“Hashem spoke to Moshe saying: “Take the staff and gather together the assembly . . .  and speak to the rock before their eyes that it give its waters . . . Moshe took the staff from before Hashem. . . . raised his arm and struck the rock with his staff twice; abundant water came forth  . . . [Then]Hashem said to Moshe and Aahron, ‘Because you did not believe in Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you will not bring this congregation to the land that I have given them….”.(Chukas: 20:7-).

               Let us ask what can we possibly learn from this episode that we can apply to our lives today, especially because about forty years earlier Moshe was actually asked to hit the stone as it is written: “I (Hashem) shall stand before you by the rock in Horeb; you shall strike the rock and water will come forth from it and the people will drink.”  (Beshalach 17:6)?

               The following moshal will hopefully address this question at one level: When a child runs out into the street without looking to see if it is safe, the proper and loving course of action is to hit his child just hard enough so that he will remember not to do such a dangerous thing in the future.

                However if an adult who is capable of understanding “cause and effect” relationships, jumps out into the street without looking, a more effective approach would be to speak to him rationally pointing out the potential deleterious consequences of such actions.

                   Perhaps, we can therefore learn from these two similar events a very profound lesson: What was appropriate for our fledgling nation to see and experience, at the beginning of their forty year spiritual metamorphosis, was Moshe’s hitting the stone with his staff in order to bring forth of water. This course of action, although still clearly a miracle, at least had the trappings of a physical “cause and effect” relationship of the hitting the stone causing the water to flow from it.

                 However after nearly forty years of spiritual “education” our nation had reached the exalted level to well realize the spoken word alone, especially words of Torah and tefillah, have power to override natural cause and effect, as in this case of bringing out water from a rock through the power of the spoken word.

                    Also there is to wonder why a stone was specifically chosen to facilitate the miracle rather than some other entity like a tree? Perhaps from here we can learn that if a rock which has no perceivable life force can bring forth a wellspring of water, how much more so can any person even if they appear to have a “heart of stone” can become a “wellspring” that brings forth for effervescent mitzvos and good deeds.                 

                  Isn’t it interesting the similarity between the opening words of this week’s Parsaha Shelah leka which is the tragic story of the meraglim commanded to spy out the land  of Eretz Israel and the Parsha of Lek leka which is the glorious story of Avraham Avinu when he was commanded to go from his land, relatives and fathers house “to the land that I will show you”  which is the same Eretz Israel.

                The episodes of Avraham Avinuv and the meraglim represent the quintessential inner battle that each of us experiences when we are faced with “giant” challenges. There is the meraglim’s conditionally calculated pragmatic side of us that lobbies for a profit/loss analysis to see how beneficial the proposal is, and then there is our soul’s perspective which is steadfastly ready to follow the banner of Hashem without conditions or reward.  Perhaps therefore these two stories can be seen, within their open words of: “Shelah leka” – “send (in)to you” and “Lek leka” – “go (in)to you” as our prototype “battle” that confronts us whenever we attempt to “conquer” our inner “psychological foes”.

            Who are these “giants” and how can we overcome them? These “giants” are all of the conscious and subconscious illusions and delusions that fester within our corporeal “psychic fortresses and emotional garrisons” which conjure up futile worrying and toxic doubts within the fertile “soil” of our “minds and hearts”.

                Avraham Avinu’s  and the meraglim’s journey into Eretz Israel are the stories of our microcosmic and macrocosmic souls entering into higher realms of holiness. Avraham Avinu symbolizes the essence of our pure soul, whose “armaments” are emuna and betoken which are launched from the “platform” of the Torah, whereas the meraglim are emblematic of the sophisticated intellect whose “weapons” are rational discernment which are created from the launching pad of self-determination. Therefore the souls of Avraham Avinu, Yehoshua and Calav saw the “giant” foreign influences as inconsequential, while the meraglim saw themselves as grasshoppers in a world of “giants”. Therefore instead of feeling like helpless grasshoppers when we stand before “giant” barriers, we should use our spiritual “legs” of emuna and bitokin to hurdle over any obstacles that are sent our way.  

             When Hashem gives us Torah directed opportunities to strive for a new level of kiddusha, as was the case in entering Eretz Israel – we should neve allow worries and doubts such as we are too old or too weak or too poor or too busy or too late or it is too much bother but instead react like Kalev and Yehoshua that if Hashem wills it, we are never too old, too weak, too poor, too busy, too late and it is never too much bother.

            The eternal Torah, whose every word or even letter is replete with deep meaning and profound impact in our lives, transmits to us elaborately (spanning over one hundred passukim in Parshas Bamidbar, Nasso,  Behaaloscha [and then further in Parshas Korach] (perek 1  passukim 47 – 54; perek 3 : 5-51; perek 4: 1-49, perek 8: 5-26 and 18-21-32) the designation, separation, elevation of  the tribe of Leviim. “The Levities according to their father’s tribe were not counted among them.” – that being the rest of the Jewish Nation.  “Hashem spoke to Moses saying, ‘but you should not count the tribe of Levi, and you shall not take a census of them among the Children of Israel. You shall appoint the Levities over the Mishkan of Ha’edus, over all its utensils and everything that belongs to it”      

                       Rashi, our most illustrious commentator, tells us that the Leviim merited this elevated status because of their loyalty and courage in the incident of the Golden Calf (1:49). / The entire tribe of Levi refused to participate in that sin proving their unswerving dedication to The Creator of the Universe.

