Be'halot'cha (Numbers 8-12)  
 
 

From the Weekly Parsha Torah Column on www.KabbalaOnline.org, Ascent Lights, Contemporary illuminations from the director of Ascent-of-Safed.

By Rabbi Shaul Yosef Leiter 

Have Torah, Will Travel

It is a universal Jewish custom that when we open the Ark and take out the Torah scrolls to read on weekdays, holidays and Shabbats, we say a verse that comes from this week's Torah portion: "And when it came to pass that the Ark traveled, Moses would say, 'Arise, oh G-d, and your enemies will scatter, and those that You hate will flee before You'." (Num. 10:35),

" As long as the Ark was the center of our lives...our enemies had no power over us...." 
 
The first Chabad  Rebbe,  Shneur Zalman of Liadi, explains that the mystical reason for the numerous journeys in the Sinai desert was to blunt the forces of evil at that time and for the future. The power to do this came from the Ark of the Covenant. During those entire forty years, the Ark which contained the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were engraved was always in the center of the camp, both while resting and on journeys. Because of it, and through Moses' invoking G-d's Holy Name, the path before the Jewish people's travels was always cleared of all obstacles.

Later, when we settled in Israel, the Ark would sometimes lead us into battle. As long as the Ark was the center of our lives, both physically and spiritually, our enemies had no power over us. It is to remember the power of Torah that we invoke this verse today.

The first Chabad Rebbe, Shneur Zalman of Liadi, explains that the mystical reason for the numerous journeys in the Sinai desert was to blunt the forces of evil at that time and for the future. The power to do this came from the Ark of the Covenant. During those entire forty years, the Ark which contained the tablets upon which the Ten Commandments were engraved was always in the center of the camp, both while resting and on journeys. Because of it, and through Moses' invoking G-d's Holy Name, the path before the Jewish people's travels was always cleared of all obstacles.

Later, when we settled in Israel, the Ark would sometimes lead us into battle. As long as the Ark was the center of our lives, both physically and spiritually, our enemies had no power over us. It is to remember the power of Torah that we invoke this verse today.

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The Rebbe of Ishbitz writes that every person is like the entire world, and that his movements through the world are like the movement of the Jewish nation, with the Ark at their center. Very often in today's confusion, we are unclear where we are going and what will happen to us on the way. How do we remind ourselves that G-d is with us and protecting us?

" The shofar blowing is a way to shake us up, remind us of our priorities...." 
 
We must emulate Moses, calling out G-d's name. In speech, we call out to G-d in prayer; in spirit, we call Him by impacting on ourselves that G-d is with us in everything we do.

This is connected to the fact that the shofar was blown for each journey, as well as at the commencement of holidays. The shofar blowing is a way to shake us up, remind us of our priorities. The shofar was blown when a holiday would begin, because not only in our movements through the world do we need to be reminded, but even with our movement through time.

We have to quietly shout that the Almighty should protect us from all evil which confronts us. This is the meaning of the verse that when the Holy Ark would move, even as it just began, Moses would pray that the journey should be to peace and safety from all dangers. So it should be for us.

Shabbat Shalom, Shaul

Reprinted with permission from www.KabbalaOnline.org and www.AscentofSafed.com. To learn more about the Chasidic and Kabbalistic perspectives on the Torah, please visit their sites.