Bilam is confronted by his Jackass who speaks for all times for all the downtrodden and oppressed. Although the jackass sees the angel that is a menace to Bilam, it chooses to reprimand Bilam for his callousness. The reason is, that if you are so full of yourself that you cannot be opposed or criticized you aren't worthy of seeing the Angel!
Only after Bilam stopped to consider what the donkey said and respond accordingly , only then was he able to see the Angel that was prepared to destroy him.
The purpose of the donkey speech was to get him to reflect. The purpose of the Angel was to get Bilam to change. The question is why is it necessary to hear it from a jackass ?!Wouldn't an ordinary man suffice?
Bilam was a sorcerer. In order to be able to make things happen magically,one had to either be a woman who has reached her menses, or a man who engaged in bestiality. The Donkey wasn't just a ride for Bilam. She was his trusted foil who did everything he wished. The donkey was the eyewitness of Bilam's depravity.
History is filled with its' villains who used others to reach the top, only to do away with them. Hitler
was catapulted by Roehm, the organizer of the brown shirts. After seizing power, Hitler brutally had Roehm and his men eliminated in one lightning strike. Why? He didn't want to be beholden to anyone for his greatness.
So too, Bilam now wanted to kill the animal , the beast of burden that suffered his whims . Not so much because the donkey wasn't listening. It was that its' presence made him uncomfortable and the veering from Bilam's desired path was only a convenient excuse.
The call of the Jackass is the outcry of all tormented beings against those who tread upon others. It is the voice of conscience that keeps creeping in every stone-cold heart. It is the shriek of children abused , of men killed to satisfy sadism , of bereaved mothers and wives . The jackass spoke for all of us. Perhaps it is the donkey upon whom Moshiach will ride upon.
One thing is certain . Moshiach will take up the cause , that i have labelled the call of the jackass!
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
The call of the jackass
So why does Bilam have to be confronted by a talking donkey? This is the first and only time post Adam that an animal has spoken. Furthermore, the miracle was observed only by the Midianite emissaries of King Balak. Why does it have to be told to us Israelites?
There is an age-old argument regarding the basic nature of everything . Some people believe that G-D is the ultimate reality of everything, that is that at the core G-D is you and you are G-D!Chassidic doctrine holds that although there is nothing outside of Him, we are only expressions of G-D's power and will.
Since G-D is one means total oneness with G-D's attributes,it follows that there is nothing outside of G-D. However,that does not mean identity with G-D. Rather we are totally at G-D's desire.
The pracical difference in outlook is when we observe our desires . If we are G-D at the core , then one could conclude that his desires are G-D's desires. Therefore he can kill , steal , plunder and abuse anyone and anything. Why would one creature have more importance than another ?
Because one is in tune with his G-Dly self while the other isn't aware of G-D. Or it is possible for a person to view him/herself as G-D's only child. Hence any deviation from that person's wishes
is a rebellion against G-D's wishes to be honored through the one who feels G-D, who is the chosen one.
This is Bilamism . It is also Islam and Christianity. Those who reject their claims of Divinity and special status are worse than the idolaters. For they , the pagans don't know any better. However, those who know the One and reject His Anointed are in conflict with G-D!
Therefore all your money,women ,properties belong to the chosen One. There is no limit upon his desires because they are G-D's Infinite Desires.
Moshe was the prophet of G-D for all times . Moshe said "what are we?" ,meaning he had no desire of his own. For he was merely the mouthpiece of G-D. Yes , when G-D spoke through Moshe it was G-D speaking .However, it was not the reflection of Moshe's internal desires. Moshe was like a wire allowing the current of G-D's desire to manifest Itself within him.Moshe realized that everything was one with but not identical to G-D. No one's desires are any more relevant than anyone Else's , provided one doesn't want that which isn't his or inflict suffering in the process.
To Moshe there was no "I",only G-D's will. To Bilam the"I" is G-D. Bilam's sexual desires or the pursuit of huge wealth are all G-D's Will and must be fulfilled. It matters not how many will suffer,
or who will be violated. It only matters if Bilam chooses.
Bilam chooses to destroy Israel not because of King Balak's request. Rather Israel in its' awareness of the One G-D pose a threat to Bilam superhuman status in the eyes of his followers. Israel reject me?! G-D's chosen and only son and prophet is rejected by these ingrates! I'll show them. They will all die.
This is the same message as radical Islam gives. It is the same sentiment of martin Luther .They all feel that if they are in tune with G-D, then their perspective is truth. Any who oppose them oppose G-d.
Along comes the jackass. This is an unusual animal whose power to speak has been there from
the Days of Creation. No other animal will ever speak. It will speak for all the downtrodden beasts of burden,as well as for all the persecuted peoples who will ever live. It speaks to all the tyrants ,especially those who choose for themselves the lofty title of G-D's chosen in order to justify tyranny.
