Forethoughts And AfterThoughts Archives
- Bamidbar

Shavuos

The holiday of Shavuos is the shortest of the three pilgrimage holidays but is arguably the most significant to all of Mankind.

As Judaism is the foundation stone for religions to which the majority of believers subscribe to, the message of this holiday establishes a basis for the truth for Judaism that is unparalleled. In fact, it sets Judaism apart from every listing in the encyclopedia under "Religion."

Its context is the existence of a G-D who created the world and who continually manages it, including all affairs of Mankind. It teaches that G-D created the world that we know of for a purpose, which is to afford people the opportunity to achieve the greatest happiness, primarily in a world that is yet to come, by making their making the right choices in life against a specific code of behaviors. It teaches that G-D actively manages our affairs and events to continually present each person with tests that match the person so that they can feel as though they earned this happiness.

History of civilization evolved and G-D decided to communicate His will and code of behavior to all Mankind, once and once only. It will be up to Mankind to preserve this transmission to the end of history as we know it.

We well know that everyone is endowed with talents and disabilities, strengths and weaknesses. Some people are physically strong and others are weak. Some are perceptive and cunning and others are naďve and simple-minded. Among us are great humanitarians and among us are cruel people. Among us are people of great integrity and among us are crooks and liars.

History is pretty much the same thing all over again and again. As we have today, some thirty-seven centuries ago we had thugs and con-artists who dominated and manipulated others, some with politics, some with theology, and some with both.

There was therefore a need for G-D to communicate His will to Mankind in a manner that was above question that it was indeed G-D Himself who was making this communication.

If you are reading this on a computer screen then you probably logged into your computer, thereby authenticating to the operating system that you were indeed the user for whom the login and password was made for, that you are you.

Unfortunately, some people have weak computer authentication and are exploited. So we are encouraged to make passwords that would take centuries to crack. And some systems employ biometrics and/or smart cards to strengthen the authentication.

Perhaps we can say that Shavuos is the culmination of G-D's authentication to Mankind, after which there was no doubt that it was indeed G-D who said on Mount Sinai, "I am G-D" and who subsequently transmitted His will through Moshe (Moses).

The strength of this authentication is indeed unparalleled.

430 years prior to the Exodus, G-D told Avraham (Abraham), ancestor and founder of the Jewish people, that his children will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, that they will be enslaved and will suffer, and they will endure this for 400 years. G-D will judge the nation that oppressed them and they will afterwards leave with great possessions (Genesis 15:13-14).

This was a coded message from the outset, for it is subject to a wide range of interpretations. Which of his children will be strangers and in which land? Will the slavery last 400 years or maybe only just the exile?

Indeed, only G-D will be able to execute an Exodus from a plight and future that seemed at the time hopeless to Avraham's children. In fact, zealots fabricated their own interpretation of the 400-year redemption and convinced many Jews to bolt out of Egypt some 30 years prior to the Exodus, only to be slaughtered by the Plishtim army on the way.

The period just prior to the Exodus was convincing enough on its own for it was full of miracles that were accurately predicted by Moshe each and every time.

They set a standard that has yet to be met by religions that base themselves on miracles, for these miracles were very public, massive, and were personally experienced by everyone who lived during that time.

The captor turned out to be the greatest empire of the time whose leader didn't wince at the thought of taking on the G-D of the Jewish people.

Putty in G-D's hands, this viscous Pharaoh was given chance after chance to avoid getting beaten up ten times, afterwards sending out the Jewish people with the treasured possessions of his people, afterwards changing his mind and chasing after them, afterwards experienced destruction in a sea that opened up for both nations but that then swallowed up the entire Egyptian army.

The Jewish people, some six-hundred-thousand family heads, embarked upon a journey into a barren and hostile desert with no provisions other than leftovers. They drank water from a stone that rolled along as they traveled. They ate something that rained down from the sky and served as bread. They were accompanied by clouds that sheltered them by day and provided lighting by night.

They stood at the foot of a fiery mountain some fifty days after their Exodus.

They weren't expected to believe that G-D talked to their great prophet, as other faiths have it. Instead, they heard G-D Himself speak to Moshe.

Shavuos is the culmination of, among other things, a process of authentication that could only have been designed and executed by G-D himself. It is also the beginning of a transmission of a truth that became a standard for authenticity in religion.

The authentication is unmatched and it will never be matched. It suggested new meaning on the term, 'faiths,' for they all rely on having faith in the claims of one or more humans who propose / promote / impose them. In contrast, Judaism is based on the personal experiences of those who accepted it upon themselves.

Within this context, Shavuos has the greatest meaning for Mankind, for it provides the strongest possible link we have to our Creator.

Exodus 19:17 And Moshe (Moses) brought the people out from the camp to meet G-D. And they stood beneath the mountain.

The Oral Torah (Shabbos 88a) provides the following teaching in the name of Rav Avdimi Bar Chama Bar Chasa: G-D bent the mountain over the Jewish people in the shape of a barrel and said to them, "If you accept the Torah then fine. Otherwise this will be your burial place."

That is, the Jewish people stood literally beneath the mountain.

This was quite a traumatic experience and many have questioned the need for this to happen as the Jewish people had already agreed to accept the Torah, per verse 19:8.

One answer that I recently heard is that the Jewish people needed to feel and experience some stress to insure that they were aware of the consequences of their choice. That is, they were voluntarily accepting upon themselves an awesome responsibility that will require much energy and attention to fulfill. And, that there will be dire consequences if they do not meet their commitments.

With this in mind we can perhaps derive some insight into our annual holiday calendar. The themes of most holidays and events seem to flow into each other. For example, the Seventeenth of Tamuz and the Ninth of Av commemorate tragedies and this gives focus to the consequences of misdeeds and spiritual defect. The high holidays follow when we focus on spiritual restoration and they climax with Yom Kippur, Day of Atonement. The celebration of Succos follows immediately and it reflects the restoration of our relationship with G-D. The holiday of Chanukah follows two months later, demonstrating that G-D will never let history put our spirituality in peril. Purim that follows several months later demonstrates that G-D will never let history put our physical existence in peril and that He subtly manipulates history to manage all risks. Pesach, our holiday of birth and freedom follows and brings focus on G-D's control and manipulation of nature to meet His commitments. Shavuos follows to link our freedom with the Torah, for freedom without connection to G-D and His will is meaningless and makes a person a slave to his/her passion.

The next major event on the calendar after Shavuos is the Seventeenth of Tamuz.

From the above we can now better see the link between Shavuos and the Tamuz-Av commemorations.

In general, when undertaking a responsibility, one would expect that the degree of opportunity and the intensity of reward that a person receives from fulfilling this responsibility should be proportionate to the degree of risk that the person assumes.

In our case it most definitely is. While our journey throughout history has been quite hazardous and costly, we are comforted by the assurances of our prophets that we will succeed, with G-D's help.

In literature and in prayer, the holiday of Shavuos is associated with the anniversary of our receiving the Torah.

Shavuos is linked to Pesach (Passover) by a forty-nine day count, each day of which we experienced successive spiritual refinements until we were ready to receive the Torah.

Shavous is day fifty, which should climax seven weeks of our spiritual preparation, representing our success and graduation.

There is some discussion in the Talmud whether we received the Torah on the sixth of the month of Sivan or the seventh. However, everyone is in agreement that the Jewish people left Egypt on a Thursday and that we received the Torah on a Shabbos, a Saturday.

If we left on Thursday then Friday was day one of the preparatory period and the following Thursday would be day seven. If we repeat this six more times then day forty-nine was on a Thursday, day fifty was Friday and Shabbos was day fifty-one.

Since we received the Torah on day fifty-one and Shavuos is only day fifty, why do our prayers reference Shavous as being the time when we received the Torah? It appears as though Shavuos is disconnected by one day to the anniversary of our receiving the Torah.

The following came to mind.

It is easy to connect a person's effort with his/her success. However, we are taught they are not strongly connected. Throughout all of our endeavors, we are charged to put forth effort in a way that should bring success. However, it is G-D who decrees and controls whether our efforts bring success.

We are also taught that when it comes to Torah study, success is truly disconnected with effort. That is, we are rewarded not by how much we accomplish but rather by how much effort we put into our study.

Therefore, it is quite fitting to celebrate our receiving the Torah with our forty-nine days of spiritual preparation and not with the anniversary of our spiritual success.

Reverse Engineering History

If history is the result of a series of accidents then it can't have meaning.

We can only expect to make some sense out of history if we believe that there is an all-powerful and resourceful G-D who actively manages the affairs of Mankind to meet some goal.

Looking back at almost six-thousand-years of history and then looking at the headlines of each day, many people wonder where Mankind is heading.

But let's not wonder. Instead, rely on a great and solid tradition that views history as a process of correction that culminates in a great Messianic Era.

So the Jewish people know where we are all going. However, it is not very obvious how we are all going to get there. What needs to be corrected? As each day passes, are we getting closer or are we getting further from the goal? What were the Jewish people chosen for? Why all the suffering?

Certainly, these answers are hidden in our holy scriptures. Our great writings provide some glimpses of the future. But the detail that is needed to make sense of it all is frankly beyond our reach.

If these questions make you yearn for clarity then read on and consider a novel approach.

The problem with making sense out of history is two-fold. First, it's complex and profound. Second, it's constantly changing. That is, it's a moving target.

To address history's complexity, intuition tells this author to make the assumption that all of history can be abstracted to revolve around a simple principle. That is, you don't have to be a great scholar or a kabalist to derive meaning and strength from history. Rather, G-D must be designing history so that its meaning is accessible to the common man, the building block of a humanity that is headed towards correction and perfection, according to our tradition.

To address the problem of history's rapid pace, I suggest that we simply freeze it and see what sense we can make out of it at that moment. To make the picture complete, if we freeze history today then we must assume that the Messianic Era will commence tonight.

I share with you a snapshot on the meaning of history as I see it. I call this a snapshot because it is subject to change by current events and by my continued study.

The way I see it today, history can be reduced into five words:

I want. But G-D wants.

I submit to you that the first man struggled with this very issue and his failing charted the course of history of his descendants for the next six-thousand years.

I also submit that most history and current events seem to be driven by a small number of people who succeeded in using their talent and position to exploit the masses. Mankind has suffered greatly from despotic politicians and falsifiers of a myriad of religions. And, Mankind has thereby learned the value of submitting man's will to that of G-D, for the alternative is Mankind's self-destruction.

In leafing through the folios of the scriptures we note several attempts to get Mankind in its entirety closer toward perfection. Instead, they come to close to total annihilation by water and they are later dispersed. And so, as history nears its first third, a founder is selected for a future nation that will assume the responsibility and the costs of facilitating history towards its end, thereby reducing risk for the rest of mankind. Everyone else can either join them, ignore them, help them, or try to frustrate G-D's will by opposing or distracting them.

Some four-hundred years later, this people receives a transmission of G-D's will through one man. For the next thirty-three centuries their job will be to preserve this transmission, to always refer to it as a basis for their conduct, to never abuse this trust by trying to redefine it.

This people can rapidly bring the world and themselves to perfection by exerting great effort to insure that each and every member will meet G-D's will in every detail of this transmission, thereby demonstrating the significance of meeting G-D's will. If they fail then they will pay a long and heavy price for their shortcomings, thereby demonstrating the significance of not meeting G-D's will. In the latter event, G-D will manage history so that the price will be finite and it will be paid up in time for the party.

