Live & Learn
“I have sinned, for I did not know” (Bemidbar 22:34)
Whenever the Torah tells us a story, it is for practical application into our own lives. It is true that the Torah narratives are extremely interesting on their own, but we must take the time and reflection the story and apply it. This week’s perashah tells about the wicked prophet Bil’am who sets out on a journey to go and curse the Jewish people. The donkey that he is riding stops in its tracks three times because an angel, unseen by Bil’am, is blocking the road. Finally the angel becomes visible to Bil’am and it is now obvious that the angel was trying to stop him on his mission. So Bil’am cries out that he sinned inadvertently because he didn’t know that there was something wrong with his plan at the time. The Shlah Hakadosh asks, if Bil’am really didn’t know at the time that his mission was wrong, but only knows now from the fact that a heavenly angel was trying to stop him, why is it called a sin? The answer is that Bil’am should have known. He should have detected from his donkey’s unusual behavior, stopping three times for no reason, that Hashem was sending him a message. We are held accountable for things that we should know.
When Rabbi Gifter, was a young boy, he had the opportunity of accompanying his Rosh Yeshivah during the vacation weeks. The Rabbi needed some rest to improve his health. A suggestion was made to take a boat ride in a nearby lake. At first the Rabbi agreed, but when he got on the boat something was bothering him, and he got off the boat before it left the dock. When he was asked why he got off he explained himself. There is a law to recite a prayer, te fill at haderech, when traveling on the water. However, since he really wasn’t traveling to a specific destination, may be the prayer doesn’t apply. Since he couldn’t resolve this dilemma, he decided not to take the ride in the boat.
Not knowing something is not really a license to do something if one should know. If one is in doubt of the correctness of one’s action, one should either ask or perhaps temporarily refrain from doing anything until finding out the correct way to go. This is something practical to learn from Bil’am
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Maqam of the Week
For Shabbat Vaethanan (Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11), prayers are conducted in Maqam HOSENI (Arabic: beauty) according to most Aleppo sources (Damascus sources: RAST). The highlight of the perasha is the Ten Commandments, and therefore Hoseni is applied; alluding to the Torah’s "beauty." This maqam, named after the Persian sheikh Husseini Biadur, is described as "a high Bayat," and is also applied in association with Shabuot, the festival of receiving the Torah. HAZZANUT: Naqdishakh: Da’at UmZima (page 334).
More Precious than Gold
This week's perasha is always read on the Shabbat following Tisha B'Ab. This Shabbat is knownas "Shabbat Nachamu" (Shabbat of Consolation), based on the opening words of the Haftorah: "Nachamu, nachamu, ami-Be consoled, my nation (Isaiah 40:1). Shabbat Nachamu is intended to console us after the destruction of our Temple, since our Sages teach that if the Temple is not rebuilt in a given generation, it is as if the Temple were destroyed in that generation (Jerusalem Talmud, Yoma 1:1).
Since Parshat Va'etchanan always coincides with Shabbat Nachamu, it seems logical that some type of "comfort" is found within the perasha itself. What comforting words does it share with us?
In this week's perarsha, G-d tells the Jewish people (Debarim 4:20), "I have taken you out of an iron furnace" (kur ha-barzel). The expression "kur ha-barzel" refers to the Egyptian exile. We might wonder why the Torah describes Egypt with this particular phrase, when similar words could express the same idea. For example, a prophesy in the Book of Malachi (13:19) states, "Behold a day is coming, burning like an oven." It seems that the word "oven" would be an equally fitting description of Egypt. So why does this week's perasha specifically use the imagery of an iron furnace?
We can shed light on this issue by examining Rashi's commentary on our verse. Rashi defines the word "kur" (furnace) as "a vessel within which gold is purified." We could suggest that Rashi is not merely translating the word "kur,"but is also explaining why we refer to the Egyptian exile as a"kur" (furnace) and not a "tanur"(oven). An oven is used for the everyday cooking and preparation of food. A furnace, on the other hand, has the specific function of refining gold. We can learn from here that Hashem sent us into the Egyptian exile because He considers the Jewish people to be as precious as gold. No one bothers to refine ordinary rocks, because the result is worthless; however, people will expend great effort to refine gold, because we know that the outcome is valuable.
So too, G-d sent the Jewish people into the hottest of furnaces because He knew how valuable we would be when we emerged. G-d knew that the Jewish people would be molded by the process of exile and that, through that process, we could achieve extraordinary levels. Everyone knows that through adversity, greatness emerges.
This is how this week's perasha comforts us after the desolation of Tisha B'Ab. As a nation, we have certainly gone through many forms of "kur ha-barzel" during the two millennia since the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet our experience in this "kur" is the surest indication that we are as precious as gold in God's eyes. Even as we yearn for redemption, we must realize that G-d will do whatever it takes to refine us, so that we can become as pure and as elevated as possible.
May we each recognize our intrinsic self-worth and utilize every golden opportunity to become allthat we can be. In this way, may we merit the re-building of our Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
There is Always Hope
In the early part of the Perasha, Moshe Rabbeinu continues his rebuke ofklal Yisrael, reminding them of their special relationship with G-d and what happens if they stray from the path set forth by the Torah. The verses explain that G-d, in His great love for Am Yisrael, has given them Eress Yisrael and that they must observe His commandments in order to assure a good and long life in it. According to the Ramban (on Debarim 1:1) these verses mark the end of Moshe Rabenu's introduction to his great speech. The second section of the speech commences at the start of chapter five, in which he exhorts them to listen to the Torah and to take care to observe its precepts. This is underscored by a presentation of the revelation at Sinai, the Shema, and a list of many misvot, some repeated, others not yet mentioned.
It is curious to note that there is a short perasha recorded between these two sections. It describes how Moshe separated three special cities on the east side of the Jordan. These were three of the six cities which were to be designated as arey miklat (cities of refuge), to which an accidental murderer could flee:
Then Moshe separated three cities on the far side of the Jordan, toward the sun rising. (Debarim 4:41)
Why is this perasha recorded here? It seems entirely misplaced, unrelated to the material either before or after it. We could suggest that it is mentioned here to indicate Yisrael's enthusiasm for misvot. The Torah has just discussed the gift of Eress Yisrael to the nation, and this separation of cities shows how dear the land was to them, for they dealt with it immediately. However, this is inadequate, as the conquest of the eastern bank of the Jordan from Sichon and Og had already been described in Perashat Devarim. The separation of the cities should thus have been mentioned there. A deeper explanation is clearly necessary.
While Moshe felt it necessary to rebuke the people before his death, he was aware of a hazard which this entailed. He was concerned that when he described all of their past failings and the dangers which the future held in store for them, they would despair of ever succeeding. A terrible feeling of hopelessness might set into the people, a depression from which they might never recover. Actually, Moshe tried to offset this feeling:
And now, Yisrael - even though you have done all this [i.e., sinned], His mercy and closeness is still upon you. For all that you have sinned, He only asks of you to fear... (Rashi loc. cit.)
Although the feeling of despair is mitigated somewhat by this statement, the concern that Am Yisrael might lose hope was very real.
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