The Role of the Levite

The Leviim were sanctified with the special task of performing Temple service. They fulfilled the same role that is written on police cars in Los Angeles; “to protect and to serve.”

Protection meant that they were to physically guard all of the entrances to the Beit Hamikdash. They were on duty all hours of the day.

They served in the Temple as helpers to the Kohanim. They also participated in the Temple service by playing instruments and singing praises to Hashem.

The Leviim were generally poor, as the gifts they received were far less than those of the Kohanim. Nevertheless, many of them were devoted educators throughout Israel.

Today, the Levite has the duty of washing the hands of the Kohanim before the priestly blessing. He is honored with the second Aliya to the Torah after the Kohein.

The first born Levi is exempt from the Mitzva of Pidyon Haben. Even if one’s mother is a daughter of a Levi, there is also a Pidyon Haben exemption.

The Leviim merited their special role, when they did not participate in the sin of the Golden Calf. They took the place of the first born sons of Israel.

As the Torah says, the Leviim were separated for an exalted position. They fulfilled their role a lot better than the LA police!

Light Over Darkness

The lighting of the Menorah in the Beit Hamikdash was a special task given to Aharon Hakohein. The lights of the Menorah were to give light seven days a week.

The Torah tells us that following the instructions of the lighting, it says, ויעש כן, “And so it was done.” The simple meaning is that Aharon was meticulous in every detail.

The Malbim noted a parallel to the instructions in creation. Every time Hashem ordered the creation of another entity, the Torah wrote, ויהי כן, “And so it was.”

The connection to Aharon’s ויעש כן, and the ויהי כן, in creation had to do specifically with the light that was to fill the earth. This was the instance out of ten that the words, ויהי אור, “Let there be light,” appeared instead of ויהי כן.

The Sages explained that the original light was hidden and was known as אור הגנוז. The world was not ready for this brilliant, holy light.

When Aharon lit the Menorah, this hidden light was restored, as more sanctity was brought into the world.

Light is a symbol of holiness and goodness. Darkness is just the opposite. It was the task of the Kohanim as well as the Jewish people, to bring light, goodness, and morality.

As this is taking place right before our eyes, the greatest objection comes from those who are living in darkness. They are fighting what they know to be true. And they are doing this viciously and in the most ugly way. The light will defeat the darkness and goodness will prevail over evil. The light of the Menorah will continue to shine brightly!

Samson the Hero

The story of שמשון הגיבור, known as Samson, is quite fascinating. There is no biblical character quite like him. He is known for his incredible physical strength, but there is much more that can be learned from him.

Upon reading the text in the Book of Judges, it would seem that he had a strong desire for non-Jewish women. While it was Delila that brought about his ultimate demise, there was a bigger Divine plan behind this.

The Rambam points out that it is not possible that Samson could have married Gentile women and also go down in history as a savior to the Jewish people. He claims that Samson made sure to convert these women before marrying them.

In the first instance, the woman Shimshon had chosen, betrayed him. This gave him the justification to personally take vengeance against the Plishtim. He burned down their fields by setting the tails of foxes on fire.

Shimshon brought peace and quiet to the Jewish people for twenty years. This is after their harassment by the Plishtim. He was a Nazirite from birth and a holy person. The Talmud tells us that his eyes allowed him to go astray. Delila did “nag him to death,” as the text reads, and his was blinded and lost his strength.

In the end, he prayed and repented. His final act was to personally bring down the Philistine shrine.

Shimshon was a complicated figure, but he went down in history as a גיבור, a great Jewish hero.

Learn the Lesson

The case of the vow of becoming a Nazir follows the Sotah case. This refers to an individual who takes upon himself this status for a minimum of thirty days.

He refrains from drinking wine or anything from grapes. He does not shave or cut his hair. And he will not allow himself to be defiled by coming in contact with the dead. This also applies if one of his close relatives passes away.

Rashi asks why the Nazir case, follows the Sotah case. He answers that if one would have seen the Sotah in her humiliation, he should refrain from drinking wine. It was most likely the wine that caused her to sin, as wine causes a person to lose his inhibitions.