Why do you continue to beat me ? Have i ever hurt you? What gives you the right to beat me
as a scapegoat for your own problems?! What makes you think you are any better than me?
Have you ever stopped to think that you may be wrong in the way you treat others? Maybe your anger has more to do with your own error than my obstinence? What makes you think that you really know The Truth better than me?
At that moment Bilam sees the angel!What does this mean? At that moment of self reflection he realizes truth. He doesn't see or know everything . He begins to doubt himself . But he doesn't want to change . For the truth is too painful for tyrants and ideologues to accept. They wish that G-D verify their own status in their mnment of doubt. G-D allows Bilam to err , for in his error blessings will ensue.
The evils of the ogres of history will ultimately be the Blessing for Israel. Islam's fanaticism and Christianity's insane declarations will make the world ready for the true Moshiach. When they will see the truth in all of it's glory,there will be no need for wars. Mankind will heed the voice of the jackass. For no one's desire is greater than another and no one's being more important to the Creator. For we are all Children of One G-D.
Moshiach is the Humble one who will communicate that to the cosmos. He is the wire of G-D's current of communication . He will teach all the ways of G-D.
to be continued...
There is an age-old argument regarding the basic nature of everything . Some people believe that G-D is the ultimate reality of everything, that is that at the core G-D is you and you are G-D!Chassidic doctrine holds that although there is nothing outside of Him, we are only expressions of G-D's power and will.
Since G-D is one means total oneness with G-D's attributes,it follows that there is nothing outside of G-D. However,that does not mean identity with G-D. Rather we are totally at G-D's desire.
The pracical difference in outlook is when we observe our desires . If we are G-D at the core , then one could conclude that his desires are G-D's desires. Therefore he can kill , steal , plunder and abuse anyone and anything. Why would one creature have more importance than another ?
Because one is in tune with his G-Dly self while the other isn't aware of G-D. Or it is possible for a person to view him/herself as G-D's only child. Hence any deviation from that person's wishes
is a rebellion against G-D's wishes to be honored through the one who feels G-D, who is the chosen one.
This is Bilamism . It is also Islam and Christianity. Those who reject their claims of Divinity and special status are worse than the idolaters. For they , the pagans don't know any better. However, those who know the One and reject His Anointed are in conflict with G-D!
Therefore all your money,women ,properties belong to the chosen One. There is no limit upon his desires because they are G-D's Infinite Desires.
Moshe was the prophet of G-D for all times . Moshe said "what are we?" ,meaning he had no desire of his own. For he was merely the mouthpiece of G-D. Yes , when G-D spoke through Moshe it was G-D speaking .However, it was not the reflection of Moshe's internal desires. Moshe was like a wire allowing the current of G-D's desire to manifest Itself within him.Moshe realized that everything was one with but not identical to G-D. No one's desires are any more relevant than anyone Else's , provided one doesn't want that which isn't his or inflict suffering in the process.
To Moshe there was no "I",only G-D's will. To Bilam the"I" is G-D. Bilam's sexual desires or the pursuit of huge wealth are all G-D's Will and must be fulfilled. It matters not how many will suffer,
or who will be violated. It only matters if Bilam chooses.
Bilam chooses to destroy Israel not because of King Balak's request. Rather Israel in its' awareness of the One G-D pose a threat to Bilam superhuman status in the eyes of his followers. Israel reject me?! G-D's chosen and only son and prophet is rejected by these ingrates! I'll show them. They will all die.
This is the same message as radical Islam gives. It is the same sentiment of martin Luther .They all feel that if they are in tune with G-D, then their perspective is truth. Any who oppose them oppose G-d.
Along comes the jackass. This is an unusual animal whose power to speak has been there from
the Days of Creation. No other animal will ever speak. It will speak for all the downtrodden beasts of burden,as well as for all the persecuted peoples who will ever live. It speaks to all the tyrants ,especially those who choose for themselves the lofty title of G-D's chosen in order to justify tyranny.
Why do you continue to beat me ? Have i ever hurt you? What gives you the right to beat me
as a scapegoat for your own problems?! What makes you think you are any better than me?
Have you ever stopped to think that you may be wrong in the way you treat others? Maybe your anger has more to do with your own error than my obstinence? What makes you think that you really know The Truth better than me?
At that moment Bilam sees the angel!What does this mean? At that moment of self reflection he realizes truth. He doesn't see or know everything . He begins to doubt himself . But he doesn't want to change . For the truth is too painful for tyrants and ideologues to accept. They wish that G-D verify their own status in their mnment of doubt. G-D allows Bilam to err , for in his error blessings will ensue.
