Vedibarta Bam � And You Shall Speak of Them: Torah Reading for Chanukah

"One leader each day, one leader each day shall they bring their offering." (Bamidbar 7:11)

QUESTION: There is a Midrash pli'ah (wondrous Midrash), which says that "from here it is derived that the offerings of the nesi'im were also brought on Shabbat." What in this pasuk indicates that?

ANSWER: The dedication of the Altar started on the first day of the month of Nissan, which that year happened to be a Sunday (see Shabbat 87b). In all, there were a total of twelve nesi'im bringing offerings. Should they not have been permitted to bring their offerings on Shabbat, then the twelve offerings would have extended over two weeks, and on every weekday of the first week there would be a different nasi offering for a total of six, and the same for every weekday of the following week. Thus, over the two-week period, two nesi'im would bring offerings on the two Sundays, two on the two Mondays etc.

However, with offerings occurring on Shabbat, the dedication would be completed in twelve days. Thus, in the first week seven nesi'im would bring their offerings with the remaining five offering on the first five days of the second week, and Friday and Shabbat would be the only days to fall once during this period and thus only one nasi would bring an offering on these days.

Carefully analyzing our pasuk, the Midrash finds a difficulty in the fact that the words "nasi echad layom" - "one nasi per day" - are repeated. Therefore, the Midrash concludes that it is not a redundancy, but intentionally phrased to teach us that on two of the days (Friday and Shabbat) only one nasi offered, while two nesi'im offered on all the other days which all fell twice during the 12-day period. Hence, we can conclude that the offerings were also brought on Shabbat, since one Shabbat occurred during the twelve-day period.

"The one who brought his offering on the first day... on the second day...on the third day...." (7:12, 18, 24)

QUESTION: Every day from Rosh Chodesh through the twelfth of Nissan, the section is read describing the offering brought by the nasi on that day (see Ba'eir Heitav, Orach Chaim 629:6), followed by a mystical prayer, "Yehi Ratzon" - "May it be Your will...." In it we say, "If I, Your servant, am of the tribe of (name of the tribe of that day) the Torah section of whose nasi I have recited today, then may all the 'holy sparks' and all the 'holy lights' which are contained in this tribe shine upon me."

How is it possible that this "Yehi Ratzon" is said every day, even by a Kohen or a Levi or one who can trace his genealogy to a particular tribe?

ANSWER: The uniqueness of a Jewish person is reflected in his neshamah - soul - which is truly a part of Hashem above (see Tanya ch. 2). Hashem sent down 600,000 souls to this world (ibid. ch. 37), and each one has a mission to accomplish. Until the soul completely accomplishes its task, sparks of the soul are reincarnated in newly born people.

Moreover, in addition to gilgul - transmigration - in which the soul is attached to a body and dominated by it, there is also ibur neshamot - impregnation of souls - in which a spark of the soul of a tzaddik is "impregnated" in another soul and serves as an additional spiritual charge for the soul of the recipient (see Tanya ch. 14).

Consequently, although the soul originated in a person who was a member of a particular tribe, it is possible that now this soul is in a person of another tribe, or has the soul of another person "impregnated" in it. Hence, this prayer, which is on behalf of the soul of the Jew, can be said by every individual, even a Kohen or Levi, or one who knows his tribal affiliation.

"The one who brought his offering on the first day was Nachshon son of Aminadav... and his offering...." (7:12-13)

QUESTION: Why is it written "vekarbano" - "and his offering" - regarding Nachshon ben Aminadav?

ANSWER: According to the Midrash (see Rashi 7:19), it was Netaneil ben Tzuar the Nasi of Yissachar who suggested that all the nesi'im bring offerings. Anyone who encourages others to do good deeds receives a reward for the encouragement and also shares the merit of the deeds themselves.

Therefore, although Nachshon ben Aminadav brought his offering first, it is written "and his offering" to indicate that the merit was not entirely his, but shared with Netanel.

