Rose Colored Glasses

 B’haalot’cha

Num. 8:1 - 12:16

 

Précis: The parasha begins with a description of the making of the seven-branched menorah, a central Jewish symbol. Next, the Levites are given specific directions for their duties. The parasha returns to narrative with a recounting of a second Passover celebration (required because some of the Israelites had been ritually impure when the first anniversary of Passover was celebrated). Following is a discussion of the making of silver trumpets. The cloud of God’s Presence lifts, and the march of the People through the wilderness of Sinai begins, led by the Ark of the Covenant. The people began to murmur, this time about a lack of meat. God provides, but the People are struck with a plague. This time, even Miriam and Aaron seem to have complaints about Moses, cast in terms of their critique about his “Cushite woman.” Moses is stressed by the demands of leadership.

 

Num. 11:4-5 “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.”

            The People began to “murmur” almost immediately after receipt of the Torah at Sinai and the dedication of the Mishkan, putting on their rose-colored glasses to recall the “wonders” of their lives as slaves in Egypt. They are castigated by Moses, but their actions are repeated today by anyone who looks back to the “good old days” when things were "so much better" than they are today.

            But facts betray these mis-remembered wonders of society. Some feel that the glory days of the United States were somewhere in the hazy memory of the 1950’s. To which I respond: really?

            Let’s see. There is little if any doubt that the standard of living of virtually all Americans has improved significantly since that time. At the start of that decade, 1/3 of American households lacked toilets and running water. Now our concerns are whether those living at the bottom ranks of economic levels have sufficient access to high-speed internet.  Death from childhood diseases were common then, and now we have vaccines which prevent those deaths (even as some reject the idea of vaccinations).  Since that fabled decade, minority rights were enacted into law, equality of opportunity for people of color, for women, and the LGBTQ+ community became if not a reality than at least quite a bit closer. The adoption of Medicare and Medicaid not only improved our national health, but also lifted tens of millions out of health-related poverty.

            Those who today seek to reverse those gains are those who cannot understand, appreciate, or abide by the radical shift in so much of our lives. They seek an authoritarian figure who will wave a wand (or make outrageous promises) to return us to those “wonderful days” when the ideal (white and Protestant) family consisted of 3 kids, when a dad came home to his wife preparing dinner, and when quotas existed not only against people of color, but also against Jews. We cannot afford to give in to those who would again murmur for cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.

Numbers are important

 B’midbar

Num. 1:1 - 4:20

 

Précis: B’midbar is an amalgamation of the narrative of wilderness wanderings (including the stories of the spies, Korach’s rebellion, Balaam’s donkey, and the sin of Moses), sacrificial requirements, the establishment of Israel’s moving camp, and census data.

                As B’midbar (“in the wilderness”) begins, Moses is directed to take a census (“take the number”) from which the English name (Numbers) of the Book derives. A detailed listing of the numbers of each tribe follows; each tribe is apportioned a particular location in the camp. A listing of the Levitical families then follows, together with the beginning of a discussion of their duties.                

                B’midbar, according to Rabbi Plaut, continues the narrative from Exodus (which was largely interrupted by Leviticus), and begins about a year after the liberation, covering the wandering in the desert. He notes that details are provided for only the first and last years, with the “middle” 38 left mostly to our imaginations. The focus of the Book appears to “point to this moment when Israel is poised to take possession of its inheritance.” 

 

Num. 1:1 - 2 “And Adonai spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai… saying, ‘Take the number of the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their father’s houses, according to the number of names, every male, by their polls.’”

 

Numbers are important. This week, the number of surviving hostages in Gaza remains a mystery. And while the number of dead Palestinians is great, we cannot forget that it is Hamas terrorists who are responsible for their demise. When we think back to what we call the “greatest generation” who prevailed against the Nazis and the Japanese in WWII, we should remember the number of our brave combatants who died in defense of our country. The number of dead, yes, even “innocent civilians,” was huge, almost unimaginable. Yet, those deaths destroyed the idea that one nation can rule others with impunity, and only came with the unconditional surrender of both Germany and Japan.It was proof that an evil ideology can be eradicated.

            An unconditional surrender by Hamas and the release of all hostages would mean the end of a movement which terrorizes its own people and calls for the extermination of the Jewish State and the Jewish People. Nothing more, nothing less.