Beginning - Middle - End
Mankind had a few chances to reach perfection. In Eden, Adam and Havah were the epitome of perfection. However, they were tested by the Satan tempting them with the one Mitzvah they had and they failed. At Sinai, the Jewish people reached the highest level of holiness. However, they were tested by the Satan showing Moshe Rabbeinu's "coffin" flying through the air and they failed.
Our Mesora has a nice way of connecting these 2 events.
Bereishit 3:1:
וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן:
Shemot 32:8:
סָ֣רוּ מַהֵ֗ר מִן־הַדֶּ֨רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ם עָשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם עֵ֖גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ֙ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ל֔וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
These 2 verses are the only verses in the Torah that contain 5 Zakef Katons. The connection between the 2 verses is pretty clear.
The punishments for both were also devastating. Adam and Havah were cursed and expelled. The Jewish people were stripped of their crowns and many perished. And we failed to reach perfection in both instances.
The 3 Amida prayers said on every Shabbat for Arvit, Shaharit, and Minha have 3 distinct themes respectively. Arvit's Amida discusses Shabbat Bereishit, the Amida of Shaharit talks about Shabbat Matan Torah, while that of Minha deals with Shabbat of the future. In the first 2 cases, we were very close, but ultimately failed in our mission. In the third, we will ultimately succeed.
This week, at the End of Days, during Parashat Ki Tisa - which depicts an episode of the Middle of Days - Israel sent a rocket to the moon called "Bereisheet" - referring to the Beginning of Days.
Perhaps, the message for us is that the time for perfecting our deeds is now.
Also this week, the Yishmaelim who wrongly believe that putting a cemetery by the Sha'ar Harahamim will prevent Mashiah from coming, stormed and breached the area in front of the gate. (This on the Friday before the Parasha where we read the 13 Middot of Rahamim.) Maybe they'll succeed further and open up the gate itself. Wouldn't that be ironic. (See also Tomer Devorah.)
May Eliyahu and Mashiah come through that gate speedily in our days, Amen.
posted by yaak @ 2/22/2019 03:00:00 PM
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