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THE WEEKLY PARSHA

PEKUDAY

[ Dvar Torah ] [ Passages on Prayer ]
[ Stories of the Sages ] [ Education ]

(Taken from a weekly publication of Hammaayan Institutes.
Translated by Rabbi Shabtai Teicher)

THE WEEKLY PARSHA
"They brought the Mishkan to Moshe: the tent and all its vessels..., the ark of testimony, and its poles..." (Exodus 39:33,35).

The poles of the ark were inserted into small rings which protruded from the sides of the ark. When the ark had to be moved, together with the rest of the tabernacle, from place to place, it was carried by lifting these poles.

Therefore, it seems that these poles were a part of, or an addendum to the ark. But the surprising fact is that throughout the sections where the Torah discusses the Mishkan, it repeatedly details the poles. This would be comparable to specifying the flowers, buttons and cups, which were ornaments engraved upon the menorah, as if they were separate entities. Or when the Torah speaks about the table, it would also specify the crown of gold which was around it, or the frame on the table into which were placed the show-bread. Of course, these details are never listed as separate entities, unlike the poles of the ark, which are repeatedly specified, and this surprising peculiarity needs to be understood.

The Holy Zohar writes that the poles symbolize those who support the Torah. Just as the poles hold the ark when it is lifted (and in the ark were placed the Tablets of Law), so the supporters of Torah....

Also, Chazal said that the ark really lifted those who were carrying it. This, too, is comparable to the supporters of Torah. The Torah raises those who provide financial support for it, and the source of their wealth is really G-d's Torah.

Furthermore, Chazal have stipulated that the poles have value only when they are situated within the rings of the ark. It is written concerning them, "The poles will be in the rings of the ark; they shall not be removed from them" (ibid. 25:15). If they are removed from the rings of the ark, then they have no special intrinsic value. However, as long as they are in place to serve their function, then they are specifically counted among the vessels of the Mishkan and as independent entities.

On the one hand, the poles were one with the ark, and were not to be removed from it. On the other hand, when they were in that position, they were distinctly counted as an independent entity among all the vessels of the Mishkan including the ark, as it is written, "...The ark, and its poles, the kaporet and the curtain" (ibid. 39:35).

This is another aspect of similarity between the poles and the supporters of Torah. The two brothers, Yissachar and Zevulun, were considered equal. Sometimes Yissachar is mentioned first, sometimes Zevulun. Yissachar sat and studied Torah, while Zevulun did business and supported the Torah of his brother, and they were both equal partners in the merit of the study. As long as Zevulun supported his brother, they were equal.

It seems that those who support the Torah are actually subjugated to those who learn the Torah. Because those who support the Torah must serve others who will actually fulfill the goal, it seems that their identity would be submerged and disappear. However, like the poles of the ark, it is when they are serving their function that their special identity becomes distinct and exalted.

THE PRAYERS OF OUR MOUTH

"Blow upon the great shofar for our freedom...."

These words of the tenth blessing of the Amidah prayer are derived from the verse, "In that day He will blow upon the great shofar..." (Isaiah 27:13). Concerning this Chazal have revealed an enormous insight (Pirkei De'Rebbe Eliezer, Ch. 31, the end).

The ram of Yitzchak which was caught in the bush and sacrificed in place of Yitzchak had two horns - shofrot. G-d blew upon the left horn on Mt. Siani when the Torah was revealed.

The right horn was greater than the left one. In the future, G-d will blow upon it when He brings back the exiles to Eretz Yisrael.

The words of the tenth blessing continue: "...And gather us together from the four corners of the earth." These words are derived from the verse, "...And the dispersed of Yehudah shall be gathered from the four corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12).

In regards to the gathering of the exiles, a person might think that it is not necessary for them to be gathered into one place. For example, half of Israel might be gathered into the Land of our fathers, and the other half into some other country, and in such a way that everyone will be free.

In order to negate this mistaken conception those who arranged the prayers added the word "together." In other words, the exiles shall be gathered together into one place, and specifically, into Eretz Yisrael. This is in order to enable us to fulfill the mitzvot which are dependent upon living in the Land: the Jubillee, the law of the Hebrew slave, the laws concerning walled cities and sanctified land, residential strangers, etc. and etc. (Archin 29a, and see there, 32b).