Alternatively, to be the first to bring an offering was a great honor which might have made him conceited. The Torah wrote the extra vav - "and his offering" - to indicate that being first had no ill effect on him; on the contrary, he considered himself as someone who followed others.

"On the second day Nethaneil son of Tzuar offered ... he brought his offering." (7:18-19)

QUESTION: Why are the words "hikriv et karbano" - "he brought his offering" - said only for Netaneil ben Tzuar?

ANSWER: It was Netaneil ben Tzuar who suggested that all the nesi'im bring offerings. Since he was the one who proposed it, he shared in the merit of the offerings brought each day. However, on the second day, when Netaneil ben Tzuar brought his own offering, the Torah stresses that "he brought his offering" - he received full credit for the offering and the idea.

"On the seventh day, the leader of the children of Ephraim..." (7:48)

QUESTION: Why did the leader of the tribe of Ephraim bring his offering on the seventh day - Shabbat?

ANSWER: When Yosef came to Egypt he was sold as a slave into the house of Potifar. The Torah relates that one day he came home to do his work, and Potifar's wife urged him to commit a transgression. Yosef became very frightened and ran away. According to the Midrash (Yalkut Shimoni 146), it was Shabbat and he came home to do "his work," which was to study and review the Torah his father taught him.

According to the Gemara (Sanhedrin 43b) when one resists and overpowers evil, it is equivalent to offering a sacrifice. Since Yosef "offered" a sacrifice on Shabbat, Hashem rewarded him that his descendent - the head of his son's tribe - would bring sacrifices for the dedication of the Altar on Shabbat.

Alternatively, according to Midrash Rabbah (14:2), Yosef observed the Shabbat [in Egypt] before it was given as a mitzvah for the Jewish people to observe. This is inferred from the pasuk, "Have the meat slaughtered vehachein - and prepare it" (Bereishit 43:16). The word "hachein" is primarily used to express preparation for Shabbat, as may be inferred from the pasuk, "It shall be on that the sixth day, veheichinu - when they prepare" (Shemot 16:5). Hashem, therefore, said to him, "Yosef, you observed the Shabbat before the Torah was given; I promise I shall repay your grandson by allowing him to present his offering on Shabbat. Although an individual is otherwise forbidden to do so, I will accept his offering favorably."

Is it not puzzling that the reward for Yosef's Shabbat observance would be his son's desecration of the Shabbat?

Hashem gave us the Shabbat and commanded us to sanctify it. This is accomplished by refraining from all the forbidden labors, including bringing an offering. On the other hand, there are sacrifices which we are commanded to offer specifically on Shabbat. Obviously, an offering prescribed by Hashem is no Shabbat desecration, but a means to enhance the holiness of Shabbat.

Yosef's reward was that, inspite of the usually forbidden status of individual sacrifices offered on Shabbat, by Divine provision, his grandson's offering on Shabbat would not be treated as a usual individual sacrifice, but as a required Shabbat sacrifice through which the holiness of that Shabbat would be elevated and enhanced.

"On the tenth day, the leader of the children of Dan...." (7:66)

QUESTION: Why was the tenth day of Nissan set aside for the tribe of Dan?

ANSWER: When Yaakov blessed his children, he associated the power of earthly judgment with the tribe of Dan saying, "Dan shall judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel" (Bereishit 49:16).

The tenth of Nissan always occurs on the same day of the week as the first day of Rosh Hashanah, when Hashem judges His people. Therefore the prince of the tribe associated with earthly judgment brings his offering on a day which is associated with Divine judgment.

"This was the dedication of the Altar on the day it was anointed from the princes of Israel: twelve silver bowls, twelve silver basins. Twelve gold ladles, filled with incense." (7:84, 86)

QUESTION: Each nasi brought a gold ladle filled with incense and a silver bowl and basin, both filled with fine flour mixed with oil (7:13). Why does the verse giving the tallies of bowls, basins, and ladles state that the ladles were filled with incense while it omits that the bowls and basins were filled with flour and oil?

