Parshas Devarim - Ucon Du It!

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Devarim

Ucon Du It!

By: Daniel Listhaus

לֹא תַכִּירוּ פָנִים בַּמִּשְׁפָּט כַּקָּטֹן כַּגָּדֹל תִּשְׁמָעוּן לֹא תָגוּרוּ מִפְּנֵי אִישׁ כִּי הַמִּשְׁפָּט לֵאלֹקִים הוּא וְהַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יִקְשֶׁה מִכֶּם תַּקְרִבוּן אֵלַי וּשְׁמַעְתִּיו

“You shall not show favoritism in judgment, small and great alike shall you hear; you shall not fear in the face of man, for the judgment, it is unto G-D; and the matter that is too difficult go you, you shall bring it to me and I shall hear it.”

-Devarim 1:17

            In the middle of Moshe reviewing the judicial system that he put in place in the midbar and reminding them of the basic rules of judging appropriately, Moshe tells the judges that although there will be times when tough decisions will have to be made and the potential exists of greatly upsetting someone, sill there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of the litigants. The Chizkuni[1] explains that there is no need for a judge to fear the men associated with the case he is judging because no angry litigant could have a legitimate claim against him. After all, the judge could respond to the angry, guilty litigant that it was not really he, the judge, who found the man guilty, but rather Hashem.

            This Chizkuni is quite difficult to understand on two accounts. Imagine you are a lawyer fighting against the Mafia in a murder case involving many lives and millions of dollars. As you begin to do your research into the types of security you will need for you, your family, and any witness you will ask to testify, a family-friend approaches you and says, “Oh, don't worry. The Mafia has no claim against you, you could always just tell them that they are American citizens and must follow the laws as set forth in the Constitution. All you are doing is keeping within the boundaries of the law and helping the judge bring forth justice. So drop the security, there is no need to fear.” If a friend would offer such horrible advice, he is most probably an enemy. Yet, this is how the Chizkuni is explaining the passuk (verse); that the Torah tells a dayan (judge) not to fear, for he is not the one who is making up the laws, rather that it is Hashem who created the laws and it is therefore Hashem who is really bringing forth the judgment. How does this assuage the dayan’s fears to stop him from getting nightmares of agitated, guilty litigants coming to attack him?

            Additionally, what the Chizkuni says does not seem completely accurate on the surface. Granted the Torah and its laws are from Hashem. However, as we know, Hashem gave the Torah to the Jews and left the interpretation partially based on the way we understand using the Torah’s tools of extrapolating. This is what so much of Torah shel ba’al peh (Oral Torah) is about. There could be thousands of disputes and yet everyone could be correct as long as they have a mesorah (tradition) for it and that they properly followed the rules of deriving laws from the Torah. An argument over one delicate s'varah (logical argument) starting at one point could end up having two completely different ramifications in Halacha (Torah Law) later on, like two straight-lined, but unparalleled train tracks starting next to each other but ending up miles apart because they went off at a slightly different angle. With this in mind, the word of he Chizkuni are hard to understand. Even though a judge could “shift the blame on Hashem” and say that it is really Hashem who finds people innocent or guilty, it is not really completely true. In many cases, it really may boil down to how the judges understood the Torah and which s'varos and applications they opted to utilize.

            How can we understand this passuk as explained by the Chizkuni? The calming words of the Torah seem easier said than done, and the encouraging words of the Chizkuni do not seem reasonable?

When we think of beis din we view them as learned, scholarly people who devoted their lives to learning Torah and studying halacha. They are Judaism’s advocates, so to speak because they accepted the responsibility to represent the Torah. If an ordinary person does something wrong, it may be bad but it is nowhere as horrific as when a religious figure does the same thing. When a spiritual leader gets involved with unethical activities the world comes down hard not only on him for being hypocritical, but also on the system or religion he represents.  

            Although it is certainly true that every member of a beis din or Sanhedrin has an incredible responsibility to represent Hashem and His Torah, the role that a dayan, or anyone for that matter who is really close to Hashem, plays is more than just a representative. A member of beis din or Sanhedrin does not just represent the Torah’s values and they are certainly more than mere figure heads of Torah politics. Rather, a beis din which abides by the rules of the Torah and judges according to the structure and methods that the Torah allows is a pure conduit directly channeling Hashem’s presence in this world.

Indeed, no one can “attack” Hashem whether the shechina itself or the people who are a part of the shechina itself. This idea is reminiscent of what Hashem said when He sent the malachim (angels) to destroy Sodom, “ha’mechaseh ani m’avraham?” – “Could I keep something a secret from Avraham?” Someone who is so deeply connected to Hashem becomes more than just a “representative”, he becomes someone who is literally tapped into the shechina. Hashem revealing His plans is not a requirement for someone who merely represents, but is a requirement for a navi or member of Sanhedrin who is, in a way, a part.

