Parashat Chukat

Parashat Chukat

In this week's Parsha, when Miriam dies, the well of water which accompanied the Children of Israel in the wilderness in her merit ceases to do so, leaving Klal Yisrael complaining of thirst. In response to this, Hashem commands Moshe and Aharon: "Take the staff and gather together the Assembly, you and Aharon your brother. And you shall speak to the rock before their eyes, and it shall give its waters." [Bamidbar 20:7-8]. Then, "Moshe raised his arm and struck the rock with his staff twice." [ibid 20:11]. 

Hashem is angered that Moshe hits the rock instead of following His specific instruction to speak to the rock. "Hashem said to Moshe and Aharon: Because you did not believe in me to sanctify me in the eyes of the Children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation to the land which I have given them." [ibid 20:12]. Here, Rashi explains that Hashem is saying, "Had you spoken to the rock, and it would have brought forth water, I would have been sanctified before the eyes of the Assembly, and they would have said 'Just as this rock, which neither speaks nor hears and does not need sustenance nevertheless fulfills the will of Hashem, how much more so should we fulfill His word.'" [Rashi, ibid]. 

At first glance, this seems difficult to understand. When Moshe hits the rock, it still brings forth water. Given that the Children of Israel do not know that Hashem commanded Moshe to speak to the rock, surely, whether Moshe hits the rock or speaks to it, they see the rock produce water and deduce that if a rock obeys Hashem, how much more so should humans obey Him. What is the special significance of speaking to the rock? Why can't the same message come across though hitting it?

Last week, in Parshat Korach, Korach and his followers were unwilling to accept that the Shechinah spoke through Moshe, and that Moshe's instructions to the Children of Israel were really Hashem's instructions. In our parsha, Klal Yisrael may learn from Moshe's action of hitting the rock that they are obligated to listen to Hashem but they would not deduce from this that Moshe was the transmitter of the divine word in this world.  Perhaps Hashem wanted Moshe to speak to the rock so that Klal Yisrael would understand that they are obligated to serve Hashem, from an act that resulted from Moshe's speech, thus correcting the mistake of Korach and his followers and reasserting Moshe's position as the emissary of Hashem. 

This can serve to remind us of the importance of having faith not only in the words of Hashem, but also in those of Moshe and our sages. Pirkei Avot begins with a statement of the authority of Moshe – "Moshe kibel Torah m'sinai" and passed it on, all the way down to the rabbis of later generations, entrusting them with that authority as well. In a world where we are rapidly losing respect for the instruction of the rabbis of long ago, as well as for our leaders today, it is vital for us to internalize this lesson. 

May we all strive to heed the advice of our wise leaders and we should then merit seeing the coming of Moshiach when we will hear Hashem's word directly once again.

