פרשת מטות
As Sefer Bemidbar comes to a close, the Jewish People prepare for the apportionment of Eretz Yisroel and the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of the tribe of Menashe make their request to settle on the east bank of the Jordan River. They explain that this land is perfect for their abundant livestock and beseech Moshe Rabbeinu to allow them to take this land as their portion, instead of receiving their chelek in the main part of Eretz Yisroel with the rest of the people. After considerable consternation and consultation with Hashem, it is agreed that they may settle on the other side of the Jordan after they help conquer the land.
In connection to the request of Reuvan and Gad, the Midrash Rabbah explains that there was in fact a sin committed. The Midrash notes that there are three gifts from Heaven each one of which is like receiving all the goodness in the world. These gifts are wisdom (chochmah), gvurah, and sustenance. The Midrash specifies that these gifts are equal to the whole world only if they are “from Heaven.” But if one tries to “grab” these things by himself, as Korach and Haman did, eventually Hashem will take away these gifts. The Midrash adds that Bnei Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe also sinned because they valued their money more than they should have. Due to this sin, these tribes were exiled first, before the rest of Klal Yisroel.
Two difficulties arise in connection to the Midrash. The first difficulty is the famous kasha on the statement that these three gifts must be “from Heaven.” Aren’t all gifts ultimately and essentially “from Heaven”? Second, how is anyone capable of “grabbing” something for himself? How can someone “grab” something, unless Hashem wants him to receive it? The answers to these kashas offer incredible insight into the reality that Hashem is the source of all goodness in the world.
Rav Reuven Fein provides a beautiful response to these difficulties by looking at the perspective of the recipient. Rav Fein acknowledges that while every blessing one receives is undeniably from the Kodesh Baruch Hu, the recipient must relate to blessings as gifts from Heaven. If one doesn’t relate to them as gifts from Hashem, then in the end they will be lost. In other words, when a person doesn’t constantly remind himself that the only source of his parnassah is Heaven, and its purpose is to strengthen him in Torah and mitzvos, then the acquisition of the money is just “grabbing” to satisfy his own pleasure and honor. Such money has no brocha and will eventually be forfeited.
Additionally, Rav Yechezkiel Levenshtein says that a person “grabs” when he overexerts himself to receive his sustenance. Since parnassah is a gift from Heaven, G-d only expects a person to invest a normal amount of hishtadlus, and no more than this. Too much effort may seem to produce more wealth, but this money will have no brocha, and will also lead a person to fall to a lower spiritual level. Rav Levenshtein explains that this type of person becomes so attached to his money that he gradually loses his complete devotion to Torah and mitzvos, which eventually leads him to sin. In the end, his spiritual state is diminished, and since the money had no brocha Hashem also takes that away from him too. Conversely, if a person does the proper amount of hishtadlus, he will receive the parnassah he needs as a gift from Hashem. His money will actually help him in his avodah, leading to both spiritual and physical brocha.
Rav Aharon Kotler points out that based on the Midrash’s implication that the tribes’ request was a sin, Bnei Torah can derive a great deal of practical hashkofah. These tribes had a seemingly reasonable request, since the land they wanted was more suitable for their needs. By raising their flocks in land that was ideal for this purpose, they would be well sustained and ostensibly would have more time to serve Hashem and learn his Torah. Furthermore, they were not giving up living in Eretz HaKodesh, since Eretz HaYarden is within the boundaries of Eretz Yisroel. Despite this, the Midrash indicates that these tribes committed a sin. Rav Aharon Kotler explains that while Eretz HaYarden is within Eretz Yisroel, this territory has a little less kidusha (with regard to halachas of the omer or bikurim). The sin of these tribes was relinquishing a small amount of kedusha for their parnassah, which teaches us not to sacrifice any aspect of our spiritual avodah for material gains.
Rav Aharon notes that this is a common trap that we must be vigilant to avoid. Similar to the tribes in our parshah, people curtail their learning in an effort to work more and amass more parnassah. Likewise, people leave Eretz Yisroel or makamos Torah in an effort to improve their earning potential. But this is a mistake, since our avodah is our primary purpose, and parnassah is only secondary — tofel to the ikar. It is foolish to forego the ikar, in pursuit of only minor benefits. Hashem doesn’t want this from us! He wants our avodah, our learning, and our davening – these things are the primary purpose of a Jew’s life. Rav Aharon continues, noting that just as the tribes of Reuven, Gad, and half of Menashe were exiled first, and lost their property, so too those who give up any part of their avodah for material considerations. In the end, their efforts are in vain and nothing will be gained.
Even for a person that is trying to make Torah and mitzvos the ikar of his life, it may not be clear that he is exerting too much effort to receive his parnassah. My father of blessed memory lived with minimal parnassah. When he came to Eretz Yisroel he learned the trade of the sofer, which he toiled in only a few hours a day. He spent most of his time learning, davening, and working on himself through rigorous mussar. My father never wavered from the conviction that these things are the ikar, and his hishtadlus to acquire parnassah was only tofel. Even when he was offered opportunities to increase his parnassah, if there was a possibility of time being taken away from his avodah, he steadfastly refused. Around the age of 65, my father announced that he wanted to stop work entirely, in order to focus on the ikar. Through this, I witnessed in my father complete commitment to pursue the ikar in life: Torah and mitzvos.
Keeping our focus on the ikar, and not being distracted by the tofel, is especially important during bain hazmanim, when our normal learning seder is interrupted in order to reinvigorate ourselves. The need to renew ourselves is critical, so that we may sustain our learning in the long run. But there is a great danger of becoming overly involved in our recreation and relaxation, such that we make these activities the ikar, when they should only be tofel. Rav Aharon says specifically during this time, we must endeavor to make Torah and mitzvos the ikar. To do this, we should still keep a learning seder and guard against any lapse in our observance of mitzvos.
May we always be zocheh to recognize that the ikar in our lives is Avodas HaShem!