It doesn't appear to this author that the Jewish people took that fast track. And so, as history nears tonight's (or tomorrow night's) Messianic encounter, G-D will redeem a people who don't appear to be all that worthy of being redeemed. But he'll do it anyway simply because he wants to do it, thereby providing the greatest demonstration to date of the importance and power of His will.

It will become quite obvious to all but the hardened accidentalist and/or falsifier that G-D is neither dead, nor is He in jail.

And let us not overlook Mankind's stunning political and scientific progress of the last century and a half. The rights and liberties of the individual are wide-spread, together with personal comfort. And so, each and every person will have unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate their submission to G-D's will. Alternately, some will let these great assets harden themselves to declare a war against G-D Himself.

History is not over until it's over. Hold on and prepare yourself to be totally amazed.

Have courage to read the headlines and to prepare yourself for the future. And if you don't have an Messianic encounter tonight or soon afterwards, you can bet on having another type of encounter within the next 120 years.

Parshas Bamidbar (Numbers 1-4)

Bamidbar (Numbers 1-4)

1:1 And G-d spoke to Moshe (Moses) in the wilderness of Sinai, (from) within the Tent of Meeting, on the first (day) of the second month of the second year of their exodus from Egypt, saying.

1:2 Take the count of the entire congregation of the Children of Israel ..

Rashi provides the following commentary for the first verse:

Due to their fondness He (G-d) counts them at every moment. When they exited from Egypt He counted them. He counted them when they fell by the Golden Calf to know the number of remaining (Jews). He counted them when He came to rest His Divine presence upon them. On the first of Nisan the sanctuary was erected and on the first of Iyar [i.e. now] He counted them.

Rashi clearly implies that G-D had not rested His Divine presence on the Jewish people and that He was about to.

We find no further ceremony or event in the Torah that obviously marks the beginning of this experience.

The Jewish people experienced the miraculous exodus from Egypt but this doesn't seem to mark the beginning of G-D's 'resting His Divine presence' on the Jewish people. We experienced an awesome revelation at Mount Sinai. We experienced a revelation on the first of Nissan, when a fire came down from Heaven and consumed the sacrifices of dedication. We began to worship G-D in the sanctuary every day. Yet, none of these glorious events mark the beginning of G-D's resting his Divine presence on the Jewish people.

And, what did occur after this census? The Jewish people left Mount Sinai and began a spiritually perilous their journey to the promised land. And the Jewish people suffered massive casualties as a result of their weakness.

We must then say that this departure from Mount Sinai is what marked the beginning of G-D's resting His Divine presence on the Jewish people, despite the perils and the failings.

It is G-D's will that we be subjected to His tests and He both supports us and encourages through His Divine presence, despite our failings.

1:1 And G-d spoke to Moshe (Moses) in the wilderness of Sinai, (from) within the Tent of Meeting, on the first (day) of the second month of the second year of their exodus from Egypt, saying.

1:2 Take the count of the entire congregation of the Children of Israel ..

Rashi provides the following commentary for 1:1

Due to their fondness He (G-d) counts them at every moment When they exited from Egypt He counted them. He counted them when they fell by the Golden Calf to know the number of remaining (Jews). He counted them when He came to rest His Divine presence upon them. On the first of Nisan the sanctuary was erected and on the first of Iyar He counted them.

There are many references in the Torah to close relationships that the Jewish people have with G-D. This Torah reading coincides within a week of the Holiday of Shavous, when the Jewish people received the Torah. We shall therefore discuss a very special relationship that is associated with this very special holiday.

We have a renown book entitled 'Taamei Haminhagim,' or Rationales for Jewish Customs. Paragraph 963 cites from the book Mateh Moshe (section three) that all of the customs we have for a bride and a groom are based on what occurred when the Jewish people received the Torah. During this experience we view, so to speak, G-D acting as the Groom and the Jewish people acting as His bride.

As an example of a custom that is derived from the Sinai experience, the bride and groom stand under a wedding canopy. This is because the Torah states that "the people stood under the mountain (Exodus 19:17)" and the Talmud explains that G-D spread Mount Sinai over the Jewish people (Shabbos 88).

Given this analogy of a marriage, we have a very puzzling disclosure in Deuteronomy 33:2.

And he (Moshe / Moses) said, "G-D came from Sinai, He radiated from Seir to them (the Jewish people), He appeared from Mt. Paran …. The Talmud (Avodah Zara 2b) teaches that this is a reference to the Sinai experience. "What was G-D doing in Seir and Mt. Paran (from which He came to Sinai?) Rabbi Yochanan says, 'This teaches that G-D took the Torah around to every nation and no one was willing to take it, until He came to the Jewish people and they took it.'"

So G-D and His Torah were rejected by nation except the Jewish people. Well, in light of the above analogy, we have a groom coming to the wedding and right before the ceremony he discloses to his bride that no one else wanted to marry him.

Frankly, I would not counsel a groom to make this disclosure. Rather, I would counsel him to make his wife feel lucky that she won out over the competition. You see, marriage has politics and a husband is putting himself into disadvantage by volunteering this information.

The following came to mind.

It is clearly ridiculous to ascribe any political disadvantage to the Groom of our wedding. Disadvantage or not, this 'bride' was willing to give everything and anything to be His 'wife.'

And she did.

However, there is another very important political implication to marriage from such a disclosure and this has great meaning.

If a bride is told that no one was willing to marry her groom then she feels absolutely secure that he will never leave her for another woman.

And we needed this encouragement as we embarked some 3,313 years ago on a challenging and sometimes stressful journey through destiny and history.

1:1 And G-d spoke to Moshe (Moses) in the wilderness of Sinai, (from) within the Tent of Meeting, on the first (day) of the second month of the second year of their exodus from Egypt, saying.

1:2 Take the count of the entire congregation of the Children of Israel ..

Rashi provides the following commentary for 1:1

Due to their fondness He (G-d) counts them at every moment When they exited from Egypt He counted them. He counted them when they fell by the Golden Calf to know the number of remaining (Jews). He counted them when He came to rest His Divine presence upon them. On the first of Nisan the sanctuary was erected and on the first of Iyar He counted them.

Rashi's words appear to be contradictory. He says that G-d counts the Jewish people at every moment. However, Rashi implies that G-d did not count the Jewish people on at least one occasion, the first of Nisan. In general, could Rashi be telling us that G-d is continually preoccupied with counting the Jewish people? How do we understand this?

The following came to mind.

Perhaps we can read this Rashi to mean that G-d counts the Jewish people at every type of moment.

He counted us by the Exodus, when we began the journey to our greatness. He counted us after the sin of the Golden Calf, when we were at our lowest point. G-d counted us by the moment of greatest achievement, our becoming worthy of having the Divine presence rest in our midst.

1:2 Take the count of all of the congregation of the Children of Israel according to the families of their father's home. (Count them) by the names of all males, by head (count).

Elsewhere throughout this section, the Torah repeatedly emphasizes the need to make according to the father's family.

Why is this emphasized?

The following came to mind.

Of the many great messages that the Torah has for all Mankind is the statement in Exodus 4:22, "And you shall say to Pharaoh, 'G-D says the following: Israel is My first-born son.'"

Without this statement, one would not have a basis to assume that in some manner G-D relates to us as a father does to his child. Without this statement, we would only know to relate to G-D as a servant does to his master (his 'Adon'.)

It comes to mind this parental overlay can only be of maximal value to a person if that person is absolutely certain that his/her relationship with his/father is authentic. Put differently, people will who come from societies where incest is wide-spread will not be able to easily benefit from this theology.

Looking back on the personalities of Yaakov and Aisav (Jacob and Esau) of Genesis, it is perhaps for this reason that Aisav went to an extreme to give honor to his father Yitzchok (Isaac). As mentioned previously, Aisav's family was unfortunately not successful in maintaining clear family lines. Perhaps he foresaw a need to compensate for the incest that was rampant within his own home, hoping that this would also qualify his descendants to have share in the mission that G-D promised Avraham (Abraham).

Exodus 38:12 These are the accounts of the (funds used to build the) Sanctuary..

Exodus 38:25 And the silver (that was collected by) counting the congregation ..

Exodus 38:26 .. (this was the amount that was collected by) counting from twenty years of age and older, for the six-hundred-three-thousand five-hundred-fifty people.

The collection and construction of the sanctuary began after the tenth of Tishrei, year 2449 from Creation. The tenth of Tishrei became Yom Kippur. According to tradition, the construction was completed that same year, on the 25^th day of Kislev. Much later in our history, this date was designated as the first day of Chanukah. Thus, we have a count of the Jewish people for a date that is between what we know as Yom Kippur and Chanukah, year 2449.

Numbers 1:1-2 And G-d spoke to Moshe (Moses) in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month of the second year of their Exodus from Egypt, saying. Count the (Jewish people)

Numbers 2:32 This is the count of the Children of Israel' six-hundred-three-thousand five-hundred-fifty people.

This count is for a date that is somewhat after the Passover of year 2449. It reflects no change from the previous count. It is highly unlikely that the Jewish people experienced a period of zero-population-growth for a half-year. How do we understand this?

The Medrash explains that the first of Tishrei (our Rosh Hashana) defined the calendar year for determining age. That is, everyone had two birthdays, a physical birthday and a technical birthday. People who were born between the first day of Tishrei 2449 and the last day of Elul 2449 (month twelve from Tishrei) were technically considered the same age. Therefore, the physical population growth was not reflected in the second count.

With this in mind, we may be able to understand a puzzling section in the Talmud.

The generation of the Exodus was sentenced to die during the forty years in the wilderness. The fifteenth day of Av (month eleven from Tishrei) was a major Jewish holiday because they ceased to die on that date. (Taanis 30b)

Rashi explains as follows:

For each of the forty years in the wilderness, an announcement (heavenly?) went forth on the eve of the 9^th of Av for everyone to dig a grave. They did so and the people slept in these graves during that night. On the following morning, another announcement went forth and proclaimed that the living should separate from the dead. Those who survived to the fortieth year did not expect to emerge from their grave, but they did. They suspected that they had miscalculated the 9^th of Av so they went back to the grave each night until the fifteenth of Av, when they saw a full moon. By then it was physically impossible for it to be the 9^th of Av. They knew that they had been spared.

This poses several difficulties.

Moshe and Eliezer counted the Jewish people during the fortieth year.

Numbers 26:63-64 states: Among them, there was no man from the people who Moshe and Aharon the Priest counted in the Wilderness of Sinai. Because G-d said about (those people), "They shall die in the wilderness." And no one remained except Kalev the son of Yefuneh and Yehoshua the son of Nun.

Kalev and Yehoshua had been exempted from the sentence since it was first decreed (Numbers 13:30).

The Torah appears to be telling us that only two people survived but the Talmud appears to be saying otherwise.

Also, why did the people wait for the 9^th of Av until mid-month? The Oral Torah (Rosh Hashana Chapter Two) teaches that the Jewish supreme court has final say on the Jewish calendar. On the fortieth year in the wilderness, even if the first of Av had not been the physical beginning of the month, it was technically the beginning of the month because the Supreme court declared it as such. For all matters of Jewish law, the declaration of the Supreme court supersedes the physical alignment of the moon. That is, the technical New Month supersedes the physical New Month.

Now, the forty-year sentence in the wilderness was only against those who were between twenty and sixty. It was proclaimed after the Jewish people had tested G-d ten times. The last test was on the 9^th of Av, year 2449.

Let us pause to review some key dates.

Now, people who were younger than twenty were exempted from the sentence. We can understand the year twenty as being a threshold for maturity and a corresponding exemption from responsibility.

