Parshas Naso 2015

Parshas Naso 2015

Avigdor Laib (Maverick) Peters

 

            “A man’s holiness is his….” (Numbers 5:10).

We can look at our lives as if we are standing in the foyer preparing ourselves at a wedding that waits ahead. Our effort to primp and preen our clothes to look our very best before we enter, is similar to our efforts in olam hazeh (this lifetime) to prepare for our arrival in olam habah (the world to come).

 A man, Jacob, has three friends. His first friend is his best friend. A person who he can really count on for anything. His second friend is not quite as close with Jacob but still a friend indeed. The third, Jacob likes but is not that close to, just a person that he is friendly with from time to time.

One day Jacob receives a letter that summons him to court immediately he will stand trial for his life. Desperate, he runs to his best friend’s house and asks him to be his advocate and witness. His friend knows wholeheartedly that Jacob is innocent but he tells him that he cannot stand up for him because he is fearful of being guilty by association. Heartbroken, Jacob calls his second friend who commiserates with him but agrees only to escort him to the courthouse but will not go inside. Jacob then calls his third friend and once again relays his story. This friend expresses empathy and reassures him with calming and gentle words. He then reassures Jacob that he will not only accompany him but will do everything in his power to fight for him!

 We too have the same three friends as Jacob. We often believe our first friend is our best friend and this friend is our money. When it comes time to leave this world and pass before Hashem for judgement our money will not be there for us. Our second friend is our family and our friends and they cannot come with us after we die. They are will to escort us to the grave (courthouse) but they are unable to come with us. Our third friend (surprisingly) turns out to be our most loyal. This is our Torah learning and mitzvah observance. The more Torah we learn and the more mitzvos we fulfill the more they will “fight for us” in court on our day of judgment.

We need to dedicate ourselves to the fulfilment of mitzvos and set aside time to learn our holy Torah as often as possible. This will be “the holiness that is his”.

 HAVE A GREAT SHABBOS AND WEEKEND!

Stay tuned for next week’s Parsha called, Parshas Beha’alosecha!

MAZEL TOV:  Rabbi and Mrs. Moshe Stoll on the wedding of their daughter. ¨  Rabbi and Mrs. Mordechai Simon on the afruf of their son.