The Book of Lineage: Measuring Ourselves Against the Avos
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 1:18
וְאֵת כׇּל־הָעֵדָה הִקְהִילוּ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי וַיִּתְיַלְדוּ עַל־מִשְׁפְּחֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבֹתָם בְּמִסְפַּר שֵׁמוֹת מִבֶּן עֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה וָמַעְלָה לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָם
And they assembled the entire congregation on the first of the second month, and they declared their lineage by their families, by their fathers' house, by the number of the names, from twenty years old and upward, head by head.
Rashi: They brought their book of lineage and witnesses to the established facts of their births, each and every one, to trace his descent to his tribe.
1“And they assembled the entire congregation on the first of the second month, and they declared their lineage by their families, by their fathers' house.”1 Rashi explains: “They brought their book of lineage and witnesses to the established facts of their births, each and every one, to trace his descent to his tribe.”2 The Ramban objects: “It does not seem right that they would need to bring a document and witnesses for their descent from their tribes.”3
וְאֵת כָּל הָעֵדָה הִקְהִילוּ בְּאֶחָד לַחֹדֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִי וַיִּתְיַלְדוּ עַל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם (א, יח). פרש״י ז״ל, וַיִּתְיַלְדוּ עַל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם, הֵבִיאוּ סֵפֶר יִחוּסֵיהֶם וְעֵדֵי חֶזְקַת לֵידָתָן כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד לְהִתְיַיחֵס עַל הַשֵּׁבֶט. והרמב״ן הִקְשָׁה עַל זֶה וְכָתַב, וְאֵינֶנּוּ נִרְאֶה שֶׁיִּהְיוּ צְרִיכִים לְהָבִיא שְׁטָר וְעֵדִים עַל יִחוּסֵיהֶם לְשִׁבְטֵיהֶם.
In shortRashi says each Jew brought his book of lineage and witnesses to the census; the Ramban doubts such proof was needed.
2On this verse Chazal said: “When the Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah to Bnei Yisrael, the nations of the world were jealous of them. He silenced them and said to them, ‘Bring Me your book of lineage, as My children bring theirs,’ as it says, ‘and they declared their lineage by their families.’ For they were privileged to receive the Torah only because of their lineage.”4 But why are books of lineage needed at all? And how can the Torah depend on lineage, as these words imply?
וחז״ל (ילקוט שמעוני במדבר תרפ״ד) אָמְרוּ עַל זֶה הַפָּסוּק, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנָּתַן הקב״ה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה נִתְקַנְּאוּ אוּמוֹת עוֹלָם בָּהֶם, סָתַם הקב״ה אֶת פִּיהֶן, אָמַר לָהֶן הָבִיאוּ לִי סֵפֶר יוּחֲסִין שֶׁלָּכֶם כְּשֵׁם שֶׁבָּנַי מְבִיאִין, ״וַיִּתְיַלְדוּ עַל מִשְׁפְּחוֹתָם״, שֶׁלֹּא זָכוּ לִיטּוֹל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל הַיּוּחֲסִין שֶׁלָּהֶם. וְיֵשׁ לְהָבִין מַה צוֹרֶךְ יֵשׁ בְּסִפְרֵי יוּחֲסִין, וְכֵן מַהוּ זֶה שֶׁמַּשְׁמַע שֶׁתָּלוּי הַתּוֹרָה בְּיִיחוּס.
- Yalkut Shimoni, Bamidbar §684 (the sefer has §634). ↩
In shortHashem silenced the jealous nations by asking for their book of lineage; but why should receiving the Torah depend on lineage?
3aWe can explain this through what my holy great-grandfather, zt"l, wrote in his holy sefer Divrei Binah on the saying of Chazal “The Torah was given only to those who ate the manna.”5 But how can that be? We know that all the souls of Israel, of every generation until the very end, stood at Mount Sinai and received the Torah.6 What, then, does it mean that the Torah was given only to those who ate the manna, the generation of the wilderness?
