16 July 2026
Rabbi WInston: Devarim and Shabbos Chazon
THERE IS THE story of a philosopher who, while contemplating the secrets of the universe at the base of a mountain whose peak was in the clouds, was interrupted by a scientist running past him. “Why so fast?” the philosopher asked him.
“Join me!” The scientist answered him, “I am running to unravel the mysteries of the universe by climbing this mountain!”
The philosopher chuckled to himself and said, “No, no, you go ahead,” the philosopher said. I’m too old to run up mountains like that.”
“As you wish,” the scientist said, as he ran off and began his ascent.
It took the scientist a lot of time, but he finally broke through the clouds and reached the summit of the mountain. Satisfied with himself and all that he had accomplished, the smile left his face when he noticed on the other side of the top that the philosopher was already there, contemplating the secrets of the universe!
Was the universe designed, or did it come to exist as it does randomly? The Torah answers this historic philosophical question from the very first verse in no uncertain terms. Philosophers over the ages have come to the same conclusion just by observing the world around them. And now, thousands of years later, scientists have finally built a supercomputer that can answer the question in empirical terms, and it’s the same answer. They just can’t yet get the computer to actually say “G–D,” so they’re sticking with mathematics as their creator, while others use “aliens” for theirs.
Of course, the debate would come to a close with the same answer for everyone if G–D would just come out of hiding and re-introduce Himself to mankind. If He would just praise the righteous like He did Pinchas and take down the evil like He did Bilaam, we’d get our answer about this universe in no uncertain terms, right?
Seemingly, yes and no. One of the most astounding things about Jewish history is how, despite G–D’s obvious involvement in that history, people still made mistakes. Catastrophic mistakes that could have been avoided if the Jewish People had taken G–D’s threats seriously.
We’re not talking about the Second Temple destroyed by the Romans because, by that time, prophecy was long gone and no one had “seen” G–D for centuries. We’re talking about the First Temple, when miracles abounded and prophets spoke in the name of G–D all the time. We were able to look G–D in the face, so to speak, and still look away…
And not just look away, but look the other way entirely. Just read the prophets like Hoshea and be shocked how far people can move away from G–D knowing full well that He is looking on. Only when it finally hurt did people realize how ridiculous their approach to life had been.
It all comes down to vision. Vision is one of those things that is so obvious and yet so mysterious. We take it for granted when we should be marveling at it every day. We call this Shabbos “Shabbos Chazon,” not just because that is the first word of the Haftarah, but because it sums up the Three Weeks and Tisha B’Av perfectly.
The Gemora asks why Yirmiyahu put the Peh before Ayin in Eichah. It answers because the spies spoke about things they did not see (Sanhedrin 104b). More accurately, they spoke about things they did see, but not the way they were meant to be seen. It is amazing how personal biases skew personal vision.
Until reality sobers a person up. We can run from reality but we can’t hide from it, not forever. Life catches up to us, and it doesn’t have to even be in one lifetime. A person can pay for a current lifetime in a future one, and certainly after all of them in Gihenom. Certain “laws” are immutable, and though it took hundreds of years for that to become clear during Temple times, invasion, destruction, and exile made it real.
That’s what it is all about, being real. Being real with G–D, being real with Torah, and being real with yourself. That doesn’t always happen naturally, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. Often, we have to do something, or something has to happen to us, to make it happen. You can worry daily about paying back your loan, but once the bank calls the concern goes to another level.
The Three Weeks, culminating in Tisha B’Av, is supposed to be that “something” that happens to us to make us real with our situation, and how it is far from the ideal. If it’s enough, then we may not need more. If not, well, then, history has an answer for that…
* * *
I am very pleased to announce that Volume 3 of Sha’ar Hagilgulim has now been published through Amazon. This completes the comprehensive re-edit and re-publication, b”H.
On the same topic, Series Two of the “Sha’ar HaGilgulim Course” continues this week, b”H. For more information or to register, go to: https://www.shaarnunproductions.org/Sha-ar-HaGilgulim-Course.html.
Have a great Shabbos, a meaningful fast, and GEULAH SHLAIMAH.
Rabbi Pinchas Winston Shlit”a
Reb Neuberger: Dvarim – How Can We Save Ourselves?
HOW CAN WE SAVE OURSELVES?
We approach Tisha b’Av.
A cloud of darkness covers us. Unbearable tragedies occurred during these days and in the intervening millennia. The fast of Tisha b’Av creates an emotional atmosphere in which one feels enwrapped by events so powerful that their effects have lasted almost two thousand years and brought about catastrophes of unimagineable magnitude.
