Rabbi Frand on Parshas Bamidbar
These divrei Torah were adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissocher Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion: Tape# 147, Sefiras
HaOmer, Shavuos & the International Dateline. Good Shabbos!
The Double-Edged Sword of Opportunity and Responsibility
In this week's parsha we learn of the mitzvah of counting the Jewish
people: "Count the entire congregation of Israel by their families,
by their fathers' house." [Bamidbar 1:2]. We find this command twice
in the book of Bamidbar, once here and once in parshas Pinchas. That
is why Bamidbar is called Chumash HaPekudim -- the Book of the
Countings or the Book of Numbers.
In expressing the idea of counting, the Torah uses the expression
"Lift up the heads" (se-oo es rosh). The Medrash comments on this
peculiar language: The expression "Nesius Rosh" employed here by the
Torah can connote either the greatest heights or the lowest depths.
Yosef tells the Butler that Pharoah will reinstate him to his position
of glory with the expression "Yisa Pharoah es Roshcha" [Bereshis 40:13].
On the other hand, Yosef uses a similar expression in telling the
Baker that Pharoah would behead him [Bereshis 40:19].
According to the Medrash, use of this particular language in the
census indicates that every Jew has a very special opportunity,
coupled with a very special responsibility.
We all know by now the name of Oliver North. Who was Oliver North?
He was a member of the United States Marines, who was appointed to
the National Security Council. He had a tremendous opportunity. He
became a mover and shaker on issues of national security. However,
he made terrible judgment calls and will probably be a person whose
name is more closely associated with infamy than fame. This is an
example of the double-edged sword of opportunity and responsibility.
People can have tremendous opportunity thrust upon them, and with that
opportunity they can rise to the greatest heights. But if they don't
treat it correctly and squander the opportunity, it can lead to
tremendous downfall. That is why the Torah employs the language "Se-
oo es Rosh" (lift the head). We must know that there is opportunity
associated with being a part of the Chosen People. But responsibility
comes together with privilege. Therefore, if a person squanders that
privilege, the person will not be the same as before -- but worse
off.
Rav Dessler relates that when he was a boy, there were two beautiful
glass dishes in his home. One day he broke one of the dishes. When
his mother found out, she yelled at him terribly. A couple of weeks
later, one of the chickens that were running around the house (late
nineteenth century Europe) broke the other glass dish. Rav Dessler's
mother picked up the broken pieces and put the chicken back into its
cage. Rav Dessler, as a little boy, said, "It's better to be a
chicken."
He relates that upon reflection -- even as a little boy -- he
recognized his error. He could eat at the table and get real food,
the chicken was kicked around and got fed dry corn, etc. He concluded
that it was in fact better to be a person.
The moral of the story is that - yes, a chicken has less
responsibility and less to worry about, but it remains a chicken,
nothing more. A person has tremendous responsibility, but also
tremendous privilege and opportunity. It is only when we squander and
ruin this opportunity that we may ask, "why do I need this?"
That is why the Torah uses the language of "Se-oo es Rosh", which can
mean Pharoah will raise you up or it can mean Pharoah will lift off
your head.
Comment on Yom Tov of Shavuos
At the time of Matan Torah - the giving of the Torah, the pasuk
[verse] uses the language "And Israel camped ('vayeechan' --
singular) at the foot of the mountain" [Shmos 19:2]. Our Sages tell
us that the singular usage of the word 'vayeechan' implies that they
were united in purpose like one man with one heart.
The language of Derech Eretz Zuta is "since they loved each other and
despised divisiveness and camped as one individual, G-d said 'Now is
the appropriate time to give the Torah to My children.'"
This concept of unity is an idea we have spoken of many times. I
would like at this time to share an experience I had. A number of weeks
ago I went to the Siyum HaShas [in 1990]. The experience of seeing over
20,000 G-d fearing Jews together in -- of all places -- Madison Square
Garden is something which I hope I will carry with me for the rest of
my life. It was an amazing sight.
At that time and place I received a new appreciation of what it means
to be "like one man, with one heart". Unfortunately, as a result of
our multitude of sins, there are not many things that 20,000 Jews can
come together for. There are not many things that 20,000 Jews agree
about. If one looked over the crowd, one could see such a beautiful
diversity of people. I was sitting next to a Chassidishe fellow --
round hat, Kappata, peyos, the works. Next to him was a fellow in a
business suit, with a starched white shirt and a bow-tie. One looked
around and saw Sephardim, Ashkenazim, Litvaks, Chassidim, Misnagdim.
