The Israel Koschitzky Virtual Beit Midrash

Surf A Little Torah
Yeshivat Har Etzion

Prepared by Rav David Silverberg

Among the many topics covered in Parashat Beha'alotekha is the mitzva of "chatzotzerot." Moshe was bidden to fashion silver trumpets which the kohanim will blow to signal travel, national or leadership assembly, wartime and festivals. The Gemara (Menachot 28b) posits that the trumpets made by Moshe served only that generation. Future generations had to manufacture their own "chatzotzerot."

Rav Yechezkel Abramsky suggested that this detail symbolizes a powerful message for the future leadership of Am Yisrael. The leaders in each generation must fashion their own trumpets; they must design their own, unique tools, appropriate and suitable for that generation, to convey the Divine Message. That message has remained constant since the Revelation at Sinai, as it will for all time. However, the means employed by the leadership to transmit this message to the masses must change in accordance with the specific generation's needs and attitudes. Centuries after Moshe, the kohanim blew the very same sounds as their ancestors had in the wilderness of Sinai. However, they used very different trumpets. Likewise, the Torah principles taught today are the same as they have been for thousands of years. The means of transmission, however, must be custom-designed in every age to suit the generation.

Parashat Beha'alotekha describes Benei Yisrael's whining as they traveled, a process that culminated with the fiasco of Kivrot Hata'ava. After observing the people's baseless complaints, Moshe turns to God and pleads with Him to alleviate his burden of responsibility to care for the nation. In response, God instructs Moshe to appoint seventy elders to assist him in leadership.

However, Rav Shimshon Rafael Hirsch suggests that God orders the appointment of elders at this point for a different reason, as well. Although Benei Yisrael complained about their alleged food shortage (despite their daily portion of mann), hunger was not at all what plagued them. It was their spiritual, rather than physical, deficiency from which Benei Yisrael suffered. Even without Moshe's plea, God recognized the need for the establishment of a structured leadership system, the designation of qualified individuals to guide and teach the people. The complaints against the travel conditions indicated that the values of Sinai had not been sufficiently absorbed. The need arose for elders, talented minds and hearts that could help the people at a personal, grassroots level, and lead them towards a keener understanding of Torah values.

All too often, we incorrectly assume thorough self-knowledge. When confronted by those who feel they have what to teach us, be it rabbis, teachers, or even caring friends, we sometimes reject their input before even listening to what they have to say. In the wilderness, Benei Yisrael were perhaps unaware of just how inappropriate their griping was. The response, therefore, involved the selection of those who could open the people's eyes for them, and, like the cloud and pillar of fire before the camp, lead the people in the path of the Almighty.

In the middle of Parashat Beha'alotekha, Chumash becomes a somewhat depressing field of study. Sefer Bemidbar had opened full of excitement and energy, as the people prepare themselves for what was to be a brief journey towards Eretz Yisrael. The Mishkan is in place, the Kohanim and Levi'im have received their assigned duties, the people have organized themselves into a remarkable, orderly travel and camping arrangement, and all seems to be headed in the right direction, towards the "eretz zavat chalav udevash." That is, until we hit "chapter 11" (of Sefer Bemidbar), where Benei Yisrael seem to become spiritually bankrupt.

The following list summarizes the major events from the beginning of Bemidbar 11 through the middle of Parashat Chukat: the "mitonenim"; Kivrot Hata'ava; Miriam and Aharon's slander against Moshe; the sin of the scouts, which results in the barring of entry into the land for that entire generation; the Shabbat desecration of the "mekoshesh"; Korach's failed rebellion and the ensuing plague; "Masa U'meriva," where God decrees that Moshe and Aharon will die in the wilderness.

It is hard to study these parshiyot without thinking, these are our ancestors? These are the people to whom Chazal refer as "the generation of knowledge?" It seems that all they do is cause trouble!

This is how it is for the next four weeks, until we reach Parashat Balak. Of all people, Bilam is the one who restores our faith in our past, who reminds us just how special a people Benei Yisrael were at that time. "How good are your tents, Yaakov, your dwelling places, Yisrael!" After three-and-a-half parshiyot of anguish, Bilam offers us some peace of mind and pride in the generation of the wilderness. How are we to understand this progression in Sefer Bemidbar?

