Our 18 year old just returned from Israel after having studied in Seminary for the year. Now there are two children, 18 and 17 years of age, living at home constantly badgering me and their mom for the use of a car. Let’s just say that there have been a variety of creative ways in which they have asked for the car. However, among the most creative ways have involved their attempt to utilize the car maintenance approach. The approach is quite clever. They will say things to me such as “Don’t you want me to be self- reliant and NOT dependent on my boyfriend or my husband? “ Of course their assumption is that I will trust them more because they indicate that they are not only concerned about using our cars but that they are willing to assume responsibility in caring for the cars. So I begin showing them the indicator lights, what things mean. If it is something that can be taken care of with minimal knowledge such as pumping gas or checking the oil or the tires, they drive to the gas station. I can see by the look on their faces that they would prefer to just have their father, or someday their husband do this for them. However, they know that if they learn now and practice, I will be much more willing to lend them the car. So the first thing I make clear to them is to pay attention to the indicator lights. “Never ignore the indicator lights”, I tell them.
This morning we read from Parsha BaHalotcha. This Shabbat we read from Parsha Bahalotcha. For the previous two Parshiot, Bemidbar and Naso, Bnai 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 Bnai 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 Bnai 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 teaches us Mipnei Sh’ Sefer Chashuv Hu Bifnei Atzmo – Because it constituted a book on its own. This is a rather cryptic statement since it suggests that there are more than 5 books comprising the Torah. We normally think that the Torah comprised of 5 Books (Breishit- Genesis, Shmot –Exodus, Vayikra – Leviticus, Bemidbar-Numbers, Devarim-Deuteronomy). Now the Talmud is suggesting that there is another book?
Perhaps the brackets are the indicator lights. The verse within the brackets is the one section of the User’s Manual that will constantly be referred to during this one aspect of the journey. Originally this journey was supposed to be a few weeks or months at the most. Bnai Yisroel had not yet been punished with 40 years of “wandering in the desert’. Most of the Torah’s instructions were given in anticipation of Bnai Yisroel’s eventual arrival in Canaan. In the meantime, this is the verse that they will need to refer to, this is the section of the user manual that Bnai Yisroel will need in order to survive until their eventual arrival. In reality, this is the “Book” that they would use each day that they traveled and each day that they would temporarily rest. For my daughters, understanding the indicator lights, knowing how to handle some simple aspects of basic car maintenance will help them arrive safely at their destination while remaining independent young women. Of course, once they arrive at their destination, I hope they remember everything else that their mother and I taught them in terms of managing life, expectations and being responsible for their own actions and decisions.
Peace,
Rav Yitz
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