Who could have foreseen the events of our Galus?
Well, actually the Torah did foresee them. We had been warned.
Did the Tochecha not say that conditions will become so unbearable that “Hashem will strike you with madness and you will grope at noontime as a blind man gropes in the darkness.” (Dvarim 28:28)
Do we not say in the Shema, “Beware … lest you turn astray …. Then the wrath of G-d will blaze against you … and you will swiftly be banished from the goodly land which Hashem gives you.”
I would like to try to identify one midah which I feel is the most important thing we can work on during this season. You won’t be surprised, because I have discussed this previously. But, since the Bais Hamikdosh is not here yet and Moshiach has not been revealed, we clearly have not done enough.
Every day we say a Mishnah which details those precepts “whose fruits a person enjoys in This World but whose principal remains intact for him in the World to Come.” The last two are: “bringing peace between ‘adam l’chavairo’” and “Talmud Torah keneged kulam.” This implies that we cannot attain Torah if there is no peace among us.
In my humble opinion, this is our avoda: bringing peace to the Family of Israel.
There is nothing more pressing at this moment. “Why was the Second Temple destroyed? …. Because of the gratuitous hatred that existed there. This teaches you that gratuitous hatred is tantamount to the three [cardinal] sins of idolatry, immorality and bloodshed [which destroyed the First Temple].” (Yoma 9b)
My friends, can we get past this? We cannot close our eyes. Hashem has informed us that, unless we overcome this terrible and powerful gratuitous hatred among ourselves we are in great danger, G-d forbid.
If you don’t believe me, look around at the nations of the world. Is there a logical reason for them to hate us? Of course not! If you ask the hordes of Jew haters, I promise you that they will be unable to explain why they hate us! It is like my personal story when two thugs confronted me on the New York subway some fifty years ago. When I confronted them, they were literally unable to speak, despite the fact that I was alone and each of them was twice my size.
The haters have no clue why they hate us. That indicates that their hatred is a Heavenly decree. It is a decree against us because we need to become one nation again. The world is unified against us and we – lehavdil – must be unified in order to merit our own survival.
Where is this sinas chinom coming from?
In truth, if I search in my own heart, I see it there. I see hatred. I see anger. I see jealousy. I see my own desire to be on top of others. I see a lot of things I don’t like right there in my own heart and brain. It’s like lifting the rock and seeing all those disgusting creatures swarming there.
I believe that is why we look at the tzitzis every morning. We are begging Hashem to allow us to become engrossed with utter devotion to Torah and mitzvos, which are completely pure. They allow us to elevate ourselves above our own lowly desires, our competition with our own flesh and blood, Klal Yisroel, our sisters and our brothers.
Rabbi Eliahu Eliezer Dessler zt”l asks what is the solution for the sickness of the soul which afflicts us. And he answers: total absorption in Torah and mitzvos. How do you get to a world of Torah? It is what I said earlier: “peace between adam l’chavairo.”
All our gadolim were tzaddikim. The heroes in our history, the greatest people who ever lived, were all masters of chessed. Look at Reb Chaim Kaniesvky zt”l, before whom thousands of Yidden passed. He and his Rebbetzin were like fountains of pure water poured upon souls who desired to be cleansed.
At the entrance to the Bais Hamikdosh stood the kiyor. Before the Kohanim could do their avoda they had to cleanse themselves. My friends, we have to bathe in this water. We have to dive into the mikveh of purity. It all begins in our own neshomas. We have to look with courage and honesty and cleanse our souls of jealousy and competition.
“Reb Yechezkel of Kozmir said, the Temple was destroyed because of unwarranted hatred. It will be rebuilt because of unwarranted love.” (Nechmad MiZahav, Artscroll Maseches Yoma 9b, footnote 18)
This is the way to build the Bais Hamikdosh and renew the world!
The Temple Mount Today
GLOSSARY
Adam l’chaveiro: Man and his friend
Avoda: spiritual labor
Bais Hamikdosh: Holy Temple
Gadolim: great rabbis
Golus: Exile
Keneged kulam: is equal to them all
Kiyor: Vessel filled with water in the Holy Temple
Kohanim: priests
Lehavdil: to distinguish between …..
