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Haftorah
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by Rabbi Dovid Siegel
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Parshas Naso
Shoftim 13:2
This week's haftorah shares with
us an incredible perspective on sanctity and self control. The focus of
the haftorah is the heavenly message sent to the pious Manoach and his
wife informing them of her miraculous conception of a special son,
Shimshon. Manoach's wife, a righteous woman who was barren for many
years was suddenly informed by an angel that she would bear a child. She
was also given specific instructions during pregnancy restricting her
from all wine and wine-related products. She was informed that her son
would be dedicated to Hashem from the day he was born and could never
shave off his hair. The angel also stated that Hashem would bring much
salvation to the Jewish people through this precious boy.
This is the first chapter in the life of the famous Jewish leader,
Shimshon. However, in the subsequent chapters of his life we discover
the life's trials of the most perplexing leader in all of Jewish
history. On the one hand, Shimshon was a powerful and effective judge
who maintained the highest ethical standard. In fact, our Chazal
(Yerushalmi Rosh Hashana2:8) place Shimshon amongst the greatest of all
Jewish judges paralleling him, in some ways, to Moshe Rabbeinu himself.
Shimshon also merited that the Divine Presence of Hashem preceded him to
secure his every step with success. And it was solely in Shimshon's
merit that Hashem constantly protected the Jewish nation (see Sota 9b,
10a). Yet, at the same time we discover a man succumbing to physical
passions being constantly enticed by Philistine women. Eventually
Shimshon fell prey to the persuasion of his Philistine wife Delila and
forfeited all his sanctity and greatness. How can this glorious, yet so
tragic life be
understood and explained and what can be learned from this perplexing
story? (See Derech Bina to Shoftim by Rabbi Avrohom Shoshana)
We begin with the words of the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 10:5) in
explanation of Shimshon's unique experience of Nezirus (restriction from
wine). In general, one accepts the abstentions of a Nazir for a period
of a month or two but never for an entire lifetime. This week's parsha
reveals that the purpose for the short restrictive period of Nazirus was
to serve as a model lesson for life. Typically, the Nazir briefly
abstained from certain mundane activities to gain control over his
physical passions and cravings. This was obviously not the case for
Shimshon who was obligated in Nezirus since his birth. The above Midrash
clarifies this matter and states, "Hashem, knowing that Shimshon's
nature would be to stray after his eyes, restricted him from wine which
leads to immorality." Chazal continue, "And if Shimshon albeit a Nazir
did stray after his eyes one could only imagine what would have happened
without the restriction of wine." Our Chazal share with us an important
insig
ht into the life of Shimshon. Apparently, his nature and consequent
role in life revolved around an attraction to women and it was intended
for the Nezirus restriction to hold him back from sin.
To put this into perspective we refer to the words of the Radak
(Shoftim13:4) which explain the setting of Shimshon's times. Radak
explains that the Jewish people's devotion to Hashem had severely fallen
during those times. Because of this they did not merit total salvation
by Hashem and remained under Philistine rule throughout this entire era.
However, the Philistines deserved to be revenged for their harsh rule
over the Jews and for this reason Hashem sent Shimshon to the scene. The
Scriptures indicate (see Shoftim 14:4) that it was the will of Hashem
that Shimshon mingle with the Philistines to cause them pain and strife
from within their very own camp. It can be understood that for this
reason Hashem actually sanctioned, in principle, Shimshon's marriage to
Philistine women, given their conversion to Judaism. Although they did
actually convert (see Radak adloc. and Rambam Isurai Beiah 14:14) the
potential did exist for Shimshon to be influenced by their foreign ideal
s and allegiances of their past.
In essence, Hashem provided Shimshon with the appropriate nature for
his role and he was naturally attracted to the Philistine women he
encountered. This allowed Shimshon to be regarded as one of the
Philistines and set the stage for a perfect inside job. The Radak
explains that Shimshon's motive of bonding with Philistine Jewish
converts to secretly attack the Philistine nation was a proper motive.
