"The only purpose of the Mitzvot is to refine people". (Midrash)
"The important thing is not how many separate Mitzvot we fulfill, but how and in what spirit we fulfill them".(Baal Shem Tov)
It is related that the great Talmudist R' Pinchas Horowitz, author of the monumental commentary, Haflaah, heard of the Chassidic master, the Maggid of Mezeritch, and was curious to investigate Chassidus. After the visit, the Maggid suggested that he engage R'Zusia in a scholarly discussion.
R' Zusia kept his erudition a secret. No one ever saw him studying. Rather, he was sweeping the floor or tending to some of the needs of the Bes Medrash. When R'Pinchas approached him, R' Zusia said, "There must be some mistake. I am not a scholar and there is nothing you can discuss with me.” At the insistence of R'Pinchas, R'Zusia said "I can tell you something I overheard the others say.”
“I heard the students reading the Gemorah where R' Hunah says, תשעה וארון מצטרפין, "Nine men and the Aron Hakodesh can constitute a minyan".
R' Nachman challenges this, saying ארון גברא הוא,"Is the Ark a person that you can count for a Minyan?"
What kind of a question is R' Huna asking? Surely he knows that the Ark is not a person to be counted for a Minyan. “Perhaps” asked R' Zusia, “You can explain that to me.”
R' Pinchas was taken aback. He had no answer to so obvious a question.
R' Zusia shrugged his shoulders and said, " Maybe the Gemorah meant it this way; R' Hunah was of the opinion that since the Aron was full of Torah, it could contribute to a minyan. R' Nachman's challenge was, "Granted the Aron is full of Torah, but a minyan requires the Human element.”
Life for Judaism is to be full of Torah, but we must never lose sight of the need to always be a Mensch and in doing so to reach out to our fellowman with love and understanding.
The opening words of this week's Parsha, Baha'Loscha, relates how Aharon is instructed to light the Menorah in the Mikdash, wherein it states בהעלותך את הנרות. Immediately we realize that even though the Hebrew word to light is להדליק, the Torah uses the unique word בהעלותך. “Why?” One may ask.
I sense that the message that our Torah wants to impress upon us is that this lighting was not only referring to the physical Menorah, but more so to kindle, within us, the flame of religious zeal. When doing so, we are to realize the importance of the direction that this inner flame must take. Everything must be an act of עלה, of ascending, of acting always לשם שמים, for the sake of the true principles of Yahadut, of our religious advance Heaven ward. We must be inspired from above, and our guide is, always, to be Torah oriented.
In fact, Chazal say שצריך להדליק עד שתהא השלהבת עולה מאליה the essence of this spiritual light is to nurture it in such a way that the flame, the enthusiasm of Judaism, will burn brightly by itself, and the glow will be so strong that it will continue on an everlasting path. For this to succeed only Aharon, could light the Menorah, for he represents אוהב שלום ורודף שלום. Aharon sought peace and pursued peace.
This is our mission in life. To be of the disciples of Aharon, and to ignite the lights of Torah, to ignite the lights of Menchlikeit, to ignite the lights of Shalom, between all Jews, for every Jew is our brother and sister.
The light of life is in our hands, and all we need to do is grab hold of it by embracing each other with the true אהבת ישראל.
שבת שלום ומבורך
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