The evils of the ogres of history will ultimately be the Blessing for Israel. Islam's fanaticism and Christianity's insane declarations will make the world ready for the true Moshiach. When they will see the truth in all of it's glory,there will be no need for wars. Mankind will heed the voice of the jackass. For no one's desire is greater than another and no one's being more important to the Creator. For we are all Children of One G-D.
Moshiach is the Humble one who will communicate that to the cosmos. He is the wire of G-D's current of communication . He will teach all the ways of G-D.
to be continued...
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
the call of the jackass
The story of Bilam is a strange one. Bilam is supposed to be a man of G-D, a highly respected man. Yet the story unfolds as the revelation of a man interested only in power and prestige. How does this man speak to G-D? Furthermore what do we learn from this?
G-d appears to Bilam and tells him not to venture out to curse the People of Israel. Does this mean that to curse others is fine? Does this mean that the cursing of sinners as was the custom of old preachers a satisfactory endeavor?
Bilam is persistent in his desire to curse the Israelites. When he fails , he still does everything within his power to have them sin and thereby automatically rejected by G-D. What motivates Bilam? At this point he will gain no wealth or prestige. Why does he insist on doing something that G-D obviously doesn't want to happen?
Bilam believes that he is G-D! Obviously G-D is bigger than him. However, he believes that if he were to strip his outer self from its' veneer he truly is G-D. This is why he engages in a spiritual pursuit that rquires self denial to the extreme. This is done so that he, Bilam , can come face to face with HIS G-D , meaning his inner self. Since he has come into conscious awareness of his inner G-D identity, he reasons that any desire he now has is really G-d's . For since he has refined his desires to be only for what he thought to be a higher purpose and he feels enraptured with his oneness with G-D, therefore from now on ,all of what he wants is what G-D must want. Since his wants are unlimited he lets nothing stand in his way of achieving them, for he believes that his glory is G-D's glory and vice versa..
The Israelites also glorify the one G-D . They do not even consider Bilam as a prophet,much less the being unified with G-D! How insolent of them! They must die! For they who recognize the One but not His Chosen One, rebel directly against G-D's innermost desire. Therefore , anyone who is capable of appreciating the One G-D , who does not accept Bilam is fighting G-D's desire for the perfection of the world.
Bilam , insanely focused upon his own greatness cannot accept that G-D's favorite is anyone but Him ! Therefore nothing stands in the way of his desire to obliterate the Israelites who stand in opposition to his mission to dominate the world under one Divine order , Bilamislam!
We will discuss the episode of the Donkey's call in the next segment...
G-d appears to Bilam and tells him not to venture out to curse the People of Israel. Does this mean that to curse others is fine? Does this mean that the cursing of sinners as was the custom of old preachers a satisfactory endeavor?
Bilam is persistent in his desire to curse the Israelites. When he fails , he still does everything within his power to have them sin and thereby automatically rejected by G-D. What motivates Bilam? At this point he will gain no wealth or prestige. Why does he insist on doing something that G-D obviously doesn't want to happen?
Bilam believes that he is G-D! Obviously G-D is bigger than him. However, he believes that if he were to strip his outer self from its' veneer he truly is G-D. This is why he engages in a spiritual pursuit that rquires self denial to the extreme. This is done so that he, Bilam , can come face to face with HIS G-D , meaning his inner self. Since he has come into conscious awareness of his inner G-D identity, he reasons that any desire he now has is really G-d's . For since he has refined his desires to be only for what he thought to be a higher purpose and he feels enraptured with his oneness with G-D, therefore from now on ,all of what he wants is what G-D must want. Since his wants are unlimited he lets nothing stand in his way of achieving them, for he believes that his glory is G-D's glory and vice versa..
The Israelites also glorify the one G-D . They do not even consider Bilam as a prophet,much less the being unified with G-D! How insolent of them! They must die! For they who recognize the One but not His Chosen One, rebel directly against G-D's innermost desire. Therefore , anyone who is capable of appreciating the One G-D , who does not accept Bilam is fighting G-D's desire for the perfection of the world.
Bilam , insanely focused upon his own greatness cannot accept that G-D's favorite is anyone but Him ! Therefore nothing stands in the way of his desire to obliterate the Israelites who stand in opposition to his mission to dominate the world under one Divine order , Bilamislam!
We will discuss the episode of the Donkey's call in the next segment...
Thursday, June 21, 2007
A Tzaddik dies and we get forgiveness????????
The Rabbis explain why the passing of Miriam is placed next to the description of the Red Heifer. They say to teach us that just as the sacrifices bring forgiveness,so too , the death of the righteous brings forgiveness.
Now this is strange. For in the story of Miriam's passing both of her brothers are punished for what appears to be minor sins if they are sins at all. Now how does the punishment of her brothers Moshe and Aharon have anything to do with forgiveness?
An answer might be that Moshe and Aharon realized that the people could not stand up to the
level that they were at. As a result, their expectations of the nation's capacity had brought them to unrealistic demands.
