Naso 5774

“And it was that on the day Moshe (Moses) finished erecting the Mishkan (Tabernacle)…” (Bamidbar/Numbers 7:1)

Why does Torah credit Moshe with erecting the Mishkan when another man, Betzalel, was the G-d-appointed artisan who carried out the work?

Writes Rashi: “Scripture credits Moshe with it because he utterly devoted himself to it, overseeing that the design of each article conformed with what he was shown on the mount [Sinai], to instruct the craftsmen, and he did not err in any design.” In other words, Moshe had the vision, the self-sacrifice and devotion to ensure that the building project was finished, and that it was carried out the right way. While Moshe did not take part in the construction, he deserves to get the credit for taking responsibility and being accountable for the project’s completion.

As parents who wish our children to succeed and excel, we may be tempted to take over their homework and school projects so our children will get better grades. Rabbi Yechezkel Freundlich in a video on www.aish.com warns against this dishonest and dangerous practice: “If we do their work, who is accountable? They will learn to be responsible if we let them be responsible. They will make mistakes. They will suffer the consequences. If we allow our children to be responsible, they will be the Moshes of the Jewish people.”

http://www.aish.com/tp/pak/parenting/Robbed_of_Responsibility.html

Naso 5773

In his discussion of the Haftorah for Naso (Shoftim/Judges 13: 2-25), Rav Yissocher Frand writes about Rav Shimon Schwab’s “novel interpretation” of the Haftorah’s account of an angel appearing to Manoach and his barren wife to announce that they would have a special child, a lifetime Nazirite who would fight against the Philistine oppressors.

The angel appears first to Manoach’s wife. When she tells Manoach, he prays to G-d for the angel to reappear and tell him how to raise the child. The angel has already given the future mother the necessary instructions on how to raise a Nazirite – as her Nazirite son would, she should abstain from wine and grapes from before conception forward. Rav Schwab asks, what more did Manoach need to know?   

The angel returns and tells Manoach: "From everything that I warned your wife, guard (tishamer). Do not consume that which comes from the grape of the vine…" Asks Rav Schwab, so what in fact is new in the angel's answer? He just seems to be repeating what he already told Manoach's wife.

Rav Schwab explains that Manoach does not have a question regarding the laws of being a Nazirite. He asks a question regarding chinuch, the laws of raising children. Manoach asks, “Can I raise a Nazirite, if I myself am not a Nazirite?" Could he raise a child to do things that he does not do himself?

Writes Rav Frand: “According to Rav Schwab, the angel responded, ‘Yes, in fact, you must also observe these laws yourself.’ This is an elementary principle in child rearing, but it is a tremendously novel interpretation of the verse in our Haftorah. In Hebrew grammar, the verb tishamer, which appears in the angel's instructions to Manoach, can be interpreted in one of two ways. The standard interpretation is ‘she should guard herself’ (third person, referring to Manoach's wife). Rav Schwab interprets the word in accordance with the second possible translation: ‘You should guard yourself’ (second person, referring to Manoach).”

The angel delivers a basic parenting principle: the only way for parents to teach is by our own example. If we want to raise decent and honest Jewish people then we, ourselves, must be decent and honest Jewish people.

http://torah.org/learning/ravfrand/5762/naso.html

Naso 5772

This week’s parsha is the longest in Torah. Its length is due to an account of each of the twelve tribal chieftains bringing their offerings to dedicate the Mishkan (Holy Tabernacle). While each chieftain gives exactly the same gift of 35 items, Torah repeats each chieftain’s identical offering. “The one who offered his offering on the first day was Nachshon the son of Aminadav, of the tribe of Yehudah. And his offering was one silver dish weighing 130 shekels, one silver bowl of 70 shekels…On the second day offered Nethanel the son of Tzuar of the tribe of Issachar. And his offering was one silver dish weighing 130 shekels, one silver bowl of 70 shekels…”

Why does Torah spend 72 verses repeating the offerings of each individual chieftain when each of them offers exactly the same gift?

The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 13, 14) explains that although each chieftain gives identical gifts, each one experiences the dedication of the Mishkan differently. The items might be the same, but each item holds a symbolism unique to the tribe that offers it. Items are symbolically linked with a personality or event in Jewish history or a concept in Jewish faith or practice that carries special meaning for an individual tribe and reflects the distinctive essence of the tribe.  In this way, each chieftain has his own intention when he makes his tribe’s contribution.  From this, we understand that it is not the gift, but the spiritual intention behind the gift that is significant.

Although the gifts are identical, the Ramban explains that each is uniquely precious to G-d. For that reason, G-d orders that the gifts be given on 12 successive days. He wants to give equal honor to each chieftain.

As parents, we must recognize that each achievement a child makes is unique to that child.  Although big brother may also have won the spelling bee when he was little sister’s age, the children each accomplished this feat in a different manner. Each approached the goal differently, and each experienced different challenges along the way.

When one child presents her parents with a challah cover she has made, and her older sibling made and presented a challah cover the previous year, we parents must remember not to compare one gift to the other, and should make as big a deal about the second challah cover as the first.

Likewise, as parents, we should teach our children the proper and gracious way to acknowledge the gifts they receive. No matter how they perceive the gift -- big or small, appropriate or inappropriate, wanted or not -- we should teach them to appreciate the intention of the giver and the spirit in which the gift was given.