Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
Our parasha contains the only instance in the Torah with pasukim preceded and followed by an inverted letter “nun.” (Sefer Bamidbar 10:35-36) One of the better-known discussions with respect to this is found in Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 115b-116a:

Our Rabbis taught: “So it was, whenever the ark set out, Moshe would say, ‘Arise Hashem, may Your enemies be scattered and may those who hate You flee from You.’” “And when it came to rest, he would say, ‘Repose Hashem, among the myriads of thousands of Israel.’” (Sefer Bamidbar 10:35-36, these verses and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach) The Holy One, blessed be He, provided signs for this section above and below, to teach that it is not in its place. Rabbi [Yehudah HaNasi] said: “It is not on that account, but because it ranks as a separate Book.” (Translation, Soncino Talmud, with my brackets and emendations)
 
Although we find two opinions cited in this source, Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi’s position is the far more accepted one. Moreover, he opines that the Torah is comprised of seven, rather than five, separate books, as explained by Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz zatzal (1937-2020) in his edition of the Talmud:
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According to whose opinion [are there seven books in the Torah?] It is according to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi, as by his count there are seven books of the Torah: Genesis; Exodus; Leviticus; Numbers until: “And when the Ark traveled”; the portion: “And when the Ark traveled,” which is considered its own book; the remainder of Numbers; and Deuteronomy. (Koren Talmud Bavli, Shabbat 115b-116a)
 
The essence of this section of our parasha centers on the concept of “those who hate You.” To whom does this phrase refer? Moreover, what does it mean “to hate Hashem?” Fortunately, these questions were addressed long ago in the Midrash Sifrei on our pasuk:
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“May those who hate You flee from You:” And are there really haters [that stand before] the One who spoke, and the world came into being? Rather, the text is teaching us that anyone who hates the Jewish people is as if he hates the One who spoke, and the world came into being. We find this idea, as well, in another verse, “And with Your great pride You tear down those who rise up against You; You send forth Your burning wrath; it devours them like straw.” (Sefer Shemot 15:7) And are there really those who rise up against the One who spoke, and the world came into being? Rather, the Torah is teaching us that anyone who rises up against the Jewish people is as if he has risen up against the Omnipresent One (HaMakom). (Pesikta 84, translation and brackets my own)
 
According to this midrash, any individual or nation, that has abject antipathy for our people and wreaks havoc against us is considered one of the sonei Hashem (haters of Hashem). A powerful interpretation of this midrash is offered by Professor Nechama Leibowitz zatzal (1905-1997), one of the previous generation’s greatest Torah teachers:
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Accordingly, the enemies of Israel are synonymous with the enemies of God. Whether we are worthy or not of this title; those bent on our destruction regard us as the standard-bearers of truth and justice and the representatives of the divine Law. And it is for this reason they persecute and hate us. (Studies in Bamidbar, page 91, translated and adapted from the Hebrew by Aryeh Newman)
 
In an effort to further clarify our Torah passage, Professor Leibowitz summarizes the interpretation of Rav Shimshon Raphael Hirsch zatzal (1808-188) in this manner:
 
Hirsch, commenting on this passage, remarks that Moshe was aware that enemies would rise up against the Torah from the moment that it was given. Its demands for justice and altruism were bound to antagonize aggressors and tyrants and stand in the way of their designs. The Torah’s call to holiness would not only arouse hatred, but active persecution.
 
Professor Leibowitz has provided us a clear path for understanding the underlying nature of anti-Semitism. As the Haggadah solemnly proclaims: “B’kol dor v’dor omdim aleinu l’kaloteinu— In each and every generation there are those who rise against us to completely destroy us.” Moreover, the Torah and the Jewish people stand in stark opposition to everything that the tyrants of the world represent. The Torah’s demands for justice and altruism, and the “call to holiness,” are ideals our enemies cannot accept. Therefore, as representatives of Hashem’s holy Torah, we have continued to be hated and persecuted until our own historical moment. 
 
With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may the time come soon and, in our days, when Zechariah’s prophecy will be echoed by all the nations of the world: “And Hashem shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall Hashem be one, and His Name one.” (14:9) For then, and only then, will the endless cycles of hatred and injustice against us cease and the stirring words of Yermiyahu finally fulfilled: “the sound of mirth and the sound of joy, the voice of a bridegroom and the voice of a bride, the sound of those saying, ‘Thank Hashem Tzivakot, for Hashem is good, for His loving-kindness endures forever…’” (33:11)
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my blog-website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
See as well, http://www.yutorah.org/ using the search criteria Etengoff and the parasha’s name.
 
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​Rabbi David Etengoff
 
ה' יעזור וירחם על אחינו כל בני ישראל בארץ ישראל ובכל חלקי הארץ
 
The laws pertaining to the Nazirite are found in this week’s parasha. As Chazal often chose a haftarah that parallels a subject found in its associated Torah portion, our haftarah focuses on the miraculous events preceding the birth of the most famous nazir of all time, Shimshon HaGibor. Our narrative begins with these words:

And there was one man from Zorah, from the family of the Danites, whose name was Manoah; and his wife was barren and had not borne. And an angel of Hashem appeared to the woman, and said to her, “Behold now, you are barren and have not borne; and you shall conceive and bear a son. Consequently, beware now, and do not drink wine or strong drink, and do not eat any unclean thing. Because you shall conceive and bear a son; and a razor shall not come upon his head, for a nazir to Elokim shall the lad be from the womb; and he will begin to save Israel from the hand of the Philistines.” (Sefer Shoftim 13:2-5, this and all Tanach translations, The Judaica Press Complete Tanach)
 