Shabbat Shalom

--
Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Korach

Parshat Korach

           This week’s parsha features the rebellion of Korach and his followers against Moshe. Korach’s main point of contention was Moshe’s appointment of Elizafan Ben Uziel as a Prince, even though, in terms of age, Korach was next in line. Korach, perceiving this to be a fabrication of the will of HaShem, gathered together two-hundred and fifty heads of the assembly to challenge Moshe’s leadership.
           The Medrash Tanchuma asks a deeply penetrating question regarding the motives of Korach. “Korach was a clever man; what did he see that brought him to such foolishness? His eyes misled him, for he saw a great chain of descendants emerging from him: Shmuel Hanavi, who was as important as Moshe and Aharon, as it says in Tehillim (99:6) ‘Moshe and Aharon were among his priests and Shmuel was among those who invoke his name.’” Korach saw from the fact that Shmuel the Prophet is mentioned in the same sentence as Moshe and Aharon, that Shmuel is just as important as them.
           Korach’s line of reasoning is very difficult to understand. He feels that he is justified in replacing Moshe and Aharon as leader because he saw that one of his descendants will a very important person. How does his offspring prove that he is fitting to be a leader? If Shmuel himself was leading this rebellion, then the argument would make sense: Shmuel is just as important as Moshe and Aharon, so perhaps he could be fitting to lead in their place. But what does Shmuel’s greatness say about Korach’s own worthiness? Furthermore, this thought process only proves the very opposite Korach’s entire goal. Inherent in his line of reasoning is the assumption that Moshe and Aharon are men of spiritual greatness. Korach deduces that since Shmuel is just as important as them, Korach himself deserves to lead. But yet, he claims that Moshe and Aharon are unfitting, and that they are fabricating the will of HaShem.  How can they be great enough to prove his own greatness, yet not great enough to be the rightful leaders? How can Korach make such an illogical argument?
           From here we can learn a tremendous lesson what personal biases can do to a straight-thinking person. When one has a bias – a negiah – even a minutely subconscious one, he can skew reality with an absolutely newfangled interpretation, just in order for it to fit into his desired goal. Korachs main thrust to overtake Moshe and Aharon was his desire for honor. This negiah led him so far astray: he came to the ridiculous conclusion that he was fitting to be a leader, even though the progeny that would have actually been fitting for the job would not be born for generations.  Additionally, it caused him to mount a rebellion against leaders which he himself inherently believed were great and holy men!
We see further proof to this idea in the very words of the Medrash. It says, “His eyes mistook him for he saw a great chain of descendant’s emerging from him.” Why does the Medrash use the “eyes” to connote his mistake? Why not say simply “he made a mistake”?
The pasuk in Kriat Shemas says “You shall not stray after your heart and after your eyes.” Here, HaShem warns us not to desire that which we see with our eyes. From this we learn that the “eyes” imply desire. Perhaps according this explanation, the Medrash is telling us that Korach’s personal desire for kavod is what led him to skew and misinterpret reality.
        May we merit the strength to realize and overcome our biases, and may we be able to see reality in a pure form that will allow us to fulfill the true will of HaShem.

Shabbat Shalom

Parshat Bamidbar

                                                                                                                                      Parshat Bamidbar

 

      With this week's Parsha we begin a new book in the Torah - Sefer Bamidbar.  The central focus of this book is the laws and history of Mishkan (the Tabernacle) as the Jews travel through the desert.  The Ramban points out that there are many interesting parallels between the description of the Mishkan and that of the revelation at Har Sinai. From this comparison we learn that the Mishkan, the Beit Hamikdash, and later the community synagogue were meant to serve as a reminder of the amazing experience the Jews had at Har Sinai.  When the Torah was given, the Shechina (divine presence) came down and temporarily rested among the nation.  In the Mishkan (as well as the Beit Hamikdash and the shul) the Shechinah rests permanently, and we have the opportunity to re-enter the experience we had at the giving of the Torah on a daily basis. 

            Perhaps we can take the Ramban's concept a little further. The beginning of the Parsha deals with the counting of the nation, yet HaShems specifically commands Moshe "but you shall not count the tribe of Levi, and you shall not take a census of them among the children of Israel."  At first glance this is very interesting – why does HaShem give the command not to count Levi? Are they not part of the nation as well? Rashi explains that it was because the tribe of Levi chose not to sin with the golden calf at Har Sinai, and therefore they are not to be counted with the rest of the nation, but rather as a separate entity. We see from here that since the Levites did not sin with the golden calf, they are considered to be of a higher standing.

            Immediately after this commandment, HaShem directs Moshe to entrust the tribe of Levi with the assembling, disassembling and transporting of the Mishkan. One might ask why it was that the tribe of Levi was specifically chosen. In what were they meritorious, and what connection does it have with the Mishkan?

            However, according to the aforementioned Ramban and Rashi, the connection between the Levites and the work in the Mishkan is clear. As we know, the nation reached incredible heights at the revelation by Har Sinai. To have HaShem's divine presence revealed was the most seminal moment of holiness in this world and its power echoes through the generations to this very day. According to our tradition, the nation reached the same level as Adam Harishon before the sin of the tree of knowledge, almost meriting the coming of Mashiach. Yet these hopes were dashed when the nation sinned with the golden calf, thus causing the nation to tumble from their lofty level. However one tribe remained steadfast in their devotion to Hashem; this was the tribe of Levi. This tribe, in withstanding from sinning, retained that holiness which was reached at the revelation.

