The Chafetz Chaim- who was a Kohen- once asked R’ Shimon Schwab “Why aren’t you a Kohen?” R’ Schwab, not knowing what that Chafetz Chaim wanted, answered, “because my father wasn’t a Kohen and nor was his father”. The Chafetz Chaim said that after Klal Yisroel made the Eigal Moshe said ‘Mi l’Hashem alai’ and my great grand father- who was from Shevet Levi answered the call, that is why this Shevet was imbued with extra kedusha. Only Shevet Levi had the courage to stand up for what was right and not get swept up with the masses. That is why i am a Kohen and your not.
How was it that every single descendent of Levi had that courage and not one other Jew was able to join them?
The Rambam in the beginning of hilchos Avodah Zara says that the teachings of Avraham Yitzchak and Yaakov- Yichud Hashem- that Hashem is the sole creator of the universe and he is the only one that runs the world- was all but forgotten from the world- even from Klal Yisroel while they were enslaved in Egypt. The only ones that held on to the teachings of the Avos were the descendants of Levi, the belief in Hashem and his Oneness never left them. Every single descendant of Levi from when they were a newborn in the cradle was ingrained with the emunah of Hashem. The Alter from Navordik says that it is this that gave them the clarity of mind when the world had gone insane. The fact that this teaching wasn’t something they merely learned- but rather it was a deeply rooted tradition that was part of their essence of who they were. When all of Klal Yisroel was lost and was wondering if the true way to serve Hashem is through the Golden Calf- Shevet Levi was able to remain true to their upbringing. The deeper understanding of this is; if something is proven through logic and even if it’s clearly shown to us – it can be disproved if questioned under the wrong circumstances. But if we truly believe in Hashem and believe that he’s that great that we cannot fathom his greatness, then no question or circumstance can change our mind for our belief and tradition is deeper and greater then anything in this world.
Showing posts with label Eigal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eigal. Show all posts
18 February, 2011
22 April, 2010
Parshas Achrai
The Kohen Gadol was not allowed to wear any gold when he entered the Kodesh Hakedoshim on Yom Kippur. Rashi explains that since the eigel was gold, we don’t want that sin to be remembered at the holiest time of the year- ‘The prosecution cannot become the defense’. The korban Ahron offered for himself and the Kohanim on Yom Kippur was par- a cow.
Why is it that no gold was worn for there is to be no reference to the eigel, yet the offering of the Kohen Gadol was an adult eigel- a cow? Why wasn’t that a reminder- one that we were trying to avoid- of the eigel?
To properly understand Klal Yisroel’s sin of the eigal is beyond the scope of our understanding. However we can learn the words of Chazal and how they explained it to us. We are taught that on some level Klal Yisroel was guilty of worshiping Avodah Zorah. That was Klal Yisroel. Ahron, however, made the eigal. How is it possible that Ahron- the Kohen Gadol, the head of Shevet Levi- who was the only tribe completely innocent of any wrongdoing at the eigel- stumbled so low to actually build an idol?
The Chein Tov, (I would like to publicly thank my uncle Yossi for sharing this piece with me and for opening the glorious sefer to the general public) in the name of R’ Shlome Alkavetz- the Baal Lecha Dodi- explains that Ahron, by making the eigel, was glorifying Hashem’s name. The Gemora says that if one contemplates committing a sin, he is not punished, except for the sin of avodah zorah. If one merely contemplates and thinks of worshiping avodah zorah his thoughts are like deeds and he is guilty of sinning. Klal Yisroel came to Ahron. They wanted to make an idol. Ahron realized that at that point - they were planning and wanted to worship avodah zorah - they were guilty already, even before they took any action. Klal Yisroel would be punished for their thoughts and no one would know why they were punished- for only Hashem knows people’s thoughts. Ahron felt that a great chillul Hashem would ensue had Klal Yisroel been punished for no apparent reason. By building the eigel, Ahron demonstrated for all to realize that Klal Yisroel was deserving of punishment.
The sin of the eigal was a shameful episode for Klal Yisroel. Hence when the kohan Gadol went into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur he did not wear any gold for it reminds of that shameful act. Ahron in his own avodah on that Holy day- when he asks for forgiveness for himself and all of the Kohanim- has nothing to be ashamed of, he wasn’t guilty of any sin at the eigel. Thus Ahron can bring a porah on Yom Kippur.
Why is it that no gold was worn for there is to be no reference to the eigel, yet the offering of the Kohen Gadol was an adult eigel- a cow? Why wasn’t that a reminder- one that we were trying to avoid- of the eigel?
To properly understand Klal Yisroel’s sin of the eigal is beyond the scope of our understanding. However we can learn the words of Chazal and how they explained it to us. We are taught that on some level Klal Yisroel was guilty of worshiping Avodah Zorah. That was Klal Yisroel. Ahron, however, made the eigal. How is it possible that Ahron- the Kohen Gadol, the head of Shevet Levi- who was the only tribe completely innocent of any wrongdoing at the eigel- stumbled so low to actually build an idol?
