Finding Our Purpose

Parshat Eikev

by Rabbi Avi Billet

8:2 – Moshe reminds people that in the undertaking of the responsibility of mitzvos, they must remember the entire journey of the Bnei Yisrael through the wilderness – 40 years – which was “to cause you difficulty, to test you, to know what is in your heart, whether you will observe the Mitzvos or not.” Ralbag posits that this was a test of grit, to see - after all these years - how committed they were to Torah. 

 Testing them consisted of there not being water, or no meat, nor vegetables, nor legumes. No garlic, no onions, nor whatever else they may have wanted – all they had was manna.

 All of this was to show the ability of God to sustain an entire nation, essentially, on bread alone.

The Concept of the Chosen People

 Parshat VaEtchanan

by Rabbi Avi Billet

At least twice in Va’Eschanan, Moshe makes a reference to the people of Israel being chosen by God. Anyone who can read would understand that the “chosenness” of which we speak is not a measure of “greatness” but is a measure of “mission,” meaning that the Jewish people were chosen to fulfill a particular mission in this world. 

 An essay which begins with such a pronouncement could go on for many pages, but since there is limited space here, we will explore how the selected verses in question demonstrate this notion, leaving out any judgments of peoples, of faiths, and of brainpower. The only “religious” component of chosenness is the basic tenet that there is one God. Anyone who serves or worships idolatry rejects the mission. And, to state what most of us know, while one need not become Jewish to exist in the community of God, there are virtually no barriers to entry to become Jewish, beyond the actual commitment to God, the Torah, and the Jewish people, which are basic requirements. 

Moshe's Eichah - a Different Lament

Parshat Devarim

by Rabbi Avi Billet

Note: The word איכה (Eikha or Eichah) means "How" and it is typically associated with LAMENT, primarily because it is the name of the book known in English as "Lamentations" - a mournful ode to the destruction of the First Temple.

Devarim 1:12 -  אֵיכָ֥ה אֶשָּׂ֖א לְבַדִּ֑י טָרְחֲכֶ֥ם וּמַֽשַּׂאֲכֶ֖ם וְרִֽיבְכֶֽם: 

The first comment in Midrash Eichah reads as follows: 

 “How [eikha] does…sit [alone].” Three prophesied with the term eikha: Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Moses said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone…” (Deuteronomy 1:12). Isaiah said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” (Isaiah 1:21). Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit alone?” Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a noblewoman who had three friends. One saw her in her tranquility, one saw her in her debauchery, and one saw her in her disgrace. So, Moses saw them in their glory and their tranquility and said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone your troubles?” Isaiah saw them in their debauchery and said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” Jeremiah saw them in their disgrace and said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit [alone]?” 

 This passage seems to present Moshe’s "Eichah" (bolded above) as a positive comment! 

The Leaders of Yehuda, Shimon, and Binyamim

Parshat Masei

by Rabbi Avi Billet

The Torah lists the names of the leaders of the tribes who will be apportioning the land to their constituents, and in doing so, the list begins this way

 במדבר פרק לד 

(יט) וְאֵ֖לֶּה שְׁמ֣וֹת הָאֲנָשִׁ֑ים למַטֵּ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה כָּלֵ֖ב בֶּן־יְפֻנֶּֽה: 

(כ) וּלְמַטֵּה֙ בְּנֵ֣י שִׁמְע֔וֹן שְׁמוּאֵ֖ל בֶּן־עַמִּיהֽוּד: 

(כא) לְמַטֵּ֣ה בִנְיָמִ֔ן אֱלִידָ֖ד בֶּן־כִּסְלֽוֹן: 

(כב) וּלְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵי־דָ֖ן נָשִׂ֑יא בֻּקִּ֖י בֶּן־יָגְלִֽי:

(כג) לִבְנֵ֣י יוֹסֵ֔ף לְמַטֵּ֥ה בְנֵֽי־מְנַשֶּׁ֖ה נָשִׂ֑יא חַנִּיאֵ֖ל בֶּן־אֵפֹֽד: 

One notes that the tribes seem to be presented in no particular order, the leaders of the tribes of Yehuda, Shimon and Binyamin are not referred to as Nasi, and when it comes to the tribes of Yehuda and Binyamin, the word Bnei does not precede the name of the tribe, as it does for Shimon, Dan, Menashe, and all the other tribes that follow (which I left out of the quote above). 

