A Leader Who Draws His Strength from All Israel
From the Torah ofRav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitzהרב דוד מתתיהו בן יחיאל יהושע רבינוביץProfile ›
Bamidbar 27:16
יִפְקֹד יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי הָרוּחֹת לְכׇל־בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל־הָעֵדָה
Let Hashem, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation.
1“Let Hashem, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation.”1 Notice the wording. Moshe began by asking Hashem to appoint a leader “for all flesh,” the very lowest level, yet he ended by asking for “a man over the congregation”: a leader for adas Yisrael, the congregation of Israel, which is a high level. As is well known, the level called “Yisrael” is the highest rank we find in Scripture.2
יִפְקוֹד ה׳ אֱלוֹקֵי הָרוּחוֹת לְכָל בָּשָׂר אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה (כז, טז). יֵשׁ לְדַקְדֵּק, דִּתְחִילָּה בִּיקֵּשׁ שֶׁיִּפְקוֹד ה׳ מַנְהִיג ׳לְכָל בָּשָׂר׳ שֶׁהִיא הַדַּרְגָּא הַנְּמוּכָה בְּיוֹתֵר, וּלְבַסּוֹף סִיֵּים שֶׁיִּהְיֶה ׳אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה׳ הַיְינוּ שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מַנְהִיג לִבְחִינַת עֲדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהִיא דַּרְגָּא גְּבוֹהָה, כַּנּוֹדָע דְּדַרְגַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא הַמַּעֲלָה הַגְּדוֹלָה בְּיוֹתֵר שֶׁמָּצִינוּ בַּמִּקְרָא (עיין זוהר ח״ג רי, ב).
In shortWhy does Moshe begin with a leader “for all flesh,” the lowest level, and end with “a man over the congregation,” Yisrael's high level?
2aWe can explain this through a teaching given in the name of the holy Rebbe R' Yitzchak Eizik of Zidichov, zt"l, on the verse “And Moshe went down from the mountain to the people.”3 These are his words: If a person is granted greatness and clarity of mind, he should not credit them to his good deeds, as though he had earned them by those deeds. He should credit them only to the merit of the forefathers or of Klal Yisrael: he was granted them through the merit of his forefathers, or in the merit of Bnei Yisrael who are joined to him. He should not credit them to his own good deeds, for this is the way of a tzaddik: to be lowly and despised in his own eyes. We know that “mountains” allude to the forefathers, as in the verse “I lift my eyes to the mountains,” heharim, which Chazal expounded as “to the parents,” hahorim.4
וְאֶפְשָׁר לְפָרֵשׁ עַל פִּי מַה דְּאִיתָא (אמרי יוסף מועדים שבועות דרוש יד) בְּשֵׁם הרה״ק רַבִּי יִצְחָק אייזיק מזידיטשוב זצללה״ה עַל הַכָּתוּב (שמות יט, יד) ״וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה מִן הָהָר אֶל הָעָם״, וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ, דְּהִנֵּה אִם בָּא לָאָדָם גְּדוּלָּה וּבְהִירוּת הַמּוֹחִין, לֹא יִתְלֶה בְּמַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים שֶׁעַל יָדָם זָכָה לָזֶה, רַק יִתְלֶה בִּזְכוּת אָבוֹת אוֹ בִּזְכוּת כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁזָּכָה לָזֶה עַל יְדֵי זְכוּת אֲבוֹתָיו אוֹ בִּזְכוּת עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הַנִּלְוִים אֵלָיו, אֲבָל לֹא יִתְלֶה שֶׁהוּא מִצַּד מַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים, כִּי כֵן דֶּרֶךְ אִישׁ צַדִּיק לִהְיוֹת שָׁפֵל וְנִבְזֶה בְּעֵינָיו. וְנוֹדַע כִּי הָרִים רוֹמֵז אֶל הָאָבוֹת, כְּטַעַם (תהלים קכא, א) ״אֶשָּׂא עֵינַי אֶל הֶהָרִים״, שֶׁדָּרְשׁוּ ז״ל (בראשית רבה סח, ב) אֶל הַהוֹרִים.
