Parshas Bamidbar
Fatherly Guidance
By Rabbi Label Lam
These are the offspring of Aaron and Moshe on the day HASHEM spoke with
Moshe at Mount Sinai. (Bamidbar 3:1)
These are the offspring of Aaron and Moshe: It mentions only the sons of
Aaron, yet they are called “offspring of Moshe” because he taught them
Torah. This teaches us that whoever teaches his friend’s son Torah the verse
speaks about him as if he had fathered him. (Rashi) (See Sanhedrin 19B)
This is a truly amazing Torah notion! Whoever teaches someone else's child
Torah, it is considered as if he had actually fathered that child. Why is
the statement by the sages, quoted by Rashi above, worded that way? Why does
it refer to “his friend’s son”? What would be lacking if it had just stated
that someone teaches another person or a child?
We can perhaps key into an answer with another question. Why is Pirke’ Avos,
Chapters of the Fathers, called “Chapters of the Fathers”? The sages quoted
there are not the “Avos”-“Fathers”. The Talmud tells us “Only three are
called Avos!” Those are Avraham, Yitzchok, and Yaakov! Why then are they
called “Chapters of the Fathers”? One answer is that Avos can mean the
general category, like the Avos and Toldos Malachos of Shabbos – Major
Categories and Subsets of Forbidden Activities! These statements therefore
are principles of life, classic and applicable to all generations. Another
approach may help explain how the Rabbis quotes in Avos are actually
considered Avos!
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzato writes in the Mesilas Yesharim in Chapter 19 on
the subject of Chassidus, “It is befitting that the actions of the pious
person should be directed toward the good of his entire generation- to
enhance their standing and shield them (from punishment). This is expressed
in the verse (Yeshayahu 3:10) “Praise the righteous for the good (he has
done) for they eat the fruit of their deeds.” The entire generation eats of
his fruit...
This means that that he should pray on behalf of his generation seeking
atonement for those who need atonement, urging repentance for those who need
it, and promoting the defense of the entire generation…
The Holy One blessed be He loves only those who love Israel, and to the
extent that he increases his love for Israel the Holy One blessed be He
increases his love for that person. These are the true shepherds of Israel,
whom the Holy One blessed be He holds dear; those who sacrifice themselves
for His flock, beseeching and laboring on behalf of their peace and
well-being, constantly standing in the breach to pray for repeal of the
harsh decrees against them and for the gates of blessing to open wide on
their behalf. This can be compared to a father who loves no one more than
the person who has shown genuine love toward his sons. Human nature attests
to this!”
The Baal Shem Tov had said, “If you love the father then you love the
children and if you love the children you love the father!” The righteous
ones quoted in Pirke Avos distinguished themselves by providing for the
spiritual needs of their generation.
Similarly the Chofetz Chaim adopted a generation and wrote numerous Seforim
addressing the needs of fellow Jews who had been conscripted into the Russan
army for extensive tours of duty and for Jews landing on the shores of
America. He is most famous though for his campaign to cut out the crime of
Loshon Hora from the Jewish People.
Many great leaders such as the Chazon Ish, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, and
Chanoch Leibowtiz ztl. never had physical children of their own. However
that did not stop them from adopting masses of spiritual orphans. They were
dedicated with the understanding of the love a father has for a child and
knowing that this is not just a person lacking a father but “a friend’s”
child in desperate need of fatherly guidance.
DvarTorah, Copyright © 2007 by Rabbi Label Lam and Torah.org.