Among the people that Moshe counted, there was a number of men who were physically nineteen but who were technically twenty, because of the first of Tishrei. Perhaps these were the people who were exempted from the sentence.

Let's take another look at Numbers 26:63

Among them, there was no *man* from the people who Moshe and Aharon the Priest counted.. (emphasis on the word man).

The people in this youngest group were men in the technical sense, but not physically. Perhaps this explains the contradiction, if the decree was against those who were both physically and technically men. Perhaps also explains why they waited until it was physically obvious that the 9^th of Av had passed, even though it was technically beyond the 9^th of Av.

As an aside, the first chapter of Rosh Hashana provides a listing of technical new years, of which there are four.

1:1 And G-d spoke to Moshe (Moses) in the wilderness of Sinai (from) within the Tent of Meeting [the Sanctuary] on the first day of the second month [Iyar] of the second year of their exodus from Egypt.

1:2 Take count of the number of the congregation of the Children of Israel according to the families of their father's home. (Take into account) according to the number of their names, every male by head (count).

1:18 And they gathered the entire congregation on the first (day) of the second month. And they traced their lineage by family back to the household of their fathers. According to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, by head (count).

1:47 And the Levites were not counted by their fathers among them.

This is not our first census.

The Rashi commentary of verse 1:1 says the following:

G-d counts the Jewish people at every moment [opportunity] because of their fondness. He counted them when they left Egypt. He counted them after the downfall of the Golden Calf to make known the number of survivors. He counts them (now) when He made His Divine Presence rest on them. The Sanctuary was erected on the first of Nisan, (the first month,) and He counted them on the first of Iyar, (the second month).

An informal count occurred when each Jewish person donated a half-shekel towards the construction of the Sanctuary, some time between the Yom Kippur and the future date of Chanukah.

Even though there are over four months between Chanukah (Kislev) and Iyar, the total counts are identical.

The Medrash teaches that the census was not based on each person's actual birth date. Rather, it was based on the technical birthday, which is the first day of Tishrei (Rosh Hashana). Counting from Tishrei, Kislev is month three and Iyar is month nine.

This implies that no one died between Kislev and Iyar. It also seems to imply that the Levites did NOT donate a half-shekel to the construction of the Sanctuary.

Besides the gesture of fondness, another benefit of this census came to mind.

The informal count of Kislev was of every person. It resulted from each person's donation. It provides a focus on the distinction each Jew has as a person to him/herself.

The count of Iyar mandated a formal trace of ancestry. It added the focus of distinction each Jew has by virtue of his/her great and noble ancestry.

It seems to me that the counting of the nation in this parsha reveals a high degree of diligence which the Jewish people and their leaders exhibited in performing the commandment of G-d.

The commandment to count was given on the first day of the second month while the Jewish people were camped in the Wilderness of Sinai (Num. 1:1). The count was completed while they were still in the Wilderness of Sinai (Num. 1:19). On the twentieth day of that month they left the camp and traveled onward (Num. 10:11).

The counting, then, had to have been performed within twenty days, which is amazing, and here is why.

Six-hundred-thousand plus people were counted and this was done in the presence of Moshe, Aharon, and the twelve elders (Num. 1:41-46). According to Rashi (Num. 1:18), each person needed to establish his identity by bringing documentation and/or witnesses which proved his lineage.

Let's use round numbers.

Let's say that Moshe, Aharon, and the twelve elders worked for twenty hours a day for twenty days straight. This is hypothetical, as they probably did not do any counting during Shabbos. We also can assume that they did not start the count at the beginning of day one, the day that Moshe was commanded. We can also assume that they spent part of day twenty for the move.

Counting six-hundred thousand people in twenty days means that thirty-thousand were counted each day.

There are sixty seconds in a minute, sixty minutes in an hour (3,600 seconds), and 72,000 seconds in twenty hours.

This averages to a bit over two seconds per person ,and the counting was done manually.

There is no indication that they were under any schedule to complete the counting within a specific time period. The only way this could have been performed is with a great degree of coordination, cooperation, and dedication on everyone's part. It indicates the zest with which our ancestors exhibited when performing the commandments of G-d.

1:46 And the entire count [of the Jewish people] was six-hundred-three thousand three-hundred-fifty.

1:47 And the Levites by their father’s tribe were not counted among them.

1:48 And G-D said to Moshe, saying.

1:49 Only do not count the tribe of Levi and do not take their number among the Children of Israel.

Rashi gives two explanations for why the Levites were counted separately.

First, they had special responsibilities in the Temple and “it is appropriate for the Kings’s legion to be counted separately.”

Second, G-D knew that the sin of the spies would evoke a decree and all who were counted would die during the forty years of wandering in the desert. G-D did not want the tribe of Levi to be included in this decree because they did not sin with the Golden Calf.

I assume that the first reason for the exclusion was initially provided, as the sin of the spies had not been committed.

Exodus 38:26 provides the same count of the Jewish people, even though it occurred some eight months prior. It states that the half-shekel coins were mostly used to make the silver footings that held up the Temple’s walls.

It is puzzling that the exclusion of tribe of Levi, enacted because of their virtue, also excluded them from the privilege of having a share in the silver settings that served as the Temple’s foundation.

The following came to mind.

The Medrash P’Sikta states that the perfectly righteous are not permitted to stand in the place of those who sinned but have fully repented for them.

Perhaps it was because the Jewish people fully repented for their shortcomings, they were given the distinction of contributing to that which keeps the Temple stand upright. The silver sockets served as an everlasting memorial of this teaching.

1:53 And the Levites shall encamp around the Sanctuary of the Testimony and there will not be any (of G-D's) fury against the Congregation of the Children of Israel. And the Levites shall keep the guard of the Sanctuary of the Testimony.

Rashi provides the following commentary:

"And there will not be any fury:" If you do my commandment then there will be no fury. And if not, if unauthorized people will become involved with the service, then there will be fury, as we find by the episode of Korach (where it is written), [17:11] 'for the fury went forth…'"

Korach and his followers were consumed by fire and by the earth. Afterwards, it appears that the Jewish people felt that the punishment that Korach and his followers suffered was too harsh and they blamed Moshe and Aharon (Moses and Aaron) for it. [17:6] And the entire congregation complained on the next day against Moshe and Aharon saying, "You killed (a part of the) Nation of G-D.

The verse that the above Rashi references is written here, after the episode of Korach. It is somewhat related to Korach but not strongly because the fury was directed at the Jewish people, not Korach..

However, there is a direct reference to the term 'fury' in Korach's episode: [16:22] And they (Moshe and Aharon) fell on their faces and said, "G-D, the G-D of the spirits of all flesh! Shall one man sin and you become furious at the entire congregation?"

Why does Rashi cite Korach's episode to reference a fury that is written adjacent to that episode, even though there is another reference to fury in the episode of Korach itself?

The following came to mind.

As 1:53 states, incursions against the guard of the Sanctuary of the Testimony evoke the fury of G-D.

Korach tried to seize the high priesthood and it evoked G-D's fury because this position and role was already assigned to Aharon.

This shows that the responsibility to guard the Sanctuary of the Testimony involves more than just access control. It also involves insuring that the proper people retain the roles that G-D assigned.

Since guarding the Sanctuary of the Testimony was given to the Levites, it follows that they should have the final say on how it should be done.

It then follows that a demonstration by non-Levites against the way the Levites decide to guard the sanctuary is itself an incursion against the guard of the Sanctuary of the Testimony, which can further evoke G-D's fury.

Perhaps this is what Rashi is trying to tell us by citing 17:11 and not 16:22.

Not only must a person be careful to respect the authority that was invested in another, but a person must be respectful when questioning and giving advice to those who are in control.

3:12 Behold I took the Levites from the midst of the Children of Israel in place of all first born, the first opening of every womb from the Children of Israel. And the Levites shall be Mine.

3:13 For the all first born are Mine. From the day that I struck all first born in Egypt I sanctified to Me of all first born in Israel, from man to animal. They are Mine, I am G-D.

Rashi explains that the first born were disqualified from serving in the temple when the Jewish people worshiped the golden calf. The first born were replaced by the Levites because no one from that tribe was involved in the worship.

Only several thousand people who worshiped the golden calf, for approximately six-hundred-thousand left Egypt (Exodus 12:37) and this is close to the census count of those who survived (Numbers 2:32).

Of this number, approximately twenty-two-thousand first born survived (3:43). None of these people had anything to do with the golden calf, for if otherwise then they would not have survived (Rashi Exodus 32:20). This number was close to the population count of Levy (3:39).

Given their large number, why were the first born disqualified? Also, Torah mentions that their being spared during the plague of the first born has to do with their having been sanctified. (3:13). Why is this a reason for them to have been sanctified in the first place?

The following came to mind.

Egypt was stricken by an angel of destruction (Exodus 12:23).

The angel was limited in its ability to differentiate between those who are righteous and those who are not. This is why the Jewish people needed to stay indoors during the plague (Rashi Exodus 12:22).

Due to the widespread immorality in the Egyptian society, the ability to identify an Egyptian's first born was assigned to only G-D Himself. (Rashi Number 15:41, Bava Metzia 61b).

Let us assume that just as the angel of destruction is unable to identify righteous people, so was it unable to identify a true first born during the plague.

Let us also assume that despite this limitation, the angel is able to identify that which is sanctified to G-D Himself. (Like, "He may need glasses but he is not blind.")

If true, then this is why the first born were sanctified during the Exodus, from man to animal, so that the angel of destruction would be able to know to keep its hands off.

Now, sanctification is a binary state. Either something is or it isn't. There is no such thing as being partially-sanctified, there is no grey area.

So, although the number of loyal first born males approximated the number of Levites, the misbehavior of their minority disqualified them from service in the temple. This is why the Levites replaced them, for none of their population served the golden calf.

We note in passing that the disqualification from misbehavior had an effect on only what the first born can do, not what they are. They remain sanctified and must be redeemed, down to this day (Exodus 13).

In this light we can understand Jeremiah 2:3 "Israel is sanctified to G-D, the first of His produce. All those who consume them shall be decimated, evil will befall them, says G-D."

3:45 Take the Levites in place of all first-born of the Children of Israel and the Levite's animals in place of their animals. And the Levites shall be Mine, I am G-D.

The Orach Chaim commentary teaches that the declaration at the end of this verse indicates that the Levites will continue in their role of service in the Third Temple, may it be soon and speedily built in our days. That is, just as "I am G-D" is eternal, so will be their role.

The Temple service was initially reserved for the first-born. However, they were disqualified because of their involvement with the Golden Calf (Rashi 8:17).

As the service will be restored to the first-born in the Third Temple, the Torah tells us here that they will not replace the Levites but rather the Levites shall continue to serve as always.

We know that the Torah and its laws are eternal and do not change over time. Rabbi Sternbuch (Shlita) is therefore puzzled over the future admission of the first-born into Temple service, which appears to be a change.

The following came to mind.

The Jewish people had sanctuaries and temples. But in one sense we have yet to have a temple.

"Bring them and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, an abode for Your settling which You have made. (This is) a Temple, Oh G-D that Your hands have established. G-D will reign forever." (Exodus 15:17-18.)

Rashi: The Temple is so precious. While the universe was created with one "Hand", the Temple will be created with both "Hands." And this will occur when G-D will (be recognized by all mankind to) reign forever, in a future that has yet to come, when all Government will be His.

(As an aside, it is interesting to note that the cantoral note in Exodus 15:17's "(This is) a Temple' is zakef gadol. Zakef is Hebrew for erecting something and gadol is Hebrew for greatness in size or significance.)