Rashi is making a very strong point here. Don’t be foolish when you see the results of a person who acted without thinking. If you see the devastation that came to the Sotah, learn a lesson from this. Distance yourself so that this situation will never happen to you.

As Jews, we must learn the lessons of history. It is a fact that עשו שונא את יעקב, that Eisav hates Yakov. There will always be Jew hatred until Mashiach comes. Learn from history that our welcome in other countries is only temporary.

History has taught us that every place Jews ever lived alway ended in assimilation, expulsion, or annihilation.

The comment of Rashi is really quite profound. We must wake up and not be in denial of reality. If we see someone who suffers for their indiscretion, we must distance ourselves and learn the lesson, so that we do not make the same mistake.

Rolling Over an Oath

There is an interesting Halacha that is learned from the oath that the Sotah, the woman suspected of being unfaithful , must make.

In actuality, the oath is recited by the Kohein, and she responds with the words, אמן אמן. She says Amen twice.

The principle that is learned from here, is known as גלגול שבועה, rolling over an oath. This means that while she is under oath, other items can be added.

Technically, she is swearing that she is innocent as a married woman. That is, that she was not with another man since she was married. If the husband suspects her of being unfaithful when they were engaged, it is not a case where she would drink the Sotah water. It only applies to a married woman. However, by implementing the גלגול שבועה enactment, the oath is rolled over to include engagement. She can then include in her oath that she was not unfaithful when they were married, or when they were engaged. She was not unfaithful with the particular man she was accused of, but she was not unfaithful with any man.

This principle of Gilgul Shevuah, is applicable in other cases as well. While under oath, other matters could be “rolled over” to include other matters.

Foolishness

The incident of the “Sotah,” the woman suspected of being unfaithful to her husband, is quite fascinating. It is the only Mitzva in the Torah that is decided by a miracle.

The promiscuous woman is given a concoction to drink that contains special water, mixed with dust from the Temple floor, and the ink from the erased name of Hashem. The miracle is that if she was truly guilty, the Sotah waters will cause her to die. If she is innocent, she will be blessed with a beautiful son.

Despite the mysterious aspect of this case, we are taught a very practical lesson. The word Sotah is spelled סוטה. Yet, when the Torah introduces the case, it begins with the words, איש כי תשטה אשתו, “When a man’s wife shall go astray.”

The Rabbis point out that “תשטה,” is a hint to the word, “שטות” that we translate as foolishness. This is the source for the well known teaching, אין אדם חוטא אלא נכנס בו רוח שטות, “An individual does not sin, unless a spirit of folly, has entered him.”

The message here is that so much pain has been caused by this “spirit of folly.” If people would only think before they acted, they could save themselves so much grief. Sometimes that one moment of doing a regrettable act, can have consequences that could last a lifetime.

This is why our sages say in Pirkei Avot, איזהו חכם? הרואה את הנולד. “Who is wise? It is the one who is able to see the consequences of his actions.”

The Sotah is put to great shame and humiliation for her moment of foolishness. We can all save ourselves grief and pain, if we would only think before we act.

Atoning for Theft

The law regarding theft and a false oath of denial, is repeated in Parshat Nasso. This referred to a case where someone was a thief and denied the claim against him under oath. He later admitted that he lied. He must pay back what he stole, plus pay a fine of one fifth, known as “Chomesh,” and offer a guilt offering, known as Korban Asham.

The reason for this repetition is to teach that the procedure of atonement can only take place when there is an admission of guilt.

The second factor not mentioned previously, is that if one stole from a convert, who dies with no heirs, the object is given to the Kohanim.

This case is interesting because the thief must show a desire to seek atonement. He does this by his confession, and his willingness to even travel a great distance, to find the person that he defrauded, and return the item directly to him.

This is a proof that our sincere regret must be demonstrated before we can forgiven by Hashem. It is difficult for anyone to openly admit that he was wrong. But in this case, he’s admitting that he’s a liar and a thief.

It’s so much easier to make excuses and blame others, rather than own up to bad behavior. This particular law is so important that it needed to be written in Vayikra, and clarified in Parshat Nasso.

Shmone Esrei and Meditation

Rav Kook brought a story of four Amoraim who admitted that they did not have proper intent during Shmone Esrei. They allowed their minds to wander during the “silent devotion.

