Overview
of the Festival Reading
To be read on Shabbat Beha'alotcha -10 Sivan 5777/June
10, 2017
Torah: Numbers 8:1-12:16
Haftorah: Zachariah 2:14-4:7 (The vision of the
Menorah)
Pirkei Avot:
Chapter 2
Beha'alotcha is the 3rd Reading out of 10 in Numbers
and it contains 7055 letters, in 1840 words, in 136
verses
Overview: Beha’alotecha
opens with the command to Aharon to light the menorah, followed by the
inauguration and qualifications of the Levites’ Divine service. Then,
G-d’s command to the Jews to observe Passover. Those who were impure
through contact with a dead body (and therefore forbidden to offer the
Passover sacrifice) were granted another chance to offer the Pascal
lamb exactly one month after Passover. This day is known as ‘Pesach
Sheni’—second Passover. The next section describes how a cloud resided
above the Tabernacle and signaled when the Jews were to journey and
when to encamp. The marching order of the tribes in the Jews’ desert
journeys is described. At this point, Chovev (a.k.a. Yisro, Moshe’s
father-in-law) leaves the Jews and goes back to his homeland to bring
his relatives to Judaism. Next, we encounter the famous verse we recite
each time we take out the Torah from the ark, about how the ark with
tablets would go forth before the Jews during their desert travels.
Then, the Jews began complaining about G-d. The first time, G-d punishes
them with a fire which consumes many Jews until Moshe prays for the
fire to stop. Then, the Jews complain that they miss foods they had
in Egypt and about the mannah. To this, G-d promises an over-abundance
of meat, but when it comes and the camp is covered with quail, those
who complained were punished and died whilst consuming their improper
desire. The parsha ends with Miriam speaking slightly negatively of
Moshe to their brother, Aharon. Subsequently, they were rebuked by G-d,
and Miriam was stricken with tzara’as (“leprosy”). The Jews wait for
her to heal and only then journey forward.
An
essay from Rabbi
Shaul Yosef Leiter, director of Ascent
(for a free weekly email subscription, click
here)
At the outset of this week's Torah portion, Aaron is
given the prestigious commandment to light the Tabernacle's Menorah
for the first time. The Menorah is a symbol for all generations,
reminding us of our purpose as Jews: to bring light to the world.
This event is actually the ending of a story began at the end of last
week's portion. G-d commanded the tribes to bring offerings to inaugurate
the altar. The only tribe not included was Levi. Aharon, the High
Priest and leader of the Levite tribe, immediately took this personally.
"Maybe G-d has not given us this mitzvah because we are
unworthy." Aharon speculated, thinking he might possess some
residual blemish from the sin of the Golden Calf seven months earlier.
G-d tells Moshe to tell Aharon not to feel sad. "Shelcha gedola
m'shelahem-Your [merit] is greater than theirs!" Aharon's
special task of lighting the Menorah was a sign that the Levites
were destined for great things. It would be their job to light the
Menorah not only in the Tabernacle, but also in the Holy Temple
of Jerusalem.
The Sfas Emes explains based on the Ramban that the meaning of "Your
[merit] is greater than theirs" refers to merit of lighting the
Chanukah candles. This mitzvah was given in the merit
of the priests at the time, the Hashmonaim.
We light Chanukah candles during times of exile, an era of
spiritual darkness when we do not have a physical temple. "Do
not feel sad," G-d communicates to Aharon, "yours is greater."
The other tribes participated in the altar's inauguration, but the
altar ended when the Temple was destroyed. But Aharon and his tribe
merited the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah, upon which
the mitzvah of lighting the Chanukah Menorah is based,
and the Chanukah lights are forever, independent of the Temple .
The Lelover rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Biderman explains that the words,
"Yours is greater" apply to every Jew. When we compare the
offerings on the altar, which was outside of the Tabernacle and could
be seen by everyone, with the lighting of the Menorah that
was on the inside, done in private, we see a major difference. This
is the inner dimension of the words, "Yours is greater."
The divine service that each of us do that is private, that is only
between us and the Almighty, is much greater than the public service
of others. Public service always holds a tinge of "What will
others think?" The most holiness is where no one else can see.
With a mitzvah done privately, there is only us and G-d.
~ ~ ~
Late one night, two hours into an audience with the Rebbe, the Israeli
diplomat Yehuda Avner asked, "Rebbe, what is it that you seek
to accomplish?"
"Yehuda," answered the Rebbe. "Look there on the shelf.
What is that you see?"
"A candle," he replied.
"No. It's not a candle; it's just a lump of wax with a string
down the middle. When does this lump of wax become a candle? When
you bring a flame to the wick." His voice rising, the Rebbe continued
in a Talmudic sing-song: "The wax is the body of the human being,
and the wick is the soul. The flame is the fire of Torah. When the
soul is ignited by the flame of Torah, that's when a person becomes
a candle, shining outward to others. This is what I try to do-help
every man and woman achieve the purpose for which they were created."
An hour later, with the sun about to rise and the meeting drawing
to a close, Avner asked, "So has the Rebbe lit my candle?"
"No," answered the Rebbe quietly. "I have given you
the match. Only you can light your candle."
Shabbat Shalom, Shaul
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here)
For last year's essay by Rabbi Leiter on this
week's Reading, see the archive.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH ON KabbalaOnline.org
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Mystical Classics
Preparing
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From the Ohr HaChaim commentary by Rabbi Chaim (ben Moshe) ibn Attar
Only Moses was able to maintain his regular posture when G-d communicated
with him; he did not prostrate himself or go into convulsions, as did
other prophets. Neither did he receive such communications in the form
of a riddle or parable. Every communication Moses received from G-d
was crystal clear, requiring no further elaboration.
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