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Date: Thu, 04 Jun 1998 08:33:25 +0300

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From: Ilana & Bezalel Edwards <edw@internet-zahav.net>

Subject: Mei haShiloach - Naso

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       Two more pieces from the Holy Isbitser, besrat Hashem remaining

faithful to his original message.  Comments, criticisms, corrections,

insights all very welcome.  Good Shabbos, Betsalel  



      "And G-d spoke to Moses saying, also count the number of the sons of

Gershon according to their fathers house and their family, from age thirty

and upwards, all who are eligable to serve in the army, to perform the

service in the tent of appointed meeting ..."

     This Sedra explains the completion of the place where (there is the

paramount concentration) of G-d's will.  From the first mention of the

building of the Mishkan (the tabernacle), in parshat Truma, until now,

there are seventeen parshiot, seventeen being the numerical equivalent of

the word for good (Tov), hinting at primary goodness of place (makom tov).

This relates to what is stated in Samuel Two(7:10), "I have made a place

for my people Israel, and planted them, and they will dwell there, and will

no longer be disturbed ..."  So we find with the completion of the Mishkan

and camping of the Tribes around it, holiness (henceforth "kedusha") is

fixed in the heart of Israel that we may be drawn after the will of G-d.

Earlier, with the Exodus from Egypt, though there was a visual apprehention

of the Illumination of the Blessed G-d, we could still not be drawn after

His will, as it is said (Mehilta B'Shelach), "a *maidservant saw* (at the

splitting of the Red Sea more than the prophet Yehezkiel.)"  At this time

Israel was subject to (the mentality of) slavery, (hence maidservant) and

did not yet have the choice to go according to the Illumination of the

Blessed G-d. Also at the giving of the Torah, though the words of Torah

were fixed in our hearts, they were not fixed with the strength to last the

length of eternity.  However, with the completion of the Mishkan, the words

of Torah were fixed in our hearts to last for ever and ever. For this

reason we did not enter the land of Israel immediately after leaving Egypt,

because when we left the Kedusha of G-d was not yet permanently installed

in out hearts, and the land was still under the power of the seven nations,

called the refuse of the seven atributes of G-d (from Hesed to Malchut).

Therefore, before the giving of the Torah and the completion of the

Mishkan, since Kedusha was not yet fixed in the hearts of Israel, we could

not at this time overpower the seven nations (inhabiting the promised

land), and before entering the land G-d commanded that the words of Torah

and Kedusha be fixed in our hearts in order that we could later emerge

victorious over the seven nations.  In this way, each one of us is obliged

to fix the words of Torah in his or her heart before turning to the affairs

of this world in order that we may later overpower anything that comes

against us.  The families of Gershon, Kehat, Merrari, Moshe nad Aharon were

the ones to construct and carry the Mishkan.  The sons of Kehat were the

"masters of the Torah," since they bore the Ark of the Covenant, and they

knew the Torah judgement of anything situation that they would encounter.

The sons of Gershon were the "masters of the fear (of G-d)," since they

bore the curtains covering the Mishkan like the heavens, and the boards

that were seen in the Mishkan like the stars, the contemplation of which

hints at fear.  The sons of Merrari were the "masters of Mitsvot and good

deeds," for they carried the planks of the Mishkan, which represent

practical mitsvot, of which all in Israel have an understanding. And Moshe

and Aharon and his sons are the "masters of the Love of G-d,"  who

constantly saw to it that the Torah was dispersed among the people, and

this is called Love.  Actually all those mentioned had within them all

these good attributes, yet in each, one attribute was more apparent than

the rest.       



     "Count the number of the sons of Gershon, them also according to their

father's house ..."

     Concerning the way "them also" is said with the sons of Gershon

differs from the Torah's phrasing with the sons of Kehat.  For "count,"

litteraly "raise," "naso," in Hebrew, refers to a state of spiritual

elevation, (the Mei haShiloach uses the term "hitnasut").  The sons of

Kehat achieved this state of spiritual elevation by (delibrately) entering

themselves into situations of doubt and uncertainty, and by being tested.

Of this it is said (numbers 7:9), "and he (Moses) did not give (wagons) to

the sons of Kehat, upon them is a holy service, they shall carry upon the

shoulder."  In other words, from the act of carrying on their shoulder we

learn that they had reached the state of patience nessecary to enter into

and cope with places of uncertainty. We also lear this from the name of the

chief of the tribe of Kehat, Elitsafan ben Uziel.  "Tsafan," comes from

"tsafoon," meaning hidden, that is, it was hidden in his heart that G-d was

his strength and that he would not depart from G-d's will.  With this he

entered into places of uncertainty, thereby achieving "hitnasut," spiritual

elevation.  However, the special quality of the sons of Gershon was the

fear of G-d, and with this they would get away from uncertainty with every

situation that was not clear.  In such an instance of uncertainty they

would refrain from action, constantly proceeding with sureity.  For this

reason it says, "them also," meaning that they also acieved a state of

patience from the ability to remove themselves from uncertainty, thereby

also achieving a spiritual elevation.  With the sons of Merrari a leader is

not mentioned (wheras with Kehat it is said, "and Moses and Aharon and the

chief of the community numbered the sons of Kehat ...") since they occupied

themselves with practical mitsvot, of which all Israel has an apprehension

(not only the leaders).  The name of their chief teaches of this, Tsooriel

ben Avichail, which translates, "rock of G-d, my Father of valor," that is,

they had a stronghold from not departing (from the mitsvot), since they

acted with simplicity and without any doubt.

     With the sons of Kehat and the sons of Merrari it says that they were

numbered, "by the hand of Moses," (see 4:37 and 4:45) while with the sons

of Gershon (4:41) "by the hand of Moses," is not mentioned.  Moses teaches

of purified wisdom (Chochmah mvurerret) and intent for the sake of Heaven.

The sons of Kehat derived their strength from the goodness of their

intentions, and the sons of Merrari derived their strength from purity of

action apparent to all, yet the sons of Gershon's quality was the fear of

G-d and getting away from uncertainty, which could not have been pure if

they were to refrain from action in a place where G-d commanded action. In

the end, when all are counted (4:49), it says, "by the hand of Moses," to

say that (in the end) all was purified and acording to the will of the

Blessed G-d. 