Rav Chiya said that he never had proper Kavana. Shmuel admitted that he would count baby chicks during prayers. The son of Rav Chiya counted rows of bricks. And Rav Matania once said that he needed to give thanks to his head, who mechanically bowed when he reached “Modim.”

The Rabbis commented on these strange admissions. They felt it was impossible that such great scholars were unable to concentrate during the most important prayer in each service. They said that they were explaining that important messages were revealed to them in their meditative state. It referred to higher spiritual attainments.

Rav Kook goes on to explain that each of the Avot had a revelation as to their purpose in the world.

Avraham was to bring holiness to the world and fix Adam’s sin. Yitzchak was to teach the strength required to give of oneself to Hashem. Yakov was to spread the sanctity of Israel throughout the world.

Rav Aryeh Kaplan wrote that the Shmone Esrei is a form of meditation. If one focuses on the words, he can also be elevated. He might be able to receive clarity about his life, and even figure his own special role on behalf of Am Yisrael.

Special Tafkid

The Torah speaks of the special jobs of the three Leviticus families.

The Kehat family were given the task of carrying the holy vessels of the Temple. The family of Gershon were in charge of transporting the curtains of the Mishkan. And the Merari Family were tasked with loading the beams that were the foundation of the Mishkan.

It is interesting to note how it became clear that each and everyone of us, also has their own special תפקיד, or role to play in society.

The Talmud comments on this and finds it remarkable how everyone chooses such a wide variety of occupations. The end result is that society finds itself with experts in every necessary profession. This allows it to function smoothly.

The Meshech Chochma made an interesting observation about the Torah’s wording in connection with the three families from the Tribe of Levi. The work of the Kehat Family is referred to as Melacha, while the role of Gershon and Merari is referred to as Avoda.

Both Melacha and Avoda are translated to mean “work.” The Torah’s choice of words was a hint to the fact that Kehat carried the vessels on their shoulders. Carrying from one domain to another on Shabbat is called “Melacha,” and is forbidden on Shabbat.

The transporting of the curtains and beams were done by placing them on wagons. They were pulled by animals. Gershon and Merari merely directed the animals. This was Avoda on Shabbat and was considered less of a Shabbat violation than a Melacha.

Some are drawn towards choosing professions that are more spiritual than others. Nevertheless, anyone who earns his livelihood with hard work, honesty, and integrity, makes that work sanctified as well.

Special Place of Baal Teshuva

There is a statement of the Rabbis that needs some explanation. It is said that the place reserved for the Baal Teshuva, places him on a level that is higher than one who is a complete Tzaddik.

This statement seems a bit unfair to the righteous. Can they be penalized for being good all of their lives? This question is answered by “The Duties of the Heart.”

Rabbeinu Bachye wrote of three categories of Baal Teshuva. The first category refers to those who have been lax in the observance of positive Mitzvot. They have not been wearing Tzitzit, or putting on Tefillin. They not bother to sit in Succah, or bless the Lulav.

When these individuals resolve to actively observe these Mitzvot, they are on the same level as the righteous who have never been deficient.

The second category is the one superior to the Tzaddik. This refers to the group that had been violating various negative commandments. Perhaps they were guilty of eating forbidden foods or speaking Lashon Hara, or other commandments where lashes would be given.

When they demonstrate humility and remorse and no longer violate these Mitzvot, they are on a higher level than the born Tzaddik.

The third group can never reach the level of the Tzaddik. They may have been guilty of Chilul Hashem, desecrating the Name of G-d. Even if they do Teshuva and show regret, they are not fully forgiven until they die. Repentance is welcome but the grievousness of the sin does not allow them to reach the level of the true Tzaddik.

This is a very plausible answer in explaining the special place reserved for the Baal Teshuva.

Appreciating the Convert

It is the custom to read the Book of Ruth during Shavuot. The reason it is read at this time is because the book begins by telling us that it took place during קציר החיטים, the harvesting of wheat. Shavuot is also called, “Chag Hakatzir.”

