Weekly Reading InsightsBamidbar 5763 Overview of the Weekly Reading:
Bamidbar, Shabbat Mevarchim Pirkei
Avot - Chapter Six Stats:
Bamidbar,
1sth Reading out of 10 in Leviticus and 34th overall,
contains 0 positive mitzvot and 0 prohibitive mitzvot. It is
written on 263 lines in a parchment Torah scroll, 3rdth out of 54
in overall length.
FROM THE CHASSIDIC REBBES (V:34-63 Bamidbar)
"You
shall take a count of the Congregation of Israel." (1:2) FROM THE MASTERS OF KABBALA (K:34-63Bamidbar
)
Selected
with permission and adapted from the three-volume English edition of Shney
Luchot HaBrit -- the Sh'lah,
as translated, condensed, and
annotated by Eliyahu Munk. As
a rule, anything counted or measured does not attract bracha blessing. This rule
applies, however, only when the numbering or measurement is intrinsically physical-part
of this material world. Such numbers do not bode well, since by their very definition,
they stress individuality and separateness. Each item is counted separately. (adapted from Torat Moshe - the 16th commentary of Rabbi Moshe Alshech of Zefat on the Torah, as translated and condensed in the English version of Eliyahu Munk) An essay from Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent (for a free weekly email subscription, click here) (W:34-63 Bamidbar)
Summer is about having a change of pace, seeing different scenery, taking a break
from our routine. We are freed from cold weather, winter clothes and sore throats.
Still, Judaism is our life. There is no break from Torah. It is no less important
to be careful about our divinely inspired life style while on vacation as when
at home. There is a clear hint to this in one of this week's verses: "The
children of Israel did all that G-d had commanded Moshe, as they camped by their
banners so they traveled, each person according to his father's family" (2/34).
Not only did they do as they were commanded when they camped, the tribes maintained
their designated groupings even when they traveled. We are being told to take
an example from our ancestors. Shavuot, the annual event of the Giving of the Torah, is quickly approaching. A week from Thursday evening and Friday (and Shabbat in the Diaspora), we will receive the Torah anew. How do we maximize the experience? In Devarim 33/4 it is written, "The Torah was commanded to us by Moshe, an inheritance to the congregation of Jacob". What is this verse telling me? First, that the Torah was commanded to us through Moshe, not G-d. Thus, no one can say he can't comprehend the Torah, that it is too high for him. This is because it was given through a person in the language of people. What more? That Torah is an inheritance. What is unique about the windfall of an inheritance is that it goes to a child, not to anyone else. If someone tries to bequeath his wealth to someone outside the family, there are grounds for a child to dispute this. Similarly, the Torah is ours, no one can take it from us. The Talmud notes that the word for inheritance (yirusha) is spelled almost the same as the word for being betrothed (irusin). The Talmud says to read 'betrothed' in place of 'inheritance' in the verse above, to teach us that we are in a sense 'engaged' to the Torah. It must be a lifelong and passionate relationship, not something that could be construed as cold and detached like an inheritance. The Alter Rebbe (Meah Shaarim 38) takes it a step farther. By definition, an inheritance requires no work or effort on the part of the recipient. We all know children who do not appreciate the resources accumulated by their parents. We can see another reason to read 'betrothal' rather than 'inheritance'. The function of being engaged is to prepare for the wedding; it is an active and preparatory state of being. If we want to hold onto the Torah that we are about to receive, we must prepare ourselves for the wedding. In Hebrew, the wedding ceremony is called kedushin, which can be translated as sanctification or as separation. The way to make a vessel for the Torah is to sanctify ourselves and separate from the trivialities of the mundane, just as a Jewish bride and groom separate themselves as much as possible from the tides of pre-wedding physicality to do some spiritual work, as preparation for a lifetime of commitment. May we all receive the Torah with joy, internalizing its wisdom and living it fully. Shabbat Shalom, Shaul Leiter (for a free weekly email subscription, click here) For all our insights for this parsha from last year |
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