            This idea gives us a better understanding of the levels of closeness to Hashem. Each person has the ability to “represent Hashem” – choviv adom she’nivra b’tzelem[2] (Beloved is man for he was created in the image of Hashem). B’nei Yisroel have the potential to be more than representatives, “chavivin yisroel sh’nikra’u bonim la’makm” (Beloved are B’nei Yisroel for they are called children to Hashem). And rabanim, talmidei chochomim, nevi’im, beis din, or any member of klal Yisroel who acts within the Torah’s guidelines has the further ability to be a real part of the shechina in this world. This is what the Chizkuni is teaching us. A judge who is a talmid chochom who properly follows all of the halachos of judging is not merely an individual with his own interpretation of the Torah and who is a representative of Hashem, but rather is someone who is himself a conduit for Hashem’s presence. This closeness provides him with a siyata d’shimaya (help from Hashem) and access to Divine wisdom which qualifies his mindset and understanding of the Torah, which others do not have. Indeed such a person need not worry that an angry litigant will come and take revenge on the dayan’s judgment because that would be comparable to an attack on Hashem Himself – an impossibility. On the contrary, it would be everyone’s duty to respect and trust with emunas chachomim such a person and listen to what he says.

            Interestingly, this is a concept which the Kuzari[3] points out is one big differentiator between Judaism and every other religion. Other religions merely have claims of what is waiting for them in the next world. However we have the ability to experience a sampling in this world of the closeness to Hashem that we await for in the next world. Similarly we find throughout Tanach that at times when klal Yisroel as a whole are acting in Hashem’s ways and spiritually close to Him, there is absolutely no reason to fear attack because an attack on us would be a direct attack on Hashem; and the only effect that that has is for Hashem to keep His promise He made us at the end of this week’s parsha,[4] “You shall not fear them, for Hashem, your G-d – He is the One Who shall wage war for you.” As long as Hashem is “our G-d” and we remain close to Him, no one can harm us. As the Gemara[5] says, “ein arud meimis elah ha'cheit meimis” - “It is not the snake which kills but rather the sin that kills”.

Of course, however, the first step of moving forward is to stop walking backwards. First we must be sur mei’rah in order to v’a’seih tov[6]. The period of the nine days is a time which sadly testifies against us that we are still lacking in our sur mei’rah, for every day that the Beis Ha’mikdash is not built means it is being destroyed.

May Hashem help us perfect ourselves, our relationships with others, and our relationship with Hashem so that we not only allow the Beis Ha’mikdash to be built but to also create the proper environment for growth to the extent that we are able to not just witness Hashem’s shechina but be a part of it as bonim la’makom. It can be done. We can do it. You can do it.

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[1]    Devarim 1:17

[2] Avos 3:15

[3] Kuzari 1:104-109

[4] Dvarim 3:22

[5] Berachos 33a

[6] Tehillim 34:15

Title Picture credit: http://myjourneytothefullness.com/2014/11/02/addendum-to-your-sons-and-your-daughters-shall-prophesy/

Parshas Mattos-Masei - Look Back and See

~ Thoughts on The Parsha ~

Parshas Mattos-Masei

Look Back and See

By: Daniel Listhaus

אֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם לְצִבְאֹתָם בְּיַד משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן: וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל פִּי ה' וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם:

“These are the journeys of the B'nei Yisroel, who went forth from the land of Egypt according to their legions, under the hand of Moshe and Aharon. Moshe wrote their goings forth according to their journeys at the bidding of Hashem, and these were the journeys according to their goings forth:...”

-Masei 33:1-2

            Parshas Masei opens listing the forty-two stops that B'nei Yisroel made while traveling through the midbar (desert). If we stop and think about this for a moment, it is a little unusual for the Torah to do such a thing. After all, we know that as a general rule the Torah is very particular when it comes to what is contained in the written Torah and there is no letter that is extra. If so, how could we understand why the Torah repeats every place that B'nei Yisroel travelled to and camped during their forty year journey through the midbar (desert)? Anyone paying attention to the previous parshiyos could extract all the places to create a list.[1] Why is it necessary for the Torah to do so? Rashi[2] is bothered by this and offers two explanations.

