Parashat Bamidbor

THOUGHTS FOR PARASHAS BAMIDBOR 5755
(by Rav Dovid Spinrad, Rebbi at Ner Yisroel Yeshiva of Toronto)

"And Hashem spoke to Moshe in the Sinai desert ..." (1:1)
"We always read Parashas Bamidbar before Shavuos." (Shulchon Oruch Orach Chaim 428:4)

The basis of this halacha is explained in the Talmud, (1) for the same reason we read Parashas Ki Savo before Rosh Hashana, "so that the year may end along with its curses". The Shelah Hakadosh explains that Shavuos is the Rosh Hashana of Torah, just as by Rosh Hashana there is a renewal (rejuvenation) in the world so too on Shavuos there is a renewal of Torah.

The M'forshim ask a question. Understandably for Rosh Hashana, we prepare the whole month of Elul with s'lichos and t'shuva, all culminating on Rosh Hashana itself with the mitzva of shofar and t'filah. With this we hope to bring about a rejuvenation in ourselves. However, how does one prepare to rejuvenate himself for the Rosh Hashana of Torah? The answer is found in a Y'rushalmi (2) that says regarding Shavuos: "through being mekabel the Ohl Torah (accepting the yoke of Torah) one is considered as if he never sinned". However, the question remains, how does one go about accepting the yoke of Torah?

We read Megillas Rus on Shavuos because Dovid Hamelech's yahrzheit is on Shavuos. Perhaps, we can explain it in a different vein. The Midrash says that Rus was named so, because "she understood her mother in-law, and Orpah was named so because she was "stubborn towards her mother in-law". Rav Yisroel Yaakov Lubchansky zt"l hy"d, the Mashgiach of the Baranovich yeshiva, asked, if anything, Rus was the stubborn one, for Naomi tried to dissuade her and three times she refused to listen?

The Mashgiach answered that a physical desire, the stronger it becomes, the worse it is, as opposed to a spiritual desire, the more that one drives himself to elevate to a higher level, the better it becomes. He explained that there are three different aspects regarding spiritual desire: a strong conviction, a long term commitment, and a pure intent. For these three aspects of desire we find that Shammai chased away three would-be converts. The one who wanted the whole Torah taught while standing on one foot, had no long term commitment and his desire would soon fade. The second ger who wanted to be taught only the written Torah, did not have a strong conviction. The third ger who wanted to become a kohein gadol, Shammai understood that his intentions were only for his personal honour.

The Mashgiach concluded that this is the meaning of the Midrash. Naomi was trying to test her daughters in-law to see if they were worthy of becoming geirim by saying to them, you will not get remarried, that you will incur embarrassment, and you will have to carry the burden of fulfilling the mitzvos. These three categories correspond to the three aspects of desire. Rus and Orpah understood that Naomi was testing them. Rus persevered while Orpah turned herself away from even attempting to overcome the test. Hence, the Midrash says she turned her neck on her mother in-law.

With this we can understand why we read Rus on Shavuos. Since Shavuos is the Rosh Hashana of Torah, a commitment to these three facets of will is needed to enable us to be mekabel the yoke of Torah.

The late Rav of Spring Valley, HaRav Yosef Dov Ber Soloveitchik zt"l once asked why is it that the altar had a ramp and the menorah had steps? He answered that the altar represented t'shuva and a person can go from the lowest point to the highest point immediately. However, the menorah represented Torah, which can only be ascended one step at a time.

May we on this Shavuos go from level to level and merit a renewed receiving of the Torah.

Footnotes

(1) Tractate M'gillah 31b.
(2) Tractate Rosh HaShana Chap. 2 Halacha 8.