Instead of blaming the nation for their shortcomings they accepted responsibility for providing faulty leadership. In doing so, they were saying to G-D,"we erred in demanding too much from the people-You oh G-D ,too, lessen your level of expectation from them!"
This of course brought forgiveness, as we could be excused for failures to rise to the levels
that had been originally demanded. For G-D accepted the position of the Tzaddikim that it was their fault for not inspiring the people to reach a higher level. Therefore, they said the punishment belongs to us not to the Benay Yisroel.
So, the death of Miriam brought G-D to lessen the demands on the common man. In that equation the Righteous had to accept punishment for their failure, not ours-even though in truth we messed up. Moshe would not let the second generation to get punished in the desert for fear that we would never leave.
Better I should suffer rather than this new generation which needed to keep its' enthusiasm going in order to take and settle the Promised Land.
Now this is strange. For in the story of Miriam's passing both of her brothers are punished for what appears to be minor sins if they are sins at all. Now how does the punishment of her brothers Moshe and Aharon have anything to do with forgiveness?
An answer might be that Moshe and Aharon realized that the people could not stand up to the
level that they were at. As a result, their expectations of the nation's capacity had brought them to unrealistic demands.
Instead of blaming the nation for their shortcomings they accepted responsibility for providing faulty leadership. In doing so, they were saying to G-D,"we erred in demanding too much from the people-You oh G-D ,too, lessen your level of expectation from them!"
This of course brought forgiveness, as we could be excused for failures to rise to the levels
that had been originally demanded. For G-D accepted the position of the Tzaddikim that it was their fault for not inspiring the people to reach a higher level. Therefore, they said the punishment belongs to us not to the Benay Yisroel.
So, the death of Miriam brought G-D to lessen the demands on the common man. In that equation the Righteous had to accept punishment for their failure, not ours-even though in truth we messed up. Moshe would not let the second generation to get punished in the desert for fear that we would never leave.
Better I should suffer rather than this new generation which needed to keep its' enthusiasm going in order to take and settle the Promised Land.
Friday, June 15, 2007
REBELLION2
The rebellion against Moshe took another bizarre twist. After the last of the rebels died and their fellow travellers were spared through Aharon's intervention, G-D orders Moshe to provide the people with a miraculous sign.
All of the Tribal leaders were to place their staffs in a row in the Tabernacle. Aharon was to place his staff amongst the others. The man who G-d will choose to lead the service in the Temple will have his staff bloom into a living branch. The tribal Princes do so together with Aharon . They place their staffs near the Tabernacle and Moshe enters them into the Holy Tent.
On the morrow , the staff of Aharon( his name had been carved into it the day before as had the other staffs been so engraved by their owners) had sprouted into an almond branch that had flowered . It budded and produced fruit in front of their eyes. This last miracle convinced them of Aharon's holiness more than the miracles of the Divine Fire and the Earth's Mouth swallowing the rebel leaders. It convinced them more than had the sudden death of 14,700 rebel followers and the miraculous prevention of the plague spreading through Aharon's service with the ketores-incense .
If 4 miracles didn't work how does this miracle convince them to say-allright! Aharon is G-D's man!???
There is a qualitative difference between the previous 4 miracles as dramatic as they might have been and the relatively small miracle of the sprouted staff. In the first 4 there is death and destruction. There is no proof of Divinity there. With the staffs, the ability to spontaneously create new life is proof of a G-Dly power for only G-D can give life to the dead!
A truly Holy man is one who gives life to others . He who promotes gloom and fear may or may not be G-D's messenger. He who gives life, who inspires and creates life where none was there before, he is truly of G-D.
All of the Tribal leaders were to place their staffs in a row in the Tabernacle. Aharon was to place his staff amongst the others. The man who G-d will choose to lead the service in the Temple will have his staff bloom into a living branch. The tribal Princes do so together with Aharon . They place their staffs near the Tabernacle and Moshe enters them into the Holy Tent.
On the morrow , the staff of Aharon( his name had been carved into it the day before as had the other staffs been so engraved by their owners) had sprouted into an almond branch that had flowered . It budded and produced fruit in front of their eyes. This last miracle convinced them of Aharon's holiness more than the miracles of the Divine Fire and the Earth's Mouth swallowing the rebel leaders. It convinced them more than had the sudden death of 14,700 rebel followers and the miraculous prevention of the plague spreading through Aharon's service with the ketores-incense .
If 4 miracles didn't work how does this miracle convince them to say-allright! Aharon is G-D's man!???
There is a qualitative difference between the previous 4 miracles as dramatic as they might have been and the relatively small miracle of the sprouted staff. In the first 4 there is death and destruction. There is no proof of Divinity there. With the staffs, the ability to spontaneously create new life is proof of a G-Dly power for only G-D can give life to the dead!
