A Thought on Parshas Naso

"...ko tevarchu..." "...this is how you should bless..." (6:23) The Torah commands the Kohanim to offer blessings to the Jewish people. We are all familiar with this practice, which remains today as a remnant of the service which was once done in the Bais HaMikdash. The three blessings are recited by Kohanim, as instructed by our verse. The Panaeach Raza offers some insights into this commandment. He begins by saying that "I have heard that in some sefarim which are written with precision that the first word (koh, which our sifrei Torah write as kof hae) is written kof vov hae." [ The letter vov can serve as a consonant or as a vowel yet that vowel's sound of "o" can be inferred through the invisible notation which we know as a nekuda. In our sources, the "o" is implied whereas the Panaeach Raza writes that he heard of other texts which have the "o" sound written as a vov ]. He suggests that an interpretation of the word koh, should it be written with a vov, might allude to the Aramaic word koh which refers to an aperture or opening. When the Kohanim hold up their hands, they do so in a way which allows one to "peek" through the spaces between their fingers, as if one could peer in or out. This would hint at the verse in Shir HaShirim (2:9) "peering through the lattice and looking through the window", which is a kabbalistic concept of how we have but a glimpse of the spiritual dimension beyond. During this service of the Blessing of the Kohanim, they enact this mystical principle through the positioning of their hands as they pronounce the brachos. This signifies how the blessings for which the Kohen is a conduit, are a glimpse into the holy and the sacred.The Panaeach Raza attributes this insight to Rabbeinu Aharon HaTzarfati of France. The Panaeach Raza then writes that he puzzled over the necessity of Birchas Kohanim. He reasoned that if the intended recipients of the blessing are righteous people, we already have been promised (Devarim 28:2) that those who adhere to the ways of HaShem are blessed. If the intended recipients are the wicked, we have already been told (Devarim 28:30) that those who forsake HaShem's ways are not blessed. If so, he asks, what is the point of the Kohanim telling anyone that they get these three blessings? Either they are already blessed or are destined not to be. What function is added by the Kohanim? The Panaeach Raza answers that while it is a Torah principle that pious people are blessed from Above, there are times when good people are despised by others. When a righteous person is degraded and people speak ill of him, there is the possibility that his reputation will be damaged and his life will seem haunted by the ill will of others. He reasons that it may be for this reason that the Kohanim pronounce their blessings of peace. Their bracha serves preemptively as a remedy against those who might curse the righteous. That which HaShem grants one can at times seem "ruined" by the plotting of the wicked who seek to harm the tzadikim. When the Kohanim extend the three-part blessing, some of the contamination brought about by others' schemes to discredit can be neutralized. This is the answer offered by the Panae'ach Raza. Birchas Kohanim serves to insulate good people from the negative wishes of others. Wishing us all a blessed Shabbos. D Fox

A Thought on Parshas Bamidbar

"...ach es Mateh Levi lo tifkod v'es rosham lo tisa..." "...but, you shall not count the Tribe of Levi and do not do a head count..." (1:49) The Torah describes the means by which a census was taken of our tribes in the desert. The above verse forbade us from applying that form of census to the Levites. The verse begins by warning us not to count them, then continues with the second clause which seems to further prohibit counting them. This would appear to us as a redundancy: if there is no counting, then there is no census. Be that as it may, the verses continue with the sacred duties of the Tribe of Levi, who were assigned special tasks regarding the Mishkan. The Panae'ach Raza stops to ponder our verse. He too seems intrigued by its apparent "doubled message." He offers, however, an alternative reading of our second clause which removes that concern, and sheds light on the "reason" that the first clause, not taking a census, is important here. The Panae'ach Raza offers that the words "rosham lo tisa" also means "do not let them walk with lofty heads." What is that about? He suggests that since they are assigned the avoda of dealing with the Mishkan, and they access, disassemble, then travel with the very elements which form an enclosure known as "Macheneh Shechina" - the Encampment of the Divine Presence - there is a risk of such familiarity with the Kodesh "going to their heads." This would be a grave error (for our Sages warn us in Arachin 15b that arrogance repels the Divine Presence from one's midst) and would be antithetical to their remaining involved with their avoda. He even suggests that the opening word of the verse, ach, which means something like "however" or "but" is part of this same message. Our Sages tell us that whenever we find the word "ach" in the Torah, it comes to limit or exclude something. In context, suggests that Panae'ach Raza, that word alludes to the life-limiting calculated risk of serving as a Levi and dealing with those sacred structures. Working in close contact with the sacred and the holy can lead to one's developing a sense of rote familiarity, which would lead one to overlook and discount the very nature and essence of his work's importance and sanctity. Therefore, the Torah is quick to alert the Levi by saying "maintain your individual sense of subjective humility as you deal with the sacred. Do not look at yourself as a collective group by taking a global census. Stay unique! Do not exult in your work and do not let it lead to raising your head in arrogance! Go in and come out with modest posture and humbled bearing. Keep perspective when you are assigned a holy task." This is a message for all of us, for all time. Wishing you a great and holy Shabbos. D Fox

