Its’s final exam season in our
home. Needless to say the stress level is unbearable. The slightest noise or
parental request to put something away or empty the dishwasher is greeted a
curt, frustrated response. One of the finals this week had to do with World
History. So in lull, when my knowledge
and understanding of World History was sought I offered a brief lesson, with
the aid of film clips from YouTube about the significant of the past week. Three
historical events were commemorated this past week. The first historical event
occurred 72 years ago this week and stopped the spread of Fascism, the cult of
personality, authoritarianism and brought together the combined forces of four
nations to battle evil. Seventy two years ago this week, D-Day (“The Longest
Day”) brought together Canadian, British and American forces and the successful
invasion of Normandy and the final allied offensive that would end the war in
Europe nearly eleven months later. The second historical event occurred 50
years ago this week and stopped the aggression of three nations whose intention
was to eliminated the state of Israel and push the Israelis into the sea. The
Six Day War culminated in an Israeli victory that tripled the size in area, now
controlling the Golan Heights, Gaza, The West Bank and Re-unification of
Jerusalem. The third historical event did not involve a military victory.
However all military victory’s mean that soldiers die. Nearly 4500 allied soldiers died on that
first day of the Invasion of Normandy. Far fewer Israeli soldiers were killed
during the Six Day War: approximately 775. In the first week of June in 1968,
while the Viet Nam war raged on in the jungle of South East Asia, one man was
assassinated in Los Angeles: Bobby Kennedy. I suggested that in all these
deaths, men were killed laying down their lives for their country, and for
their beliefs. Then I asked my history students (our children) one question. In
which of these events was the world saved from entering a period of protracted
human darkness and evil?
This morning we read from Parsha
BeHalotcha. This Shabbat we read from Parsha Behalotcha. For the
previous two Parshiot, Bemidbar and Naso, B’nai Yisroel has counted and
prepared for their journey from Sinai to Eretz Canaan. This week, the final
preparations are ordered and executed and the departure from Sinai begins.
Aaron, Moshe’s brother and the Kohen Gadol, lights the lamp for the Mishkan,
the entire Levite tribe is purified, offerings made and their service for
maintenance of the Mishkan begins. Final instructions for observing Pesach
under these new conditions, (they were not leaving Egypt anymore nor had they
arrived in the land) were offered, including the case of coming into contact
with the deceased and becoming spiritually impure. The narrative tells us the
manner in which B’nai Yisroel traveled: sheltered by a cloud during the day,
and protected by a pillar of fire at night. Then the complaining begins. They
complain about the Mannah. They complain about the food. They complain about
Moshe’s leadership. Moshe’s sister complains about his wife.
As B’nai Yisroel finally begins
its trek from Sinai towards Canaan, the Torah makes the following statement. Vayehi
Binsoah Ha’Aron VaYomer Moshe, Kuma Adoshem VeYaFuTzu Oyavecha, VeYaNuSu
Misanecha MiPanecha. U’vNucho Yomar Shuva Adoshem Rivvot Alfei Yisroel – When the Ark would journey, Moshe said:
‘Arise Hashem, and let Your foes be scattered let those who hate You flee from
before You. And when it rested, he would say, ‘reside tranquilly, O Hashem,
among the myriad thousands of Israel. (Num. 10:35) Today we say the first
part of the verse while we take the Torah out from the Aron before we read the
Torah, and we say the second part of the statement when we have finished
reading from the Torah and are returning it to the Aron. In the Torah, this verse is enclosed by two
brackets. The bracket is really an inverted letter, the letter “Nun”. The Talmud in Shabbat 116a Rabbi Yehuda
HaNasi teaches Mipnei Sh’ Sefer Chashuv
Hu Bifnei Atzmo – Because it
constituted a book on its own. His a rather cryptic statement since it
suggests that there are more than 5 books comprising the Torah. We normally
think of the Torah as comprised of 5 Books or Scrolls: Breishit- Genesis, Shmot
–Exodus, Vayikra – Leviticus, Bemidbar-Numbers, and Devarim-Deuteronomy. However Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi considers the
fourth Book to really be three smaller books: Numbers A (chaps1-10:34); Numbers
B (10:35-36) and Numbers C (10:37-36:13); for a total of seven boos of Torah. R’
Yehuda’s understanding of seven books of Torah seems to correspond with a verse
from Mishlei (Proverbs (9:1): Chachmot
Banta Veitah Chatzvah Amudeha Shiva- With
all forms of wisdom did she build her house; she carved out its seven pillars.
Perhaps this bracket of the Hebrew letter Nun and the enclosed verse; tells us
something about the Lamp that was lit at the beginning of the Parsha. The word
for lamp HaNeirot; that is to say “illuminate the lights” of the tabernacle. B’nai
Yisroel for the first time was taking God’s light, this wisdom and carrying it
amongst themselves, using it to create light within its camp and using it to
ward off all the negative forces that would otherwise seek to destroy them. For
the first time, B’nai Yisroel would now have to use its wisdom, its
understanding of Torah, in order to bring light and holiness to the world.
One only needs to listen to the
speeches of Bobby Kennedy, hear is idealism through his Boston accent, and his
desire to make the world a better place. One only needs to appreciate that fact
that he was the victim of Palestinian terror like so many Israelis because he
tried to bring light to those who lived in darkness not only in the United
States but throughout the world. One only needs to walk through gates into the
Old City to appreciate the miracle that Israel manage to reclaim the Old City
of Jerusalem. One only needs to stand at the Kotel to realize that Jerusalem,
the City of Gold was now belonged to the descendants of King David and
appreciate the spiritual light that emanates from this city. One need only
stand at the beaches of Normandy and see row after row of those who died and
look out at the waters of the English channel to not only appreciate the
miracle that transpired but to also understand how all these men who fought on
that day saved the world from darkness. With
the conclusion of the study break, our kids could see where and how events
spanning several decades are intertwined and connected.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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