A truly Holy man is one who gives life to others . He who promotes gloom and fear may or may not be G-D's messenger. He who gives life, who inspires and creates life where none was there before, he is truly of G-D.
This was and remains the legacy of our Saintly Rebbe whose Yahrtzeit is this Tuesday , Gimmel Tamuz . The Rebbe throughout his life inspired others to create Jewish life where none was before. This truly is the sign that he was a Man from G-D!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Rebellion
Why is the Korach episode considered the Great Rebellion by Biblical "scholars"?The answer lies in the nature of the conflict. Even though at other times the people tried to set up another leader to take them back to Egypt, it was a form of escape from Moshe's leadership. They were too frightened by the task at hand and opted to leave. Here , the rebels strove to remove Moshe from his office as G-D's representative. Initially , they made it seem as if their entire focus was on the seemingly unfair designation of the priestly clan. No one would again serve in the Temple except for the family of Aharon, Moshe's brother.
Not only did this seem unfair, it smacked of nepotism. After all, the reason why they lost the
privileges to engage in the Divine service was due to the sin of the Golden Calf. Who constructed the calf?Aharon that's who!
To the casual observer, even if Aharon had good intention, his action was appalling. By giving in to the sinners he might have encouraged their behavior. Why is he rewarded with the priesthood forever? There is only one conceivable answer-nepotism! This means that Moshe
has made much of his teachings up.This means that Moshe is really violating G-D's order to
lead the people fairly. The only conclusion the people wish to make is that Moshe must be deposed!
This is a full blown rebellion against Moshe himself. The results are dramatic. The
250 men seeking to minister as Kohanim are burned by a G-Dly fire. The leaders of the revolt against Moshe are swallowed up together with all of their possessions and family into the earth.
The earth seemed to open up where they stood and sucked them down . Then the earth closed as if nothing had disturbed the area where they had camped!
So what is reaction of the people who had observed all of the Divine wrath? They seemed ready to continue the rebellion of the day before!??
This i find astounding. After accusing Moshe of doing things on his own without G-D's agreement, they see G-D's punishment in an awesome display of power,yet they continue Korach's revolt! How is it possible? What possible rationale is there for this?
One is forced to conclude that the people who supported Korach did so out of ideology . They were convinced of the correctness of Korach's position regardless of the consequence.
It is almost analagous to Rabbi Yehoshua standing up to the voice from Heaven! They were convinced that logic dictated the reasoning of the Commandments by G-D.
Since the position of the Kohain was extra or super-rational, they decided that the rules could have only been made up by Moshe. No rational Creator would ever make such an unfair system!
What Moshe had tried to communicate but these people wouldn't listen, was that he had no input at all. The Commandments came directly from G-D. Just as G-D is beyond our imagination,so too, are G-D's Commandments.
The priesthood is not a feel good job there for the most sociable and articulate candidate.
Rather, it is a Divine Command which can only be appreciated by simple Faith .
This is also why the laws concerning sacrifices are amongst the most difficult to understand. Even the great Maimonedes in his wondrous Guide to the Perplexed struggled to rationalize the Temple Service . In the end only the demonstrated effect of the Kohain's holiness was able to quell the rebellion.
Not only did this seem unfair, it smacked of nepotism. After all, the reason why they lost the
privileges to engage in the Divine service was due to the sin of the Golden Calf. Who constructed the calf?Aharon that's who!
To the casual observer, even if Aharon had good intention, his action was appalling. By giving in to the sinners he might have encouraged their behavior. Why is he rewarded with the priesthood forever? There is only one conceivable answer-nepotism! This means that Moshe
has made much of his teachings up.This means that Moshe is really violating G-D's order to
lead the people fairly. The only conclusion the people wish to make is that Moshe must be deposed!
This is a full blown rebellion against Moshe himself. The results are dramatic. The
250 men seeking to minister as Kohanim are burned by a G-Dly fire. The leaders of the revolt against Moshe are swallowed up together with all of their possessions and family into the earth.
The earth seemed to open up where they stood and sucked them down . Then the earth closed as if nothing had disturbed the area where they had camped!
So what is reaction of the people who had observed all of the Divine wrath? They seemed ready to continue the rebellion of the day before!??
This i find astounding. After accusing Moshe of doing things on his own without G-D's agreement, they see G-D's punishment in an awesome display of power,yet they continue Korach's revolt! How is it possible? What possible rationale is there for this?
One is forced to conclude that the people who supported Korach did so out of ideology . They were convinced of the correctness of Korach's position regardless of the consequence.
It is almost analagous to Rabbi Yehoshua standing up to the voice from Heaven! They were convinced that logic dictated the reasoning of the Commandments by G-D.
Since the position of the Kohain was extra or super-rational, they decided that the rules could have only been made up by Moshe. No rational Creator would ever make such an unfair system!
