1. Just Admit it Already
At the end of last week?s Parsha, the Torah described the census of the Kehath family, one of the three Levite families assigned to work in the Tabernacle. Parshat Naso begins with the census of the two remaining families, Gershon and Merari, as well as a description of their responsibilities, which is followed by a final tally of the total number of Levites counted. After relating G-d?s instructions for purifying the camp to house the Tabernacle, the Parsha details the laws relating to the theft of property. G-d tells Moshe, that a man or woman who sins by stealing ?shall confess the sin they committed, he shall make restitution for his guilt in its principal amount and add its fifth to it, and give it to the one to whom he is indebted? (Chap. 5, verse 7).
The question: What is the significance of requiring the thief to confess? Why can?t he just pay back the owner?
The answer: The Sefer HaChinuch cites this verse as the source for the commandment that a Jew confess his sins verbally and request forgiveness for them as part of the atonement process. He writes that this applies to all sins, not just to theft, regardless of whether they are between man and G-d or man and his fellow man. The reason why confession is important, says the Sefer HaChinuch, is twofold: first, by openly admitting his sin, man is implicitly acknowledging that all of his deeds are known to G-d and therefore he must seek forgiveness from Him. Secondly, the act of confessing his sin out loud has an important psychological impact on the sinner, one that will lead him to be more careful in the future and help him to avoid repeating his transgression. Thus, the Torah states that a thief should confess his sin.
The lesson: All of Israel was stunned this past week by the collapse of the Versailles wedding hall, described as the worst civilian disaster in the country?s history. But virtually no one was surprised when, on Thursday, those arrested in connection with the disaster began pointing the finger of blame at one another, each of them unwilling to accept responsibility for his part in the tragedy. Unfortunately, this spectacle was nothing new, as Israelis have grown used to watching public figures do everything to avoid blame for their actions. Indeed, despite the obvious failure of the Oslo process, and the hundreds of innocent Israelis killed as a result, not one of its architects has stepped forward to acknowledge their error. None of those behind Oslo?s faulty engineering have been willing to do the decent and noble thing and confess that Oslo has turned into the greatest strategic debacle in the country?s history. But as we saw above, atonement (and perhaps the reconciliation that may follow it) can come only when the transgressor is willing to step up to the plate and take responsibility for his actions, particularly when they have harmed others. It makes no difference whether it is people who have built a wedding hall that collapsed, or politicians who contrived a faulty peace process that came crashing down. Either way, the people of Israel deserve an apology. And the time to do so is now.
2. Headgear or Helmets?
The Parsha details the laws of a Nazirite, a person who seeks to draw closer to G-d by taking upon himself certain restrictions for a limited period of time. These include: 1) not eating or drinking grapes or grape products, including wine; 2) avoiding ritual impurity through contact with a dead body; and 3) allowing his hair to grow and not getting it cut. The Torah prohibits the Nazirite from coming into contact with a dead person even if that person is a close relative. Chapter 6, verse 7 states, ?For his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister ? he shall not contaminate himself for them upon their death, for the crown of his G-d is upon him.?
The question: What does the verse mean when it says, ?the crown of his G-d is upon him??
The answer: Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch says that it is referring to the Nazirite?s hair, which, as stated above, must be allowed to grow unhindered. The Nazirite?s long hair, says Rabbi Hirsch, is a conspicuous and unmistakable expression of his commitment to G-d. Hence, the Torah refers to it as ?the crown of his G-d?, for it is a clear sign to all of the Nazir?s dedication to serving his Creator.
