BS”D

Bamidbar - How do I love you, let me count the ways.

Dr M Banks – Devar Yerushalayim

We are starting the book of Bamidbar, the parsha Bamidbar. We are coming round the corner on the final stretch. Why? Because it is the 46^th day of the Omer. We’re going into Shabbos tonight. We’re now in Rosh Chodesh, just a few days until we’ll be getting ready for the ultimate arrival – the arrival of Matan Torah. More than we have been counting the Omer, H’ has been counting us. Counting us for the Torah we will be receiving this year. Our prayers are for all Israel for Torah this year, that we will rise up to the potential, the infinite potential that H’ had in mind for us, right from the beginning, not only of our creation, but from the creation of the Universe. When ew reach that potential, the potential of Nun, that will be Shamayim al HaAretz – Heaven on Earth. Not an imaginary address but something very literal, and infinitely better than anything we could have ever imagined.

Rabbi Beryl Wine, on this weeks parsha, asks a question. The count of the people and the recording of the names of the leaders of the tribes which forms a major part of this sidra, is especially bitter-sweet to the reader of this weeks parsha who knows in advance that all those counted and named with the exception of just three, are doomed to die in the desert, never to reach the land of Israel. The Torah also knows that. So why did the Torah bother to count them in so much detail, with all the names, when it appears to have no relation to the division of the land amongst the Jewish people who would conquer and settle the land of Israel. His answer is as thought provoking today as it may have been back then. There is here a great, important and relevant message for all generations of Jews throughout History. That is not realizing the tragedy of opportunity lost. Greatness squandered and inheritance that is brought to naught. We have to contemplate what H’ had in mind for us, and the tragedy of letting these brochos, like diamonds slide through our fingers and disappear in the desert sand.

So, as I mentioned before, it seems, that were coming round the final corner to the final stretch, not just in this weeks parsha, sefer Bamdibar, Rosh Chodesh and Erev Shabbos, on the brink of Shavuos which is the most mystical and miraculous of all the Chagim. The Vilna Gaon said that you could put an external human limb to some Chagim, Pesach the legs, with the Matza, Seder, Sraifas HaChometz, to see the Matza is a Mitzva, to eat the Matza is a mitzvah, to be in a total Yetzias Mitzrayim mode where we literally and metaphorically go to war against chometz. We take no survivors. Then we have Sukkos, the arms, the Arba Minim, the Sukka. In the Sukka you can do 4 mitvos with the entire body at one time; living in Israel (Yishuv Ha’aretz), being in the Sukka (Leishev ba’sukka), Sleepiong in the Sukka on Shabbos – Oneg Shabbos and Shmiras Shabbos. So one can acquire all these mitzvos just by sleeping on the job on Sukkos. But once again, on Sukkos, we are at war and we present ourselves to H’ with our four infinite weapons of spiritual protection, the arba minim. We are living within the mitzvah. We don’t need to wear Tefillin because we live in the Sukka, Sukkos is an Ot, Pesach is an Ot and Shavuos is an Ot. These have the same spiritual capacity to protect us as the Tefillin. The same ability to transmit with no strings attached. Now we are going into Shavuos, Matan Torah. We count it every year as if we are going back to Har Sinai. It may not be the correct visual image that we should have. We should have a visual image of coming to Har Hamoria for the Netz Minyan – on Shavuos, the mystical movement of a nation trickling from all the different suburbs and different cities. Learning Torah, lighting up the whole of Israel in a way that it has never been lit up before, learning Torah through the night so that we won’t oversleep the Matan Torah in the morning. We will all be there for the Netz Minyan. As the night progresses more and more people put down their books, pick up their siddurs and start walking almost in a trance, a spiritual voyage that reaches the 5^th level. There is an urgency in the air. Its pitch black outside, 3.00/4.00 o’clock in the morning. There is this urgency that trickles through the streets of Jerusalem. The trickle picks up to a stream and then that picks up to a river which picks up to a roaring mass pouring into all the gates of Jerusalem’s Old City until we reach our destination, the Kosel HaMaaravi where the nation are pouring in this Shavuos to pray the Netz Minyan and say Birchas Cohanim without any microphone, without any loudspeakers, we are all zoche to the authentic Birchas Cohanim that was done many years ago and is now repeated today. As we go into the Shemone Esre we can hear a pin drop where hundreds of thousands of people are in absolute – not dead but living silence. This awesome time seems to cast such an atmosphere over the Kosel that the cheep of birds seems to echo through eternity.

