The Table’s Turn

This week we begin the portion of the Torah that speaks about the Meleches HaMishkan. Although we may sometimes find it difficult to relate to these Parshios—though we yearn for the Binyan Bayis Shlishi, it is not yet at hand—we must remember that every Passuk and word in the Torah can be used as a guide for our own lives. It is therefore incumbent upon us, as learn these Parshios, to find Chizuk and meaning that can be applied as we await the day that the Halchos will be practical once again.

After the Aron HaKodesh, the second of the Klei HaMishkan that Moshe is told to construct is the Shulchan: “V’Asisah Shulchan Atzei Shitim.” As we know, the main function of the Shulchan was to hold the Lechem HaPanim, which were present in the Mishkan at all times. The Gemarah at the very end of Meseches Tanis tells us another role that the Shulchan played: during each Regel, as the Olei Regel were gathered in the Azarah, the Kohanim would life the Shulchan and show the Lechem HaPanim to members of Klal Yisroel who had gathered. At this time the Kohanim would say: “Re’uh Chibasechem Lifnei Hakadosh Baruch Hu, Siluko K’Siduro”.

It would therefore appear that there was a special message for the Olei Regel to be learned from the Shulchan, and specifically from the Nes of “Siluko K’Siduro”, which refers to the fact that the Lechem HaPanim was just as fresh when it was remove from the Shulchan as it was when it was placed there a week ago. While this was surely a Nes Nigleh, there were many such Nissim that took lace on a daily basis in the Mishkan. Why did the Kohanim specifically show the Shulchan to those gathered during the Regel? How does the Nes of Siluko K’Siduro show the love that Hashem has for Klal Yisroel any more so than any of the other Nissim in the Mikdash?

As we try to understand the meaning of the Shulchan—and the message it holds for us, we must also note that the construction of this Keli had a hidden meaning as well. As we know, the Shulchan was made from Atzei Shitim, as the Passuk says: “V’Asisah Shulchan Atzei Shitim. There is a Medrash brought in the Yalkut M’ein Ganim that tells us that this wood was used “Lechaper Al Mah She’Asu Bnei Yisroel B’Shitim.” This refers to the Aveiros that Bnei Yisroel did in Shitim: Giluy Arayos, Shefichas Damim and Avodah Zarah.

Clearly this Medrash requires some explanation: why is the Shulchan specifically chosen as the Keli that is Mechaper on the Aveiros done at Shitim? Although the Shulchan is indeed made from Atzei Shitim a cursory glance at this week’s Parsha shows that all the wood used in the Mishkan was Shitim. In fact, Chazal tell us that the Atzei Shitim used for the Mishlan were brought to Mitzrayim by Yaakov Avinu and were taken out by Bnei Yisroel when they left. If so, the only wood they had was Shitim—it’s not as though there were a lot of options as, they were in the Midbar. This all being the case, why does the Medrash single out the Shulchan as the Kapparah for the Aveiros in Shitim?

In order to properly understand the connection between the Shulchan and the Aveiros done in Shitim, we must of course understand the nature of those Aveiros.

The Pessukim in Parshas Balak tell us that Bnei Yisroel reached Shitim and they were Mezaneh with Bnos Moav, and then they served Ba’al Peor. Because of these Aveiros a Magefah came upon Klal Yisroel, and it only stopped after Pinchas acted, killing Zimri and Kazbi. At the beginning of Parshas Pinchas, Hashem tells Moshe exactly how vital Pinchas’s actions were: “V’lo Chilisi Es Bnei Yisroel B’Kinasi.”

R’ Shimshon Pincus points out that the implication is that if Pinchas had not acted as his did Hashem would have wiped out Klal Yisroel without any further notice. This stands in contrast to the other times that Hashem wished to destroy Klal Yisroel—after the Chet HaEgel and the Chet HaMeraglim—when He first spoke informed Moshe of his intentions. In those instances, because Moshe was aware of the impending catastrophe, he had an opportunity to Daven and save us. R’ Shimshon therefore asks why the Aveirah at Shitim was that much worse: it seems that in this case Hashem was not interested in the Teffilos of Moshe Rabbeinu and their ability to save us, and we were only spared because of the spontaneous actions of Pinchas. What made these Aveiros so much worse than those of the Chet HeEgel and the Meraglim?

R’ Shimson explains that there is a difference between Aveiros that are done within the family, so to speak, and those that take one outside the family. The Chataim of the Egel and Meraglim were terrible Aveiros, but they were contained within the “house” shared by Klal Yisroel and Hakadosh Baruch Hu, so they were more easily forgivable—like when one family member wrongs another within the confines of their home. The Aveiros at Shitim, however, took Klal Yisroel outside the “home”, as they involved the Umos Haolam—Midianim and Moavios. These Aveiros are therefore less easily excused, and the threat of Kliah, destruction, was much more serious.

The Meforshei HaChumash there seem to offer Peshatim that seem to support this idea, and even add some dimension to the notion that the Aveiros at Shitim occurred “outside” the family, so to speak.

There is a Machlokes among Rishonim, about the nature of the word Shittim—whether this was the actual name of a place in the Midbar or not. Rashi there is of the opinion that the place that these Aveiros occurred is called Shittim, while others feel that the Torah refers to it as Shittim to tell us something about what occurred there.

