Raising a level in the discourse between the Holy and the profane
The sacred lampstand and the daily life - Parashat Beha’alotcha - Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald - 5780
Raising the candles in the Parasha aims to one purpose:
בְּהַעֲלֹֽתְךָ֙ אֶת־הַנֵּרֹ֔ת אֶל־מוּל֙ פְּנֵ֣י הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה יָאִ֖ירוּ שִׁבְעַ֥ת הַנֵּרֽוֹת׃
… “When you mount the lamps, let the seven lamps give light at the front of the lampstand.” (Bamidbar 8:2)
Adjusting the seven candles to illuminate 'in front of the lampstand' connects them to one system. Our sages drew inspiration from the lampstand הַמְּנוֹרָ֔ה about the basic principles in Judaism.
In the 15th century, two great Scholars aimed for a similar principle.
Rabbi Yitzchak Abarbanel was a Talmid Chacham who served as Portugal's finance minister aimed at unity of Torah and science. Matching the general knowledge to Torah Wisdom:
"והיו שבעת הנרות שבמנורה" רומזים אל שבע החכמות שכלם ימצאו בתורת האלקים. והיו הנרות כלם פונות אל הנר האמצעי הנקרא נר מערבי והוא היה פונה אל קדש הקדשים לרמוז שהתכמה האמתית היא אשר תסכים עם שרשי התורה שהיתה בארון.
"And there were the seven candles" alluding to the seven multiple intelligences that everyone would find in the Torah. And the candles were all facing the middle candle and this one, was facing the Holy of Holies, implying that the true Wisdom would come from the root of the Torah which was in the ark." (Abarbanel on Torah, Shmot 25:10)
Rabbi Ovadia Sforno, who was a Rabbi and a physician in Rome, aimed for the unity of the spiritual world and the world of action. The consumable and indistinguishable connection between the Torah people and the people who act:
וזה כשתפנה שלהבת כל אחד מהששה נרות אל הקנה האמצעי אז, יאירו שבעת הנרות כל השבעה יאירו וישפיעו אור עליון לישראל שיורו היות אור הימנים ואור השמאלים מכוון ופונה אל אור הקנה האמצעי שהוא עיקר המנורה ושכן ראוי שכונת המימינים העוסקים בחיי עולם והמשמאלים העוסקים בחיי שעה העוזרים למימינים תהיה להפיק רצון האל יתברך באופן שיושג מכוונו בין כולם וירוממו את שמו יחדו כמו שקבלו עליהם...
“when you kindle the six lamps, facing the lamp on the center shaft; this means that the wick is to be inclined towards this center shaft so that the flames will point in this direction from the respective sides of the menorah. Then, and only then, all seven lamps will fulfill their function of illuminating and being the conduits of spiritual light descending on to the Jewish people. [obviously, the individual lamps would be able to provide physical light before being positioned in the manner described The mussar, allegorical lesson conveyed by the lights of the menorah is us that only by the “right” side representing preoccupation with eternal values, life in the future, working together with the “left” side which represents the concerns with physical life on our planet, will we be able to attain our purpose on earth.. (Sforno Bamidbar 8:2)
Both interpretations oppose the dichotomous view that separates Torah and science, from the spiritual and the practical life. Their approach sees the מְּנוֹרָ֔ה as an expression of organic systems that combine worlds that are perceived as distinct and separate into one system, parts of which complement it into one whole.
Mentioning their approach at this time is like וְדָבָ֖ר בְּעִתּ֣וֹ מַה־טּֽוֹב׃
“And how good is a word rightly timed!” (Proverbs 15:23).
More than a week ago, The Rishon Letzion Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef שליט"א made a statement against the Yeshiva High-Schools in which "they are studying and matriculating in secular subjects and nonsense..." versus the "Holy Yeshivot"... and that the Rabbis who send there are not "good" Rabbis, and that in the next elections, “good” Rabbis should be chosen for the cities ... a statement that led to a wave of reactions, those that dealt with the self-esteem of the secular professions in Judaism, as a "necessity" and tool for acquiring a profession that will honor its owners.
As our response, we focused on the achievements and greatness of the High School Yeshiva Rabbinical graduates who do not fall far from the graduates of the other Yeshivas. On the contrary, the graduates who later studied in Zionist Yeshivas, Hesder Yeshivas and higher Yeshivas, achieved higher scores in the Chief Rabbinate of Israel's Rabbinical and Rabbinical Judges’ Tests.
