With the
conclusion of the last final exam, the last in class party, and the
“goodbye’s”, our three younger children finished 7th, 5th
and 3rd grade respectively.
As they happily came into the house, and dumped their knapsack in the
hall for the last time of this school year, they showed us their report cards.
I am always amazed what adults say to our children when they hear about their
grades. Actually my amazement has more to do with how utterly silly the
comments tend to be and the genuine fear that the comments will serve as a
“turn-off” to our children’s continued effort in the particular subject and
success. When our children are asked about
their grades, and they mention their grades in Talmud and Tanach, and all
things Jewish, someone always asks, “Are you going to be a Rabbi like your
father?” If I am standing there, they look at me; eyes open wide, with a slight
look of apprehension. I nod to them and they smile and say “no”. The question is usually asked of our son, but
each of our daughters has been asked the question. While our son used to say that he wanted to
be a Rabbi, his answer has subtly evolved. No, he doesn’t want to be a rabbi.
While he would like to learn: learn Tanah, learn Talmud, study Judaism and live
an observant life; he aspires to other things. Neither his mother nor I
encourage him to be a Rabbi but instead gently discourage him from the life of
a pulpit Rabbi.
This Shabbat we read from Parsha Pinchas.
The first few Psukim of the Parsha are a direct continuation of the previous Parsha:
Balak. There is no elapse of time in the narrative. Parsha Balak concludes with
a plague upon Bnai Yisroel for its worship of Moabite/Midianite god, Baal Peor.
Aaron’s son Pinchas zealously acts by killing Zimri from the tribe of Shimon
and Cozbi the Midianite woman. God tells Moshe to reward Pinchas for his
behavior by giving him the Brit Shalom, the Covenant of Peace. This covenant is
only for Pinchas and his descendants. Keeping in mind that B’nai Yisroel has
now concluded it 40 years of wandering in the wilderness and are poised upon
the eastern bank of the Jordan River; a new census is taken. Just like we
needed to know how many left Egypt, we now need to know how many will enter
into Eretz Canaan. After the census is taken Moshe must judge a legal case
concerning the laws of inheritance when a man has only daughters. This brief
narrative is about the “Daughters of Tzelophchad”. Following this narrative,
God commands Moshe to teach the new generation the laws for time bound
offerings including the Shabbat offering, the Rosh Chodesh offering, the
offerings for the Shelosh Regalim (Three Pilgrimage Festivals etc).
God
also tells Moshe Rabeinu that his time as leader and in fact his life is
quickly drawing to a close and that he should put his affairs in order
(27:12-18). Given the opportunity this incredible opportunity to put his
affairs in order, the most glaring concern that Moshe has is publicly naming
and endorsing his successor. On the one hand, it is an obvious choice. The
Torah mentioned two men who were there at Sinai and were eligible to enter into
Canaan: Caleb and Joshua. Of the two, Joshua has received far more print. After
all, he warned Moshe of Bnai Yisroel’s behavior with the Egel Zahav, he fough
the Amalekites while Moshe held up his hands. Joshua has served as Moshe’s
right hand for all these years. Yet
Moshe, as smart as he is, as prophetic as his spirit is, still speaks to God in
the hope that God will make the choice: Yifkod
Adoshem Elokai Haruchot L’Chol Basar Ish Al Ha’Eidah. May Hashem, God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the
assembly, Asher Yeitzei Lifneihem
va’Asher Yavo Lifneihem Va’Asher Yevieim V’Lo Tiheyeh Adat Adoshem Katzon Asher
Ein Lahem Roeh –who shall go out
before them and come in before them, who shall take them out and bring them in;
and let the assembly of Hashem not be like sheep that have no shepherd.
(27:16-17). Indeed God makes a choice. The question is: why didn’t Moshe just
nominate Joshua using the language of the two Psukim and invoking the qualities
enumerated in these two psukim?
It seems that maybe Moshe was hoping for a different
answer. Bemidbar Rabbah, the Talmudic
Sages commentary on the book of Bemidbar, makes the following comment: What
prompted Moshe to make this request immediately after the chapter dealing with
the laws of inheritance? Since the daughters of Zelophehad inherited their
father, Moshe said: Now is the time to make my claims. If daughters inherit,
then it is only right that my sons inherit my glory! Said the Holy One Blessed
Be He to him: ‘Who so keepeth the fig tree shall eat the fruit thereof’
(Proverbs 27:18). Your sons idled away their time and did not occupy themselves
with the study of the Torah, but as for Joshua, much did he minister to you and
much honor did he apportion you… Since he served you with all his strength it
were meet for him to minister to Israel that he doesn’t lose his reward. Take
Joshua son of Nun” The Talmud adds: Why do not the children of scholars usually
turn out to be scholars? Said Rabbi Yosef: That it should not be said that the
Torah came to them by inheritance” (Nedarim 71a). Rather, Torah is inherited by those who labor
in it, who study it, who struggle with it and wrestle with it. A scholar’s son
may engage in such activities but he does so because of his own volition, not
because of his father.
As
parents we always hope our children will do well in school. More importantly we
stress that they should put forth an honest effort. More importantly we hope
that they will discover their own academic interests, not because they are mine
and my wife’s but rather because each recognizes his/her own intellectual
curiosity about various subjects and
wishes to pursue them because each has made it their own.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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