A second reason given is that Ruth embraced the Torah and took upon herself the Mitzvot of the Torah. She was a Ger Tzedek, a righteous convert. Like Ruth, we were also strangers who embraced the Torah and accepted the Mitzvot on Shavuot.

We are to take pause, and appreciate all of the converts who willingly leave their families and their previous lifestyles, to embrace the Torah and Judaism.

On numerous occasions, we are given the command to love the convert. No two stories are the same regarding the sacrifice made in becoming Jewish.

It is amazing what takes place on the final day, when the conversion candidate stands before a court of three rabbis. The long path taken to learn and observe Jewish practices, ends with the formal acceptance and welcoming of the judges to Judaism.

There is a box of tissues on the table in front of the judges, as inevitably, our new addition to our people breaks into tears of joy. Rabbi Stewart Weiss recently asked a Jewish audience, “When is the last time you cried reciting the Shema Yisrael?”

Shavuot is the holiday when we are to receive the Torah anew. We are to appreciate our special role as Jews, and salute the converts who choose to embrace Judaism of their own free will.

Israel’s Special Destiny

The Torah speaks at length not only about the Revelation at Mount Sinai, but also about preparing for the greatest day in human history.

Moshe Rabbeinu spoke to the people about the covenant they were about to make with Hashem. We are familiar with their later response of נעשה ונשמע, “We will do and we will hear.” But there was another response prior to Mount Sinai, that was simply, נעשה, “We will do.”

This response was related to the special יעוד, or destiny, of the Jewish people. It referred to the unique role placed on the Jewish nation.

The message from G-d at that time, was the following. “I have not brought you unto Me that you might merely be able to see the sight of My greatness, but rather, so that you might perfect My world. You must see its anguish, and return it to the source of its life.”

Hashem makes it clear that if Israel will listen to His commandments, and fulfill their special destiny, then they will be an עם סגולה, a special nation and a precious possession among all the nations of the earth.

Shavuot is meant to reaffirm who we are, and what Hashem expects of us. It is our task to bring goodness, kindness, and fear of Heaven to the world. We must not falter in our holy mission, and it is within our power to make the world a better place.

Stand Up And Be Counted

The Book of Bamidbar begins with a census taking of the males between twenty and sixty. Rashi comments on this by explaining that we tend to count things that we cherish.

This is why there is another census after the sin of the Golden Calf. There needed to be an accounting of how many remained after this tragedy. It was Hashem’s desire that the Divine Presence would rest on the nation once again.

The Chidushei Harim makes an interesting observation about counting. He points out that among the Kashrut laws, there is usually the principle that a prohibited food is nullified with a ratio of sixty to one. At that point, the forbidden taste can no longer be felt.

However, there is a special law regarding דבר שבמניין, something that has such importance, that it is counted. The rule regarding such foods is that because of their importance, they can never be nullified, regardless of the ratio.

This was Hashem’s intent in counting the Jewish people. He wanted to be certain that His beloved people would never be canceled, and they would exist forever.

Perhaps this is connected to the slogan, “Stand up and be counted!” Each and every Jew must see himself as being part of Am Yisrael and our special destiny. When we are counted, we will not be nullified. Am Yisrael Chai!

Rebuke Before Shavuot

The great prophet and scribe, Ezra, made numerous decrees for the benefit of the Jewish people. He was the spiritual leader that helped rebuild Jewish life, when the second Beit Hamikdash was built.

One of his decrees was to set up the cycle of the weekly Torah reading, so that the two תוכחות, or rebukes, that are found in the Torah, would fall shortly before Shavuot and Rosh Hashanah.

These were the two times that we could use a little “shaking up.” On Shavuot, we celebrate the receiving of the Torah on Mount Sinai. This isn’t something to be taken lightly. Each year, we are to imagine ourselves standing at Sinai and hearing G-d utter the first two of Ten Commandments. We are to renew the special bond and destiny that we have as Jews.

The rebuke that precedes Shavuot is meant to remind us why we are here. The task placed upon us is a great one. We are to declare the Oneness of our Creator, and make it clear that He is the King of Kings, that must reign over the entire earth.