Our Parasha calls for an ‘elevation’ in this discourse, as a central issue in Judaism in general and religious Zionism in particular: "This clear knowledge depends only on the explanation and the solution of all the difficult questions of our private and general life. We must find out solution after solution. This clear knowledge is the value of the sacred and the profane, especially when they are integrated together in our personal and general lives." (Ma’amarei Reiyah II 404).
Contrary to the dichotomous view that separates the Holy from profane in Rabbi Kook's view, there is synergy and synthesis between them and the Torah and science radiate and complement each other. And while we are not aware of this, we reduce the value of Torah and science: "Whenever we want to unite Torah with science, there is no foundation for truth. [But] the supreme aspiration in which the light of truth shines is the recognition that science is itself one of the Torah's illuminations in its true sense…”. "(file 7 154).
Leadership during a crisis
Parsha and its Implementation – Beha'alotcha - Rabbi Eliezer Shenvald - 5779
In our Parasha, the period of crises of the desert begins. The severe crises of the "complainers" and the קברות" התאווה, “graves where the victims of inordinate desire were buried” challenge Moshe's individual leadership. During the crisis and the difficulty, Moshe addresses Hashem:
" לָמָ֤ה הֲרֵעֹ֙תָ֙ לְעַבְדֶּ֔ךָ וְלָ֛מָּה לֹא־מָצָ֥תִי חֵ֖ן בְּעֵינֶ֑יךָ לָשׂ֗וּם אֶת־מַשָּׂ֛א כָּל־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה עָלָֽי׃
And Moses said to Hashem, “Why have You dealt ill with Your servant, and why have I not enjoyed Your favor, that You have laid the burden of all this people upon me? (Bamidbar 11:11)
"למה הרעות לעבדך לשלחני בעל כרחי להוציא העם הזה ממצרים:
למה הרעות לעבדך? “
Why did you appoint me against my will to lead this people out of Egypt?
ולמה לא מצאתי חן בעיניך כשאמדתי שלח נא ביד תשלח:
ולמה לא מצאתי חן בעיניך?
When I asked You to send whomever You are in the habit of sending, (Shmot 4:13) why did You not accept my request?
לשום את משא כל העם הזה עלי וזה עשית כדי לשים את משא כולם עלי כאילו לא היה לך מנהיג זולתי לפחות לשתפו עמי שיהיה טוב להם:
לשום את משא כל העם הזה עלי
You could only have done this in order to burden me with the load of this whole nation, as if You could not have found another more suitable leader, or at least You could have provided me with someone else who would be suitable to share this burden and who would be good for them". (Sforno ibid.)
The leadership model of the Jewish people during a crisis, the burden and the weight of responsibility must be divided and cannot fall on the leader's shoulders, no matter how great he might be, even as Moshe Rabbeinu said:
לֹֽא־אוּכַ֤ל אָנֹכִי֙ לְבַדִּ֔י לָשֵׂ֖את אֶת־כָּל־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּ֥י כָבֵ֖ד מִמֶּֽנִּי׃
"I cannot carry all this people by myself, for it is too much for me" )Bamidbar 11:14)
This crisis led to the appointment of a council of national leadership of seventy elders alongside Moshe, who shares with them his authority and his spirit:
"וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֶסְפָה־לִּ֞י שִׁבְעִ֣ים אִישׁ֮ מִזִּקְנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵל֒ אֲשֶׁ֣ר יָדַ֔עְתָּ כִּי־הֵ֛ם זִקְנֵ֥י הָעָ֖ם וְשֹׁטְרָ֑יו וְלָקַחְתָּ֤ אֹתָם֙ אֶל־אֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֔ד וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֥וּ שָׁ֖ם עִמָּֽךְ׃
וְיָרַדְתִּ֗י וְדִבַּרְתִּ֣י עִמְּךָ֮ שָׁם֒ וְאָצַלְתִּ֗י מִן־הָר֛וּחַ אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָלֶ֖יךָ וְשַׂמְתִּ֣י עֲלֵיהֶ֑ם וְנָשְׂא֤וּ אִתְּךָ֙ בְּמַשָּׂ֣א הָעָ֔ם וְלֹא־תִשָּׂ֥א אַתָּ֖ה לְבַדֶּֽךָ׃
Then Hashem said to Moshe, “Gather for Me seventy of Israel’s elders of whom you have experience as elders and officers of the people, and bring them to the Tent of Meeting and let them take their place there with you.
I will come down and speak with you there, and I will draw upon the spirit that is on you and put it upon them; they shall share the burden of the people with you, and you shall not bear it alone" (ibid 11:16-17).