The lesson: Nowadays, the yarmulke (Jewish head-covering) has come to symbolize for many people their commitment to living an observant Jewish life. Poised on the head, it is a highly visible and demonstrative way of identifying oneself as a proud and devoted Jew, just as the Nazirite was identifiable by his long hair. Jews in many countries must often confront the question of whether to wear a yarmulke in public, lest it somehow invite difficulties for them, be it at work or on the street. Such questions have never before been an issue in Israel, though sadly that may very well be changing. After Palestinian terrorists murdered two innocent Jewish women from Efrat this week, Israel Television on Thursday night interviewed an Efrat resident who expressed her fears about driving on the road to and from Jerusalem. As a safety precaution, the woman said she places a keffiyeh (an Arab headdress) on the front dashboard of her car and asks her young son to take off his yarmulke. She thereby hopes that potential Palestinian attackers might think she is an Arab rather than a Jew and thus refrain from firing on her car. Something is terribly wrong when a Jewish mother has to fear her son wearing a yarmulke in the Land of Israel. The Jewish people did not endure two thousand years of exile and persecution in order to establish just another outpost of anxiety and cowering on the shores of the Mediterranean. If Jews are unable to walk proudly and securely in their own land, bearing the ?crown of G-d? on their heads, then the State of Israel is drawing perilously close to shattering one of Zionism?s most precious tenets: to be a free people in our own land. The Government must act immediately to restore Jewish pride and Jewish security. It must do whatever is necessary to quell the ongoing Palestinian violence and terror against our people. For a nation that walks in fear is a nation at risk of losing the will to persevere. Only by holding our heads up high (and covering them however we see fit) can we hope to turn the tide against our enemies. And only by making Israel safe again for Jews can we ensure that the pain and suffering of our ancestors in exile was not in vain.
3. Holding on to the Blessing
In the Parsha, G-d tells Moshe to instruct the priests about the special blessings to be given to the Jewish people. These blessings are recited as part of the liturgy, with the priests going to the front of the synagogue and blessing the congregants in the manner prescribed in our Parsha. The priests are the conduits, with the blessing itself emanating from G-d. The first of the three blessings is, ?May G-d bless you and protect you? (Chap. 6, verse 24).
The question: What is the meaning of the second half of the blessing (?and protect you?)?
The answer: Rashi quotes the Midrash, which interprets the verse as follows: ?May G-d bless you? ? that your possessions should be blessed; ?and protect you? ? and protect you so that thieves will not steal your possessions from you. For of what value is a gift, says Rashi, if it is subsequently taken away by thieves? Hence, the blessing is twofold: that G-d should grant us material gifts as well as guard them for us. Many of the commentators offer a slightly different interpretation of the two blessings in our verse: May G-d ?bless you? with possessions and ?protect you? from being harmed by your possessions. As Rabbi Pinchas Peli Z?L, in his book Torah Today, explains: ?Money can corrupt your personality and your patterns of living. It can make you forget family and friends. It can alienate you from your traditions. ?May the L-rd bless you? with money, but may He also ?keep you? from all the damages money might bring on you, now that you have been blessed with it.??
The lesson: In the past decade, Israeli society has been blessed with unprecedented prosperity. It is hard to imagine that just fifty years ago, the country was experiencing food shortages and rationing, or that people often had to wait 13 years or more to get a phone line installed (it is now done in a matter of days). Israel?s Gross Domestic Product now surpasses that of several European Union states, and the arrival of everything from Toys R Us to Cherry Coca-Cola indicates Israel?s growing presence on the radar screen of international corporations. This material abundance is clearly a fulfillment of ?May G-d bless you? - the first half of the priestly blessing. But, as Rabbi Peli explained above, such material blessings also carry within them the potential for corruption. This is true for individuals as well as for society. Indeed, it is probably no coincidence that at the same time that Israelis began to enjoy greater material benefits, many also lost touch with traditional Zionist values such as settling and building the land. Pioneers who forego the comforts of urban life to build new Jewish communities in often-hostile surroundings were once hailed as heroes ? now, they are depicted in the media as fanatics and zealots. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to ensure that the second half of the priestly blessing (?and protect you?) is not forgotten ? namely, that even as Israeli society grows and prospers, it must not allow that prosperity to corrupt or push aside the basic, fundamental ideals that brought this country into being. Israel needs malls, but it also needs meaning. And that is something we dare not forget.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Occasional Series by Michael Freund of Raanana, Israel
Comments/Feedback/Subscribe: parsha_sheet@hotmail.com
At the end of last week?s Parsha, the Torah described the census of the Kehath family, one of the three Levite families assigned to work in the Tabernacle. Parshat Naso begins with the census of the two remaining families, Gershon and Merari, as well as a description of their responsibilities, which is followed by a final tally of the total number of Levites counted. After relating G-d?s instructions for purifying the camp to house the Tabernacle, the Parsha details the laws relating to the theft of property. G-d tells Moshe, that a man or woman who sins by stealing ?shall confess the sin they committed, he shall make restitution for his guilt in its principal amount and add its fifth to it, and give it to the one to whom he is indebted? (Chap. 5, verse 7).
