Shmooze News July 27, 2024
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The Elusive Goal in In fact Attainable
Among the offerings listed in this week’s parashah is the Tamid, the continual daily offering. Hashem introduces this offering by telling Moshe, Command the Children of Israel and say to them: My offering, My food for My fires, My satisfying aroma, shall you be scrupulous to offer to Me in its appointed time (Bamidbar 28:2).
Our Sages tell us that when Moshe heard this, he grew very concerned. He exclaimed, “Master of the Universe, who can possibly supply You with sufficient offerings? Even if we were to offer all the animals of the fields and arrange on the mizbe’ach all the wood of the Lebanon forest, it would still not suffice, as it says (Yeshayah 40:16), The Lebanon is insufficient kindling, and its beasts are insufficient burnt-offerings!” Moshe did not see how we could possibly bring an offering that could properly be deemed “My offering…My satisfying aroma,” appropriate for Hashem’s standards.
Hashem replied, “Moshe, I am not asking them for offerings in accordance with My capacity, but in accordance with their capacity!” Hence, the Torah here goes on to enumerate what this offering was to consist of; “male lambs…two a day,” i.e., a simple set of lambs. And not only that, continues the Midrash, but they were not commanded to even bring them at the same time. Rather, one lamb … in the morning and the second lamb … in the afternoon (Bamidbar 28:4). And with that, Moshe was relieved (Bamidbar Rabbah 12:3).
In the words of our Sages, אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא בְּטִרוּנְיָא עִם בְּרִיּוֹתָיו, Hashem is not looking to set us up for failure (Avodah Zarah 3a). On the contrary, He seeks every way to make us shine, asking of us only that which we can do.
The Chafetz Chaim (זכור למרים, פרק יח) applies this to the process of ge’ulah – national redemption, a topic that is on our mind during this time of year in particular. Often, we think of the coming of mashiach in a wistful manner. We see it in our mind’s eye as though surrounded in a dreamy haze, distant, and beyond our power to affect. However, the navi makes it clear that redemption is closer than we imagine. As the verse states, הִנֵּ֤ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ שֹׁלֵ֣חַ לָכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֵלִיָּ֣ה הַנָּבִ֑יא, Behold, I am sending to you Eliyahu HaNavi before the coming of the great and awesome day of Hashem (Malachi 3:23). The pasuk does not say that Hashem will send Eliyahu HaNavi (in the future tense), but rather He is sending Eliyahu HaNavi (in the present tense). It’s an unfolding process, which we can and do bring about.
To each of us who sometimes wonder, “what can I do? Mashiach is a big deal, and I am just a simple Jew,” the above Midrash cites Hashem as saying, “I am not asking in accordance with My capacity, but in accordance with theirs.” Each of us is called upon to simply do our part, as per our ability. To borrow the terminology of the daily offering; a little in the morning, a little in the afternoon; a routine of daily ongoing acts of spirituality, of Torah learning, heartfelt tefillah, chessed, etc. each one at their level, ability, and capacity. And before we know it, that “great and awesome day” will be upon us.
Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos.
Rabbi Moskovitz
Shmooze News July 20, 2024
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To Go or Not To Go…That is the Question
We are familiar with the story of Bilaam and his quest to curse the Jewish People. But there are some basic questions that emerge from a simple reading of the pesukim. After the initial delegation comes to Bilaam requesting his help, Hashem appears to him and tells him, “You shall not go with them! You shall not curse the people, for it is blessed” (Bamidbar 22:12). However, after the second delegation comes, Hashem tells Him, “If the men came to summon you, arise and go with them, but only the thing that I shall speak to you – that shall you do” (ibid. v. 20), seemingly giving him the green light to go. Shortly afterward, though, the pasuk notes, “Gd’s wrath flared because he was going…” (ibid. v. 22). Why does Hashem seemingly change His mind? And if He did allow Bilaam to go, why then would He be angry with him for doing so?
Many of the commentators address these questions. We will focus on the approach of Ramban:
Hashem’s original instructions to Bilaam were clear and direct: “You will not curse the Jewish People, and since that is why the delegation has summoned you, there is no reason to go with them.” Bilaam certainly relayed this message to that delegation who then relayed it to King Balak. Balak, though, assumed Bilaam was simply using this as a negotiation tactic, and sent greater emissaries with a larger offer. Bilaam did not know what Hashem would want to convey to this new delegation, so he correctly waited for Hashem’s response. Hashem reiterated that Bilaam would still be unable to curse the Jews. However, “if the men came to summon you” – i.e., if they agree to have you come with them for some other purpose, knowing that you will not curse the Jews, then you may go with them. But know very clearly, Bilaam, that “only the thing that I shall speak – that shall you do.” That is, if and when I command you to bless them, you will be forced to do so, even at the risk of angering Balak!
