Wednesday, June 10, 2020

it's all about what's inside


וְהָֽאסַפְסֻף֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּקִרְבּ֔וֹ הִתְאַוּ֖וּ תַּאֲוָ֑ה וַיָּשֻׁ֣בוּ וַיִּבְכּ֗וּ גַּ֚ם בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל

Chasam Sofer explains: "V'ha'safsuf asher B'KIRBO" (11:4) there is a little bit of rabble rouser and baal taavah inside each and every one of us.  The key is to keep it under control.  What happened in this episode is that the part of us that should be kept at bay caused "va'yivku gam Bnei Yisrael," the pure Jewish soul, the neshomo Elokis, that is also inside of us, to join in the complaints.  

Based on this Chasam Sofer we have a deeper insight into what Moshe meant when he accuses the people (11:20) of "m'astem es Hashem asher B'KIRBICHEM" -- he means they have soiled the nehoma Elokis that is within.  

And when Hashem then does promise enough meat for people to stuff themselves with for a month, but at the price of a steep punishment for all who partake, Moshe responds:

וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ מֹשֶׁה֒ שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֙לֶף֙ רַגְלִ֔י הָעָ֕ם אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָנֹכִ֖י בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ וְאַתָּ֣ה אָמַ֗רְתָּ בָּשָׂר֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָהֶ֔ם וְאָכְל֖וּ חֹ֥דֶשׁ יָמִֽים׃

Remember, there's a little bit of me, says Moshe, that has also rubbed off on them and is inside each and every one of those complainers -- "asher anochi B'KIRBO."  Do you really think people that have a little but of me inside of them will sit around and just stuff themselves in an orgy of taavah for a full month?  Hashem, you know your people are better than that.  (see Malbim!) 

There is another point here worth reflecting on.  There are people who "justify" their sins by claiming that they r"l hate G-d, and they will happily provide you with a whole list of complaints, of things G-d has done to wrong them, etc.  

Moshe says to the people, "M'astem es Hashem ASHER B'KIRBICHEM."  When you say you hate G-d, what you are really saying is you hate yourself.  It's not some Supreme Being out there in the Heavens that's making you miserable, but rather it's what's B'KIRBECHEM, what's inside your own hearts that you hate and that is making you angry.  And that's something you have the power to change.

1 comment:

  1. -- "insided each and every one of us"; "things G-d has done to them"; "not some Supreme Being...making you miserable"

    'lama ha'rei'osa l'avdecha??' Moshe. ish ha'Elokim. 11:11.

    on the other hand, "there's a little bit of me, says Moshe,...inside each...of those complainers", able to walk humbly with G-d (Micah 6:8, final phrase); people, like me, of unleavened feet [ragli] (Rashi, Devarim 8:4b)


    -- the supernatural abhors a vacuum, for better for worse. these 3 (b'kirbo, b'kirbichem, b'kirbo) were preceded by 3 removals, mi'toch X 3, in perek 8 (:6, :14 & :16)...

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