Chasidut · Izhbitz
Mei HaShiloach, Volume I, Numbers, Masei/מי השלוח·
אאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵי בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כוּ׳ וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה אֶת מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם עַל פִּי ה' וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם. הָעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר תְּחִילָּה "וַיִּכְתֹּב מֹשֶׁה" כוּ׳ וְאַחַר כָּךְ כְּתִיב "וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם" כוּ׳. הָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה כִּי בְּהַמ"ב מַסָּעוֹת נִכְלְלוּ כָּל הַנִּסְיוֹנוֹת וְהַהִתְנַשְּׂאוּת שֶׁיַּשִּׂיג כָּל נֶפֶשׁ מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל, כִּי מִצַּד הַש"י כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת הָיוּ לִהְיוֹת שָׁוִים בְּמַדְרֵגוֹתָם כִּי כֻּלָּם לְמִקָּטֹן וְעַד גָּדוֹל יֵשׁ לָהֶם הֲוָיָה מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, אַךְ כִּי בָּרָא דְּרָכִים בְּנִסְיוֹנוֹת לִפְנֵי הָאָדָם בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָאָדָם יִתְרוֹן עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשָׂיו וּמִצַּד זֶה יָבֹא גַּם הִתְנַשְּׂאוּת לְאֶחָד עַל חֲבֵרוֹ, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה תְּחִילָּה כַּאֲשֶׁר נִכְתַּב עַל פִּי ה', נִכְתַּב "מוֹצָאֵיהֶם לְמַסְעֵיהֶם", כִּי מִצַּד הַש"י אֵין שׁוּם יִתְרוֹן לְאֶחָד עַל חֲבֵרוֹ כִּי כֻּלָּם חַיִּים בַּהֲוָיָה מֵעַצְמוּתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְגַם אֵין יִתְרוֹן לְמַעֲשֵׂי הָאָדָם רַק בְּמַה שֶּׁהוּא חָפֵץ בּוֹחֵר, כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם הָיָה הַגְּאוּלָּה בְּדֶרֶךְ דִּילּוּג, "מְדַלֵּג עַל הֶהָרִים" וּכְמַאֲמַר הָאֲרִ"י ז"ל וְהוּא שֶׁלֹּא הִבְחִין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַמַּעֲשִׂים כְּלָל, כִּי גַּם עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה טַעֲנָה כִּדְאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר רבה פרשה כ"ג,ב') הַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה וְהַלָּלוּ עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה, אַךְ הַש"י גְּאָלָם בְּרוֹב רַחֲמָיו כִּי אֶצְלוֹ הָיָה מְבוֹרָר כִּי כָל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲדוּקִים בְּהַש"י. אַךְ בְּהַמַּסָּעוֹת בֵּרְרוּ אֶת עַצְמָם לְעֵין כֹּל בְּהַמַּסָּעוֹת הָאֵלֶּה כִּי הֵם נְקִיִּים בְּשׁוֹרְשָׁם, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נֶאֱמַר "עַל פִּי ה'" הַיְינוּ מִצַּד הַש"י, תְּחִילָּה "מוֹצָאֵיהֶם" יַשִּׂיגוּ חֵן טוֹב אֵצֶל ה', וְאַחַר כָּךְ "מַסְעֵיהֶם" הַיְינוּ יָצָא לָאוֹר עַל הַבֵּרוּר כִּי הֵם טוֹבִים בְּשׁוֹרְשָׁם, אַךְ אַחַר כָּךְ הוּא מְדַבֵּר מִצַּד הָאָדָם, נִכְתַּב "וְאֵלֶּה מַסְעֵיהֶם לְמוֹצָאֵיהֶם", כִּי מִצַּד הָאָדָם הוּא שֶׁקּוֹנֶה לוֹ טוֹבָה עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשָׂיו וְנִסְיוֹנוֹת.
1“These are the voyages of the children of Israel … and Moshe wrote their departures to their journeys according to God, and these are their journeys according to their departures.” (Bamidbar, 33:1–2)Why does it say first, “and Moshe wrote their departures to their journeys according to God,” and after say the inverse, “these are their journeys according to their departures?” Included in the forty-two journeys are all the trials and (resulting) exalted states that each soul in Israel may achieve. From God’s perspective, the entire creation was to exist equally on the same level, where all, from the small to the great, receive their existence from the essence of God. However, He created a variety of trials before man so that one may rise above another based on his actions, thus coming to a state exalted above his peers.Because of this, at first, when it is written, “according to God,” it says, “their departures to their journeys,” for from God’s point of view one has no advantage over another, for they all live in an existence coming from God’s essence (all departing from—coming out of —God equally). Also there is no advantage in one’s actions. That which he desires he chooses. For when they left Egypt, the redemption was by means of a “leap,” as in “leaping on the mountains” (Shir Hashirim, 2:8). As the Ari”zal explained, God did not distinguish anyone based on actions (no matter how low, they “leapt” into redemption), for also against Israel there were accusations, such as (Bamidbar Rabba, 23:2), “both these are idolaters, and those are idolaters.”85Yet still, God redeemed them in His great compassion, for with Him they were all purified and all of Israel were devoted to God. Thus, once on their journeys, it was clear to all that they had purified themselves by means of these journeys, and that they were clean at their roots. Therefore when it says first, “according to God,” meaning from God’s point of view, that first by the fact of their departure they found grace and goodness with God, and afterwards, “in their journeys,” that it was revealed and clear that they were good in their roots. Yet in the end of the verse, which speaks from the point of view of man, it says, “their journeys according to their departures,” for from the human perspective, one acquires goodness by means of actions and trials.