            Rashi's first answer is from Rebbe Moshe HaDarshan, who explains as follow. After reading through all the parshiyos describing the B'nei Yisroel in the midbar, it is easy to walk away with the impression that indeed life was pretty miserable. Even with the fact that Hashem provided us with food, drink, and shelter along with a myriad of miracles we cannot begin to imagine, there is still the fact to consider that we, as a nation, were constantly on the move traveling. In the end of the day it is still quite a pain to have to constantly pack and unpack and repack every other day. The tents had to be carried, the mishkan dismantled, quite an arduous process had to be undertaken every time. This is the sort of picture one can easily have after reading about the constant traveling of the B'nei Yisroel though the midbar. Therefore, as Rashi explains, in order to counter such thoughts, the Torah stops here to list all forty-two places that that camped to stress the fact that over the forty years of being in the midbar, they only moved forty-two times. Fourteen of the forty-two places they camped in during their first year in the midbar after leaving Mitzrayim, and the last eight places listed were the stops they made during their last year starting from after Aharon died. It comes out that during the middle thirty-eight of the forty years in the desert, they really only had to move twenty times – not too bad at all. After camping almost two years in the same place they were probably itching to check out the next stretch of sand anyway. This is why the Torah here reviews the list of places B'nei Yisroel travelled; in order to teach us the great kindness of Hashem that over the span of the middle thirty-eight years in the midbar, B’nei Yisroel only had to pack their bags and move twenty times.

            The obvious difficulty with this first part of Rashi is the following. It may be true that that relative to having to travel and switch camps through a desert daily, moving only once about every two years is not too bad, but certainly not having to move at all would be a much more desired approach. Imagine a person walks over to his friend and starts beating him up, hitting him 100 times. Then, he turns to him and says, “Notice how merciful and kind I am because I could have hit you 200 times but I decided to stop after 100.” Is such behavior really mercy and kindness? Mercy and kindness would be not hitting in the first place. So how could we understand this Rashi that the Torah goes out of its way to list the 42 places that B'nei Yisroel travelled to in order to demonstrate Hashem's kindness that he did not make us travel as often as one may walk away thinking. What difference does it make? How does that in any way lighten the fact that He is the one who made us travel through the desert in the first place?

            Rashi continues and offers another approach to his original question based on the Medrash Tanchuma. The Medrash offers a moshol (parable) as to why the Torah recounts the names of all the places B'nei Yisroel journeyed. He writes that it is similar to a king who had a son who was deathly ill and had to travel with him to a distant land for a cure. They arrived and his son was cured. On their way back to their kingdom the father counted all the journeys and pointed out to his son, “Here we slept, here we felt cold and here you had a headache”.

            Now, it is true that the moshol does seem to parallel what the Torah is doing. In both scenarios, a “king” is reflecting on a previous journey. However, the medrash does not explain the reason behind the details of the mishol or even the purpose of the king doing so. Why is the moshol with a son who is ill and why is it important that the king point out what occurred at each place? Even if we can understand the moshol, what relevance does it have to B’nei Yisroel and their travels in the midbar?

            We have mentioned before the Derech Hashem[3] who writes about the intricate world of hashgaca p'ratis that was designed by Hashem. Every person has a unique role in this world and it is therefore necessary that each individual is given precisely the correct life settings, environments, talents, and interactions with others. As well as we think we may know ourselves, Hashem not only knows us exponentially better but even knows why we are what we are and how we are challenged to channel our various facets in their proper directions.

            The generation that left Mitzrayim and journeyed through the desert were put through nisyonos (tests) and challenges of emunah that we cannot even begin to imagine. These challenges were not put into place to make their lives miserable and set them up for failure. Rather, just the opposite. These tests and difficult environments were set in place in order for the B'nei Yisroel to maximize their potential and succeed. Hashem knows the breaking point and tolerance level of each individual and would never give a challenge too great for a person to overcome. This is the incredible love and magnitude of hasgacha p'ratis that Hashem has for B'nei Yisroel and perhaps this is the message that Rashi is relating in his first answer. B'nei Yisroel had to go through the midbar because that is what was necessary for them to achieve the level of emunah necessary to enter Eretz Yisroel. However, the nisayon was not delivered arbitrarily or without attention to detail. The route, number of places they camped at, and the amount of time they had before having to travel again were all closely monitored and controlled by Hashem to be able to perfectly deliver challenges tailored to the B'nei Yisroel at the proper place and time. There was a “method to the madness” so to speak. It is true that we had to travel for 40 years in the midbar. However it is also true that there was an itinerary and intelligent design behind it which not only perfectly matched the necessary baseline nisyonos which B’nei Yisroel were required to go through win order to enter Eretz Yisroel, but was even able to adapt itself to match the consequences that the B’nei Yisroel deserved for the unfortunate events that occurred in the midbar. It is no coincidence that B’nei Yisroel journeyed 42 times – corresponding to the 42 letter name of Hashem.[4]

The perfect system of hashgacha p’ratis that the Torah is reminding us of is indeed the ultimate example of the boundless mercy and kindness Hashem shows each of us individually. Hashem understands perfectly more than just each person's breaking point and tolerance level but what they were created to accomplish and customizes the world and how we will interact with it special for us to the extent that there is really not one world but rather seven billion perceptions of it. As the mishna in Sanhedrin[5] states, “Every person is obligated to declare, ‘The world was created for me’.

