Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Bamidbar Volume VI/Number 34 (268) 5 Sivan 5752/June 6, 1992 "Bayamim Hahem, Bazaman Hazeh" 5 Sivan On this day, early in the world's history, Kayin killed his brother Hevel (Seder Hadorot). Even before Kayin committed that crime, Hashem warned him of the dangerous lure of the evil inclination, saying (B'reishit 4:7), "If you will not change for the better, sin ('Chatat') will crouch in the doorway, and you will be drawn to it." "Chatat" is a relatively light type of sin, but the Pasuk warns that one can nevertheless become enslaved by it. This in fact happened to Kayin, whose jealousy - at first glance a "mere" character fault - led him to murder his own brother. There are several instances where the Torah punishes a seemingly lighter sin more strictly than a worse transgression. This is because the evil inclination uses these "light" sins to lure us into worse acts. Thus a person who "merely" curses his parents is punished more harshly than one who strikes them. Most people need no deterrent to discourage them from hitting their parents, but one could conceivably be more careless with what comes out of his mouth. This same idea explains Moshe's destruction of the "Luchot" which he brought down from Har Sinai after studying the Torah for 40 days and nights. Although the Midrash states that only the "Erev Rav" (non-Jews who attached themselves to Bnei Yisrael) worshipped the Golden Calf, Moshe considered all of Bnei Yisrael to be apostates. Even though Bnei Yisrael did not directly sin, they did not rebuke those who did, and they even flattered the sinners. Flattery is an example of an apparently light sin whose disastrous results can change the course of history, as the incident of the Golden Calf did. (R' Simcha Zissel Ziv, writing to his son; Ohr Rashaz, B'reishit section 46) ************************************ Parasha Overview Ramban writes: After the Book of Vayikra has taught us what to do in the Mishkan (i.e. the laws of the sacrifices), Bamidbar begins with the organization of the camps around the Mishkan. This, says Ramban, is reminiscent of the way Bnei Yisrael encircled Har Sinai at the time of "Matan Torah" (the giving of the Torah). The parallelism noted by Ramban is not coincidental; the Shulchan Aruch states that Bamidbar is always the Parasha which precedes Shavuot. (There are, however, two exceptions to this rule, one of which applies this year in Israel.) The Midrash finds a related connection, noting that the arrangement of the camps around the Mishkan was based on the groupings of angels which Bnei Yisrael "saw"" at Har Sinai. It is also interesting to note that Parashat Bamidbar is one of few Parashot (outside of Sefer B'reishit) which teaches no new Mitzvot. Furthermore, observes Ramban, the vast majority of the commandments in Sefer Bamidbar are of a temporary nature, applying only to the sojourn in the desert or to the first generation thereafter. Similarly, in the absence of the Bet Hamikdash, there are no unique Mitzvot for Shavuot. (in fact, the Mishnah [Mo'ed Katan 19a] entertains a view that in certain respects, Shavuot no longer has the status of the other Torah-ordained holidays, though the Halacha does not follow this view.] ************************************ Pirkei Avot The Torah is acquired through 48 means... 10) through serving Torah scholars. (ch.6) R' Shimon Shkop would explain a certain story in the Gemara based on this Midrash. The Gemara relates that R' Chisda asked a Halachic question of [R'] Rami bar Chama, and the latter said, "I will answer you when you serve me." R' Shimon explained that Rami bar Chama knew that R' Chisda would not understand the deep matter which was about to be explained unless he completely subjugated himself to his teacher. Many (most?) Torah students do not appreciate the greatness of the authorities and commentaries which they study, and this leads to a failure in understanding the subject under study; if a difficulty arises, the student attributes it to the author's error and not to his own weakness. In fact, the student should be trying harder to understand the material. This is what Rami bar Chama sought to prevent. (Mimayanot Hanetzach, p.332) In a related vein, R' Aharon Kotler is reported to have commented: The Mishnah says that there are 48 ways to acquire Torah, and there are three ways to get married. No [G-d fearing] person would attempt to marry in other than these three ways, but when it comes to acquiring Torah, people are quick to supplement or even replace the 48 ways described in the Mishnah. (ibid p.395) ************************************ "And