Parasha of the Week

  So much of Torah speaks to the heart and so much of it does not resonate with us.  The practices which we no longer follow feel archaic and meaningless.  Here, read what the midrash makes of one of these passages: "He also said, "From the rising of the sun until the setting of the sun, My Name is great among the nations; and in every place offerings are presented in My Name, even pure sacrifices." [The above section is quoted and seems to say that even in the diaspora the Jewish people are faithful with their offerings.  But, we know this is not so: the sacrifices were  only  offered in the holy city of Jerusalem.] "Now are there sacrifices and the giving of handfuls of flour along with sacrifices rising in the smoke of Babylonia?  [Of course not.]  What then is being referred to? "The Mishna.  The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'When I see My children engaged in the study of Mishna, it is as if you were offering up to Me sacrifices." ...

  “Rashi relates that the donkey who rebuked Bilaam died immediately afterwards, so that people would not point to the donkey and (say), “This is the donkey that rebuked Bilaam and left him speechless.” The humiliation of Bilaam by the donkey remaining alive would not have been in keeping with the dictates of k'vod habriyot , human dignity, and so the donkey died. Had the donkey remained alive, it might have been an opportunity to glorify God’s miraculous powers. People everywhere would have pointed at the donkey as testimony to God’s wonders.  Midrash says that this talking donkey was one of the things created before the creation of the world, ready for just this moment. Yet, so as not to embarrass a man, even a man of such low character as Bilaam, the donkey was not allowed to remain alive.” The rabbis place a priority value on human dignity, on honoring each individual as a spark of the divine.   

Our Torah portion deals with two dramatic instances of individual passion and initiative. One, the initiative of Pinhas, was recounted in last week’s portion. Pinhas’ act is a violent reaction at a moment of crisis. It averts a national disaster. The beginning of this week’s reading gives God’s reaction to Pinhas’ act.  The second act of initiative is that of the daughters of a man called Tzlof’had . Their story is begun this week and continues into next week’s reading.  In both of these cases an individual or a small group of individuals does something unbidden by the rules of their society at that moment. The repercussion of Pinhas’ initiative is that Pinhas is given special recognition and a special mission, to be the bearer of God’s “Covenant of Peace.” But, in truth, since Pinhas was already in direct priestly line from Aaron, his new status had little effect on the community or on the future of the Jewish people.    The case of the daughters of Tzlof’had ...