           

            As important as it is for one to internalize this to appreciate Hashm’s love for him and for one to realize that the hashgacha p’ratis is testimony by Hashem Himself that each person in this world still has the ability to realize his or her potential, that is still not enough. We have to also be able to look back at the times when we were “sick” and learn from our mistakes so that we could improve for the future. If we go through a struggle that we fail because we were not yet on the level of conquering, that is okay and expected. However it is also expected that we are able to dust ourselves off and take inventory of ourselves to figure out what went wrong so that it can be corrected for the future. If this is not done, then we may not be properly preparing ourselves for the next level of hashgacha which Hashem has in store for us and we could chas v’shalom end up failing in an area which we are meant to pass.

Perhaps this is the lesson from the moshol in the second part of Rashi. The king’s son was sick and needed help journeying to a distant place where he could get a cure. However, an essential part of the cure is understanding how you got it. The prince has to understand that the king was the one who helped him when he was sick, and B’nei Yisroel have to understand that entering Eretz Yisroel is not an end in and of itself but a means to another end. Without stopping to look back and reflect on what went wrong and what went right in the midbar, they will not be prepared for the next stage after reaching Eretz Yisroel.  

May Hashem help us learn this dual lesson from these two explanations Rashi brings of “eileh ma’aseh B’nei Yisroel”. First that we appreciate Hashem’s intricate role in every single person’s day to day life in a manner so perfect that it is far beyond human or even super computer comprehension. And second, that we don’t just take for granted the “checkpoints” we reach but rather constantly look back at our experiences in order to feel good from our achievements and learn from our mistakes.

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[1]     Granted not every one of the places listed in our parsha were previously dwelled on or even necessarily mentioned, but the Torah could have stuck those in at their appropriate places instead of repeating the entire list.

[2] Bamidbar 33:1

[3] Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lazatto, Derech Hashem, 2:3:1-12

[4] Malbim

[5] Sanhedrin 4:5

Photo Credit: https://findthelesson.wordpress.com/2014/01/01/lesson-49-look-back-to-see-how-far-youve-come/

Parshas Pinchas - Core Credentials

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Pinchas

Core Credentials

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיְדַבֵּר משֶׁה אֶל ה' לֵאמֹר: יִפְקֹד ה' אֱלֹקי הָרוּחֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה: אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יָבֹא לִפְנֵיהֶם וַאֲשֶׁר יוֹצִיאֵם וַאֲשֶׁר יְבִיאֵם וְלֹא תִהְיֶה עֲדַת ה' כַּצֹּאן אֲשֶׁר אֵין לָהֶם רֹעֶה: וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה קַח לְךָ אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר רוּחַ בּוֹ וְסָמַכְתָּ אֶת יָדְךָ עָלָיו: וְהַעֲמַדְתָּ אֹתוֹ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל הָעֵדָה וְצִוִּיתָה אֹתוֹ לְעֵינֵיהֶם: וְנָתַתָּה מֵהוֹדְךָ עָלָיו לְמַעַן יִשְׁמְעוּ כָּל עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל: וְלִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן יַעֲמֹד וְשָׁאַל לוֹ בְּמִשְׁפַּט הָאוּרִים לִפְנֵי ה' עַל פִּיו יֵצְאוּ וְעַל פִּיו יָבֹאוּ הוּא וְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אִתּוֹ וְכָל הָעֵדָה: וַיַּעַשׂ משֶׁה כַּאֲשֶׁר צִוָּה ה' אֹתוֹ וַיִּקַּח אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ וַיַּעֲמִדֵהוּ לִפְנֵי אֶלְעָזָר הַכֹּהֵן וְלִפְנֵי כָּל הָעֵדָה: וַיִּסְמֹךְ אֶת יָדָיו עָלָיו וַיְצַוֵּהוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' בְּיַד משֶׁה

“Moshe spoke to Hashem, saying, 'May Hashem, G-d of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the assembly, who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall take them out and who shall bring them in; and let the assembly of Hashem not be like sheep that have no shepherd.' Hashem said to Moshe, 'Take to yourself Yehoshua son of Nun, a man in whom there is spirit, and lean your hand upon him. You shall stand him before Elazar the kohen and before the entire assembly, and command him before their eyes. You shall place of your splendor upon him, so that the entire assembly of the Children of Israel will pay heed. Before Elazar the kohen shall he stand, and he shall inquire of him of the judgment of the Urim before Hashem; by his word shall they go out and by his word shall they come in, he and all the Children of Israel with him, and the entire assemble.' Moshe did as Hashem had commanded him. He took Yehoshua and stood him before Elazar the kohen and ind before the entire assembly. He leaned his hands upon him and commanded him, as Hashem had spoken through Moshe.”