The rebuke before Rosh Hashanah is to impress upon us the need for Teshuvah, and returning to G-d. It is a gift that we receive every year that Ten Days of Repentance are given to us, to clean our slate where all of our sins are forgiven.

It is understandable why it is said of Ezra, that if the Torah would not have been given to Moshe Rabbeinu, the next worthy candidate would have been him.

Surrendering to G-d

Rav Kook chose to speak about the nature of the Mitzvot, in his commentary on Parshat Bechukotai. He did this because there is an entire category of Mitzvot known as “חוקים.”

These refer to the laws in the Torah that do not appear to have a rational reason to them.The prohibition of milk and meat, the prohibition of wearing a garment mixed with wool and linen, and the offering of the Red Heifer, are three such examples.

Rav Kook quoted the Rambam who suggested that seeking the reasons for Mitzvot, should be done with great care. We should first view all of the commandments of the Torah, as גזירת המלך, the decree of the King. It is not within our capacity that which comes from Hashem, who is perfect in every way.

If we acquire true יראת ה׳, fear of G-d, we will not be troubled by any of the commandments that don’t seem to make sense. Instead, we will be in greater awe of such Mitzvot, that come from a very high place.

This is why the Rabbis emphasize that a greater reward is received for the Mitzvot that we are commanded to, rather than one who observes Mitzvot that he is not commanded.

This shows a complete surrender, הכנעה, to G-d. We accept that we cannot truly understand His ways, but we know that all that is demanded of us, is for our own good.

The חוק teaches us to be humble and have faith. We don’t have to understand the reason for everything we observe. But we must be firm in our commitment to follow the word of Hashem, down to the last detail.

Yom Yerushalayim

We must understand the context of what preceded the Six Day War. There was serious gloating among the Arab nations surrounding Israel. They boasted that they were going to drive Israel into the sea.

This took place only twenty-two years after the Holocaust. The State of Israel was only nineteen years old. The Jewish people around the world were gripped with terrible fear of the unimaginable. It was a very solemn and frightening time.

The Hand of G-d was revealed in as open a manner as the Ten Plagues in Egypt and the splitting of the Red Sea. What took Joshua seven years to achieve, was accomplished in only six days!

Holy places and lands that had not been in the possession of the Jewish people for nearly two thousand years, were returned to their rightful owners. The Kotel was in our hands!

Anyone who is unable to see this as a Divine miracle is blind. There is no other explanation. Things changed dramatically after 1967. The Jews were no longer seen as weak pushovers. They are tough and they are not afraid to confront their enemies.

There was clear proof that we were living in the time of Redemption. Jews could come home from all corners of the earth. Any claim that the Jewish people were rejected by G-d was disproven during this brief war.

Since 1967, we have witnessed the emergence of the Baal Teshuva Yeshivot. There was a religious awakening among our people, as there was a strong desire to return to their Jewish roots. At the same time, the number of converts desiring to join the Jewish people, has increased dramatically.

It is clear that Yom Yerushalayim is a worthy day of celebration and giving thanks to the Al-mighty for bringing deliverance to His people. We are living in incredible times. We only need to open our eyes to appreciate how special these times truly are.

Mistreatment and Fraud

The Torah has two verses in Chapter 25 of Vayikra in regards to the words, “לא תונו,” do not mistreat your fellow Jew.

In verse 25:14, it is written, ולא תונו איש את אחיו, that one must not mistreat his brother. And in 25:17 it says, ולא תונו איש את עמיתו, one must not mistreat his counterpart.

Both verses speak of mistreatment of some kind. The only difference is that אחיו is used in the first instance, and עמיתו, in the second verse.

It is interesting to note that the word “אונאה” is used in spoken Hebrew. It can mean “fraud” or “embezzlement. The police department in Israel has a מחלקת אונאה, where matters of fraud are examined.

The explanation as to why there are two separate verses is to teach two different sets of laws. The first Pasuk speaks of אונאת ממון, improper behavior in money matters. There are very strict rules related to taking advantage of consumers. There are limits as to how much profit is allowed to make. If he passes that limit, he has transgressed. One must not take advantage of his brother.