2bThis is the meaning of “And Moshe went down from the mountain to the people.” It goes without saying that while Moshe was on high he had no self-interest at all; but even as he went down, it was “from the mountain to the people.” He did not credit all he had attained to his good deeds, but to the merit of the forefathers, “from the mountain,” which alludes to their merit, as the Midrash explains in a similar case,5 or “to the people,” to the merit of Israel, the holy nation. This fits Rashi's explanation: “This teaches that Moshe did not go down to his own affairs.”6 That is, he did not say it came in the merit of his own “affairs,” meaning his good deeds, but “from the mountain to the people,” in the merit of the forefathers or in the merit of the people. So far his words. In other words, Moshe Rabbeinu, who was humble “more than any man,”7 always believed that he was head of Bnei Yisrael not by his own merit but by the merit of the forefathers or of Israel.
וְזֶה שֶׁכָּתוּב ״וַיֵּרֶד מֹשֶׁה מִן הָהָר אֶל הָעָם״, רָצָה לוֹמַר לָא מִבָּעֲיָא בְּעֵת שֶׁהָיָה מֹשֶׁה לְמַעְלָה וַדַּאי לֹא הָיָה לוֹ שׁוּם פְּנִיָּה, רַק אֲפִילּוּ בְּעֵת יְרִידָתוֹ הָיָה ׳מִן הָהָר אֶל הָעָם׳, רָצָה לוֹמַר לֹא תָּלָה שֶׁזָּכָה לְכָל זֶה עַל יְדֵי מַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים רַק תָּלָה שֶׁהוּא בִּזְכוּת אָבוֹת, הַיְינוּ ׳מִן הָהָר׳ שֶׁרוֹמֵז לִזְכוּת אָבוֹת (וכמבואר כיוצא בזה בשמות רבה כח, ב), ׳אֶל הָעָם׳ רָצָה לוֹמַר אוֹ בִּזְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם קָדוֹשׁ, וּכְפֵירוּשׁ רש״י ז״ל מְלַמֵּד שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה מֹשֶׁה יוֹרֵד לַעֲסָקָיו, רָצָה לוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא אָמַר שֶׁהוּא בִּזְכוּת עֲסָקָיו, הַיְינוּ בִּזְכוּת מַעֲשָׂיו הַטּוֹבִים, רַק ׳מִן הָהָר אֶל הָעָם׳, אוֹ בִּזְכוּת אָבוֹת אוֹ בִּזְכוּת הָעָם, עכ״ד. וְהַיְינוּ דְּמֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ שֶׁהָיָה עָנָיו מִכָּל הָאָדָם, הָיָה סָבוּר תָּמִיד שֶׁמַּה שֶּׁהוּא רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינוֹ מֵחֲמַת זְכוּתוֹ, אֶלָּא מֵחֲמַת זְכוּת אָבוֹת אוֹ מֵחֲמַת זְכוּת יִשְׂרָאֵל.
In shortA tzaddik credits his greatness to the merit of the forefathers or of the people, as Moshe came down “from the mountain to the people.”
3Along the same lines, the Tiferes Shlomo, in the name of the holy Rebbe R' Yeshayah of Pshedborz, explains the Mishnah's words “And the Kohanim and the people standing in the Courtyard, ba'azarah …,” and the Avodas Yisrael of the Maggid of Kozhnitz explains them in a similar way.8 The people stood in prayer and supplication to help the Kohen Gadol, the High Priest: they stood le'ezras, in his aid, praying that his service would be favorably accepted. Though he was the finest person in all Klal Yisrael, he still could not approach the holy place without the support and help of Bnei Yisrael, who gave him strength through their prayer and their service. And the Kohen Gadol himself, when he stood in the Holy of Holies performing the holy service, knew that it was not by his own merit but by the power of Bnei Yisrael, whose emissary he was. That is “the people standing ba'azarah”: Bnei Yisrael were helping, ozrim, with the Kohen Gadol's service. We, too, must know that through our own service we help the tzaddikim to serve the Creator, blessed be He.