            Perhaps this is the reason that Levi was chosen. Since they were the only ones who did not sin at Har Sinai and therefore the only ones did not fall from their high level, it stands to reason that only they could do the service in the Mishkan, this "mini-Har Sinai."  Levi would serve as the constant bearers and reminders of that divine revelation that was witnessed by all of Klal Yisrael at Har Sinai.

 We see that in choosing Levi, Hashem is once again highlighting the connection between Har Sinai and the Mishkan, the Beit Hamikdash, and the Shul.  We may often take for granted the level of holiness that we can achieve by entering our local shuls, and the proper respect with which they are to be treated.

With Shavuot falling out this Motzei Shabbat, it is quite appropriate that this should be our lesson carrying us in. For while we did not consciously experience the giving of the Torah personally, we have the incredible opportunity to return back to the level that was reached there, every time we enter a shul to daven or learn.  If we truly take this idea to heart and behave in shul as though we are visiting the shechinah, we too can be on the level of the Levites and merit to see the return of the Beit Hamikdash where we can once again do the divine service, speedily in our days.

Shabbat Shalom V'Chag Sameach 

-- 

Naftali Kassorla

Shavous Wedding Invitation

Parshat Achrei Mot- Kedoshim

Achrei Mot-Kedoshim

           

            

In this week's Parsha HaShem tells us "You Shall Be Holy". In explaining this pasuk, Rashi says this refers to separation from arayot (forbidden relationships), that wherever we find holiness we find a separation from arayot. The Ramban disagrees with Rashi's interpretation; rather, he says the pasuk refers to separation from even that which is permissible to someone. According to the Ramban, HaShem is teaching us to conduct ourselves in moderation. For example, while forbidding pork and other non-kosher animals, HaShem permits animals which have the kosher signs, through slaughter. However, one who eats even permissible food past his physical satisfaction is a "נבל ברשות התורה", Naval birshut haTorah, one who behaves disgracefully without actually violating a specific torah prohibition.

           With the Ramban's interpretation, we can gain a deeper understanding of HaShem's message with this mitzvah. The pasuk says "Speak to the entire congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them, 'You shall be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy.'" We see here that HaShem gives a reason for this aveirah, but He does not give this reason for other aveirot. Later in the parsha, for example, the Torah could have said "Don't steal for I the Lord, your God, am holy" but no such explanation is given. What is the significance here?

            Perhaps one could explain as follows: The human mind and power of reason alone are only great enough to understand the idea of separation from something when it is clearly forbidden and harmful to oneself. However, if something is permitted, separation from it does not make any sense to us. If we are allowed to have something, then it should follow that it is good for us all of the time. Thus, we need to be told of its potential danger by HaShem. Only HaShem, the One who defines holiness, understands the dangers of an action to the spirit, and He tells us that sometimes we must separate from even that which is permitted in order to attain spiritual heights. According to this, the pasuk can be read as follows: Be holy! Because I am holy and I know what holiness is!

            However, inasmuch as HaShem tells us that He is the progenitor of holiness, he commands us here to actually be holy ourselves. Now that we have been given this principle – that even positive things must be taken in moderation – we are commanded to use our intellect to decide when something is not good for us. Within the confines of Torah and halacha we need to THINK for ourselves. "Be Holy" says HaShem – "Be like Me by using your mind to figure out what will make you a holier person."

            With this combination of subservience to the wisdom of HaShem and the use of our own limited wisdom, may we merit to achieve sanctity in our lives.

 

Shabbat Shalom

 

--
Naftali Kassorla

Happy Purim from the Kassorlas!

To all of our Family and Friends,

 

Please see the attached Purim card, and "virtual mishloach manos."

 

Wishing you all a very happy Purim,

Naftali and Mindel Kassorla

Parshat Tetzaveh

Parshat Tetzaveh 

            The Parsha begins with the making of the Bigdei Kehuna, the Priestly Vestments. The Torah goes to great lengths to explain in detail the processing of each garment so we should know this for all future generations; no change in them is allowed. We also find in many Parshiot in the Torah where most, if not all the laws are only applicable to Kohanim. However, one could ask: why did HaShem include these laws in Torah which is for all of Klal Yisrael? Obviously the majority of Klal Yisrael are not Kohanim, and thus, these laws do not apply to us. Therefore, why didn't HaShem set aside these laws specifically for the Kohanim and give them a special commandment to study them? Why is it that those of us who are not Kohanim have no less of a commandment to study these parshiot than do the Kohanim?