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר הָעִנְיָן, עַל פִּי מַה שֶׁכָּתַב כ״ק זְקֵנִי זצללה״ה בְּסֵפֶר הַקָּדוֹשׁ דִּבְרֵי בִּינָה, עַל מַה שֶּׁאָמְרוּ חז״ל (תנחומא בשלח כ, וכגירסת רבינו בחיי שמות טז, טז. וכעין זה בבעל הטורים שמות כה, ב) לֹא נִיתְּנָה תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְאוֹכְלֵי הַמָּן, וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר דַּהֲלֹא יָדוּעַ שֶׁכָּל נִשְׁמוֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעֲתִידִים לִהְיוֹת עַד סוֹף כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת כּוּלָּם עָמְדוּ בְּמַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי וְקִיבְּלוּ הַתּוֹרָה, וּמַהוּ זֶה שֶׁאָמְרוּ שֶׁנִּיתְּנָה רַק לְאוֹכְלֵי הַמָּן שֶׁהֵם דּוֹר הַמִּדְבָּר.
3bThe meaning is this. Chazal said that the manna was absorbed into the limbs.7 Every food weighs the body down after it is eaten, but the manna had a special power: it did not weigh the body down at all, and even after eating, a person felt as if he had not yet eaten. This is what Chazal meant by “The Torah was given only to those who ate the manna.” A person must conduct himself the same way with the Torah. Even after he has been privileged to learn Torah and do mitzvos, he must still feel as if he had never learned in all his life. That is what Chazal meant: the Torah was given only to those who learn it and keep it in the way of those who ate the manna. Those are his holy words.
אֶלָּא הַכַּוָּונָה בָּזֶה, דְּהִנֵּה אָמְרוּ רז״ל (יומא עה, ב) שֶׁהַמָּן הָיָה נִבְלָע בָּאֵבָרִים, וְהַיְינוּ כִּי כָּל מַאֲכָל מַכְבִּיד עַל הַגּוּף אַחַר הָאֲכִילָה, אֲבָל הַמָּן הָיָה בּוֹ כֹּחַ מְיוּחָד שֶׁלֹּא הִכְבִּיד עַל הַגּוּף כְּלָל, וְאַף אַחַר הָאֲכִילָה הָיָה נִדְמֶה כְּאִילּוּ לֹא אָכַל עֲדַיִין. וְזֶהוּ כַּוָּונַת דִּבְרֵיהֶם ז״ל לֹא נִיתְּנָה תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְאוֹכְלֵי הַמָּן, הַיְינוּ שֶׁכֵּן צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת הַהַנְהָגָה לְגַבֵּי תּוֹרָה, שֶׁאַף לְאַחַר שֶׁזָּכָה לִלְמוֹד הַתּוֹרָה וְלַעֲסוֹק בַּמִּצְוֹות, מִכָּל מָקוֹם צָרִיךְ לְהַרְגִּישׁ כְּאִילּוּ לֹא לָמַד עֲדַיִין מֵימָיו. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁאָמְרוּ לֹא נִתְּנָה תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא לְלוֹמְדִים וּמְקַיְּימִים אוֹתָהּ כְּדֶרֶךְ אוֹכְלֵי הַמָּן, עכד״ק.
- Yoma 75b. The manna was absorbed entirely into the body, leaving no waste. ↩
In shortLike the manna, which left one feeling unfed, the Torah belongs to those who feel after much learning that they have not yet begun.
4This lets us understand Rashi's words, “they brought their book of lineage.” How can a person reach such a level, always thinking that he has not yet learned and not yet done mitzvos? By reflecting on the greatness of our holy forefathers. Then, when we take stock of ourselves, even after we have been privileged to learn and grasp a great deal, we see how far we are from the level of our forefathers. We come to recognize that we have not yet learned and done mitzvos as we should. This is a great foundation for reaching wholeness in avodas Hashem, the service of Hashem.