The question: What is the significance of requiring the thief to confess? Why can?t he just pay back the owner?
The answer: The Sefer HaChinuch cites this verse as the source for the commandment that a Jew confess his sins verbally and request forgiveness for them as part of the atonement process. He writes that this applies to all sins, not just to theft, regardless of whether they are between man and G-d or man and his fellow man. The reason why confession is important, says the Sefer HaChinuch, is twofold: first, by openly admitting his sin, man is implicitly acknowledging that all of his deeds are known to G-d and therefore he must seek forgiveness from Him. Secondly, the act of confessing his sin out loud has an important psychological impact on the sinner, one that will lead him to be more careful in the future and help him to avoid repeating his transgression. Thus, the Torah states that a thief should confess his sin.
The lesson: All of Israel was stunned this past week by the collapse of the Versailles wedding hall, described as the worst civilian disaster in the country?s history. But virtually no one was surprised when, on Thursday, those arrested in connection with the disaster began pointing the finger of blame at one another, each of them unwilling to accept responsibility for his part in the tragedy. Unfortunately, this spectacle was nothing new, as Israelis have grown used to watching public figures do everything to avoid blame for their actions. Indeed, despite the obvious failure of the Oslo process, and the hundreds of innocent Israelis killed as a result, not one of its architects has stepped forward to acknowledge their error. None of those behind Oslo?s faulty engineering have been willing to do the decent and noble thing and confess that Oslo has turned into the greatest strategic debacle in the country?s history. But as we saw above, atonement (and perhaps the reconciliation that may follow it) can come only when the transgressor is willing to step up to the plate and take responsibility for his actions, particularly when they have harmed others. It makes no difference whether it is people who have built a wedding hall that collapsed, or politicians who contrived a faulty peace process that came crashing down. Either way, the people of Israel deserve an apology. And the time to do so is now.
2. Headgear or Helmets?
The Parsha details the laws of a Nazirite, a person who seeks to draw closer to G-d by taking upon himself certain restrictions for a limited period of time. These include: 1) not eating or drinking grapes or grape products, including wine; 2) avoiding ritual impurity through contact with a dead body; and 3) allowing his hair to grow and not getting it cut. The Torah prohibits the Nazirite from coming into contact with a dead person even if that person is a close relative. Chapter 6, verse 7 states, ?For his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister ? he shall not contaminate himself for them upon their death, for the crown of his G-d is upon him.?
The question: What does the verse mean when it says, ?the crown of his G-d is upon him??
The answer: Rabbi Shimshon Raphael Hirsch says that it is referring to the Nazirite?s hair, which, as stated above, must be allowed to grow unhindered. The Nazirite?s long hair, says Rabbi Hirsch, is a conspicuous and unmistakable expression of his commitment to G-d. Hence, the Torah refers to it as ?the crown of his G-d?, for it is a clear sign to all of the Nazir?s dedication to serving his Creator.
