The Torah records this week the forty-two encampments we traveled to over the course of our thirty-eight year sojourn through the desert before entering the land.
One of those encampments was at Mount Hor where Aharon ascended to die there.
The Torah also refers to the earlier event that took place immediately after Aharon's departure, as reported in Chukas, how The Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelled in the south, heard that Israel had come by the route of the spies, and he warred against Israel and took a captive from it. (במדבר כא א)
The verse in our portion pithily states, The Canaanite king of Arad, who dwelt in the south, in the land of Canaan, heard that the children of Israel had arrived. (שם לג מ)
The Torah omits any mention of the war the king of Arad waged, merely recording his having 'heard' of their arrival.
Rashi adds, to teach you that it was the news of Aaron’s death that he heard, for the clouds of glory had withdrawn, וכסבור שניתנה רשות להלחם בישראל — and he thought that permission had been granted to wage war against Israel. This is why it [Scripture] repeats it [here].
Why is the main point of this reminiscing the consequence of Aharon's death and the resulting war missing?
The word וישמע has two connotations. One the simple of receiving data per oral communication. Secondly, the fathoming a message and its deeper implication.
Rashi quotes a phrase appearing in the Talmud (Rosh Hashana 3a), וכסבור שניתנה רשות להלחם בישראל — and he thought that permission had been granted to wage war against Israel.
He came to grasp that somehow 'he received permission' to attack Israel.
From whom exactly was he expecting permission to wage war?
When Esav discovers his brother snatched away the blessings, he appeals to his father to nevertheless bless him.
Among the blessings Yitzchok bestows upon him he foretells how 'you shall live by your sword, and you shall serve your brother, and it will be, when you are aggrieved, that you will break his yoke off your neck. (בראשית כז מ)
Rashi adds, when the Israelites will transgress the Torah, and you will have cause to grieve about the blessings that he took, you will break his yoke.
It would seem from this blessing that Esav has indeed permission, when we fail to live up to our role, to 'break the yoke' of Yaakov that is upon him and utilize his sword against his brother's seed.
We are taught that the Canaanite king was an Amalekite in disguise, the nation stemming from Amalek, the grandson of Esav.
This Amalekite understood very well the delicate balance of world power.
He 'heard' loud and clear that when the Jewish nation lacks in fulfilling their sacred role all bets are off.
Perhaps the emphasis in repeating this episode amidst reviewing the various lessons we learned during those formative years was to instill within the greater consciousness of our nation, the need to 'listen' and 'understand' this vital need which is so critical to the health of our collective soul.
There are two figures associated with the month of Av.
First and foremost, Aharon, who died on the first of this month. He is the only exact yahrtzeit recorded in Torah. The Mikdash was destroyed because of שנאת חנם — baseless hatred. Aharon was the quintessential peacemaker, whose love for every fellow Jew engendered a nation to think about and care for each other with unconditional love.
The Chasam Sofer explains that when Chazal teach us that when we cry over the loss of a great Tzaddik all our sins are forgiven, it is only true when we frustratedly cry over our lacking these sterling character traits that this individual possessed and inspired us to follow.
When Aharon died the Clouds of Glory departed. We were left to our own devices, exposed and vulnerable not only to arrows and spears, but to slander and other verbal assault, that lead to conflict and dissension.
The Arizal aligns the months of the year to each of the twelve tribes following the order they were listed in the Torah when they traveled in the desert.
The fifth month, Av, corresponds to Shimon. Shimon was motivated by an overarching fear of G-d that fueled intense reaction when others deviated from the exact letter of the law. He was the catalyst for the very first exile, the descent to Egypt that was incited by his suspicion of Yosef's intentions and all the subsequent consequences that brought the family of Yaakov to Egypt.
He overreacted in response to the ravishing of Dinah, decimating the male populace of Shechem and eventually being cursed by his father for his wrath.
The Arizal adds that this month also corresponds to the faculty of שמיעה — hearing, and the resulting consequences that erupt when we abuse that sense in not fully opening our ears to a deeper understanding and appreciation of others as evidenced in the quick condemnation of Yosef by his brothers.
Each month in our year parallels one of the twelve different variations of the letters י-ה-ו-ה that comprise G-d's Explicit Name that are embedded in verses of the Torah where we find these letters ordered accordingly.
The month of Av is symbolized in the verse in Torah that summons us ה-סכת ו-שמע י-שראל ה-יום — Be attentive and hear, O Israel, this day. (דברים כז ט)
We are a uniquely strongminded people instinctively seeking the truth and asserting our opinions. It is that yearning for truth that often evolves into heated conflict and fatal disputes all in the pursuit of truth.
It is the 'love of peace and the pursuit of peace' in the image of Aharon Hakohen that must temper our zealous assumptions and restore mindfulness of others and their qualities that will stifle poisonous and baseless hatred of others.
I would cautiously suggest that perhaps Amalek's misguided conclusion, as Chazal quote it, כסבור שניתנה רשות להלחם בישראל — he thought that permission had been granted to wage war against Israel, has the additional intimation of our incorrectly considering that there is permission for Jews to battle amongst ourselves, all of course in the pursuit of truth!
In these precarious days of Av, a month filled with so much tragedy, it is incumbent upon us to restore eternal peace upon earth, by being extremely attentive, tolerant and appreciative of our fellow Jews, exhibiting understanding and sensitivity, exemplifying the character of Aharon.
The chaos of our current world is merely an expression of our own disorder.
We wield the key to bringing an entire universe to sanity.
May we merit to recalibrate our attitudes and merit to bring the final redemption very soon.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
