Properly Clothed

The Haftorah for Parshas Behaloscha is taken from Sefer Zecharia, and describes a series of Nevuos that Zecharia HaNavi received at the time of Binyan Bais Sheni. Some of Klal Yisroel had returned to Eretz Yisroel from Bavel after the seventy years of Galus, and they even received permission from Koresh to build the Bais Hamikdash. The actual construction, however, was stalled for a variety of reasons. The Neviim at the time, Chaggai and Zecharia, were charged with motivating and encouraging the Yidden to continue and complete the job, so that the Shechina could once again rest amongst Klal Yisroel.

The three parts of the Haftorah are directly related to this mission: first, Chaggai speaks about the eventual completion of the Bayis Sheni, the day about which Hashem tells us: “Rani V’Simchi Bas Tzion Ki Hinini Bah V’Shachanti Bisochech”, we should rejoice, because He has returned to live among us. The second and third portions of the Haftorah are directed at the leaders of Klal Yisroel at the time: Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak, the Kohen Gadol, and Zerubavel, the political leader. Although these Nevuos seem to be somewhat personal—each one speaks to and about these individual leaders—the fact that they are related with detail in the Pessukim indicates that there are messages for us as well. With that in mind, let us examine part of the Nevuah that Zecharia received regarding Yehoshua Kohen Gadol.

The Navi describes a scene in which Yehoshua Kohen Gadol appears to be standing in Din, “V’HaSatan Omed Al Yemino LiSitno”, the Satan stood to his right, prepared to prosecute him. As the Pessukim continue we are told HKBH stopped the Satan from being Mastin, however, as Yehoshua was an “Ud Mutzal M’Esh”. As if often the case when a Nevuah is described, we can barely understand the simple meaning of these words, let alone their true connotation. The next PEssukim are a little easier to understand in their literal sense, but still require explanation.

The Passuk tells us: “VaYehoshua Haya Lavush Begadim Tzoim V’Omed Lifnei HaMelech.” It seems that when the Navi saw Yehoshua in this Mechzeh, he was wearing soiled clothing. Clearly there is symbolism to this aspect of the NEvuah, and we must understand what that is.

Rashi, here, quotes the Targum Yonasan ben Uziel on this Passuk, which provides the background necessary to understand these words: “Havu Lei Banin D’Nasbin L’;hon Nashim D’Lo Kesharin L’Kehuna”. Yehoshua had sons who strayed from the path, marrying women who were not fit for Kehuna, “V’Neenash Hu Al Shleo Micha B’Yadam”, and Yeshoshua was punished for the fact that he did not protest these actions.

Metzudos points out that the words “V’Omed Lifnei HaMalach” seem extra, and concludes that they teach us that the sons of Yehoshua were still married to these women, because Yehoshua did not protest their marriage. For this reason, Yehoshua still appeared to be wearing the sullied clothing when he appeared before the Malach.

The meaning of the Metzodos is not entirely clear: when did Yehoshua don this clothing, such that he is said to “still” be wearing them in the Nevuah?

It seems that perhaps Metzudos makes reference to a Gemarah in Sanhedrin that also speaks about Yeshoshua Kohen Gadol.

The Gemara there is discussing two Niviei Sheker living in Bavel during the Galus named Achav and Tzidkiya. The two approached the daughter of Nevuchadnetzar with ill intentions, which they attributed to a Nevuah they received. Nevuchadnetzar recognized that this was impossible, because “Elokehem Shel Zeh Sonei Zima Hu”, Hashem abhors such behavior. He therefore told his daughter to send Achav and Tzidkiya to him. The Gemara tells of the discussion between the king and the two Jews, which resulted in Nevuchadnetzar making a proposition: if they were indeed righteous, they would survive a walk through the Kivshan HaEsh as Chanaya, Mishael and Azarya did. Achav and Tzidkiya disputed this logic, for they were only two and their Zechuyos would not equal that of three people. Nevuchanetzr therefore offered to allow them to choose any third person to accompany them, and they selected Yehoshua, which the Gemara explains they did because they thought his many Zechuyos would protect them.

They all did in fact enter the fire, the Gemarah tells us, and only Yehoshua emerged, but he was not unscathed, rather: “Ichruchi Ma’anei”, his clothing was singed. Nevuchadnetzar noticed this, and asked Yehoshua why he was affected though Chanaya, Mishael and Azarya were not. Yehoshua answered the question in a way that satisfied the king.

After the conclusion of the story, the Gemara asks: why, in fact, was Yehoshua affected by the Kivshon HaEsh? Rashi explains that the answer he gave Nevuchadnetzar was clearly just to push the king off, and now the Gemara explains the real reason that Yehoshua’s clothing was singed: “Shehayu Banav Nosin Nashim Shai’nan HaGunos L’Kehuna V’Lo Micha B’Yadam.” Because, as the Targum in Zecharia told us, the sons of Yehoshua married women who were not fit for Kehuna, and Yehoshua did not protest. The Gemara then cites the Passuk here, “VaYehoshua Haya Lavush Begadim Tzoim”, as proof of this fact.