-Pinchas 27:16-23

            Hashem reminded Moshe that because of his sin with hitting the rock, he would not be allowed to enter Eretz Yisroel. Therefore, a new leader had to be appointed. The new leader would have to be one capable of following in Moshe's footsteps and leading a stubborn B'nei Yisroel out of the midbar (desert) and into their next stage of conquering Eretz Yisroel. If we take the moment to read through the passukim carefully, listening to the conversation between Hashem and Moshe, we will find what the Torah values most when it comes to looking for someone capable of leading the nation of Hashem.

            The Torah[1] relates when Moshe davened (prayed) to Hashem to ask that He appoint a suitable successor, Moshe referred to Hashem as “elokei ha'ruchos” (G-d of the spirits). Rashi[2] explains that by using this expression, he was in fact davening: “Master of the World! The personality of each individual is revealed before You; they do not resemble each other. Appoint a leader who can put up with each individual according to his personality.”

            It is fascinating that if one stands two people alongside each other and analyzes their features part by part, it is often very difficult to figure out which part is so drastically different that the people should have such unique features. Yet, it is a fact that people look different from one another. Chazal tell us based on the Gemara[3] that just as our faces are not the same, neither are our minds. Each person sees things in a different light from a different perspective. Some thoughts may be similar while others will contrast as much as black and white. A proper leader must be able to appreciate each person's unique personality and be able to deal with each individual appropriately. His task is the ultimate challenge of receiving people b'seiver panim yafos;[4] not merely always smiling or always serious, but rather “b'seiver”. A leader must put thought into his countenance depending on each individual, case by case. This is one quality which Moshe stresses as being of utmost importance. Someone placed in an authoritative position leading a group and wanting to help them grow, must be able to be in-tuned to the different dynamics that by definition exists and varies based on each individual, and be able to wisely deal with each one accordingly.

            Moshe continues his tefillah (prayer) saying that the leader should be one who shall go out before them and come in before them. Rashi[5] explains that Moshe was saying the following: “Hashem, may You choose a leader who does not act in the manner of the kings of the other nations who sit in their palaces and send their armies off to war, but rather act as I [Moshe] did, for I did battle against Sichon and Og.”

            From this part of Moshe's tefillah we gather a second equally important attribute a leader must have, namely he must practice what he preaches. It is very easy to lecture and give commands and then sit back and watch as they get done, or disciple when they do not get accomplished. However, such behavior is less than insufficient, it is counter-productive. It gives quite a mixed message when the one preaching does not act as such himself, and it creates, whether consciously or subconsciously, a definite confusion and possibly even a strong dislike or hatred to the one giving the orders. A true leader does not ask of things he does not do himself. If he is asking his subjects  to go to war, he will lead them into the war himself. If he is suggesting ways of living, he will follow them as well. This is true even in a general sense of leading, and so much more when the leader has the responsibility of relating the commands of Hashem.

            Continuing the narrative in the Torah, the next couple of passukim relate what Hashem responded to Moshe. Rashi[6] states that Hashem told Moshe to take Yehoshua with words, meaning, that Moshe should say to him how fortunate and privileged he is to lead the children of Hashem. Yet, it is only one passuk[7] later when Hashem continues to tell Moshe to warn his successor that the job of leading B'nei Yisroel is not an easy one. As Rashi[8] describes, B'nei Yisroel are troublesome and uncooperative.

Along these lines, there is an old joke that a United States President phoned the Israeli Prime Minister and started complaining about how difficult it was being president over a country of people and having to hear the constant complaints and being blamed for everything. The Israeli Prime Minister replied, “Big deal. You only need to be president over a country full of people. I need to be president over a country full of presidents.”

            B'nei Yisroel is a hard nation to lead, and anyone who leads B'nei Yisroel should be reminded of this and that if they are to accept the position, an understanding of this is imperative just as Hashem told Moshe to forewarn Yehoshua appropriately. However, the correct mindset that goes along with it is not a huge sigh, but rather as Rashi puts so beautifully, “You are fortunate, for you are privileged to lead the children of G-d!” A pure-hearted leader of K'lal Yisroel does not get tired out from helping the people and putting up with all the nonsense because in the end of the day there is a drive which surpasses it all, and that is the amazing privilege of being in a position of leading the children of Hashem. This is the mindset necessary to be a good leader of B'nei Yisroel.

