----- Forwarded Message -----From: "Rabbi Moshe Revah" <htcnews-htc.edu@shared1.ccsend.com>To: "mates57564@aol.com" <mates57564@aol.com>Sent: Thu, Apr 4, 2024 at 4:01 PMSubject: Dvar Torah from the Rosh HaYeshiva
Dear Yeshiva Family:
This week's parshah contains the tragedy of Aharon HaKohen losing two sons after they performed an avoda they were not commanded to do. The pasuk (10:3) quotes Moshe Rabbeinu comforting Aharon, "Of this did Hashem speak, saying: I will be sanctified through those that are close to me, and I will be honored before the entire people."
The Meshech Chochmah explains the concept of Hashem being sanctified and honored through the deaths of Aharon's sons in a very profound way. This was the day when Hashem finally forgave Klal Yisrael publicly and the Shechina returned with the inauguration of the Mishkan. However, as much as Hashem wanted to just forgive Klal Yisrael with no strings attached, a potential problem existed with that approach: Klal Yisrael had to learn there was accountability in this relationship. Klal Yisrael had just committed the most egregious sin possible against Hashem by serving the Golden Calf right after we got "married" to Hashem at Har Sinai, and Hashem was gracious and compassionate enough to forgive. Yet, if in our initial relationship with Hashem we sinned and Hashem forgave, we may not have taken the relationship so seriously; we may have thought that sinning against Hashem is not so bad, and perhaps we would continue to do what we want, as attaining forgiveness was pretty easy. To dispel this thought, Hashem needed a "korban." He needed to show us how terrible and destructive sin really is. To that end, Hashem waited until one of the great men of the generation did something minutely wrong, and then let Klal Yisrael see the punishment for even such a sin. Only after recognizing the seriousness and danger of sinning, was Hashem able to show the power of His forgiveness. It was their death that enabled us to attain forgiveness for the sin of the Golden Calf, for only after their deaths and the lessons that came along with them, were we able to fully internalize the entire episode of the Eigel.
Indeed, only after the death of the sons of Aharon for a seemingly minor crime can we begin to value the relationship that we have with Hashem. Every relationship needs accountability for it to thrive. If one does not treat the partner in a relationship with respect, then the relationship will not be deep. We need to respect and value the relationships we have and understand that they are precious, but will be deep and meaningful only with accountability.
Even relationships based on "unconditional love" which one has for his children or in a marriage after several years of commitment, have to have rules. The love may be eternal, but there are still conditions for how we treat each other. If a partner is showered with unconditional love and not held accountable to any rules in the relationship, then he becomes a non-entity in the relationship, for technically anyone could be a recipient of such benevolence and he happens to be the recipient. So, the love is always there, but the relationship suffers. The Gemara states about Klal Yisrael's status to Hashem, "bein kach u'bein kach banei heim" - whether we "behave" or not, we are [always] Hashem's children; Hashem may always love us as one loves his children unconditionally, but nevertheless, the relationship has to have rules in order to thrive.
The episode of Aharon's children helps us understand this better. Hashem was not able to display his love and willingness to forgive until people realized the incredible destructiveness of sin and how it can have permanent damage. Without fully understanding the depths and accountability we should have, then we would misjudge Hashem's running of the world. Therefore, Hashem had to allow a strong display of punishment and enable the people to see the raw power of the destructiveness of sin. Then and only then was Hashem able to forgive Klal Yisrael, and this is what Moshe Rabbeinu meant when he explained "Hashem will be sanctified through those that are close to me, and will be honored before the entire people." For now, we would not take sin lightly, and we would be more appreciative of our relationship with Hashem.
In a similar vein, after the forgiveness for the sin of the eigel, we can now appreciate the power of teshuva (repentance) and how it can erase the worst of sins. However, in order to truly appreciate the power of teshuva and how great Hashem's love of us and kindness to us extends, we first have to understand the depth of destruction one sin can cause. We can see this from the fear that Chazal had in prohibiting us from blowing the shofar on Rosh Hashana if it were to fall out on Shabbos, to prevent someone from accidentally carrying the Shofar on Shabbos. It should be noted that the Gemara says it is dangerous for Klal Yisrael when the shofar is not blown on Rosh Hashana. (Actually, this year, 5784, Rosh Hashana was on Shabbos and unfortunately, October 7th, 2023 followed). So let us think about this. Chazal are willing to forgo a mitzvah d'oraysah and potentially put Klal Yisrael in danger just to prevent someone from accidentally violating the Shabbos! Accidentally!! We see from here the power of sin.
And now that we can appreciate the power of sin, we can now appreciate as well the power of teshuva - how it can repair real damage.
Right now, there are thousands of tons of concrete in the harbor of Baltimore from the Francis Scott Key Bridge that came down after it was tragically struck by a freighter. At least six people lost their lives. The bridge will take years and close to a billion dollars to rebuild. The loss to the economy because of this one bridge is enormous. I'm sure somewhere someone is wishing that he did something just a drop different to prevent that calamity. If this disaster took place in the spiritual realm, then teshuva could erase that entire accident, making the boat just miss the support beams of the bridge, and retroactively avoid the entire disaster. Just think about that. Saying you're sorry would retroactively change the course of history! However, we first have to recognize the power of sin before we can appreciate the gift of forgiveness.
May Hashem help us recognize the beauty and richness of a deep relationship with him and may we continue to value and nurture such a relationship every day!
Rabbi Moshe Revah
Rosh HaYeshiva, HTC - Beis HaMidrash LaTorah
HTC
Hebrew Theological College is a member of Touro University
and a partner with the Jewish United Fund in serving our community
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