For
the past year, our son has been taking guitar lessons. Sometimes when we listen
to him practice, I think to myself that it could be worse – He could have
really like the drums rather than the guitar. He has learned the various chords
and he has started putting songs with simple chord structures together. Obviously some music readily lends itself to
guitar music and some does not. As my wife listens to our son play basic rock
and roll rhythms, simple chords of Bob Dylan, and the rhythm and blues of Chuck
Berry and the Beatles; she wonders aloud why he doesn’t learn more modern
music. From her perspective, he is probably the only ten year old who wants to
play songs sung by Elvis, The Band, The Beatles or Buddy Holly. For her, she
worries that he would be a social outcast. To me, he is probably the only ten
year old whose musical taste I respect. So it is no wonder that his prime
practice time occurs after dinner when I am cleaning up the kitchen. He knows
that when he plays while I am cleaning up, that the cleaning up goes faster, it’s
less tedious and that I will even sing along with him. He is so smart that he
when his mom is preparing Shabbat dinner on a late Friday afternoon, he will
play a few Jewish/Israeli songs he has learned. His accompaniment during her
preparation makes the process more enjoyable. When I see him playing for his
mom, a smile comes across my face. He reminds that although he enjoys playing
for his Mom on Friday evenings; it’s definitely not as fun nor as entertaining
as playing the music of the Beatles, Dylan, The Band, Buddy Holly and The
Grateful Dead, while I clean up.
This
week's Parsha is Naso. It covers a variety of topics. First we read that once
again, God commands Moshe to count. This time Moshe takes a census of the
families in the tribe of Levi. Each family has a very specific role concerning
the maintenance of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle). After the census, we are
reminded that anyone in contact with a corpse is considered impure and must be
removed from the camp for a period of time. We are also told that besides
capital punishment, certain crimes towards members of the community are
punishable by fines. We read about Sotah, the bitter waters a woman accused of
adultery must drink. If she survives the ordeal, then she is innocent. We read
about the vow of the Nazir which endures for a period of thirty days. As the
day the tabernacle was finally completed, and the final instructions for
maintaining spiritual purity within the camp is taught; the Mishkan is finally
ready to be used. Its use begins with each leader of each of the twelve tribes
bringing gifts for the purpose of dedicating the Mishkan. When the twelfth
elder brings his offering, Moshe enters the Mishkan, and it is finally open for
business.
Towards
the beginning of the Parsha, we read about each Levitical family, their
population and their responsibility regarding the maintenance of the Mishkan.
We are reminded that unlike eligibility for the army was between the ages of
20-50 years of age; eligibility for Leviim and Mishkan/Temple service was
between the ages of 30-50 years old. Miben Shloshim Shana V’Mala V’Ad Ben
Chamishim Shana Kol HaBah La’Avod Avodat
Avoda V’Avodat Masa B”Ohel Moed – From
thirty years of age and up, until fifty years of age, everyone who comes to
perform the work of service and the work of burden into the Tent of Meeting
-Ohel
Moed (4:47). The first part of
the verse is perfectly clear; it speaks of the age required to serve. However
the second part verse is unclear. What does L’Avod Avoda (perform the work of Service) mean? What does Avodat Masa (the work of burden) mean?
Why doesn’t the Torah just say the tasks associated with the Service and the Burden? What exactly is the Service and Burden in this context?
Avodah is the generic name of the prescribed “Services” to a particular
Priestly family. The Masa service,
or the Burden service refers to the
Priestly family’s designated part of the Mishkan that they are responsible to carry
(the Burden) when Bnai Yisroel takes up its journey. According to Talmud in
Arachin 11a and later in Rashi’s commentary, the Avod, the work of the Service or the “work” of the Burden
refers to musical accompaniment designed to enhance the Avoda and to facilitate the Masa, the Burden. Musical
accompaniment was an example of Hadur
Mitzvah, the beautification of the
Mitzvah or in another words, the musical accompaniment enhanced the mood of
the bringing Korbonot. Music was played while the Leviim had to carry the
designated parts of the Mishkan served to facilitate the process. It would be analogous
to the African Slaves in the American Ante-Bellum South singing work songs as
they toiled for their Master on the plantation.
While
it is a small detail, the text acknowledges two important ideas regarding human
nature. First the text acknowledges the understanding that music serves to
enhance the primary function of the work, and therefore attempt to eliminate
the drudgery of the repetitive nature of the work. Second, music or the
acknowledgment of and the creation of music is a human endeavor. By applying
this human endeavor to the behavior attached to the workings of the Mishkan and
the later the Temple, demonstrates the role that humans play in bringing
Holiness to physical realm. It isn’t enough for the Mishkan to serve as God’s
dwelling place here on earth. There needs to be a distinctive human element.
Bringing offering is for God and the person. But music in this case was
strictly for the Leviim. Therefore a distinctively human activity contributed
to the holiness of the Mishkan. The same
holds true in our home. Cleaning up can be tedious and real drudgery. However,
when our son plays guitar, it makes cleaning up easier. Thankfully, he has my
taste in music, so cleaning up isn’t too tedious.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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