             The next passuk[9] continues Hashem's instructions to Moshe regarding appointing a new leader. Hashem tells Moshe to place his splendor upon his successor. Rashi[10] elaborates that Moshe's face was like the sun and Yehoshua's face was like the moon. Besides for the pashut p'shat (simple explanation) fact that Hashem was stating that there will never be a navi (prophet) or leader as great as Moshe rabbeinu, there is perhaps another underlying point being hinted to here. The moon does not give off its own light, but rather just reflects what it is able to get from the sun. Perhaps with this moshol (parable) we could extract yet another vital property of a Jewish leader. It may be true that as generations go on, the light that the moon reflects gets less and less, however the most important aspect is that it is reflecting its light from the sun. No matter the “qualifications” of a leader, the ultimate qualification is the fact he has a rebbe and a mesorah (tradition) going up to Moshe rabbeinu. Someone who self-declares himself as being smart enough to lead is foolish and is missing the most critical qualifier of having a rebbe with a mesorah. One must not be a leader with his own light but rather that which reflects off the sun. This is yet another vital factor in choosing a leader for K'lal Yisroel, which we learn from Hashem's conversation with Moshe.

            The Torah[11] concludes this segment by describing that Moshe did exactly as Hashem commanded him and took Yehoshua and stood him before Elazar Ha'Kohen. Moshe then leaned his hands on Yehoshua – giving him the first semicha in history – and commanded him everything Hashem told him. Rashi[12] points out  that really, Hashem commanded Moshe to lean his hand on Yehoshua, yet the Torah accounts that Moshe leaned his hands on Yehoshua, more than Hashem commanded him, as if to demonstrate that he was generously overfilling Yehoshua to the brim with his wisdom.

            The Kli Yakar[13] asks that according to Rashi's explanation that Moshe in fact did more than he was commanded, how could Moshe have done so? Isn't that an issue of bal tosef – the negative commandment to add to mitzvos? If Hashem gives a commandment with a specific number then we are not allowed to add to that. For example, on Succos we are commanded to bring four species. Not three and not five. So if Hashem commanded Moshe to lean one hand, how could he have leaned both his hands?

            The Kli Yakar offers the following answer which givers further insight into the responsibility of a Jewish leader. The Kli Yakar writes that Moshe was to lean his hand in the same way as we find by karbanos (offerings). In the parsha of karbanos, the Torah also uses the singular form to describe the kohen leaning his hand on the animal, yet in practice it describes Aharon leaning both his hands on the karbon. Moshe replicated the form of the commandment and practice as mentioned by the karbonos at the time of appointing Yehoshua in order to demonstrate that the role of the leader is to bear the burden of the various sins and mistakes of the nation. Just as the karbon must carry the burden of the aveiros (sins), so too a leader of K'lal Yisroel must be willing to be responsible for everyone under his care.

            Perhaps there is even an additional message which could be gleaned from this Rashi and Kli Yakar. A leader must be there purely for the people and not for any selfish purpose whatsoever. If one stops for a moment and thinks about political positions, when a mayor, governor, or president must give up his position after a complete term or by being voted out, one will never find him truly wishing that his successor do as good a job as he. Each president wants to be the one to be remembered and wants to take up the biggest section in the history books. Often to try to achieve this politicians will bad-mouth their successors or sarcastically challenge them to do as good a job. However, those are properties of a bad person and very far from the characteristics of a good leader. A good leader wishes only for the ultimate success of the people. This means that a good leader would do all he could to try to find a successor that is just as good or better than himself so that he could pass on his charge of taking care of the people he loves to a suitable person. Perhaps this is yet another idea being pointed out by the Torah and Rashi, that Moshe was someone who truly loved and cared for the B'nei Yisroel, therefore, as depressing as it was to have to give up his position and prepare to face death, Moshe put both hands on Yehoshua to express that he wanted to give him everything he had with a beracha (blessing) that Yehoshua have the capacity of strength and wisdom to lead K'lal Yisroel like Moshe himself.

           

            The mishna[14] states that there are four types of people who give tzedaka. The first is someone who is willing to give tzedaka (charity) but wishes that no one else does. The mishna refers to such a person as begrudging of others.  Here is a person who looks like he is doing a nice thing by giving tzedaka but it is clearly for only selfish reasons. The proof is in the fact that he does not want others to give. He cares more about being in the spotlight, than the poor people having food to eat. He couldn't care less about the poor people; if he did he would encourage others to give as well. The same thing is true when it comes to a leader. A good leader wants only what is best for his people. If there is someone else helping him lead and doing a good job, he should not be jealous, because as long as the people are benefiting, he should be happy. Someone who tries to undermine the good of others is clearly not a leader but rather a haughty person who wants to steal the spotlight.

