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Beit Midrash
- Torah Portion and Tanach
- Bamidbar
- Beha'alotcha
Our Sedra is known as Parshat Hamit’lon’nim, of the Complainers. Our downward spiral as a nation from an exalted People who received the Torah directly from G-d, to a wandering generation destined to die out in the desert, began with our grousing. We kvetched about the hardships of traveling in the desert; about the lack of meat & water; even about the miraculous Mahn that fell from the heavens & had any taste imaginable.
Moshe, our loyal defense attorney, tries to present our case in a positive light. He refers to us being "on foot," hinting to G-d that walking through the brutal desert was no simple thing & we could be excused for bemoaning our hardship. He says "asher Anochi b’kirbo;" literally, Anochi (i.e. Hashem) is still among the nation, that when all is said & done, we still are a holy, G-dly people.
But Moshe is also stressing - by saying "Asher anochi b'kirbo - and I am among the nation" - that he is but a part of the general community of Am Yisrael. I want to elaborate on this simple yet sublime sentence.
When Bnei Yisrael complain about the desert fare, about what they miss most from their days in Egypt, they davka single out 5 specific foods: cucumbers, leeks, onions, garlic & watermelon. What do these 5 have in common? Rashi says that these foods are dangerous for nursing mothers. And so, although the Mahn could taste like whatever food one imagined, it could not taste like these 5 items, so as not to bring harm to the nursing women.
Asks the Lubavitcher Rebbe: Why deny the entire nation these foods, if they negatively affected only a minority? Why not just prevent the Mahn from tasting like these foods for only the nursing mothers, but not for everyone else?
He answers: The nursing mothers, who are nurturing the new generation that will enter Israel, might be distressed to see others eating those foods which they desire, yet cannot eat. So, to empathize with their feelings, all the people must sacrifice their enjoyment of those things.
A true leader, like Moshe, is sensitive to the needs of everyone, not just himself. He lets it be known that he will not enjoy any special privileges or protected position that is denied his people. He may be the leader, but he is still one of us. Indeed, it was his very insistence on being one of us - when he left the Egyptian palace to "join his brothers" - that qualified him to be our leader in the first place!
Leaders, present or future, are you listening??
Rabbi Stewart Weiss
Was ordained at the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois, and led congregations in Chicago and Dallas prior to making Aliyah in 1992. He directs the Jewish Outreach Center in Ra'anana, helping to facilitate the spiritual absorption of new olim.
Jewish Laws and Thoughts Shul “etiquette:” can we honor Hashem while respecting our fellow congregants?
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D'varim Judaism’s Social Vision
Re’eh
Giving is more than an act of generosity—it is an essential part of human dignity that belongs to everyone, rich and poor alike. The ultimate goal of help is to empower others to stand on their own.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
