No Questions Asked - Matos Masey 2018 /5778

Insights and Inspiration

from the

Holy Land
from

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

"Your friend in Karmiel"

July 13^th 2018 -Volume 8 Issue 38 1^st Av 5778

Parshat Matot/Masei

No Questions Asked

 

“Are we almost there yet???”

 “How much longer will it be?”

“When are we going to get there already???”

Every parent’s favorite question to be asked generally twenty minutes or so upon embarking on a three hour trip. Usually that is followed with an “I have to go to the bathroom” or ‘He’s/She’s touching me…’ Fun, fun, fun…There’s nothing like quality family time cooped up in a car together for a few hours. Who remembers the good old days packing everyone in the old station wagon, with a few kids in the ‘spaceship’-my father’s ingenious way of making us want to sit in the back-back before the world realized that this was very very dangerous. We barely had air conditioning, the 8-track cassette player would inevitably get broken, and my mother would have us play I-spy or some find the license plate game. Sure we fought and sure we asked the traditional how-much-longer questions. But they were simpler times. We didn’t even dream that there would be a day when we would be able to watch movies in the car on a tablet, with our own personalized climate control and listen to songs on our own little pocket headphones. But if we had dreamed of that, I’m sure we would never think that we would ever complain about our trips. That we would ever ask how much longer it would be. We probably wouldn’t even need to go to the bathroom or eat. Yet whadaya know? They still ask. The questions it seems are eternal ones. Will they ever end? And there I go again.

The truth is as a tour guide I get this question more often than then the usual family traveler. That’s because I pretty much do this every day with families. There are some kids that are a bit shy to ask me the question for the first 20 minutes or so. So they ask their parents who would never answer that question in their own cars or family trips. Parents learn very quickly that the question is a rhetorical one. The child is not asking for a time frame so they can plan out the rest of their day. They are merely figuring out how much is kvetching is necessary to aggravate the parent, and whether they should immediately start the kvetching or space it out meaningfully over the next undisclosed period of time. Yet when it is on a tour bus, the parents seem to forget their role, and quickly and immediately pass the question on to the tour guide to answer. I of course do not fall into that trap. I give my father’s sagely answer. “We will get there when we get there.” But… But…. But… But when will that be?” the persistent continue to ask. “It will be when we get there. Not a second before or a second after. Exactly when we get there.”  And so the tour continues. They don’t know if it’s worth kvetching or not. They certainly aren’t dreading or trying to figure out how long this may be. They appreciate that they are in for the ride and may as well have fun as we travel and the journey continues.

We sing songs, I point out things, I tell stories, make jokes and before you know it we are here. OK some of them just stick their headphones back in and go to sleep. But that’s just the parents J The kids at least I have engaged. At least till the next time we get back in the car.

This week’s Torah portion called Masei begins with the travels of the Jewish people; our family trip of forty years in the wilderness. One wonders how many times the children asked ‘how much longer?’ The forty nine verses that recount our 42 different travels and encampments over the forty years do not recall any of the incredible incidents that took place during those 40 years. No mention of the giving of the Torah, the sin of the golden calf, the spies, Korach, Bilam. Nothing at all. Just names and places. There is one glaring and perplexing exception though. Three entire verses that tell us of one seemingly minor incident. Bamidbar (33:37-40)

“And they traveled from Kadesh and he camped at Har Hahar at the edge of the land of Edom. And Aharon the Kohen went up to Har HaHar by the mouth of Hashem and he died there in the fortieth year from the children of Israel going out of Egypt”

Yes. The death of Aharon is the only incident that the Torah felt it was necessary to mention. But it does not just end with his death. The Torah continues and tells us when this took place

“In the fifth month on the first of the month, And Aharon was 123 years old when he died on Har Hahar.”

In case you’re not familiar with the Jewish calendar that is the first of the month of Av. In other words today is the yahrzeit of Aharon. Not only is it today, but each year the Parsha of Masei is always read on the week of his yahrzeit. We even caught up with you slow-pokes in America and the diaspora in honor of the yahrzeit. Incidentally this is the only person in the entire Torah that the Torah explicitly tells us when he died. It doesn’t tell us when Adam died, not Avraham, not Moshe, not any of the 12 tribes. Just Aharon. Strange.

The Torah then continues

“And the Canaani the king of Arad herad and he dwelled in the south of the land of Canaan whne the children of Israel came”

Rashi notes that this is coming to tell us that the death of Aharon is what he heard, and that {as a result of that} the clouds of glory had departed and he thought that it was given permission to battle Israel.

Why Aharon? Why is this the only incident? What is the significance of telling us about this particular reason for Canaan attacking us? We had many nations attacking us in the wilderness, many battles.

