Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English and Hebrew: Parshas Naso – 11 Sivan 5785
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Naso – 11 Sivan 5785
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
Secretariat Email: bosto...@gmail.com
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“They brought their offerings before Hashem…” (Bamidbar 7:3). Rashi relates that Moshe did not initially want to accept the Korbanos of the tribal princes until it was commanded by Hashem, as the next Pasuk says, “And Hashem said to Moshe saying, take from them, and they ‘shall be’ to perform the work…” (7:4). And then Moshe immediately took them as it says, “And so Moshe took the wagons and the oxen…” (7:5). One wonders why Moshe needed to wait for a special command from Hashem to accept the offerings of the tribal princes, when he already accepted all of the donations of the people during the construction of the Mishkan at the end of the Sefer Shemos.
The Rambam codifies in Hilchos Erchin V’Chermin 5:5-6 that based on Vayikra 22:23 it is forbidden to sanctify Temimim animals to the Bedek HaBayis, which is the treasury of general funds and property for the maintenance of the Mikdash, as opposed to animals that are offered on the Mizbayach. If however one neglects this positive commandment and sanctifies an animal to the Bedek HaBayis, which is fitting for the Mizbayach, it is nevertheless sanctified. The animal should be redeemed immediately with money, with the intention of offering the animal on the Mizbayach and the money is added to the funds of the Bedek HaBayis. The Rambam concludes with a general rule: Anything that is (sanctified to the Mikdash) and fitting for the Mizbayach may never leave the dominion of the Mizbayach forever.
One may suggest that Moshe Rabbeinu hesitated because he was reluctant to accept these unblemished Temimim animals to haul the equipment of the Mishkan, which would fall under the domain of the Bedek HaBayis. If so, why did Hashem permit him to accept these animals? Perhaps the answer is that these offerings were sanctified and given to the Bedek HaBayis before the inauguration of the Mizbayach. Since the Mizbayach was not yet installed into operation as the Korban Tamid was not yet offered on the Mizbayach, this requirement for all animals fit for the Mizbayach to be sanctified exclusively for offering on the Mizbayach did not apply.
Another well-known Midrash (Bamidbar Rabah 15:6) relates that Aharon was depressed that he and his tribe did not participate in the inaugural offerings of the tribal princes. Hashem comforted Aharon by informing him via Moshe: ‘For greater than this you are designated…the offerings are practiced only while the Mikdash is extant, however the candles are forever…”. The question is raised how the lighting of candles in the Mikdash have lasted forever? Some like the Ramban suggest that these ‘everlasting’ candles refer to the Chanukah candles, which was instituted by the Chashmonaim, descendents of Aharon; while others like the Kol Bo claim that these are the candles that are lit in the synagogue when the congregation is davening. However, these explanations are not fully satisfying, because these lightings are not unique to Aharon and his children today
Many are only familiar with this part of the Midrash, because this is all that is quoted in the first Rashi of Parshas Behaaloscha, however, the Midrash concludes, with a reference back to Parshas Naso “and the blessings that I have given you to bless my children will never be canceled.” It is Birkas Kohanim, which is practiced to this very day exclusively by the sons of Aharon that seems to be the primary legacy of Aharon from the days of the Mikdash that ‘designated his greatness’.
When no Kohanim are present to perform the actual Birkas Kohanim, the Chazzan recites the Birkas Kohanim as a narrative with the introductory words, “…bless us with the triple blessing in the Torah that was written…”. Many advise making a deliberate pause after the word ‘triple’, and avoided pausing after the word ‘blessing’ so that the ‘three’ clearly modifies the word ‘blessing’ and not the phrase ‘in the Torah’. However, even when the Chazzan reads this section in a way that makes it sound like “…bless us with the blessing that is written thrice in the Torah” it is possible to defend such a reading since Birkas Kohanim is referenced three times in the Torah. The first mention is “Aharon raised his hands toward the people and blessed them (Vayikra 9:22). Rashi based on Toras Kohanim states that this is Birkas Kohanim. The second reference is explicitly in our Parsha, and the third reference is on the Pasuk, “…and to bless in His Name until this day” (Devarim 10:8). Once again Rashi informs us based on Erchin 11a that this blessing is Birkas Kohanim.
The blessing before performing the Mitzvah of Birkas Kohanim is “Blessed are you Hashem…who has sanctified us ‘with the sanctity of Aharon’ and has commanded us to bless his nation…”. This blessing is unique from the general format of Birchos HaMitzvos “who has sanctified us ‘with his Mitzvos’ and has commanded us to…”. What is the significance of substituting ‘with his Mitzvos’ for ‘with the sanctity of Aharon’? The ‘command’ to bless the nation does not appear until Naso. Perhaps when Aharon blessed the people in Parshas Shmini the first time, it was of his own volition, and only because of his initiative did Hashem later command Birkas Kohanim forever. Hence the words ‘with the sanctity of Aharon’ were substituted for ‘with his Mitzvos’ to hint to Aharon’s role in the establishment of the Mitzvah.
May the one who is the owner of peace, establish everlasting peace upon us, with the coming of the Go’el Tzedek, in fulfillment of the final words of the Birkas Kohanim ‘may Hashem turn His countenance to you and establish for you peace’.