The commentators throughout the generations sought to examine the verses in order to understand the pattern of this model of leadership and how it is supposed to provide a solution during routine and in times of crisis.
The solution of choosing the seventy elders was intended to divide the burden, improve accessibility to the leadership that can be more attentive to the distress, and become an intermediate level that allows the supreme leadership of Moshe Rabbeinu "depth" and softening the criticism: "But Moshe thought that with many leaders they would be less angry and talk to their hearts. And it is possible that when the elders who had also Ruach HaKodesh prophesied, the people would be faithful to the prophets, and they would not gather themselves together against Moses"(Ramban, ibid pasuk 14).
The chosen elders were those who did not have a "personal interest" who did not seek a "political career" and a governmental position. They should be aware that they came “to work” for the people who do not make life easy for their leaders.
ונשאו אתך. הַתְנֵה עִמָּהֶם עַל מְנָת שֶׁיְּקַבְּלוּ עֲלֵיהֶם טֹרַח בָּנַי, שֶׁהֵם טַרְחָנִים וְסַרְבָנִים (שם):
And they shall bear [the burden of the people] with thee — stipulate with them that they shall join you on the understanding that they take upon themselves the burden of my children — because they are troublesome people and refractory (Sifrei Bamidbar 92) " (Rashi, ibid 17).
The chosen were those who only cared for the welfare of the people, who had already proved that they gave their lives and were willing to pay personal prices and even suffer for the sake of the people’s wellbeing:
אספה לי שבעים איש מזקני ישראל אשר ידעת כי הם זקני העם ושוטריו. שידעת שהם זקני העם ושוטריו שלקו על הצבור במצרים מיד הנוגשים שהיו מצריים, והשוטרים הללו היו מרחמים עליהן ומקילים מהם עול העבודה, והיו מוכין על כך ע"י הנוגשים, שנאמר (שמות ה) ויכו שוטרי בני ישראל, כי הם יודעים להנהיג את העם ולסבול אותם. " (רבנו בחיי שם פס' טז).
אספה לי שבעים איש מזקני ישראל אשר ידעת כי הם זקני העם ושוטריו “gather for Me 70 men from among the elders of Israel whom you know to be elders of the people and its officers.” G’d meant that Moses was aware that the people in question had demonstrated empathy for the people in Egypt absorbing physical punishment on their own bodies rather than inflicting it on their charges. The officers were the ones of whom we read in Exodus 5,14 that “they were beaten by their Egyptian counterparts” for having displayed sympathy for the Jews they were in charge of. They had acquired experience in the qualities needed to deal with the people, and they had established a reputation for fair play”. (Rabbeinu Bahya Bamidbar 11:16).
By being chosen, the elders were given the gift of the prophetic spirit from Moshe. In this way there is also a kind of justice and closure of those who gave their lives for the people of Israel in the enslavement of Egypt:
אשר ידעת. כי הם שהוכו בשבילם במצרים כדאמר ויכו שוטרי בני ישראל שכל מי שמוסר עצמו על ישראל זוכה לגדולה ולכבוד ולרוח הקדש: אשר ידעת כי הם זקני העם,
“whom you have known to be the elders of the people;” they allowed themselves to be beaten rather than to impose more hardships on their fellow Jews. We have a tradition that anyone who deliberately suffers in order to spare fellow Jews suffering, will eventually be rewarded by being appointed to an important position, and will be granted a measure of Holy Spirit. Daat Zkenim on Bamidbar 11:16:2)
The pattern of the leadership of the seventy elders whom Moshe delegated to them. Although it had a divine command and it derived from the constraints of reality, it also expressed the nobility of Moshe's soul, which is willing to relinquish authority and transfer it to others (a very difficult concession to those who hold power). Here, too, Moshe is likened to his canon and the Council of Seventy Elders to the Heavenly Court: "
והנה משה נתעלה באותה עצה עלוי רב בהדמותו לקונו יתברך המאציל אצילות שפע על שבעים שרים של מעלה שהם בית דינו, כן עשה למשה שיהיה הוא המאציל על שבעים זקנים למטה שהם בית דינו של משה והוא הנשיא על גביהם ועליון על כלן, (רבנו בחיי שם פס' יז).
Through this procedure Moses’ stature was greatly enhanced in that he and his quorum of seventy elders from now on could be perceived as parallel to the celestial quorum which we described earlier. Moses’ position relative to the seventy elders compared to G’d’s position relative to the seventy angels who form His Sanhedrin. Any transfer of Holy Spirit from Moses occurred only at times when G’d would speak with Moses. (Rabbeinu Bahya Bamidbar 11:17).