Parshat Balak: Numbers 22:2 – 25:9

This week’s portion, Balak, is the story of the Midianite priest Balaam who was summoned by the Moabite king Balak to curse the Israelites. The Israelites were on their trek north encountering the local peoples and sometimes engaging in battle as they prepared themselves before crossing the river Jordan into the Promised Land. King Balak was nervous about the Israelites engaging Moab in battle as they had the Amorites and thus wanted all the protection he could muster including the protection of their gods.

Balaam the prophet resisted going under the orders of God who communicated with the foreign prophet until God finally gave permission for him to go with them. But only under the condition that Balaam will follow God’s commands. How interesting that this foreign prophet communicates with the One God!

Along the way Balaam learns an invaluable lesson from an unlikely source: his own donkey. This donkey (tradition teaches it was created in the magical moment before the first Shabbat) had its own visions and saw an angel of God along the way. Balaam the prophet could not see this angel and beat the ass mercilessly because it would stop and lean against the wall pressing Balaam’s foot thinking it just stubborn Balaam the prophet would keep hitting the ass. Finally God gave the donkey speech! And the ass inquires of Balaam ‘Look I am the ass that you have been riding all along until this day! Have I been in the habit of doing thus to you?” and Balaam answered no. (Num. 22:30). At that moment Balaam’s eyes were opened and he too saw the God’s angel in the road. The angel after scolding Balaam lets him proceed but reminds him that he will only say whatever it is that God or God’s angel will tell him. Balaam the foreign prophet becomes the agent of God.

When Balaam comes before King Balak, he wants Balaam to curse the Israelites. But each time out of Balaam’s mouth comes a blessing. The king says, “I called you…to damn my enemies, and instead you have blessed them these three times!” (Num. 24:10). The most famous of the three blessings that were given by the prophet Balaam is stilled used in the synagogue service today, “How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel.” (Num. 24:5).

But the metaphor of the talking ass sets up this second half of the story. Just as Balaam the prophet eyes are finally open to the angel of the Lord —so the King of the Moabites eyes are finally opened that God controls the blessings that are given. Balaam finally tells the king, “But I even told the messengers you sent to me, Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not of my own accord do anything good or bad contrary to Adonai’s command. What the Eternal says, that I must say” (Num. 24:12-13).

The angel of God caused the donkey to react and Balaam finally saw the holy power of God’s hand, now Balaam who has become an agent of God, opens the eyes of Balak to the blessings of God for the Israelites.

We learn from this story that God is the God of all not just the Jews. We learn from this story that sometimes we have to open our eyes to see what is really before us. And that we are shaped by God’s will for us. May all our curses turn into blessings!

Parshat Korach, Numbers 16:1- 18:31

This week’s torah portion, Korach, is all about the rebellion of Moses’ and Aaron’s cousin Korach. He challenges them for the leadership of the people and the priesthood. But God reminds the children of Israel and in particular, Korach and his followers that Moses and Aaron are the chosen leaders, chosen by God.

Moses quashes their rebellion and God further consolidates the power of Aaron and his descendants and the Levites as the priesthood. So that there are no further insurrections or complaints, God instructs Moses to take the staff of leadership from each tribal head and inscribe it with the name of the elder. Also Moses receives a staff from the tribe of Levi with Aaron’s name. These are placed overnight in the Tent of Meeting near the Ark of the Covenant. God told Moses the staff that blooms-that will be the one who is the rightful leader of the Priesthood. The next day-Moses brought out all of the staffs. Each chieftain identified his and of course, Aaron’s staff is the one in full bloom. “There the staff of Aaron and the house of Levi had sprouted; it had brought forth sprouts, produced blossom, and borne almonds.” (Num. 17:23). This miracle of the blooming staff, visible to all Israel, further elevates Aaron and the tribe of Levi as the priesthood. Although they had been duly ordained and installed this crowning miracle put to rest any questions of authority. This staff or Aaron’s was stored in the Tent of meeting in the holy of holies as a future testament to this miraculous elevation.

