Bamidbar 5774

“These are the generations/descendants of Aharon (Aaron) and Moshe (Moses) on the day the L-rd spoke to Moshe on Mount Sinai. These are the names of the sons of Aharon: Nadav and Avihu, Elazar and Itamar.” (Bamidbar/Numbers 3: 1-2)

Why does Torah name Aharon’s sons and not the sons of Moshe?

Citing Talmud (Sanhedrin 19b) Rashi writes: “They [Aharon’s sons] are considered the descendants of Moshe because Moshe taught them Torah. Whoever teaches Torah to the child of his fellow, it is as if he [the teacher] has given birth to him [the student].”

Rabbi A.L Scheinbaum in Peninim on the Torah gives the explanation of Harav Elimelech Moller: “Through the knowledge of Torah one becomes a new human being. The Torah one absorbs infuses him with new life, transforming him entirely… In Shemot (Exodus) 4:12, when Hashem instructs Moshe to go to Pharaoh, Hashem tells Moshe, ‘And I will teach you [horeiticha] what to say.’” Harav Moller notes that horeiticha is a derivative of haryon (pregnancy, gestation). Through His teaching, Hashem remakes Moshe into a new person capable of speaking to Pharaoh.

Rabbi Scheinbaum continues: “To teach is to create a new entity. It is to breathe new life into a person. Consequently, one who teaches Torah to a student is actually giving birth to him. Just as a father shares in the physical creation of his child, so, too, does the rebbe (Torah teacher) play a primary role in his spiritual conception.”

As parents, we are the primary teachers of our children. Torah (Devarim/Deuteronomy 6:7) says, “You shall teach them diligently unto your children.” Because few of us can home-school our children, we must entrust the job to teachers, rabbis and mentors, the best of whom will love our children and look out for them as much as we do. 

Bamidbar 5772

This week’s parsha opens the fourth book of Torah, Bamidbar (in the wilderness). Its English name is Numbers, relating to G-d’s request to conduct a census before He gives the Jewish people the Torah. In the third chapter, the Levites are counted: “These are the descendants of Moshe and Aharon… Nadav and Avihu died before the L-rd when they brought alien fire before the L-rd in the Sinai Desert, and they had no children.”

Why does Torah emphasize that Nadav and Avihu died childless?

Nadav and Avihu died supernatural and mysterious deaths. Torah tells in Vayikra/Leviticus (10:1) and repeats here, that they brought “alien fire” into the Holy Tabernacle. The Sages offer many explanations, most pointing to a lack of respect. Some say the brothers were intoxicated and violated the sanctity of a holy place; others say that they issued a legal ruling without consulting Moshe, the authority they should have respected.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand considers how one can measure the level of one’s own respectfulness. He answers: “By his children. If his children are disrespectful to him, he can be sure that he is not sufficiently respectful to others.”

Rabbi Frand cites Rav Wolbe’s Alei Shur, in which the Rav applies this concept to all areas of character development. “There is no greater factor in improving one’s midos [character traits] than having children.” Writes Rabbi Frand: “People have a tendency not to see their own flaws, but they see the flaws of their children all too well. And if they are intelligent, thinking people, they will realize they do not have to seek too far for the source of their children’s flaws, and they will make every effort to correct the situation.”

Rabbi Frand surmises that if Nadav and Avihu had children, they would have noticed if their children acted disrespectfully. They would have realized that as fathers, they themselves were to blame for their children’s poor behavior. Having children would have given them the opportunity to improve their own level of respectfulness.

This parsha always is read before Shavuot, the festival commemorating the giving of the Torah. (This year the holiday will be observed in the Diaspora on Saturday evening, May 26 and ends Monday evening, May 28.) The Midrash says that when G-d offers the Torah to the Jewish people He asks us to provide a guarantor, and we offer our children. In other words, we promise to faithfully study Torah and teach it to our children. As parents, this serves as our commitment to constantly seek out and eradicate our own character flaws, lest we inadvertently transmit them to our children.