בוַיִּסְעוּ מֵהַר שָׁפֶר וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּחֲרָדָה. הַיְינוּ בְּכָל דָּבָר שֶׁאָדָם מְסוּפָּק הָאֵיךְ רְצוֹן ה' נוֹטֶה, אָז הָעֵצָה הַיְּעוּצָה לוֹ שֶׁיַּגְדִּיר אֶת עַצְמוֹ מֵהַמַּעֲשֶׂה, וְזֶה "וַיַּחֲנוּ בַּחֲרָדָה", כִּי עַל יְדֵי חֲרָדָה שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לָאָדָם, טוֹב לוֹ לַחֲנוֹת וְלִהְיוֹת שֵׁב וְאַל תַּעֲשֶׂה כְּמוֹ עַתָּה שֶׁנִּשְׁבְּעוּ שֶׁלֹּא יִדְחֲקוּ אֶת הַקֵּץ (כתובות קי"א.). "וַיִּסְעוּ מֵחֲרָדָה וַיַּחֲנוּ בְּמַקְהֵלֹת". הַיְינוּ בְּעֵת שֶׁהַש"י יַחְפֹּץ לְקַבֵּץ אוֹתָנוּ אָז יִתֵּן תַּקּוּפוּת בְּלִבָּם שֶׁלֹּא יֶחֶרְדוּ, הַלְוַאי שֶׁתִּהְיֶה בְּקָרוֹב בְּיָמֵינוּ.
2“And they journeyed from Mount Shafer, and they camped at Chareda.” (Bamidbar, 33:17)In any situation where one is uncertain as to the direction of God’s will, he is then advised to refrain from taking action. This is “they camped at Chareda,” for owing to one’s inner trembling (Chareda in Hebrew, trembling at the uncertainty), it is good for him to “camp,” and refrain from action, as now, when they swore not to force the end of days (by means of excessive supplications. Ketubot, 111a). “And they journeyed from Chareda and camped at Maqhelot.” (Maqhelot means gatherings of people.) That is to say, at the time when God desires to gather us together (in the final redemption) He will then give us special strength in our hearts, and we need not be afraid, may it only be soon and in our days.
גהָעִנְיָן שֶׁלֹּא נֶאֱמַר נָשִׂיא בִּבְנֵי יְהוּדָה וְשִׁמְעוֹן וּבִנְיָמִין, כִּי אֵלּוּ הַשְּׁבָטִים הָיָה אַהֲבָה גְּדוֹלָה בֵּינֵיהֶם וְהָיָה נִמְצָא בְּהַנְּשִׂיאִים שֶׁלָּהֶם חִיבָּה לְשִׁבְטָם שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהִתְקָרֵא בְּשֵׁם נָשִׂיא שֶׁלֹּא הָיוּ מִתְנַשְּׂאִים כְּלָל עַל שִׁבְטָם, וְלָכֵן נֶאֱמַר בִּגְמָרָא סוֹטָה [מ"ב.] לֹא יְהוּדָה עַל שִׁמְעוֹן וְלֹא שִׁמְעוֹן עַל בִּנְיָמִין כִּי אֵלּוּ הָיוּ אוֹהֲבִים מְאוֹד.
3When listing the princes of the twelve tribes, why was the title “prince” absent with Yehuda, Shimon, and Binyamin (see Bamidbar, 34:19–21)? In these tribes there was such a great love for one another, and these princes had such a fondness for their tribes that they could not let themselves be called by the title “prince,” as they could not stand being elevated above the members of their tribe. Therefore it is said in the Gemara (Sotah, 42a), “not Yehuda on Shimon, and not Shimon on Binyamin [for in the war between Peqach ben Rmaliyahu king of Israel and Achaz king of Yehuda they showed kindness to their captives],” for these were very loving.