            When we speak of leaders, the term is not limited to a king or president of countries or nations. Rather, a leader in K'lal Yisroel includes anyone of influence whether a friend, mentor, camp counselor, rebbe, rav, or community leader. The group could be big, it could be small; it could be a less involved role or a more aggressive one. It could be at work, or in school; with frum people, or ones needing kiruv. No matter the details, the guidelines from this week's parsha apply all the same. A key leader is someone who has a rebbe with a mesorah and understands and cares deeply for every individual in his sphere of influence; and despite the trouble and white hairs that are bound to come, he remains driven with the privilege he has to be involved with the growth and helping of Hashem's children. He is also  more than happy to bear the responsibilities that come with his role without any jealousy of those who are capable of inputting productively.

            May Hashem help us realize our own spheres of influence and guide the leaders of K'lal Yisroel along the mindset of Moshe as he placed his hands on Yehoshua.

           

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[1]     Bamidbar 27:16

[2]     Rashi ibid.

[3]     Berachos 58a

[4]     See Mishna Avos 1:15

[5]     Rashi Bamidbar 27:17

[6]     Rashi Bamidbar 27:18

[7]     Bamidbar 27:19

[8]     Rashi ibid.

[9]     Bamidbar 27:20

[10]    Rashi Bamidbar 27:20

[11]    Bamidbar 27:22-23

[12]    Rashi Bamidbar 27:23

[13]    Bamidbar 27:18

[14]    Avos 5:16

Photo Credit: readingbodylanguagenow.com/readingbodylanguageofleaderspart1/

Parshas Balak - What Do You Hear?

~ Thoughts on the Parsha ~

Parshas Balak

What Do You Hear?

By: Daniel Listhaus

וַיָּבֹא אֱלֹקים אֶל בִּלְעָם וַיֹּאמֶר מִי הָאֲנָשִׁים הָאֵלֶּה עִמָּךְ: וַיֹּאמֶר בִּלְעָם אֶל הָאֱלֹקים בָּלָק בֶּן צִפֹּר מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב שָׁלַח אֵלָי: הִנֵּה הָעָם הַיֹּצֵא מִמִּצְרַיִם וַיְכַס אֶת עֵין הָאָרֶץ עַתָּה לְכָה קָבָה לִּי אֹתוֹ אוּלַי אוּכַל לְהִלָּחֶם בּוֹ וְגֵרַשְׁתִּיו: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקים אֶל בִּלְעָם לֹא תֵלֵךְ עִמָּהֶם לֹא תָאֹר אֶת הָעָם כִּי בָרוּךְ הוּא:

“G-d came to Billam and said, 'Who are these men with you?' Billam said to G-d, 'Balak son of Tzippor, king of Moav sent to me: 'Behold! The people coming out of Egypt has covered the eye of the land. Now go and curse it for me; perhaps I will be able to make war against it and I will drive it away.' G-d said to Billam, 'You shall not go with them! You shall not invoke curse upon the people, for it is blessed! ”

-Balak 22:9-12

            After a series of internal issues and conflicts and the deaths of Miriam and Aharon, the B'nei Yisroel seem to finally regain their prestige and instill a sense of fear into the surrounding nations. After watching the battle during which the great Sichon and Og were defeated by the B'nei Yisroel, Balak realized that in order to destroy them, a different strategy would have to be used. Balak noticed that although some nations do battle with chariots and others with horses, the B'nei Yisroel come to battle with nothing more than the Name of Hashem.^[1] Balak therefore had the idea to counter words with words and hire Billam to curse the B'nei Yisroel.

            As Billam started the journey with the messengers of Balak, the Torah tells us that Hashem approached Billam and asked, “Who are these men with you?” Rashi^[2] comments that when Billam heard Hashem ask him this, he started doubting Hashem's abilities. He said to himself that there are times when not everything is revealed before Hashem and He is therefore not always aware of what is going on. After all, if Hashem had to ask who these people are, it must be because He does not know. Billam therefore convinced himself that he would be able to find a time to curse B'nei Yisroel without Hashem realizing what he was up to.

            The problem with this Rashi is the following. Billam was not an ordinary person. As evil as Billam was, there was a potential in him equal to Moshe rabbeinu's. Rashi^[3] writes that in order to level the playing field and remove any excuses that the goyim would have for not doing teshuva (repentance), Hashem rested His shechina on Billam. With Billam, the goyim of the world had their own Moshe rabbeinu who had the potential to lead and advise them in the right direction through nevuah (prophecy). If so, when Hashem came and asked Billam, “Who are these men with you?” why did Billam suddenly doubt Hashem's knowledge? Billam was very aware of Hashem's power and should have understood that there must have been a different reason for Hashem asking him who the men who were with him were.

