A Question of Attitude

In the middle of Parashas Beha'aloscha we find two psukkim set off from the rest of the parasha by inverted letters "nun" (gematria nun = 50).  These two psukkim of Vayehi binsoah ha'aron and Uvenuchu yomar shuva Hashem (Bamidbar, 10, 35,36) do not belong here, and should have been placed fifty chapters earlier, in parashas Bamidbar.  The reason that they are placed here is kedai lehafsik bain pur'anus lepur'anus, in order to pause between two calamities (Rashi 10,35).
When we examine the psukkim, we do find one apparent pur'anus after these psukkim:

Vayehi ha'am k'misonenim.. vativ'ar bam eish Hashem..
"and when the people were complaining.. and the fire of Hashem burned among them"

Vayis'u mei'har Hashem..",
And they travelled away from the mountain of G-d",
b'simcha, ketinok haborei'ach mibais hasefer, amru shemah yarbeh veyitain lanu mitzvos,
with joy, as an infant flees from school, saying lest He give us more mitzvos!

This fleeing with glee from Har Sinai, alas, turned out to be a great calamity.  Thus far, the Torah relates the preparations to enter Eretz Yisrael.  Chumash Shemos - the redemption and its culmination with Matan Torah.  The redemptive process was set back by the chait ha'egel, the golden calf, which caused the Divine Presence to depart.  The building of the Mishkan  brought the Shechina back.  Sefer Vayikra deals with the laws concerning the Kohanim and korbanos, sacrifices,  This all brings us to Sefer Bamidbar.  In the first parshios of Bamidbar and Naso, the nation was counted and the encampments were set up, everything was set and ready to proceed to the Promised Land.  In Parashas Beha'aloscha, the tempo of the preparation increased;  the leviim were sanctified, the silver trumpets were prepared for battle "in your land", Moshe Rabbainu even said to his father-in-law, Yisro, Nos'im ANACHNU el hamakom asher omar Hashem.., "WE are travelling to the place that Hashem said..,  And the aron travelled in front of the camp a journey of three days in order to seek for them a resting place...

Within three days they were to have arrived.

But Am Yisrael fled from Har Hashem, fearful of receiving more Mitzvos.
Because of this, the entire direction turned, and a chain of events began that ended with  chait hameraglim, the sin of the spies.  The entering into the land was then delayed for thirty-eight years, the whole generation of the desert died out, and Moshe Rabbainu did not enter and was not Mashiach.  Alas.

It all starts out with a question of attitude.

When a Mitzvah is done out of Ahavas Hashem, out of love, out of a true desire to fulfil Hashem's will, and to cleave unto Him, one doesn't look for exemptions, to avoid the burden.

In this parasha itself, we find two examples of Kiyum Mitzvos mitoch Ahava:
 

1)Lama nismecha parashas hamenorah l'parashas hanesi'im?  lefi shekeshera'ah Aharon chanukas hanesi'im, chalsha az da'ato b'shelo haha imahem...
Why is the topic of the menorah next to the portion about the princes?  Because when Aharon saw the inauguration done by the princes, he became grieved that he had not taken part in this mitzvah..

2)Vayehi anashim asher hayu tema'im lenefesh adam velo yachlu la'asos hapesach bayom hahu.. Vayomeru ha'anashim hahaima..LAMA NEEGARA..?!
And there was men that were temai'ai mes and were unable to bring the korban pesach on that day (the 14th of Nissan).. And those men said.. WHY SHOULD WE BE LEFT OUT..!?
These men had been occupied with a mitzvah (carrying the coffin of Yosef Hatzaddik) and therefore were TRULY EXEMPT from the mitzvah of Korban Pesach.  However, this excuse did not satisfy their deep desire to draw close to Hashem through whatever mitzvah possible.  They actually agonized over the fact that they missed an opportunity.

We must strive to fulfil Mitzvos out of a desire for an opportunity to cleave to Hashem.  If a mitzvah is done out of habit, or just in order to fulfil an obligation that is imposed  upon us and we are compelled to do for external reasons, there is a basic FLAW in the mitzvah.

It may seem like a minor and sublet difference, after all,  both are fulfilling the Mitzvah, whether out of love, or out habit and social norms,  why scrutinize with a magnifying glass??

From Parashas Beha'aloscha, we see that it does make all the difference.  It is a totally different direction that the doer faces: one is marching with his face toward "the Promised Land", the other, chas veshalom is facing the opposite direction.  At the outset, they might be standing near each other.  As time goes on, however, the gap keeps widening.

Practically speaking, there is a tendency in today's age for people to identify and affiliate themselves with a religious "circle", and to set their "religious" behaviour and standards in accordance with the "norms" of their group.  This is true for all the groups.

We can learn from this week's sedra that no matter what label we give ourselves, no label exempts anyone from our obligations as members of Hashem's nation. Tznius, modesty  and Yiras Shomayim, fear of G-d apply to all, even if external standards vary from "group" to "group".  The obligation of Torah study applies to all, even if each group wears a different outfit; clothing exempts no one from this most basic mitzvah. Clothing also cannot discharge a person from the most scrupulous standards of bein adam l'chavairo, in his dealings with his fellow Jew.
The list goes on.

And Shmittah is approaching.  What is our attitude?  Are we looking for the least hassle and the easiest way out?  Or is this not a most wonderful opportunity and PRIVILEDGE to declare that Hashem owns the Land, and that we desire to adhere to fulfilment of this mitzvah in its most sublime and direct way, with no compromises.

It is all a question of attitude.
 

A gutten Erev Shabbos,
from Yerushalayim Ir haKodesh.

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