 Why? 

America 250 - Fighting for Liberty, at the 50 Years Marker

July 4th Sermon (Parshat Pinchas)

by Rabbi Avi Billet

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It has to be fought for and defended by each generation.” – Ronald Reagan 

Shortly after the incident of Pinchas killing Zimri and Kozbi in an act of zealotry, the instruction is given to Moshe to plan to fight against Midian. This is not to be confused with the actual command which takes place in Bamidbar 31:2 (see Chizkuni 25:17). Rashi says they gave up their daughters to fornication to lead the Israelites to follow Pe’or (an idol). The problem is that the Torah tells us ויחל העם לזנות אל בנות מואב – that the Israelites were enticed by the daughters of Moav. And while one can make the argument that there was an alliance between Midian and Moav (see the interchange of Balak’s officers who come to invite Bilaam, sometimes they are officers of Midian, sometimes of Moav – see 22:4,7,8,14,21), as Balak King of Moav seems to be the impetus behind the plan to cause Israel to sin, the fact is that the instruction is to fight against Midian. 

 Chizkuni notes, Moav gets a pass simply because they were afraid of Israel, whereas Midian entered a fight not their own and was involved in the real enticement.

Recording of the Deaths of Er and Onan

 Parshat Pinchas 

 by Rabbi Avi Billet (with much help from Rabbi Hayyim Ibn Atar) 

There is a census in Parshas Pinchas that follows the plague at Shittim, which was promulgated by the events of Baal Pe’or, in which 24,000 people died. This census is reported in a similar fashion to the one recorded in Parshas B’midbar, though here it goes into larger details about the names of the families in the different tribes. The census tally is relatively close to what it had been at that time – then 603,550, now 601,730. That the population essentially replaced itself would seem fairly natural. The oddity is seeing how some tribes have grown tremendously in numbers (such as Menashe), while others have a significant decrease (ie Shimon). The Leviim, in their separate count, go from 22,000 to 23,000. Unlike the regular tribes, this is a very strange degree of growth, as our tradition has it that the tribe of Levi was not subject to the decree against the generation of the spies. Thus they would not be subject to mere replacement, as many of those who were over 20 could very well still be alive at this time. 

 Additionally, there are a number of added components to the census – some of which make sense (mentioning Tzlafchad’s daughters), and some which don’t make sense as they contribute nothing to the actual census. Yehuda’s sons who died before the family even came down to Egypt are mentioned. Dasan and Aviram and Korach – all of whom are dead – are mentioned. Nadav and Avihu, who left no children, are mentioned in the census of the Leviim (even though they are surely not “counted”). 

Am/Kahal v Edah – The Groups that Led to Moshe and Aharon’s Departure

Parshat Chukat

by Rabbi Avi Billet

For ease, the following words are presented over and over in Hebrew as the emphasis below is how they are used in the Torah’s text: קהל = Kahal; עדה = Eidah; עם = Am; בני ישראל = Bnei Yisrael; קהל ה' = K’hal Hashem. Each word or phrase refers to a group of people, and the ensuing discussion surrounds whether they are the same group or different groups

 The fallout from Mei Merivah seems clear in the story, but what is unclear is WHAT WENT WRONG. Elsewhere in the Torah Moshe and Aharon are told of different general flaws in that tale as to why they won’t be entering the land – לא האמנתם בי להקדשני, מריתם פי, מעלתם בי, לא קדשתם אותי – and a legitimate question to ask is, in using those terms: Is God talking to Moshe and Aharon, or is He talking to the people or about the people themselves? Who didn’t have faith? Who rebelled against God? [See Bamidbar 20:24;27:14; Devarim 32:51]