these are the names of the sons of Aharon..." (3:2, and again 3:3) Why is this repeated? R' Yehonatan Eyebschutz notes that it is the custom of many non-Jewish religious and political leaders to adopt new names upon their elevation to a new post. However, this is not the Jewish way, for our names have great meaning for us, and the Torah therefore stresses that Aharon's sons did not change their names. (Tiferet Yehonatan) ************************************ "But they shall not go in to see when the holy things are completely wrapped up, lest they shall die." (4:20) The story is told of a Chassid who visited a Rebbe for the first time and saw the latter wearing his Talit and Tefilin and drinking a cup of coffee. Assuming that this was part of the Rebbe's unique way of serving Hashem, the Chassid immediately ran home to try it himself. This Pasuk may be interpreted allegorically to warn that if one observes his teacher only when the latter's holiness is hidden within him - one may die a spiritual death rather than find the spiritual elevation which he seeks. (Iturei Torah) ************************************ From the Haftara.... "And the number of Bnei Yisrael will be like the sand of the beach which cannot be measured nor counted." (Hoshea 2:1) R' Yitzchak of Hamburg said in reference to the intermarriage and assimilation which was rampant in Germany of his day: This Pasuk contains an inherent contradiction. On the one hand it refers to "the number of Bnei Yisrael," but on the other, it says that they "cannot be measured nor counted." Chazal resolved this contradiction by saying, "One expression refers to a time when the Jews do G-d's will; the other refers to a time when they do not." Most commentaries explain that when the Jews do G-d's will they will be too numerous to count, and when they do not, they will be many, but able to be counted. I [R' Yitzchak] say the opposite. When the Jews did G-d's will, they were numerous, but were identifiable. Today, unfortunately, the Jews cannot be accurately counted because we no longer know who is truly Jewish and who is not. (Iturei Torah) ************************************ R' Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook -- Part I Among the most influential, controversial, and prolific sages of the last century, R' Avraham Yitzchak Hakohen Kook was born in Lithuania in 1865. Recognized as a child prodigy, at age 15 he was taken as a son-in-law by R' Eliyahu David Rabinowitz -Teomim (the "Aderet"), Rabbi if Ponovezh, Mir, and later Yerushalayim. As a teenager, R' Kook studied briefly in Volozhin, where he was a favorite student of R' Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin ("Netziv"). One who examines R' Kook's writings on the methods of learning (which we will IY"H do in a future issue) will notice many similarities to the writings of the Netziv, especially those found in Kidmat Ha'emek (see the discussion in Hamaayan Vol. V No.21 - Vayakel - Pekudei 5751). While still in his twenties, R' Kook was appointed Rabbi of the town of Boisk. (This town's other distinction is as the birthplace of R' Elchanan Wasserman, who as a young man studied with R' Kook when visiting home from Yeshiva.) On 28 Iyar 5664 (1904), R' Kook arrived in Eretz Yisrael to serve as Rabbi of Yafo (Jaffa). In 1914, while traveling to the (later canceled) Agudat Yisrael convention in Europe, he was unable to return to Yafo due to the outbreak of World War I, and he accepted a temporary Rabbinic post in London. After the war he returned to Eretz Yisrael, newly installed as Rabbi of Yerushalayim. Shortly thereafter, in 1921, he was appointed first Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Palestine, a post which he held until his death in 1935. TO BE CONTINUED ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Mishnah Yomit: Ohalot 17:3-4 (Learn two Mishnayot every day) Halacha Yomit: OC/MB 409:4-6 (Learn three paragraphs every day) Daf Yomi: Chagigah 4 (Learn two sides of a page every day) Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Nachlot - Chapter 2 3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Genayvah - Chapters 7-9 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh: N246,N243; Su:N245; M:N247; Tu:N265 W: N266; Th: P194; F: N269,P204 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this week's Hamaayan is sponsored by: Elaine and Jerry Taragin on the engagement of their daughter Deborah to Aiton Marizan Gita and Charles Siegman and family on the 1st Yarzeit of Avraham Eliyahu ben Shalom Zelig (Mr. Abraham Perel) The Vogel family in memory of mother and grandmother, Bluma bat Shabtai Hakohen (Blanche Vogel)