Discrimination? Judgment v. Mercy

Parshat Bamidbar

by Rabbi Avi Billet

After the Torah describes the order and population of how the Israelites traveled in the desert, we are told of how the tribe of Levi was not counted with everyone else, nor did they travel amongst the people. Their camp was around the Mishkan, and their jobs focused on the breaking down, carrying and reconstructing the Mishkan as per the travels of the nation.

            

Verse 1:51 says: "When the Mishkan is moved, the Levites shall take it down, and when it is to remain in one place, they shall set it up. Any non-Levite who participates shall die." The instructions are pretty straightforward as to who may or may not participate in these efforts.

            

But the translation easily drops a hidden message embedded in this verse.

            

Rabbenu Bachaye points to eight words in the verse – two groups of four words – that happen to spell out God's name in their "roshei teivot" (acronym). Both times God's name appears backwards, with the "heh" (last letter of God's name) coming in the word "Ha'Leviim."

            

This is not Bible codes. This is not word jumps or counted spaces between letters. Compare the following to the translation given above: "When the Mishkan is moved it will be taken down by Ha'Leviim (Heh) U'vachanot (Vav) HaMishkan (Heh) Yakumu (Yud) [it will be set up by] Ha'Leviim (Heh). V'hazar (Vav) Hakarev (Heh) Yumat (Yud)."

            

(נא) ובנסוע המשכן יורידו אותו ה'לוים ו'בחנות ה'משכן י'קומו אותו ה'לוים ו'הזר ה'קרב י'ומת.

The Tetragrammaton appears in acronym form, twice backwards, in one verse, with no skips between the words that make the letters that spell God's name.

Says Rabbenu Bachaye: "Anytime you find God's name planted backwards in a four-word phrase teaches you about God's trait of judgment. Haman the wicked included God's name when he told his wife that all of the grandeur to which he was honored was meaningless as long as he saw Mordechai sitting in the king's courtyard. [zeh (Heh) einenu (Vav) shoveh (Heh) li (Yud)] Thus God's trait of judgment was unleashed upon him. The verse begins with the missing part of God's name (Vov and Heh – U'vinsoa Hamishkan) and concludes with God's trait of judgment pronounced on the stranger – the non-Levite – who comes close to participate in the service of the Levites. This judgment was demonstrated in the story of Uzah in Shmuel II chapter 6. Interestingly, the reference to God's name begins in both instances here on the word 'Ha'Leviim' because the character of Levi is similarly one of judgment."

            

The reference to Haman is interesting because a statement that Esther makes includes the name of God as well, but with the letters appearing the proper order: "Yavo HaMelekh V'Haman Hayo" – "May the King and Haman come today to the party I am making." The Shem MiShmuel, in his words on Purim from 5671 (1911), mentioned that "It is known that when God's name appears this way in the correct order that it refers to God's trait of Mercy."

            

The appearance of God's name backwards in our verse is not necessarily a bad thing. We know that God has different sides – Judgment and Mercy – both of which are essential for Him to have the impact we envision Him having in our lives.

            

Perhaps one can argue that His attribute of Judgment is what balances us, and His attribute of Mercy is what balances Him.

            

But a line is drawn in the role assigned to the Levites. And this line is essential in our understanding of our roles in Jewish life. Some will call it discrimination, but some will say, it helps me understand what my purpose in life is versus what it is not. The Levites served as judges for the people, and they served God in their roles in the Mishkan. Their roles were for them alone – not to be shared with non-Levites.

            

A non-Levite could have the greatest of intentions, he or she could want to come as close to God as allowable through participating in the breakdown and reconstruction of the Mishkan in the Israelite travels.

            

But God's attribute of Judgment says, "No. That's not your role. And don't even go there."

            

Foul! Unfair! Discrimination! Racism! Down with conservatism! Does God really care! What about equality! Egalitarianism! Fairness!

            

The devout don't cry in this manner, because the devout recognize the balance that God put into His world, and His demands of us. Every one of us has a role, and everyone of us has the opportunity to find a route that helps us connect to God. Sometimes we tap into His attribute of Judgment and come out on top because of our behavior. Sometimes we tap into His attribute of Mercy and come out on top because of His mercy.

            

And our behavior choices can also have us come out on the bottom in both cases.

            

Our challenge is to find and embraceour particular roles, and bring God into the equation as often as we can. Hopefully we're spelling His name properly and not backwards, because in this format we will more often come out on top as we tap into His mercy.

            

But even when His name is spelled backwards, we have a formula for a set of behaviors that help guide us in doing what's right so we can still shine – because we are prepared to be judged – in our everlasting efforts of serving God in the way that is best for each one of us.