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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Bamidbar
The Torah explains that the unique significance of the Levi’im derived from two sources: The first was that they steadfastly stood beside Hashem & refused to participate in the sin of the Golden Calf. By doing so, they replaced the first-born, who were the original "spiritual elite" of the nation, but had lost their status due to their involvement in that sin, thus demonstrating a fatal lack of Hakarat HaTov (for being spared in Egypt during the 10th plague).
Secondly, they – like their ancestral head of the family, Moshe Rabbeinu – were the Torah teachers of the nation, & were meant to live throughout the country, in 48 cities interspersed among the tribes, educating & motivating the
nation in its adherence to G-d’s ways. In this sense, while it’s true they had no specific portion in the Land, in reality they were in every portion. Where it counts, they counted!
A superficial look at the jobs of the Levi’im would almost seem to describe them as manual workers involved in tedious tasks: Setting up the Mishkan, taking it down, carrying all the planks & boards. Assembling the curtains & tying up the ropes. Driving the pegs into the sockets to hold up the huge tent. Shlepping the heavy ritual objects that would be used by the Kohanim in the various offerings & services. Seems quite menial, doesn’t it?
But in truth, nothing is "menial" when it comes to the service of Hashem. Setting up the chairs in shul, passing out siddurim, even preparing the Kiddush; nothing is "below" the Levi if it brings people closer to G-d. Teaching the young or unversed is just as – maybe even MORE important – than lecturing to a group of scholars.
In the classic Twilight Zone episode, aliens land on Earth & round up the people to take to their planet & ostensibly pamper them with all kinds of luxuries. They say they are doing this as a selfless gesture, & they work from a manual entitled, "To Serve Man." But then one of Earth’s scientists deciphers their language & shockingly proclaims, "It’s a cookbook!" Shevet Levi’s historic task in this world is to truly serve Man – in every way possible. And that’s a sure-fire recipe for bringing the world closer to its final Redemption.
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