The Chein Tov, (I would like to publicly thank my uncle Yossi for sharing this piece with me and for opening the glorious sefer to the general public) in the name of R’ Shlome Alkavetz- the Baal Lecha Dodi- explains that Ahron, by making the eigel, was glorifying Hashem’s name. The Gemora says that if one contemplates committing a sin, he is not punished, except for the sin of avodah zorah. If one merely contemplates and thinks of worshiping avodah zorah his thoughts are like deeds and he is guilty of sinning. Klal Yisroel came to Ahron. They wanted to make an idol. Ahron realized that at that point - they were planning and wanted to worship avodah zorah - they were guilty already, even before they took any action. Klal Yisroel would be punished for their thoughts and no one would know why they were punished- for only Hashem knows people’s thoughts. Ahron felt that a great chillul Hashem would ensue had Klal Yisroel been punished for no apparent reason. By building the eigel, Ahron demonstrated for all to realize that Klal Yisroel was deserving of punishment.
The sin of the eigal was a shameful episode for Klal Yisroel. Hence when the kohan Gadol went into the Holy of Holies on Yom Kippur he did not wear any gold for it reminds of that shameful act. Ahron in his own avodah on that Holy day- when he asks for forgiveness for himself and all of the Kohanim- has nothing to be ashamed of, he wasn’t guilty of any sin at the eigel. Thus Ahron can bring a porah on Yom Kippur.
01 August, 2008
Serving Hashem
Five things happened on the 17th of Tamuz and five things on Tisha B'av. The Maharal explains that the two sets of five mirror each other, the ones from Sheva Aser Betamuz are the beginning of the churban while the five things that happened on Tisha B'av are the end of the churban. The first thing the Mishna states is the breaking of the Luchas on the seventeenth day of Tamuz, after Klal Yisroel made and worshiped the golden calf. (Interesting to note that there is no mention of the making of the eigal in the Mishna, only the aftermath). What is the relationship between the breaking of the luchas and the churban of the Bais Hamikdash? What about that tragedy led to the churban Habais?
Let us try to understand a little bit of what the sin of the eigal was and why Moshe’s response was to break the Luchas.
In the Kuzri the King of Kuzar asks the Rabbi, how is it that the same people that received the Torah were able to turn around and sin the way they did and worship a graven image? To which the Rabbi answered- had they built a temple and built an alter in the middle and read from a scroll- would you be at peace with it? Of course we would- we do it everyday – it’s part and parcel of our Judaism. The problem we have in relating to the eigal is that the concept of worshiping a golden calf is foreign to us but to them a golden calf was the way everyone served g-d. One of the thirteen Ani Mamins is that Hashem is not a physical being and that no physical being can fathom him. At Matan Torah the skies opened and we all saw the highest levels- Klal Yisroel saw that there is nothing to see- that there is no physicality in heaven at all. Forty days later Klal Yisroel felt that they couldn’t relate to Hashem totally divorced from physicality, they felt that they needed something down here that could connect them to Hashem. R’ Shamshon R. Hirsch says that they were serving Hashem the way they saw fit, not the way that Hashem had told them to. Thus they had taken the G-dliness out of serving Hashem and that is making an avodah zorah out of Hashem. Moshe didn’t break the luchas as a punishment, he showed Klal Yisroel that if you take Hashem out of the picture, even something as holy as the Luchas- something that came straight from Hashem- is worthless and can be broken. Klal Yisroel’s mistake was not realizing that the only way to serve Hashem is by listening to him. The kapporah for the Eigal was the building of the Mishkan, which at every step the posuk says ‘Al pi Hashem’- everything was done solely because Hashem had said. The Meshach Chochma says that the Luchas had to be broken or else Klal Yisroel would have thrown away the Eigal and worshiped the Luchas as an alternative to their idea of serving Hashem and not the way that Hashem had commanded.
The same thing repeated itself many years later in Eretz Yisroel. Klal Yisroel served Hashem the way they felt appropriate and even with the Bais Hamikdosh they managed to lose sight of Hashem and his commandments. With that Klal Yisroel took Hashem out of his own city and only then were the Babylonians and later the Romans able to step foot into Yerushalayim.
Let us try to understand a little bit of what the sin of the eigal was and why Moshe’s response was to break the Luchas.