This is the objective Temple, the one that all mankind is waiting for, whether they realize it yet or not. It has yet to be built and it will be built by G-D Himself, with "both Hands" - so to speak. We are not yet ready for it because we are not yet sufficiently refined.

We could have had this Temple much earlier in our history, had we made the right choices. So instead it looks like we wound up with a refinement process that has and still is taking us through a lot of thumps and bumps.

As great as they were, the other temples were for corrections and refinements.

The exclusion of the first-born from service was itself a correction for their role in the Golden Calf. So perhaps the exclusion was never meant to extend beyond the corrective and restorative period of our history, during the period of the corrective temples and their subsequent destructions.

We're guaranteed that the refinement process is finite. G-D made it that way and He is managing history accordingly. Some day it will be over, quite suddenly and to our pleasant surprise.

Especially at that time, Temple service of the first-born will be very appropriate, for it will represent the uniqueness of the Jewish people being G-D's "first-born" (Exodus 4:22).

In the future that we await, all of Mankind will together serve G-D. The "Religions" section in the Yellow Pages will be non-existent. Among all the peoples, one will stand out as the ones who stuck it out through history with the toughest assignment. They were the first (and only) to say "Yes" when G-D looked for a nation to accept His teaching, to observe it and to preserve it.

Some four-hundred years earlier, Avraham (Abraham) was the first (and only) one to come forth and proclaim G-D's existence and uniqueness in a world that was poisoned by idolatry and theological con artists / thugs / manipulators. G-D put his descendents on a path to be first to come forward. All of Mankind will follow, some thirty-three centuries later, hopefully not more.

Parshas Naso (Num. 4-7)

4:25 And they shall carry the curtains of the Sanctuary and the Tent of Meeting, its covering and the Tachash covering that is on it from above, and the partition of the doorway of the Tent of Meeting.

4:26 And the curtains of the courtyard and the partition of the opening of the courtyard gate which is around by the Sanctuary and the altar and their cords and all of the utensils for their work and all that is made for them (so that) they can work.

Rashi on 4:25 explains that the curtains of the Sanctuary refer to the inner-most layer and those of the Tent of Meeting refer to the next layer of curtains, those which covered the inner-most layer.

We note that the partition by the doorway in 4:25 is associated with the Tent of Meeting while the partition of the surrounding courtyard is associated with the Sanctuary, the inner-most layer of curtains.

This brought the following to mind.

We may be able to say that the layer of curtains that are called the Sanctuary represents the Divine Presence that is said to be dwelling among us and the layer called the Tent of Meeting represents the interface we have with the Divine Presence.

We can speak about two types of realities, that which is absolute and that which is operative. The absolute reality of something is that which it really is. The operative reality is how we must operate in and relate to this reality.

The following is an example.

We are taught that the Divine Presence is everywhere. Relative to G-D there is no such thing as great and small, clean and otherwise.

I heard of distorters who took this to an extreme and saw nothing wrong with holding formal prayer services in filthy places, for G-D is everywhere.

They were functioning in the absolute reality.

Their behavior was inappropriate because we are charged to live in a manner such that some places are fit to hold services and other places are not.

While we can certainly keep the absolute reality in the back of our minds, this must not compromise on behavior which reflects the operative reality.

We can then perhaps associate the inner zones of the temple with the absolute reality and the external, such as the courtyard, with the operative reality. The layers of curtains can also be associated in a similar manner.

In this light, it would be more appropriate to associate the partition of the inner-most zone with an external layer of curtains, those of the Tent of Meeting, as there are no partitions in the absolute reality, best associated with the inner-most layer.

However, from a view that is external and can represent the operative reality, such as from the courtyard, we can speak of a partition to the Sanctuary itself.

5:2 Charge the Children of Israel that they should send out from the camp everyone who is afflicted with tzoraas, everyone who is ritually ineligible due to a zav condition, and everyone who is ritually ineligible due to their exposure with a corpse.

5:3 Send (these people) out, from man to woman, send them outside the camp. So that they will not make their camp. ritually ineligible, where I dwell in their midst.

There is a requirement for someone who has ineligibilities to vacate certain areas. There also appears to be a requirement for the congregation to send such people out of these areas.

If the affected people are supposed to vacate, why does the Torah write a special requirement for the congregation to send them out? Why is this different than the other commandments for an individual where the Torah does not explicitly charge the congregation together with the person?

The following came to mind.

Elsewhere in the Torah, when we sent people out it was for them to do a public service, such as the spy mission of chapter 13.

If not handled properly, the sudden dislocations could cause embarrassment. Therefore, by writing that we must send them out, perhaps the Torah is suggesting that we insure that these people not feel ashamed. Rather, we must emphasize to them the positive nature of the dislocation, that the restricted nature of these areas assists us in having a better focus on the sanctity of the designated areas. Their departure is a service to the public, not a reason for shame. This approach also helps cushion any inconvenience that the dislocation may cause.

5:2 Command the Children of Israel and (have them) send out from the encampments all those who are afflicted with tzoraas, all those who are ritually ineligible because of zav, and all who are ritually ineligible because a dead person.

Rashi notes from the Talmud (Gitin 60a) that this portion was commanded on the day that the sanctuary was erected, the first day of Nisan.

The Torah records the erection of the sanctuary in the Book of Leviticus. This Book, the Book of Numbers, begins with a commandment to count the Jewish people, an event that occurred on the first of Iyar, the month after Nisan.

Why did the Torah write the commandment to send certain people out of the encampments out of chronological sequence, after events that occurred one month later?

The following came to mind.

The scriptures that precede this commandment give great distinction to the Jewish people as a whole and to each and every person in particular.

In the beginning of Numbers, Rashi notes that G-d counts the Jewish people at every moment, because they are dear to him.

The process of counting brought each and every adult male to individually stand before Moshe (Moses) and state his lineage.

The Torah grouped the tribes into units, assigned them positions and flags, and re-stated the counts several times.

The Levites were given a special focus and their own count. They were assigned roles of honor in the transportation of the sanctuary.

As stated, the requirement to evict certain people from the encampments was commanded on the day the encampments were defined, the first of Nisan. There was no time for people to prepare for the eviction. Although the lack of preparation time may have caused some temporary inconvenience, perhaps we can view the delay in announcing this commandment as a demonstration of G-d's reluctance to send anybody away. As such, it was a demonstration of the Jewish people's endearment to G-d.

For this reason, perhaps this commandment was recorded in the Book of Numbers, preceded by several portions that reflect the special relationship between G-d and His Chosen People.

5:2 Command the Children of Israel and [so that] they shall send out from the camp(s) every (person who is) tomay [ritually ineligible] (because of his/her states of) metzorah, zav, and tomay l'nefesh.

The metzorah is popularly translated as a leper. This is a mistranslation according to traditional sources. The conditions that places a person in this state of ritual ineligibility were not of a medical nature but of a spiritual nature. According to tradition, this came upon people with serious spiritual defects, such as those who were not careful with their speech and caused harm to others.

Unlike the zav and tomay l'nefesh, the metzorah is banished from every camp. This person is thus treated like an outcast.

Our Oral Torah provides the following reasoning: The metzorah caused division and separation within society because of his/her negative behavior. The metzorah needs to experience separation and is thus separated from society.

This is the second time in the Torah that we are charged to banish the metzorah.

Leviticus 13:46 He shall be ineligible for every day that he has the affliction, he is ineligible. He shall live alone, his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

Why is this repeated?

The following came to mind.

The Ramban provides the following commentary on the verse in our section:

..They shall send out: The commandment to send out the ritually ineligible is provided here, after the erection of the Sanctuary. This is to make the camps more fitting for the Divine presence to abide in them.

The metzorah does nobody any good as long as his/her behavior is in a state of social disrepair. The metzorah must be motivated towards self-improvement.

Perhaps the verse in Leviticus provides a focus on the defect and on the appropriateness of the banishment.

Here, the banishment is mentioned in the context of preparing the camp for holiness. It thus provides the metzorah with a positive goal, that of bringing the person towards holiness.

5:10 The sanctified artifacts of each person shall belong to him. That which each person gives the priest belongs to him.

5:11 And G-D spoke to Moshe (Moses) saying.

5:12 Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them, “If a person’s wife strays and cheats him.”

Rashi for verse 5:10 cites a Medrash that reads it to speak about a person who does not give the priest what is rightfully his. If a person does not give tithes to the priest than it will belong to him, meaning that his net worth will be reduced to ten-percent of what it once was.

Rashi’s commentary for 5:12 cites a teaching that makes an association between this verse and those that precede it.

Verse 5:12 continues in the line of thought of 5:10 by saying that if a person does not bring the allotted portions to the priest then may eventually have to bring his wife to the priest for trial as a suspected wife

We are taught to view that that we are caretakers of the abundance that G-D gives us, not true owners. The remaining money that we keep for ourselves is designated to us as much as the charity and mandated gifts are designated by G-D for the recipients.

The message of the unfaithful wife is that if a person focuses on selfishness and distrust of G-D by acting as if all of his money belongs to him then his wife may come to act selfish and with distrust, as if her loyalty does not belong to him.

5:17 And the priest shall take (for the woman who is suspected of being unfaithful to her husband some) holy water in an earthenware vessel and he shall put into the water some of the earth that will be on the floor of the sanctuary.

Rava (Talmud Sotah 17a) said, "Why did the Torah say to take earth for a wife that is under suspicion of being adulterous? By Avraham (Abraham our Father) it states (in Genesis 18): '(I am but) earth and ashes.' If she proves her innocence (by drinking the water without mishap) then she will have a son who is like Avraham our Father. If not (and she was unfaithful) then she will return to her dust (i.e. she will die)."

A woman is not subjected to this ordeal unless she first acts in a suspicious manner and she is formally warned by her husband to stay away from a specific man. If she subsequently disregards this warning and goes into seclusion with that same man then the Sotah trial is mandated.

The Torah places the burden of proof on her and the only way she can prove her innocence is through the ceremony that the Torah prescribes.

The wife has a right to refuse to participate in the trial. However because of the suspicious circumstances, the Torah does not give her the benefit of doubt and her refusal is considered as a confession of disloyalty. She therefore receives a divorce without compensation for the separation.

However, if she agrees to go through with the trial, then once the Name of G-D is erased in the water (5:23) she must drink the water. The water will cause blessing if she is innocent and it will cause her death if she is guilty of incest.

Given these guidelines, one can assume that a significant percentage women who drink the Sotah water are of low character, for they acted in a loose manner with another man to the degree that this provoked suspicion and they subsequently went into seclusion with that same man.

So, even if she is innocent, why should the Torah reward her with son who is as great as Avraham? What is her merit to deserve such a reward?

The following came to mind.

For the guilty women, refusing to drink is the easy way out, for she can justify the refusal by indignation. She can tell her friends and all of society that she is completely innocent, that she is a victim of marital abuse. She will claim that these laws enable her to get herself out of a marriage with a man who distrusts her and is of such a low character as to subject her to public shame. With sufficient talent of verbal persuasion and with enough parental wealth, she can very well return to respectability within her own circles.

However, whether this is ever publicly voiced or not, the question of her innocence will always remain because of her conduct. It will always be justifiable to suspect that this woman crossed the red line and did what should be unthinkable within the ranks of a 'holy nation' (Exodus 19:6).

This suspicion can desensitize other people from immorality. It can contribute to a negative moral climate. It is what Jewish Law calls 'Chillul Hashem,' profanation of G-D's Name.