            In order to explain, we must look at the Gemara in Nedarim (35b) where we find an interesting discussion. The Gemara has a difficulty: If a man makes a neder (oath) that he will not derive benefit from a specific Kohen, can that same Kohen be the agent to bring this man's Korbanot (sacrifices) for him on the altar, or is bringing the sacrifice considered a benefit to the man who made the oath? To resolve this issue, the Gemara asks an intriguing question: what is a Kohen? A Shluchay Didan - our emissary who brings the Korban, or a Shluchay D'shmayah, an emissary of Heaven. If he is our emissary than it is considered as if the Kohen is benefiting the one who made the oath. However, if he is Heaven's emissary, then the act of bring the Korban is not considered as being done specifically for the person, rather it is for HaShem, and not a violation of the oath, because he is not deriving benefit. The resolution is that a Kohen is an emissary of Heaven. This is fascinating because it goes straight to the essence of what defines a Kohen. He is the representation of HaShem in this world; a Kohen is commanded to remain holy and pure his entire life, to abstain from impurity and to devote his life to service in the Beit Hamikdash. This is the purpose of the Kohen – to be an emissary of the HaShem for the Jewish people as the epitome of holiness.

So why then does HaShem include their laws for the rest of Klal Yisrael?

Kohanim are a separate sect within Klal Yisrael, and we may tend to think of them as an elite group to which we cannot possibly relate. But this is not the case; this is not how Judaism views its hierarchy. Just as we, Klal Yisrael, are meant to set an example for the world to emulate, so too, the Kohanim, as an elite group, are there for us to emulate their holiness. Contained within every one of their laws is the concept of what it means to be holy, to devote our lives to HaShem and refrain from doing things that distance us from HaShem. Though these laws may not apply to us in action, the ideas which they permeate do apply. The ideas that Hashem conveys to them and the standards to which they are held can teach us about holiness and proper growth on our own level. From these parshiot, we can learn how a Jew acts, that as Jews we should be more keenly aware of things which are hazardous to our spiritual health and pull us away from our Creator. Today, when we cannot see the laws performed in order to learn these valuable lessons, we can at least study their details and allow them to affect our lives.

May we merit seeing the building of the Beit Hamikdash, the physical manifestation of true holiness in the world, very soon.

Shabbat Shalom

 

--
Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Mishpatim - The Sum of It's Parts

Last week, in Parshat Yitro, we read the riveting account of Matan Torah – the highlight of spirituality in the history of the Jewish people. We heard lightening, saw thunder and experienced many amazing miracles. We received the Torah directly from HaShem and every single Jew heard Hashem speak - something that is completely beyond our understanding. It is truly an amazing story.

Immediately after this climax, we move into Mishpatim, a detailed list of the intricate laws of Judaism. This parsha is filled with the various topics such as an ox goring a cow, and an open pit in the public thoroughfare. This begs the question: why do we make such a drastic shift? It almost seems like a let-down, that after such a spiritual high, we go into the mundane aspects of the religion. What happened to all the thrill? The excitement? What is the Torah trying to tell us by juxtaposing these laws to the events at Har Sinai?

Perhaps, through answering this question we can understand what a relationship with HaShem is truly made of.

The placement of Parshat Mishpatim right after to Parshat Yitro is showing us that a relationship with HaShem is built through the minutiae; our connection to Him is actually characterized by these seemingly mundane laws. We learn from this Parsha that through keeping the laws in all of their details and intricacies, we are building a relationship with Him. As with in any relationship, it is not the exciting, fantastic moments that build the connection, but rather it is the small things that really make a difference: a hello, a thank-you note, a passing favor. These things show that one really cares about the other, down to the last detail. And it is all the details combined together that make a strong bond.

A perfect mashal for this idea is a tower: a tower seen from very far, looks as if it is made of one piece, yet when we come closer, we can see it's built up of many small parts; so too our relationship with HaShem is built up from these pieces of daily life. Through this weeks parsha, HaShem is trying to show us that the way to reach Him, and to re-connect with him the same way we experienced at Har Sinai, is through the keeping of these laws, of adding more and more pieces to our personal tower to heaven.

