Bostoner Torah Insights: Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in Hebrew and English: Parshas Eikev – 22 Menachem Av 5785
Bostoner Torah Insights - Yerushalayim
Bostoner Torah Insights
Bostoner ‘Chassidus’ in English
Parshas Eikev – 22 Menachem Av 5785
Bostoner Rebbe shlit”a – Yerushalayim
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We find ourselves less than forty days before Rosh Hashana, a time that is opportune for prayer. There were tzaddikim who fasted daily during these days, either from the 20th of Menahem Av or even from Tu B'Av. Parshas Eikev teaches us the power of prayer for ourselves and for others, as Moshe Rabbeinu explains after the aftermath of the Golden Calf, “Hashem became very angry with Aharon to destroy him, so I prayed also for Aharon at that time” (Devarim 9:20). Rashi comments here in the name of the Midrash, “My prayer worked to bring partial atonement. Two died and two remained”
Rabbi Levi HaCohen Rabinovitch zt"l once wrote that he heard in the name of the Beis Yisroel on this Rashi, that Elazar and Itamar were saved by the prayer of Moshe, since they adhered to Moshe Rabbeinu as a Rebbe and as a person. However, the Gemara (Sanhedrin 52b) tells us that Nadav and Avihu were known to have said to each other, “When will these two elders (Moshe and Aharon) pass away so that you and I may lead the generation”. Since, they detached themselves from Moshe Rabbeinu, his prayer for them could not protect them. Similarly, we find that Moshe Rabbeinu invoked the merit of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov after the Golden Calf, but not after the Sin of the Spies. As we have mentioned previously in Bostoner Torah Insights, the Avos cherished Eretz Yisroel, the land that Hashem promised to them and their descendants. Since the Generation of the Midbar deviated from this attitude towards Eretz Yisroel that the Avos displayed, the merit of their forefathers would not be able to help them. The Avos and Eretz Yisroel are inseparable, as it says, “I will remember My Bris with Yaakov, and also My Bris with Yitzchak, and also My Bris with Avraham will I remember, and I will remember the Land” (Vayikra 26:42) Neither the merit of the Avos or the merit of the Land could help Klal Yisroel after they spoke and accepted the Lashon Hara spoken about Eretz Yisroel.
When Miriam spoke Lashon Hara about Moshe and received the punishment of Tzaraas, Aharon begged Moshe, “Let her not be like a corpse, like one who leaves his mother’s womb with half his flesh having been consumed” (Bamidbar 12:12). The Panim Yafos explains that Aharon knew that Moshe would daven on behalf of his sister Miriam, just like Moshe did for Aharon after his involvement in Chet HaEigel. However, Aharon recalled that Moshe’s prayer was only partially accepted as only two of his sons were saved. Aharon wanted Miriam to be completely healed. According to the Panim Yafos, this is why Moshe says, “Kel Nah Refah Nah Lah” (Bamidbar 12:13). The word ‘Nah’ נא is a language of supplication (Brachos 9a), and Moshe Rabbeinu doubled this word so that Miriam would be completely healed.
One might ask how Moshe’s prayer for Miriam could be effective if Miriam spoke slander against Moshe Rabbeinu, seemingly distancing herself from Moshe, Chas v’Shalom. We may suggest that on the contrary, Miriam spoke up for the honor of Moshe, even if it was technically Lashon Hara. It was only out of genuine concern for her brother and her sister-in-law that she consulted with Aharon about whether Moshe Rabbeinu was acting in error, and this is why Moshe’s subsequent prayer for his sister was effective. However, due to the higher level of scrutiny that Hashem has for the righteous, Miriam was punished for her words, even if her intentions were pure.
The Beis Yosef quotes the Maagid Meisharim in Parshas Shmini that the calf Aharon HaKohen offered as part of the inaugural service of the Mishkan (Vayikra 9:2) atoned for his role in the Sin of the Golden Calf. He explains that even though subjectively Aharon had good intentions, nevertheless his actions were objectively sinful and created Chilul Hashem. This is comparable to other sins done inadvertently for which a Korban Shogeg is offered. Even though the mental intention to sin is not present, the objective sinful act was actualized. However, Chet HaEigel was more than a normal inadvertent sin due to the level of Chilul Hashem that it caused. This is why ‘Hashem became very angry with Aharon to destroy him’. Chazal tell us that ‘to destroy him’, means to wipe out his children.
However, this is difficult, since the Torah attests that “Fathers will not be die on account of their sons, and sons will not die on account of their fathers, a man for his sin will die” (Devarim 24:16). The Gemara (Shabbos 32b) teaches that children who are minors may be killed as a punishment for the father, as they are excluded from the words ‘a man’ in the above Pasuk, however, this would not apply to Nadav and Avihu who were much older. Another Gemara (Sanhedrin 27b) explains that only when sons ‘hold the sins of their father in their hands’ by repeating the sins of their fathers, they are not only punished for their sins but for their father’s sins as well. When Nadav and Avihu brought ‘a foreign fire that He had not commanded them’ (Vayikra 10:1) on the same day that Aharon brought a ‘calf’ to rectify the sin of the Eigal HaZahav, it demonstrated that Nadav and Avihu were punished not only for their transgression, but also for the role that their father played in the Sin of the Golden Calf.
What emerges is that even though Moshe Rabbeinu’s prayer was successful in saving Klal Yisroel from annihilation at Chet HaEigel (see Shemos 32:10-14), his prayers were only ‘half’ successful for his brother Aharon. This is because the merit of the congregation is inherently greater than the merit of an individual. Furthermore, in order that one should not think the distinction was something else, such as Moshe davened for Yisroel at an opportune time whereas his prayer for Aharon was not at an optimal time, the Pasuk says, “so I prayed also for Aharon at that time” (Devarim 9:20), indicating that Moshe prayed for Klal Yisroel as well as Aharon at the same time.
We must remember that in order for our prayers to be answered it behooves us not only to daven at an opportune time, but to daven as part of the congregation and not only as individuals. If we combine our own prayers with the prayers said on our behalf by our Rebbe to whom we adhere to, we can be confident that our prayers for those things we need and desire will be accepted by Hashem. May Hashem speedily bring the Go’el Tzedek whom we all pray together constantly for his arrival