Edited by B. Silberstein
The Passing of Israel’s Great Leaders
This week’s Parasha, Chukat, is the saddest in the entire Torah. Those of us who cherish Chumash and assiduously seek out its wisdom for guidance in all areas of life tend to become emotionally attached to its great heroes. They are our mentors and role models whose noble behaviors we seek to understand and emulate.
Thus, there is a certain sense of loss when we encounter the death of Miriam, who played such a monumental role in our history. Together with her mother, Yocheved, she defied the genocidal decree of Pharaoh against Israelite male newborns, bravely stood watch over little Moshe and boldly convinced Pharaoh’s daughter to let her find a Hebrew woman to nurse the Jewish baby. She also led the women in song and dance to give praise to Hashem for the splitting of the Red Sea.
As if her passing were not enough, the lives of her brothers, Aharon and Moshe, also come to an end in this Sedra (Torah portion). Moshe doesn’t actually die here, but his fate is sealed along with Aharon’s because of their sin at the Mei Merivah (Waters of Contention).
It should be noted that when one reads the account of that trespass, it is impossible to comprehend what Moshe did wrong. It seems that he and Aharon faithfully executed Hashem’s instructions. We only realize that something is amiss when Hashem pronounces the irrevocable punishment for the disobedience.
It is so completely hidden that all of the great commentators are at odds in explaining it. The fact that there are so many conflicting opinions on so crucial an issue indicates the severe complexity of this matter. Perhaps we will have more to say on this subject at a different time.
The Meaning of Death by the Kiss
Our Parsha depicts the poignant death of Aharon. Hashem instructed Moshe to bring Aharon and his son, Elazar to the peak of Mt. Hor. He was to remove the vestments of the Kohen Gadol (Chief Priest) from Aharon and place them on Elazar, thereby appointing him to succeed his father. Thus, Aharon had the privilege of witnessing his son's ascension to the most exalted religious position in Israel. Aharon was then to lie down on a special bed that was prepared for him and his earthly existence was concluded.
The Rabbis tell us that Moshe had a great desire to experience the same passing as Aharon which is designated as death by the Kiss. The Rambam describes this experience in his “Guide for the Perplexed" (3:51). In general terms it means that a person who has battled to gain mastery over his instinctual desires and has pursued the delights of knowledge becomes spiritually transformed as he gets older.
The aging process is, for this person, a great benefit. For as his passions diminish, his convictions become firmer and his love of truth more unshakable. This experience culminates with death by the Kiss.
As he experiences the onset of death, his love of G-d assumes a profound dimension, and he leaves this world in a glorious state. What we call death is, for him, actually the inception of eternal life. According to our tradition, only three people merited this exalted state: Miriam, Aharon, and Moshe.
Why the People Refused to Believe?
There is a Midrash which describes a strange development that occurred when Moshe and Elazar descended from the mountain.
“Where is Aharon?" They said to them [Moshe and Elazar], “He is dead." They said to them [Moshe and Elazar], “How could the angel of death hurt him, a man who has halted the angel of death and held him back?" It is so stated (BaMidbar 17:13), “And he [Aaron] stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was halted." They said to them [Moshe and Elazar], “If you bring him [back], well and good; but if not, we will stone you [to death]." At that time Moses rose in prayer. He said, “Master of the world, bring us out from [this] suspicion." Immediately the Holy One, blessed is He, opened the [burial] cave and showed him [Aharon] to [the congregation] for them [Moshe and Elazar]. (Midrash Tanchuma Chukat Siman 17)
At first glance, this Midrash seems very strange. I do not take it literally but believe it is communicating a significant teaching. At its core is the idea that the people refused to believe that Aharon had died. Why wouldn't they accept the word of Moshe, which was confirmed by Elazar?
I believe that the Midrash is communicating that denial of death is one of the most powerful human tendencies. Most people go about their lives under the spell of the fantasy of immortality. This illusion is nurtured by identification with certain charismatic figures who seem immune to dying. We have all known individuals who seemed to be so “full of life" that we could not imagine them not alive. When these people do perish it has a shocking effect because we now begrudgingly realize that “if they can die, so must we".
That is why the people refused to accept the fact that Aharon was dead. He was their hero, whom they felt would live forever, and as long as they could sustain that belief, they need not worry about mortality at that moment. Moshe prayed that they would be able to accept the truth and absorb its lessons.
The Torah's View of Eternal Life
Judaism does not regard death as a tragedy. In fact, one of the interpretations of the verse in Bereishit 1:31, “And G-d saw that it was very good," is that it is a reference to the day of death (as mentioned by the Ramban (Nachmanides)).
The notion of human immortality, however, is not a pipe dream. Our Torah teaches us that we are designed to live forever. If we adhere to the Mitzvot of the Torah and appreciate its wisdom, we will be “fortunate in this world and inherit the World to Come." We should remember that the vanities of this world, while not evil and, in fact, beneficial when indulged properly, nevertheless do not endure beyond our earthly sojourn. But the wisdom of Hashem endures forever.
May Hashem give us the understanding to disavow illusions and cling to the Tree of Life, which is eternal life.
Balak 5779/5786
We are different!
Parashat Balak contains a fascinating and unusual story that illustrates how Jew-hatred is deeply rooted in human existence.
