Small Talk

Parshas Naso

Posted on May 31, 2023 (5783) By Rabbi Mordechai Kamenetzky | Series: Drasha | Level: Beginner

 

This week’s parsha contains a number of exciting episodes. It details the sordid tale of the adulterous women, her fate and that of her illicit adulterer. It illustrates the rules and regulations of the nazir, one who has abstained from worldly pleasures by eschewing wine in addition to leaving his hair unshorn.

 

However, tucked away in the midst of the controversial episodes are the priestly blessings — five verses that shine an encouraging light in the midst of a difficult portion. Those verses contain the priestly blessings that are well known to many of us. “May Hashem bless you and keep you. May Hashem shine his countenance on you and be gracious to you. May Hashem lift his countenance upon you and establish you in peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)”

 

Less celebrated, however, are the verses that appear immediately before and after the actual blessings. “Thus, shall you bless the children of Israel, speak to them.” What is the importance – even the meaning — of the extra words, “speak to them”? After Hashem charges the priests with the actual verses of blessing, He ends with an additional command. “Place My name upon the children of Israel and I shall bless them.” Again, the verse leaves us wondering – of course, it is Hashem that will bless them but what does His name have to do with it? Didn’t He just prescribe the formula? Why aren’t the three verses enough to spur G-d’s blessings?

 

A few months after moving to Woodmere, a lovely young Israeli couple with two young children moved next door to us. After conversing with them, my wife and I realized that in Israel they had not been the least bit observant of Jewish tradition. They had not even observed Yom Kippur, let alone kept Shabbat or kosher. It seemed that the reason they moved to America because Israel was becoming too Jewish for them. My wife and I felt a responsibility to bring these fine people closer to the Torah, yet we also did not feel comfortable telling them about laws that they must have known about but chose not to observe.

 

Fortunately, in our neighborhood lived the great Rosh Yeshiva who brought thousands of people close to Torah, Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld, of blessed memory. I explained our situation to him and basically asked him, “Rebbe, what do you in order to make someone frum (religious)?”

 

He smiled and put his large hand on my shoulder. “Do absolutely nothing!” I stood shocked and confused as he continued. “Be a mensch: Never miss a ‘good morning’ or a ‘good afternoon’.

 

Make sure your lawn is neat and your children are well behaved. And just be friendly.” Then he quoted the words of our sages, ‘make sure that the name of Hashem is cherished through you.’

 

He paused, looked me in the eye, and proclaimed confidently, “follow that advice and you will not have to do a thing. They will get closer to the Torah.”

 

We followed his advice. We invited them for meals, and our children played together. I talked politics with him while my wife discussed gardening with her. We spoke about everything — except religion. I was therefore shocked, when, in October, our neighbors asked us where the closest synagogue was.

 

They decided to go to shul for Yom Kippur. I was even more surprised when days later they asked for my help in building a Sukkah. I am sad to relate that recently we lost some very good neighbors. After 5 years of living in the US, they decided to move back to Israel. America was becoming too goyish (gentile) for them.

 

Before it enumerates the actual blessings, the Torah teaches us the true way to bless Jews – speak to them. The words, “speak to them” may be more important than the actual blessing.

 

The saintly Chofetz Chaim charged my wife’s grandfather Rabbi Laizer Levin, who was Rabbi of Detroit for 50 years, with a simple message. “Laizer, gei rehd tzoo Yidden.” (Reb Laizer go and speak to Jews.) And the actual priestly blessings do not end much differently. “Place My name upon the children of Israel and I shall bless them.” (Numbers 6:27). When Hashem’s name is placed upon His nation, then blessing is sure to follow.

 

A smile, a hello, a Good Shabbos, or Shabbat Shalom may be the key to forging a different attitude to an otherwise skeptical Jew. To paraphrase a man who reached great heights, “One small word to man can produce giants for mankind.” The true blessing does not come from theological incantations; it comes from the simple smiles of the heart.

 

A Powerful Lesson in True Humilty

Parshas Naso

Posted on June 13, 2019 (5779) By Rabbi Label Lam | Series: Dvar Torah | Level: Beginner

 

The Kohen shall bring her near and have her stand before HASHEM. The Kohen shall take sacred water in an earthenware vessel, and the Kohen shall take from the (APHAR) dust that is on the floor of the Tabernacle and put it in the water… (Bamidbar 5:16-17)

 

The Midrash is puzzled why APHAR- dust is invited as part of the Sotah solution. The answer that is given is that in the merit of Avraham Avinu when he was praying on behalf of Sodom he referred to himself as “APHAR v AIFER – DUST and ASHES”!