According to this, we can truly understand why it is important to keep mitzvot down to their fine points. Sometimes one may wonder about the importance or relevance of the detailed halachot that we keep each day. Why do these things matter? But we see from here that our relationship with HaShem is built through the details. These halachot show that we are not just here to live a thrilling existence, but we are committed to a true bond with Hashem.  May we all have the wisdom and the strength to live up to this and show Hashem that we want a relationship with Him, and may we merit to see Him reciprocate that connection.

Shabbat Shalom

--
Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Yitro

Parshat Yitro

 

In this week's parsha, Klal Yisrael is officially established as a fearsome force among the nations. After decimating Egypt and defeating Amalek, they begin their long 40 year journey in the Desert. The Torah tells us of Yitro, the father in law of Moshe: "And Yitro, priest of Midian, Moshe's father-in-law, heard about all that HaShem had done for Moshe and for His people Yisrael, when HaShem brought Yisrael out of Egypt…Yitro, the father-in-law of Moses, came to Moses with his sons and wife, to the Wilderness where he was encamped, by the Mountain of G-d." Strangely, the Torah needs to tell us that the Jews were encamped in the wilderness; don't we know this already? Rashi, of course, notes this and brings the Mechilta which explains: "We already know of our own account that they were in the desert! Rather in the praise of Yitro does Scripture speak: for he was living amidst worldwide honor and yet his heart inspired him to go out into the desert, a desolate place, for the purpose of hearing words of Torah."

  Yitro, as Rashi explains, was overcome with so much emotion from all the miracles that HaShem preformed for Klal Yisrael and although he was one of the most respected members of the world, he left his life of luxury to go to a place of desolation, a "Makom tohu." The word "tohu" in Bereishit is used to explain what the world was like before creation: "unformed and desolate." From here we see the extent to which the word tohu can connote literally nothing, and still Yitro was drawn to the desert to hear words of Torah. This was the power of his emotion, which allowed him to look past the impediments of the desert. It drove him out of a life of security and comfort to join the Jewish people in the wilderness, a place fraught with danger and discomfort. It caused him to change his whole life from top to bottom and become a Jew.

However, later on in the parsha we are struck with a tremendous difficulty. When Yitro reaches the encampment of Klal Yisrael, Moshe comes to greet him. Moshe begins to tell him of all the miracles that HaShem preformed for Klal Yisrael and Rashi again brings the Mechilta to explain why Moshe felt it important to tell all of this to Yitro: "In order to draw his heart to bring him closer to the Torah."

  Why must Moshe draw him closer to Torah? We just explained that Yitro gave up everything he had and came to the Midbar to hear words of Torah. What is Moshe trying to accomplish here? 

Perhaps the answer lies in the words of Rashi himself. Rashi describes this emotion which overcame Yitro as "U'ndavo Libo -- Inspiration of the heart". As we saw earlier, this inspiration was so powerful that it caused Yitro change his entire life. However, like all emotions it can dissipate over time, and once that emotion was lost, Yitro may desire to return to his old way of life.

Moshe understood this, and he wanted to draw Yitro's heart to the Torah, to teach him the importance of capturing his feelings of inspiration and concretizing them. Yitro was coming from a lifestyle of Avodah Zarah. According to the Midrash he had tried out every other religion; he moved from one thing to the next, never finding lasting satisfaction. He may have been accustomed to the idea of "instant inspiration and gratification," but these feelings are not real. Judaism is not a "feel-good" religion and it does not claim to offer ecstasy and constant excitement. Rather, it is a perfect blend of dedication of mind and heart. A commitment to Torah must be constant, even when we lose our original inspiration. Perhaps this is the explanation of the Mechilta, "In order to draw his heart to bring him closer to the Torah." Not just the heart, but the person himself, so at that time when the feelings of the heart leave, the true person, with his commitment to Torah, will remain. By bringing Yitro closer, Moshe was ensuring that he would continue his upward progress and dedication to HaShem's Torah.