Now we are going into the third month from Yetzias Mitzrayim. We are going into the 46^th day and beyond. We are reaching up on the spiral stairway to eternity. We count each day – another sefira, another tikkun. We count up to 49 but, as we asked last week, how is it that we can’t count 50? What happened? Why does nobody count 50? Its like climbing Mount Everest and beginning to put the flag on top. It seems that that 50 is beyond the individual. It has to be a national, lev ehad ve guf ehad experience. When we as a nation count the 50^th together a hand will come down from Shamayim and lift us up to that 50^th level. Har habayis, the beis Hamikdash, Mashioach Tzidkeinu, the Geula Shleima, Tehiyas Hameisim, all these things that are so deep in our prayers but beyond our imagination. All of a sudden these will be a reality, different to how we could ever imagine. We have been through almost 2000 years of darkness, ¾ of every generation didn’t survive, 1/5^th went forward mutilated with its hands ties behind its back, suffering the infinite pain and mutilation at the hands of our host nation across the world. Not realizing that there was an infinite better plan for us, than to be mutilated and massacre by them in the holocaust, the pogroms and beyond. So here we are, going into that final stretch, what a relief to reach the pinnacle that H’ has in mind, this mystical holiday, this mystical Chag called Shavuos. The Vilna Gaon explains, each Chag has a limb, Pesach the arms, Shavuos, the legs. What limb would Shavuos represent? In reality, we wouldn’t even know what a count is. We would be stuck in the desert with no hope of finding our way back without the leader of the nation guiding us. Had we not been with the nation, the count would have just been for the record and we would have been left at that number for eternity. But because you were with a minyan, with the kehilla, with an observant, G-dfearing minyan, you move forward, carrying on, getting to 50. The Vilna Gaon describes Shavous as the brain. This is the festival that has no external trappings. Yes there are the leaves, trees and flowers, at the entrance to and in Shul, but that is just a minhag. The Bikkurim, the first fruits, were not flowers. There was the Kemach that we brought H after the Barley that was given on Pesach, before we could eat the new wheat, hadash. After the omer, there is the fine ground wheat that was brought on Shavuos. It seems to have no real simanim. This is what the brain is about. We need to have an ayin tov and lev tov. If we don’t see the world with Torah lenses, if we don’t have lev ehad veguf ehad, if we don’t love H’ with all your heart, its impossible that the spiritual surgeon who allows the physical surgeon to do a Bris Mila on you will do the Bris Mila on your heart. Removal of the foreskin from the heart can only be done if the physical impurities have been removed from your heart. If all those physical impediments, you have loved with all your heart, all your soul and all your resources you are still counting, but H’ tells us you are still counted. You are counted in My eternal minyan.

It is forbidden to count Jews. But now H commands us in Parshas Bamidbar to count. The book of Bamidbar deals with the laws and journeys of the Mishcan in the wilderness. The Ramban notes that that the parallel between the Mishcan as seen through the light of these laws and the revelation at Sinai. This suggests that the Mishcan, later the Mikdash and now the Beis Hamikdash Me’at, the Beis Knesses is to serve as replacement for the Heavenly presence that rested at Har Sinai. It was so profound that Bnei Yisrael said Be Lev Ehad UBeguf Ehad, Naase Venishma, amru ehad. We have reached the level beyibd Yaakov, beyond the name Yisrael which he received when he conquered the angel of Esav. He reached a level for one second which in the course of History we will return to, he reached the level of Yeshurun. Then they became fat, gross and kicked out. When he kicked out he blew out. We were allowed to go in our own ways which led us astray. That tragic impediment, impurity, in the heart and mind of the nation, that led us on a 3,300 year voyage that has led us away from eternity, how can it be that H’ leaves the door of Teshuva open. If you return to me, if you show me just the key to the door. If you return to me like the eye of a needle, I will return to you completely. So this Mikdash Me’at, the synagogue, is our last remnant in Galus of our return to the Mishkan, it is our stairway to Heaven. It serves as a substitute for the heavenly presence that rested amongst Am Yisrael. By making the Mishkan central to the nation, not only physically, but conceptually, the people would keep the high Sinai experience, just as they had surrounded the mountain longing for closeness to H’, they would camp around the Mishkan’s symbolism, as their very existence was dictated and determined by their closeness to Torah. According to the book of Bamidbar, which contains the commandments to safeguard the Mishkan, for the tribes to be arranged it, and for the Cohanima nd Leviim to conduct the protection and the service within, it was dismantled, transported and protected by the Cohanim and the Leviim. All of these enhanced the glory and the prestige of the Mishkan as illustrated by the parable of the Sages. A Royal palace that is not safeguarded by loyal servants is unlike one that is not safeguarded at all. Just think of a palace where the gardens are not being nurtured. Where the garden is not being looked after by the servants. What authority does the King have over his servants working in the garden? And all the moreso, somebody working in the garden, how does he reflect upon the King in the palace? The windows are dirty, the palace is dirty, the garbage is piling up outside the Palace, what kind of a King is it inside that palace, whose servants aren’t listening to Him. On the contrary, the gardens are impeccable, the fences are gold and silver – incredible incredible opulence and prestige.