 

OK but how is that an answer? What’s the connection between his declaration and the requirement of this unfaithful woman to be offered to drink water with dust from the floor of the Temple?

 

Obviously Avraham Avinu was adopting a posture of extreme humility when praying to HASHEM and interceding on behalf of Sodom. How else can one approach The Creator of the Universe?! It’s an exercise in ultimate humility, a finite creature standing before an Infinite Being! This portrait of Avraham’s self-effacement and absolute nullification remains etched for all time as the definitive portrait of humility.

 

I am afraid though that we may have a wrong impression of what true humility is if we view this scene too quickly and superficially. I saw a phrase that might illuminate the topic, “Humility is not thinking less of your-self. It’s thinking less about your-self.” Is that not the exact description of what Avraham Avinu was doing here?

 

This aligns with the famous statement from the Kotzker Rebbe. A person should have two pieces of paper. One is each of two pockets. On one piece of paper the words from the Mishne in Sanheidrin should be inscribed, “A person has an obligation to say, ‘The whole world was created for me!’”

 

On the other piece of paper the words of Avraham Avinu should be written, “I am dust and ashes!” The trick is to know when to take out which piece of paper!

 

Avraham Avinu was hoping to change the mind of The Almighty! He did not consider him-self completely unworthy. How else can one have the nerve to countermand G-d!? It seems he understood very well the import of his position in the world. Obviously Avraham, in all his humility, was not thinking too little about him-self!

 

It’s very clear that Avraham was not thinking about him-self. Just the opposite! All that he is depicted doing is for the sake of the people of Sodom. He was not asking for anything for him-self.

 

When he was called upon to deliver his beloved son Yitzchok as a Korbon he did not whisper a word of protest. For the people of Sodom, Avraham Avinu carried on as a defense attorney before a strict judge to protect a community he knew was guilty of many crimes. Avraham thought enough of him-self, to have the courage to face off with HASHEM, and at the same time he though not about him-self at all, but only about the welfare of others.

 

That’s the real portrait of humility.

 

Now let us apply this same standard to the other side of the equation, the Sotah. The woman who allowed her-self to be lured by the seductive sirens of temptation and indulgence was either not considering or was underestimating the import and impact of her actions, which are serious and severe. She obviously thought too little of herself.

 

At the same time she was thinking only about herself! She engaged in an act of ultimate selfishness! Rather her behavior betrays qualities that demonstrate just the opposite of true humility. Perhaps that’s why, now she is forced to digest APHAR- dust, as a strong reminder of and a powerful lesson in true humility.

 

The Flavor That’s Forever

Parshas Naso

Posted on June 14, 2019 (5782) By Mordechai Dixler | Series: Lifeline | Level: Beginner

 

Mayer Amschel Rothschild of Frankfurt, Germany was the Eighteenth Century founder of the famed Rothschild dynasty. A guest in his home once inquired, with much chutzpah, “How much are you worth?” In reply, Rothschild took out a ledger with the word ‘Charity’ on it and started to sum up the figures. The surprised visitor exclaimed, “Perhaps you didn’t understand my question. I asked you what you have, not what you have given away.”

 

Rothschild smiled and replied, “I understood you perfectly well. When I die, I will leave all my material wealth behind. The only thing that I will be able to take with me is the merit of that which I have given away. Consequently, all that I really possess is that which I give.” (Quoted from Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the UK)

 

Each individual was obligated by the Torah to give tithes from his crop to the Kohanim, the priests, and the Levites. The Torah says, “each man, his holy things shall be his” [Num. 5:10].

 

This verse refers the giver’s right to choose which individuals will receive his gifts. But these same words, says Rabbi Israel Meir Kagan zt”l (the Chofetz Chaim), can be understood to say that the only things we truly own are our holy deeds. No business investments have a guaranteed profit, and certainly not an eternal profit. Profits from spiritual investments, however, are both guaranteed and eternal.

 

A group of teenage boys were visiting Rabbi Avraham Schorr of Flatbush, a renowned lecturer and teacher. Rabbi Schorr wanted to give them a sense of the eternal value of a Mitzvah, one of G-d’s commandments. So, he asked them: “Think about the pleasure, the sense of satisfaction, you had a year ago from eating a juicy piece of steak, or any other delicious meal. Now think about the pleasure and satisfaction you had a year ago after helping an old person cross the street. Which pleasure do you still feel today?”

 

Thus, even in this world, our own experience in holy endeavors testifies to this truth: it is spiritual investments that have the most lasting gains.

 

Let us prioritize our spiritual pursuits in both Mitzvah observance and Torah study, so that we may then look forward to enjoying their everlasting benefits.