Israel and The Sin of Expulsion
The Implications and Consequences of Expulsion for the Jewish People
The first word of our parsha; Vayikra begs discussion of why the small “aleph” in Vayikra, and tells much about Moshe Rabbeinu’s level of principle, integrity and his standard of leadership of B’nei Yisrael.
We are told how Hashem, Kav’yochal, would call gently, affectionately “Moshe, Moshe” in a voice for Moshe Rabbeinu’s ears only and Moshe would respond “Here I am.” (Rashi on Perek 1, posuk 1 Metsuda Linear Chumash & Rashi with footnotes)
The terms leadership, accountability and transparency have often been bandied about in contemporary Medinat Yisrael where dedication, diligence and overriding concern for the welfare of the Kahal have often been wanting as compared with the influence, enrichment, protexia and political agendization of the few, the privileged, the elitists.
Our Parsha Vayakhel is dedicated to teaching B’nai Yisrael about Shabbos which has always, until recent times, been the unifying, defining factor of Judaism. It alludes to all else — Yishuv HaAretz, Kiddushin, etc. It symbolizes the Jew’s faith in Hashem. The parsha begins by stating that “Moshe assembled the entire congregation of B’nai Yisrael…” (Perek 35, Posuk 1) However, Torah’s loshen (language) “Adat B’nai Yisrael”, in the context of learning the laws of Shabbos as related to the construction of the Mishkan, seems to indicate a unity, as one, amongst the Assembly of the B’nai Yisrael.
For many years, this author has spoken or written about a posuk in Parsha Ki Tisa which alludes to an event which is recorded in Torah 40 years later, in a subsequent Parsha.
The posuk being referred to (Sh’mos, Perek 30, posuk 30) says that while Moshe Rabbeinu was on Har Sinai being given Torah, Hashem said;
“You shall anoint Aaron and his sons and sanctify them to minister (to serve) me.”
This seemingly obscure posuk which pops up in a couple of slightly different forms in both Parsha Tetzaveh and in our Parsha raises a challenging question which cuts to the chase of what we continue to face today. The question is; what about that Pinchas Ben Elazar? Why was he not anointed as a Kohen with his brothers?
In our Parsha Tetzaveh, the laws regarding the annointment, the vestments and the Avodah (service) of the Kohanim are enunciated for the Jewish people.
While preparing this Parsha HaShavua, this author came across a puzzling quote in Torah Gems by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg on our Parsha.
The quote, attributable to someone called “Akeidah” and which is cited (pg 192) relates to perek 28, parsha 15; “And you will make the breastplate of judgement with the work of an artisan…” reads;
Back in Philadelphia, in the “old country”, R’ Moshe Ungar would speak about the Mizbeiyach in terms of both the Beit HaMikdash and in terms of the personal Mizbeiyach which burns eternally in our hearts. And there is the well-known wish to a Chosson and Kallah that the fire of the personal Mizbeiyach burn eternally.
In our Parsha, we begin learning about the construction and the contents of the Mishkan.
The Shem Mishmuel [Parsha Terumah, pg. 169-172) cites R’ Shimon who said;
Parshat Yithro concludes with the high moment to date in world history; The Asseret HaDibrot (The 10 Statements) on the 6th day of the month of Sivan and Parshat Mishpatim begins teaching how The Asseret HaDibrot are the basis for a multitude of other laws, halachot designed to strengthen the Jewish nation. The laws taught in Parshat Mishpatim emphasize honesty, righteousness and showing kindness to one’s fellow Jews.
Although Torah places Yithro’s advise as to appointment of Judges and the formation of B’nai Yisrael’s Justice and Judicial systems in the parsha bearing his name, it seems fitting in Parshat Mishpatim to discuss Yithro’s advice and contributions to the system in light of the halachot taught in our parsha.
This past Wednesday, this author bumped into a neighbor in the same building while going to pick up the mail in the neighborhood postal
area box. This neighbor told that another neighbor in our building had just had a boy. So after saying Mazel Tov to the father, the thought occurred on the way to the postal box; Did Yithro have Bris Mila?
This author had forgotten that Yithro did, indeed, have Bris Mila as indicated in the earlier vort on the Parsha, although being hard pressed to remember how we learn it out.
We learn that when Yithro had heard all that Hashem did for B’nai Yisrael, he left Midian with Tzippora and Moshe’s two sons and went to join with the Jews.
We are not absolutely certain as to whether any one specific event Yithro heard boosted him to circumcize himself and to go out to join the B’nai Yisrael, and if so, which exact event it was, or whether it was the sum total of all he had heard which convinced him to become a Jew.
In the sefer Ner Uziel: Perspectives on the Parsha, Rabbi Uziel Milevsky z’l writes on Parsha Yithro (p. 380-383) indicating that were Yithro to have come to join the Jews after Yetziat Mitziyim or after the cri’at Yam Suf, it would have been unlikely that he could have joined with the Jews due their concern as to what his motivations might be; i.e. whether he was anxious to be on a winning team, on the right side, not unlike many athletes who, when reaching free agency status, seek the best deal, to earn more that their peers, to join onto the team which has gone all-the-way. This concern for one’s true motivations in converting seems to this author to be why Rabbi Milevsky cites indications that B’nai Yisrael didn’t accept Gerim during the reigns of David HaMelech and Shlomo HaMelech when B’nai Yisrael was at the zenith of prestige and power in the world.
Near the end of our Parsha, we read “And the hands of Moshe were heavy and they took a rock and placed it under him and he sat on it.” (Sefer Sh’mos, Perek 17, posuk 12)
Rabbi Pliskin in Growth Through Torah cites a Rashi which states;
“that Moshe did not sit on a comfortable pillow, but a rock. There was a battle going on with Amalek and Moshe wanted to feel the suffering of the people. This, said Rabbi Yeruchem Levovitz, is a lesson in feeling for another person’s suffering. Not only should we mentally feel their pain, but it is proper to do some action in order to feel some of the discomfort yourself when someone else experiences pain. This way [through empathy] you actually feel his pain.” (Growth Through Torah, Rabbi Zelig Pliskin, page 177, citing from Daas Torah, page 152)
Parshat Bo is the one which, for me, annually relates to that crazy tune which played back “in the Old Country” a few decades ago, “Does Your Korbon Pesach Lose It’s Flavor Tied to the Bedpost Overnight?” (Actually, the real title to the song was “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose It’s Flavor on the Bedpost Overnight?”)
Over the years, this author has opened with this nutty parody because it cuts right to the chase, to the very heart of our Parsha. That is the Mitzvot of taking the Korbon Pesach, applying the da’am on Jewish doorposts, the going up from Mitzrayim (Egypt) to “…a land flowing with milk and honey …” and the first mitzvah commanded of the National entity (B’nai Yisrael), the Kiddush HaChodesh — the sanctification of the New Moon and the relevance today of these mitzvot which relate to emunah (belief in) and yirat (fear of)Hashem.