Bamidbar 5759

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Bamidbar (Numbers 1:1-4:20 )

GOOD
MORNING!

Recently my friend and one of my
co-directors of the Jerusalem Fund, Richard Boruch Rabinowitz,
was talking with John Kluge, billionaire head of Metromedia
Corporation. The conversation took place after Mr. Kluge gave a $1
million gift for Aish HaTorah's World Outreach Center being built
overlooking the Western Wall. (If you would like to be a part of
perhaps the most important and spectacular project to ensure the
Jewish future, please call me at 305-535-2474 or write me at
packouz@aish.edu) Richard asked Mr. Kluge a fascinating question: "Why did you give such a generous contribution in light of
the fact that you aren't Jewish?"

Mr. Kluge smiled and said, "Last year I turned 80 years old.
At my birthday party I realized that 85% of my friends are Jews. I
have always admired the Jewish people and their contributions to
humanity, to civilizing the world. What Aish HaTorah is doing to
reconnect Jews with their heritage, to strengthen their roots, to
educate them of their values is enabling the Jewish people to
continue to be able to play their incredibly valuable role in history."
What is it that the Jewish people have contributed to humanity and
to civilizing the world?

We in the modern world adhere to 6 values as absolutes for
building a perfect world:

  1. Value of Life -- People have the right to life, and to live
    with a certain basic dignity and rights.

  2. World Peace -- On all levels, communally and globally,
    people and nations should co-exist in peace and harmony with
    mutual respect.

  3. Justice and Equality -- All people, regardless of race,
    sex, or social status, have the right to be treated
    equally and fairly in the eyes of the law.

  4. Education -- Everyone has the right to be functionally
    literate as a basic tool for personal advancement and the ability to
    attain knowledge.

  5. Family -- A strong, stable family structure is necessary
    for the moral foundation for society.

  6. Social Responsibility -- Individually and nationally, we
    are responsible for each other. This includes responsibility for:
    disease, poverty, famine, crime, and drugs, as well as
    environmental problems and animal rights.

Where do these values come from? Most people would
say Greece or Rome. Would you be surprised to find out that they
are wrong? These are Jewish values that the world learned from us!

Aish HaTorah has just premiered its latest seminar
WorldPerfect -- The Jewish Impact on Civilization. It is a real eye-
opener and a tremendous primer for Jewish pride. (On May 16th
the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona, one of many
Federations who partner with Aish HaTorah, is presenting
WorldPerfect to the community. The seminar is being hosted by
Joel Grey of Cabaret and Chicago fame.) The seminar is available
on line at www.aish.edu, you can purchase it online via the website
or by calling 800-864-2373 for $9 including shipping -- or you can
arrange to bring this and other Discovery Seminars to your
community by calling Discovery at 718-376-2775.

Now, if you are thinking "the good rabbi is exaggerating a
'bit' about the Jewish influence on civilizing humanity," I bring to my
support John Adams, Second President of the United States!
Writes Mr. Adams, "... I will insist that the Hebrews have done more
to civilize men than any other nation. If I were an atheist and
believed in blind eternal fate, I should still believe that fate had
ordained the Jews to be the most essential instrument for civilizing
the nations.... They are the most glorious Nation that ever
inhabited this Earth. The Romans and their Empire were but a
bauble in comparison of the Jews. They have given religion to
three-quarters of the Globe and have influenced the affairs of
Mankind more, and more happily than any other Nation, ancient or
modern."
(from a letter to F.A. Van der Kemp, 1808. Pennsylvania
Historical Society.)

Concludes the WorldPerfect seminar : "Today many Jews
think that Judaism is irrelevant. Just look at what the Jews have
given to the world! Today Jews need to realize that they have much
to be proud of. Pride is not arrogance. Pride is justifiable self-
respect. The power of Judaism to impact the world with values that
comprise the bedrock of civilization should be a source of Jewish
Pride.

"But pride in the past is not enough. It is not yet a perfect
world and there is still much to be done. Judaism teaches us that
you don't have to be a Moses or the Messiah to make a difference.
Every person is unique; we all have our own special way of making
the world a better place.

"There was once a poster of a homely, little boy.
Underneath the picture was written: 'I know I'm not junk, because G-
d doesn't make junk.' None of us are simply tourists on this planet.
Everyone plays an active role. Maximize your potential and place
your unique signature upon the world."


Torah
Portion of the Week
Bamidbar

In the second year of travel in the desert, Moshe and
Aharon were commanded by the Almighty to count all male
Israelites between 20 and 60. There were 603,550 available for
military service. The tribe of Levi was exempt because of their
special duties as religious leaders. (It is probably from here that
countries give divinity deferments to clergy and divinity students.)

The twelve tribes were directed regarding the formation
(three tribes were on each side of the Portable Sanctuary) in which
they were to camp and travel.

The 22,300 Levites were commanded in the Sanctuary
service. The family of Gershon was to transport the coverings of
the Sanctuary. The family of Kehos carried the Ark, Table, Menorah
and Altars. The family of Merari transported the boards, pillars,
bolts and sockets.

 

Dvar Torah
based on Growth Through Torah by
Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

In regards to testing for marital fidelity, the Torah states,
"And the Cohen shall write these curses on a scroll and he shall
erase them into the water of bitterness" (Numbers 5:23). It is
forbidden to erase G-d's name. Why is it permitted here?

When the Beit HaMikdosh, the Temple, was in existence in
Jerusalem, a woman who was suspected of infidelity had a means
of proving her innocence. She would come to the Temple where a
Cohen would give her a special drink in which was placed this
section of the Torah with G-d's name. If she was guilty, she would
miraculously die from it. If she was free from guilt, she would
benefit from the potion and her innocence would be proven beyond
any doubt.

It is permissible here to erase G-d's name to teach us that
just as G-d is willing to "forgo his honor," likewise we must forgo our
honor to resolve arguments between husbands and wives;
husbands and wives should also overlook slights to their honor in
order to facilitate having a peaceful atmosphere in their home.

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