Rabbi Menachem Leibtag suggests that the difference between the unit from Behaalotecha through Chukat and Parashat Balak lies in the positioning of the narrator's "video camera." Throughout Sefer Bemidbar, Chumash speaks to us from within the camp of Benei Yisrael. We are brought inside the community and thereby exposed to everything going on, including the unfortunate and sorrowful. We learn of the crises, scandals, frustrations, disappointments, and downfalls that overcame the nation. Bilam, however, takes a "birds'-eye view" of Benei Yisrael: "I see them from the mountain tops, and I gaze on them from the heights." From this perspective, Bilam sees God's nation loyally following His command, the occasional setbacks notwithstanding. Standing from afar, Bilam sees the overall picture, the grand scheme, the general appearance of Am Yisrael. He is like the innocent visitor to an art museum, who sees exquisite beauty in works of art that may contain minuscule scratches or blemishes from which the skilled craftsman might be ashamed. Despite the problems that awaited resolution, Benei Yisrael was indeed a spectacular people with much of which to be proud.

The message, of course, relates to our attitude to any given setting in which we find ourselves. It is often too easy in this detail-oriented world to see the larger picture. People involved in a given institution see the day-to-day problems and shameful mishaps, and may become disgusted with their work; we may look at many pressing issues regarding the State of Israel that seem to elude any possible resolution and become disillusioned with the entire idea of the State. Ironically, it is none other than Bilam who reminds us to once in a while take a step back and appreciate the larger picture. This applies to one's own, personal life, as well. We spend so much of our time troubleshooting, trying to deal with this problem or the other before the third one arises. Every so often, we need to step back and appreciate the overall picture, to take pride in what we have accomplished.

Amidst the Torah's discussion of the incident of Aharon and Miriam's inappropriate talk about Moshe, we read the Torah's testimony that Moshe was the most humble man on earth. Of what relevance is this fact to the story of Miriam and Aharon?

Some explain that it directly relates to the content of Miriam and Aharon's remarks. Chazal understand the verses as meaning that Miriam and Aharon saw it a display of arrogance when Moshe separated from his wife. He did so because he feared he would be in a state of ritual impurity when the divine command came to him. Given the regularity of his conversations with the Almighty, he felt it wise to separate from his wife, and for this Miriam and Aharon criticized him. The Torah condemns their attitude by declaring unequivocally that Moshe was the beacon of modesty. As such, his decision pertaining to his wife was reached honestly, not in order to publicize phony saintliness.

The Ketav , however, suggests a different reason for the Torah's sudden praise for Moshe's humility. The Torah here wishes to teach us that specifically at a moment like this, when his own family spoke negatively about him behind his back, Moshe's humility shone through. Humility as a value and quality cannot remain in one's mind. Deep inside, everyone of us knows his faults and shortcomings. Moshe is not alone in his ability to recognize his own deficiencies; everyone, at one level or another, knows full well where there is room for improvement. Genuine modesty, however, is manifest when one's ego is put to the test, when he is insulted, however unfairly and incorrectly, by others. Although Moshe was aware of what was said about him, he did not respond or hurl insults back. To the contrary, when Aharon asked him to plead for Miriam's recovery from leprosy he did so immediately, without even the slightest hesitation. This is the clearest expression of humility. When one acknowledges his faults, he is far less prone to expect or demand honor and respect from others. Consequently, what others say about him will not anger him. In his mind, he does not deserve very much in the way of honor. He is grateful for what he has and, just as Yaakov said, "I am too small for all the kindness and goodness that You have done for Your servant," the humble individual feels indebted for what he has already been given. For this reason, he will not complain over that which he does not yet have or what other people say about him.

In response to Moshe's complaints about his inability to handle the burden of leadership single-handedly, God orders the appointment of seventy "zekenim," elders. Moshe brought the seventy nominees near the Ohel Moed, and God's spirit rested upon them, granting them prophetic powers. The Chumash describes that two men, Eldad and Meidad, joined the new prophets, and they, too, began prophesying. When the news came to Moshe, his attendant, Yehoshua, incorrectly assumed that Eldad and Meidad were unlawfully usurping the role of prophet from the elders or perhaps from Moshe himself. He immediately urged his mentor to punish the alleged troublemakers. Although according to the simple meaning of the text Yehoshua recommended incarceration, Rashi cites a different interpretation of Yehoshua's suggested punishment for Eldad and Meidad: "Place the needs of the community upon them [i.e. appoint them to a leadership position], and they will be automatically destroyed." Yehoshua evidently saw Eldad and Meidad's supposed prophecy as indicating their aspirations for leadership, and therefore suggested that Moshe allow them the opportunity to realize their dream and suffer the inevitable consequences thereof.

