It seems that this has been a week
of counting. It seems that this has been a week of counting down towards the
end of one phase and the beginning of a new phase. Earlier this week, the TV
show “Mad Men” counted down to its final episode. The Dave Letterman Show has been counting as
well. The final show, after more than 6000 shows is scheduled to end on
Wednesday. 17000 was the number counted
of those who marched in the Walk for Israel Parade here in Toronto. 18000 was the number in attendance for the
Tribute to Jerry Garcia “Dear Jerry Concert” at Merriweather Post Pavilion in
Maryland. Two days were the number of
days that the grandparents came to visit Toronto to see their grandchildren. 5
were the number of lectures my father gave to his grandchildren and they paid
attention. Yes, all this counting,
counting of episodes, counting of shows, counting of supporters of Israel in
Toronto, and Deadheads in Maryland, counting of Grandpa’s lectures to his
grandchildren all had meaning beyond the numbers themselves. More interesting
are the questions that these numbers and acknowledgment of the end of these
phases pose. Will there be a noticeable influence in television and television
writing as a result of “Mad Men”? More impressive than Dave Letterman’s run of
over 6000 shows, is the influence that he had upon a generation of comedians,
talk show hosts and our lexicon “Stupid Human Tricks” or “Top Ten” lists. More
important that 17000 people marching to support Israel on a beautiful Victoria
Day in Toronto is whether those 17000 can influence more people to publicly
support Israel. More impressive than 18000 Deadheads attending a Jerry Garcia tribute
concert is the influence that Jerry Garcia’s music had upon generations of
musicians and whether his music can transcend time. More important that my father
lecturing our children on various life issues is whether our children will
learn from those talks with Grandpa and remember those lessons in order to lead
good lives.
This Shabbat we
begin the fourth book of the Torah, Sefer Bemidbar, by reading the first
Parsha, Bemidbar. Literally meaning “In the Wilderness”, this fourth book of
the Torah resumes the narrative format with B'nai Yisroel preparing to leave
the foot of Mount Sinai. For the past year, B'nai Yisroel has essentially
camped out at Har Sinai and listened to Moshe and Aharon teach all the laws
found in VaYikrah (Leviticus) including Tamei/Tahor
–Purity and Impurity, Kodesh – Holiness and Korbonot, sacrificial offerings. Prior to B'nai Yisroel’s embarking on the
remainder of its journey a census is required. In fact, Parsha Bemidbar
consists of three types of census. The first census counts all men over the age
of twenty that come from all the tribes except for the Levites. This first
census tells Moshe the size of the B’nai Yisroel’s army as it prepares to make
its way into Eretz Canaan. The second
census focuses only upon the Levites. Since this tribes’ sole function is to
operate and manage the Mishkan, ascertaining the number of workers in the
Mishkan suggests the importance of the Mishkan to the everyday life of the
B'nai Yisroel. The third census focuses upon the organizational placement of
each tribe around the Mishkan while traveling. Each census has a function and
the numbers revealed indicate a superficial sense of preparedness for the
mission at hand, whether the size of the army or the size of the Priesthood, or
population of each tribe.
After the tribes
have been counted and their designated positions around the Ark of the Covenant
had been determined; the census of the Levites is set to begin. However just
prior to the taking of the Levite Census we read four odd psukim (verses) that
begin Chapter 3. V’Eilah Toldot Aharon U’Moshe
B’Yom Dibeir Adoshem Et Moshe B’Har Sinai – These are the offspring of Aaron and Moshe on the day Hashem spoke with
Moshe at Mt. Sinai. V’’Eilah Shmot
Bnai Aharon Habechor Nadav Avihu Elezar V’Itamar – These are the names of sons of Aaron, the firstborn Nadav, Avihu,
Elazar and Itamar. These were the names
of the sons of Aaron, the anointed Kohanim whom he inaugurated to minister.
Nadav and Avihu died before Hashem when they offered an alien fire before
Hashem in the Wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children; but Elazar and
Itamar ministered during the lifetime of Aaron, their father. While there are legitimate questions that one
could ask regarding the 3rd and 4th verse; the first two
offer a valuable lesson regarding influence upon the next generation. Chapter 3
begins by preparing the reader to be reminded of Aaron and Moshe’s sons. However the next verse only mentions Aaron’s
sons. In fact, Moshe’s sons aren’t mentioned here. They won’t mention until the
actual census of the Leviim and they will only be mentioned in the context of
Moshe’s father Amram. Why does the Torah first tell us that “These are the sons
of Aaron and Moshe”; and then just provide the names of Aaron’s sons names?
Certainly Aaron is the biological father, why does the Torah suggest that Uncle
Moshe is also a “Father” to Aaron’s sons? The Talmud in Tractate Sanhedrin 19b
reminds us that for the past year, Moshe has been teaching Aaron’s son’s their
priestly responsibilities. While two of Aaron’s son’s did not learn Moshe’s
lesson’s particularly well (they died); two of Aaron’s son’s learned their
lessons from Uncle Moshe very well. One of the boys will eventually succeed his
father, and then his son, will learn and eventually succeed his father. Moshe,
in a sense has become the spiritual father to his nephews. The Or HaChayim
(Chayim ben Moshe Ibn Attar – 18th Century Talmudist and Kabbalist)
goes a step further. At Sinai, Moshe became a spiritual father to Aaron’s sons
since Aaron gave up any possibility of that designation after his role in the
episode of the Golden Calf.
The implication
is clear. Moshe not only was a father (biologically) to his sons, the grandsons
of Amram. Moshe was a figurative father to his nephews and to all of B’nai
Yisroel since Moshe taught Torah to the entire community. Over 600,000 received
his teaching. As a result, Moshe was a spiritual father to all those preparing
to leave Sinai and enter into Eretz Canaan. More important than the number 600,000 is the fact
that Torah continues to have a profound influence throughout the world for generations
from Sinai until today. As a result, the actual census taking, the actual
counting of the group is a fairly easy endeavor. A father could have lots of children or very
few children. However the influence that father had upon his children, the
influence that the teacher had upon her students, the influence that the leader
had upon his disciples becomes more important than just the numbers.
Peace,
Rav
Yitz
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