וְעַל פִּי זֶה יְבוֹאַר מַה שֶּׁכָּתַב רש״י הֵבִיאוּ סֵפֶר יוּחֲסִין, כִּי לָבוֹא לְמַדְרֵגָה כָּזֹאת לַחְשׁוֹב תָּמִיד שֶׁעֲדַיִין טֶרֶם לָמַד וְטֶרֶם עָשָׂה מִצְוֹות, זֶה יִתָּכֵן עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמִּתְבּוֹנְנִים בְּמַעֲלַת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ הַקְּדוֹשִׁים, וְעַל יְדֵי זֶה כְּשֶׁעוֹרְכִים חֶשְׁבּוֹן נֶפֶשׁ אֲפִילּוּ אַחַר שֶׁזּוֹכִים לִלְמוֹד וּלְהַשִּׂיג הַרְבֵּה, רוֹאִים עַד כַּמָּה אָנוּ רְחוֹקִים מִמַּעֲלַת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְאָנוּ בָּאִים לְהַכִּיר בְּכָךְ שֶׁעֲדַיִין טֶרֶם לָמַדְנוּ וְעָשִׂינוּ מִצְוֹות כִּדְבָעֵי, וְעִנְיָן זֶה הוּא יְסוֹד גָּדוֹל לְהַגִּיעַ עַל יָדוֹ לִשְׁלֵימוּת בַּעֲבוֹדַת ה׳.
In shortRashi's “book of lineage” teaches that reflecting on our forefathers keeps us feeling we have not yet begun, the foundation of wholeness.
5This lets us explain why Bnei Yisrael were counted “by their fathers' house” in particular. The count was not only to learn how many of them there were. By having them counted by their fathers' house and bring books of lineage, each one examining which holy forefathers he had, the Holy One, blessed be He, taught them that they must always remember and call to mind the greatness of their forefathers. As Chazal said in the early Midrash Tanna Devei Eliyahu, every single Jew must say, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?”8
וּבָזֶה יֵשׁ לְבָאֵר מַה שֶׁמִּנְיַן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיָה ׳לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם׳ דַּוְקָא, כִּי הַמִּנְיָן לֹא הָיָה רַק בִּכְדֵי לֵידַע אֶת מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא שֶׁבָּזֶה שֶׁהוּצְרְכוּ לִימָּנוֹת לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם וּלְהָבִיא סִפְרֵי יוּחֲסִין, וְהַיְינוּ לִבְדּוֹק כָּל אֶחָד אֵיזֶה אָבוֹת קְדוֹשִׁים הָיוּ לוֹ, בָּזֶה הוֹרָה לָהֶם הקב״ה לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָעִנְיָן הַנִּזְכָּר, שֶׁתָּמִיד צְרִיכִים לִזְכּוֹר וּלְהַעֲלוֹת בְּמַחְשַׁבְתָּם אֶת מַעֲלַת אֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ ז״ל (תנא דבי אליהו רבה כה) שֶׁכָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חַיָּיב לוֹמַר מָתַי יַגִּיעוּ מַעֲשַׂי לְמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתַי.
- Tanna Devei Eliyahu Rabbah, ch. 25. ↩
In shortCounting “by their fathers' house” taught every Jew to recall his holy forefathers and ask when his deeds will reach theirs.
6This is also what the Holy One, blessed be He, meant when He answered the nations of the world, “Bring Me your book of lineage.” He was telling them: How can you imagine receiving the Torah as Israel does? The indispensable foundation for receiving the Torah and keeping it at all times comes only through the merit and power of the forefathers. Through that merit and power, a person who has learned and done much will still pursue more, to reach wholeness; for when we call to mind who our forefathers were, we spur ourselves on to holy service. So only Bnei Yisrael, the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, can say, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?” But you have no such forefathers of whom you could say this. You lack this foundation, which is needed to receive the Torah, and so you cannot receive it.
וְזֶהוּ גַּם הַכַּוָּונָה בַּמֶּה שֶׁהֵשִׁיב הקב״ה לְאוּמוֹת הָעוֹלָם הָבִיאוּ לִי סֵפֶר יוּחֲסִין שֶׁלָּכֶם, הַיְינוּ שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם אֵיךְ יַעֲלֶה עַל דַּעְתְּכֶם לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה כְּיִשְׂרָאֵל, וַהֲרֵי הַיְּסוֹד הַמּוּכְרָח לְקַבָּלַת וְקִיּוּם הַתּוֹרָה תָּמִיד, הוּא דַּוְקָא עַל יְדֵי זְכוּת וְכֹחַ הָאָבוֹת, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי זֶה גַּם אַחַר שֶׁלָּמַד וְעָשָׂה הַרְבֵּה יִרְדּוֹף לְהַשִּׂיג עוֹד כְּדֵי לָבוֹא אֶל הַשְּׁלֵמוּת, שֶׁכְּשֶׁאָנוּ מַעֲלִים בְּזִכְרוֹנֵנוּ מִי הָיוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בָּזֶה אָנוּ מְזָרְזִין עַצְמֵנוּ לַעֲבוֹדַת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ. וּמִמֵּילָא רַק בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהֵם זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, הֵם אֶפְשָׁר לָהֶם לוֹמַר מָתַי יַגִּיעַ מַעֲשַׂי לְמַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתַי, אֲבָל אַתֶּם שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם אָבוֹת כָּאֵלּוּ שֶׁתּוּכְלוּ לוֹמַר כֵּן, מִמֵּילָא חָסֵר לָכֶם יְסוֹד זֶה הַנִּצְרָךְ לְקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה, וְעַל כֵּן אֵין אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִים לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה.
