Parsha Beha’aloscha 5770 — Real Leadership vs Evil Pretenders: Mirror Reflection of Us?

Parsha Beha’aloscha 5770 — Real Leadership vs Evil Pretenders: Mirr...

by, Moshe Burt

Many commentators speak of the section delineated by the inverted "nuns" as a separation between the aveirot of B'nai Yisrael so as to not bring about a Chazaka (recording of three Jewish sins in succession).

We learn subsequently about the people's complaints about lack of quail and in next week's parsha Shelach, about the sin of the Miraglim (the spies). But what was the first aveirah which brought about the separation, by inverted "nuns", of "VaYehi B'nso'a HaAron V'yOmer Moshe..."? (Sefer Bamidbar, Perek 10, posukim 35-36)

Rabbi Artscroll mentions a Ramban on posuk 35 which cites a Midrash which indicates that the B'nai Yisrael:

"... fled from the mountain of G'd like a child running away from school."

Isn't today's corrupt, evil and pretentious governance but a mirror reflection of us -- our self-centeredness, our insensitivity and indifference. Just as our ancestors who "fled from the mountain of G'd like a child running away from school", don't WE act the same way? After a typical no-kavanah (no-thought, no-contemplative) 6 minute Shemoneh Esrei, we have the unmitigated gall to blow through Aleinu at the speed of a 100plus MPH Joel Zumaya fastball and then similarly flee out of Shul like kids running from school lest they be piled with more lessons and homework?

To read the entire Parsha HaShevua, please click here.

Tags: Aleinu, Beha'aloscha, Esrei, Shemoneh, leadership, real