RITSS HIGH SCHOOL

PRESENTS A D`VAR TORAH

PARSHA INSIGHTS - BEHA'ALOSCHA

By Rabbi Moshe Heigh

A PURPOSEFUL MISSPELLING

     Miriam and Aharon's disapproval of Moshe's separation from his wife, Tzipora, is a major episode in the end of today's parsha. Some commentators explain that they were questioning other aspects of Moshe's conduct. It is certain, though, that they felt they were acting in Moshe's best interests (Sifri cited by Chofetz Chaim in B'air Mayim Chaim mitzvas asai 1). The entire incident is worthy of extensive analysis. Today's focus will be on Moshe's REACTION to the words of condemnation directed at him.

     "The man, Moshe, was extremely humble, more than any person on the face of the earth" (12:3). Why does the Torah tell us this right after it records the loshon hora of Miriam and Aharon? The Rambam in Hilchos Tum'as Tzora'as 16:10 explains as follows. Moshe was not makpid - he was not disturbed at all - by his sister and brother criticizing him. The Torah indicates this by commenting on Moshe's character right at this point: "Moshe was exceedingly humble..." Still, Miriam, who had initiated the loshon hora (Rashi 12:1) [while Aharon simply agreed or listened silently - Ibn Ezra ibid], was punished with tzora'as. (Rabbi Akiva, brought on the top of Gemara Shabbos 97A, proves that Aharon was stricken with tzora'as as well.) The Rambam shows from here that even though Moshe did not mind at all, the speaker of loshon hora was censured. The Chofetz Chaim codifies this into his laws of loshon hora. "Even though it is typical many times that the one spoken about will not be upset at the speaker because of the love between them, since they are related....it does not go out of the category of actual loshon hora" (Chofetz Chaim 8:1). In the B'air Mayim Chaim, he cites the above mentioned Rambam as the source for the din. To clarify: if the words are truly derogatory, they are prohibited even if the victim is not upset by the loshon hora.

     When our pasuk describes Moshe as "humble", "anav", there seems to be a misspelling. The word should be written with the following four letters: ayin, nun, yud, vav. However, the yud is missing. What does this teach us?

     The Ba'al Haturim makes two remarks about this. The numerical value of this "misspelled", three-letter word, written ayin, nun, vav, is 126. [You know that every letter of the Alef Bais has a gematria, a numerical worth.] What is the significance of 126? Recall that Moshe had spent much time on Har Sinai - before, during, and after the receiving of the Torah. From the beginning of the month of Sivan of the year 2448 until Sivan 6, he was going up and down the mountain. This was to bring instructions from Hashem to the Jewish people, preparing them for Matan Torah (Rashi Yisro 19:3, 19:8, 19:9, Mishpatim 24:16 with meforshim). This counts as six days on Har Sinai, although he was in the camp part of the time as well. After these six, he spent another 120 days on the mountain. The first forty were to receive the tablets, the second forty to beg forgiveness for the sin of the golden calf, and the last set of forty were to receive the second tablets (Rashi Ki Sisa 33:11). Thus, HE IS CREDITED WITH 126 DAYS ON HAR SINAI. This, says the Ba'al Haturim, is hinted to in the word "anav", spelled on purpose without the yud, so its gematria is precisely 126.

     The Ba'al Haturim is likely teaching us that Moshe's outstanding humility earned him the privilege of spending so much time with G-d. "Anav" led to "126" days. The converse is also true. That incredible experience was quite humbling, being up there in the heavenly realm, in the company of the pure angels. "126" days led to "anav". Please notice the words of the Mesilas Yesharim in chapter 23. He describes how humbling it will be to enter the great court on High after leaving this world. "When one will think and imagine in his heart the moment he enters before the Great Court of the heavenly host...in the company of holy beings (angels)...mighty ones of power, those who do His will, that they possess no shortcomings whatsoever...if even for one moment a person would picture this true situation in his mind...all arrogance would fly away from him and never return!" We see that the ordeal Moshe went through certainly humbled him beyond description, even though he had always possessed the traits of modesty and humility. That can explain the Ba'al Haturim's connection between the peculiar spelling of "anav" (126), and 126 days on the mountain.

     The Ba'al Haturim on 12:3 demonstrates another meaningful gematria. We know that "anav" without the yud equals 126. The same is true for the word "bi'aiden" - "in Aiden". This hints that the humble person will merit Gan Aiden. Of course, the Ba'al Haturim did not originate this idea; it and similar concepts are all over Chazal.

     Other meforshim also explore the lack of a letter yud in the word anav. Rabainu Asher, known as the Rosh, brings the following approach. At the end of Moshe's life, when Hashem supervised him writing Torah scrolls, he found it difficult to write this word "anav", humble, about himself. A true anav knows he still has much to accomplish in all character traits, including the midda of humility. Someone genuinely humble will be reluctant to call himself humble, since this would be like "feeling false pride about the fact that he is humble!" (Mesilas Yesharim 11 - bottom of page 85 in Oros Chaim version). Moshe expressed his hesitation by eliminating part of the word "anav" - the yud. He probably chose that letter because the deletion of any other would change the pronunciation and meaning of the word; thus, he only cut out the yud. The word would be intact, but a HINT that Moshe did not want to call himself "humble" would also be contained in this very word.

     The Rosh continues. Hashem proclaimed, "What did you write? Haven't you omitted a letter yud from your honor? I swear on your life that you must write the word 'me'od' ('very'), to add distinction to your distinction". In other words, Moshe tried to flee from honor, from being called "anav", genuinely humble, by leaving out a letter yud from the word "anav". Hashem "caught the error" and paid Moshe in kind. Now our pasuk says that Moshe was EXTREMELY humble. Hashem insisted that Moshe write "me'od" - very - to compensate for his deletion of the yud. The lesson is obvious - it is our job to run away from kavod, honor. If Hashem sees fit, He will repay us with kavod. However, this should NOT be our goal in doing mitzvos. Although the Rosh brings another approach, it has more to do with Parshas Chukas than with Parshas Beha'aloscha; we will not explore it at the present.

     Much can be learned from the loshon hora said about Moshe; perhaps more can be gained by studying his reaction. Loshon hora is not allowed, even if the person spoken about does not mind. Hashem DOES mind. We see this from Miriam's (and Aharon's) punishment. Moshe shows us what a humble person really is. Next time we are about to get upset at someone who has wronged us, let us emulate Moshe Rabainu. Attempting to overlook and ignore insults will greatly increase shalom in the world.

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