However, this powerful drive to marry Philistine women served as a
double-edged sword. And when Shimshon added to his pure motive small
degrees of attraction to beauty his actions were disqualified. Granted
that the overwhelming percentage of his motivation was proper and pure,
nonetheless a subtle attraction to Philistine women's beauty did
accompany his thoughts. Eventually this soft physical drive overtook
Shimshon, and after succumbing to his wife's seduction, lost his pure
motives and forfeited all of his sanctity and greatness.
We now appreciate Shimshon's lifelong abstention period of Nezirus
and its projected impact on his personal conduct. This perpetual state
was intended to serve as an anchor for Shimshon to control and subdue
his physical urges and steer him away from immorality. The comprehensive
picture drawn from our haftorah is the following. Shimshon was ordained
to live a life of sanctity from the moment of conception until the end
of his life. His parents carefully protected him from all impurities and
raised him in a perfect atmosphere of sanctity. This childhood groomed
him to be a perfect candidate for the constant manifestation of the
Divine Presence itself. However, as we painfully discover none of the
above guarantees one from foreign immoral influences. And when,
alongside the purest of motives, one includes physical drives and
passions the result can be devastating. Even the pure Shimshon was then
prone to plunging deeply into immorality and open to forfeiting all that
life
had in store for him. From this we learn the importance of pure motives
and that any degree of intended personal gratification can undo all the
good we seek to accomplish.
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Haftorah, Copyright © 2012 by Rabbi Dovid Siegel and Torah.org. The author is Rosh Kollel of Kollel Toras Chaim of Kiryat Sefer, Israel. Kollel Toras Chesed
3732 West Dempster
Skokie, Illinois 600
76
Phone: 847-674-7959Fax: 847-674-4023
kollel@arlin.net
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Say Yes to Abba Yahweh and His Laws special in
this time when Abba Yahweh is 'testing' us:
Hab 1:12 Art thou not mikedem (‘everlasting’ also said of
Moshiach, indicating Moshiach’s eternal divine nature: Dan
7:14 And there was given Him
(Moshiach) dominion, and honor, and sovereignty, that all people, Goyim,
tongues, should pey-lammed-chet. [1](worship
as deity) (see Dan 3:12, serve, reverence as deity Him (Moshiach). His dominion
is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His (Messianic)
Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.]see Michoh 5:1[2]; Yahweh Elohai (my
Elohim) Kedoshi (my Holy One)? We shall not die. Yahweh, Thou hast appointed
them for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast ordained them for reproof.
(Please read the whole book of HaNavi Habakuk)
Please take it serious what Abba Yahweh is telling us in:
Deu 18:15 Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohim) will raise up unto thee a Navi
(prophet) from among thee, of thy achim (bretheren), kamoni (like me Exo
32:30 The next day Moshe said to the
people, "You have committed a terrible sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh;
maybe I will be able to atone for your sin."); unto him ye must listen;
Deu 18:16 According to all that thou
desired of Yahweh Eloheicha (your Elohimin) Chorev in the Yom HaKahal (day of
the gogregation), saying, Let me not hear again the voice of Yahweh Elohav
(your Elohim), neither let me see this eish hagedolah (‘great fire’) any more,
that I die not.
Deu 18:17 And Yahweh said unto me, They
have well-spoken that which they have spoken.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up a Navi
(prophet) from among their achim (brethren), like unto thee, and will put My
words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him
[Yn 10:18].
Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever will not listen unto My words which he shall speak Bishmi (in My
Name), I will require it of him.
Joh 8:28 Therefore, Rebbe, Melech
HaMoshiach said to them, When you perform the hagbah (lifting up) of
the Ben HaAdam, you will have da'as (knowledge) that Ani Hu [YESHAYAH
41:4; SHEMOT 3:14-16], and from myself I do nothing, but as HaAv (the Father)
of me taught me, these things I speak.
[1]
Dictionary of the Talmud. M. Jastrow p. 1178 פלח
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