Midah: character trait
Mikveh: gathering of water in which a Jew immerses for ritual purity
Mishnah: part of the Oral Torah
Sinas chinom: unwarranted hatred
Talmud Torah: Learning Torah
Tisha b’Av: the 9th day of the month of Av, on which both Temples were destroyed
Tochecha: passages of Admonition found in the Torah
Tzaddikim: holy people
Tzitzis: the “fringes” required by the Torah, attached to a four-cornered garment
Eliezer Meir Saidel: Achdut - Devarim
Achdut - Devarim
אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טׇרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם. (דברים א, יב)
This Shabbat we will listen to the ba'al koreh read this passuk to the tune of Megilat Eicha. Next week, we will commemorate Tisha Ba'Av, a huge celebration, since the Mashiach will surely arrive before then B"H. Our sages teach us that those who truly mourn the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash will merit its rebuilding.
The iconic word אֵיכָה is synonymous with the destruction of the Batei HaMikdash. What is it about this word that has given it this connotation? R' Tzadok HaKohen of Lublin's shita is that to understand a word, you examine the first time it is mentioned in the Torah. The first time we find this word (abeit with different vowels) is in sefer Breishit.
וַתִּפָּקַחְנָה עֵינֵי שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיֵּדְעוּ כִּי עֵירֻמִּם הֵם וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵה תְאֵנָה וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם חֲגֹרֹת. וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱ-לֹקִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן לְרוּחַ הַיּוֹם וַיִּתְחַבֵּא הָאָדָם וְאִשְׁתּוֹ מִפְּנֵי ה' אֱ-לֹקִים בְּתוֹךְ עֵץ הַגָּן. וַיִּקְרָא ה' אֱ-לֹקִים אֶל הָאָדָם וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ אַיֶּכָּה. (בראשית ג, ז-ט)
Adam and Chava had just sinned with the עֵץ הַדַּעַת. With their newly acquired knowledge they realize that they are not clothed, so they cover themselves in fig leaves. They hear the voice of HKB"H permeating Gan Eden and they hide from the "face" of HKB"H. HKB"H then calls out to Adam אַיֶּכָּה, "Where are you?"
It is interesting to note that the passuk refers to HKB"H using both His names י-ק-ו-ק and אֱ-לֹקִים, reflecting both mercy and judgement (mercy precedes judgement). After Adam and Chava sinned, we would think that HKB"H would appear to them only with the name אֱ-לֹקִים reflecting מִדַּת הַדִּין. From this we see that HKB"H had not yet passed judgment on them, He was waiting to see how they responded before doing so – would they do teshuva or not.
The word אֵיכָה is therefore derived from a reality in which we "hide" from HKB"H, raising up barriers between ourselves and HKB"H's "face", which is a face of מִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים by default (אור החיים, פרשת וארא ו,ב). In response, HKB"H "hides" His face from us, הֶסְתֵּר פָּנִים. The gematria of the word אֵיכָה is לְבַד, alone.
Adam and Chava hid from HKB"H בְּתוֹךְ עֵץ הַגָּן, within the very thing that they sinned with, the עֵץ הַדַּעַת. When we sin against HKB"H, we envelop ourselves with the sin itself, which acts as a barrier between us and HKB"H.
Obviously, we cannot "hide" from HKB"H - Who is all seeing and all knowing. From the passuk we learn HKB"H's derech eretz, אַיֶּכָּה. "I see you, I know where you are, you cannot hide from Me. But where are you? Where are you holding? Do you wish to reconnect with Me by doing teshuva, or do you want to persist in raising barriers between us?"
This is the true meaning of the word אֵיכָה. In our passuk above, Moshe is not only reiterating his frustration with Am Yisrael when they sinned, he is also reflecting HKB"H's thoughts. אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי "You chose the wrong option and you are now lonely without Me and I too am lonely without you. I am giving you the chance to do teshuva, will you take it?"
Everything is encoded into the Torah, from the beginning of time until the end of time. If Tisha Be'Av follows parshat, Devarim where we read the passuk אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי, then there must be links between this passuk and the destruction of the Batei Mikdash and also its rebuilding at the end of days.
Indeed, we find these links embedded in our passuk above. The gematria of - אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טׇרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם is the same gematria as וַיִּפֹּל עַל צַוְּארֵי בִנְיָמִן אָחִיו וַיֵּבְךְּ וּבִנְיָמִן בָּכָה עַל צַוָּארָיו (בראשית מה, יד). Rashi (ibid.) says that Yosef wept on Binyamin's shoulders over the two Batei Mikdash in the inheritance of Binyamin that would be destroyed and Binyamin wept on Yosef's shoulder over Mishkan Shilo in Yosef's inheritance which would be destroyed.
