Parsha Paragraphs
Rabbi Naftali Moshe Kassorla
Beha’alotcha 5779
To Stand Alone
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This week’s parsha features the official commandment to distinguish the Levi’im for their special, appointed task: קח את הלוים מתוך בני ישראל – Take the Levi’im from among the Children of Israel…(Bamidbar 8:5). Their job would be serve as guardians and caretakers of the Mishkan.
The Midrash Tanchuma (8) makes a fascinating statement: As a general rule, Hashem does not raise anyone to a position of authority (שררה) until He has “tested” them, and once they have passed and proved their mettle, Hashem appoints them to their position.
The Midrash then cites the Tribe of Levi as a prime example of this rule. They proved their fealty when they did not abandon the Torah in Egypt. For when the Jews were enslaved and subjugated to intense labor, the Nation scorned Torah and ברית מילה, and worshipped idols. In contrast, the Levi’im were wholly righteous and kept the Torah. The Midrash continues: ולא עוד – But not just that – but when the rest of Klal Yisrael sinned with the Golden Calf, the Levi’im did not join in with them.
This Midrash has bothered me for several years and I would like to share my thoughts on it.
First, I find the praise of the Levi’im for not abandoning Torah and Mitzvot in Egypt to be a bit perplexing. We already know from other places (Rashi, Shemot 5:4, Midrash Rabbah 5:17) that the Levi’im were not subject to the back-breaking slavery in Egypt. It stands to reason that the rest of the Nation, who were enslaved, would have been confronted with the almost insurmountable challenge of remaining strong in their Torah observance while being subjugated to intense labor.
But the Levi’im, who didn’t have the עול שיעבוד (the yoke of slavery) upon them, what “test” did they face? Their time was not fully occupied and they would have had the wherewithal to be able to keep the Torah, without any pressure. What is this heavy praise being heaped upon them, and why their observance a “proof” of their worthiness to take on positions of authority?
Second, if I were to think of the natural proof of Shevet Levi’s faith, it would be their refusal to join in with the עגל הזהב – The Golden Calf. This was the moment which set forth for all generations that Shevet Levi is set aside as a special class, for they stood strong and answered Moshe’s call of מי לה׳ אלי. Wouldn’t that episode be more demonstrative of Levi’s excellence? Yet fascinatingly, the Midrash seems to reference this amazing feat almost as secondary, a mere addition to the first episode. Seemingly, the specific episode of the Levi’s courage to not join with the rest of the people in serving the Egel should have been given as the first, prime example of strength!
I would like to suggest that in referencing the loyalty of Shevet Levi in Egypt, the Midrash is telling us something very particular about their nature and giving us a window into the true sign of its strength.
What do we see from the fact that Levi did not abandon the mitzvot in Egypt? For weren’t they already separate and different, in that they were not enslaved? But this is precisely the point. They did not succumb to the innate human desire to conform. While everyone else had lost their sense of self, Shevet Levi did not fall into the trap of moral license, justifying joining in with “the crowd.” When the public behaves a certain way, it is very easy and comfortable to conform to the people around you. Instead they retained the essence of their character, and refused to join in with the majority.
The mere thought of standing alone and being at odds with the rest of society is difficult. Nobody likes to be disjointed from the larger group, as the human mind has a tendency to gravitate towards “groupthink” and conformity. When we are part of a larger group, it gives us the calming feeling of self-assurance and the perception that our lives fit into place. In contrast, the pressures of being separated from the majority has been shown to push people into a dark, deep existential angst which can lead to self-destruction. Thus, for someone to stand apart, they are subjecting themselves to an arduous array of emotional repercussions. But if they emerge whole from this process – this spiritual journey – they emerge as a new being. One that is untouchable by the winds of degeneracy and the manic whims of the majority.
With this in mind, we can now understand our second question. We asked, why does the Midrash seem to almost gloss over the fact that Shevet Levi did not join in with the עגל הזהב, which seemed to be a much stronger proof of their strength?
I believe the answer is that their later refusal to join in serving the Egel was built off of the strong base of their long refusal to succumb to conformity. Throughout 210 years of slavery, this Shevet trained themselves to withstand immense pressure and the intense fear of standing alone. This, then, gave them the basis to answer Moshe’s call of מי לה׳ אלי.
This was Levi: the tribe that would be set aside to be the teachers of the Jewish people, as the verse says: יורו משפטיך ליעקב ותורתך לישראל – They [Shevet Levi] shall teach Your laws to Jacob, and Your instructions to Israel (Devarim 33:10). For though it was Hashem Who set the Levi’im aside, the Levi’im already showed in Egypt that they were capable of doing it themselves!
Standing alone, as daunting as it may be, is a true display of spiritual strength, and is a clear measure of the readiness for leadership. To be a teacher, a leader, a person of authority, one cannot be subject to the whims and persuasions of public opinion. One must be strong in his ideals and steadfast in his decisions. And just as Levi proved themselves worthy, so too we should be given the strength to stand up and show our true mettle in trying times.
Shabbat Shalom
