Overview
of the Weekly Reading
To be read on Shabbat Beha'alotcha -19 Sivan 5775/June
6, 2015
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)
It is a universal Jewish custom that when we open
the Ark and take out the Torah scrolls to read on weekdays, holidays
and Shabbats, we say a verse that comes from this week's Torah portion:
"And when it came to pass that the Ark traveled, Moses would
say, 'Arise, oh G-d, and your enemies will scatter, and those that
You hate will flee before You'." (Num. 10:35),
The first Chabad Rebbe, Schneor Zalman of Liadi, explains that
the mystical reason for the numerous journeys in the Sinai desert
was to blunt the forces of evil at that time and for the future.
The power to do this came from the Ark of the Covenant. During those
entire forty years, the Ark which contained the tablets upon which
the Ten Commandments were engraved was always in the center of the
camp, both while resting and on journeys. Because of it, and through
Moses' invoking G-d's Holy Name, the path before the Jewish people's
travels was always cleared of all obstacles.
Later, when we settled in Israel, the Ark would sometimes lead
us into battle. As long as the Ark was the center of our lives,
both physically and spiritually, our enemies had no power over us.
It is to remember the power of Torah that we invoke this verse today.
***
The Rebbe of Ishbitz writes that every person is like the entire
world, and that his movements through the world are like the movement
of the Jewish nation, with the Ark at their center. Very often in
today's confusion, we are unclear where we are going and what will
happen to us on the way. How do we remind ourselves that G-d is
with us and protecting us?
We must emulate Moses, calling out G-d's name. In speech, we call
out to G-d in prayer; in spirit, we call Him by impacting on ourselves
that G-d is with us in everything we do.
This is connected to the fact that the shofar was blown for each
journey, as well as at the commencement of holidays. The shofar
blowing is a way to shake us up, remind us of our priorities. The
shofar was blown when a holiday would begin, because not only in
our movements through the world do we need to be reminded, but even
with our movement through time.
We have to quietly shout that the Almighty should protect us from
all evil which confronts us. This is the meaning of the verse that
when the Holy Ark would move, even as it just began, Moses would
pray that the journey should be to peace and safety from all dangers.
So it should be for us.
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.
____________________________________________
This
week's story from Yerachmiel Tilles, managing editor of ascentofsafed.com
and kabbalaonline.org
From
the Kabbalah Commentaries on the Chumash ("5
Books of Moses")
13th
century - "RambaN"
- Rabbi Moshe ben Nachman
14th
century - "Bachya"
- Rabbi Bachya ben Asher
16th
century - "Alsheich"
- Rabbi Moshe Alshech of Tsfat
17th
century - "Shelah"
- Rabbi Yeshaiya Horowitz
18th
century - "Ohr
HaChayim" - Rabbi Chaim Ben Attar
a sample for this week:
Alsheich
"And G-d spoke to Moshe saying..." [8:1]
The Torah does not spell out its secrets, but merely hints
at the fact that it contains truths beyond those which meet
the eye and are spelled out for all its readers to see.
Moreover, we know that what is done on earth at the behest
of G-d leaves an impact on its celestial counterparts of
our universe.
Since the tabernacle was a replica of the macrocosm, there
is a spiritual Menorah also in the heavenly regions.
Lighting the Menorah down here, has an effect i.e.,
el mul penei hamenorah, on the Menorah opposite,
in heaven.
When G-d says dabber, speak to Aaron, he hints at
this additional effect of Aaron kindling the Menorah.
When He says veamarta, and say, He goes on to instruct
Aaron in the procedure to be followed when he kindles the
lights here on earth. The fact that the Torah talks about
the seven lights, instead of about seven lights, indicates
the effect Aaron's actions have on the heavenly unit of
7 lights .i.e., the Menorah in heaven. Aaron's actions
down on earth produce a unity, i.e., shivat hanerot up
in the celestial spheres. The penei hamenorah, the
face of the Menorah, is a reference to the celestial
Menorah, which the Menorah in the tabernacle
is mul, i.e., a counterpart of, opposite to, in this world.
(Adapted from
Torat Moshe - the 16th commentary of Rabbi Moshe Alshech,
the "Preacher of Zefat" on the Torah, as translated
and condensed in the English version of Eliyahu Munk)
For the rest of "The Masters of Kabbala
and Chumash" on this
Weekly Reading; and on all
the other Readings.
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FROM
THE SAGES OF TSFAT AND GALILEE 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:
Chasidic Masters
 Receive
a Gift As It Is
By Binyomin Adilman, based on the teachings of Rabbi Avraham of
Slonim
The Torah describes the manna again here, a year after it's initial
appearance in parashat Beshalach, The Beit Avraham of Slonim comments
that the manna is the symbol of a stable livelihood. Manna came
from heaven and each individual of the Jewish nation received a
divinely allotted portion, as does one's livelihood.
To continue,
click
here.
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