As we come to the seventh week of the Sefira, where everything is on the Sefira of Malchius, we reflect on Chesed Shbelamchius and Gevuro Shebemalchius, and the ultimate level, to reach Malchius Shebemalchius, where the King comes to his Royal window and he looks over the masses and sees everybody that made it to the 50^th level and all of a sudden the palace door opens, and everybody rushes in to the eternal banquet, Olam Haze to Olam Haba. So to reflect on what Shakespeare, ironically, the anti-Semite had to say, where he described Shylock as a disgusting, evil thieving Jew, which was curiously enough an expression of anti-semitism, another point he got so tragically wrong was when he said, if there are weeds in the garden, you can be sure that all is not well in the Palace. That is correct is the gardeners, the servants in the garden of the King are not performing their responsibility, for sure the King does not have Shlita on them, the ability to rule the Kingdom, all the moreso his own garden and all the moreso his own palace. Overthrowal of the kingdom is imminent. We might expect, Has VeSHalom, that the King would be executed and overthrown at any moment by somebody who figures that he can un this Kingdom better. Such things happened to the generation of Noach. They felt that they knew better than the 7 mitzvos shel B’nei Noach. The Do Haniflaga, of the Tower of Babel, they built a tower to try to pierce the heavens. Little did they know that H’s is an infinite address, not a physical one. H’ struck them with the most awesome plague of all, He struck their tongue so that each one would speak a different language. This in itself seemed so strange because what’s the big deal. If your friend doesn’t understand you, walk away. No – this has been the greatest cause of world wars throughout History. One man who doesn’t understand another starts to suspect him. As Egypt said about the Jews, beware, lest they grow great in number and side with our enemies against us. The paranoia principle kicks in. Before he gets you, you’ve got to get him. That has been the greatest tragedy and the greatest division of mankind throughout all of world history. For the first time in world History we could see that Jews were coming home to Torah, coming home to Loshon Hakodesh, coming home to Israel. All the other languages would not unite. Only Hebrew, Loshon Hakodesh, would unite. Wherever we are in the world, the 4 corners, this is our common denominator, Torah is a uniting force that makes our heart beat as one. Eretz Yisrael is that playing field on which we can perform all of torah and Mitzvos. So the palace where the weeds are growing it seems it is a sign that the King is out to lunch. The King seems to have already deserted his palace. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a lie, a tragic confusion, that only Shakespeare could have been guilty of, because Shakespeare could never have known what Shmita is all about. Shmita is a year that the King says, you kept my garden and my palace so beautifully, in the 7^th year, hands off. Don’t you touch my garden. Let it grow wild. It shall be for the birds of the sky and for the beasts of the field. Let all people of the world come and feast on my Garden of Eden. You are not the owner of my garden. I am. This year, the seventh year that is coming very soon, at Rosh Hashana, and we need to prepare for it. If spitting a pip into the garden is an aveira, we have to be extremely careful about it. All is well in the garden even if the weeds are growing outside, provided it is a shmitta. There will be enough in the 6^th year because H’ is guarding his palace.