וְעַל דֶּרֶךְ זֶה פֵּירְשׁוּ בַּסְּפָרִים הַקְּדוֹשִׁים (תפארת שלמה אחרי בשם הרה״ק רבי ישעיה מפרשעדבורז, ועיין עוד על דרך זה בעבודת ישראל ליום כיפור) אֶת מַה שֶׁשָּׁנִינוּ ׳וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה׳ (יומא סו, א), שֶׁהָעָם עָמְדוּ בִּתְפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּנִים לְעֶזְרַת הַכֹּהֵן הַגָּדוֹל שֶׁתְּקוּבַּל עֲבוֹדָתוֹ בְּרָצוֹן, כִּי אַף שֶׁהוּא הָיָה הַמּוּבְחָר הָאֱנוֹשִׁי שֶׁל כְּלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לֹא הָיָה בְּכֹחוֹ לָגֶשֶׁת אֶל הַקֹּדֶשׁ בִּלְתִּי סַעַד וְעֵזֶר מִבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ בּוֹ כֹּחַ בִּתְפִילָּתָם וַעֲבוֹדָתָם, וְאַף הַכֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בְּעֵת שֶׁעָמַד לִפְנַי וְלִפְנִים וְעָבַד עֲבוֹדַת הַקּוֹדֶשׁ יָדַע שֶׁאֵין זֶה מִזְּכוּתוֹ, אֶלָּא מִכֹּחַ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהוּא שְׁלִיחָם, וְזֶהוּ ׳הָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה׳ שֶׁבְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ עוֹזְרִים לַעֲבוֹדַת כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל. וּצְרִיכִים אָנוּ לָדַעַת, שֶׁאָנוּ בַּעֲבוֹדָתֵינוּ עוֹזְרִים לַצַּדִּיקִים לַעֲבוֹד אֶת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ.
- Yoma 66a; Tiferes Shlomo, Acharei; Avodas Yisrael, Yom Kippur. ↩
In shortThe people “standing ba'azarah” helped the Kohen Gadol's service with their prayers, and our service, too, helps the tzaddikim.
4On this basis we can explain “Let Hashem … of all flesh, appoint …” The leader of Israel draws his strength both from simple people, who correspond to “all flesh,” and from people of stature, to whom “the congregation” alludes. His strength comes from both together, just as “the people standing ba'azarah” helped the Kohen Gadol, and without their help he cannot lead Israel. That is why both “flesh” and “congregation” are mentioned here: to show that only the special man who knows how to credit his strength to all Israel together, and who attributes no importance to himself, is fit to lead the people.
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ ׳יִפְקוֹד ה׳ לְכָל בָּשָׂר׳, שֶׁמַּנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל מְקַבֵּל כּוֹחוֹ בֵּין מֵהָאֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת ׳כָּל בָּשָׂר׳, וּבֵין מֵאַנְשֵׁי הַמַּעֲלָה שֶׁהֵם בְּחִינַת ׳הָעֵדָה׳ הַמְּרַמֵּז לְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲלָה, וּמִכֹּחַ שְׁנֵיהֶם יַחַד בָּא כּוֹחוֹ שֶׁל מַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּבְחִינַת ׳הָעָם הָעוֹמְדִים בָּעֲזָרָה׳, וְלוּלֵא עֶזְרָתָם אֵין בְּיָדוֹ לִהְיוֹת מַנְהִיג לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וְלָכֵן נִזְכַּר כָּאן ׳בָּשָׂר׳ וְ׳עֵדָה׳, לְהַרְאוֹת הָעִנְיָן הַזֶּה שֶׁרַק הָאִישׁ הַמְיוּחָד הַזֶּה שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ לִתְלוֹת כּוֹחוֹ בְּכָל יִשְׂרָאֵל יַחְדָּיו וְלֹא לִתְלוֹת שׁוּם חֲשִׁיבוּת בְּעַצְמוֹ, הוּא זֶה הָרָאוּי לְהַנְהִיג אוֹתָם.
In shortA leader draws his strength from both “all flesh” and “the congregation,” and only one who credits them, not himself, is fit to lead.
