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PROUD
by
Rabbi David Walk
The Izhbitzer makes an interesting comment on the decorations of the
Cohen Gadol’s garment, which get listed again in this week’s Torah
reading (Pekudei). On the bottom edge of the robe the Torah tells us
there should be "a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate."
Well, in the Mei Shiloach, the Izhbitzer explains that this arrangement
(and repetition) describes a positive psychological reality of people.
That we should be striving to achieve a balance between self confidence
and self-consciousness, pride and embarrassment. The pomegranate is
described by our sages as representing fullness and confidence (A Jew
is described as a pomegranate full of mitzvot. There is the tradition
that a pomegranate contains 613 seeds.), while the bell is hollow,
empty promoting a feeling of insecurity.
First of all I like that idea. We need this balance of feeling good and
worry about our spiritual status. I feel this promotes healthy growth.
But let’s say we’re supposed to be proud of certain religious
accomplishments, what attainments should engender this? Here I have
some help from Yirmiyahu (IX:22,23), "Let not the wise man be proud of
his wisdom, nor let the mighty man be proud of his might, let not the
rich man be proud of his wealth. But let him be proud of this: That he
understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises mercy,
justice and righteousness in the earth; for in these things do I
delight."
(I want to point out that these three traits which seem to be
denigrated here are highlighted in the mishne, "Who is the wise
man...who is the mighty man...who is the rich man?[Pirkei Avot, chapter
four mishne one]" The Netziv [Rabbi Naftali Zvi Yehuda Berlin, the Rosh
Yeshiva of Volozhin] points out that there is the normal approach to
these traits and then the special mishnaic approach. The normal
approach is always negative, but the mishnaic examples can be
praiseworthy. Let us assume that our verse is discussing the normal
colloquial usage.)
Okay, we are being instructed that the only achievements worthy of our
pride are in our knowledge of Hashem. How do I characterize this 'knowledge'? In last week’s parsha we were told quite clearly that our
knowledge of Hashem is very limited. We can not see or understand Him.
So, is this demand of Yirmiyahu’s impossible? I believe that there is a
midrashic approach to our problem which we will find helpful.
This week we not only read the weekly Torah portion, but we also finish
the yearly cycle of the four parshiyot. These four readings are
connected to the special events of these two months. Parshat Shekalim
describes the donation of a half shekel to the temple for buying the
daily and holiday sacrifices. We read this on or before Rosh Chodesh
Adar, because the half shekel was collected in Adar. Parshat Zachor
fulfills the obligation of remembering the attack of Amalek annually,
and is read the shabbat before Purim. We, of course, identify Haman
Agagi as a descendant of Amalek. Parshat Para reminds us of the need to
purify ourselves from the impurity of contact with the dead so that we
may participate in the Pesach sacrifice, and is read after Purim. The
last in the series which we are to read this shabbat is Parshat
Hachodesh, which describes the process of sanctifying the new moon and
thereby establishing our calendar.
It seems that a correspondence exists between the four items in the
verse from Yirmiyahu and our four special Torah readings. We have
wealth and the section of donating money for the communal sacrifices.
We have might and the eternal battle against Amalek. We have wisdom and
the mitzvah which epitomizes 'chok' or the precepts beyond our
intellectual grasp. We are being instructed that these elements which
can lead to problematic vanity must be enlisted (and thereby
sublimated) to divine service. But what about Parshat Hachodesh? What
does this material contribute to our 'knowledge of Hashem'?
Before we answer this question let us take a quick look at the verses.
Hashem instructs Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon that they are to establish
this new moon as the first month of the year. (Of course, I am adding
midrashic material.) And then the observance of Pesach will be begin on
the tenth of the month with the taking of the lamb, and culminate on
the fourteenth with its sacrifice. That night (the fifteenth) the
sacrifice will be consumed with matzo. Our Sages emphasize that the
expression ‘this month shall be to you’ means that we decide when rosh
chodesh is regardless of when the astronomical event (appearance of the
new moon or ‘moad’) occurs. When we bless the coming month on the
shabbat before rosh chodesh we announce when the 'molad' will take
place. Often the event and rosh chodesh don’t coincide. (As I write
this, it is the twentieth of Adar, but for the Moslems it is the
twenty-first of Al-hijeh, because they strictly follow the physical
reality.) All this means that we Jews dictate a spiritual reality which
controls the calendar and the holidays. It is Pesach not because we are
fifteen days after the first new moon of the spring, but because we
proclaimed it the fifteenth of Nissan.
We are endowed through this mitzvah of kiddush hachodesh with a godlike
power over reality. We create facts and heaven acquiesces. We ‘know’
God by in some way acting like Him and with Him. We are being made
partners by this mitzvah.
The verb ‘yodeah’ to know is used for our knowledge of Hashem. We use
‘makir’ or recognize for knowing people, except ‘knowing’ is used for
spouses (perhaps only for the sex act, but I would like to think for
more of the relationship). I assume that the more intimate ‘know’ is
used for those partners we acquire in life, our spouse and our God. We
gain this ‘knowledge’ by emulation and empathy. We are trying to act in
God’s stead (and our spouse’s). He made the new moon appear on Thursday
but it would work out better for the Jewish Nation if we made rosh
chodesh on Friday. We are given that right and responsibility.
And then the verse in Yirmiyahu continues, we are supposed to know God
who "exercises mercy, justice and righteousness." We must use this
awesome responsibility for the promotion of these values. Only then do
we truly ‘know’ God, and feel spiritually fulfilled. Ultimately, we can
not see God but we can intuit His presence by performing His will. An
enterprise worthy of the effort.
Comments, ideas, questions? Send Rabbi Walk a note at:rwalk@yhol.org.il
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