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Naso
Guest Author:
A BROKEN RECORD
In the seventh perek of Sefer Bamidbar, we are told about the karbanot (sacrifices) of the twelve nesi’im. Each one brought identical karbanot; yet, the Torah goes out of its way to delineate, in full detail, the specifics of what each one brought. The Torah could have easily mentioned the specifics once; yet, the Torah, which does not waste even a single letter, chose to repeat itself, in full detail, twelve times. Why?
This question has been asked before, many times. One may wonder, therefore, why we are even discussing it. The answer has already been given.
However, when one analyzes the answers previously given, one realizes that there is plenty to add, even by merely restating those answers.
I was once asked to teach a beginner’s class in gemara to a class that has never been exposed to it before. The concept they were learning was Hocheach Tochiach Es Amisechas, “You shall surely rebuke your friend.” In order to inculcate the Gemara’s message, I gave them the following poem.
Time flies You can’t They move too fast.
Explain this poem. The students did so in the same manner that we all would. They stated that time flies. This expression means that time moves very fast. In fact, there is a joke that asks: why did the boy throw the clock out the window? Because he wanted to see time fly. However, the problem with this explanation is who is “they.” The poem should be “it” moves too fast, not “they.”
With this, the students had to rethink the meaning of the poem. In the first line, which is the noun and which is the verb? Instead of time being the noun and flies being the verb, change them around. Time those flies; you can’t, because “they,” the flies, move too fast.
Yes, there is more than one way to read the exact same words. Yes, there is more than one way to read the exact same pasuk. Similarly, there is more than one way to read the exact same karbanot. Each one of the nesiim brought the exact same karbon. The contents were the same, the amount of each content was the same, and the manner in which each one brought his karbon was the same. Everything was identical in every way.
Or was it?
Dr. David Pelcovitz, a prominent psychologist and professor at Yeshiva University, has stated many times that two people can be wearing the same suit but their directions are completely different. One is going to a wedding; the other, a funeral. The Ramban quotes a Medrash Tanchuma which states that although each nasi brought the exact same sacrifice, their karbanot were completely different. Each nasi had different machshavot, different intentions, when bringing the karbanot—twelve different intentions to be exact. This fact is hinted by the word “karbano”, his sacrifice. Each nasi brought his own individualized karbon. Each nasi put in his own effort and each nasi involved his own thought process when bringing the karbonot. Each one made the sacrifice his own.
The same applies to the Torah that we learn. Yes, we have heard this question before. Yes, we have heard this answer before. However, this question WAS the Ramban’s question. This question WAS the Ramban’s answer. Now, this question, this answer, is OURS. Two people can ask the same question, and two people can present the same answer, but each and every one of us internalizes it differently.
We have just experienced the holiday of Shavuot. The Torah is now OURS. Let us learn it, internalize it, and use it to connect closer with the Creator.
Good Shabbos.
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Today is Wednesday, May 23, 2012