דכֵּן מַטֵּה בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף דֹּבְרִים. אַף כִּי עִנְיַן טַעֲנוֹת בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף נִרְאֶה כְּעֵין רָעָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם כִּי הוּא דִּקְדּוּק קָטָן שֶׁלְּשִׁבְטָם יִהְיֶה חֵלֶק קָטָן מְעַט, אַךְ כִּי אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל רוֹמֵז עַל עוֹלָם הַבָּא וְאָז יִהְיֶה הַכֹּל מְדֻקְדָּק כְּחוּט הַשַּׂעֲרָה, כִּי עַתָּה צִוָּה הַש"י לְפַזֵּר וְלִתֵּן צְדָקָה, כִּי אֵין יָדוּעַ חֶלְקוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם, אַךְ לֶעָתִיד יִהְיֶה כָּל אֶחָד נִכְוֶה בְּחֻפָּתוֹ שֶׁל חֲבֵרוֹ שֶׁאֵין שַׁיָּךְ לוֹ וְכָאן חֲלוּקַּת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל רוֹמֵז גַּם כֵּן עַל עָתִיד לָכֵן דִּקְדְּקוּ מְאֹד.
4“The tribe of the children of Yosef have spoken well [in claiming that the inheritance in the land for the daughters of Tslofchad would be unfairly transferred if they married into other tribes].” (Bamidbar, 36:5)(They have spoken well,) even though it seems somewhat stingy, God forbid, that they should be so exacting as to worry that the portion of their tribe would be a little smaller. Yet it is, that the land of Israel hints at the world to come, and then everything will be exact down to a hair’s breadth. For now (in this world) God has commanded us to extend ourselves and give charity, for the dimensions of one’s portion is not known. Yet in the days to come, “each one will be seated in his canopy, and [if one extends his boundaries] he will be burned by the canopy of his neighbor that is not his” (Baba Batra 75a).86, note 6, Sefer Vayikra. Here, in the division of the land of Israel that hints at the world to come, it will be similar, and this is why the tribe of Yosef took care to be so exact.
הכֵּן מַטֵּה בְּנֵי יוֹסֵף דֹּבְרִים. הָעִנְיָן שֶׁנִּכְתַּב בְּסִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה פָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת שֶׁאֵינָהּ נוֹהֶגֶת רַק לְשָׁעָה. וְהָעִנְיָן בָּזֶה לְהַרְאוֹת לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי "לֹא עַל הַלֶּחֶם לְבַדּוֹ יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם כִּי עַל כָּל מוֹצָא פִי ה' יִחְיֶה הָאָדָם". לֶחֶם הַיְינוּ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה כְּלָלִים הַנִּצְרָכִים לַכֹּל בְּכָל עֵת לְכָל נֶפֶשׁ מִבְּלִי שׁוּם שִׁינּוּי וּתְמוּרָה וְהֵם הַתַּרְיַ"ג מִצְוֹת. וְהָעִיקָּר הוּא לְהָבִין בְּדִבְרֵי תּוֹרָה בְּכָל זְמַן אֶת רְצוֹן ה' מַה רְצוֹנוֹ בְּכָל רֶגַע לְפִי הָעֵת וְהַזְּמַן, וּמִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה יֵצֵא אוֹר לְלִבּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיָּבִינוּ עוֹמֶק רְצוֹן ה' כְּפִי הַזְּמַן. וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה נִכְתַּב הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת אַחַר סִיּוּם כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, בִּכְדֵי לְהָבִין לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי מִכָּל הַתּוֹרָה יוֹצֵא פְּרָטִים לְכָל עֵת וּלְכָל זְמַן וְכָל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה הֵם עֵצוֹת בִּכְדֵי שֶׁיָּבִין הָאָדָם בְּאֵיזֶה דָּבָר יַחְפּוֹץ הַש"י עַתָּה וְיַעֲסוֹק בָּהּ, עַל כֵּן נִכְתַּב הַפָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת שֶׁהוּא גַּם כֵּן אֵינוֹ נוֹהֵג אֶלָּא לִזְמַן.
5“… the tribe of the children of Yosef have spoken well.” (Bamidbar, 36:5)Why was the section of the tribe of Yosef’s claim written at the completion of the Torah?87 is called the “second Torah,” so here the end of the Book of Bamidbar is in a sense, the end of the Torah. Since it was only a temporary measure (for the generation entering the land), is to show Israel that “not by bread alone does man live, but by all that comes out of the mouth of God does man live” (Devarim, 8:3). “Bread” symbolizes the Torah, which are the principles necessary at all times for all souls without the slightest deviation from the source. These are the 613 mitzvot. The whole point is to understand at every moment God’s will in words of Torah, knowing His will at all times, within the context of that particular time. Thus light emanates from th words of Torah to the hearts of Israel in order for them to understand the depth of God’s will, according to the time. Therefore this section was written after the completion of the entire Torah, in order to let Israel understand that details emerge from the Torah at all times, at each moment. The words of the Torah are words of advice to let man understand what God wants of us now, and to do it. Therefore this section was written (at the end), for it too is active only for a specific time.*