#1130 BEHA’ALOTCHA — 21-22 JUNE 2024 & 16 SIVAN 5784
THE SCHOLAR, THE LEADER AND THE PARENT
“This is the craftsmanship of the menorah: Hammered gold; from its base to its flowers it is hammered. Like the vision that the Lord showed Moshe, so he crafted the Menorah.” (Bamidbar 8:4)
The Menorah in the Tabernacle was an exquisite piece of practical art. It had a central stem from which emerged three branches on either side, all reaching the same height. It was decorated with embossed cups, orbs and flowers and it stood on a base of three legs. On each of its stems was placed a bowl to hold the pure olive oil and wicks which were kindled daily by the cohanim. The Torah (here and in Shmot 25:31) mandates that the Menorah must be hammered gold, miksha zahav. Rashi (Shmot 25:31) explains the meaning of this phrase: “One should not make it of separate pieces nor shall one make its branches or its lamps as separate limbs — a kind of work called souder in old French – but it was to be made in its entirety of a single mass of gold. He (who made it) beat it with the hammer and cut away with the implements of his craft thus making the branches spread out in this direction and in that (cf. Sifrei Bamidbar 61:1).” This was an exceptionally difficult task and required incredible craftsmanship.
The Menorah was not the only utensil in the Tabernacle that was constructed in this way. There were two more, one of which also appears in our parsha (Bamidbar 10:1-2), “The Lord spoke to Moshe, saying: Craft for you two silver trumpets; hammered (miksha) you shall craft them. They shall be for you for summoning the congregation, and causing the camps to travel.” The trumpets had to be fashioned from a solid piece of silver. They could not be made of separate pieces that were welded together. The trumpets were used by Moshe as a form of loudhailer to summon the elders and the people and to break camp. They were also used during the service in the Tabernacle on festive days and when a crisis befell the nation.
The third item that was hammered out was the lid of the Holy Ark (Shmot 25:17-19), “You shall make an Ark cover of pure gold. Its length shall be two and a half cubits and its width a cubit and a half. You shall make two cherubs of gold. Hammered (miksha) you shall make them, at the two ends of the ark cover. And make one cherub from this end and one cherub from that end; from the Ark cover you shall make the cherubs from its two ends.” The cherubs and the Ark cover were formed from one contiguous piece of solid gold. This could have been achieved by casting the gold in a mould, but the word hammered indicates that the cherubs were made by beating and striking a large gold block. This must have been a highly complex and difficult process. (Steinsaltz Humash page 434).
Rabbi Aharon Lewin (‘The Reisha Rav’, Galicia and Poland, 1879-1941 in his Haderash v’ha’iyun) questions why these three items in particular had to be made by hammering out a solid piece of metal. He writes that they hint to three professions in which a person needs to be strong-willed (kasheh b’rucho); resolute and steadfast in his outlook, and have the ability to stand firm and not waver from his position. Just as these items were hardy and strong – miksha (from the root kasheh, meaning difficult or hard) – so too must the practitioners of these professions possess an iron will and an unflinching character when the situation requires it.
The first ‘profession’ is that of the Torah scholar or anyone, for that matter, who desires to excel in their knowledge of Torah. The Sages famously said (Brachot 63b), “The Torah only finds permanence in one who is prepared to kill himself for it.” The Torah calls on a person to overcome his natural urges and desires. Its values do not necessarily align with the mores of society. If one truly wants to acquire the wisdom of Torah, he (or she) will have to rise early and go to sleep late. They will most likely have to forego a life of material success and socialising. This profession is alluded to by the Menorah which shone its light into the sanctuary. Indeed, the Torah is referred to as light (see Mishlei 6:23). One who wants the light of Torah to shine upon him must be strong willed and unflinching in his commitment.
The second ‘profession’ is that of the communal leader. If someone has been selected by Hashem to lead his flock, be it a rabbi, prophet or lay leader, that person must be resolute and courageous. A leader should not be swayed by every emotional request or even harsh words of opposition. He must not be a puppet of the masses. He must provide direction, leadership and encouragement. He must care for the needs of his charges without becoming a sycophant. While he should not be arrogant, he must also not be so humble that he constantly rejects his own opinion in favour of others. In the words of Samuel to King Saul after the latter heeded the nation rather than God’s command (I Samuel 15:17), “Though you are small in your own eyes, you are the head of the tribes of Israel; and Hashem has anointed you to be king over Israel.” This profession is alluded to by the trumpets which were instruments used by Moshe in his leadership of the Israelites.
The final ‘profession’ is parenthood, or more specifically, the proper moral education of children. Parents naturally love their children. Parents would do anything for a child, even if it meant depriving themselves of food and other essentials. No effort is too much, no expense too exorbitant when it comes to the wellbeing of one’s children. However, unbridled love for a child can be detrimental. A parent cannot always acquiesce to his or her child’s demands. At times, a father or mother has to say a firm, “No!”. There have to be boundaries, consequences for bad behaviour and rules that must be obeyed. Many well-meaning parents have destroyed their children with kindness. Rabbi Lewin cites the Midrash (Shmot Rabba 1) that holds David responsible for the fact that his son Absalom rebelled against him and attempted a military coup. David failed to chastise Absalom when he was young and the results were catastrophic. He left him to his own devices and this resulted in a spoiled, entitled prince who wanted everything, including his father’s throne. The cherubs that adorned the lid of the Holy Ark allude to this third profession. The Talmud (Sukkah 5b) notes that one of the cherubs had the face of young boy and the other, the face of a young girl. They were adorable and angelic but they were made of hammered gold, an indication that parents must be ‘tough’ with their children. A child should know that there are lines that cannot be crossed and behaviour that is not acceptable.
The successful Torah scholar, leader and parent take their cue from the hammered out Menorah, trumpets and cherubs, respectively. They know when to stand firm and when to show strength.
Lee, Chani Merryl and Naomi join me in wishing you Shabbat Shalom!
Rabbi Liebenberg
Link to Rabbi’s YouTube message for Shabbat: https://youtu.be/vmEfZn0p4OU?si=G06ruAEztv1uReq1