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low valley (Hagai), and, furthermore, He will drive him to the ground times. Since the letter alef with slightly different vowelization means
(Yishimon) (Nedarim 55b). Rashi takes a different homiletic approach, a “thousand,” the Sages understood the six alefs to allude to a cycle
commenting that Bamot’s greatness was diminished because Moses of history of six thousand years, followed by a seventh millennium,
died there and the miraculous well that had accompanied the Jewish the Messianic era. Thus the six thousand year historical cycle is
people in the desert subsequently vanished entirely. encoded into the very fabric of reality from the moment of creation.
Just like the six days of creation were followed by a seventh day of
The notion that humility is the key to receiving the Torah is
emphasized in another Midrash which states that the Torah was rest, so will the first six thousand years of world history be followed
given in the desert – a place symbolizing simplicity and humility – by the Messianic era which is “all Shabbat.”
to teach this crucial point. This insight also explains why God gave The broken vav, which has the numerical value of six, alludes to our
the Torah to the Jewish people through Moses, for the Torah itself sense that history is incomplete, until the Messianic era completes it,
testifies that Moses was the humblest man in the world (Numbers then, in the words of Isaiah, the “lion will lie down with the lamb”
12:3). and “nations will turn swords into plowshares and nations will learn
war no more” (Isaiah 11:6; 2:4). This vav, therefore, alludes to the
As we have mentioned twice above, this idea is taken even one
step further in an allegorical explanation of the verse, “This is the broken bonds between people and nations that have existed from the
Torah regarding a man who would die in a tent” (Numbers 19:14). dawn of history up to this very day. The broken vav represents the
Although, on a literal peshat level, the latter passage seems to deal misunderstandings and miscommunications that have led to hatred,
with the ritual purity of a tent and the articles in it after someone violence, and war.
dies within, on a derash level, Reish Lakish applies the verse to a Although people may experience true inner peace at different times
budding Torah scholar: “From where do we know that Torah is in their lives or achieve wholesome and satisfying relationships with
only established by one who kills himself over it?’ As it says: ‘This many people, no one can manage to maintain a life of “perfect” peace
is the Torah regarding a man who would die in the tent’” (Berachot and tranquility. The broken vav alludes to the fact that peace is so
43b). Obviously, Reish Lakish is not suggesting that the budding near yet so far, an ideal reality that we seem to experience fleetingly
scholar must study so hard that he kills himself. Rather he means in the midst of the turbulence and uncertainty of this world (as we
that in order to reach a deep and fundamental understanding of the discussed in the portion of Vayeishev). The vav, shaped like a person
Torah one must nullify (“kill”) one’s ego to the point where the true standing upright, represents humanity’s full stature, the complete 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 16 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Magenta
teachings can enter his heart and mind. Once again, this reminds realization of humanity’s potential. The broken vav alludes to #24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 16 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Yellow 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 16 - B | 18-01-28 | 12:12:05 | SR:-- | Black 24107-EYAL - 24107-EYAL | 16 - B
us of Moses’ humility and self-nullification, for he was willing to be humanity’s present existential incompleteness and the struggle to
wiped out of God’s Torah in order to save the Jewish people from achieve that type of peace which is every person’s birthright.
God’s wrath. Moses was ready to literally give his life to defend the A beautiful Chassidic saying exclaims that there is nothing as
people. (See “Noah and Moses” in Ki Tisa.)
whole as a broken heart. Nothing of real importance is achieved in
Yet even Moses was susceptible to pride and anger as we see in the this world without suffering a certain measure of pain or undergoing
enigmatic incident when Moses instead of talking to the rock, hits certain trials and tribulations, as Pirkei Avot (5:26) states, “The
it in order to bring forth water. Because Aaron and Moses did not reward is commensurate with the suffering.” Pinchas merited the
fulfill God’s word to the letter, they were denied the right to enter the covenant of peace because he voluntarily performed a very difficult
Holy Land. As mentioned above, many commentators have tried to and unsavory act; he put himself completely on the line and threw
understand what Moses did that required such a harsh punishment.
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