One evening a week, I bring
our son to his little league baseball practice.
He and three other boys played organized baseball before so they
understand the fundamentals of the game. For the rest of team, this is their
first foray into “America’s Pastime”. During
the practice, I noticed that very few boys knew where to throw, how to throw or
even when to throw to a particular base.
Our son noticed this as well. After the first practice, our son hung his
head and expressed his frustration and said “This is going to be a long season.”
I asked him if he thought if they could
win a game. He didn’t think so. He couldn’t imagine that any team was as bad as
his. I smiled and we talked about what he can do in order to continue having
fun in an otherwise apparently difficult situation. During the course of our
discussion I explained to him that he and the other boys who played last year
should not try to do too much, they should not try to take over, nor express
their frustration with their teammates when they make these mistakes. In his
first at bat, I could see our son gripping the bat so hard, the look on his
face saying that he had to hit a home run every time at bat. He grounded out.
The same thing happened again at his next at bat. Later on in the game, one of the new kids
fielded the ball and then had no idea where to throw the ball, all the base
runners were safe and the other team even scored a run. Our son kicked the dirt in frustration and
then he walked over to the teammate, and patted him on the back, telling him it
was OK and where to throw the bowl if he fields it. When the game ended, a
sloppy affair in which the team fell behind early and mounted a comeback that
fell just short, our son’s attitude about the season had completely changed. Rather
than feel the despair and the loneliness of having to be the “hero” or the “leader”
every play and every at bat; he understood that he just needs to encourage his teammates,
and do well when the opportunity presents itself. Since then, he had only
cheered on his teammates and tried to help. They have lost some more games, but
he no longer feels as if he has to neither do everything nor be responsible for
everything on the field.
This
morning we read from Parsha Korach. Following their punishment of wandering for
forty years because of their initial belief in the ten spies’ false report,
Korach, a member of Moshe Rabeinu’s family stirs up trouble. Moshe’s authority
is questioned, those who rebel are punished, and those who were silent
bystanders, those who did not speak out were also punished. The Parsha
concludes with God speaking to Moshe and enumerating Aaron’s priestly
responsibilities, all of the entitlements and all the sacrifices that come with
the position
Clearly the most poignant moment in the narrative is the
confrontation between Korach, Datan and Aviram, and all their followers with
Moshe and Aaron. After witnessing Miriam becoming a leper for speaking against
Moshe (Parsha B’Halotcha), after witnessing God’s anger and Moshe’s defense of
the people in Parsha B’Halotcha and Shlach Lecha, the rebellion is very
troubling. Moshe is shocked by it. He is hurt by it. The fact that he didn’t
want the job in the first place, the fact that he went to bat for his flock
time after time, leaves Moshe questioning his purpose. Vayishmah Moshe Vayipol Al
Panav – Moshe heard [the
complaints] and fell on his face (Num
16:4). Why did Moshe fall on his face?
The Medieval commentators offer a variety of explanations. Chizkuni, the 13th century French
commentator explains “Moshe fell to the ground in humiliation [at Korach
accusation]. Rashi, the 11th century French commentator explains
that “Moshe fell in despair, he felt powerless to appeal to God for a fourth
time. He defended the people after the Golden Calf, when they complained for no
good reason, and when they heeded the spies. There is an enormous difference
between falling due to humiliation or public embarrassment and falling down
upon the ground due to despair and the knowledge that one his helpless to fix a
bad situation.
Indeed, the interpretation is in the eyes of the beholder.
Did Moshe fall upon the ground due to humiliation or despair? Moshe has always
been described as humble. So falling to the ground probably has nothing to do
with neither him nor his ego. Rather he falls to the ground because they had
the meeting, they registered the complaint. He falls to the ground because he
is ashamed that they still haven’t learned faith, they still don’t trust they
are still so easily swayed by the minority. Moshe falls to the ground because
he feels anguish for them because those who followed Korach still don’t get it,
and they certainly don’t appreciate the damage they have done to Moshe’s
leadership. Moshe falls down upon his face because he realizes that he cannot
do this job by himself. It his tiring fending off the challenges and it is
unrewarding dealing with the same complaints day in and day out. Moshe is ready
to have a team around him who buy into his vision, and his role among the people.
Peace,
Rav
Yitz
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