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Orchard of Delights Beha’alotcha

take many lifetimes and thousands of years to work itself out, but have been through, God has never let us completely fall and has time
every thought, word, and action is ultimately accounted for and paid after time saved us and scattered our enemies.
back measure for measure. Only God knows exactly how, when, and Ironically, within a very short time Moses himself would need his
where, this will occur. Yet we can often see quite clearly why certain prayer answered. In the narrative following these two verses, the Torah
things happen to us and what the causes and effects of our actions recounts how the people complained about the manna (the heavenly
are. Sometimes though the reasons for why things happen are not bread) and the lack of meat. In a moment of obvious discouragement
so obvious at all. When all is said and done, it is important to know and futility, Moses cried out to God: “I alone cannot carry all this
that our thoughts, speech, and action effect not only ourselves, but people, for it is too heavy for me. And if this is how you deal with me,
our children and our children’s children. Though in this section we then kill me now” (Numbers 11:14-15). Moses’ request that God kill
have not discussed the effect positive behavior has, the principle of him is startling when compared with the lengths to which he went to
“measure for measure” certainly applies to rewards meted out for defend the Jewish people after the sin of the Golden Calf. There, he
positive behavior as well. This realization should give us good reason even exclaimed that God could wipe him out of His book if He would
to measure our deeds carefully so that merit and goodness rain upon not forgive the people. Here though, Moses seems to have suffered a
us and all our descendants. severe “fall.” However, God recognizes Moses plight and legitimizes

his complaint by appointing seventy elders to assist him.
All the elders became prophets as Moses conferred upon them the
spirit of prophecy. When two of the elders, Eldad and Medad, began
£A Disagreement A Disagreement A Disagreement A Disagreement A Disagreement A Disagreement prophesying in the camp, Joshua ran to tell Moses, assuming that he
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Not for the Sake of Heaven
Not for the Sake of Heaven would stop them. According to the Sifrei, Joshua’s concern stemmed
Not for the Sake of Heaven
from their prophecy that Moses would die and Joshua would bring
the children of Israel into the Land. Even though at this point in the
Torah’s narrative, the people were very close to entering the Land
Pirkei Avot (5:20) declares that: of Israel with Moses as their leader, Moses’ complaint and request
to die if he did not receive assistance are immediately followed by a
Any disagreement that is for the sake of Heaven will prophecy that he would die before entering the Land. In a sense, both
endure, but any disagreement not for the sake of Heaven Moses’ complaint and prayer function as self-fulfilling prophecies
will not endure. What is a dispute for the sake of Heaven? with regard to both himself and the nation, for he died in the desert
The arguments between Hillel and Shamai. What is and did not lead Israel into the Promised Land. Furthermore, God
a dispute that was not for the sake of Heaven? The has always prevented the nation of Israel from being completely
argument of Korach and his company [against Moses].
annihilated by its enemies.
At first glance this teaching seems counterintuitive. Logic would seem The Talmud teaches that one of the Mashiach’s names will be
to dictate that an argument for the sake of Heaven would finally be yenon, a name that sounds very much like the letter nun (Sanhedrin
resolved, since both parties are interested in arriving at the truth 98b). The Mashiach, like King David, will experience many falls and
and, therefore, reaching a resolution. In contrast, a dispute not for will deliberately descend in order to redeem all the fallen sparks of
the sake of Heaven would never be resolved since at least one of the holiness trapped in the impure shells and illusions of this world. The
Ba’al Shem Tov explains that in order to elevate others who have

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