In the Sephardic custom, another word along these lines is also added: "...And gather us together from the four corners of the earth `to our Land.'" This version is a correct rendition.

(Iyun Tefillah)

STORIES OF OUR SAGES

"This is the counting of the Mishkan, the Mishkan of testimony..." (Exodus 33:21).

In this verse the word Mishkan is written twice consecutively. Rashi comments: It was written twice to intimate the two Temples which were mortgaged (because the word Mishkan also means mortgage) by the two destructions....

It seems that he wants to inform us that the destruction of the Temples are only mortgages which will eventually be redeemed. In addition, as the following story will show, the two "mortgages" were already decreed before the Temples were built and before Israel sinned.

The Tzadik of Ruzhin said that the Shpoli Zaide was accustomed to recite the following prayer.

"Master of the universe, in order to win a small argument that You are having with Israel, they have to bear the terrible yoke of this long exile. They say, `G-d, return us unto You, and we will return.' You say, `Return unto Me, and I will return unto You.' For this reason, the argument of who will go first, You are holding back the redemption until Israel does teshuvah! I sware to You by my holy beard that Israel will not do teshuvah before the Redemption."

The Tzadik of Ruzhin added: "I agree with these words. However, there is another thing which I can definitely promise. When Messiah comes they will definitely do teshuvah because Israel has a justifiable claim...."

It is written in our prayers, "Because of our sins we were exiled from our Land...." The Hebrew word for "because (mipnai)" can also be construed to mean "from before." Thus, the sentence might be read, "From before our sins we were exiled from our Land."

The Tzadik of Ruzhin concluded, "Even before we sinned the exile was decreed upon us. The `four exiles' and `two destructions' were already decreed in the time of our father Avraham at the Covenant Between The Pieces (Bayn Habetarim).

"G-d, just as You decreed exile for Israel before they sinned, so must You redeem them from exile before they do teshuvah."

EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN - CHARACTER

It is written, "Educate the child according to his way; when he is old, he will also not turn away from it." Therefore, when the child is still young, it is advantageous to teach him the main aspects of teshuvah and working hard to perfect his character and to serve G-d.

A child is like a young, nourishing tree. When the tree is still young, it is easy to bend it into any shape that is desired. However, when it is older, it is hard to change its shape without all kinds of devices and manipulations, and even then the results are not like what might have been done with a young tree.

It is the same with the education of a child. Even if he does not understand all that much, educate him according to his intelligence. Teach him to acquire wisdom in order to ascend to levels that are above him. Teach him to keep away from bad deeds, excessive luxury and bad character traits. Then, when he is older, he will also not turn from the good ways which were implanted within him.

Furthermore, since he became accustomed to curb his desires and bad character traits because he was afraid of you, when he is older, he will also find it easier to check his desires and bad character traits out of fear of G-d. This will even be the case on levels that were totally not in his awareness when he was young.

(Yesod Ha'avodah, Pt.2, Ch.8, p.74)

There are two ways by which a person can uproot bad character traits and implant good ones.

In the first he can study and examine with great contemplation into the subject of character. He will come to understand how destructive bad character traits are, how they destroy the soul and the body and take a person out of this world and the world to come. Also, he will come to understand the great good which is hidden in all the good character traits. He must pursue these contemplations until his heart becomes hot and burns with excitement to resolve to abandon bad traits and stick to good ones. This way is called "study."

The second way is called "practice." In this way a person must repeatedly practice the opposite of his bad traits. He must even behave in the extreme opposite of his bad traits, as the Rambam has explained in Shmoneh Perakim. Concerning this, Chazal have said, "Study is not the main thing, but practice..." (Avot Ch.1).

In other words, the study of character and contemplation upon its details is not the main way to heal the soul. The main thing is practice: repeated practice of the exact opposite of a person's bad inclinations. These "external" practices eventually overturn the internal inclinations, and transform the character into a good way.

It should be understood from this how important it is to train children to behave in a good way and to keep away from bad behavior. Although their understanding may be lacking, the good practices will become rooted in their characters, and then they will go in a straight way all their lives.

(Ohev Mussar, Ch.14)

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