We now understand that the words “Begadim Tzoim” refer to clothing that was singed by fire, not sullied by dirt. We also see that there is a clear link between the incident with Nevuchadnetzar and the Mechzeh of Zecharia. Perhaps this is the intention of Metzudos here: Yehoshua walked through the Kivshan HaEsh many years befre the Nevuah of Zecharia, yet his clothing still appeared to be sullied, or singed, because his sons remained married to the women Shai’nan HaGunos L’Kehuna.

Now that the facts of the matter—why Yehoshua’s clothing appeared to be marred when this phenomenon occurred—are clear, we can turn our attention to the simple questions that arise.

First, the Gemara, and the Targum, use the Lashon of “Nashim Shai’nan HaGunos L’Kehuna” in describing Yehoshua’s daughters-in-law. What does this mean? Radak and Metzudos refer to them as Nashim Nachrios, which implies that they were not Jewish, but the terminology of the Gemara seems more nuanced. How can we understand this difference—what was the Pessul in the wives of Yehoshua’s sons?

Second, why did these marriages take place? Why would the sons of the Kohen Gadol in fact marry women who were not Hagunos L’Kehuna? And, by the same token, why didn’t Yehoshua protest? It is almost inconceivable that he would not so much as object if his sons were marrying outside the faith—how can we understand the Gemarha?

Lastly, what is the significance of the punishment given to Yehoshua? Why were his garments singed in the Kivshon HaEsh? What is the connection between the reality of “Banav Nosin Nashim Shai’nan HaGunos L’Kehuna V’Lo Micha B’Yadam” and “VaYehoshua Haya Lavush Begadim Tzoim”?

Perhaps, if we can answer this final question, we will see the episode in a different light, allowing us to answer the others as well.

Maharsha, and others, note that perhaps the punishment of “Begadim Tzoim” is linked to the fact that it is Begadim that symbolize the separation the Kohanim and the rest of Klal Yisroel. With this in mind, perhaps we can explain the punishment that Yeshoshua received if we better understand the role of the Bigdei Kehunah.

The Gemara in Zevachim makes a very absolute statement about Bigdei Kehunah: “B’zman SheBigdehem Aleihem Kehunasam Aleihem Ain Bigdeihem Aleihem Ein Kehunasam Aleihem”. When the Kohanim are wearing their Begadim, they assume the title and rights of a Kohen, but when they are not wearing the Begadim, “Ein Kehunasam Aleihem”, the Kehuna itself is lacking. The Gemara seems to be telling us that the Bigdei Kehuna are not merely vestments, or garments that are worn ceremonially: it is only when the Bnei Aron don these clothes that they become Kohanim in every sense of the word.

How can we understand this? In what way do the Bigdei Kehunah play such an important and impactful role?

In Parshas Titzaveh, in describing the Bigdei Kehuna, the Torah stresses that it must be Moshe Rabbeinu who directs the assembly of the Bigdei Kehuna, and even clothe the Kohanim for the first time. The Malbim, there, explains that the internal “Malbush” of a person are his Middos, and the way his thinks and acts. The involvement of Moshe Rabbeinu was needed in order to instruct the Kohanim about their Malbush, about the Middos and Dayos that the Bigdei Kehunah represented.

R’ Chaim Kamil, one of the prime Talmidim of R’ Chaim Shmulevitz, explains the Gemara in Zevachim based on this Malbim. The entire Avodah of the Mishkan, he explains, was predicated on the perfection of the Kohanim’s Middos. The purpose of the Bigdei Kehunah, each of which represents a specific Middah, was to remind and reinforce those ideals during the Avodah. Because it was the Middos of the Kohanim that were so integral to the Avodah, without the Bigadim that represent and affect those Middos, their Kehunah was in some way depleted.

“Ain Bigdeihem Aleihem Ein Kehunasam Aleihem”. If a Kohen is not wearing the Bidgei Kehunah he is not assured that his Middos will be properly in check. If that is the case, he cannot be an affective Oved, and his Kehunah itself is lacking.

Perhaps now we can understand the actions of Yehoshua’s sons, his lack of response and the punishment he was given.

Maybe the women the sons of Yehoshua chose as wives were not Pessulim, they were not Nachrios or in some other way excluded from the Klal. Rather, they were “Nashim Shai’nan HaGunos L’Kehuna”, women who were not befitting of the title “Kehunah”. Their Middos and Dayos were not up to snuff, and so they should not have been considered worthy additions to the family of Yehoshua.

That his sons did not recognize this, and that Yeshoshua did not object in any way to their choice, displayed a lack of sensitivity to the true role of the Kohanim. If one looks at a Kohen as a mere functionary, someone who does Avodah, than his Middos, and certainly those of his wife, are not important. But if one understanding that “Kol Avodas HaMishkan Taluya B’Zichuch HaMiddos HaTovos”, as R’ Chaim Kamil writes, than they would not make that mistake.

The Bigdei Kehunah, as we see, represent this ideal, as they affect the Middos of a Kohen on a deep level. If one is not properly attuned to the importance of MIddos to the mission of the Kohen, there is something lacking in his Malbush. Perhaps this is why Yehoshua was punished by his clothing being singed in the Kivshan,and affect which lasted as long as his sons stayed married, even until the Nevuah of Zecharia.