Counting the Nation

H’ commands to count Bnei Yisroel, with the anticipation that they would take a tribe by tribe census to divide the land. Rashi comments very interestingly. It is forbidden to count the nation, even a minyan. Now H commands us - please count. Even more curios, H who knows everything in every generation, how many stars there are, every blade of grass, every grain of sand in his Universe. H asks us to count for him. Rashi comments, because of H’s love for the people of Yisrael he asks us to count frequently, before Yetzias Mitzrayim, after the sin of the Golden Calf to see how many loyal ones of am Yisrael were left. Now at the revelation at Mount Sinai, H wants to count us again. We see from this how much H loves us. The Ramban gives three reasons why H wanted us to be counted. 1. The miracle growth in Egypt which had converted a family of 70 people, each on representing a nation of the world, who 210 years later, after brutal slavery, murderous slavery, where their children were being murdered, where the people would be laid to rest. Arbeit macht frei. Work will set you free. There the intention was to set the soul free from the body. Their murderous intention wasn’t known to everyone. We know that around 6 million Jews perished al Kiddush H’. Many millions of goyim also died. We see that when Jewish blood is spilt, blood flows across the world, tragically. The miraculous growth of the nation that had come to Egypt, one man with his family, only 70 people, now 210 years later showed conclusively, H’s love for us. So too did the need to count Am Yisrael after every significant challenge that Am Yisrael went through for 210 years at the hand of the Egyptians. H wanted it to be documented for eternity. How the Jews could survive. Every Jew is infinitely important to H’.

Secondly, every member of the nation had a right to benefit personally from Moshe and Aharon. The census was a great opportunity for every Jew to come before the father of all prophets, and his brother, and their Father, Hakadosh B”H and tell them his name, the person that had survived, and to be counted as an individual for his personal worth and surely Moshe and Aharon would bless them individually and pray for them, and that half shekel contribution would bring them an infinite atonement.

Thirdly, the people about to go into Eretz Yisroel would, had they not sinned, in the tragic episode of the spies, a census was needed to prepare the military campaign and to know how many people were eligible to receive portions also in the land. Of course H knew what would happen, but Moshe and Aharon did not and the nation did not. This was a rare moment, a rare glimpse into why H’ commanded that we should know, for ourselves, what their numbers were.

Now we preprare ourselves for the military campaign, for the spiritual campaign, for the campaign of the inheritance and the heritage.

The Tribes were counted according to their families. Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky zt”l explains that the Census in Exodus counted the Nation as a whole but those censuses in Numbers count the tribes separately. A tent was established as the Central symbol in Jewish life, the Mishkan- the sanctuary, brought a danger that one’s identity would rest with his own tribe and that this would, as it did at certain times in history, to division and conflict where one tribe felt that they had to dominate another tribe. When this happened there was an infinite danger that the whole group could disintegrate. Factionalism is replaced with unity. From unity comes strength and from factionalism comes factionalism, being fractioned, fractioned, destroyed. Once it was established that all tribes looked to the Mishkan, and to H’ their primary unifying force. This way the establishment of tribes would be healthy. Each tribe has its individual mission, which is unique. Each individual has his individual position. The nation cannot go forward without each unique independent thread of infinity, then each tribe would realise that it is independent and individual ability should be developed for the service of the klal, Israels total, heavenly mission, their unique heavenly destiny.

According to their father’s household. The sons’ tribal affiliation is according to their father ie his tribal identity cannot be through his mother. His father had to be Jewish. If Has Ve Shalom she did not marry a Jew, the children would not belong to any tribe. On the other hand, if the father married a gentile, heaven forbid, his Jewish identity is not identified, let alone which tribe he came from. For example a Jew with a father from Yehuda and a mother from Asher, belonged to Yehuda. This is Rashi. The nationality, however, is according to the mother. The child of a gentile mother and Jewish father is not Jewish at all. I know of a family where the first born is a Yisrael, and the second child is a Levi. How can this be? Both children are born from the same father and mother. If the father discovered after the first child that he is a Levi, the first child is a Levi. If he knew that he was a Levi to begin with, how could the first child be a Yisroel? In fact, the mother was a gentile to begin with. She then converted and married her husband according to the laws of Moshe MiSinai. The first child converted with the mother. The first child that converted with the mother was a Yisroel. The second child, born in Jewish wedlock, got his correct patrilineage. An amazing story.