According to this explanation, we can now understand another difficultly: After Moshe retells of all the miracles in Egypt, the Medrash says that Yitro responded: "I was aware of Him in the past but, now, all the more so." The question is: why now? Didn't Yitro come out to the wilderness with the recognition of HaShem already in mind?

We can answer this in light of what we have said. While it is true that Yitro already came to the desert with belief in HaShem, his belief was rooted in a fleeting emotion. Although this inspired him to change his life, nevertheless it was still an emotion. Now that Yitro has firmly established his belief, he can say that he is "more aware of HaShem."

 We see from Yitro the importance of taking our moments of inspiration and making them into a concrete reality in our lives. Belief may start out as a feeling, but unless one builds upon it to come to a more concrete and consistent plateau, it will not carry him through life. Only once he does this essential work can he proclaim a deep and real belief in HaShem and his Torah.

Shabbat Shalom

 

--
Naftali Kassorla

Parshat Beshalach

Parshat Beshalach

 

In this weeks parsha Pharaoh finally gives in to the demands of Moshe, thus ushering in the long awaited redemption of Klal Yisrael from Egypt. However, Pharaoh's heart hardens and he decides to chase after Klal Yisrael to bring them back to Egypt.

The passuk says: "Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold! Egypt was advancing after them." The passuk curiously uses the word "Nosea" (meaning "to chase") in the singular form, in reference to the entire nation of Egypt, which one would expect to be in the plural. 

In noting this oddity, Rashi brings the Medrash Tanchuma, which explains that Egypt chased after Klal Yisrael "B'lev Echad K'ish Echad-One Heart as One Man" to denote their unity.

Why does the Medrash use this phrase? We recognize that this is a complete reversal of the Medrash in Parshat Yitro, which explains the unity Klal Yisrael had at the receiving of the Torah at Har Sinai: "And when they departed from Rephidim, and came to the wilderness of Sinai…and there Israel encamped before the mount". Here again, the Torah uses "Vayachanu"- to encamp, in the singular as opposed to the plural, even though it is describing the entire nation. Rashi notes this here as well, and brings the Medrash which explains that their unity was like "One Man with One Heart." What is the Medrash trying to tell us with this reversal?

Perhaps from this we can learn a tremendous lesson about the concept of unity and how one should conduct himself in a disagreement.

The heart is a euphemism for the thoughts and feelings of a person, as it says "Rabot Machshavot Blev Ish - Many thoughts are in the heart of man." In saying that the Egyptians were like "one heart as one man," placing heart before man, the Medrash is telling us that Egypt's view of unity was that it could only exist when there was, foremost, an agreement of thoughts and opinions. The prerequisite to banding together as one man was having a common agenda. The Egyptians grouped together only to bring back the Jews to slavery, to achieve a unified goal. To an Egyptian, the idea of unity for the sake of unity was a foreign concept.

However by the Jews, it is the reverse. The word man is first and heart is second. The man, the person, comes before his heart, his thoughts and opinions. Our unity stresses the recognition of the inherent worth of man as a precondition to unity. The realization that one's counterpart is made in the image of HaShem and that he is a fellow Jew, demands respect and breeds love. This type of unity leads to progress and fulfillment, and it is only after this recognition that people can come to meaningfully disagree. I once read in a book about an exchange between an Orthodox rabbi and a prominent Reform rabbi. The Reform rabbi made the claim that the Orthodox hate Reform Jews. When asked why he thought so, he replied, "Because they reject our version of Judaism." Clearly, he has an Egyptian mentality; to him, unity is an agreement of opinions, not of genuine love and care for another. He believes that if we, the Orthodox, were to throw away our direct tradition from Sinai, it would constitute a true a sign of brotherhood.  But, as long as we have different world views, we cannot possibly love one another and feel unified.

The lesson the Medrash is teaching us is that unity is not a relinquishing of strongly held principles. Rather, it stems from a deep love and respect for the other, while at the same time allowing for differences of opinion. Disagreement is possible while still retaining the unbreakable bond of unity. May we and the rest of Klal Yisrael grow stronger in our unity together and merit the arrival of Moshiach speedily in our days, amen.

Shabbat Shalom.

 

-Naftali Kassorla