais aussi une source de fascination, de connexion et de croissance sans fin.

REMARQUE : Ne vous sentez pas obligé de parcourir toutes les sources ou de répondre à toutes les questions - à moins que vous ne le souhaitiez. Même une seule source ou une seule question vous donnera beaucoup de matière pour la discussion et la méditation. Profitez-en !

PARSHAS SHOFTIM: WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH HORSES?

“When you come into the land that the Lord your G-d is giving you… you shall surely set over yourself a king whom the Lord your G-d shall choose… Only he shall not multiply horses to himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt in order to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you: ‘You shall never return that way again.’”
(Deuteronomy 17:14–16)

This week’s Torah portion introduces the mitzvah of appointing a king. Strikingly, the Torah places strict limits on royal power. A king may not hoard wealth, take too many wives, or—most curiously—amass too many horses. Why the special concern about horses?

Horses and Egypt

Rashi explains that the king may keep only as many horses as are required for his chariots and military service. Anything beyond that is excess. The Sages note that Egypt was famous for breeding the best horses, and kings would naturally turn there to supply their armies. But this would mean reopening trade and dependence with the very land from which Israel had been redeemed. The Torah warns: “you shall never return that way again.”

Egypt represents more than a geographical place—it is the symbol of slavery, pride, and misplaced dependence on human power. Amassing horses from Egypt risked both a practical return and a spiritual regression.

Power Without Pride

Other commentators focus on the effect of horses on the king himself. Horses are magnificent, swift, awe-inspiring creatures, and they lend grandeur to their rider. Too many horses, however, can inflate a ruler’s ego. The king of Israel was not meant to project absolute power, but to embody accountability to G-d. Even his glory had to be bounded by humility.

King David captured this perfectly: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses, but we call upon the name of the Lord our G-d” (Psalm 20:8). Strength and technology are not the source of salvation. They are tools—but ultimate power belongs only to G-d.

Qu'est-ce que cela signifie pour nous ?

This lesson extends far beyond ancient monarchs. Every age has its “horses”—symbols of speed, strength, and prestige. Today they may be cars, machines, or technology. These things can be blessings when used wisely, but curses when they become sources of pride, addiction, or false security.

For Noahides, the message is clear: true greatness does not come from amassing possessions or appearances of power. It comes from humility, responsibility, and remembering that all authority and ability are entrusted to us by G-d. To rely on the gift while forgetting the Giver is to return to “Egypt”—a mindset of slavery to things.

Un mot de prudence

Here too we must recall Rambam’s warning against mechadesh dat—creating new commandments. Noahides are not bound by the specific mitzvah of limiting horses, nor by the institution of kingship in Israel. What you are bound to is the universal principle behind it: resisting pride, idolatry, and misplaced trust in power.

Réfléchissez maintenant aux questions suivantes :

  1. What are the “horses” in my life—the things I rely on for strength, status, or control?
  2. Do I see my tools and possessions as means to serve G-d, or as ends in themselves?
  3. In what ways might I be tempted to “return to Egypt,” leaning on unhealthy dependencies?
  4. How do I balance dignity and responsibility with humility before G-d?
  5. Do I place my ultimate trust in technology, wealth, or status—or in the One who grants them all?

Shabbat Shalom !

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Par le rabbin Tani Burton

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