5[There is a further way to explain this.9 Klal Yisrael includes two groups of people: simple people, and people of importance, the Torah scholars. Each group needs its own distinct kind of leadership, and the leader of Israel must have the powers to lead both groups at once; for this he needs great help from Heaven. That is the meaning of the words here: “for all flesh,” which alludes to the lower level, and “a man over the congregation,” the “eyes of the congregation,”10 the people of importance. Moshe asked the Holy One, blessed be He, to appoint over them a leader who could meet each one according to his spirit, these and those alike.11]
*[וְיֵשׁ לְבָאֵר עוֹד בְּאוֹפֶן אַחֵר. דְּהִנֵּה בִּכְלַל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֶשְׁנָם שְׁתֵּי כִּיתּוֹת אֲנָשִׁים, אֲנָשִׁים פְּשׁוּטִים, וַאֲנָשִׁים חֲשׁוּבִים תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, וּלְכָל אֶחָד מֵהֶם נִצְרֶכֶת הַנְהָגָה אַחֶרֶת וּמְיוּחֶדֶת, וּמַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לוֹ כּוֹחוֹת לְהַנְהִיג אֶת שְׁתֵּי כִּיתּוֹת אֵלּוּ גַּם יַחַד, וְלָזֶה צָרִיךְ עֲזָרָה גְּדוֹלָה מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וְזֶהוּ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כָּאן ׳לְכָל בָּשָׂר׳ הַמְּרַמֵּז לַדַּרְגָּא הַנְּמוּכָה, וְ׳אִישׁ עַל הָעֵדָה׳ בְּחִינַת עֵינֵי הָעֵדָה אֲנָשִׁים הַחֲשׁוּבִים, שֶׁבִּיקֵּשׁ מֹשֶׁה מהקב״ה שֶׁיְּמַנֶּה עֲלֵיהֶם מַנְהִיג כָּזֶה שֶׁיָּכוֹל לַהֲלוֹךְ כְּנֶגֶד רוּחָם שֶׁל אֵלּוּ וְשֶׁל אֵלּוּ.
- The sefer's note: An addition from another place. ↩
- Based on Bamidbar 15:24. ↩
- See Rashi on Bamidbar 27:18. ↩
In shortSimple Jews and Torah scholars need different leadership, so Moshe asked for a leader able, with Heaven's help, to lead both.
6[This lets us explain the Midrash.12 When Moshe Rabbeinu saw that the law of inheritance had been stated for the daughters of Tzelafchad, he said, “This is the time for me to claim greatness for my sons.” Moshe Rabbeinu reasoned as follows. The material things that the Holy One, blessed be He, gives a person pass to his sons by the law of inheritance, which shows that a father passes his power on to his son after him. If so, he can pass his powers on to his sons in spiritual matters too. But Hashem answered him that the leader of Israel must be endowed with two powers of leadership, for the simple people and for people of stature, as we saw with “all flesh” and “the congregation.” So although a father does pass spiritual powers on to his sons, to attain both these powers together a person must be one of the rare few, a man of many merits. That is why only Yehoshua, of whom it is said, “And his attendant Yehoshua, a young man, did not leave the tent,”13 had both these powers; he was the one fit to lead Israel.]