I don’t mean to say that people are compelled to hate Jews. Rather, they are predisposed on the emotional level to a dislike of things Jewish. Nevertheless, man has free will and must use his mind to understand and overcome his emotions, however base they may be.
Balak was a Moabite king who was deeply affected by the victories Bnei Yisrael (Children of Israel) had achieved over two mighty Amorite kings, Sihon and Og. This caused him to solicit the services of Bilaam, who was renowned for his ability to bring down people through the medium of his “curses."
What engendered the fear of Am Yisrael (Nation of Israel) that consumed Balak? The verse states:
“Moab was terribly afraid of the people, for they were numerous; Moab was disgusted because of Bnei Yisrael (Children of Israel)." (BaMidbar 22:3)
This citation contains two distinct ideas. The first tells us that Balak feared Bnei Yisrael because they were more numerous and seemingly stronger than his own people. The second is that for some reason, the Moabites were disgusted by Bnei Yisrael.
This Pasuk (verse) requires elucidation. What was it about the Jews that provoked a sense of revulsion, and how is it relevant to explaining the background of Balak’s actions?
The Mystery of Moab’s Revulsion
The Ramban (Nachmanides) on Bamidbar 22:3 maintains that Balak knew that Am Yisrael had no intention of attacking him. He explains that the feeling of disgust was brought about by all the great miracles that Hashem had performed for Bnei Yisrael in Egypt and the Wilderness, which Moab had heard about.
One wonders why these acts would evoke such revulsion. Interestingly, we see the same phenomenon among the Egyptians. The verse states:
“And the more they afflicted [them], the more [they] multiplied and spread; and they were disgusted because of Bnei Yisrael." (Shemot 1:12)
What caused this strange emotional reaction?
Why the Jew Is Different
In my opinion, the feeling of revulsion is related to a certain distaste and hatred for the Jew. There are many reasons for this. A significant factor is that Jews are different. In the Havdala blessing we recite at the Sabbath’s end, we praise Hashem Who “differentiates between sacred and mundane, light and darkness, Yisrael and the nations." The difference between us and the nations is akin to that between light and darkness. In what sense are we so fundamentally unlike?
I believe the difference is rooted in one’s basic approach to life. Every individual and nation naturally gravitates toward the pleasure principle. Most people simply follow the inclinations of the heart in seeking physical and egotistical gratifications that are rooted in the fantasies of the imagination.
The Jew is different. He is called upon to withdraw and not to make ordinary worldly pursuits his ultimate goal. He acknowledges the Creator in all areas of life and subscribes to a national mission of being a holy people. He does not seek renown in any area, but strives to sanctify and glorify the name of G-d in His world.
Something about the Jew is disturbing to others. There may be a fear that the Jew's renunciation of human glory and adherence to the life of the mind might actually be a superior form of existence. It might also be that people subconsciously fear that the Jew has access to something unique and special that they can never partake of. Jealousy is thus a very powerful force in the development of antisemitism. As a result, there is a desire for the Jew to fail and concede that his approach to life is not workable.
When Am Yisrael is successful and its numbers increase, it is seen as a grave threat. When they are the beneficiaries of great miracles, it is simply too much to bear. The phenomenal growth of Bnei Yisrael aroused the envy, hatred, and disgust of both Pharaoh and Balak.
Bilaam Understood the Secret
Rashi (BaMidbar 22:4), citing the Midrash, explains why Moab consulted Midian and ultimately sought someone like Bilaam:
When they saw that Yisrael was victorious in an unnatural manner, they said: The leader of these people grew up in Midian; let us ask them what his chief characteristic is. They replied to them: “His power lies only in his mouth." They responded, “We must also confront them with a man whose power lies in his mouth" (Midrash Tanchuma Balak 3).
Bilaam recognized that Bnei Yisrael’s strength resided in their unique Torah way of life, which secured their relationship with the Creator. Therefore, he initiated the diabolical plan to bring Divine retribution upon them by seducing them into promiscuity and idolatry, which their G-d “hates." Bilaam grasped the full significance of the difference of Bnei Yisrael, but his disgust with their holy way of life prompted him to seek their destruction.
Embracing Our Mission
There is much we can learn from this episode. We must recognize and acknowledge our difference and uniqueness. We should be able to deal with the fact that others dislike us and may even feel revulsion toward us. If that is because we scrupulously adhere to the requirements of the Torah which G-d has entrusted to us, we should regard the hatred as a badge of pride. When the criticism of the haters becomes intense, let us remember that we only need to answer to Hashem.
This does not mean that we should never pay any attention to what the gentiles say about us. If we are being condemned, we need to honestly consider the cause. If it resides in our own unworthy actions or behavior, we need to correct them, for acquiring a bad reputation among the nations constitutes a Chillul Hashem (Desecration of G-d’s Name).
However, we should never be ashamed of the special position that the Jews occupy in the Divine scheme of things, for this has nothing to do with any innate superiority, but only with adherence to Torah and Mitzvot.
It is our national mission to proclaim G-d’s praises to mankind. We should embrace it with humility, pride, and boundless enthusiasm.
Questions? Comments?
Please reach out to Mitch Rosner on WhatsApp at 054-426-3419 or by email at mitchrosner@gmail.com.