A Thought on Parshas B'chukosai

"...im bechukosai telechu..." "...if you walk according to my statutes..." (26:3) "...v'im lo tishm'u Li..." "...and if you do not listen to Me..." (26:14) There is a much-beloved approach taken by Rashi on the opening verse here, who notes that "walking the statutes" cannot be a euphemism for observing mitzvos, since the verse later states directly that we must observe the mitzvos. Rather, Rashi interprets the "walking the statutes" expression as doing more than keeping the commandments; it means laboring in Torah to fill our experience of mitzvah observance. The Panae'ach Raza offers a different interpretation. He notes that the prior parsha, Behar, was focused on observing the shmitta laws. To the unbelievers or the pragmatists, neglecting our crops is virtually suicidal. With seasonal complications and other realities, not having food to harvest makes the survival of people and of the economy a serious challenge. The fact that we trust in the Torah's promise that by observing shmitta, HaShem will guarantee that we do not go hungry, is tantamount to a chok - a statute which is hard to comprehend. HaShem pledges to us that we will not starve or suffer, our crops will be abundant with surplus to store, and the rains will fall in a timely and nourishing pattern. Hence, our verse proclaims that when we will observe "the embedded chukim of shmitin and yovlos without worry", we shall reap the bounty of HaShem's goodness. The Panae'ach Raza suggests that the term chukim here refers to the embedded principles of creation - the rules which the earth will follow - upon our observing, or neglecting, the rules of shmitta and yovel. The second verse simply seems to state the contrapositive of our first verse. Namely, if we do not follow HaShem's commandments, all bets are off. We will not be able to rely upon Him preserving those embedded principles, and the world will begin to function on less miraculous standards. We will not find the seasons and the rain and the economy cooperating with us. The world will not longer appear to be supportive of our lifestyle. That all makes sense. What draws the attention of the Panae'ach Raza is the small word "Li." The verse could have said "and if you do not listen." We already know that the topic, or the grammatical subject of the verse, is HaShem, whom we would be disregarding by neglecting the dictates of the Torah. What is the purpose of saying "and if you do not listen...to Me"? On this the Panae'ach Raza offers that one level of transgression is when we neglect to adhere to the Torah. A deeper level of iniquity is when we acknowledge HaShem's Presence and Sovereignty and still dismiss His words. That becomes an act of defiance, as if we are intending to rebel against Him. That is the challenge of a person who has become knowledgeable of Torah yet who is hypocritical, displaying conduct inconsistent with his own understanding and beliefs. Those who "know HaShem" yet do not follow His ways are creating a greater theological travesty than those who are ignorant of Torah. It is for that reason the Torah pronounces that "not listening to Me" leads to the more horrid consequences. Good Shabbos D Fox

A Thought on Parshas Behar

"...shesh shanim tizra sad'echa..." "...you shall plant your fields for six years..." (28:3) The Torah gives us the commandment to observe the shmitta, which is the seventh year in the sabbatical cycle of tending our fields. We leave the vineyards, orchards and farmlands untilled and unsown. Our trust is placed in the Above that He will sustain us during that shmitta year, as we cease all agricultural involvements. We might ponder the meaning of our verse here. We certainly understand that we are commanded to stop working the fields every seventh year. That is the mitzvah. However, are we to understand that there is a corresponding mitzvah to actively engage in farm labor for the other six years? Is the verse meant as an instruction, or merely speaking in terms of the contrast between those six and the seventh? Would one, for example, be free to neglect the land entirely and simply live off of imported goods always, every year? Would one who follows the common practice of alternating planting years with fallow years be going against the intent of our verse i.e. must we work the land for six consecutive years? Could "shmitta" become a constant way of life, or does it take on its significance only when preceded by six years of laboring? The Panae'ach Raza examines the intended scope of our verse. He does not view it as a proactive commandment to work the fields for six years. Rather, he suggests that the Torah is hinting at something deeper. He writes that the verse intends to celebrate the unique and praiseworthy quality of the Holy Land. The Torah is enunciating here that the Land of Israel can be worked for six consecutive years and in fact, when we adhere to the structure of Torah and HaShem's mitzvos, the fields will produce consistent bounty. We shall plant and we shall reap. We shall sow and we shall harvest. When the Jewish people follow the rules given by the Torah, HaShem will sustain us. The fields will produce for us during all six years. Not only does the Torah pledge to us that we shall survive during the fallow year of shmitta, but we shall also survive during the prior six years of working the fields. Our verse highlights the worthiness of the People of Israel as manifest through the yield of the Land of Israel. Good Shabbos. D Fox