I saw people there that if I would have seen them on the street I
wouldn't have even suspected they knew there was such a thing as "Daf
Yomi."
There is only one thing that we have today that could bring all these
people together.
"You want to daven together?" "I daven a different nusach [order of
prayers]."
"You want to talk about Eretz Yisrael?" "No." We can't agree about
Israel, especially the politics.
There are so many things that we unfortunately disagree about. But
there is one common denominator. There is one thing that cuts across
and transcends everything. That is Torah. It is the same Torah for
me, for the Chassid, for the Sephardi, for the lawyer with the bowtie
and the Rabbi with the long coat. It is Torah. The "like one man, with
one heart" accomplished that.
My heart tells me that this is an application of the principle that
"the actions of the forefathers foreshadowed the actions of their
descendants". 4000 years ago we were all there at Har Sinai, without
divisiveness, without disputes, and without hatred, for one common
goal -- to receive the Torah. That event in history made it possible
for 22,000 people to come together from different backgrounds, but with
one thing in common -- the study of Torah.
When we celebrate the Yom Tov of Shavuos and think about what Shavuos
represents, we should keep in mind that Shavuos is the most amazing
of Yomim Tovim [Jewish Holidays]. It gave us our national purpose,
our national soul. That is what Rav Yosef meant, "If not for the day
of Shavuos, I am just another Joe" [Pesachim 68b].
One of the most personally moving prayers of Yom Kippur is the prayer
that reads "...We no longer have the Kohen, we no longer have the
Duchen, Jerusalem is in shambles, the only thing that remains for us
is this Torah..."
The Torah is all that is left to unite us. We argue about every
little thing. But we can still agree on one thing. The Torah remains
to unite us. This is a most powerful thing to celebrate. That is why
Shavuos is such a special Yom Tov. It is what we are all about,
because it is all that we have left.
When I sit at a Pesach Seder and I say "Next year in Jerusalem", I am
saying hopefully I will not make the Seder like I made this year.
Every year Yom Kippur, I conclude by saying "Next year it will be
better -- I will be in Jerusalem and see how the Kohen Gadol does the
Avodah [Service in the Temple]".
There are very few things in life that we can anticipate will be the
same seven years from now. But one thing, I do look forward to with
confidence, that it will be the same 7 years from now... "Hadran
Alach Tinokes, u'sleekah lan maseches Nidah". G-d willing, Moshiach
will come. But there is one thing that will be the same. It will be
the same daf and the same Siyum and the same words. It is going to be
exactly the same 7 years from now -- 2,711 days from now; it is going
to be the same!
[And so it was! A few days before the arrival of Rosh HaShana 5758
(1998), over 70,000 Jews, - men, women and children - gathered and
participated in a unified celebration of the "Tenth Siyum HaShas of
Daf Yomi".]
I ask, about how many things in life can we say it is going to be
exactly the same 7 years from now? That is what Torah is all about.
It is the bedrock of our life. Our nation is not a nation except
through the Torah. Therefore the Yom Tov of Shavuos is the most
wonderful of all holidays. If not for this glorious day, where would
we all be?
Good Yom Tov!
Glossary
Matan Torah -- Giving of the Torah (on Sinai)
Siyum HaShas -- Completion of the Talmud (based on learning Daf Yomi
- a folio of Talmud per day for 7 years).
Kappata -- long black coat customarily worn in certain religious circles
peyos -- (dangling) side locks
Sources and Personalities
Rav Eliyahu Dessler -- (1892-1953) noted Baal Mussar; Lithuania,
England, Israel; teachings recorded in
multi-volume set Michtav M'Eliyahu.
Derech Eretz Zuta -- One of the fourteen so-called "Minor Tractates".
This week's write-up is adapted from the hashkafa portion of Rabbi
Yissochar Frand's Commuter Chavrusah Torah Tapes on the weekly Torah
portion (#147). The corresponding halachic portion for this tape is:
Sefiras HaOmer, Shavuos & the International Dateline. The other halachic portions for Bamidbar from
the Commuter Chavrusah Series are:
Also Available: Mesorah / Artscroll has published a collection
of Rabbi Frand's essays. The book is entitled:
and is available through your local Hebrew book store or from
Project Genesis, 1-410-654-1799.