            Furthermore, if Billam had listened in history class, perhaps he might have even known the reason for Hashem's unnecessary question. After all, Billam was not the first one ever to have a question asked to him by Hashem of which Hashem obviously knew the answer. Take Adam for example. After eating from the Eitz Hada'as, Adam and Chava achieved a level of knowledge and realized that they were unclothed. As they searched for something to cover themselves in, Hashem called out, “Where are you?”^[4] Rashi^[5] describes that Hashem asked this in order not to scare Adam. Proper middos dictates one to knock before he enters. Therefore, when Hashem was about to enter – so to speak – Gan Eden to speak to Adam when he was not expecting it, the right thing to do was to give a slight warning before hand. This is why Hashem first called out, “Where are you?” before actually approaching Adam. In this case, Adam understood what Hashem was doing and he used the opportunity to do teshuva for eating from the eitz hada'as.^[6]

            A very similar episode takes place later in Bereishis. After Kayin killed his brother, Hevel, Hashem came to Kayin and asked, “Where is Hevel your brother?”^[7] Again, Hashem did this in order to not scare Kayin as well as to give him a moment to think about his actions and do teshuva. However, Kayin had very different reaction than his father, Adam. Instead of doing an immediate teshuva, he first tried to play along. Kayin responded, “I do not know. Am I my brother's keeper?”^[8] Only after when Hashem said to Kayin, “What have you done? The sound of your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!”^[9] did Kayin finally respond, “Is in my iniquity too great to bear...” As Rashi^[10] writes, Kayin tried to be goneiv daas elyon – be like one who steals the Supreme Knowledge as if he could fool Hashem. He was easily swayed to try to not have to face the situation he had gotten himself into. Unlike Adam who did immediate teshuva, Kayin first tried to get away with killing Hevel. However, ultimately Kayin also did teshuva and accepted the fact that Hashem knows every detail of what is going on in the world.^[11]

            Billam on the other hand seems to have had the worst reaction of all three of them. Once he heard Hashem asking him a question, he immediately adopted as a fact that Hashem has moments when He is not completely aware of what is going on. This belief stayed with Billam even after  Hashem explicitly warned him not to carry out his charge from Balak.

            Why was Billam so stubborn? He did not take the opportunity of Hashem taking His time to approach as a moment to do teshuva, as Adam did. He did not even correct himself after trying to take advantage of the situation, as was the case with Kayin. Instead, Billam totally blew it. In his mind he confirmed that Hashem is not all-knowing and that he could capitalize on this. What was different about Billam that made him think differently from Adam and Kayin?

            People hear what they want to hear.   The Orchos Tzadikkim^[12] writes that listening and a person's ratzon (will) are closely related. Depending on what a person's ratzon is will change what he listens to and how he interprets what he hears. Adam was a tzaddik and therefore understood the purpose behind Hashem asking him where he was. Kayin was a beinoni who had just done the despicable act of killing his brother. He therefore tried to “play along” and see how long he could get away with it for. Billam, however, was a rasha. Therefore, his ears were programmed to constantly be searching for things against Hashem. When he heard Hashem asking him a trivial question, he did not have the open-mindedness to understand the situation.^[13] Instead, he heard Hashem depending on him for an answer, and automatically understood it to mean that Hashem is not all-powerful. With this confirmed belief, he then set out to carry out his intended agenda to destroy the Jewish people.

            Billam had the potential to be a Moshe rabbeinu, however, he ended up as the polar opposite. Moshe had one mission in mind: to carry out the word of Hashem and serve simultaneously as a servant of Hashem and appointed leader of the B'nei Yisroel. Therefore, everything Moshe did was with that focus in mind. Everything Moshe saw was with an emes lens, displaying how everything could be used to achieve high levels of kedusha and become closer to Hashem. Billam, though, had a quite different outlook on life and therefore perceived everything with a lens of sheker. Everything he saw, did, and even heard was used to come up with excuses and reasons to go against Hashem and fight B'nei Yisroel.

            May Hashem help us define our ratzon in the correct way so that we could gain from the messages around us, and not be guided to view and hear everything in a sheker way as Billam's ratzon did.

           

           

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[1]    See Tehillim 20:8 as well as Rashi Bamidbar 22:4

[2]    Bamidbar 22:9

[3]    Bamidbar 22:5

[4]    Bereishis 3:9

[5]    Ibid. See also Meseches Derech Eretz 5

[6]    See Sifsei Chochimim Bereishis 4:9 who quotes the Maharashal

[7]    Bereishis 4:9

[8]    Ibid.

[9]    Bereishis 4:10

[10]  Ibid.

[11]  See S'forno and Ramban on Bereishis 4:13

[12]  Sha'ar HaRatzon

[13]  See also Maharshal Gur Aryeh  22:9