The name, Shemos, was a great one for each person, he was given his name as an individual. To Moshe and Aharon, according to Rambam, at that point in world history, a person’s name was divinely inspired. The parents got that name through nevua to indicate his personal virtues and mission in this world. In the census before the people crossed the Jordan, 59 eyars later, that was not the case – there was no mention of the names, which means that there had been a descent. It is forbidden to count the people literally by the head, so how could they be counted. They each had a half shekel coin and the coins were counted in their place and it bought their tikkun, according to Rashi. You shall count, whenever it is used in Tenach, the word Pekad has the implication of getting ready of the person specifically in the context of a census. This means the count should be made through half shekel contributions which bring atonement to that individual and to the nation as a whole, according to the Rambam. The first name of the Nesiim was Elizur, which means my G-d is my protector. The last name on the last was Ahira ben Enan, corresponds to the eye. H protects his people like the pupil of an eye, as it says in Haazinu. H surrounds his nation with clouds of glory to protect us not only from the heat, and from the desert terrain, but also protecting us from the animals of our enemies. Thus the emuna – faith, of the leaders of our nation created a situation in which H was the saviour of our people. Whenever we show faith, H shows faith.

Now we want to explore he aberration of the census. Was there consensus, in the census? Rashi, Exodus 30,16 notes an unusual coincidence. The census given at Yetzias Mitzrayim had to have been conducted before the Mishcan was built. The half shekel used to make the count was used to support the structure, the sockets, while the census, the counting detailed here happened nearly 7 months later. How is it possible that both populations totaled 603,550. The number was identical in the counting before Yetzias Mitzrayim and the counting when the Tora was about to be received. How can you understand this? Was nobody born in the nation? Did nobody pass away in the nation? Surely many people died or came of age, to the age of 20, in the 7 months. Did nobody reach 120 when their neshoma returned to Gan Eden? Rashi responds that for the purpose of the census, all men counted were those who were 20 on the previous Rosh Hashono, and those who came of age during the year until the next Rosh Hashono. The Mizrachi adds that one of the many miracles that took place in the wilderness was that nobody died between the first and second census. People who have passed away are not counted. The Ramban says that people were counted on the basis of their ages on Rosh Hashono, therefore eligibility for the two censuses was different. In the first the Leviim were counted. The Torah excludes from the census in the parsha. Rashi’s reason cannot explain the identical count. There seem to be 3 opinions of how the census was carried out. Where is the consensus? Ramban says that many died between the counts, but those coming of age made up for those who passed away and for the Leviim who were counted separately, resolving the apparent contradiction.

Having proven their loyalty to H at the time of the Golden Calf, as Moshe called out to the people in the tragedy of that episode, Mi Leshem Elay- He who is for H stand up. Sons stood up, fathers stood up. They slaid those involved in the worship of the Golden Calf. The Leviim were elevated because of what they did to become H‘s own guard, his own legion. The new status was given expression in 3 ways; (1) the Leviim would be counted separately and differently from the rest of the population, (2) there would be a guard to guard the Mishkan and the Courtyard. They had detailed information how to assemble and disassemble the Mishkan and transport it during the travels in the dessert. The Leviim’s camp which surrounded the Mishkan. The rest of nation formed four groups of 3 tribes. This corresponded to Yerushalayim. The Beis Hamikdash – including the Kodesh Hakodashim, Kodesh and Azara – the holiness of the Cohanim, the holiness of Har Habayis – corresponding to the Mishkan - the holiness of the Leviim and the whole city – the Holiness of Yisroel.

You shall not count, You shall not take a census. This verse refers to the two ways that the Leviim are distinct from the nation. They will not be counted from the age of 20 and up. They will be counted specially, in respect to the their highest spiritual faculty. Alternatively, H knew that all those at the ordinary level would die in the wilderness. The Leviim were excluded from this fate because of their courage in the incident of the Golden Calf. That is Rashi. The Ibn Ezra says that they were to serve from the rest of the tribes. They are treated as H’s own legion, to learn and teach. They are hand picked from every Yeshiva and Kolel across the world to learn His Torah to be an inner guardian, to bring his soul to a perfect act of Emuna. When they come back every night to learn Torah, H counts every single one.

