Hamaayan/The Torah Spring Edited by Shlomo Katz Parashat Beha'alotecha Volume VII/Number 32 (319) 16 Sivan 5753/June 5, 1993 At the end of this week's Parasha we read that Hashem taught Miriam the difference between Moshe and other prophets. Ramban writes (Commentary to Yevamot 49b): "All the other prophets looked with their eyes and saw. Moshe, however, looked through a clear lens. i.e. the knowledge which is the glory of Yisrael, and did not see Hashem's face." R' Shimon Starelitz, zatzal (died 1955; co-editor of Encyclopedia Talmudit), explains: "Spiritual vision does not reach as far as spiritual healing. The eye focuses on particulars, while the ear can take in all of the world's sounds together." Moshe Rabbenu rose to the level where he knew Hashem's Will -- he was attuned to it -- and he had no need to "see" what was going on in the Heavens. This is the glorious accomplishment of the Jewish soul, to be attuned to the Divine Will. This is the meaning of the statement, "The Torah and Israel and the Holy One, blessed is He, are one." (quoted in b'Sdeh haRei'yah p.383) ************************************ "My master, Moshe, imprison them." (11:28) Many commentaries deal with the question: How could Yehoshua bin Nun call his teacher Moshe by his given name, an action which is prohibited by Halacha? Below are two answers: R' Yitzchak Hutner, zatzal, explains that this prohibition does not apply when the basis for the teacher's name is given in the Torah. "Moshe," for example, recalls that the person bearing that name was drawn from water. Similarly, we find that Yitzchak and Yaakov referred to their fathers by their names. The prohibition of calling one's teacher by his name, by contrast, is learned from the fact that Gechazi was punished for calling his master, the prophet Elisha, by his given name. We do not know why Elisha was given that name. What is the reason for this distinction? Names are often more than names; they describe the people who bear them. Thus we read (vaYikra 26:42), "And I will remember My covenant, Yaakov, and also My covenant, Yitzchak, and also My covenant, Avraham, I will remember..." It does not say, "My covenant with Yaakov." Rather, the covenant itself is called "Yaakov" (or "Yitzchak" or "Avraham") because the nature of the covenant is related to the nature of the person with whom it was made. (Pachad Yitzchak Sukkot III, section 1) ************************************ R' Moshe Feinstein, zatzal, explains that while it is disrespectful to call one's teacher by his name, the other words that one uses in the same sentence may mitigate the sin. Thus, he writes, "Since Yehoshua was demanding that those who had insulted Moshe be imprisoned, there is no greater respect than that." Also, writes R' Feinstein, the Torah may not always record conversations verbatim; it may well be that Yehoshua did not call Moshe by name, though the Torah had some reason for implying that he did. (Igrot Moshe Y.D. section 133, p.273) ************************************ "And behold Miriam had 'Tzara'at' like snow." (12:10) As we see in Miriam's case, Tzara'at strikes a person as a punishment for the sin of "Lashon haRa" - speaking negatively about another. How then can we understand Rashi's statement (vaYikra 14:34) that it was good news for the Jews that their houses would be stricken with Tzara'at? (A stone which shows signs of Tzara'at must be torn out of the wall, and Rashi says that this would allow the Jews to discover any treasure which the Canaanites had hidden in the walls of their houses before Bnei Yisrael's invasion. R' Yissochor Frand, shlita (Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshiva Ner Israel in Baltimore), quotes R' Bergman, shlita (Ponovezh Mashgiach), who explains as follows: Tzara'at of the house is a warning for a person. "You have spoken Lashon haRa or committed some other sin (see Erachin 15). Change you ways!" This Tzara'at is a clear message from Hashem. If a person hears it, good. If not, he will be stricken with the next type of Tzara'at, i.e. Tzara'at of his clothing. He then has the same choice again. If he doesn't learn, then his very body will be afflicted by Tzara'at. We see, then, that Tzara'at on a house is not a punishment -- it is a message. A Jew should be happy to get that message, for it shows that Hashem cares enough to rebuke him. "Nobody's perfect," the Tzara'at says, "but there's hope for you." If there were no hope for this person, Hashem would leave him alone to his own devices. The person who responds to the gentle rebuke (the Tzara'at of his house) deserves to be rewarded. The buried treasure is that reward. Chazal say, "Because Shimshon followed his eyes, his eyes were gouged out." On the other hand, we learn that in the merit of his losing one eye, Shimshon was enabled to destroy the Plishti (Philistine) building in which he was held. In this way, Shimshon killed perhaps thousands of Plishtim. The merit of Shimshon's losing his other eye was preserved for the world-to-come. How can this be, if his eyes were taken from him as punishment for a sin? The answer is, as above, that a punishment itself can be a great source of merit, if the recipient would only recognize that Hashem is telling him something. (from R' Frand's recorded "Shiurim" - No. 142) ************************************ "And the man Moshe was very humble...." (12:3) R' Moshe Feinstein, zatzal, was once walking along a street in his neighborhood when he heard a voice calling, "Moshe, Moshe!" Looking up, he saw that the voice was that of an acquaintance, who was behind the wheel of his car. Without blinking an eye, R' Moshe walked over to the car. Upon realizing that R' Moshe had assumed that he was being called, the man turned crimson with embarrassment. He said, "I was calling my son, who happened to be in the street as I drove by. I would never dream of addressing the Rosh Yeshiva in such a disrespectful manner. [Ed. note: See page 2.] Besides, if I had something to discuss with the Rosh Yeshiva I would have gotten out of my car and gone over to him -- I would not have dared to ask the Rosh Yeshiva to come to me." R' Moshe assured the man that there was nothing to be concerned about. "It is already many years that these things mean nothing to me." (Reb Moshe p.229) ************************************ R' Yaakov Kamenetzky, zatzal, once found himself in a Shul in Toronto where someone announced, "Yankele will now make a 'Siyum' (ceremony marking the completion of a tractate)." "But I haven't learned!" R' Yaakov called out in innocence. ************************************ The learning schedule for this Shabbat is: Pe'ah 6:3-4 O.C. 621:2-4 Nazir 20 Yerushalmi - Shevi'it 2 Rambam Chapter/Day: Hilchot Esurei Biah - Chapter 15 3 Chapters/Day: Hilchot Zechiah Vmatanah - Chapters 4-6 Sefer Hamitzvot Sh:P245; Su:P245; M:P245; Tu:P236; W:P236; Th:P236; F:P236 ************************************ The hard copy distribution of this weeks Hamaayan is sponsored by: the Meth family in honor of the 22nd wedding anniversary of Marcia and Sheldon ************************************ Donations to Hamaayan are tax deductible