So, whether the Sotah has high moral standards or not, if she is truly innocent of adultery then her completion of this stressful ceremony and her drinking the Sotah water will definitely avert a Chillul Hashem. It will prove to all that this Daughter of Israel was not unfaithful to the Torah and to her husband. As loose as she may have led her life in the past, she did not cross the red line.

In Genesis 18, Avraham was pleading to G-D so that the city of Sedom should not be destroyed.

Previously in Genesis 14, Avraham refused to accept even a 'thread or a shoelace' from the king of Sedom. At that time he refused to associate his fortune with this wicked person who could later make a wild claim that it was not G-D but he who caused Avraham to become wealthy.

So, Avraham refused to take spoils from a war that G-D caused him to win because he wanted to insure that the miracles would remain a sanctification of G-D's Name, or a Kiddush Hashem. The miracle would thereby maintain a demonstration of G-D's choice of Avraham's lifestyle over that of the king of Sedom which was a Chillul Hashem, the opposite of a Kiddush Hashem.

Perhaps this is the association that the Talmud is trying to tell us and perhaps this is merit of the Sotah who did not commit adultery and remained steadfast to complete the trial.

G-D rewards 'measure for measure.' He never withholds any reward that can be justified.

During the times of our Temple, the Torah provided a couple with a mechanism to manage questions of fidelity.

A husband who suspects the incursion of another man may formally warn his wife to distance herself from that person. If she ignores the warning and if she voluntarily secludes herself with that person, then she invites suspicion. The couple must now separate until she proves her innocence. She can prove her fidelity by drinking the Water of Sotah in the Temple as specified in Numbers 5.

The Torah gives a blessing to a woman who clears herself by this trial. If she was childless then she will conceive (5:28).

This almost happened to one the greatest women in the Bible, Chana.

Her most forceful prayer to conceive a child is recorded in the Book of Shmuel (1 Samuel 1). She said, "If see, You shall see (Oh G-d), the pain of your maidservant.."

Rabbi Eliezer explains the double phrase as follows.

Chana said before G-d, "Master Of The World, if you see (my pain and allow me to conceive,) then fine. Otherwise, You shall see me (in the Temple)." That is, I will seclude myself with another man in the presence of my husband. This will move him to issue me with a formal warning and I will become forbidden to him until I drink the Water of Sotah. I will be innocent and this will enable me to conceive.

Chana gave birth to Shmuel, who later became one of our greatest prophets.

Rabbi Eliezer's explanation is puzzling.

A married woman is forbidden to seclude herself with another man. In fact, today we've extended this prohibition to safeguard proper conduct. In most cases, a man and a woman may not be in seclusion for an extended period.

We know that Chana was a very pious person. How could she have brought herself to drink the Water of Sotah without violating our guidelines?

The following came to mind.

Not every instance of seclusion is forbidden. For example, if a husband momentarily steps out but he is still in the city, a trusted male visitor may enter the home because the husband's proximity discourages misconduct. Also, a woman may be together with a man in a room if the door is open to the public. The possibility that someone may suddenly enter insures acceptable conduct.

Tosfos M'Shantz in Sotah 25a rules that a wife who has been formally warned can become forbidden to her husband if she goes into any type of seclusion with the suspected intruder, even that which is normally permitted.

Thus, Chana could have brought herself into the status of a Sotah while maintaining our standard of conduct.

6:1 Speak to the Children of Israel and say to them, "If a man or woman makes an expression to take a Nazerite vow to G-D"

6:6 "He shall not come (into contact) with the soul of dead person."

6:9 "And if a person dies upon him suddenly and invalidates the head of his Nazerite (state) then he must shave his head on the day of his purification, on the seventh day he shall shave it."

6:13 "And this is the Torah of the Nazerite on the day that he completes his Nazerite vow. He shall bring himself to the opening of the Tent of Meeting."

In presenting these guidelines, the Torah first lists the laws for a failed attempt to complete a Nazerite vow and afterwards the Torah lists what the Nazerite should do when he successfully completes the vow.

What is the Torah trying to tell us by presenting the failed attempt first?

The following came to mind.

Perhaps this to remind us that the Torah gives credit for failed attempts at achieving spiritual goals.

As with every noble endeavor, we are charged to make every effort to achieve success. However, the actual achievement of success is in G-D's hands.

G-D rewards for care and effort, not for results.

7:18 Nesanal Ben Tzuar brought (the dedication sacrifices) on the second day (of dedication).

7:19 He brought his sacrifice …

Rashi notes that the Hebrew form of the above verses do not follow the style of the verses of other tribes who also brought sacrifices. While the other verses are written in a passive form, these were written in an active form.

Rashi provides the following commentary.

As Reuven was Yaakov's (Jacob's) first-born, the leader of that tribe expected to be among the first to offer the dedication sacrifices. He conceded to the tribe of Yehuda (Judah) coming first, probably because Yehudah assumed a leadership role during Yaakov's life. He expected his tribe Reuven to have second place. Instead it was given to the tribe of Yisochor.

Rashi provides two reasons for the ordering. First, the tribe of Yisochor provided that generation with outstanding Torah scholars. Second, the idea of bringing the dedication sacrifices themselves came from leader of Yisochor.

Reuven was given the fourth day. He was preceded by Yehudah, Yisochor, and Zevulun.

We note that only the verses for the tribe of Yisochor were written in the active form. While Zevulun also preceded Reuven, his verses are written in the passive form, just like all of the others. If a younger brother's tribe needed to be written in the active form in order to indicate a need for explaining the break in family order, why wasn't Zevulun's verse also written this form, as he was also younger than Reuven?

The following came to mind.

Yisochor and Zevulun are well known for their great partnering arrangement. Zevulun engaged in commerce and shared the profits with Yisochor so that the members of latter tribe could devote themselves to uninterrupted Torah study (Rashi Deuteronomy 33:18).

Supporting Torah scholarship is so distinctive and significant that Zevulun is mentioned even before Yisochor in the above reference of Deuteronomy.

Thus, once there was a compelling reason for Yisochor to precede Reuven, it became a given for his partner Zevulun to immediately follow, pushing Reuven to slot number four. Probably, Yisochor preceded even Zevulun in this instance because of Rashi's second reason, that their leader was the one who conceived of the idea to bring the dedication sacrifices in the first place.

Especially during this special holiday period, let us strengthen ourselves to either engage in intensive Torah study or to support the Torah scholarship of others.

The parsha concludes the section which deals with the counting of the Jewish people by Moshe and the leaders of the tribes, the structure of their encampment, the roles that the families of tribe of Levi had when traveling, and the requirement to exclude ritually unclean people from the encampment areas.

We then have several sections which seem to deal with diverse topics which include the following:

Taking a false oath in G-d's name to embezzle money from a convert, withholding the Cohen's share of produce (Rashi 5:12) , the unfaithful wife, the Nazarite, the blessing of the Cohen, and the donations of the leaders.

Rashi (5:12) connects the withholding of the Cohen's gifts with the section of unfaithful wife. A person who does not bring that which rightfully belongs to the Cohen will come to bring his wife to the Cohen to determine her loyalty in marriage.

Rashi does not provide explanation on how the other sections relate with each other.

The following came to mind.

Giving and taking appear to be a common thread. We also see hands being frequently referenced, that which is used for giving and taking. The embezzler takes some else's money unlawfully. Next comes the person who does not give the Cohen his rightful share. The husband gives his wife over to the Cohen for testing. The offering is placed on her hands. The Nazarite also has the offering placed on his hands. At the conclusion of his Nazarite period he is expected to give additional offerings. The Cohen lifts his hands to give a blessing to the Jewish people. The leaders donate wagons which are used to help the Levites. The parsha concludes with their gifts for the dedication.

The Book of Bamidbar (Numbers) focuses initially on the individual and on specific segments of the Jewish people. Each person is counted, made to feel important. The Levites are given specific roles. The camps are segregated. All are not equal.

Individuality is a gift that be misused, that can corrupt. A person can become deluded with self-supremacy. A person can come to believe that he is entitled to everything, that theft is acceptable and can even use the name of G-d to steal. He can cheat the disadvantaged convert, a person who needs acceptance. He can come to cheat the privileged Cohen, a person who should be esteemed. He is the center of the world.

In his mercy, G-d seeks to correct the errant person.

G-d has many ways to accomplish His goals. The Torah provides one of many ways that G-d works to correct the embezzler. In this instance, He uses the wife.

The person begins to suspect her of disloyalty. She may in fact be innocent, but G-d imposes a 'spirit of suspicion' even though she is faithful (5:14).

His most cherished friend has found someone else more worthy and of value for attention. His ego is crushed.

He must now come on to the services of the Cohen in order to repair his marriage and his life. He can't handle this on his own, he needs other people, he feels the dependency, he is no longer at the center of all existence.

She is proven innocent. She is compensated for the ordeal by being blessed with children (5:28). The marriage is repaired and the person is on his way to repairing his personality, symbolized by the Nazarite.

The Nazarite is able to temporarily abstain. He and his personal pleasure are not supreme. Upon conclusion of his vow he is able to donate.

The errant person is returning to the way G-d designed him to be.

He stands before the Cohen, who lifts up his hands for the blessing. He is able to receive a blessing in the name of G-d, which he formerly used as his means of theft.

The leaders of the Jewish people were concerned with the Levites. They donated wagons to help the Levites carry the heavy building materials

The corrected person is now concerned for the welfare of his fellow man, also He seeks to lighten the load of others.

The leaders of the Jewish people are honored by donating the Dedication offerings. They act as individuals, but also in a cooperative manner, in unison (Rashi, 7:85 and Medrash).

The person is now able to balance his individuality with his role in society.

B'ha'aloscha (Num 8-12)

8:1 And G-D spoke to Moshe (Moses) saying.

8:2 Speak to Aharon (Aaron) and say to him, "When you make the lamp (flames) rise up, the seven lights shall shine towards the face of the Menorah."

Rashi provides the commentary from the Medrash.

Why was the menorah written adjacent to the (sanctuary's) inaugural sacrifices of the tribal leaders? This is because Aharon (Aaron) was distressed that neither he nor his tribe participated in the inaugural sacrifices. In recognition of his distress, G-D told him that his (share) was greater than theirs, for Aharon will light and clean the menorah's lamps.

The Ramban's commentary says that this Medrash is a reference to the Chanukah miracle of the Second Temple. This miracle was brought about by Aharon's great descendents and this reference was his consolation.

The Ramban lists many other things that would have consoled Aharon, such as his role as the high priest and his tribe being selected for service in the temple.

Now, the tribe of Levi was set apart in many ways. In fact, just prior to the inaugural sacrifices there was a collective donation of six covered wagons by the other tribes and G-D decreed that these wagons should be used in the service of the Levites. Why wasn't Aharon distressed when his tribe was not among the donors?

Furthermore, why does Rashi list the cleaning of the Menorah in Aharon's consolation? This section deals with lighting the Menorah, not with its maintenance.

The following came to mind.

The twelve tribes derived great benefits from the spiritual wellsprings of Levi by supporting them. Levi was spared from the distractions of working the fields so that they could devote themselves to serving the spiritual needs of their brethren, which included teaching, judging, and temple service.

This was a partnership. The tribes shared their material wealth with Levi and Levi shared their spiritual wealth with their brethren.

It was therefore well understood why Levi was not among the donors of the covered wagons.

However, the inaugural sacrifices were another matter, for they charted the spiritual course for all sacrifices that followed. Given this spiritual overtone, we can begin to see why Aharon was very concerned by the exclusion.

In its most successful forms, a mentorship relationship transforms the recipient into the likeness of the mentor. Lesser forms of success provide superficial results.