Even before this commandment, Moshe says that he could not count the Leviim with the others. H did not appoint them a leader because they are a tribe of leaders. So says the Rambam. Now we look at a very interesting thing. The Mishkan was transported whilst deconstructed. If a stranger touched them, they would die. This is divinely imposed, rather than through any Beis Din or Zealot, this was surely to be carried out by H’. Anyone who crosses the threshold, H will personally deal with him according to Rashi. Leviim and Cohanim could also not enter beyond a certain point. This is not to say a Yisrael could not enter the Mishkan in purity for a specific purpose. The purpose of the Leviim is to be a guard. The purpose was not so much to protect the Mishkan. As we see from the journeying in the desert and the carrying of the Aron Hakodesh. More than the Leviim were carrying the Aron Hakodesh, the Aron Hakodesh was carrying them. This is immortalized in the famous story of when David Hamelech was bringing the Aron back on the Ox Wagon. It looked at one point as though it was going to fall. Somebody reached out to try and support the Aron which looked as though it would fall. Halila. Because of his lack of faith, he was struck dead. This is like the guards of Royal Palaces who, by standing guard, give awe to the Royal family. This is according to the Mishna in Middos,1, 1. Each tribe according to his banner. According to their insignias. What are their insignias? They represent the deep spiritual qualities of the tribes. Each flag was the same colour as the stone on the breast plate of the Cohen Gadol. Each colour was a different colour. Bamidbar Raba 2.6 says that Reuvens was red and his insignia was dudaim – the special flowers that he brought to his mother, Leah. Shimons was green and emroided on it was the city of Shchem. Levi’s was black white and red and embroided on it was the Urim Ve Tumim. Yehuda was sky blue with a lion. Yisaschar was blue and black with a sun and moon. They had calculated the months and years, the luach, with perfect precision (Chukei Hayamim 12.32). Zevulun was white with a ship. Dan was Saphire with a snake. Gad was grey with a battalion of soldiers. Naftali was pale red with a dove. Asher was the colour of plain olive oil with an olive tree. Both tribes of Yosef were jet black. Ephraim had an ox. Menashe had re’emim. Binyamin was a mixture of all the other colours with a wolf upon it. So we see that each one had his unique qualities. Only through this unity can we, Bnei Yisrael, come to a point that we can say its name is spelt out according to the names of the patriarchs. They earned this merit that we are all a reflection of the best middos of our forefathers. We can imagine the neshamas of all the Rishonim, all the Gedolim driving the Heavenly Throne. All the tribes going around it. The Cohanim and the Leviim in the inner circle. Another great circle of the 12 tribes of Yisroel. The circles being understood on the spiritual levels of the heavens. With everybody saying ‘Ze Keli Veanvehu’, this is my G-d and I will honour him, as you do on Sukkos. The throne is in the centre, with four animals around the throne. On earth, the Mishkan represents that throne surrounded by the four formations. Yehuda is assigned to the East, the direction from which light comes to the world, the sun rises in the East. With him, Zevulun and Yisaschar, the tribes of Torah and wealth. Leadership, torah study coupled with sanctity and those who sacrifice themselves to support Torah. Yisaschar and Zevulun were two are equal partners. We learn from this today that anybody who supports a Torah institution, Kolel, Yeshiva or Beis Kneses, he deserves the resopect of the whole congregation. Reuven, leading the second formation, because he repented, because of his sincere and continuous remorse, regret and return after having insulted his father; on the South, the source of blessing – dew and rain. He brings H’s mercy and blessing into the world. Reuven symbolizes compassion. Gad symbolizes strength. Shimon needed atonement also. It was fitting that Shimon be flanked by repentance and strength. The importance of repentance is second only Torah. Through Teshuva, a person can return to Torah. The thoughts of H dwell in the contraction of the words Reuel, in posuk 14 Daas H’ – the knowledge of H’. Bopth names express preoccupation and closeness to H’, according to the Rambam. The gemoro in Menachos 95a abnd Zevachim 61b, the camps retained their Kedusha even in transit. This is a vital lesson for life. Judaism is not restricted to the home, the synagogue, or to everyday activities. One must maintain his eternal sanctity and avodas H even as a tourist and as a traveler. He must never leave his avodas H’. How come people were told before the Holocaust – be a Jew in your home but a mensch on the street – which is to say that a mensch cannot be a Jew and a Jew cannot be a mensch. The real translation of mesch is just a regular citizen like the gentiles. A goyisch mensch. The truth is a Jew cannot be anything but a Jew, which incorporates all the fine qualities, all the best qualities that can be endowed in this world. Ephraim’s formation was to the west. This is the source of weather such as hail and cold, as well as heat, because the Mediteranean sea is also to the West. The three tribes in the formation possessed the strength that was necessary to withstand the harsh elements of history ; exile, and all the difficulties that may come to our nation. H’s presence was also at the West, both in the MIshkan- where the west was closest to the Kodesh HaKedoshim, as well as in the Temple, the Beis Hamikdash and today, at Har Habayis, at the only wall that was never destroyed, the Kosel HaMaaravi. H is still radiating His presence to Am Yisrael through the cracks in the Kosel HaMaaravi. H’s presence was both inside the Mishkan ad the Mikdash and the boundary was the tribe of Binyamin. The strength represented in these three tribes necessary for Torah, Strength – Yehuda, Teshuva – Reuven and dedication to Torah study required strength and conviction of character. Dan was in the North (Tzafon), symbolic of judgment, and darkness. The word Tzafn also means hidden (tzafun), as on Pesach, the hiding of the Matza. This represents the tragedy in the land of Dan, where Yerovam placed an idol to lead the people astray. Dan’s formation included Asher which was famous for its olive oil, symbolizing the illumination of the Menora in the darkness, and the illumination of Torah to Am Yisrael in the darkest moments. By Naftali, whom Moses blessed with a special favour. Not third as in the other formations. This tribe symbolizes the tragedy of darkness, and also the lighting up of the nation after their darkness. The Kli Yakar see Dan as a positive force because the Torah compares him to a lion. The nation need the protection of a lion at its front, Yehuda, and also a lion at its rear, to roar to the Nation to go forward and that no stragglers are allowed. Also at the rear, that lion will protect Am Yisrael from any foreign forces that will try to attackAm Yisrael ni the future.