What Moshe had tried to communicate but these people wouldn't listen, was that he had no input at all. The Commandments came directly from G-D. Just as G-D is beyond our imagination,so too, are G-D's Commandments.
The priesthood is not a feel good job there for the most sociable and articulate candidate.
Rather, it is a Divine Command which can only be appreciated by simple Faith .
This is also why the laws concerning sacrifices are amongst the most difficult to understand. Even the great Maimonedes in his wondrous Guide to the Perplexed struggled to rationalize the Temple Service . In the end only the demonstrated effect of the Kohain's holiness was able to quell the rebellion.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
is spying necessary?
We have a controversy raging in our midst. The government has been trying to spy on terrorists' conversations and the civil libertarians amongst us say that this is illegal and should be off limits.
This goes to the heart of what a democracy based upon principles of freedom can or can't do to defend itself.
This goes to the heart of the question as to whether spying is a necessity. Today is the anniversary
of D-Day which marked the beginning of the end of Hitler's Reich. The immediate cause of the
entrance of our country into the war was the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The reason it was
such a successful raid for the Japanese was due to good intelligence right under our noses. We , on the other hand, hand very little sophisticated intelligence available. Hence we were caught
off guard.
What does the Torah imply about the need for intelligence or spying?
G-D did not command Moshe to send spies into the Land of Canaan. Moshe, however agreed to send spies in order to head off any uneasiness that the people might have if he would push them to go forward against their will. Now this is strange. We find in the previous Sidra that there were complainers about the difficulty of the travel that was being done so rapidly that the children weren't eating right and the adults hadn't gotten sufficient rest from the last move,so how dare you push us ? Nonetheless , Moshe pushed on and the complainers were let loose to never land!
So why now does Moshe hesitate with so much at stake?
Did Moshe not understand the possibility of a mutiny if the spies brought back a negative report?
Furthermore if the Shechinah was leading them and the Holy Ark destroyed the enemies along the way what did they need spies for?
We must conclude that the question about sending spies indicated a level of Faith that represented a descent from the position they had been prior to the request. As long as they they were on a relied on Moshe' s leadership, only questioning details in the decisions , supernatural plane and deserving of G-D's direct leadership.
When a person begins to question the relationship altogether ,then this level of Providence stops of its' own accord.
Thus Moshe had no choice but to heed the wishes of the nation as they no longer had the same relationship with G-D. This was not a punishment . rather it is a consequence of man's own decision making. In a natural order, spying isn't a luxury . It's a necessity brought on by the presence of enemies. As long as a nation has enemies spies are a necessary evil. This is why Moshe agreed to send the spies.
As a postscript, Caleb and Pinchas the High Priest's son are sent 39 years later as the spies for Joshua . Again , notice the care in choosing only a high profile leader to risk his own life in the process , even while refusing temptations of the flesh.
Their final act as spies was saving Rahab who helped them along with her family. Now this was unheard of in the past that spies would guarantee the lives of citizens who helped them against their own government. Usually those who did so were bribed handsomely and as mentioned
in the spy game people are only as necessary as the fulfillment of your mission. Here they would overwhelm Jericho shortly. No one would know whether they had ever promised amnesty to anyone . Yet these were not the unattached predators of humanity that swim amongst the sharks.
These were the finest characters of our nation. As such, even while they pursued surreptitious methods, they retained their standards of humanity!
This goes to the heart of what a democracy based upon principles of freedom can or can't do to defend itself.
This goes to the heart of the question as to whether spying is a necessity. Today is the anniversary
of D-Day which marked the beginning of the end of Hitler's Reich. The immediate cause of the
entrance of our country into the war was the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. The reason it was
such a successful raid for the Japanese was due to good intelligence right under our noses. We , on the other hand, hand very little sophisticated intelligence available. Hence we were caught
off guard.
What does the Torah imply about the need for intelligence or spying?
G-D did not command Moshe to send spies into the Land of Canaan. Moshe, however agreed to send spies in order to head off any uneasiness that the people might have if he would push them to go forward against their will. Now this is strange. We find in the previous Sidra that there were complainers about the difficulty of the travel that was being done so rapidly that the children weren't eating right and the adults hadn't gotten sufficient rest from the last move,so how dare you push us ? Nonetheless , Moshe pushed on and the complainers were let loose to never land!
So why now does Moshe hesitate with so much at stake?
Did Moshe not understand the possibility of a mutiny if the spies brought back a negative report?
Furthermore if the Shechinah was leading them and the Holy Ark destroyed the enemies along the way what did they need spies for?
We must conclude that the question about sending spies indicated a level of Faith that represented a descent from the position they had been prior to the request. As long as they they were on a relied on Moshe' s leadership, only questioning details in the decisions , supernatural plane and deserving of G-D's direct leadership.