              The Ramban further enlightens us – “The task of the Levities was not so much to protect the Mishkan [and Bais HaMigdash] as a militia, but rather to serve as an honor guard, as befits the royal palace” (1:53). / The Jewish people’s task is to be an instrument of recognition of Hashem and His will in this world. Chazal tell us that a true King only assumes status as a ruler if there exists a nation that acknowledges and follows His decrees. / Thus Leviim in all generations are those Jews who steadfastly keep their focus on proper, enthusiastic service of Hashem through His Torah.

                  The Leviim’s duty in the Mishkan/Bais HaMigdash was to assist the Kohanim – among other ways by singing and playing musical instruments as korbonos were brought. Today the sound of  our voices and music, if expressed sincerely, is an inner expression of our soul’s yearning to come close to the Creator. Song also expresses the fact that the total harmony of the universe is under the absolute control and guidance of Hashem.

             The Divine service of Leviim represents the part of each of us that links us forever with our spiritual purpose in this world. Rashi, on the same passuk, tells us: that “from this time on, the Leviim were to be separated from the rest of the nation and elevated to a new status.” The Seforno, (also on this passuk) informs us that: “because the Leviim would be performing their service on behalf of the nation, the rest of the people would have the obligation to support them, by giving them tithes.”

           An Art Scroll commentary explains it thus: “Those who serve the people by filling their responsibilities in the Tabernacle, by teaching the Torah, or by performing any other spiritual tasks are not to be regarded as supplicants. It is national responsibility to provide for those who carry out the spiritual obligations of the rest of the people.”

             The Leviim were counted from one month and upward – with no limit to age indicating that their spiritual mission is not dependent on age or strength (3:15). The Rambam describes the mission of the Leviim in Hilchos Shemittah and Yovel  (13: 12-13) “They are the legion of Hashem, whose task is to serve Him and to teach His Torah and way of life to others.” He adds : “Any who follows the example of the Leviim becomes sanctified as kodesh kodashim, and Hashem will be his portion and heritage for all eternity. In this world, he will merit what befits him, as the Kohanim and Levities merited it.” This status of Levy is conferred for life on all those who totally dedicate their lives to the service of Hashem, independent of age or strength.

                A wonderful concept derived from the Leviim’s designation is brought to light by the Midrash (Bamidbar Rabbah 3:7). The infant Leviim  counted from one month old, surely did not participate in the guarding the Mishkan, so the Leviim should have been counted from when they began their service. However, Hashem wished to reward them greatly for their loyal service, so when they reached thirty years old and began to serve, He retroactively rewarded them  as if they had indeed served from the age of one month.

           This concept should also apply to our own lives. Meaning, if we totally dedicate our time, energy and potential from now on to the service of Hashem, we may merit to have our entire lives credited as Divine service. How much hope and opportunity this teaching offers us. We can no longer say it’s too late, or I have already wasted so much of my life. If we start today with an absolute dedication, we can be credited with lifelong service.

                 Now let us look at a few classical commentaries on the names and purposes of the three sons of Levi, who each were given a unique role in the carrying of the Mishkan. In Bamidbar 3:17 it is stated – “These were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.” However in 4:4 it is stated “This is the work of the sons of Kohath in the Ohel Moed: the most holy.” The commentators explain that Kohath was later listed first before Gershon because he was designated to carry the most holy parts of the Mishkon, meaning that he had become elevated because of his assignment.

                  What can we learn and apply to our own lives from this part of the Torah? Some of the great Cassidisher masters teach us that Gershon, Kehas and Merari represent three varying but proper approaches available to us depending on our spiritual level, when we are confronted by challenging circumstances. There is the level of the tzaddik, whose service is so unswerving that no temptation lures him away from his steadfast dedication to the Creator. This is symbolized by the sons of Kehas, who carried the Aron Hakodesh miraculously on their shoulder – like tzaddkim who don’t use the desires or objects of this world for their own personal pleasure, but only for Divine service.

                     The next level of avoda is practiced by those stay at a distance from the allurements of the yetzer hora, making ‘spiritual fences’, as alluded to in the name Gershon – separating or divorcing themselves from anything that could blemish their proper service.

                      Then there are those times when, for all of us,  the righteousness of  Kohath or the protective attributes of Gershon are not within our reach. At such times we must use the inner strengths represented by Merari. Literally the name means “bitter”, and it is at those times, when life seems bleak, when one feels helpless and besieged, that the proper avodah is to cry out sincerely to our Creator. Merari was assigned  to carry the heaviest parts of the Mishkan teaching us that the proper path of service during difficult times, as hinted to in his name, is to accept the yoke of Heaven with sincere repentance.

              When the Jewish nation was asked: “Mi la-Hashem…?” the entire Shevet Levi stepped forward. May we all merit to “step forward” thereby bringing closer the Final Redemption, soon in our days.