Midrash Rabbah teaches us about this story in the Torah: “Why almonds and not pomegranates or nuts? Because Israel was compared to the two latter. The same staff was held in the hand of every king (of Israel) until the Temple was destroyed and then it was divinely hidden away. That same staff also is destined to be held in the hand of the Messiah as it says. The staff of your strength Adonai will send out of Zion: Rule in the midst of your enemies (Ps. 30:2) (p. 744, Soncino, Midrash Rabbah, Numbers II).

This staff became the symbol of Divine selection and divine rule used not only by the Aaron and the priesthood but according to tradition the Kings of Israel (Saul, David and Solomon) and ultimately the Messiah in days to come.

Today we still await the Messiah. In Reform Jewish tradition we no longer pray for an individual to return and single being who will change our world and bring about a time of Divine healing and a time of restoration of the Temple in Jerusalem. We pray for a time of Messianic ideals. Ideals of a world at peace and a world healed of its violence, ignorance and injustices. This is why we work so hard for social justice. This is why the Reform Judaism is so dedicated to the ideals of tikkun olam—healing and repair of our world. We cannot simply stand idly by the blood of our neighbor. We cannot simply stand by when others are in pain or the injustices of society are heaped upon one group. We are commanded to speak up and make a difference.

This is how we will once again see the flowering rod of Aaron—when we help the world to flower and bloom.

Parshat Shelach Lecha, Numbers 13:1 -15:41

This week’s portion Shelach Lecha speaks about the rules for those who are native born Israelites and those who are resident aliens. Several times the Torah has emphasized that there is one law for both those that are native born and those who have joined the people and reside with them. “There shall be one law for you and for the resident stranger; it shall be a law for all time throughout the ages. You and the stranger shall be alike before the Eternal” (Num. 15:15).

Whether the civil laws or what we in our day would term more religious law having to do with sacrifices presented or observance of the Sabbath (the Torah did not make that distinction) the law is applied equally. This is an important philosophical statement and practical statement. The rules of community must be applied equally and fairly.

Jewish history teaches us that we were strangers in the land of Egypt. And therefore we are supposed to understand the dangers of treating non-natives differently. In Egypt we were enslaved as other. The Jew throughout history has been treated as other. Whether the exile to Babylonia after the destruction of the first Temple or the ghettos of Italy in the Middle Ages or of Warsaw and concentration and death camps of the last century, we Jews know first hand what it means to be demonized and hated and treated differently.

Our Torah emphasizes to us that we as a community, make community by including everyone. “For the citizen among the Israelites and for the stranger who resides among them- you shall have one ritual…” (Num.15:29). We learn inclusivity matters.

That is why the Jewish community must recommit to being the most inclusive community. We must commit ourselves to welcoming and including and working to include those who are not yet full citizens of our towns and cities. Immigrants need our voices and our support. Surely our families haven’t forgotten their own histories in America of our immigration to this land. Maybe it was your Bubbe or Zayde or maybe your great grandparents or perhaps your own parents or maybe even you!

But the Jewish community must be advocates for welcoming these non-natives to our communities and ensuring that they have equal access to schools, health care and jobs.
That is why immigration reform and support for those who have come here whether documented or not demand our attention. The Torah teaches us this.

There shall be one law for you and the non-native among you.

May we work speedily to count every one and welcome the non-native in our communities.

Parshat Beha’alotecha, Numbers 8:1 – 12:16

This week’s portion Beha’alotecha, describes how Aaron the High Priest is to kindle the menorah. Interestingly enough it doesn’t use the term kindle—which would read b’hadlaktcha, but beha’alotecha- which means when you raise or up or mount the candles. It is the same root as aliyah-to go up. Rashi the great Torah commentator told us that there was a step before the menorah and literally the priest would step up to kindle the lights of the menorah.

What does it mean to step up to bring light? For the High Priest, Aaron this light was not merely any light—but holy light. It illuminated the Holy of Holy and brought light upon the showbread table and Ark of the Covenant. The light of the menorah-and its seven lamps represent the Divine and Holy light that filled this sacred space. The fact that the High Priest had the honor of stepping up to kindle this holy light brought honor to the priesthood and indeed the physical elevation described here is also a symbolic representation of the elevation of seemingly mundane acts to the level of the sacred. This is not just kindling any ordinary flame but a Divine flame that will bathe the world in Divine light.

