[net.religion.jewish] Weekly Dvar Torah Bahalosicha

schechte@csd2.UUCP (asher schechter) (06/05/85)

    In this weeks sedra (portion) we have a unique display of punctuation
in the Torah. Right after shishey (10,35) we have a two verse segment 
surrounded by upside down "Nun"s. The two verses inside this "parenthesis"
are the Vayehi bnisoa haaron.. (and it was when the ark traveled) and the
Uvenucho yomar.. (and when it rested he would say) that we say whenever
we open and respectively close the Aron Hakodesh (Holy Ark, holding the
Torah scrolls). Rashi is quick to explain this phenomenon by quoting the
gemara (shabas 115b) that explains that the Torah placed these verses here
even though they did not belong here in order to separate between two
unfortunate and sad situations. The first referring to Vayisu mahar hashem..
(and they traveled from the mountain of G-d), and it was a sad day because
according to Rashi (shabas 116a) they prepared to rebel against hashem,
and according to Tosafos (ibid) they ran away from Sinai as children running
away from school. The second referring to the Missoninim (complainers) etc.


     Now we must understand this point of not placing two sad events together
because we don't find this idea anywhere else. In fact in Baba Basra 14b we 
find that destructions were placed together as were consolations, in the 
scriptures. So why over here does there seem to be a necessity to break up 
the two sad events?? Furthermore why is it with these two verses that the Torah
decided to use as a buffer ??


     The Chanukas Hatorah (authored by The Rebbe Reb Heshel) offers the 
following answer. In Midrash Mishlay (11,15) we find the verse Ra yeroah
ki orav zar (he shall surely receive evil for he co-signed for a stranger),
explained as follows. Evil after evil will come upon those who accept
proselytes, for proselytes are as bad for the Jews as leprosy. Tosafos
in Kiddushin (70b) explains that since proselytes are not of pure lineage
they cause G-d not to place his Shechina (omnipresence ??) upon the Jews,
because G-d does not associate himself with those who are not of pure
lineage.


      So it seems that proselytes are one of the causes for bad to come
onto Yisrael. However the Midrash on the verse Uvenucho yomar, the second 
verse of the parenthesis verses states the opposite. Since the verse used
a language of "tens of thousands" and "thousands" we can deduce that G-d
does not rest his Shechina on less than 22,000 Jews. The Midrash continues
what if a congregation of Jews is missing just one then if they accept a
proselyte they will have the opportunity for G-ds Shechina. So this
proselyte has caused that G-d has placed his Shechina on that congregation.
So it seems that it is a beneficial act to accept proselytes.


    The answer however lies in the contradiction because the proselytes
that are Leshaim Shomayim (for heavenly reasons) are good and cause G-d
to rest his Shechina on the Jews. However those who do so for other
motives are surely doing a disservice to themselves and Klal Yisrael.


     Now over here two calamities befell the Jews and one might wonder
maybe this was effected by the acceptance of (nonworthy) proselytes.
In fact previously in the parsha we find that Moshe was persuading 
Jethro to stay and join Klal Yisrael. This would seem to say that 
Jethro was not worthy of joining the Jewish people and did so for'
ulterior motives. However to show that this was not the case the Torah
placed a hefsek (separation) between the two calamities to show that
they were unrelated. And not only that but it placed the verse in between
that proves that righteous gentiles are good for the Jews when they
(on their own wishes) join Klal Yisrael.

     Recently, on the net and in the press there has been much talk
about Jewish conversion practices. Who is a Jew ???  What if I must be
Jewish to play basketball ???   Is a person (or community) who goes 
through thousands of years of torture to be "Jewish", Jewish without
a thorough investigation and maybe even a tevila ???

     However from all these discussions a necessary ingredient of motive
must also be addressed. Does the Reform "Rabbi" who converts a nonjew
to allow him/her to marry a Jew doing a service to Klal Yisrael ????
Is the person converting to cause G-d to rest his Shechina on us ????
An interesting anecdote I heard in the name of Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz,
that once a case of such a convert was brought before him. He said
the Cutim (Samaritans) were called "Gerei Arayot" (converts out of
fear of lions that roamed Israel at the time) but you also will
be a "Ger Arayot" spelled with an ayin (which means a convert for
the sake of legitimizing an illicit relationship). The Jewish religion
is not a business nor a social club it is a holy tradition to be kept
pure until  the arrival of messiah. 

               Good Shabbos to all            Asher Schechter