The Meaning Of Tests
By: By R’ Mordechai Young
By R’ Mordechai Young
It is told that Rashi’s parents were married for a while without children. Rashi’s father once had a precious jewel that was so rare that word got out about how beautiful it was. Messengers from a foreign land came to Rashi’s father and told him they were willing to pay a high price for the jewel. So, they brought Rashi’s father on a ship to their country to meet the king.
When Rashi’s father learned that the stone would be used for idol worship, to beautify the idol, he could not take part in or enable that sin. So, he pretended to trip and dropped the jewel in the ocean. Naturally, the messengers were upset. Because of his great merit, it’s said that Eliyahu HaNavi came to him and said he would be blessed with a son who would light up the world with his Torah as a reward for throwing away the jewel.
In this week’s parashah, Behaalotecha, it discusses sanctifying the Leviim, to prepare them for their avodah. For example, they must shave their hair, wash their clothing, and bring korbanos. In 8:12 the Leviim are commanded to lean their hands on the head of the animals brought as a korban. This was done for some korbanos before admitting a sin (viduy). The pasuk concludes with atonement for the Leviim. In Midrash Rabbah, it states that Hashem doesn’t elevate anyone unless he first tests them, as we saw with Rashi’s father. And like we find with Avraham Avinu, Hashem tested him ten times, then blessed him. The Midrash gives many examples, then goes on to Shevet Levi. Now, Shevet Levi were tzaddikim, strong in their Torah learning. Even in Mitzrayim they did milah the whole time and didn’t sin by the eigel (golden calf). So, they were going to be elevated over the first born to serve Hashem in the Mishkan. As it states in Parashas Ki Sisa (32:26), Moshe Rabbeinu said: “Who is for Hashem? Come to me” and all of Shevet Levi came. They were tested by having to kill those who worshiped the eigel hazahav. In other words, Hashem was testing them to see if they would have pity and spare those they knew or were close to. According to the Midrash Rabbah, this was their test before being elevated to working in the Mishkan.
In sefer Shaarei Aharon on the pasuk, we started with 8:12 to atone for the Leviim. The sefer quotes Moshav Zekeinim, who asks what sin did Shevet Levi commit that would require atonement? The answer is for Levi’s sin of killing the town of Shechem. Since we don’t find a sin the shevet did, as we saw in Midrash Rabbah that it must be for Levi himself, who “sinned.” It’s interesting because there are mefarshim who explain that the town of Shechem was deserving of death. One of the mitzvos of bnei Noach is to set up courts. We see that they didn’t by allowing Dina to be kidnapped and abused. So, for that they deserved death. But it was how they carried out the punishment. First, they needed to speak to Yaakov Avinu to see how to deal with the situation properly and not cause all of Shechem’s allies to retaliate. We know children aren’t punished for the sins of their father. So how come here Shevet Levi needed an atonement for their great-grandfather’s sin? The Gemara says that if the children do the same sin as their forefathers, they can be punished. So here we can say that Levi killed an entire town, and even though it was warranted (and made Yaakov upset), the descendants of Levi did a similar thing by killing. And though it was a mitzvah; nevertheless, it was shedding blood, so like their forefather Levi, they needed an atonement.
We should remember that if we feel like we’re being tested, it may be because Hashem has a plan to elevate us, but first we must pass the test.
Have a great Shabbos!
R’ Mordechai Young can be reached for comments at [email protected].