Having described the tribes, H legends the royal servants, outlining their formation, H lists hi royal honour guards, His Cohanim and Leviim, bringing the inner sanctity immediately around the Mishkan, who devoted their lives to His service. H commanded Moshe to bring the Leviim before Aaron and formally designate them as servants of the Cohanim, representatives of the Nation, safeguarding the sanctity and assisting in the Avodass H’.

The Talmud in Sanhedrin 19b wonders why this passage describing the offspring of Aaron and Moshe is described, why this passage only mentions the sons of Aharon. The Torah calls them the offspring of Moshe and Aharon. Surely they are the offspring of Aharon HaCohen. From this description, the Torah learns that one who teaches Torah to somebody else’s children, it is as if he had given birth to that child. He receives the spiritual reward along with the father. Because he taught the Torah to Aaron’s four sons, Moshe became their spiritual father. Just as Aaron was their biological father. According to Rashi and Ramban, the mortal and moral implication of this lesson is that man’s horizon can never be limited to his physical circle of family and friends. One example and one way of treating those around him is a guide and can give light to every Jew across the world. For every Jew across the world who brings another Jew to Teshuva, he is like their spiritual father. How great is the reward to Rabbi Horowitz, this Yeshiva, of this Nation, that we are our brother’s keepers. Al taamod al dam reecha. We will not see our brother’s blood being shed when we are there. Ahavta LeRe’cha Kamocha, Love our brother as ourselves. In so doing, H will love us unconditionally, because we love our brother unconditionally. It says about the appointment of the Leviim, they shall serve H’. Moshe wanted to take the Leviim before Aaron so that they would be consecrated for the service of H’. This is spelt out in the following verse; the Cohanim and Cohen Gadol, carried the ultimate responsibility to safeguard the sanctuary and sanctity of the Kodesh HaKedoshim. The Leviim assisted in doing this on an ongoing basis. Malbim comments that the Leviim were involved in the Temple service as well because the Leviim would sing the praises and play the instruments as the offerings were being brought to H’ taking it further, to infinite heights.

May we continue as a nation, to sing H’s praises from here on and forever more, this Rosh Chodesh, we said Halel this morning, this Shabbos, with the Nishamas Kol Hai and all the beautiful tefillos on Shabbos, with the Halle, the Musaf all the prayers that H wants and may our prayers be answered. May we see the Beis Hamikdash bimheiro veyameinu, the Cohen Gadol, Am Yisrael BiTshuvas Gamur, the Kibutz Galiyos, not a Kibbutz like you see in Israel today but like that which H had in mind for us, respecting the land as required by the Torah according to the way that H had designed it at the beginning of time, Tehiyas Hameisim, the revival of the dead, may we all celebrate Olam Haba in Olam Hazeh.

How does H love us? 613 ways.

Good Shabbos.