spirituality >> Torah portion

The Knesset

Menorah in

Jerusalem

A Friend's Role in

Parshat Beha'alotcha: Numbers 8:1-
12:16; Zechariah 2:14-4:7.

Intervention

T

his week's Torah portion
Zion, the word of the Lord, which
contains an important insight would emanate from Jerusalem to the
into the necessary qualities
nations.
and major functions of our rabbis.
The midrash teaches that the rev-
Our Torah reading last week con-
elation at Sinai was given in a desert
cluded with the various offerings of
rather than on the Temple Mount in
the princes of the tribes at
order to teach us that the
the dedication of the desert
Torah was not meant for
sanctuary, forerunner of the
the Jews alone, but rather
Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
for all of humanity.
This week's reading begins
Just prior to the revela-
with the kindling of the
tion, Israel is charged by
menorah, the seven candle-
God to be a "Kingdom of
stick branches made of
Kohanim," teachers to all
pure gold, and seven flames
of humanity, purveyors of
spreading warmth and
a God of love, compassion,
enlightenment.
morality and peace.
Shlom o Riskin
Rashi, the classical biblical
This universal charge is
commentary, is apparently
given to the Jews to become
disturbed by the placement of the
a sacred nation (otherwise they would
menorah in our portion; it seems to
hardly be an example to emulate), and
have belonged in the Book of Exodus,
to the kohanim to convey our teaching
which describes the inner furnish-
to the world.
ings of the sanctuary. Rashi, therefore,
This is the true significance of
opens his interpretation of our por-
the kohen's kindling of the menorah
tion with the words of the midrash
and spreading the message of Torah
(Tanhuma 5):
beyond the sanctuary to the world.
"Why this juxtaposition of the
It is our duty to demonstrate to the
description of the lighting of the
world that we have righteous decrees
menorah with the offerings of the
and ordinances; and it is our laws, our
princes of the tribes? It is because
unique lifestyle, which will elevate us
when Aaron saw the dedication of the
above all other nations, granting us
sanctuary, he became upset that he
renown and glory worldwide.
had not been included in the dedica-
It is the Kohen Gadol, or the rabbis
tion offerings and ceremonies; neither
today, who must convey these righ-
he nor his tribe of kohanim. The Holy
teous laws that will inspire the rest of
One Blessed be He said to him, 'By
the nations to accept our God of com-
your life, your contribution is greater
passion and peace. The rabbis are our
than theirs; you will kindle and clean
ambassadors to the world, those who
the candlesticks:"
must bring the light and the warmth of
What was so special about kindling
Torah to the world. They must kindle
the menorah.
the menorah? It happened early in the
morning, without audience or fanfare,
It is not by accident that the meno-
and seemed like an almost janitorial
rah is shaped like a tree, which grows
duty of turning on the lights.
and produces fruit. It is the "personi-
I would suggest that there were
fication" of Halachah (Jewish Law),
two central furnishings in the Holy of
a progressing and moving teacher of
Holies, the inner sanctum of our sanc-
morality and sensitivity.
tuary: the sacred ark, which housed
How we treat the stranger and
the tablets of stone, and the menorah.
would-be convert, how we deal with
The former, with the Torah in splen- the hapless woman chained to a recal-
did seclusion behind the curtains, was
citrant husband who won't let her go,
meant for Israel alone, to form a "holy
is the test of the righteousness of our
nation:' The latter, with its warmth
laws and the fitness of our rabbis.
and light spreading round-about,
Shlomo Riskin is chancellor of Ohr Torah
was the Torah meant for the world,
Stone and chief rabbi of Efrat, Israel.
the Torah that would go forth from

❑

An evening on intervention
with Jeff Jay.

•

1

Jeff Jay is a clinical interventionist and
co-author of Love First: A Family's
Guide to Intervention (Hazelden, 2008).
He has been working full time in the
alcohol and drug treatment field since
1986, including work for the Hazelden
Foundation. Jeff specializes in difficult
and complex interventions, including those complicated by
psychological issues, such as anxiety disorders, bipolar
disease and trauma.

The Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House provides guidance
and supports to individuals and their families struggling
with isolation and other life crisis, such as addiction,
through a welcoming Jewish recovery community that
offers friendship, support, and spirituality.

June 19th, 7:00pm

friendshipcircle.org/events

arden@friendshipcircle.org / 248-788-8888

This evening is being sponsored in lovin
memory of Mark Brandwine by the Brandwine
and Granader families and close friends.

1917010

June 5 • 2014

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