In shortWith no holy forefathers to measure themselves against, the nations lack the drive to keep growing that receiving the Torah requires.
7[We can also explain this through the words of my holy father and teacher, zt"l.9 He explained Rashi's words at the beginning of the parshah: “Out of His love for them, He counts them every hour.”10 How does counting them show the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, for Bnei Yisrael? His answer was that at times, when we are not privileged to do good deeds, Hashem joins our good thoughts and good desires to the deeds of the holy Avos. This is “Out of His love for them”: Hashem loves us, and so “He counts them every hour.” Counting means adding one number to another, so that together they make a large number. In the same way, Hashem counts our thoughts together with the deeds of our forefathers. This is hinted in the words “according to the number of Bnei Yisrael.”11 That is the gist of his words.]
*[עוֹד אֶפְשָׁר לְבָאֵר עַל פִּי אִמְרֵי קוֹדֶשׁ מכ״ק אאמו״ר זצלה״ה, שֶׁפֵּירֵשׁ עַל דִּבְרֵי רש״י בְּרֵישׁ הַפָּרָשָׁה, מִתּוֹךְ חִיבָּתָן לְפָנָיו מוֹנֶה אוֹתָם כָּל שָׁעָה, וְצָרִיךְ לְהָבִין אֵיךְ עַל יְדֵי שֶׁמְּנָאָן נִרְאֶה בָּזֶה חִיבָּתוֹ שֶׁל הקב״ה עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל. וּפֵירֵשׁ, שֶׁפְּעָמִים כַּאֲשֶׁר אֵין אָנוּ זוֹכִים לַעֲשׂוֹת מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים, אֲזַי הקב״ה מְצָרֵף אֶת הַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת טוֹבוֹת וְהָרְצוֹנוֹת הַטּוֹבִים שֶׁלָּנוּ עִם מַעֲשֵׂי הָאָבוֹת הַקְּדוֹשִׁים. וְזֶהוּ ׳מִתּוֹךְ חִיבָּתָן׳ שהקב״ה אוֹהֵב אוֹתָנוּ, ׳מוֹנֶה אוֹתָם בְּכָל שָׁעָה׳, הַיְינוּ כְּמוֹ שֶׁדֶּרֶךְ הַמִּנְיָן הוּא לְצָרֵף מִסְפָּר לְמִסְפָּר וְיַחְדָּיו הֵם נַעֲשִׂים לְמִסְפָּר גָּדוֹל, כְּמוֹ כֵן הקב״ה מוֹנֶה אֶת הַמַּחְשָׁבוֹת שֶׁלָּנוּ בְּיַחַד עִם מַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְזֶה מְרוּמָּז בְּדִבְרֵי הַכָּתוּב (דברים לב, ח) ״לְמִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל״, עכ״ד.
- The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
- Rashi on Bamidbar 1:1. ↩
- Devarim 32:8: “He set the borders of the peoples according to the number of Bnei Yisrael.” ↩
In shortHashem's loving “count,” the Rebbe's father taught, adds our good thoughts to the deeds of the Avos, as numbers add up to a great sum.
8[This makes it clear why books of lineage were needed for receiving the Torah. We must always be joined to the deeds of our forefathers; if, Heaven forbid, we had no merit of the forefathers, to whom would our deeds be joined? Because we accepted the Torah upon ourselves to keep it together with the merit of our forefathers, our acceptance of the Torah has strength and endurance. But the nations have no one to whom they could join their deeds.]
