Parshat Behaaloscha 5780
Rabbi Jablinowitz
We read in the beginning of this week’s parsha the mitzvah given to Aharon of lighting the Menorah. This mitzvah follows the conclusion of last week’s parsha, parshat Naso, of Hashem speaking to Moshe from Ohel Moed, M’Bein Shnei Ha’Keruvim. As Rashi explains, Moshe stood by Ohel Moed, and Moshe heard the voice of Hashem as it came down from between the Keruvim on the Aron.
There is much discussion in the Medrash and among the commentators concerning the connection between the end of last week’s parsha and the beginning of this week’s parsha. Rashi and the Ramban, and both Medrash Rabbah and Medrash Tanchuma, discuss the connection of the Menorah to the parsha of the Nesi’im and the Chanukas Ha’Mizbeach at the end of parshat Naso. The Ibn Ezra, however, teaches a connection between the very end of last week’s parsha, Hashem speaking to Moshe Rabbeinu, and the Menorah. He says that Hashem spoke to Moshe in the Mishkan even during the night. And even though Hashem typically only spoke to Moshe during the day, when Aharon lit the Menorah, it was as if it was daytime. Aharon was able to turn the night into the day through the mitzvah of lighting the Menorah.
The Sfas Emes focusses on a similar point and explains that the transition between the parshiyot as moving from Torah She’bichsav to Torah Shebe’alpeh. Moshe, who spoke directly to Hashem, represented Torah She’bichsav, the connection to the actual spoken word of Hashem. Aharon, the man of Torah Shebe’alpeh, connected to Hashem through the performance of mitzvos and created light through the lighting of the Menorah. Moshe was Torah Ohr, the infinite light of the Torah, while Aharon was Ner Mitzvah, the light created through the performance of physical acts,as the pasuk states in sefer Mishlei )Chapter 6, Pasuk 23), Ki Ner Mitzvah V’Torah Ohr.
The deeper explanation of this is that man is incapable of understanding the light of Torah. The only one who was capable of that was Moshe Rabbeinu. When Hashem spoke to Moshe at the end of Naso, the pasuk says (Chapter 7, Pasuk 89), Vayedaber Eilav, and Hashem spoke to him, and Rashi teaches, to him precisely, to the exclusion of Aharon. Aharon, who represents Torah Shebe’alpeh, needed the performance of mitzvos in order to gain an understanding of Torah. And this is how we are able to gradually grasp more and more of the meaning of Torah; by performing mitzvos and making ourselves proper receptacles to receive and understand the Torah. The 248 commands of the Torah correspond to the 248 limbs of a person, expressing the notion of purifying ourselves through mitzvos to be able to properly receive and understand Torah.
This distinction is also illustrated at the end of the parsha. When contrasting the prophecy of Moshe Rabbeinu with that of Aharon, the prophecy of Moshe is described in the Torah as (Chapter 12, Pasuk 5), Peh el Peh Adaber Bo; I speak to him directly. But the prophecy of Aharon and Miriam is described as Ba’Marah. The Sfas Emes points out that this word is the same Gematriya of Ramach, 248. Their prophecy was achieved through mitzvos; only by purifying the body through mitzvos were they able to receive Nevu’ah.
At Har Sinai, Bnei Yisrael received the Torah directly from Hashem. They were on the same level as Moshe Rabbeinu. As Rav Sa’adya Gaon and Rashi teach, all the mitzvos of the Torah are included in the Aseres Ha’Dibros. The light of Torah She’bichsav included the mitzvos. After Bnei Yisrael fell from their level with chet ha’egel, the mitzvos became the conduit through which to receive the light of Torah She’bichsav.
On Shabbos, Bnei Yisrael receive a Neshamah Yeseirah. The whole week our Neshamah resides within the guf. But on Shabbos, we receive a Neshamah which is Yeseirah, it is extra and external and not trapped within the body. It enables us to have a more direct connection with the light of Torah.
The Gemara in Shabbos 88A teaches that when Bnei Yisrael said Na’aseh V’Nishma, they received two crowns, and when they sinned the crowns were removed. The holy Sefarim teach that on Shabbos Kodesh Moshe Rabbeinu returns to Bnei Yisrael these two crowns. This is because on Shabbos our Neshamah Yesreirah enables us to connect directly with the light of the Torah. We return to the level we had reached at Ma’amad Har Sinai. And this is why the Gemara in Shabbos 86B teaches that everyone agrees the Torah was given on Shabbos. This is because Shabbos is the time when we are able to connect to the light of Torah. The whole week our Neshamah is trapped within our deficient bodies. But on Shabbos we receive a Neshamah which enables to live and connect to the light of the Torah as we did at Ma’amad Har Sinai.
Good Shabbos
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