The lesson: Nowadays, the yarmulke (Jewish head-covering) has come to symbolize for many people their commitment to living an observant Jewish life. Poised on the head, it is a highly visible and demonstrative way of identifying oneself as a proud and devoted Jew, just as the Nazirite was identifiable by his long hair. Jews in many countries must often confront the question of whether to wear a yarmulke in public, lest it somehow invite difficulties for them, be it at work or on the street. Such questions have never before been an issue in Israel, though sadly that may very well be changing. After Palestinian terrorists murdered two innocent Jewish women from Efrat this week, Israel Television on Thursday night interviewed an Efrat resident who expressed her fears about driving on the road to and from Jerusalem. As a safety precaution, the woman said she places a keffiyeh (an Arab headdress) on the front dashboard of her car and asks her young son to take off his yarmulke. She thereby hopes that potential Palestinian attackers might think she is an Arab rather than a Jew and thus refrain from firing on her car. Something is terribly wrong when a Jewish mother has to fear her son wearing a yarmulke in the Land of Israel. The Jewish people did not endure two thousand years of exile and persecution in order to establish just another outpost of anxiety and cowering on the shores of the Mediterranean. If Jews are unable to walk proudly and securely in their own land, bearing the ?crown of G-d? on their heads, then the State of Israel is drawing perilously close to shattering one of Zionism?s most precious tenets: to be a free people in our own land. The Government must act immediately to restore Jewish pride and Jewish security. It must do whatever is necessary to quell the ongoing Palestinian violence and terror against our people. For a nation that walks in fear is a nation at risk of losing the will to persevere. Only by holding our heads up high (and covering them however we see fit) can we hope to turn the tide against our enemies. And only by making Israel safe again for Jews can we ensure that the pain and suffering of our ancestors in exile was not in vain.
3. Holding on to the Blessing
In the Parsha, G-d tells Moshe to instruct the priests about the special blessings to be given to the Jewish people. These blessings are recited as part of the liturgy, with the priests going to the front of the synagogue and blessing the congregants in the manner prescribed in our Parsha. The priests are the conduits, with the blessing itself emanating from G-d. The first of the three blessings is, ?May G-d bless you and protect you? (Chap. 6, verse 24).
The question: What is the meaning of the second half of the blessing (?and protect you?)?
The answer: Rashi quotes the Midrash, which interprets the verse as follows: ?May G-d bless you? ? that your possessions should be blessed; ?and protect you? ? and protect you so that thieves will not steal your possessions from you. For of what value is a gift, says Rashi, if it is subsequently taken away by thieves? Hence, the blessing is twofold: that G-d should grant us material gifts as well as guard them for us. Many of the commentators offer a slightly different interpretation of the two blessings in our verse: May G-d ?bless you? with possessions and ?protect you? from being harmed by your possessions. As Rabbi Pinchas Peli Z?L, in his book Torah Today, explains: ?Money can corrupt your personality and your patterns of living. It can make you forget family and friends. It can alienate you from your traditions. ?May the L-rd bless you? with money, but may He also ?keep you? from all the damages money might bring on you, now that you have been blessed with it.??
The lesson: In the past decade, Israeli society has been blessed with unprecedented prosperity. It is hard to imagine that just fifty years ago, the country was experiencing food shortages and rationing, or that people often had to wait 13 years or more to get a phone line installed (it is now done in a matter of days). Israel?s Gross Domestic Product now surpasses that of several European Union states, and the arrival of everything from Toys R Us to Cherry Coca-Cola indicates Israel?s growing presence on the radar screen of international corporations. This material abundance is clearly a fulfillment of ?May G-d bless you? - the first half of the priestly blessing. But, as Rabbi Peli explained above, such material blessings also carry within them the potential for corruption. This is true for individuals as well as for society. Indeed, it is probably no coincidence that at the same time that Israelis began to enjoy greater material benefits, many also lost touch with traditional Zionist values such as settling and building the land. Pioneers who forego the comforts of urban life to build new Jewish communities in often-hostile surroundings were once hailed as heroes ? now, they are depicted in the media as fanatics and zealots. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us to ensure that the second half of the priestly blessing (?and protect you?) is not forgotten ? namely, that even as Israeli society grows and prospers, it must not allow that prosperity to corrupt or push aside the basic, fundamental ideals that brought this country into being. Israel needs malls, but it also needs meaning. And that is something we dare not forget.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
An Occasional Series by Michael Freund of Raanana, Israel
Comments/Feedback/Subscribe: parsha_sheet@hotmail.com