When a person begins to question the relationship altogether ,then this level of Providence stops of its' own accord.
Thus Moshe had no choice but to heed the wishes of the nation as they no longer had the same relationship with G-D. This was not a punishment . rather it is a consequence of man's own decision making. In a natural order, spying isn't a luxury . It's a necessity brought on by the presence of enemies. As long as a nation has enemies spies are a necessary evil. This is why Moshe agreed to send the spies.
Interestingly , who are chosen to be the spies for the nation? Its' greatest leaders!? "Why" , you might ask ? This is precisely because of the stakes involved in the process of intelligence . Oftentimes you find that the secret organizations such as the C.I.A. and even the Shin -Bet have been known to use people ruthlessly . For this reason also, the people sent on such missions usually are unattached, single people. These are also taught to be callous and mercenary without regard to those around him. Somehow the greater good is invoked in all of these capers.
Not so with Moshe's spies! They had to be the leaders and the scholars .They had families to worry about and had to do everything scrupulously according to the Halachah!As a postscript, Caleb and Pinchas the High Priest's son are sent 39 years later as the spies for Joshua . Again , notice the care in choosing only a high profile leader to risk his own life in the process , even while refusing temptations of the flesh.
Their final act as spies was saving Rahab who helped them along with her family. Now this was unheard of in the past that spies would guarantee the lives of citizens who helped them against their own government. Usually those who did so were bribed handsomely and as mentioned
in the spy game people are only as necessary as the fulfillment of your mission. Here they would overwhelm Jericho shortly. No one would know whether they had ever promised amnesty to anyone . Yet these were not the unattached predators of humanity that swim amongst the sharks.
These were the finest characters of our nation. As such, even while they pursued surreptitious methods, they retained their standards of humanity!
Sunday, June 3, 2007
three branched instruction
- What is apparent from the Torah is that as long as a problem is associated with an action, go around or away from the problem or critique.
- When a problem attacks a core belief or attitude, then you must look into yourself and rise above the problem.
- Finally if the attack is a general one , you must make the problem part of the solution since the problem cannot reside within you in any way, even potentially
disposal of criticism
In last week's Torah reading, we find Moshe being criticized for his leadership in pursuing G-D's agenda. In each case Moshe did not respond to the criticism directly. He never wavered from the focus of his Mission , which was to bring Israel to the Land of the Patriarchs.
Yet the three criticisms differ in the quality of their critique and form continuous elevated level of attack.
1)They criticized Moshe's insensitivity to the burden he placed upon the people in acting out his
leadership. By moving them so quickly to enter Canaan, they were getting worn out. He seemed totally oblivious to their plight.
Thus the critique was how he led.
2) The second group criticized him for not anticipating their needs . They were not as used to the hardships of slavery , as they had been part of the ruling class of Egypt-they were the Erev Rav-Mixed Multitudes, who were accepted to accompany Israel on its' journey. They couldn't be expected to be satisfied with the Manna. Moshe should have seen to have their needs met as well!
Thus , this was a rebuke to Moshe as lacking the fundamental skills of a leader, who has the needs of his charges as his paramount duty. It was a critique of Moshe's character not just his insensitivity to the pain of others.
3) The last critique was levelled at Moshe the man, who had become self important, as well as arrogant.This was an affront not to how he thought of others but himself! Moshe was wrapped up in his own self-importance that he showed that he was greater than all other Prophets! For Moshe had become celibate after the giving of the Torah . This wasn't the usual procedure of prophets
before or after Moshe.
So in each case Moshe responded in concert with the critics. With regards to him being insensitive to the effect of his leadership, Moshe showed that despite the difficulty his directives brought,nonetheless the people relied upon his concern for them . For if not for his sincere prayers on their behalf they would have become consumed by G-D's Holy Fire.Thus Moshe showed that
in general he had their best interests at heart.
In the second case Moshe asks for assistance in dealing with the people's needs. He was ordered to set up a High Court who would serve as a body that would advocate the needs of the people.
In this way Moshe compensated for whatever limitation he had in not caring enough for their physical needs.In other words Moshe learned to care through the input of the Elders. Despite his limitations, Moshe learned to grow from them.
Finally the last critique that Moshe held himself to a higher standard was absolutely true! For Moshe was so instructed by G-D! Yet this was not a sign of haughtiness. Rather , Moshe was changed radically forever by what transpired at Sinai. He had become G-D's prophet for all future ages and for all people.
Look at Moshe's reactions and see1) when should one go around a problem-in this case critique;
2)when should one rise above the problem;here it was the frustration of the Erev Rav with Moshe not caring about them specifically.
Finally 3) when should the criticism become part of the solution-in this case he was higher therefore he held himself to a higher standard.
Our theme again very clearly, go around or go above or transform!
Yet the three criticisms differ in the quality of their critique and form continuous elevated level of attack.