Here is where Bilaam made his first mistake. Since he desperately wanted to go (either due to the financial gain, his hatred of the Jews, or both), he failed to tell the delegation this key point, that he was not permitted to curse the Jews. In fact, his silence implied that he was on-board with their plan, as though Hashem changed His mind. In the end, he would not curse the Jews, which would give the impression that Hashem changed His mind yet again, or that He was simply toying with them all, which as Ramban exclaims “far be it from Him to do such a thing, for the Eternal One of Israel does not lie and does not reconsider” (Shmuel I 15:29). In effect, Bilaam’s silence was creating a chillul Hashem, and was worthy of rebuke.
In a similar vein, the Vilna Gaon notes an interesting change in the words used by the pesukim. When Hashem let Bilaam go with the second delegation, He said ק֖וּם לֵ֣ךְ אִתָּ֑ם, arise and go with them. The word אִתָּ֑ם, with them, has the connotation of traveling alongside someone, but not necessarily with the same intention. However, when Bilaam went with the delegation, the pasuk notes וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ עִם־שָׂרֵ֥י מוֹאָֽב, [Bilaam] went with the officers of Moav, using a different Hebrew word, עִם, which bears the connotation, “of like mind,” i.e., with them not simply in body but in spirit as well. It was this attitude that brought upon him Hashem’s wrath, and ultimately Bilaam’s own destruction. For as the angel would go on to tell Bilaam, לֵ֚ךְ עִם־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים, go with the men (v. 35), now using that word עִם, totally with them. In effect Bilaam was being told, “If that is what you want, Bilaam, that is what you are going to get. But in the end, you will suffer the same fate as them. You will indeed be “with them” all the way, to their and your end” (Vilna Gaon, Kol Eliyahu).
Bilaam’s silence on the outside, and his hatred on the inside, were a recipe for his own downfall. In the end, he would fail, for as Hashem told him from the very beginning, for the Jew, “Beracha” is our natural state. You shall not curse the people, for it is blessed (Bamidbar 22:12).
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos
Rabbi Moskovitz
Shmooze News July 13, 2024
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The Well, Clouds, and Manna
Our Sages tell us that as a nation we were given three “significant gifts” in the merit of the three special leaders we had during our travels through the Wilderness. The gift of the well of water was given to us in the merit of Miriam. The gift of the pillar of cloud was in the merit of Aharon. And the gift of the manna in the merit of Moshe. That is why, in our parashah, after Miriam passed away, the well temporarily disappeared (see Bamidbar 20:2). It ultimately returned in the merit of Moshe and Aharon. This is also why when Aharon passed away (also in this week’s parashah), the clouds temporarily departed, leaving us open to attack by the king of Arad (see Bamidbar 33:40). They ultimately returned in the merit of Moshe (Taanis 9a).
It was not just the well, clouds, and manna that were Divine gifts to the Jewish people, but so were the individual tzadikim in whose merit they came. The prophet Michah notes this in his list of the numerous kindnesses Hashem bestowed upon the Jewish People. Within that list, the pasuk says (citing Hashem): When I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage; did I not send before you Moshe, Aharon and Miriam (Michah 6:4). The fact that we merited to have these exceptional leaders was a gift from Hashem.
There is a deep connection between these tzadikim and the items (well, clouds, and manna) that we received in their merit. This connection is alluded to, says R’ Shimshon Raphael Hirsh (to Bamidbar 20:29), in what the prophet Michah then goes on to exclaim: What does Hashem require of you but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God? (ibid. v. 8). Michah boils down our duties into three categories: to 1) do justice, 2) love kindness, and 3) walk humbly with Hashem.
Each of these three components was embodied in the three leaders respectively. Moshe, being the one who brought down the Torah, which is the source of all justice and morality, embodies “to do justice.” This in turn is symbolized by the manna which came from heaven in the exact amount needed for each individual; our “due” so as to keep us alive. Aharon, the lover of peace and pursuer of peace (Avos 1:12) represented “loving kindness.” This in turn was represented by the clouds of glory which provided comfort, shelter, and a sense of belonging. Finally, Miriam embodied “walking with Gd” unpretentiously, modestly, embodying the trait of personal dignity and self-respect known as tzniut. This in turn was represented by the well; which from a great depth provided life supporting water; modeling a holiness that flows from something deep within rather than worn on one’s sleeve.
Justice, kindness, and humbly walking with Hashem. These are among the legacies of the great siblings who we were fortunate to have as our leaders.
Wishing you all a Shabbat Shalom / Good Shabbos
Rabbi Moskovitz