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The Story IS The Message
The Parshah begins with a list of the Jewish camps through the desert. Why are these necessary?
Rashi answers that we are like a prince who became deathly ill. The royal physician suggested a trip so that he recover. So the king took his son and they traveled long and hard, finally reaching where they needed. The prince recovered. On the journey back, the king showed his son “Here you had a violent headache, there you began vomiting etc.”
What is the lesson in this parable?
Perhaps indeed there is no lesson whatsoever, and that’s the whole idea. Hashem is the king, simply reminiscing with his son, Prince Yisroel about times they shared. He cares about His People and the little episodes are meaningful to Him. There is no lesson here, just a huge message of caring and love…
That’s huge. Why did I think there was no message?
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Eye Candy
The Torah specifies that the Levi’im be given 48 cities in Eretz Yisroel, each with a two thousand amah commons around the city. This place was to remain empty, and beautified the city. It was a park of sorts.
As this is not found by other cities, we assume that only because we honor the Levi’im do their cities need to be handsome. Ordinary cities do not need to be so fancy.
So is the Torah concerned with the city planning? It would seem that as you may design your home as you wish, so too you can design your city. Certain things are nice to have, and greenery is certainly refreshing, but it is not a Torah mandate.
The moral: there are things better left to each individual’s tastes…
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Sh’china And Accidents
When the Kohen Gadol dies, an accidental-murderer may leave the city of his refuge, which protected him until now. He had fled there after the accident so the blood-avenger not kill him. Now he is atoned for; no one may touch him.
How are fatal accidents tied to the Kohen Gadol? Why does he atone for them?
Accident are tragedies that just came together in a bad way. One fellow carelessly chops wood, the other drifts into the danger zone and gets hit. There is no plot, no real guilt. Coincidental tragedy means that Shchinah, – Hashem’s revealed Hand, – is missing. Happenstance governs.
Bringing Shchinah is the Kohen Gadol’s job. The Kohen Gadol is accountable for praying that mishaps don’t happen. This is the responsibility a Kohen Gadol bears for accidents.
The lesson: Shchina and accidents don’t go together. Bring the Shchina closer – help keep us safe!
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Win Win
The Torah specified that female first-generation land occupiers marry into her own tribe. Limited to that generation, a holiday – Tu B’av – was established at its official dissolution, which allowed the shvatim to marry one another.
Why was the mitzvah established only for that generation? If the claim of the Bnei Menashe – that they lose when a land owning woman married into another tribe and then bequeathed her property to her sons – was valid, why isn’t this a permanent mitzvah? (Truth is that the argument seems specious – the same process can give new land to Menashe too!)
Perhaps Bnos Tzelofchad were correct. Indeed, the land was theirs, and they ought not to be limited in their options. Yet Bnei Menashe worried that their territory would become compromised. Very worried.
The Torah pointed to a basic principle: right as you may be, if you can easily accommodate the next guy, please do so. Do not stand on your rights.
Some people say this still applies today. You think?
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Double Sided Warheads
If we do not wipe out the evil nations we find in Israel, the Torah warns, ‘they will be a thorn in your side and a pain in your eyes. And as I planned to do with them, I shall do with you!’
The forces of destruction have been loosed. They are designed to crush the wicked people living in Canaan. But take care: if those forces are not used against them, they will turn against you, and destroy you. Terrible!
Evil is not neutral. You are either part of the solution or part of the problem. And ‘then as I planned for them, I will do to you…’