The haftarah concludes with the birth of Shimshon and explicit statements that Hashem both blessed and rested His Divine spirit upon him: “And the woman bore a son and called his name Shimshon; and the lad grew, and Hashem blessed him. And the spirit of Hashem began to come to him at times in the camp of Dan...” (Sefer Shoftim 13:24-25)
 
Based upon his colorful nature and the all-too famous incident with Delilah, Shimshon emerges as one of the most misunderstood figures in Tanach. We are indeed fortunate that Chazal address these misperceptions and help reveal his authentic persona. The Torah teaches us that two of the twelve tribes received the appellation “gur aryeh.” Ya’akov Avinu bestowed this title on Yehudah and his descendants, and Moshe Rabbeinu did so regarding the tribe of Dan:

A cub (gur) [and] a grown lion (aryeh) is Judah. From the prey, my son, you withdrew. He crouched, rested like a lion, and like a lion, who will rouse him? (Ya’akov Avinu, Sefer Bereishit 49:9)
 
And of Dan he (Moshe) said: “Dan is a young lion (gur aryeh), streaming from Bashan.” (Sefer Devarim 33:22)
 
Midrash Bereishit Rabbah, Parashat Vayechi VII, explains “gur aryeh” as Ya’akov’s blessing to Yehudah to acquire “the strength of a lion and the temerity of a lion cub.” In his Commentary on the Torah on this verse (Sefer Bereishit 49:9), Rashi (1040-1105) notes that Ya’akov’s use of gur aryeh prophetically refers to Yehudah’s most famous descendant and forebear of the Mashiach, Dovid HaMelech (King David), who was the embodiment of both lion-like strength and great boldness. In addition, in Sefer Bereishit 49:16, we find: “Dan will avenge his people, like one, the tribes of Israel.” Basing himself on a variety of passages from Chazal, Rashi states:

All Israel will be like one with him, and he will avenge them all. Concerning Shimshon he [Ya’akov] uttered this prophecy. We can also explain, “like one, the tribes of Israel,” [as follows]: like the special one of the tribes, namely David, who came from Yehudah.
 
Rashi’s gloss underscores Chazal’s perception regarding the relationship between the tribe of Yehudah and the tribe of Dan that is exemplified by their most famous descendants, Dovid HaMelech and Shimshon. Midrash Bereishit Rabbah, Parashat Vayechi 14, gives this idea powerful voice: “Ya’akov Avinu saw him [Shimshon in a prophetic vision] and thought he was the Melech HaMashiach (the King Messiah)…” Clearly, Shimshon’s potential was nearly unlimited.
 
In my estimation, Shimshon’s status as one of the most outstanding Shoftim and protectors of the Jewish people is given its clearest expression in Rabbi Yochanan’s words, as found in Talmud Bavli, Sotah 10a:

Rabbi Yochanan said: “Shimshon judged the Jewish people just like their Father-in-Heaven. As the text states, ‘Dan will avenge his people, like one [Rashi — the One of the World Who renders righteous judgment], the tribes of Israel.’” (Sefer Bereishit 49:16). And [in addition,] Rabbi Yochanan said: “Shimshon was named after the name of the Holy One blessed be He. As the text states: ‘For a sun (shemesh — similar in Hebrew spelling to Shimshon) and a shield is Hashem; Hashem will give grace and glory; He will not withhold good from those who go with sincerity.’” (Sefer Tehillim 84:12, Talmud translation my own)
 
Rabbi Yochanan compares Shimshon to the Almighty in two respects, as an honest and forthright judge and as an authentic shomer Yisrael—guardian and defender of the Jewish people. In his view, this was the real Shimshon, regardless of his negative actions at different periods of his life.
 
I believe another aspect of Shimshon’s greatness is found in his willingness to do teshuvah, just as Dovid HaMelech sought to repent following his initial involvement with Batsheva. Shimshon rose to this level when he implored Hashem for the strength to destroy his idolatrous Philistine captors:
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And the people [Philistines] saw him (Shimshon) and praised their god, because they said, “Our god has delivered into our hands our enemy and the destroyer of our land, and who has slain many of us.” And Shimshon called to Hashem and said, “O’ L-rd G-d, remember me and strengthen me now, only this once O’ G-d, that I may be avenged the vengeance for one of my two eyes from the Philistines.” And Shimshon grasped the two pillars of the center, upon which the house rested, and leaned upon them, (the) one with his right hand and the other with his left. And Shimshon said, “Let my soul die with the Philistines,” and he bent with (his) might, and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. And the dead that he killed at his death were more than he had killed in his lifetime. (Sefer Shoftim 16:24,28-30)
 
When Hashem granted him this power, Shimshon was able to mekadash shame Shamayim b’rabim—sanctify Hashem’s name before the entire world. With Hashem’s help and our fervent desire, may we, too, dedicate ourselves to bring honor to His holy name. V’chane yihi ratzon.
 
Shabbat Shalom
 
Past drashot may be found at my website: http://reparashathashavuah.org
 
The email list, b’chasdei Hashem, has expanded to hundreds of people. I am always happy to add more members to the list. If you would like to be added, please contact me via email: mailto:[email protected].
 
*** My audio shiurim on the topics of Tefilah and Tanach may be found at: Tefilah and Tanach
 
*** I have posted 164 of Rabbi Soloveitchik’s English language audio shiurim (MP3 format) spanning the years 1958-1984. Please click on the highlighted link.