Anonymous On The Parsha

Anonymous said...

נָשֹׂא אֶת-רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי קְהָת מִתּוֹךְ בְּנֵי לֵוִי לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם
(במדבר )
There is an amazing occurrence involving this weeks Parsha. Naso is the longest containing 176 Pesukim. The longest Perek in Tehillim has 176 Pesukim, and Baba Basra, the longest Masechta in Shas, has 176 Dafim. What is the significance of this recurring number? Rav Isbeeז"ל answers there are 22 letters of the Aleph-Beis. This number represents Torah. The natural world (Teva) is always in sevens: there are seven days of the week, there are also Shivas Minim, seven continents, seven notes on a musical scale, and last but not least, the seven seas. Accordingly, eight always represents the world beyond nature (L’maaleh Min HaTeva). Now we uncover the secret of the number 176. When you take the Torah (represented by 22) and multiply by L’maaleh Min HaTeva (numerically 8) it equals 176. Through this number, Hashem is showing us that the Torah is above other studies, it is L’maaleh Min HaTeva.

דבר אל בני ישראל ואמרת אלהם איש או אשה כי יפלא לנדר נדר נזיר להזיר לה'
(במדבר ו:ב)
The Torah describes a Nazir as one who separates himself from worldly pleasures, specifically refraining from consuming wine products and haircutting, in order to attain an elevated spiritual level, greater Kedusha. The Gemara in Nedarim, addressing a person seeking spiritual ascension through acceptance of optional fasting, writes כל היושב בתענית נקרא חוטא. It would seem natural for a person climbing the spiritual ladder to take an active role in reaching his goal of spiritual growth, why then, does the Gemara view it so negatively? The Ostrovtze Rebbe provides profound insight into the true intent of the Gemara's statement. The Gemara is not condescending to one who seeks spiritual elevation through abstinence of worldly pleasures. The words are כל היושב literally translated as “one who sits,” meaning he tortures himself needlessly. He is physically refraining from Hashem’s gifts, yet since the message is not absorbed, is considered spiritually inactive, a יושב. Only in such a case is the Gemara critical and stating that he is נקרא חוטא.
שְׁלֹשִׁים וּמֵאָה הַקְּעָרָה הָאַחַת כֶּסֶף וְשִׁבְעִים הַמִּזְרָק הָאֶחָד כֹּל כֶּסֶף הַכֵּלִים אַלְפַּיִם וְאַרְבַּע-מֵאוֹת בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶש כַּפּוֹת זָהָב שְׁתֵּים-עֶשְׂרֵה מְלֵאֹת קְטֹרֶת עֲשָׂרָה עֲשָׂרָה הַכַּף בְּשֶׁקֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ כָּל-זְהַב הַכַּפּוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּמֵאָה.
The Torah tells us that each Nasi brought a set of gifts to the Mizbeach. For what reason does the Posuk mention only the Keilim that held the gifts but omit the seemingly more essential contents of these containers? Furthermore, conversely, regarding the ladles full of קְטֹרֶת that the Nessim offered, we find explicit mention of the contents of the ladles! What is the reason for this apparent dichotomy? The answer requires a brief refresher in Hilchos Kodshim. There is a Halacha instructing that anything made hekdesh/consecrated must be offered on the same day. Violation of this edict results in Lina and the expired offerings become Pasul. Accordingly, the Brisker Rav directs our attention to the גמרא שבועת דף יא. stating that the din of Lina does not apply to the consecration of incense. Knowing this, the Nessiim were not hesitant to preload the incense into the ladles. However, as the Nessiim correctly suspected, Hashem dedicated an entire day to the gifts of each Nasi. Had the Nessiim arrived all at once with their gifts prepackaged, all of the offerings except for those of the one Nasi awarded the first day would fall into the category of Lina and consequently become Pasul. With this in mind, they arrived with the containers for their gifts but left the gifts separate. Only when it was their special day for presenting gifts did they add the gifts to the baskets they had prepared prior.

Parshas Naso - "Humility is the Key"

I hope that you all had a great week. My apologies for not getting a Dvar Torah out last week. It was kind of crazy around here and Bli Neder I will try not to make a habit of it. At any rate, this week was one of celebration and Mazel Tovs for our readers! I would personally like to wish a Mazel Tov to Andy and Samantha Van Houter upon their Wedding AND to Dovi Lamet and Ilana Singer, Michael Schertz and Yael Koenigsberg, and Saul Haimoff and Sara Rosengarten upon their engagements.

Here is a little something...

QUICKIE/FUNFACT: This parsha begins with the census of the family of Gershon. Why was the family of Kehat, a younger son, counted before Gershon who was the first born?

The Kli Yakar answers that G-D wanted us to learn that honor is given first and foremost to those who are involved with Torah, even if they are younger. Thus, G-D gave the responsibility of carrying the Aron which represents Torah to Kehat, a younger son, and then counted that younger son before older sons to teach us the honor due to those involved with Torah.

- Courtesy of Rabbi Dov Lipman Shlit"a

Bamidbar 7:12 "Vayihi Hamakriv bayom harishon es korbano Nachshon ben Aminadav L'Mateh Yehuda"

"And it was the one who brought the sacrifice on the first day was Nachshon ben Aminadav from the Tribe of Yehuda"

In the above Pasuk the Torah oddly chooses not to preface the calling of Nachshon ben Aminadav by calling him a Nasi. Why is this? Rav Shimon Schwab suggests that the reason may be because Elisheva, Nachshon's sister was mourning the loss of her sons, Nadav and Avihu. For this reason the Pasuk chooses not to show the greatness of Nachshon ben Aminadav and lists him as a simple person from the tribe of Yehuda. In addition, we can now understand why the pasuk says "V'karbano" in the adjoining area to show us that Nachshon was clearly in pain for his sister's loss and therefore did not feel the simcha in the bringing of his korban.

The Tur writes that the Torah prefaces all of the Nasiim with the name Nasi except of Nachshon ben Aminadav because he was from the tribe of Yehuda. This gesture was symbolic of Nachshon or the entire greater tribe of Yehuda who both now and eternally will be held in high regard by society and that they will have to teach themselves to be humble. For we see in (Shmuel 1 17:14) "David hu hakatan – David he is the smallest." Even though he was the King!

We learn in many places that a humble person is not considered humble because of his actions but because of his inner self. Nachshon ben Aminadav did not see himself as a Nasi, even though he most definitely was. He saw himself as a simple man from Yehuda even though he was realistically one of the most powerful people in Am Yisrael.

HAVE A FANTASTIC SHABBOS!