Perhaps Aharon hoped that he and Levi would partner in the inaugural sacrifices to chart the course for the temple services that they would perform, that of being in complete partnership with the rest of the tribes. While there would be three physical classes, the priests, Levites, and the tribes, the partnership in the inaugural sacrifices would eliminate the risk of there also being separate classes on the spiritual plane, thereby providing the greatest potential for the highest levels of mentorship.

If true, then why was Levi excluded? If Aharon was distressed over potentials for spiritual fragmentation and castes then how did the Chanukah miracle provide him with consolation?

Perhaps a comparison of the two periods in history can shed some light on this, that of Aharon's and that of his Hasmonean descendants.

Aharon lived in a period of great spiritual and material wealth for the Jewish people. The Second Temple period of the Hasmoneans was a short flicker of light in a history that would grow darker for the Jewish people by the moment, up to the period of the Messianic era.

Perhaps this was contained in the message for Aharon from the Menorah and Chanukah.

The Jewish people were beginning their journey through a history that would span extremes of both wealth and poverty, both material and spiritual. They therefore needed to be prepared for them both, so we have two distinct types of inaugural events, that Aharon's generation and that of the Hasmoneans.

As the Levites were to become economically dependent on the rest of the nation, it was not appropriate for them to participate in an inauguration that would prepare us for spiritual success in periods of abundance. Rather, their moment would come much later in history, when the Jewish people needed preparation for their awesome reversals. For those periods, only the tribe of Levi would be able to meet the task, for they were most experienced in achieving spiritual success despite hardship and disadvantage.

Perhaps Rashi alluded to this by his reference to both lighting and cleaning the Menorah.

The contributions of Aharon and the tribe of Levi to the tribes were indeed greater than that of the tribes to Aharon and the Levites. The latter needed material wealth which history didn't always afford them with. However, Aharon, Levi, and those who fill similar roles today can nurture the Jewish people in every phase of history, be it that of enlightenment or that of dealing with exhaustion and burn-out.

8:2 Speak to Aharon (Aaron) and say to him, "When you rise up the lights (of the Menorah), the seven lights shall (be turned to) shine towards the center branch of the Menorah."

This verse follows a section that describes the gifts and sacrifices that were offered by the Noblemen to initiate the sanctuary.

Rashi provides the following reason:

Aharon was distressed when he saw the initiation offerings and realized that neither he nor his tribe participated.

G-d told him, "By your life, your share is greater than theirs because you kindle and prepare the Menorah's lights (to be lit)."

A person has many periods of distress throughout his/her life. Why is this particular distress of Aharon disclosed by the Torah? Could it be that Aharon was distressed merely because he was not 'part of the club'? Why did G-d reveal Himself to Aharon in order to relieve the stress? The Torah seems to be talking about lighting the candles. Rashi injects the preparation of the candles into G-d's response. Why?

Actually, without the Rashi that follows we would not even know that preparation for the lighting is in this section at all.

In the next Rashi, he provides a reason why the Torah refers to lighting the Menorah with the words, 'rising the lights.' The verse could have been written as follows: "When you light the Menorah, the seven lights shall (be turned to) shine towards the center branch of the Menorah."

"When you rise up the lights:"

Lighting is referred to as rising because the flame rises, (By this choice of words, the Torah is) providing instruction that he must light (the wick) until (it catches and) the flame rises by itself.

Our Rabbis also derived from here that there was a platform in front of the Menorah that the Cohen (priest) stood on when he prepared the lights.

The Rabbis derive the existence of a platform. Why do they associate the platform with preparing the lights and not with kindling the lights? Their focus is on the platform. Yet, preparing the Menorah's lights is the focus of G-d's response to Aharon, not the platform. Why?

Why is a platform needed to the degree that is must be formally addressed in the Torah? The Menorah was only eighteen hand-breadths tall. A Cohen of average height should be able to prepare the lights without needing a platform. Finally, how do the Rabbis read the platform into this verse?

As we frequently ask, what is the Torah and what are our sages trying to tell us?

The following came to mind.

We are taught that the initiation offerings of the Noblemen was the product of Divine inspiration. Each Nobleman decided on his own what should be brought and their offerings turned out to be quite complex. In the previous section, Rashi explained the significance of each component. To everyone's amazement, they all showed up with the same set of gifts. Furthermore, in the previous section, Rashi showed us the significance of the sums of the components across the Twelve Tribes.

Aharon was the head of the Tribe of Levi. No one from the Tribe of Levi, Aharon included, received this Divine inspiration. We now understand why Aharon was particularly distressed. He was very concerned with what G-d was trying to him by inspiring the Noblemen of the other Twelve Tribes, to his exclusion.

Now, the Hebrew word for Nobleman is Nasi. This root letters for this word convey lifting up. The Nasi is a person whose status has been elevated. The Nasi is on a social and political platform.

Hmmmmm.

The first three Hebrew words in this section are "B'haaloscha Es Haneiros" which we translated as "When you rise up the lights." The Hebrew word, "Es" is frequently translated as "with." According to the Rabbis second derivation, these words may be better translated as: "When you rise up with the lights." That is, G-d provides Aharon and his descendants with a platform upon which they can elevate themselves in a manner that is similar to the great Noblemen of the Jewish people.

The Rabbis associate this platform with preparing the lights.

The initiation sacrifices that were offered by the Noblemen were also a form of preparation, except that it was for the sanctuary service. The Torah refers to it with a derivation of the Hebrew word, "chinuch," which also means training and education.

Are you still in the dark?

The Menorah is frequently referenced as a symbol for the Torah. The Cohen and the Levites are frequently referenced as our Torah teachers.

Perhaps the Torah is trying to get us to better show appreciation our Torah teachers, especially those who prepare the candles, those who prepare our children for responsible Jewish adulthood.

My children attend a Jewish day school. The institution has a practice of seating the teaching staff on the dais at the annual dinner, together with those noble people who provided significant financial support to the school.

This section is today read during a period when many people are ending the school year and who may be preparing for the next. Let it serve to remind us of the need to intensify our efforts to care for the needs of Torah education and particularly the needs of our precious teachers.

Here are some suggestions.

• Investigate the extent to which your communal charity organization is supporting Torah institutions, regardless of the orientation.
• Investigate the degree to which teacher salaries encourages them to remain in this tough field, especially those with growing families.
• Teachers sometimes suffer from burn-out and they need to be recharged. Investigate the degree that your school is concerned with burn-out. Is it even on the organizational agenda?
• Investigate the security that our teachers are provided for their years when they will no longer be able to serve our children.
• If there is a dispute between a teacher and the institution, investigate the issue and its fair resolution to your own satisfaction.
• Most important, assure that the Jewish educational and environmental needs of your own family are adequately met. The significance of this greatness that G-d provides the Cohen for teaching others is of no comparison to the greatness that you owe yourself and your family for assuring that your children have a proper Jewish environment. Let's do what we can for our kids. Growing up Jewish isn't always easy. If they're not going to a Jewish Day School., reconsider.

"Why was the section of the Menorah placed after the section of the presidents of the tribes and their offerings for the Temple dedication?

Aharon was concerned that neither he nor his tribe, the Tribe of Levi, participated in the offerings.

G-d said to Aharon, 'Your share is much greater, because you light the Menorah and prepare its lamps.'" (Rashi 8:1)

In what way are the Menorah and the Temple offerings similar so that we can understand how lighting the Menorah is greater?

The following came to mind.

The Menorah and its light symbolize the Torah.

Both the Torah and the Temple serve to unite the Jewish people. However, the Torah is a much greater force.

We lost the precious resources of the Temple some nineteen-hundred years ago. We have many different synagogues and prayer books.

However, having a common Torah has served to unite the Jewish people throughout our thirty-three centuries of history. No matter where we go in the world we study and refer to the same great basis.

8:1 And G-D spoke to Moshe (Moses) saying.

8:2 Speak to Aharon (Aaron) and say to him, "When you make the lamp (flames) rise up, the seven lights shall shine towards the face of the Menorah."

The Oral Torah (Menachos 86b) teaches that the Menorah has the distinction of providing testimony to the entire world that the Divine Presence rests with the Jewish people. Rava says that the testimony comes from the 'western' lamp, for the lighting began with its flame and the daily lighting process completed with it.

Note the quotation mark around the word, 'western,' which will be soon explained..

Specifically, all of the Menorah's seven lamps were filled with the same amount of oil and were lit towards evening, at about the same time. Up through and including the tenure of the high priest Shimon the Righteous, the fuel ran low or was exhausted by morning, when all but the two east-most lamps were cleaned and prepared for the next day's lighting ceremony. Towards evening, the five lamps were lit from the flame of the 'western' lamp which had been burning throughout the entire day. It was then extinguished, both eastern lamps cleaned, and re-lit. Thus, the lighting began with the flame of the 'western' lamp that had been burning for almost twenty-four hours and this lamp completed the lighting ceremony for it was cleaned and lit last.

This sounds a bit confusing because we began the discussion with the 'western' lamp but put focus on the eastern lamps. This is why the word 'western' is in quotes.

Our tradition is according to the view that the Menorah's lights were positioned from east to west. Since the entrance to the Holy chamber was in the east and the Holy of Holies was in the west, the two lamps on both ends of the Menorah were either furthest or closest to the Holy of Holies from all the other lamps. For clarity, let us number the lamps from one to seven, with the east-most lamp being number one and the lamp closest to the Holy of Holies being lamp number seven.

One would assume that the 'western' lamp was the lamp that was closest to the Holy of Holies, lamp number seven. But this was not the case. In actuality, this 'western' lamp was the lamp that was adjacent to the east-most lamp and this special lamp is number two. For that matter, lamps three through seven also qualified as being termed a 'western' lamp for there were lamps to their east as well. However, the miracle only occurred with lamp number two.

Why was lamp number two given this distinction?

Also, there were many other miracles in the Temple. For instance, twelve loaves of bread rested on the table that was opposite the Menorah. The loaves were piping hot when they were set on the table during Shabbos and remained hot the entire week until they were removed on the following Shabbos. No sterno, electric warmers, or other source of heat accounted for this other than a miracle Also, every priest who performed the incense ceremony on the inner altar of this Holy chamber became wealthy. Also, the Ark that was in the Holy of Holies defied the laws of measurement and space. From each side of the room that it was in, the distance from that side to the Ark always measured half the width of that room. It was as if the Ark took up no space in the room, despite the fact the Ark was centered in the room and it measured two and a half cubits from side to side.

The Oral Torah delineates other miracles, also, Why then was the miracle of the Menorah singled out as providing testimony that the Divine Presence rests with the Jewish people?

Before providing further explanation, I must state that while having the Divine Presence rest with the Jewish people is a great distinction, this does not imply that G-D is not interested with the rest of humanity for if this would be the case then civilization as we know it would have ceased to exist long ago. Of the many purposes that these demonstrations serve, one is to inspire the rest of humanity to think hard and take lesson from the reasons that they occurred, hopefully moving everybody to realize that there is a Creator, a Manager, standards, goals, a past, a future, and role models. They are meant for spiritual opportunity, providing us all with access to strengths that can change our eternal destiny during the short period called life when we can change our eternal destiny.

However, if these lessons merely serve to incite jealously and hatred then I suggest that they are being wasted and are actually destructive to the reader's eternal destiny, for those who spend anger at the Jewish people, are effectively engaging themselves in combat with All-Mighty G-D who so decreed that these distinctions should be.