The second verse speaks of אונאת דברים, mistreatment with words. One must not belittle his counterpart with words. He might only be an acquaintance that you do not see as your brother. But you must not insult any Jew. You must not remind a convert of his origin, acting as though you are better than him. Similarly, you must not make a Baal Teshuva feel that is he inferior to you, because he was not always observant.

The Torah uses different examples to remind us that we must act ethically, with kindness and compassion, in our treatment of our fellow Jew. We must never forget the need to “be a Mentch” in all of our interactions with others.

Tithes for Charity

There are two terms related to our handling of money matters. One is called, שמיטת כספים and the other is known as מעשר כספים.

The first term is related to the Sabbatical year. The Shmitta of money, refers to the forgiveness of loans on that year. The great Tanna, Hillel, instituted the Prozbul document, that we still use today, to bypass this obligation of forgiving loans.

The second term refers to a tithing of money. This means that we are to keep track of our income, and give ten percent to charity. This is also observed today by G-d fearing Jews who follow the Torah.

The reason Hillel instituted the Prozbul was to encourage lenders to continue lending. He felt that he had the authority to make such a decision, because Shmitta laws were only rabbinical.

The rule was that Shmitta becomes a Torah law, when Yovel, the Jubilee year was from the Torah. Some say this will happen when all of the tribes are situated in their respective lands. The majority of the Jews in the world, must be living in Israel.

While there doesn’t seem to be any argument regarding the Shmitta laws, that they are rabbinical, there is some debate regarding our tithing our income.

There are three opinions in this matter. There are authorities who say that this tithing remains a Torah law. Others say it is rabbinic, and still others say it is only a custom. Nevertheless, there is no question that it is a huge Mitzva to give charity and hear the cries of the less fortunate.

This is clearly what defines as Jews. We are a compassionate people that love doing acts of kindness. In the time of the Torah, the fields were tithed. Today, we tithe our income, showing gratitude to Hashem for His abundant gifts.

Mutual Responsibility

Parshat Behar begins by Hashem speaking to Moshe Rabbeinu on Mount Sinai. This is followed by the laws of the sabbatical year, known as Shmitta.

The classic question that is asked is why is Shmitta given as an example of a law given on Mount Sinai. Aren’t all the laws of the Torah given on Sinai?

Rav Kook connects this question with an explanation that these laws and its covenant were given again in the Ohel Moed, Tent of Meeting, of the Mishkan, and again at Arvot Moav, before the Jewish people entered Israel.

Some say that the Mitzvot were given in a general manner at Sinai, and the details were given when the Mishkan was constructed.

The Mitzvot needed to be given again forty years later at Arvot Moav. The word, “Arvot” could also be connected with the word, “ Arvut,” which means, a guarantee, or taking responsibility.

The giving of the Torah actually began at Sinai, but wasn’t completed until Arvot Moav, when the nation needed to learn, כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה, “All of Israel are responsible for one another.”

The connection to the Shmitta laws is that all loans are forgiven during the seventh year. The ability to avoid demanding payment of an outstanding loan, is a clear demonstration of unity and mutual responsibility.

Shmitta was given as an example of a law given at Mount Sinai, because it carried the message of brotherly love and responsibility.

Could this be the reason why the Liberty Bell, that contains the passage from Parshat Behar, describing freedom during the Jubilee year, is housed in the “City of Brotherly Love?”

Benefits of Humility

There is a section in “Duties of the Heart,” that discusses the importance of acquiring humility. This applies in our service of Hashem, as well as our interaction with our fellow man.

This section ends with a description of the benefits that a humble person has in this world. If a person is humble, he attaches no special importance to himself. Whatever he attains in this world suffices him for his sustenance and other needs.

This gives him peace of mind and diminishes anxiety. He eats what is available, wears what he finds, and is content with very few worldly goods, because of his humility.

As for a proud person, the whole world cannot fulfill his needs, due to his inflated ambition. Pride and self importance destroy a person.

Being happy with one’s on lot, is a key to peace of mind and humility. Competitiveness and jealousy have the opposite effect. They prevent a person from being happy, because they are always looking at the possessions of others.

It is clear that a great deal of work goes into achieving humility. But the benefits and rewards are so great, that it is well worth the effort to try to achieve true humility.