ANSWER: According to the Midrash Rabbah (12:21), all the nesi'im came to the Mishkan with their offerings on Rosh Chodesh Nissan, the first day of the dedication. Afterwards, they were told that "nasi echad layom" - only one nasi per day should present his offering.

When a meal-offering or incense is put into a holy utensil, it must be offered on that day. If it is left in the utensil overnight, it becomes disqualified for further use (see Me'ilah 9a, Shavuot 11a, Tosafot). If so, how was it possible for the nesi'im to bring the incense and flour mixed with oil on Rosh Chodesh and yet offer it on a subsequent day?

We can answer this question by citing two rules:

The different spices of the incense needed to be ground and then mixed together within the Sanctuary (Rambam, K'lei Hamikdash 2:6).
Only if the flour is together with the oil in the same utensil must it be offered immediately and not left overnight.
Hence, on Rosh Chodesh each nasi brought a gold ladle filled with unground and unmixed incense. Consequently, although it was in the ladle, it did not become disqualified by staying overnight. However, the flour and oil were not brought together in the bowl because they would become disqualified if not offered on the same day. Therefore, they were brought separately and only on the day which was designated for the nasi to bring his offering did he bring the flour mixed with oil for a meal-offering in the silver bowls and basins.
The tally in the Torah is for all the offerings which were brought on Rosh Chodesh "on the day it was anointed." On that day they all brought ladles containing unground incense, and silver bowls and basins which were not filled at that time with fine flour mixed with oil.

"This was the dedication of the Altar, on the day it was anointed... This was the dedication of the Altar after it was anointed." (7:84, 88)

QUESTION: Why does it say "on the day it was anointed" in the first pasuk, and four pesukim later it says "after it was anointed"?

ANSWER: It is common for people to cherish something new. As time passes, however, the novelty often proves short-lived. For example, a boy preparing for his Bar Mitzvah often begins putting on his tefillin with excitement and lofty intentions. As he grows older, unfortunately, it becomes a daily routine, and even while wearing his tefillin he gives them little attention.

On the day the Altar was anointed, everybody was in high spirits. The Torah is telling us that not only were they in great spirits "on the day the Altar was anointed," but that even "after it was anointed," it did not lose its newness, but was cherished with the same love and awe as on the first day.

"When you kindle the lamps...." (8:2)

QUESTION: Rashi explains that the word "beha'alotecha" (literally "when you step up") is used because there was a ma'aleh - step - in front of the Menorah on which the Kohen stood as he prepared the wicks and oil of the Menorah.

The height of the Menorah was only three amot, approximately five feet; why did Aharon need to stand on a step in order to reach the top of the Menorah?

ANSWER: Aharon, as Kohen Gadol, wore the tzitz - forehead-plate - and according to halachah it was forbidden for the Kohen Gadol to raise his hands above it (Rambam, Nesi'at Kapayim 14:9). It was therefore necessary to have steps in front of the Menorah so that when the Kohen Gadol would kindle the lights he would be able to do so without lifting his hands above the permitted height.

"When you kindle the lamps...." (8:2)

QUESTION: Rashi writes that the word, "beha'alotecha" teaches us that there were steps in front of the Menorah upon which the Kohen would stand and prepare the candles. Why does Rashi in Chumash Shemot (27:20) explain that the word "leha'a lot [neir tamid]" - "to kindle [a light continuously]" - means, to kindle until the flame rises up by itself and does not say that "leha'alot" teaches us that there was a step?

ANSWER: In Chumash Shemot, Hashem instructs Moshe that the Jews should bring him oil in order to kindle the Menorah. When the Mishkan was erected, for the first seven days Moshe served as the Kohen Gadol and performed the service in the Mishkan. The Gemara (Berachot 54b) says that Moshe was ten amot tall (approximately 16 feet). Thus, when he kindled the Menorah he did not need any step to stand on, for he was much taller than the Menorah. Therefore, Rashi explains that the word "leha'alot" teaches us a rule about how to kindle the Menorah itself.