Take the example of a king who has special forces and sends them on missions that put them in harm's way. Say the king compensates them in many ways, one of which is by assigning then special honors. Now if a person is jealous of these honors and he/she vents this jealously by throwing throws rocks at the soldiers, then this person is effectively throwing rocks at the king, thereby destroying his relationship with him.

And detractors should know that the Jewish people are completely harmless and are absolutely no threat because we have no agenda of domination or imposition and we have never hurt G-D so He can't bear a grudge against us and take it out on us or on anyone else.

Having said this, the following came to mind.

We are taught that as the keepers of the Torah, we are bearing Abraham's light of monotheism and ethics throughout history, a light that G-D began with Abraham at the dawn of a new world of spiritual opportunity for mankind, and that this light will shine through the entire course of history as we know it and into the Messianic era.

The process of history is then managed by G-D in a manner that is similar to the cycle of the Menorah's western lamp, represented by Abraham and his spiritual heirs. It is with these people that G-D began the process. And G-D will use these people to complete the process. This is perhaps why the miracle of the western lamp is singled out as bearing testimony to G-D's Divine presence resting with the Jewish people, for without it, we would never have survived the thrills and spills of the past thirty-three centuries of our painful history.

Now, you can certainly expect the Divine Presence to rest with a people who are angels. However, we know (and have been amply told by those from within and by those from without) that we are not a nation of angels. We're not that bad either, but we're just not angels. So what happens to our Divine Presence and associated protection during periods when we slip up? Are we doomed because we can't always act like angels?

Well, had G-D saw a need to give His Torah to angels then I'm sure that He would have done so. In fact, we have a tradition that the angels actually complained to G-D when He announced his intention to give His Torah to humanity. Tradition tells us that they gave Moshe (Moses) quite a scare when he ascended towards Heaven to receive the Torah. In the end they conceded for obvious reasons.

So what do we do? How's this all going to work out?

Perhaps the answer is reflected by our lamp number two. With respect to the east-most lamp number one, lamps two through seven all qualify as being relatively closer to holiness for they are all west of that lamp and are closer to the Holy of Holies. And of these six lamps, our lamp number two is the furthest away from Holy of Holies.

The miracle that occurred with lamp number two demonstrates that the miracle is not dependent on the degree of proximity to the Holy of Holies,

It therefore also reflects that our having the Divine Presence rest on us is not dependent on our behaving like a nation of angels.

This implies a guarantee that our protection will endure throughout our history despite the ups and downs of our spiritual achievements. However, this does not imply that our behavior has no effect on our affairs, and our painful history bears this out.

We can now understand why the Divine Presence resting with the Jewish people is symbolized by the miracle of the Menorah and we also can understand why lamp number two was selected to carry the miracle.

In closing, perhaps we can also note that while this same message would have been expressed by having the light of the east-most lamp endure, the miracle occurring with lamp number two symbolizes that while the Jewish people may not always be as close to the holy of holies as they would like to be, they will never be completely dissociated from it either.

8:1 And G-D spoke to Moshe (Moses), saying

8:2 Speak to Aharon (Aaron) and say to him, 'When you bring up the (flame of) the lamps (of the Menorah), the seven lamps shall shine towards the (center) face of the Menorah.

The Menorah is a candelabra with seven shafts, each with a lamp on top. It had a central shaft and there were three branching shafts to the left and three to the right. Verse 8:2 instructs Aharon to position the lamps on the branching shafts so that they shine towards the central shaft.

The Seforna commentary suggests that the shafts on the left and right are symbolic of the collective nature of Torah study and observance.

The branches on the right represent those who dedicate their life to preserve Torah knowledge through their study.

It is widely recognized within the Jewish people that we can not afford to let these people become distracted by making a livelihood. Therefore, those who are not on the front lines of Torah study have both responsibility and the privilege of insuring that they are supported. These people are symbolized by the branches on the left.

Here are the Seforna's words:

All seven (lamps of the Menorah) shall radiate and project the influence of the light On High towards Israel. They shall teach a lesson that as the light of the (lamps) on the right and the light of those on the left are facing and focused towards the light of the central shaft, which is the main (part) of the Menorah, that it is fitting that the intentions of those (people) who are on the right, who are engaged with the life of eternity and those on the left who are engaged with life of the moment who assist those on the right … that (their intentions) should be to fulfill the will of G-D in a manner that they will together achieve His intentions. Together they will uplift His Name as is demonstrated in the Torah, "And the entire nation answered together and said, 'We will do all that G-D spoke (Exodus 19:8),'" meaning that between us all we will fulfill His intentions.

I believe that the following observations are noteworthy.

Both those on the right and those on the left must work to maintain their focus.

Both those on the right and those on the left have the distinction of being on the same Menorah.

Both those on the right and those on the left are equally radiating light.

8:15 And the Levites can come afterwards to serve in the Tent of Meeting (Temple) ...

8:16 For they are given, given over to Me from the Children of Israel in place of .. every first born of the Children of Israel I have taken them to Me.

The Sefurno provides the following commentary for 8:16.

"For they are given, given over to Me .." They caused themselves to be given over, for they gave of themselves for the purpose of serving me, as it states (when Moshe - Moses called for loyalty after the sin of the golden calf) '.. Whoever is for G-d should come towards me. And all of the sons of Levi gathered towards him.' (Exodus 32:26).

Every member of the tribe of Levi responded to this demonstration of loyalty.

Out of a population that contained six-hundred-thousand males from age twenty and up, Exodus 32:28 records that approximately three-thousand people were convicted of idol worship.

There were indeed many righteous and innocent people from the other eleven tribes that had nothing to do with the golden calf and one must assume that they also gathered towards Moshe. Why was only the tribe of Levi singled out and rewarded?

The following came to mind.

With the exception of Levi, every tribe contained some members who were guilty of worshiping the golden calf. Only the tribe of Levi was flawless.

We see from here the significance and value of the individual, for the disloyalty of even one member of a tribe disqualified the entire tribe from serving together with Levi in the Temple.

We find a similar occurrence in the Book of Yehoshua (Joshua) chapter seven where it states in verse one: 'And the Children of Yisroel transgressed the ban and Achan son of Carmi, son of Zavdi, son of Zerach of the Tribe of Yehuda (Judah) took (for themselves) from the banned (property). And G-D became angry with the Children of Yisroel.'

Here, the entire nation was blamed for the weakness of an individual.

It is startling to see the degree of collective perfection that is expected from the nation of the Torah.

Yet, we are not to be discouraged. We are taught that through collective and accumulated merits and through the purge of Jewish history and through our own accomplishments in recognizing G-D's domination, we will some day achieve that which is foretold, "And your entire nation is righteous, a budding of My planting, the work of My hands to be proud of. (Yeshia / Jessia 60:21).

May this be fulfilled speedily in our days.

8:15 And the Levites can come afterwards to serve in the Tent of Meeting (Temple) ...

8:16 For they are given, given over to Me from the Children of Israel in place of .. every first born of the Children of Israel I have taken them to Me.

From the time of the Exodus, the first born were given spiritual distinction and set apart for service in the Temple. The Oral Torah teaches their role in the sin of the Golden Calf disqualified them from this distinction and the Levites, who did not participate in this sin, were their replacement.

When the first born were initially chosen, the Torah does not say they were given over to G-d from the Children of Israel. Why is this said about the Levites?

The following came to mind.

The following verses were said to the Jewish people just prior to their receiving the Torah:

"And now, if you will fully listen to My voice and guard My covenant then you will be a treasure from all the nations, for the entire Earth is Mine. And you will be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation .." (Exodus 19:5-6)

Throughout history, detractors have claimed that prior sins forced G-d reject the Jewish people and that G-d chose them in our place.

So as not to make the sanctification of the Levites appear as though G-d was replacing the Jewish people, perhaps the Torah made a special point of involving the Jewish people in this sanctification, saying that the Levites were given by the Jewish people for service in the Temple.

The Jewish people can and have been exiled. Clouds of extinction can and have hovered over them. Specific roles within the Torah can be shifted from one group to another within the Jewish people. However, the Jewish people as a whole can not and will never be replaced.

8:24 This is for the Levites: From age twenty-five he shall come to be part of the legion in service for the Tent of Meeting.

Rashi cites the Talmud (Chulin 24a) that notes a discrepancy between the minimum ages that are stated for Levite service. Here it says twenty-five but 4:3 states that the minimum age is thirty. The Talmud answers that a Levite came to study at age twenty-five but didn't begin his duties until age thirty.

The Kehas family was given the charge to carry the holy vessels.

Why does the Torah require a new Levite to study five years to learn for what appears to be a task to pick up and carry things?

The following came to mind.

We are charged to enhance the quality of our service. Fulfilling a commandment by rote is of significantly less quality then performing it with feeling and appreciation.

It should take five minutes to learn how to move a piece of furniture. However, we give the Levite five years to learn about what he is moving and why before he even gets near it.

May we all take this as a lesson for how we are to approach Torah observance.

9:2 And the Children of Israel shall perform the Passover sacrifice in its appropriate time (which is on the fourteenth day of the first month).

9:3 Perform it in its right time, on the afternoon of the fourteenth day of this month. Perform it with all of its statutes and laws.

9:6 And there were men who could not perform the Passover sacrifice on that day (because) they were made ineligible by (their handling) a corpse. And they came near to Moshe and Aharon on that day.

9:7 And those men said to him, "We are ineligible because of a corpse. Why should we be disqualified from bring the sacrifice of G-D in its right time together with the Children of Israel?"

9:8 And Moshe said to them, "Stay and I will hear what G-D will command about you."

9:9 And G-D said to Moshe, saying.

9:10 "Tell the Children of Israel, saying: 'If a man is made ineligible because of a corpse or is distant (from the place of sacrifice), whether with you or your generations, and makes a Passover sacrifice for G-D.'

9:11 'They shall make it on the fourteenth day of the second month in the afternoon. They shall eat it with matzah and bitter herbs.'

9:12 'They shall not leave it over until the (next) morning and they shall not break a bone (while eating). It shall be done with all of the statutes of the Passover sacrifice.'

9:13 'And (regarding) the man who is eligible and is not in a distant place and refrains from performing the Passover sacrifice, that soul shall be cut off from its people for he did not perform the sacrifice of G-D in its proper time. That man shall bear his sin.

Why wasn't the consequence of non-compliance written adjacent to the verses that gave the initial commandment to perform the Passover sacrifice, which are verses two and three?

Perhaps the need to warn about non-compliance was more applicable for a future generation, as we see from verses six and seven that people demonstrated great zeal about fulfilling this commandment, as they demanded an explanation why they were excluded.

Perhaps writing the warning of non-compliance with the verses of the initial commandment would have suggested that there were people in that generation who needed it, which was not so

If so, then this could be a reason for writing the warning after the people demonstrated their sincere desire to perform the Passover sacrifice.

10:10 And on your day of joy, and on your holidays, and new months you shall blow your trumpets over your [communal] olah and shlamim sacrifices. And they shall be for you a remembrance before your G-d. I am Hashem your G-D.

Rashi provides the following commentary: 'I am Hashem your G-D:' [This is a reference to G-D's kingdom.] From here we learn [to recite verses of] G-D being a king together [with verses about G-D] remembering [man's deeds] and [verses about] blowing the shofar [horn], as it says [here], 'and you shall blow,' which is [about] shofar [blowing and it says here] 'for a remembrance' which is [a verse about G-D] remembering. [The verse] I am Hashem your G-D [follows as a verse about G-D's] kingdom.

Kingdom, remembering, and shofar is a set of concepts that is today reflected in the Rosh Hashana prayers.

