INSIGHT 5767 - #27 THE REALITY OF IGNORED REALITY Bamidbar
4:20 informs us that the Bnei Kehat, the
family of Kehat who were the Levi’im
entrusted with transporting the holiest vessels of the Mishkan,
were not allowed to watch as the Kohanim covered
these vessels in preparation for the move. This
translation is pursuant to Rashi’s
understanding of the verse. Rabbi Shimshon Raphael
Hirsch states that the Kehites were not
allowed to look as the vessels were being completely
wrapped up but, in effect, he is referring to the same
procedure as Rashi. Both are referring to the activity
that was to be undertaken by the Kohanim as
described in Bamidbar 4:5-14. When the Mishkan
had to be moved, it was the Bnei Kehat who were
entrusted with actually transporting the holiest of
items, yet it was the Kohanim who were entrusted
with packing the vessels for transport. What Bamidbar
4:20 is informing us is that the Kehites were not
allowed to watch the packing. Rabbi J.H. Hertz,
though, sees the prohibition on the Kehites in
somewhat of a different fashion. Indeed, it was the Kohanim
who were entrusted with the preparations necessary to
move the holy articles of the Mishkan but it
wasn’t exactly the packing that the Bnei Kehat
could not see. It was specifically the dismantling of the
Mishkan that the Kehites could not watch1
“as they would lose all reverence for the Sanctuary
if they were to witness it.”
Rabbi Hertz presents a most significant insight
into the search for truth. While we are called upon to
investigate reality, and determine proper behaviour
according to this investigation and the facts that we
uncover, this very same search can also yield some
negative consequences. Sometimes certain emotions, such
as reverence, are often only maintained with the
avoidance of certain truths. The Kehites could
only maintain a proper reverence towards the Mishkan
and its holy vessels if they never saw them being
dis-assembled and in parts. Many statements within Torah
present the same message. Rambam, Mishneh Torah,
Hilchot Talmud Torah 5:6 states that a talmid,
a student, cannot enter the bathhouse with his rebbi,
his teacher. As Rashi, T.B. Pesachim 51a, d.h. talmid
explains, washing with one’s teacher would lessen
the proper emotions of reverence due the teacher.2
My wife also reminded me of the famous words of T.B.
Sanhedrin 39a that explains why God put Adam to sleep
when he took a rib from Adam to create Chava.3
If Adam was awake during this procedure, and saw what
happened, he would have had feelings of repulsion toward
Chava. Sometimes, indeed, a certain perception within
reality demands of us to ignore what is also a part of
reality. Yet, this idea can also be taken to an improper
extreme and, even as we may recognize merit in this
perspective, we must also recognize its limitations and
its need for balance.
Many years ago, someone asked for my opinion in
regard to a tape on how to have a successful marriage.
One of the suggestions, on the tape, for ensuring a good
marriage was that a wife should always wake up one half
hour before her husband so that she is properly groomed
before her husband sees her. The continued message was
that a wife should ensure that her husband never sees her
without makeup. In a certain way, this suggestion would
seem to follow from the above lesson; the secret to a
good marriage would seem to be maintaining the mythology
that ensures only the most positive of emotions and the
avoidance of any reality that may challenge such
emotions. Yet, would such a marriage actually be a good
marriage? Should we not expect, in a good marriage, the
ability to maintain positive emotions even if the wife
does not have her makeup on? What do we think of a love
that is dependent on makeup? What do we think of a
reverence that is dependent on never seeing the object of
reverence in a certain state? Indeed love and reverence
are different emotions and may demand different
parameters for their proper expression but, nonetheless,
the essence of the question still remains. We maintain
certain visions within reality by directing our sight in
a certain, focused manner. How honest are these visions
of reality? When is it proper to maintain this focus and
when is this focus simply an attempt to maintain an
illusion? When, in fact, does this focus actually
prevent the development of a stronger and deeper emotion?
Of course, as evidenced by the sources presented
above, there is some truth to the assertion that we must,
at times, direct our focus, avoid the potential for the
negative and foster the development of a certain reality
by ignoring other aspects of reality. A wife who asserts
that ‘she never wears makeup because her husband
loves her anyway and the wearing of makeup would only
cheapen their love’ is also grossly mistaken. We do
need to focus our lens on reality to foster a proper
connection to reality. Yet, we must still also see the
broader perspective of reality. While the Kehites
were not to watch the dismantling of the Mishkan,
the Kohanim, those who performed the holiest
functions in the Mishkan, were the ones who
disassembled it. Should we not have been more concerned
about maintaining their reverence even more so than the
reverence of the Bnei Kehat? The kohanim,
through their dress and behaviour, understood the need to
focus the human emotion and create the reality that would
yield the proper framework for the human being to ascend
higher. Yet, in entrusting them with the task of
preparing the Mishkan for transport, the Torah
would seem to be informing us, as well, that, to truly
reach the heights, one must also see the reverence in the
totality of reality. As God did when He created Chava, it
is important to create the situation that ensures the
development of the proper emotions and the avoidance of
the negative. Yet our goal must go beyond this. We must
also continue to strive to ensure the existence of proper
emotions even in the face of the potential negative
effect of the totality of reality and existence. The gemora
further states that if the rebbi needs the talmid’s
assistance in the bathhouse, the talmid is
permitted to join the rebbi in the bathhouse. This
is not because we permit a drop in reverence due to the rebbi’s
need. Sometimes we are to create situations that foster
the desired, proper emotion. Sometimes, though, we are to
call upon our strength and commitment to the value of
this proper emotion so that it defines the situation.
.
Footnotes 1 Support for Rabbi
Hertz’s assertion is actually found in the words of Ibn
Ezra and Ramban. 2 See, also, the further
discussion in T.B. Pesachim 51a in regard to not
bathing with one’s father, father-in-law,
mother’s husband or sister’s husband. See,
further, Rashi, d.h. m’aviv. In regard to
this whole discussion, one should see, however, Kesef
Mishna, Hilchot Talmud Torah 5:6. 3 Bereishit 2:21. 8 Specific mention is made of
Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai as his being is also intertwined
with the Roman attempt to limit Torah and his yahrzeit
is marked on Lag B’Omer. 9 Is it not interesting that
the omer period today is also a time in which many
further mark a return to the land? © Nishma, 2007 Return to top |
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