One technical question, however, arises. How can one be punished by being appointed a public official? Can’t he decline? And if he is forced to work, then his punishment involves forced labor, not designation as a public official!

Amazingly, from this Rashi Rav Eliyahu Chayim of Lodz reached an astounding halakhic ruling. He ruled that if the community selects an individual to serve in the capacity of a public official, he may not decline the nomination. He is halakhically bound to accept the position for which he has been elected.

Needless to say, much research is required to determine the precise parameters of such a ruling and whether or not it is to be accepted at all. What underlies such a position, however, cannot be questioned. When one finds himself in a situation where he can help and competently lead, he is, on the halakhic level or otherwise, required to step in and not shy away. When the opportunity presents itself to assist the community, one is called upon to accept responsibility and execute it as best he can.

Parashat Beha'alotekha describes the incident of the "mitonenim," when Benei Yisrael began complaining upon their departure from Sinai. The precise translation of the word "mitonenim" is somewhat elusive. Rashi explains the word as denoting an excuse, meaning, the people looked for a reason to rebel. Indeed, this interpretation of the word not only explains the term itself, but also resolves a fundamental question regarding this incident: what were the people complaining about? They had everything! They enjoyed free meals and protection, and the ark ahead of them showed them exactly where they had to go. They had no worries, no concerns. Rather, they looked for a reason to complain. This is the only way to understand how people could "kvetch" under such circumstances.

However, this itself requires explanation. Why were they looking for a reason to complain? Why couldn't they gratefully appreciate what they had?

To be sure, the generation of the wilderness, which experienced the Exodus, splitting of the sea and Matan Torah, stood at a level far exceeding what we could imagine. Nevertheless, the Torah recorded their mistakes because we have what to learn from them. By drawing lessons from the misdeeds of our righteous ancestors, we do not undermine their greatness, but rather learn the Torah's message in presenting these events.

The sin of the "mitonenim" may teach us a basic lesson in human nature. No matter how much people have, they rarely seem content. People tend to notice what they lack far more frequently than they pay attention to what they have. "One who loves money can never be satisfied with enough money." We have the tendency of taking our blessings for granted, viewing them as a reality as basic and presumed as the morning sunrise. As a result, we see only the missing pieces, those things that we feel incomplete without.

Although the mitonenim had much for which to be grateful, they found something - the Torah does not even spell out what it was - about which to complain. God punished them with fire, which some have suggested emerged from the pillar of fire that led them and protected them from the nighttime dangers in the wilderness. Since they could not appreciate the spectacular provisions granted them, they were punished by the reverse effect of these miraculous resources.

Just as Benei Yisrael may have taken for granted the miracles performed for them, we often tend to overlook the miracles that surround us on a daily basis. The most fundamental message, perhaps, of Parashat Beha'alotekha is to open our eyes and hearts and appreciate what we have. By doing so, we can perhaps alleviate our disappointment over that which we do not have.

Parashat Beha'alotekha opens with a discussion regarding the laws of the menorah. Rashi notes that there was a step-stool of sorts in front of the menorah, upon which the kohen would stand when he tended to the menorah. Many later commentaries have questioned the need for a stool. After all, the menorah stood a mere eighteen handbreadths high. Even the "vertically challenged" among the kohanim should have had little trouble reaching high enough to light the candles!

An interesting answer was suggested by the Tifreret Yehonatan. The mishna (Tamid, 7) establishes a prohibition for the kohen gadol to lift his hands higher than the "tzitz" (head-plate) he wore on his forehead. For this reason, the kohen gadol had to stand high enough that he would not have to lift his arms to light the menorah.

The Gerrer Rebbe zt"l took this principle one step further. Rashi actually said nothing about the kohen's lighting of the menorah. Rather, he wrote that the stool was used for the cleaning of the oil-lamps. It seems that the stool was not required at all for the lighting, which may relate to a basic distinction between the lighting and cleaning of the menorah. The halakha is that even a non-kohen may light the menorah. This reflects the fact that the lighting itself does not constitute a formal "avoda," or ritual act, in the Mikdash. By contrast, only a kohen may clean the lamps, since cleaning does, in fact, constitute a formal "avoda." Therefore, a kohen lighting the menorah presumably did not don his priestly garments, whereas they were required only for the formal ritualistic duties of the kohen. Since a kogadol would not wear the "tzitz" while lighting the candles, he was not prohibited from lifting his arms at that time. Therefore, the stool was required not for the lighting but only for the cleaning, when a kohen gadol would wear his special garments.

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