Overview
of the Weekly Reading
To be read on Shabbat Beha'alotcha , 16 Sivan
5769/May 29th, 2010
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
(L:3670/Beha'alotcha)
(for a free
weekly email subscription, click
here)
This week's Torah portion shares the following event, "Some people
were impure and were therefore not able to bring the Passover sacrifice
on that day. They approached Moshe and Aharon and said, "We are impure,
why should we be deprived of bringing G-d's offering at its proper time,
like all the other Jewish people?" (chap. 9, verses 6-7). The Talmud,
(Sukkah 25a) informs us that these people became spiritually impure because
they were occupied with another very important commandment, that of the
burial of the dead. Because of their request, G-d gave them a second chance
to bring the sacrifice.
There is a real question here. One of the main criteria for offering
the Passover sacrifice is being spiritually pure. Being spiritually impure
even for a good reason, like burying the dead, disqualifies you. Since
neither G-d nor Moshe had suggested or implied any obligation on their
part to bring the sacrifice, what was the basis of their request?
We can make the question even more complex. Less than a year previously,
at Mt. Sinai the Jewish people had said in unison, "We will fulfill
[the commandments], and we will hear [their explanation]". They had
agreed to fulfill what they were commanded to do. Why did they consider
doing that which they were NOT commanded?
This is exactly the point. The most fundamental dimension of fulfilling
the will of G-d is the desire to fulfill even those divine commandments
that you are not obligated to do! This lesson is specifically taken from
their words, "Why should we be deprived?"
When a Jewish person feels a lack of some aspect of their ability to
fulfill the commandment of Torah study, or in any of the commandments,
or even in his or her level of being G-d fearing (this refers to how conscious
one is to G-d's presence in the world), rather than remain complacent
because G-d did not command anything, he should instead start demanding,
"Why should I be deprived?" We particularly see this with the
attribute of being G-d fearing. The Talmud says (Brachot 33b) that "Everything
is controlled by Heaven EXCEPT for the extent a person is G-d fearing."
What G-d really wants is that you should have more, not less! And when
a Jews asks for something sincerely, G-d helps him. We see this from the
end of the story of the "Second Pesach"-that G-d fulfilled their
request and added a commandment to the Torah.
Let's examine this a little more deeply. What happens in a situation
where a simple Jew claims, "I am not on a very high level. Who am
I to demand that I should be more G-d fearing?" The answer is clear.
Even though the difference between the most simple Jew and the most exalted
is like nothing when compared to the difference between any creation and
the Creator, still, when a Jew came and demanded from G-d, G-d accepted
their complaint and gave a new commandment.
This entire concept is based on a very powerful idea. Every Jew is empowered
to accomplish wondrous tasks. Yet G-d waits to see how much it matters
to US (!). When it really matters (and we start demanding, "Why should
we be deprived?") then G-d fulfills their desire and gives them what
they asked for.
The same thing is true of a Jew who is on a high level too. No one is
ever complete in their spiritual growth. No matter how high he or she
reaches, they also have to demand, "Why should we be deprived?".
This is exactly the situation that the Torah describes above. The commandment
of Second Pesach came about through those whose impurity came from being
involved in the most elevated activities (caring for those who passed
away and therefore cannot even repay this kindness done them). In a similar
way, every Jew can demand and G-d will elevate them and help them reach
that which they have not yet accomplished.
Come to think of it, we have the same question today. G-d sent us into
this long and sad exile, maybe we should depend on G-d to take us out
when He sees fit? The answer is that G-d wants us to demand with all of
our might, "Let us see Your return to Zion, with mercy" When
we do demand, then we will hasten the redemption, may it happen speedily,
now. (from a talk by the Lubavitcher Rebbe)
Shabbat Shalom!
P.S. Please also read
my weekly Shabbat Law, below.
(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 CHASSIDIC REBBES (V:3670/Beha'alotcha)
"And you shall be to us as eyes." (10:31)
Moses informed Yitro, his father-in-law, that he would be held up as
a shining example to the rest of the Jewish people. For if Yitro, a
convert to Judaism, could willingly abandon his family, his homeland
and his elevated social status to worship the G-d of Israel, how much
more so must Jews from birth serve G-d with all their heart!
(Kli Yakar)
For more than a decade of "From the Chasidic Rebbes" on this
Weekly Reading, see our archives
MOSHIACH
THIS WEEK (M:3670/Beha'alotcha)
"I am in the midst of the people, six hundred thousand men
on foot." (Num. 11:21)
This verse intimates the mystical principle that there is a spark or
part of Moses in every Jew. Because Moses was connected with every Jew,
he was therefore able to be the "faithful shepherd" of Israel
and redeem them from Egypt. Similarly, the Baal Shem Tov taught that
every Jew has a spark of the soul of Moshiach within him - the very
core of which he is to unveil and release to govern his life. Each Jew
will thus redeem himself, which in turn will bring about the national
redemption for all of Israel. Because Moshiach is intimately connected
with every Jew, he therefore has the power to be able to redeem the
entire Jewish nation.
(Peninei HaGeula) (from L'chaim 1024)
For the previous five years of "Moshiach This Week" on this
Weekly Reading, see our archives
A
MYSTICAL CHASSIDIC DISCOURSE
from the
Chabad Master series, produced
by Rabbi Yosef Marcus for
www.ascentofsafed.com
and www.kabbalaonline.org
For a free email subscription
to the Chabad Master series, click
here.
FROM
THE SAGES OF KABBALAH(K:3670/Beha'alotcha)
See our brand new
Kabbalah site, KabbalaOnline.org
Specifically, for
precious articles on the Weekly Parsha in the columns:
Holy Zohar, Holy Ari, Mystic Classics, Chasidic Masters, Contemporary
Kabbalists, and more,click to
Beha'alotcha
One Sample:
 To
Light Up the Night
From the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria
The Ari explains how its very structure illustrates the Kabbalistic maturation
process of the Feminine Principal (Nukva). When the Torah mentions Aaron's
kindling of the Menorah - literally causing [the flames] to rise",
he thus aptly represents the way the flow of Zeir Anpin (i.e. the emotions,
the principle one of which is the love characterized by him) inspires
and causes Nukva to mature and develop.
To continue reading, click here
For a free email subscription to our weekly anthology, click
here.
For another sample
of recommended Kabbalah articles on a variety of subjects,
click to the
our
weekly Kabbalah magazine
this week's:
 KOL
Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 34
This week's Torah reading, Ba'alotecha, is rich in a variety
of important topics. The one we will focus on this year is "Prophecy"
-- see articles 2-5.
Sample:
 The
Transmission of Kabbalah
By Aryeh Kaplan
The idea of Kabbala, is to become completely infused with Torah and to
connect with it on every possible level. Without Kabbala, a person could
understand Torah on a number of levels. The only way to grasp every single
nuance of Torah, however, is through the prophetic wisdom that is contained
in Kabbala.
To continue, click here
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