In fact the Menorah of the ancient temple and tabernacle was not at eye level but according to the Talmud was 18 tefachim high (Menachot 28b) approximately 5 and ½ feet. But Aaron had to kindle it and prepare the wicks by looking down upon it. He was able to take care of the menorah and ensure that the menorah would be properly prepared and the lamps would light up the Tabernacle. Thus the step up –literally helps prepare the menorah for holy light.

Just as God shared the Divine light and asked the High Priest to prepare it and kindle it, Moses helps prepare the Levites for their tasks helping them purify and wash so that they would be ready to bring the Divine Presence in the midst of the people. This preparation would help them perform their service in the Tent of Meeting (8:22). To step up to their holy work, the Levites needed preparation

And in this portion as well, Moses shares his sacred spirit with 70 elders of Israel. His burdens of carrying the leadership have proven to be too great and God instructs Moses to share his inspiration and spirit with these 70 leaders (11:24). Through prophecy and ecstasy these leaders were imbued with this sacred leadership. Moses shared his own light with these leaders. To step up to their holy work, these leaders were kindled by Moses’ own spirit.

When we light the flame of the chanukiah at Chanukah the shamash candle lights up the other wicks. Its flame illuminates and prepares the other lights to shine on their own. That is the theme of this week’s portion. Aaron prepares and brings the light of the menorah to shine on its own. Moses’ helps and prepares the Levites to bring the light of their holy work on their own. And Moses’ helps and shares with the 70 elders his spirit and God’s Holy Spirit so they can engage in the sacred service before the people.

May we learn to share our inner light with others so that we too can lift and elevate and raise up a holy light in the world.

Parshat Naso II: Numbers 4:21-7:89

This week’s portion is the second reading of Naso. We do this to keep in line with the Orthodox Diaspora world. They still observe two days of Shavuot and Reform Judaism observes only one. But in a nod to our values of Klal Yisrael we stay on the same parshiot system.

This is a change from previous years. When the second day of Shavuot would fall on Shabbat the Reform movement was observing the next week’s portion just as they do in Israel. So for a few weeks the Israeli and Reform Torah reading calendar would differ from the Conservative and Orthodox Torah reading cycle outside of Israel. But in recent years when this has occurred, the Reform movement has split parshat Naso.

The end of our portion Naso describes the final consecration of the Tabernacle by Moses. He supervised setting it up and anointed and consecrated all the utensils and then each tribal chieftan in succession brought their dedicatory offerings; the exact same offerings to this celebration.

But prior to their own offering, the chieftains of Israel brought a special offerings. They brought six covered wagons and 12 oxen a cart for every two chieftains and an ox for each. These wagons, these special gifts would be given to the Levites and specifically to the Gershonites and the Merarites who had the responsibility to bring parts of the tabernacle on the journey. The Gershonites got two carts for the curtains and hangings but the Merarites got four because they had the heavier materials—the planks and poles. Yet the Kohathites had the most sacred objects to carry. They were required to carry the burden of them on their shoulders. Why is this important?

For the Kohathites had the most sacred objects of the Tent of Meeting, the altar and menorah, the sacred table and the screen. These holy and special objects existed in the presence of the Divine when God’s cloud descended upon the Tabernacle. These special klei kodesh, sacred objects used in the sacred worship can not be treated casually, merely packed up and shipped to the next destination: but carried by hand lovingly and attentively. This is not unlike when moving houses or apartments you hand carry some of your most valuable possessions not leaving them to the movers to take care of. It shows honor and respect for the most holy objects to hand carry them and to take great are of them.

Today what are our most sacred possessions? Our Torah scrolls? Our books? Our scholars? Our children? Our synagogues? We should not expect others to carry them or care for them. But it is our responsibility like the Levites to lovingly transport and care for the most sacred vessels of our contemporary times. That is why we need to support generously our Jewish community and our congregation. For we embody caring for our traditions and our people and our relationship with the Holy One of Blessing. We must shoulder the responsibility to ensure its stability and our ability to set up that sacred space to meet the Holy Divine One again and again and again!