However, Parshat Beha'alotecha discusses the kindling of the Menorah by Aharon and his descendants throughout the generations. Since many Kohanim were not very tall and it is forbidden for a Kohen Gadol to raise his hands above the tzitz - forehead plate - Rashi writes that the Kohen would stand on a step while kindling the Menorah.

"When you will kindle the lamps, towards the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps cast light." (8:2)

QUESTION: Why is the word "Haneirot" - "the lamps" - first written without a vav and then with a vav?

ANSWER: The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 15:5) says that the juxtaposition of the parshah dealing with the Menorah kindling and the dedication-offerings of the princes indicates that Aaron became disheartened when neither he nor his tribe participated with the princes of the tribes in the dedication. Therefore, Hashem said to Moshe: "Go and tell Aaron: Fear not! You are designated for something of greater importance than this. The offerings are brought only as long as the Sanctuary is in existence, but the lamps will give light in front of the candelabrum forever."

Now it is an obvious fact that when the Sanctuary is not in existence and the offerings are not brought because of its destruction, the lighting of the lamps of the Menorah in the Sanctuary also ceases, so what does the Midrash mean in saying that G-d promised Aaron that the lighting of the lamps would never stop?

The Ramban explains that the Sages of the Midrash are teaching that this Torah portion is alluding to the lights of the Dedication of the Hasmoneans, which applies on the festival of Chanukah even after the destruction of the Sanctuary, in our exile.

A popular question regarding Chanukah is raised by the Beit Yosef (Tur Orach Chaim 670): Since the flask of oil was sufficient to last for one day, so that the actual miracle was only for seven days, why do we celebrate eight days? Among the many answers to this question are the following two:

Concerned that they would not have oil for the subsequent days, they divided the flask into eight portions. Every day they would only fill the Menorah with 1/8 of the usual amount of oil and miraculously the Menorah remained burning the entire night.
They thinned down the wicks to 1/8 of their normal thickness. Thus, only 1/8 of the normal amount of oil would be needed for the entire night. Though the light of the Menorah would now be very dim, they thought it would be better to have a dim light for eight days than to have the regular light for one day and miss kindling the Menorah the other seven days. Miraculously, the very thin wicks produced the same beautiful flame as the usual ones did.

Perhaps our pasuk is hinting to these two explanations: "[A time will come] when you will kindle the neirot [without a vav] - and they will be lacking in fullness, either because you will not have a sufficient amount of oil or due to the thinness of the wicks; nevertheless, I will perform a miracle and Ya'iru shivat haneirot [with a הנרות - ו] - the seven lamps will cast a full light - they will burn the entire night regardless of the reduced amount of oil or the light will be completely bright regardless of the thinned down wicks."

"Toward the face of the Menorah shall the seven lamps cast light." (8:2)

QUESTION: There is a "wondrous Midrash" that states in connection to this pasuk "Peitach devarecha ya'ir" - "Your opening words illuminate" (Psalms 119:130).

What is the meaning of this Midrash?

ANSWER: The Menorah had seven branches, nine flowers, eleven knobs, and twenty-two cups, and according to the Gemara (Menachot 28b) it was eighteen tefachim (handbreadths) tall.

The Midrash by quoting the pasuk "your opening words illuminate" is alluding that the "opening words," i.e. the first pasuk of each of the five chumashim, have a connection to a part of the Menorah.

The first pasuk of Bereishit contains seven words, corresponding to the seven branches of the Menorah. The first pasuk of Shemot contains eleven words, which correspond to the eleven knobs of the Menorah. The first pasuk of Vayikra has nine words, corresponding to the nine flowers. The first pasuk of Bamidbar has seventeen words, and counting the entire pasuk as one (known in gematria as "im hakolel"), corresponds to the height of the Menorah. The first pasuk of Devarim has twenty-two words for the twenty-two cups of the Menorah.

Alternatively, though the Gemara (Menachot 28b) says that the Menorah was eighteen tefachim tall, it was actually only somewhat over seventeen. Thus the first pasuk of Bamidbar has one word for each full tefach of the Menorah's height.

