We know it is sorely missing - Jewish Unity. But do we really understand its importance? Do we know at all how Jewish Unity can be attained? Parshat Beháalotcha gives amazing clues.
In BaMidmar (11:16,17), we read: "Gather to Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and its officers; take them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. I will descend and speak with you there, and I will increase some of the spirit that is upon you and place it upon them."
The Midrash Rabba (15:18) connects this passage to the verse: "He is king over Jeshurun in the gathering of the heads of the people - the tribes of Israel in unity." (Devarim 33:5) The same Midrash compares Jewish leaders to captains of ships, and states that HaShem wants to build His palace such that the upper department is in Heaven while its base is on Earth. The basis is not the Earth itself, though. HaShem wants to build the palace on the Jewish ships, bound together. The seat of HaShem in Heaven only has a solid base, as it were, when the Jews unite.
It is very tempting for a Jewish leader to take care of his ship only. A sole ship in the sea is independent and free to go where it wants. Its captain has total authority. There is only one problem. This is not what HaShem wants. The division of the Jewish nation over many independent ships keeps the Shechina, the Divine Presence, from dwelling on Earth.
The same point appears in another way in the passage where Moshe speaks to Yitro, to convince him to not move back to Midian, but to stay with the Jews. Moshe first argues (BaMidbar 10:29): "Go with us and we shall treat you well, for HaShem has spoken of good for Israel." After this does not satisfy Yitro, Moshe tries again, saying (10:32): "And it shall be that if you come with us, the goodness that HaShem will grant us will be, and we will be good to you." The difference between the two formulations of Moshe is superficially mainly a difference in the order of phrases, but in fact it is much more than that. What convinced Yitro is the insight concealed in the second formulation that his continued presence among Israel would increase the Divine goodness bestowed on the Jewish Nation. Yitro had the status of a Jewish leader, even though he was a convert. He wanted to build a Jewish community in Midian, a community of Midianites of the Jewish faith. He was able to come up with many fine arguments for such a community, but Moshe confronted him with a problem that he could not reason away. The seat of HaShem needs a basis on Earth, and this basis is already negatively affected if only one Jewish ship is not in the fold.
Interestingly, the Haftara for Beha?alotcha starts out with the same topic, the dwelling of the Divine Presence on Earth (Zecharia 2:14): "Sing and be glad, O daughter of Zion, for behold! - I come and I will dwell among you - the words of HaShem." Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi comments in his Sefer HaKuzari that this prophecy could already have materialized, if only the Jews of Bavel (Babylonia) would have returned en masse to the Land of Israel in the time of Ezra and Nehemia.
This adds another dimension to the Jewish Unity that is required, a dimension that can also be deduced from the passage concerning Yitro. The place for Jews is the Land of Israel. HaShem wants the ships to bind together, but not just any place. He wants it to happen in the Land that he gave them.
Jewish leaders outside of Israel - move to Israel, and tell your community to move to Israel. Do not worry too much about the practical problems. Just do the mitzva, make Aliyah. Jewish leaders in Israel - the Divine Presence is waiting for you. We need seventy holy men, men that seek the Truth, Tsadikim. The Shechina will crush the religious differences, so do not worry too much about them. Just do the mitzva, establish the Sanhedrin.
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Moshe Lerman writes from Enav, Israel.
In BaMidmar (11:16,17), we read: "Gather to Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and its officers; take them to the Tent of Meeting and have them stand there with you. I will descend and speak with you there, and I will increase some of the spirit that is upon you and place it upon them."
The Midrash Rabba (15:18) connects this passage to the verse: "He is king over Jeshurun in the gathering of the heads of the people - the tribes of Israel in unity." (Devarim 33:5) The same Midrash compares Jewish leaders to captains of ships, and states that HaShem wants to build His palace such that the upper department is in Heaven while its base is on Earth. The basis is not the Earth itself, though. HaShem wants to build the palace on the Jewish ships, bound together. The seat of HaShem in Heaven only has a solid base, as it were, when the Jews unite.
It is very tempting for a Jewish leader to take care of his ship only. A sole ship in the sea is independent and free to go where it wants. Its captain has total authority. There is only one problem. This is not what HaShem wants. The division of the Jewish nation over many independent ships keeps the Shechina, the Divine Presence, from dwelling on Earth.
The same point appears in another way in the passage where Moshe speaks to Yitro, to convince him to not move back to Midian, but to stay with the Jews. Moshe first argues (BaMidbar 10:29): "Go with us and we shall treat you well, for HaShem has spoken of good for Israel." After this does not satisfy Yitro, Moshe tries again, saying (10:32): "And it shall be that if you come with us, the goodness that HaShem will grant us will be, and we will be good to you." The difference between the two formulations of Moshe is superficially mainly a difference in the order of phrases, but in fact it is much more than that. What convinced Yitro is the insight concealed in the second formulation that his continued presence among Israel would increase the Divine goodness bestowed on the Jewish Nation. Yitro had the status of a Jewish leader, even though he was a convert. He wanted to build a Jewish community in Midian, a community of Midianites of the Jewish faith. He was able to come up with many fine arguments for such a community, but Moshe confronted him with a problem that he could not reason away. The seat of HaShem needs a basis on Earth, and this basis is already negatively affected if only one Jewish ship is not in the fold.
Interestingly, the Haftara for Beha?alotcha starts out with the same topic, the dwelling of the Divine Presence on Earth (Zecharia 2:14): "Sing and be glad, O daughter of Zion, for behold! - I come and I will dwell among you - the words of HaShem." Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi comments in his Sefer HaKuzari that this prophecy could already have materialized, if only the Jews of Bavel (Babylonia) would have returned en masse to the Land of Israel in the time of Ezra and Nehemia.
This adds another dimension to the Jewish Unity that is required, a dimension that can also be deduced from the passage concerning Yitro. The place for Jews is the Land of Israel. HaShem wants the ships to bind together, but not just any place. He wants it to happen in the Land that he gave them.
Jewish leaders outside of Israel - move to Israel, and tell your community to move to Israel. Do not worry too much about the practical problems. Just do the mitzva, make Aliyah. Jewish leaders in Israel - the Divine Presence is waiting for you. We need seventy holy men, men that seek the Truth, Tsadikim. The Shechina will crush the religious differences, so do not worry too much about them. Just do the mitzva, establish the Sanhedrin.
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Moshe Lerman writes from Enav, Israel.