Similarly, the gematria of - אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טׇרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם is the same gematria as מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָ͏ִם כִּימֵי עוֹלָם (מלאכי ג, ד), our daily supplication to HKB"H (recited immediately after taking three steps back following the עֲמִידָה) to restore the avodah to the Beit HaMikdash.
In this shiur, however, I would like to explore a different connection related to another gematria of the same passuk. The gematria of - אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טׇרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם is also the same gematria as שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר שִׁבְטֵי י-ה לְבָדָד.
As we approach the Nine Days, one of the most pressing questions on everyone's mind is the unity (or lack thereof) in Am Yisrael.
Unless you are living in a cave, you cannot help but be aware of the current "conflict" raging within Am Yisrael, which has been exacerbated by the war and even more so by the upcoming elections here in Israel. The conflict between the conservative right and the liberal left.
The conflict between the Charedim and the rest of Am Yisrael regarding conscription. The conflict regarding the balance between the judicial and executive branches of government. The conflict over the standards of Kashrut. The conflict of Jews abroad between their affiliation to the progressive-left Democrats and the conservative-right Republicans, etc. etc.
The only consensus between everyone right now is - that there is no achdut in Am Yisrael. That our current "state-of-the-nation" is eerily similar to that prior to חֻרְבַּן בַּיִת שֵׁנִי 1956 years ago, Rachmana litzlan. There are those who will dispute this assertion, but imho their view more reflects an optimistic hope than the reality on the ground.
Obviously achdut, unity, in Am Yisrael is a good thing and we all want to achieve it, because deep down we realize that it is not our enemies from without who are our greatest threat, but our enemies from within. The question is how to achieve achdut? Is it at all possible?
The answer is – "Yes, it is possible!" and we know this because it is a historical fact. For one fleeting moment Am Yisrael managed to achieve perfect unity וַיִּחַן שָׁם יִשְׂרָאֵל נֶגֶד הָהָר (שמות יט, ב), on which Rashi (ibid.) says כְּאִישׁ אֶחָד בְּלֵב אֶחָד – at Har Sinai.
Although at other junctures Am Yisrael experienced a heightened sense of unity, like when we entered Eretz Yisrael with Yehoshua, the story of Purim, etc. there was no other case of absolute achdut like at Matan Torah. It is a very sobering thought, that in our 3338 years as a nation we only had perfect unity once and for a fleeting moment.
If it was achievable back then we know that it is possible to achieve it once again, but we cannot live in an illusion that this will be easy. The harsh reality is that we haven't experienced this type of unity for 3338 years. It is therefore something to strive for, something to work towards, but with the sobering understanding that it will be a battle.
I would like to present the Torah model of achdut in Am Yisrael, the vision the Torah had for our nation. This is not my personal opinion, it is not a "political opinion" emanating from sectorial bias, so if you disagree, complain to the Boss. It may seem counterintuitive and even surprising to many, but it is indisputable in the sources.
The Torah model for achdut in Am Yisrael is "Unity through Separatism".
The "Twelve Tribe" construct was created at the beginning of time with Adam and Chava, who were supposed to give birth to twelve children זֶה סֵפֶר תּוֹלְדֹת אָדָם (בראשית ה, א), the word זֶה referring to the number 12 (in gematria). Due to their sin with the עֵץ הַדַּעַת, this did not transpire. The task was handed down to Noach who also failed to accomplish it זֶה יְנַחֲמֵנוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂנוּ וּמֵעִצְּבוֹן יָדֵינוּ (בראשית ה, כט).
Next up were Avraham and Sarah, but they too failed when Sarah doubted HKB"H לָמָּה זֶּה צָחֲקָה שָׂרָה (בראשית יח, יג) and was once again transferred to the next generation, Yitzchak and Rivka. They too did not succeed when Rivka complained וַתֹּאמֶר אִם כֵּן לָמָּה זֶּה אָנֹכִי (בראשית כה, כב).
The Twelve Tribe construct does not refer necessarily to "people" per se, but rather to a collection of twelve different "forces", כּוֹחוֹת, each of which is essential to the functioning of Am Yisrael.
Finally, along comes Yaakov and his wives Leah/Rachel/Bilha/Zilpa and they succeed in this mission, giving birth to twelve sons. There is clear delineation of function amongst the sons, Yehuda is to become the king, Levi the Kohen, Gad the soldier, Naftali the athlete, Dan the judge, etc. (as reflected in Yaakov's blessings to his sons before he dies). The passuk says וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם עִיר שְׁכֶם (בראשית לג, יח), that Yaakov's mission supposedly had been accomplished, establishing the Twelve Tribes of Am Yisrael.