"Aaron did so; toward the face of the Menorah he kindled its lamps, as Hashem had commanded Moshe." (8:3)

QUESTION: The word "kein" - "so" - is superfluous?

ANSWER: Why, on the first day of creation when Hashem made light, does the Torah omit the phrase "vayehi chein" - "and it was so" - as it says in regard to many of the other items of the six days of creation?

The Gemara (Chagigah 12a) says that originally Hashem gave the world an extremely powerful light. Afterwards, He saw that it was not fitting that the wicked use it, so He set it aside for the righteous to be used by them in the future. Therefore, since the light that continued to serve the world was not the original one created, the words "vayehi chein" - "and it was so" - are omitted.

When Aharon would light the Menorah, it was not an ordinary physical kindling for illumination purposes. Rather, he would bring into the Sanctuary a reflection of the ohr haganuz - light which was hidden - for the righteous. With the extra word "kein" the Torah is alluding to Aharon's accomplishment when he kindled the Menorah: that the original light of creation (which was alluded to at creation by the omitted word "kein") should be in this world.

"And Aharon did so; toward the face of the Menorah he kindled its lamps, as G-d had commanded Moshe." (8:3)

QUESTION: Rashi explains that the Torah emphasizes that "Aharon did so" to declare Aharon's praise - "shelo shinah" - that he did not act differently.

Would anyone suspect that Aharon would deviate from Hashem's command?

ANSWER: Aharon, as Kohen Gadol, kindled the Menorah the entire 40 years that the Mishkan was in the wilderness. A person naturally does something the first time with more dedication and excitement than after he has done it for several years. In his praise, the Torah says that Aharon did not change: Even after kindling the Menorah for many years, he continued to do so with the same dedication, fervor, and excitement as the first time.

Alternatively, Aharon was an "oheiv shalom verodeif shalom" - "lover of peace and pursuer of peace" (Pirkei Avot 1:12) - and was therefore loved by every Jew. An ordinary citizen is often affable and involved with people and their needs. However, a person who is appointed to a high office may become conceited and distant.

Aharon's greatness is that even when he became Kohen Gadol, holding the second highest position in the Jewish community, "lo shinah" - he did not change toward his fellow man - he still remained the same "oheiv shalom verodeif shalom" - "lover and pursuer of peace."

"If you will walk in My ways and safeguard My charge... I will permit Your movement among these immobile [angels]." (Haftarat Shabbat Chanukah)

QUESTION: What is the significance of this blessing?

ANSWER: A soul descends to this world to accomplish in Torah and Mitzvot. With every mitzvah performed, the soul and the person are continuously elevated. During one's lifetime, man is a mehalech - one who "goes," i.e. constantly progresses. He keeps going from one level to a higher level of holiness. When man expires he ceases being a mehalech - and becomes an omeid - stationary - he no longer can do mitzvot and thus the continuous ascent generated by his mitzvot performance comes to a halt. However, if one has children who walk in the path of Torah, the parents can earn merit through their good deeds and thus in their heavenly abode they continue to be mehalchim - ones who ascend to higher levels in their children's merit.

Hashem is promising Joshua the Kohen Gadol "If you will walk in My ways and safeguard My watch, you will then merit to have children who observe Torah and mitzvot, and thus through them, you will progress even when you will no longer be a mehalech on this world and be among the omdim - those who can no longer can do mitzvot which would earn them continuous elevation. I will grant you children who are mehalchin - ones who walk in the path of Torah - and through them you will continue your spiritual ascent even when you are among the omdin."

There is a popular saying "B'ra kare'eih d'avuha" - "A son is the leg of the father. This means that he is an extension of the father. But why compare him to the leg and not to the hand or mouth etc. of the father?

In light of the above it could mean the following: A person's mobility is through his legs. With the legs one walks and through them one can reach considerable heights. Once the father dies he becomes immobile and can no longer attain new heights.

However, if the father has sons who live in accordance with Torah and mitzvot, they now become his "legs," and in merit of their good deeds he continues to go on to new heights in his heavenly abode.