It is noteworthy that these concepts are mentioned in the reverse order in the above verse.

What is the Torah trying to tell us by doing this? The following came to mind.

Rosh Hashana is the annual day of judgement, when G-D decides the fate of every individual, every community, and Mankind as a whole. As we view G-D in this role as the supreme authority, the King of Kings, during Rosh Hashana the theme of kingdom is mentioned first. Shofar is last because the shofar is only a means for us to proclaim His supremacy.

The above verse is about celebration and our natural response is an open display of joy, symbolized by the sound of the horn. Perhaps this is why the concept of shofar is mentioned first.

If left undirected, joy can reinforce a person's ego and his will to dominate. Thus, joy can somewhat undermine a person's spiritual maturity. Unmanaged, joy can become unsafe.

And so, the Torah suggests that we associate our moments of joy with the concept of G-D's kingdom. This reminds us that G-D's supreme will is that which caused the event that made us rejoice. This makes our expressions of joy both meaningful truly safe. It enhances this experience to greater and deeper levels within ourselves.

11:26 And two men remained in the camp. The name of one was Eldad and the name of the second was Madad'

The Targum Yonosan Ben Uziel provides the following detail about their family history.

Eldad and Madad were the sons of Elitzafan Bar Parnach. Their mother was Yocheved daughter of Levi, also Moshe's (Moses') mother. They were born during the time that she was divorced from Amram, Moshe's father.

We know from the Medrash that Amram divorced Yocheved some time after she gave birth to Aharon (Aaron) and Miriam. He felt compelled to do this because of Pharaoh's policy of genocide. Amram ruled that Jewish people should cease from bringing children into the world during this dark period in their history. Because of the great esteem and reverence that everyone felt towards him, his divorce of Yocheved served as a role model to the nation and every couple separated.

Subsequently, Amram reconsidered, based on observations that his little daughter Miriam made. She noted that the difficulties made by his decree were greater than those of Pharaoh's. Pharaoh's edict affected only boys while his act affected unborn children of both sexes. Also, Pharaoh's decree took a person away from this world while Amram's act affected eternal destiny, as no one would have the opportunity to pass through this world in order to obtain a share in the next world.

Amram remarried Yocheved and she gave birth to Moshe.

Some eighty years later, Moshe would take pen in hand and record the following verse for all posterity:

Deuteronomy 24:4 Her (the divorcee's) first husband, the one who sent her away, may not take her again to himself for a wife once she was defiled, for this is an abomination before G-d. And you shall not bring sin to the Earth, that which Hashem your G-d is giving you for an inheritance.

How on Earth could Amram have remarried Yocheved?

I have an even greater question.

What made Amram and Yocheved so worthy to have Moshe for a son? If we could only know even a part of this secret, perhaps we may have great children, too.

The following came to mind.

The remarriage is not a strong concern because this commandment is one of the 607 that were mandated from Sinai and on. Prior to Sinai, people were only required to keep the Seven Commandments of Noach. The learned and pious kept the rest of the Torah on a voluntary basis. Prior to Sinai, one was permitted to overlook one of the 607 if there was a strong reason to do so. This is how Yaakov (Jacob) was able to marry two sisters.

Amram was a very learned and pious person. He was one of the few people to die without ever having commit a sin. We can be certain that he kept all of the 613.

He had a strong reason to remarry Yocheved, as this marriage served as a role model for the entire generation, demonstrating that it was proper to continue with family life. It caused the repair of family life on a national level.

The detail on Eldad and Medad sheds new light on Amram and Yocheved's character.

Yocheved's consent to marry Elitzafan was a public act of defiance against the greatest person in her generation. She opened herself to becoming a national outcast. This did not deter her. She knew that she was right. The Jewish nation is based on family life and this must not cease.

Such determination! Such strength of conviction!

Amram's remarriage to the woman who publicly defied his decree, and based on the logic of his three-year-old daughter, also shows greatness of character.

Such humility! Such love of truth!

Does this remind you of someone?

Shelach (Num 13-15)

A number of commentaries are puzzled over why the Jewish people wanted to send spies, given that G-D told them that the land was good, He was leading the way, and that G-D had been fighting their battles.

One approach that I heard is that the evil inclination packaged the issue into a meritorious act, as he frequently does to trick us into doing the wrong thing.

It has been asked, given that G-D is concerned with all of our needs and takes responsibility for meeting them, why must we work for a living?

The answer is that going to work is a tax that we must all pay as a result of Adam's sin. It tests us because this makes it appear as if our success is directly related to our efforts when indeed it isn't. Rather, it is G-D who decrees and controls success. Those who fail are vulnerable to take ethically and spiritually compromising approaches to making a living. Those who pass will not swerve from Torah guidelines, even when it appears as though they are going to suffer economic loss by doing so.

Therefore, sending spies appeared to some people as a Torah obligation to spend some effort in order to live in the Promised Land.

Another approach that came to mind is that they expected the spies to extol the virtues of land. Perhaps they saw spiritual advantage in this because it would increase their desire to enter the land, thereby evoking a deeper sense of gratitude to G-D upon entry.

13:2 Send for yourselves men and they will tour the Land of Canaan that I am giving to the Children of Israel. One man, one man per tribe of his fathers, every prince within them.

The Sefurno commentary notes the difference between this account of the story and that which is later written in Leviticus where it states, "And all of you came near to me and said, 'Let us send men and they will search out the land .." (Leviticus 1:22).

The people who suggested the mission also offered to manage it, which included their selecting the spies. However G-D wanted certain people to be the spies and He directed Moshe (Moses) to send the princes of each tribe.

The Sefurno says that G-D did not want common people to be sent on this mission because they may not adequately perceive the splendor and goodness of the land that G-D was about to give the Jewish people.

In the end, the land was praised to the people and its goodness was never disputed as it is later stated, ".. the land is very, very good" (14:7). The disputes revolved only around whether the risks involved in capturing the land and residing in were too great and whether it was therefore in the Jewish people's best interest to continue on with the plan or to abandon it and return to Egypt.

The Sefurno notes that the praise of the Land of Israel served their needs for when the Jewish people realized their error, they really wanted to enter this wonderful land and this desire helped them confess their lack in trust of G-D, thereby providing them opportunity for full repentance. Had they not been sufficiently impressed with the splendor of the land then they may not have sufficiently repented. In the end, their full repentance, together with their death in the desert provided them with a full atonement.

Why was it safer to select the princes of the tribes over people who were not in a position of leadership? Specifically, why would the princes be in a better position to see the beauty of the land over anyone else?

The following came to mind.

We are taught the following: Who is honored? He who honors others. (Avos 4:1).

Leadership demonstrates the ability for one to recognize the value of others, as this recognition is critical to the ability to sincerely give others honor.

Given the many limitations of humanity and the complexity of social relations it is quite easy for someone to be distracted away from fully recognizing and appreciating the virtues and the value of his fellow.

Thus, leadership demonstrates the ability to rise above the temporal smokescreen of human foibles and to see the greatness of each every person, enabling the leader to sincerely feel his fellow's worth, enabling the leader to sincerely assign honor to his fellow, and thereby providing the leader with the esteem that he/she receives in return.

The mission of a spy does always not afford luxury accommodations. The spies of our story had to endure many types of stress and they provided many distractions from perceiving the goodness of the land.

It was therefore the leaders who were least at risk, for they had already demonstrated their ability to perceive goodness with an environment that provided distraction from doing so.

13:2 Send for yourself (some) men and they will spy out the Land of Canaan that I am giving to the Children of Israel…

Rashi provides the following commentary:

Why is the section of the spies placed adjacent to the section of Miriam (and her shortcoming with Lashon Hara - evil speech)? Since she was punished because of evil speech that she spoke about her brother and these wicked people (- the spies) saw this and did not take a lesson.

From Rashi's words it appears that this section does not belong adjacent to that of Miriam. However, it does appear to be placed in proper sequence with the historical flow of events, as per Numbers 33:17-18:

33:17 And they (the Children of Israel) traveled from Kivros Hataavah and they camped in Chatzeros.

33:18 And they traveled from Chatzeros and they camped in Risma.

Per Numbers 11:35, the episode with Miriam occurred in Chatzeros. Per Rashi of 33:18, the episode of the spies occurred in Risma.

So, the portion of the spies appears to be written according to the proper sequence of events. Why then does Rashi imply otherwise?

The following came to mind.

Rashi's source appears to be the Medrash Tanchuma.

Here is what the Medrash says:

What is written above? [12:1] And Miriam and Aharon spoke against Moshe. Afterwards it says [13:2] 'Send spies for yourself.' This is what is meant by the verse [Yeshiah (Isaiah) 44:18] 'They knew not and they did not understand, for they were closed up from seeing with their eyes, from perceiving with their hearts.' What did He see to say the episode of the spies after the episode of Miriam? Because it was foreseen by G-D that they will come and say evil speech against the land. So G-D said, 'They shall have no excuse by saying that we did not know the punishment of evil speech.' Therefore G-D put these matters adjacent so that everyone shall know the punishment of evil speech. So if they seek to use evil speech they should be able to take insight from what happened to Miriam. And still they did not wish to take lesson. For this it states, 'They knew not and they did not understand, for they were closed up from seeing with their eyes, from perceiving with their hearts.'

The Medrash says, 'G-D put these matters adjacent.' These words suggest to me the possibility that G-D caused both episodes to occur one after the other. That is, G-D made Miriam's downfall occur right before the episode of the spies so that the spies could take lesson from the consequences.

Our tradition strongly asserts that every person has free-will to do right and wrong. We also know that G-D is all-knowing. According to our sages, we don't understand how G-D can have foreknowledge of a person's sin and yet still hold the person accountable. Part of the reason for our inability is that we have no grasp of how G-D thinks and perceives. We must simply accept these concepts as a matter of faith.

So, Miriam had free-will to speak against Moshe and G-D knew that she will do it.

It seems reasonable to me that G-D can decree when a person does something without interfering with free-will. That is, although a person has freedom to choose whether he/she will do something, the timing of the act may be subject to G-D and He can time it to facilitate managing the world and humanity.

If this is true then we can better understand these verses and the Medrash.

We can also take lesson of the seriousness of evil speech and the discord that it causes. The sin of the spies and its consequence was engineered to be done in a manner that there was no way out for mercy and understanding.

Our tradition teaches that G-D's attribute of reward is far greater than that of punishment, no less than 500 times greater. If G-D intervenes when a person a self-destructive act, how much more can we rely upon His help when we try to do virtue.

14:15 (If you, G-d) kill this nation as one person [at one time] (then) the nations who heard (about) your reputation will say:

14:16 (It was out of) a lack of ability to bring this nation to the land that He swore to them (so) He slaughtered them in the wilderness.

14:20 And G-d said, "I forgive, just as your words."

The Medrash Tanchuma adds that G-d looked into the future and saw that the other nations of the world will someday say 'Just as your (Moshe's /; Moses') words.

Perhaps this refers to the way some nations chose to relate to the misfortunes that befell the Jewish people throughout history. Rather then attribute misfortune to behavioral shortcomings, these nations choose to attribute it to a lack of G-d's capability.

Frequently, the Torah links physical fortune to behavior. Twice daily in the Shema prayer, we associate even the rainfall with how we meet the Torah's standard of conduct.

Yet, we find some association between our behavior and G-d's ability. This is how the Kabalistic literature explains Tehilim (Psalms) 68:35: "Give strength to G-d'"

How do we understand this?

The following came to mind, from what I've been taught.

We really don't know what it mean that G-d can be given strength