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Haftorah
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by Rabbi Dovid Siegel
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Parshas Behaaloscha
Zecharya 2:14
This week's haftorah gives us a
profound insight into the spiritual direction of our present exile and
final redemption. The haftorah begins with the prophet Zecharya
experiencing a vision wherein the ordained High Priest, Yehoshua, was
brought to a critical trial regarding his pending esteemed position.
Zecharya says, "And I was shown the High Priest Yehoshua standing before
Hashem's prosecuting angel." (3:1) The reason for this prosecution is
stated shortly thereafter in the following words,"And Yehoshua was
clothed with soiled garments." (3:3) Our Chazal explain that these
garments refer to the wives of Yehoshua's descendants. Although Yehoshua
was personally a very pious individual some of his children were
adversely affected by the foreign environment of Babylonia. They strayed
from their rich heritage of priesthood and married women prohibited to
them due to their lofty ritual status. Because of this offense to the
pries
thood, Yehoshua's personal status of the High Priest was under severe
scrutiny.
Suddenly, an angel of Hashem interceded on behalf of Yehoshua and
defeated the prosecuting angel with the following statement of defense.
"Is Yehoshua not an ember rescued from the fire!? (3:2) This response of
defense was quite favorable in the eyes of Hashem and Yehoshua was
immediately restored to his lofty position. The angel responded and
said,"Remove the soiled garments from upon Yehoshua... See that I have
removed his sin from him... Dress him with new garments." The prophet
continues,"And they placed the pure priestly turban on his head." (3:4)
Rashi (adloc.) explains that Yehoshua was granted the opportunity of
rectifying his children's behavior and he successfully influenced them
to divorce their wives and marry more appropriate ones. Once Yehoshua's
garments -referring to his children's inappropriate spouses - were
cleansed Hashem clothed Yehoshua with the priestly garb and restored him
to the position of Kohain Gadol.
What was the angel's powerful defense that produced such immediate
favorable results? After his sons' disgrace to the priesthood, what
outstanding merit could Yehoshua have possessed that secured his lofty
position? The Radak explains that the angel argued that Yehoshua was "an
ember rescued from fire." Radak understands this to mean that Yehoshua
had been previously thrown into a fiery furnace. He sacrificed his life
for the sake of Hashem and was miraculously spared from the fire.
Through this heroic act, Yehoshua demonstrated total submission for the
sake of Heaven offering his life for Hashem's glory. Such individuals
deserve to prominently serve Hashem and His people. Such devotion and
commitment must be inculcated into the blood stream of the Jewish
people. Although Yehoshua's children veered from the straight path there
remained much hope for them.
The shining example of their father could surely inspire them to
return from their inappropriate ways. They too could eventually become
devout servants of Hashem and attain lofty levels of priesthood. Through
their father's guidance they could also rise above their physical and
mundane pursuits and develop the purest qualities. In fact, Yehoshua was
told that his children could potentially perfect themselves beyond
normal levels of human achievement. Hashem said, "I will establish them
superior to these angels standing here." (3:7) Yes, Yehoshua's
submissiveness could produce untold results and certainly lead his
children back to perfect spirituality.
This same lesson is taught to us in this week's parsha regarding the
newly appointed judges. We read about the masses of Jewish people
straying from the perfect path demonstrating serious leanings towards
certain physical and inappropriate dimensions of life. They disgraced
the Heavenly manna bread which Hashem sent them on a daily basis and
expressed their physical cravings for substitute foods such as; melons,
onions and garlic. They even complained about the Torah's
strict standards of morality and sought freedom from its taxing and
demanding life. Hashem responded with a severe punishment which ended
the lives of many thousands of Jewish people. But at the same time
Hashem responded to a plea from Moshe Rabbeinu and instituted a
structure of seventy elders to share the judicial responsibilities.
During this process these hand-picked judges experienced an incredible
transition. The Torah states, "And Hashem
intensified the Heavenly Spirit which rested upon Moshe Rabbei
nu and shared it with the seventy elders." (Bamidbar 11:25) In addition
to their new position asjudges, these elders received prophecy and
merited for a short time, to actually serve as a sanctuary for the
Divine Presence.
Rashi comments on this incident and reveals the secret identity of
the seventy elders. He quotes Chazal who explain, "These were the Jewish
policemen in Egypt who were beaten mercilessly instead of their Jewish
brethren." (Rashi to Bamidbar 11:16) These elders refused to enforce
upon their brethren the unreasonable Egyptian demands and opted to
accept torturous Egyptian blows on behalf of their brethren. This
previous heroic act of self negation now served as a meaningful merit
and lesson for the Jewish people. The recent outburst of the Jewish
people revealed that they were embarking upon an immoral path, focusing
on pleasure and self pursuit. Hashem responded to this by elevating a
host of their own peers to the lofty position of leadership. These
elders were not ensnared by self pursuit but were instead perfect role
models of self negation. Their interest lay in spiritual association
with Hashem and their selfless efforts brought them to the lofty
achievement of person
al sanctuaries for the presence of Hashem. With such personalities at
the head of the Jewish people their direction could be effectively
reversed. Their self sacrifice could secure the Jewish survival and
hopefully remind the Jewish people never to plunge into self pursuit and
immorality.
In our present times we hear repeated vibes of similar physical
calls to immorality. We realize that our predecessors were also embers
rescued from the fiery furnace - the fires of Europe - and their self
sacrifice for the sake of Hashem surely serves as an everlasting merit
for us. Our recollections of their total devotion to Hashem is a
significant factor in the incredible transition for many of us from
total physical pursuits to a sincere yearning to become sanctuaries of
Hashem. May this new development continue to flourish and contribute to
the hastening of Mashiach we so anxiously await.
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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 (these Chaldean) for mishpat (ordinance); O Tzur, Thou hast ordained them (these
Chaldean) 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 congregation), 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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