1)They criticized Moshe's insensitivity to the burden he placed upon the people in acting out his
leadership. By moving them so quickly to enter Canaan, they were getting worn out. He seemed totally oblivious to their plight.
Thus the critique was how he led.
2) The second group criticized him for not anticipating their needs . They were not as used to the hardships of slavery , as they had been part of the ruling class of Egypt-they were the Erev Rav-Mixed Multitudes, who were accepted to accompany Israel on its' journey. They couldn't be expected to be satisfied with the Manna. Moshe should have seen to have their needs met as well!
Thus , this was a rebuke to Moshe as lacking the fundamental skills of a leader, who has the needs of his charges as his paramount duty. It was a critique of Moshe's character not just his insensitivity to the pain of others.
3) The last critique was levelled at Moshe the man, who had become self important, as well as arrogant.This was an affront not to how he thought of others but himself! Moshe was wrapped up in his own self-importance that he showed that he was greater than all other Prophets! For Moshe had become celibate after the giving of the Torah . This wasn't the usual procedure of prophets
before or after Moshe.
So in each case Moshe responded in concert with the critics. With regards to him being insensitive to the effect of his leadership, Moshe showed that despite the difficulty his directives brought,nonetheless the people relied upon his concern for them . For if not for his sincere prayers on their behalf they would have become consumed by G-D's Holy Fire.Thus Moshe showed that
in general he had their best interests at heart.
In the second case Moshe asks for assistance in dealing with the people's needs. He was ordered to set up a High Court who would serve as a body that would advocate the needs of the people.
In this way Moshe compensated for whatever limitation he had in not caring enough for their physical needs.In other words Moshe learned to care through the input of the Elders. Despite his limitations, Moshe learned to grow from them.
Finally the last critique that Moshe held himself to a higher standard was absolutely true! For Moshe was so instructed by G-D! Yet this was not a sign of haughtiness. Rather , Moshe was changed radically forever by what transpired at Sinai. He had become G-D's prophet for all future ages and for all people.
Look at Moshe's reactions and see1) when should one go around a problem-in this case critique;
2)when should one rise above the problem;here it was the frustration of the Erev Rav with Moshe not caring about them specifically.
Finally 3) when should the criticism become part of the solution-in this case he was higher therefore he held himself to a higher standard.
Our theme again very clearly, go around or go above or transform!
Friday, June 1, 2007
dealing with critics
We find that Moshe was best by critics at every stage of his activities in leading Israel to the Promised Land. The question is how did Moshe handle criticism? When his instruction excluded some people he agreed that something should be done for them and asked G-D what to do.
When the people demanded meat, he complained to G-D over his inability to provide for the people. When his siblings criticized his behavior , he kept silent.
In the next Parsha , Shelach, when the spies threaten to destroy the mission of Klal Yisroel , Moshe does not confront them directly. Rather , Moshe allows Yehoshua and Caleb to argue for the Mission to enter the Holy Land. Only with Korach and prior to that with the Golden Calf ,did Moshe confront the evildoers.
What is the pattern?As long as it can be interpreted that the argument was with Moshe, not G-D's Commands, then Moshe was willing to allow criticism of his leadership. When the commandments of G-D were violated ,Moshe confronted the evildoers harshly. In fact , as long s Moshe could
argue that the conflict was caused by his faults as a leader, Moshe found ways to exonerate the people. It was only when no excuse could be given that Moshe had to protect the Honor of G-D
and boldly rebuked and punished.
This is a lesson for all figures of authority, teachers,parents ,even policemen. Unless there is open violation of the law or rules ,sass and chutzpah need to be addressed with kindness and empathy wherever possible. Not every fight is worth arguing about.
to be continued....
When the people demanded meat, he complained to G-D over his inability to provide for the people. When his siblings criticized his behavior , he kept silent.
In the next Parsha , Shelach, when the spies threaten to destroy the mission of Klal Yisroel , Moshe does not confront them directly. Rather , Moshe allows Yehoshua and Caleb to argue for the Mission to enter the Holy Land. Only with Korach and prior to that with the Golden Calf ,did Moshe confront the evildoers.
What is the pattern?As long as it can be interpreted that the argument was with Moshe, not G-D's Commands, then Moshe was willing to allow criticism of his leadership. When the commandments of G-D were violated ,Moshe confronted the evildoers harshly. In fact , as long s Moshe could
argue that the conflict was caused by his faults as a leader, Moshe found ways to exonerate the people. It was only when no excuse could be given that Moshe had to protect the Honor of G-D
and boldly rebuked and punished.
This is a lesson for all figures of authority, teachers,parents ,even policemen. Unless there is open violation of the law or rules ,sass and chutzpah need to be addressed with kindness and empathy wherever possible. Not every fight is worth arguing about.
to be continued....
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