A Weekly Dvar Torah from Reb Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin

A Guten, Erev Shabbos Nosoi, Roish Choidesh Sivan

A Guten, Freilichen Un Cheirusdiker Choidesh

In Parshas Nasoi we continue the counting started in Bamidbar. The theme of achdus is found here as well.
All 600,000 Yidden were needed for Kabolas Hatoirah. The Torah has 600,000 letters, with each letter
corresponding to an individual Neshama, thus if even one yid was missing, chas vesholoim, there could not
be Matan Toirah. Every Yid needed to be there, united as one functioning unit. We are reminded once
again that in Kedusha, counting doesn‟t degrade the person to a simple number, rather, it brings out and
reveals the true essence, the Neshama, of a Yid, and that he is connected to Hashem Echod.

The unity of Yidden is always true on the part of its essence, and the Neshama comes in to the world to
bring this truth into a revealed state that is seen by all of creation. This was indeed revealed at Har Sinai, to
such a degree that even though there was multiple of Yidden, they are described as one, with the singular
use of the verb, “Vayichan shom Yisroel.” Baruch Hashem this is not a story of the past, but even today we
are seeing achdus, unity and caring across the world, reaching so high that our actions will be IY”H be once
again described in a singular verb!

Nasoi continues with the counting of the Levyim, whose avoidas hakoidesh was carrying the Mishkan
through the desert. Beha‟aloisecha is about the Koihanim and their Avoida. Completing the different
Avoidos of the Yidden. The Shaloh Hakoidesh says the first three Parshios of Bamidbar are like one Parsha,
with the same inyan of how all the Yidden surrounded and focused their attention on the Ohel Moed and
Avoidas Hashem.

Nasoi, Nesius Roish, literally means to “pick up – „Oifhoiben’”. The idea of elevation. There are three ways
Nasoi can be accomplished: a) being picked up from above, b) picking yourself up, or c) through a
combination of both together. In the latter way, first Hashem raises us up above all obstacles and
limitations, with the koiach of Hashem we are then able to continue and raise ourselves up above all
obstacles and limitations. Nisayoin too is about “raising up” up because through a Nisayoin from Hashem
we are “picked up” and raised higher than we were before, and it has the word “Ness” in it which is about
revealing the true essence within nature, which is good.

We must remember to grow and pick ourselves up, without chas vesholoim pulling others down. There is a
great story of the Maharash, the fourth Rebbe of Lubavitch. One summer day he was home and deeply
engrossed in his learning when he discovered that his sons (they were around five and six at the time) were
playing outside and had gotten into some sort of quarrel. He saw his younger son, Reb Sholom Dovber
(later to be the next Rebbe in Lubavitch) was standing on a box and his older brother, Reb Zalman Aharoin
,was trying to pull him down. "Why are you trying to pull your brother down?" asked his father. His older
son answered, "You see, we were playing and found this box and Sholom Dovber, decided to stand on the
box which raised him up higher than me, but I wanted to be higher than him!" His father listened and then
asked him a most powerful question that was a life-lesson for Reb Zalman Aharoin: "If you want to be
higher then why pull him down? Bring a taller box and stand on it!" The obvious lesson is that it is not
through pulling down our brother that we grow in our Avoidas Hashem.

The Torah is nitzchi, so as it discusses the Levyim‟s work in the Midbar it teaches us a lesson in Avoidah. If
we find ourselves in a Midbar we do not get dragged down but raise ourselves up, nosoi, above the Midbar.
We raise up the desolate place we may find ourselves in, and never be negatively affected by its desolate,
 ‫מן המיצר‬
lifeless and dark surroundings. Even more, we can change from a Midbar of Klipah to a level that is even
higher than all limitations (this is true of both the external and internal dangers of the Midbar).

Yidden, with hashem's help, have always overcome any external attacks and dangers, however, when the
attack would come from within we would got into trouble. Whether it was the Cheit Ho’eigel instigated by
the apikursim who preached with slick words that hid their evil designs or the Meraglim who hid their
intentions in pious speeches, what they always had in common was a rebellion of Toiras Moishe and our
holy Mesoirah, always claiming to offer a „better idea.‟ And it brought always brought terrible
consequences.

If there was only one question that one could ask people offering these „Yiras Shomayim ideas‟ it would be
this: "Will this idea be a unifying idea, one that unites Yidden with Hashem and his Toirah, or will it pull
them apart?" If it is the latter, then it is rejected and we are safe.

In order to arrive at Eretz Toiva Urechava the Yidden first needed to travel through the Midbar, a place
where there was no food, water or shelter, but instead had dangerous snakes and scorpions.
Normally, people would be swallowed up and lost in such a desert, however, by the Yidden this did not
happen. Not only were they safely led through, but they even had a positive effect on the Midbar! The
Medrash tells us of the many miracles with mountains and valleys leveled and snakes and scorpions killed,
and how the sweet water of Be'eiroi Shel Miriam miraculously traveled with them and provided growth to
many trees, etc. They changed the Midbar physically and weakened the klipah spiritually.

In Lekutei Toirah it explains the lesson in Avoidas Hashem from the Midbar and the specific Avodah of
each family of the Leviyim:

If we Chas Vesholoim find ourselves in a dark and desolate place (physically or spiritually), our own
Midbar, we have the koiach to pass through it without being harmed and furthermore, even to transform it.

Merori is the merirus (bitterness) one experiences when he realizes that his life was „lifeless‟ until now,
bringing to be mevatel, from then on, any will for anything other than Hashem. Even if much time has
passed, we take a lesson from the Leviyim who started their Avodah only after 30 years of age. As soon as
we make a strong resolution to stand ready to serve Hashem, he provides the koiach to do so.

Avoidas Hashem needs to be in two areas: Sur Mera and Aseh Toiv.

Gershoin, is related to the word Geirushin: driving away the Ra (“Sur Mera”). Kehos is related to Veloi
‘Yikhas’ Amim: to gather and bring together the Mitzvois (“Aseh Toiv”). Gershon is older, teaching that first
comes sur mera then ve’asei toiv. Yet, Kehos is counted first due to kovoid haTorah and so that the light of
Torah will push away much harbeh min hachoshech. As we see that when we encourage a Yid to learn that
the light of Torah awakens his avahas hashem which helps him push away the Ra.

Yehi rotzoin we are all immediately raised out of our tzorois, raised out of golus with bee’as moshiach
tzidkeinu bimheiro beyomeinu.

Besurois Toiovis
Sholom Mordachai Ha‟Levi

Over $64,000 was raised in the past week, from regular

people like you.
Your $36 makes a difference, get involved today.

Log on to SholomAcrossAmerica.com to Donate

THANK YOU CROWN HEIGHTS!!!