וּלְפִי זֶה יֵשׁ לְפָרֵשׁ מַה דְּאִיתָא בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (במדבר רבה כא, יד), שֶׁלְּאַחַר שֶׁרָאָה מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ שֶׁנֶּאֶמְרָה פָּרָשַׁת דִּין יְרוּשָּׁה בִּבְנוֹת צְלָפְחָד, אָמַר הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁאֶתְבַּע הַגְּדוּלָּה לְבָנַי. וְהַיְינוּ דְּדַעַת מֹשֶׁה רַבֵּינוּ הָיְתָה, דִּכְשֵׁם שֶׁבַּדְּבָרִים הַגַּשְׁמִיִּים שהקב״ה נוֹתֵן לָאָדָם, עוֹבְרִים הֵם לַבָּנִים מִדִּין יְרוּשָּׁה, אִם כֵּן מוּכָח שֶׁהָאָב מוֹסֵר כֹּחַ לִבְנוֹ אַחֲרָיו, אִם כֵּן גַּם בַּדְּבָרִים הָרוּחָנִים יָכוֹל לִמְסוֹר כּוֹחוֹתָיו לְבָנָיו. אַךְ הקב״ה הֵשִׁיב לוֹ, שֶׁמַּנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מְחוֹנָן בִּשְׁנֵי כּוֹחוֹת שֶׁל הַנְהָגָה הֵן לִפְשׁוּטֵי עַם וְהֵן לְאַנְשֵׁי מַעֲלָה כָּאָמוּר, וְעַל כֵּן אַף שֶׁהָאָב מוֹרִישׁ כּוֹחוֹת רוּחָנִיִּים לַבָּנִים, אֲבָל כְּדֵי לִזְכּוֹת לִשְׁנֵי הַכּוֹחוֹת אֵלּוּ גַּם יַחַד, צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת אִישׁ מִיְּחִידֵי סְגוּלָּה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ הַרְבֵּה זְכוּיוֹת, וְעַל כֵּן רַק יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בּוֹ ״וּמְשָׁרְתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ נַעַר לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאוֹהֶל״ (שמות לג, יא) הוּא זֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ אֶת שְׁנֵי הַכּוֹחוֹת הַלָּלוּ וְהוּא הָרָאוּי לִהְיוֹת מַנְהִיג יִשְׂרָאֵל].
In shortMoshe hoped his sons would inherit leadership as property is inherited, but leading both groups takes rare merit, which only Yehoshua had.
7We stand now in the days of Bein HaMetzarim, the Three Weeks between the seventeenth of Tammuz and Tishah B'Av. The Avodas Yisrael gives a parable of a king who went into exile. While he is in exile, anyone can come close to him, unlike the times when he sits in his own palace and only ministers and a select few can come before him. So too in the days of Bein HaMetzarim, when the King of the kings of kings goes into exile, as it were, it is easier to reach the King. That is why in these days we must take good resolutions upon ourselves. May Hashem grant that we soon be privileged to see the Beis HaMikdash rebuilt. Amen, may it be His will.
וְהִנֵּה אָנוּ עוֹמְדִים כָּעֵת בִּימֵי בֵּין הַמְּצָרִים, וְאִיתָא בַּעֲבוֹדַת יִשְׂרָאֵל מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָלַךְ בַּגּוֹלָה, שֶׁבִּזְמַן גָּלוּתוֹ יְכוֹלִים כּוּלָּם לְהַגִּיעַ וְלָגֶשֶׁת אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ, שֶׁלֹּא כִּבְעֵת שֶׁיּוֹשֵׁב בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ בְּאַרְמוֹנוֹ, שֶׁאָז רַק שָׂרִים וִיחִידֵי סְגוּלָּה יְכוֹלִים לָבוֹא אֵלָיו. וּכְמוֹ כֵּן בִּימֵי בֵּין הַמְּצָרִים שֶׁמֶּלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הוֹלֵךְ בַּגָּלוּת כִּבְיָכוֹל, אֶפְשָׁר לְהַגִּיעַ יוֹתֵר בְּנָקֵל אֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ. לָכֵן צְרִיכִים בְּיָמִים אֵלּוּ לְקַבֵּל עַל עַצְמֵינוּ קַבָּלוֹת טוֹבוֹת. יְהִי רָצוֹן שֶׁנִּזְכֶּה בְּקָרוֹב לְבִנְיַן בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, אָמֵן כֵּן יְהִי רָצוֹן.
In shortIn Bein HaMetzarim the exiled King is near to all, the Avodas Yisrael teaches, so in these days we must take on good resolutions.
Takeaway
Whatever greatness or clarity we are granted is not a prize for our own deeds; Moshe credited it to the merit of the forefathers or of the people. Even the Kohen Gadol in the Holy of Holies stood there on the strength of the people's prayers, and our own simple service helps the tzaddikim of our generation. In the Three Weeks, when the exiled King is close to everyone, this is the time to take on good resolutions.
Learn this in the merit of Rav Dovid Matisyohu Rabinowitz. His yahrzeit and life ›
English translation, notes and summaries © Zechusam.