We find that Aharon Hakohen picked up the Leviim in this week’s parsha. Rabeinu Meyuchas writes that a neis happened, and he picked them all up at once! The Steipler explains that Aharon used a scale with a very heavy stone on one side, and the Leviim stood on the other side. Aharon pushed the stone down until the Leviim were lifted up into the air!
Where did the Yidden get oil in the midbar to light the menorah? The Targum Yonason says that the clouds brought the oil to the Yidden from Gan Eden!
The parsha says that the Yidden ate a bird called slav. Rabbeinu Chaim Paltiel says that this was a special type of bird found in Ireland. It grew hanging from a tree by its mouth, and when it became bigger, it fell into the ocean and lived there. Since the Yidden complained that they missed the fish and meat from Mitzrayim, Hashem brought them a bird that was both like fish and meat!
From the age of fifty, the Leviim were no longer allowed to sing in the Beis Hamikdash. Tosafos says this was because a person’s voice changes at that age and becomes more raspy.
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The Baal Shem Tov would often daven Shemoneh Esrei for a very long time. One day, some of his students were hungry and decided to run out to grab a bite to eat after their Shmoneh Esrei, figuring they had plenty of time to get back to shul before the Baal Shem Tov finished davening.
But when they came back, they were surprised to see Baal Shem Tov had already finished davening and was waiting for them! Later, the talmidim asked him why of all days was his davening much shorter on the day they happened to have left?
The Baal Shem Tov answered them with a mashal:
“There once was a group of people walking through the forest when they noticed a beautiful and rare bird high on top of a tree. They really wanted to reach the bird, but it was too high up for them to reach. So the group decided to make a human pyramid, climbing on top of one another until they got higher and closer, and then one person started climbing up the pyramid to reach the bird.
At that moment, one man on the bottom of the pyramid decided that his job wasn’t very important. After all, he was just on the bottom; it was other people who were the ones climbing up high. So he got out of his position and walked away. Obviously, the moment he did that, the human pyramid came crashing down, and everyone fell on the floor!”
The Baal Shem Tov explained: “When I daven, I want to rise to the highest levels in Shamayim. But I cannot get there alone. I need you, my dear talmidim, to help support me. Even though you may not realize it, you are helping me climb higher and bring down beautiful hashpaos for all of Klal Yisroel. I am only adding on to your teffillos, helping lift them up high. But the moment you left the shul, it was as if the whole pyramid collapsed beneath me, and that is why my davening finished early.”
This article was found in Nekuda Tova Issue 84.