וּלְפִי זֶה מְבוֹאָר לָמָּה לְגַבֵּי קַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה נִצְרְכוּ סִפְרֵי יוּחֲסִין, כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָנוּ צְרִיכִים תָּמִיד לְהִצְטָרֵף לְמַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וּבְאִם ח״ו אֵין לָנוּ זְכוּת אָבוֹת עִם מִי נְצָרֵף מַעֲשֵׂינוּ, וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁקִּבַּלְנוּ עָלֵינוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה לְקַיְּימָהּ יַחַד עִם זְכוּת אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, בָּזֶה יֵשׁ כֹּחַ וְקִיּוּם לְקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה, אַךְ הַגּוֹיִים אֵין לָהֶם לְמִי לְצָרֵף מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם.
In shortLineage mattered at Sinai because our deeds endure only when joined to our forefathers' merit, and the nations have no one to join.
9[This lets us explain the Midrash on the verse “I am black, yet comely”: “Knesses Yisrael says: I am black in my deeds, yet comely in the deeds of my fathers.”12 But if Israel is black in its deeds, what good does it do that “I am comely in the deeds of my fathers”? The answer is that we are privileged to have the deeds of the Avos joined to the good thoughts of Israel. So even when “I am black in my deeds,” when we do not do our deeds properly, still, because “I am comely in the deeds of my fathers,” we can at least join our deeds to the deeds of our forefathers, and then our deeds will rise with favor before the Master of all.]
וּבָזֶה יְבוֹאֲרוּ דִּבְרֵי הַמִּדְרָשׁ עַל הַכָּתוּב (שיר השירים א, ה) ״שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי וְנָאוָה״, כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמֶרֶת שְׁחוֹרָה אֲנִי בְּמַעֲשֵׂי וְנָאוָה אֲנִי בְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתַי. וְצָרִיךְ בֵּיאוּר, דְּאִם יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵם שְׁחוֹרִים בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, מָה בְּכָךְ שֶׁנָּאוָה אֲנִי בְּמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתַי. אֶלָּא הֱיוֹת וְאָנוּ זוֹכִים שֶׁיִּצְטָרְפוּ מַעֲשֵׂי הָאָבוֹת לְמַחֲשָׁבוֹת הַטּוֹבוֹת שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, לָכֵן אֲפִילּוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲנִי שְׁחוֹרָה בְּמַעֲשֵׂי, שֶׁאֵין אָנוּ עוֹשִׂים מַעֲשֵׂינוּ כָּרָאוּי, אֲבָל מִכֹּחַ שֶׁאֲנִי נָאֶה בְּמַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתַי, לָכֵן אֶפְשָׁר לְכָל הַפָּחוֹת לְצָרֵף מַעֲשֵׂינוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ, וְאָז יַעֲלוּ מַעֲשֵׂינוּ לְרָצוֹן לִפְנֵי אֲדוֹן כָּל].
- Shir HaShirim 1:5; Shir HaShirim Rabbah there. ↩
In shortThough “black” in our own deeds, we can join them to the deeds of the Avos, and then they rise with favor before Hashem.
10So we learn that the foundation for receiving the Torah comes from the power of the Avos. May Hashem grant that we always say, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?” And may we bring near the end of days. Amen, may it be His will.
נִמְצֵינוּ לְמֵדִים, שֶׁהַיְּסוֹד לְקַבָּלַת הַתּוֹרָה הִיא מִכֹּחַ הָאָבוֹת. יִתֵּן ה׳ שֶׁתָּמִיד נֶאֱמַר מָתַי יַגִּיעוּ מַעֲשַׂי לְמַעֲשֵׂה אֲבוֹתַי, וּנְקָרֵב הַקֵּץ אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן:
In shortThe Rebbe prays that we, whose Torah rests on the Avos, always strive to reach their deeds and bring near the end of days.
Takeaway
The Torah was given to those who, like the generation that ate the manna, still feel after much learning and many mitzvos that they have not yet begun. We keep that feeling honest by opening our own book of lineage and asking, “When will my deeds reach the deeds of my fathers?” And when our deeds fall short, Hashem lovingly counts our good thoughts and desires together with the deeds of the Avos, so that they rise with favor before Him.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.