The Midrash Yalkut Shimoni goes at length to describe the death of Aharon. Hashem commands Moshe to tell Aharon of his impending death and Moshe engages in Aharon in a discussion about his death. He asks him how he feels that because of the sin of Adam death was instituted in the world. Aharon responded that it is the decree of Hashem and we must accept it. Moshe continued asking him and if Hashem decreed that you must die in a hundred years how would you feel. He said I would accept the judgement. And if he said it would be today? Aharon responded that he would bless the Dayan Emet- the True Judge who thus decreed. Moshe then took him up the mountain. The Midrash describes how the angels in heaven clamored at the sight. Hashem pointed out the similarity of the scene to none other than the binding of Yitzchak. Just as there Avraham brings his son up. Yitzchak and Avaraham both know that he is going to his death and he accepts without questions. He stretches out his neck. He is ready to accept the will of his Creator. No questions asked.

Aharon as well goes up. With him is his younger brother Moshe and his son Elazar. Moshe removes his clothing, he places them on his son. Yet there are no questions. Aharon is one with his Creator. Aharon ends his career just as he began his career. Remember back in Egypt. Aharon was certainly the leader and the future of the Jewish people, yet when his younger brother Moshe returns. His brother who was raised in an Egyptian house. His brother who had fled the country for forty years and married the daughter of a Midianite priest. Aharon not only steps down, he accepts and greets Moshe with love and joy for his brother who would be taking the role of leadership. No questions asked.

Later on perhaps the high moment of our history the day that the tabernacle is dedicated and his two children are killed by a heavenly fire. The Torah tells us two words about Aharon. Vayidom Aharon- and Aharon is silent. He accepted the world of his Creator. He appreciate and is perhaps the greatest teacher of the idea that we ae mere travelers in this world. In His world. Whatever happens is because Hashem is leading us. He’s the tour guide. Our job is not to question, rather it is to be from the students of Aharon as our Pirkey Avot teaches us. To be lovers of peace. To see in each human being a fellow journeyer. Someone we can bring close to our Father in heaven. A way of life that removes all personal agenda and that lives in harmony with our Creator and with one another.

The Torah reiterates the story of our journey in the wilderness, Rashi in the beginning of the Torah portion tells us to teach us that Hashem is the one that is leading us like a father leads his son and is bringing him back from being healed. Our wanderings, Rashi notes, are divided into our leaving of Egypt until the spies-14 travels. 20 travels over the next 38 years and 8 travels after the death of Aharon. The death of Aharon is the transformation point. It is when our journey leaves the clouds of glory and yet we have learned and are able to stand on our own faith. The yahrzeit and passing of Aharon on the month of Av gave us that power of faith. The mourning for his death and the subsequent commitment to maintaining his legacy is the power that is just as potent as the clouds of glory. For they are the ultimate clouds of glory. The sukkat shalom -the tents of peace that unite and protect us.

The Canaani thought we had lost it. They reacted. Their job-as our sages tell us they were really Amalekites were to create doubt. To ask questions. How much longer? Will you survive? Yet our journey continued just as before. With Hashem leading us. With the faith that Aharon had embedded to us forever in our hearts and souls. And that journey still continues today. We enter the saddest month of the year of Av with the death of Aharon and the reading of his death. As we prepare and even escalate our level of mourning, we are meant to find hope and see redemption in that mourning. On Tisha B’Av every year we recount all of the tragedies of the Jewish people throughout the millennia since our Temples were destroyed. We don’t question. We don’t accuse. We cry. We mourn and we recognize that we are being led on a journey ultimately back to our home. Back to His Temple. That is the legacy of Aharon. May we see that ultimate journey reach its final glorious conclusion this year.

Have a Chodesh Av Tov and a blessed Shabbos

Rabbi Ephraim Schwartz

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RABBI SCHWARTZ’S FAVORITE YIDDISH PROVERB OF THE WEEK

“Besser mit a klugen in gehenem aider mit a nar in ganaiden”- It’s better to be with a wise man in hell than with a fool in paradise.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S TOUR GUIDE EXAM QUESTION OF THE WEEK

answer below at end of Email

Q. According to the Biblical text, Channa prayed in:

a. Mitzpah

b. Shiloh

c. Rama

d. Bethel

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S HAFTORA CONNECTION OF THE WEEK

Parshat Matos Maaasey – As we are in the period of mourning of the Temple we read that haftoras of mourning from the prophet Yirmiyahu. Yirmiyahu who lives at the period before the destruction of the second Temple, is horrified, aghast and extremely verbose about the disappointment he and Hashem has with his sinning Nation.

(2:12)  Be appalled, O heavens, at this. Be horrified, utterly dazed!”

Reading the Haftora one keeps hearing the question that Yirmiyahu keeps describing to the Jewish people of how they question the existence of God and instead fill up their water in broken up cisterns. ie: false gods and idols. Know any Jews like that today? That search in other religions for meaning and purpose not realizing that we have it all here. He doesn’t pull punches, he blames the priests, the prophets, Kings and leaders. They are all culpubae they all have abandoned the God who has done so much for them. Who has taken them out of Egypt and saved them from all troubles. Yet we have ignored the Mussar and the rebuke. These are the messages that we are mean to reflect upon. These messages are eternal as we continue to fail to merit to bring the Messianic era and the return to Jerusalem rebuilt with the Beit Hamikdash.