The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh seems to be of the latter opinion—that the word Shittim tells us the reason that these Aveiros occurred. He explains that the word Shittim comes from the same Shoresh as the word “Shatu” that is used to describe the way Bnei Yisroel went about gathering the Man in the Midbar—wandering the fields outside their homes to collect the needed amount. Therefore, he says, the word “Shittim” tells us that the Bnei Yisroel went outside their camp. In fact he uses the word “L’Tayel”, which we would take to mean they took a tour or went on a trip. Thus, the Torah uses the word “Shittim” to tell us how Bnei Yisroel ended up doing such terrible Aveiros: they left their Machaneh to see what the area had to offer, and ended up finding the Bnos Moav, which led them to commit these awful Aveiros.

It would also seem that they never intended to fall to these depths—their intentions were not to stray from their Machaneh and find Avodah Zarah. The Sforno comments that the Passuk begins “VaYachal Ha’Am L’znos”—their original intent was not to be Oved Avodah Zarah, but to mix with the Umos Ha’Olam in the area. Unfortunately, however, this led them to serve Ba’al Peor. The Sforno notes that this is a Kiyum of the Passuk that warns us of the pitfalls of mixing among the nations of the world: ‘V’Achalta MiZivcho, V’lakachta MiBinosav…V’Hiznu Es Banecha Acharei Eloheihen” The Torah clearly warns us that what begins as a simple shared meal can end in disaster.

It would appear that in this case, the roots of the Aveira were even more innocent. The Gemarah in Sanhedrin tell us that seeking, at the suggestion of Bilaam, to lure Bnei Yisroel away from the Derech Hashem, the Bnos Midyan set up a market for the Jews to peruse. At the market stalls they placed older women, who urged the men of Klal Yisroel to enter the tents to pursue better deals. Inside the tents were younger women who plied the men with wine and then lured them into Aveirah. We see then that the entire chain of events began with the Yiddin shopping at a local marketplace, which led to very unfortunate consequences.

As we noted above, the Aveiros that took place in Shittim were considered particularly egregious—but for the actions of Pinchas, the entire nation would have been destroyed—yet they stemmed from a relatively innocent desire. But, as R’ Shimshon noted, it was precisely the fact that they chose to wander from the Machaneh Yisroel—to see what else was available, what the Umos HaOlam had to offer—that sparked the anger of Hakadosh Baruch Hu and put us in such a precarious situation.

The lesson of Shittim is that we must be wary of our instinct to look beyond the Machaneh Yisroel, to what the Umos HaOlam are offering, for if we fall victim to that desire, the Aveiros which we may commit are seen to be “outside the house” and will be looked upon with a much stricter eye than those that we may do “inside the house.” Based on this, I think we can explain the connection between the Shulchan and Shittim.

R’ Moshe Scheinerman, in Ohel Moshe, points out that one may think that the Shulchan, which represents Gashimiyus and even Ashirus, is out of place in the Mishkan. After all, this is the Bais Elokim, the Makom of Hashra’as Hashechina, why would we allow mundane matters such as Parnassah and Devarim Shebigashmi enter this hallowed space?

This, however, is a mistaken notion.

Many Meforshim, among them The Chizkuni and the Rashbam, point out that later in the Parsha, when the Torah tells us where each of the Kelim are to be placed, the location of the Menorah is given relative to the Shulchan: “V’Es HaMenorah Nochach HaShulchan.” Clearly the Torah meant to let us know that the Menorah and the Shulchan are connected—that one must be opposite the other.

The message is clear: the Menorah, which represents Torah and the Shulchan, with its material implications, are closely related—they must both be in the Mishkan, and they are required to be opposite each other. The Shulchan basks in the glow of the Menorah, teaching us that our persuits in Gashmius must be affected by the glow of the Torah. We lead our lives as a fusion of two worlds, seeking to elevate even our material pursuits.

If we lose sight of this fact we may be tempted to seek outside influences. Thinking that we can separate our Ruchniayas from our Gashmiyus, we may want to see what is on offer in the Shuk of the Bnos Moav, so to speak. In Shitim, Bnei Yisroel was focused on their physical interests, they thought they can remain Kadosh while venturing outside the Machaneh Yisroel for their physical needs. This was the mistake that led to Aveiros which threatened our very existence, and it is the connection between the Shulchan and the Aveiros of Shittim. The Shulchan reminds us that we are members of the Am Kadosh, and our Gashmiyus belongs in the Mishkan as well. We cannot separate the Kadosh from the Chol—we must use one to elevate the other.

There could be no more fitting message to pass on to the Olei Regel, those that lived far from the Har Hashem and led relatively mundane lives. They were shown the Shulchan, not the Menorah, for this was a lesson that would resonate with them: even as they led their lives as farmers and laborers, they could lead lives of Kedushah if they allowed the Menorah to illuminate their Shulchan.

This is our goal as well. Rabbeinu Bechayay says that in the absece of the Mikdash we have no Kelim, with the exception of the Shulchan. Each of us has the ability to use our physical possessions in the service of Hashem and each other. We can be Mechaper on the Aveiros of Shittim by showing that we understand that our best hope is to stay within our Machaneh Yisroel for both our spiritual and physical needs.