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Orchard of Delights
Rashi explains that whenever unbridled immorality rears its head
and God unleashes the forces of destruction, the good and the evil
are destroyed together (Genesis 6:13). In our case as well we could
explain that these babies were literally dragged down to their deaths
solely because of the sins of others. In fact, the Sages deduce the well-
known dictum that “all of Israel is responsible one for the other”
from a verse that the Sages understood to mean that one Jew’s sin
may have a negative impact upon another Jew’s life (Leviticus 26:37;
Shevuot 39a).
Ultimately, the truest explanation, though it may appear to be
somewhat intellectually shallow at first, is that God knows best;
therefore, there must be a reason for the infants’ deaths since “all
that God does is for the good” (Berachot 60b). So much of life is
beyond our comprehension that we must ultimately fall back on our
firm belief that only God knows what is truly for the best and only
He can ensure that this is carried out in any given situation. Even
at a funeral, when our loved ones lie before us ready to be buried, we
read verses affirming our belief in God’s justice and goodness.
The Midrash provides a story that highlights this message. When
Moses first left Pharaoh’s palace to seek his brethren’s welfare, he
saw a Jewish child being crushed in a wall as it was being built and
questioned God’s justice. God gave Moses permission to save the
child but warned him that there was much more to the situation
than meets the eye. This child eventually grew up to be Micah, a key
player in the creation of the Golden Calf, a sin that almost caused
God to destroy the entire Jewish people. This Midrash teaches us
that while our initial desire to save the life of a child at all costs is
praiseworthy and even correct, Moses’ questioning God was based on
a limited viewpoint and not on a broader perspective that took into
account so many factors beyond his comprehension.
In our case as well, the urge to question God’s righteousness in
letting these infants die, may be the result of our limited vision, for
we are unaware of all the other factors that only God can account
for. This quandary led the Ba’al Shem Tov to declare that after one
has amassed wisdom and knowledge, and even explored the deepest
Kabbalistic mysteries, one should still choose “simple faith” above
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Naso
dropping their defenses and reaching out to each other. Oftentimes a
new job, a change of location, or a new relationship revitalizes people,
offering them a fresh start in life. At other times, a crisis provides
people with the opportunity to look at things in a new light or to
take serious stock of their actions. At each of these junctures people
with the right intentions can, in a relatively short time, rectify and
heal their pasts, breaking through the barriers holding them back by
adopting new and rectified attitudes to life.
This same possibility holds true for nations as well. Sometimes,
after many years of enmity, loathing, and war, dramatic events
create an atmosphere where radical change is possible. Although
it certainly did not resolve or fully rectify the long and sometimes
torturous relationship between the Jewish people and the world, the
birth of the State of Israel can be seen as a radical departure from
previous relationship patterns. Indeed, with the obvious exception
of the Arab and Moslem worlds, the Jewish people’s relationship
with the world has been altered for the better. And a rectification of
the relationship with the Arab and Moslem worlds will also come in
good time.
On an even grander scale, the possibility always exists of the
entire world undergoing a radical change. After being confronted
with events or circumstances far beyond the norm, the chance for a
permanent change in how the world conducts its affairs and nations
relate to one another may arise. The words of the prophets are full of
allusions and explicit prophecies predicting events that will usher in
the Messianic era. Then, and only then, will the full rectification and
healing of the world occur.
When the princes brought their gifts, they were focused on the
opportunity for repair and atonement inherent in that day. How much
the princes and Nadav and Avihu were able to accomplish we may
never know, but they remain beacons of shining light suggesting the
paths we may choose to take. May we always be ready and willing to
seize the moment and maximize its full potential. (Part of this insight
was discussed in Return Again: The Dynamics of Reincarnation, pp.
131-135.)
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