In the Kuzri the King of Kuzar asks the Rabbi, how is it that the same people that received the Torah were able to turn around and sin the way they did and worship a graven image? To which the Rabbi answered- had they built a temple and built an alter in the middle and read from a scroll- would you be at peace with it? Of course we would- we do it everyday – it’s part and parcel of our Judaism. The problem we have in relating to the eigal is that the concept of worshiping a golden calf is foreign to us but to them a golden calf was the way everyone served g-d. One of the thirteen Ani Mamins is that Hashem is not a physical being and that no physical being can fathom him. At Matan Torah the skies opened and we all saw the highest levels- Klal Yisroel saw that there is nothing to see- that there is no physicality in heaven at all. Forty days later Klal Yisroel felt that they couldn’t relate to Hashem totally divorced from physicality, they felt that they needed something down here that could connect them to Hashem. R’ Shamshon R. Hirsch says that they were serving Hashem the way they saw fit, not the way that Hashem had told them to. Thus they had taken the G-dliness out of serving Hashem and that is making an avodah zorah out of Hashem. Moshe didn’t break the luchas as a punishment, he showed Klal Yisroel that if you take Hashem out of the picture, even something as holy as the Luchas- something that came straight from Hashem- is worthless and can be broken. Klal Yisroel’s mistake was not realizing that the only way to serve Hashem is by listening to him. The kapporah for the Eigal was the building of the Mishkan, which at every step the posuk says ‘Al pi Hashem’- everything was done solely because Hashem had said. The Meshach Chochma says that the Luchas had to be broken or else Klal Yisroel would have thrown away the Eigal and worshiped the Luchas as an alternative to their idea of serving Hashem and not the way that Hashem had commanded.
The same thing repeated itself many years later in Eretz Yisroel. Klal Yisroel served Hashem the way they felt appropriate and even with the Bais Hamikdosh they managed to lose sight of Hashem and his commandments. With that Klal Yisroel took Hashem out of his own city and only then were the Babylonians and later the Romans able to step foot into Yerushalayim.
07 March, 2008
Parshas Sheqalim
The Medrish says that the giving of the Machtzis Ha’sheqal was an atonement for the sin of the golden calf.
At the giving of the Torah Hashem threatened Klal Yisroel if they won’t accept the Torah they will be buried under the mountain. The question is asked: Klal Yisroel had said naaseh vnishma, what was the need of Hashem forcing the nation to accept the Torah? One of the answers that is given, is that Klal Yisroel accepted Torah shel bekesav- the written Torah, but were reluctant- and thus had to be forced- to accept Torah shel bal peh- the oral Torah. The Bobover Rebbi explains that the reluctance to accept the oral Torah is what led to the sin of the eigal. When Klal Yisroel saw that Moshe was in heaven for forty days they got scared that he won’t return. Their fear was based that they knew Moshe was the one that brought down the oral Torah but now that he was gone they where scared that that was the end of the process of the Written Torah, and all that was left for them was the Oral Torah which they weren’t so excited to accept and work on. It was this that led them to the grave mistake of the eigal. The atonement was that when they gave a Half Sheqal, they showed Hashem that they were willing to give and toil with, their half of Torah- Torah shel baal peh.
The Oral Torah which was forced upon us at Har Sinai was fully accepted by Klal Yisroel after the miracle of Purim. Klal Yisroel expressing their gratitude to Hashem over the miracle took upon themselves the learning of Torah shel baal peh. Thus leading into the period of the Anshe Kenesses Hagdolah- The Men of the Great Assembly- who were the ones that started the Mishna and Torah shel baal peh (see the 1st mishna in Avos). That is why we read Parshas Sheqalem before Purim for the miracle of Purim is when we expressed our willingness to give Hashem our portion of the Torah- the Oral Torah.
At the giving of the Torah Hashem threatened Klal Yisroel if they won’t accept the Torah they will be buried under the mountain. The question is asked: Klal Yisroel had said naaseh vnishma, what was the need of Hashem forcing the nation to accept the Torah? One of the answers that is given, is that Klal Yisroel accepted Torah shel bekesav- the written Torah, but were reluctant- and thus had to be forced- to accept Torah shel bal peh- the oral Torah. The Bobover Rebbi explains that the reluctance to accept the oral Torah is what led to the sin of the eigal. When Klal Yisroel saw that Moshe was in heaven for forty days they got scared that he won’t return. Their fear was based that they knew Moshe was the one that brought down the oral Torah but now that he was gone they where scared that that was the end of the process of the Written Torah, and all that was left for them was the Oral Torah which they weren’t so excited to accept and work on. It was this that led them to the grave mistake of the eigal. The atonement was that when they gave a Half Sheqal, they showed Hashem that they were willing to give and toil with, their half of Torah- Torah shel baal peh.
The Oral Torah which was forced upon us at Har Sinai was fully accepted by Klal Yisroel after the miracle of Purim. Klal Yisroel expressing their gratitude to Hashem over the miracle took upon themselves the learning of Torah shel baal peh. Thus leading into the period of the Anshe Kenesses Hagdolah- The Men of the Great Assembly- who were the ones that started the Mishna and Torah shel baal peh (see the 1st mishna in Avos). That is why we read Parshas Sheqalem before Purim for the miracle of Purim is when we expressed our willingness to give Hashem our portion of the Torah- the Oral Torah.
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