Yirmiyahu (590 BC) – One of the last prophets of the first temple. Yirmiyahu prophesied for the last kings of Yehuda Yoshiayahu the righteous King, and his following kings Yehoachaz, Yehoyachin, and for the 11 years of King Tzedkiyahu who was captured and exiled by Babylonians. Yirmiyahu certainly living in one of the most tragic periods of our downfall’s prophecies are full of rebuke trying to get the people to repent and avoid the impending destruction.

RABBI SCHWARTZ'S ERA’S AND THEIR PLACES AND PEOPLE IN ISRAEL OF THE WEEK

Marah bitter waters- 1312 BC-  Our first stop outside of Egypt the Torah tells us was in a place with bitter waters named Marah. Moshe throws a stick in and the water turns sweet. This site is not in Israel of today but in the Sinai Desert not far from the Suez Canal. Archeologists identify it with the “small bitter Lake” north of Suez and others with spring known as Ein Musa- or Moses’s spring. Being that it is in Egypt I can’t really show either place to you. However, I can definitely take you and show you some of the incredible “miraculous desalinization plants we have here in Israel. Israel has three plants in Ashkelon, Hadera and Sorek near Tel Aviv. We are the leading country in the world in alternate water resources. With over 600 million cubic meters of water annually. In a nut shell the way it works is that water is shot through membranes that are very thin and the salt stays behind and the water is clean drinking water. We will soon be exporting water to other needy countries.

In addition we are the leading country in water recycling. 86 percent of the water that flushes down the drain here is reused for agriculture after it has been “’purified” by little parasites that eat up all the sewage. That second largest country to do this is Spain and they only recycle 19 percent of the water. You can visit the plants at Shafdan near Tel Aviv and see this amazing process. So no we don’t have miraculous sticks to throw into water. But seemingly the first challenge hashem gave us was to deal with water challenges and B”H he gave us the wisdom and technology to perform miracles in this arid region.

RABBI SCHWARTZ’S JEWISH HELL JOKES  OF THE WEEK

Yankel feels all lucky that he is at the Super bowl game. This is the most sold out game of the year.
He had been sacicng up and waiting for years and managed to get best seats in the front row. But as he sat down he noticed that there's an empty seat in the row behind them. When intermission comes and no one has sat in that seat, He notices it’s his friend Berel sitting next to the empty seat and asks, "I hate to bother you but I was wondering why that seat is empty."
The woman says, "That's my late wife's seat."
Yankel is horrified and apologises for being so insensitive. But a few minutes later, he turns around again.
"Without meaning to be rude or anything, this is an incredibly hard game to get into. Surely you must have a friend or a relative who would have wanted to come and see the show?"
Berel nods, but explains, "They're all at the shiva."

Maurice was a good, well-respected elderly Boro Park man. He felt that death was close and asked his sons to take him to the Holy Land, to die there and be buried in Jerusalem.
The loving sons did as he asked, brought him to Jerusalem, put him in a hospital and waited for death to come. However, once in Jerusalem Maurice started to feel better and better and after a few weeks was again strong, healthy and full of life.
He called upon his sons and said: "Quickly, take me back to Boro Park."
The sons were somehow disappointed and asked: "Father, how come? You said you want to die in the Holy Land and be buried in Jerusalem!'
"Yes," answered Maurice, to die it's OK but to live here....!?"

Shlomo goes to Doctor Lewis for a check up. After extensive tests Doctor Lewis tells him, "I'm afraid I have some bad news for you. You only have six months to live."
Shlomo is dumbstruck. After a while he replies, "That's terrible doctor. But I must admit to you that I can't afford to pay your bill."
"Ok," says Doctor Lewis, "I'll give you a year to live."

Arnold had reached the age of 105 and suddenly stopped going to synagogue.
Worried by Arnold's absence after so many years of faithful attendance, his Rabbi went to see him. He found him in excellent health, so the Rabbi asked, "How come after all these years we don't see you at services anymore?"
Arnold looked around and lowered his voice. "I'll tell you, Rabbi," he whispered. "When I got to be 90, I expected God to take me any day. But then I got to be 95, then 100, then 105. So I figured that God is very busy and must have forgotten about me and I don't want to remind him."

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Answer is C– So all the answers are biblical cities Mitzpa is where the tragic story of the Pilegesh of Giva takes place, as well as where Shmuel judged the people and where Shaul was anointed King. Rama is the burial place of Shmuel and some attribuite to being where Nebi Samuel is. Beth El is also a city where Shmuel would go out from to judge the nation besides being the place where Yaakov had his dream and later on the King Yeravam had a Mikdash. Get the theme here? These are all Shmuel oriented answers, as Chana was the mother of Shmuel. She prayed for his birth in the Mishkan in Shilo though and the High Priest Eli thought she was drunk at the time. A great place to visit by the way.