Weekly Reading Insights: Beha'alotcha
5777

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

(for a free weekly email subscription, click 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

Specifically, for an overview of the recommended articles in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary Kabbalists, and more,
click to Beha'alotcha

one sample:

Mystical Classics
Preparing for Perfect Prophecy

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.

To continue, click here.

For a free email subscription to our weekly anthology, click here.

For another taste of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the
our weekly Kabbalah magazine :

Back to Top

 


Redesign and implementation - By WEB-ACTION