Then calamity struck. The plan was that each of the tribes/sons would manifest their allotted כּוֹחַ and collectively form Am Yisrael. But then along comes Yosef and his dreams of royalty, which the brothers mistakenly interpret as encroaching on his brother Yehuda's territory. Thus, the vision of the Twelve Tribes was temporarily derailed and postponed for another 233 years, when Bnei Yisrael left Egypt. In order to set the "train back on the tracks" as it were, required a כּוּר הִתּוּךְ, the "furnace" that was Egypt.
When Yaakov died, his last will and testament was twofold. Revealing in his blessings to each of his twelve sons their destiny/role and also their "layout", surrounding his coffin, when his sons took him back to Eretz Yisrael for burial. This same layout and configuration were later copied when Am Yisrael camped and travelled in the Midbar.
When Bnei Yisrael left Egypt, it was not as one blurry potpourri of population, all mixed in together with one another. Each tribe was distinct and travelled separately from the others. This is the way we crossed over Yam Suf, in twelve separate "lanes" in the sea, separated by towering walls of water (תנחומא בשלח, פרק יד, י).
We could see the tribes adjacent to us, but could not cross from one lane to the other. This is the way we stood at Har Sinai to receive the Torah. This is the way we encamped around the Mishkan. The water from the Well of Miriam formed rivers separating each tribe, so wide that you needed a boat to cross over from one to the other (במדבר רבה, חקת יט, כו). This is the way we travelled through the Midbar
In the Midbar there were no "political parties", only tribes and their נְשִׂיאִים, mentioned numerous times in different contexts. When an attempt was made to form "coalitions", mixing tribes, it ended in disaster (re: Korach). During the inauguration of the Mishkan, the נָשִׂיא of each tribe brought their own distinct korban, on a different day.
Although the components of each tribe's korban were equivalent, their kavanot and purpose were completely different (במדבר רבה יג-יד). It was taboo to mix tribes, a member of one tribe marrying a member of another tribe (re: daughters of Tzlofchad).
When Yehoshua conquered Eretz Yisrael, the land was parceled out to the twelve tribes, each in their own inheritance that facilitated them achieving their destined role in Am Yisrael (e.g Zevulun on the coast with ships).
In נך we experience the same distinct separation of tribes, in numerous incidents mentioned in the periods of the Shoftim, the Melachim, etc.
This almost absolute separatism is an underlying foundation stone of Am Yisrael. Each tribe lived separately from the other, did their own "thing", didn't interfere with the other tribes and their "things". This is the utopian vision/blessing Bilam transmitted וַיִּשָּׂא בִלְעָם אֶת עֵינָיו וַיַּרְא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו וַתְּהִי עָלָיו רוּחַ אֱ-לֹקִים. ... מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב מִשְׁכְּנֹתֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל (במדבר כד, ב-ה) .
The reality of each tribe separated from the other, שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו, is the utopian vision for Am Yisrael מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב. These are not Bilam's words, they are HKB"H's words placed in Bilam's mouth. They are a direct communique from HKB"H Himself of His vision for the structure of Am Yisrael.
It is not only that each tent didn't face the opening of another tent, it is more importantly that each tribe didn't interfere with the affairs of the other tribes. They concentrated on their own role and purpose. And again, הֶן עָם לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן (במדבר כג, ט), they will dwell alone – not only as a nation among the nations, but within themselves, each tribe לְבָדָד יִשְׁכֹּן.
This delineation carried forward even when Am Yisrael were exiled after the Batei Mikdash were destroyed, the "Lost Tribes", each to a different part of the globe.
This deliberate separatism is essential in maintaining the national integrity of Am Yisrael. The concept of כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל עֲרֵבִים זֶה לָזֶה does not mean that we all have to look out for one another, but rather that each tribe needs to keep the other tribes in check and ensure they are fulfilling their allotted purpose.
There were, however, certain isolated cases where Am Yisrael rallied together as one, not as individual tribes, but as one consolidated unit composed of twelve subunits. Cases of national importance and magnitude.
Receiving the Torah at Har Sinai, the first and only (so far) case of perfect unity and functioning of the unit that is Am Yisrael.
Donating for and building the Mishkan, a collective, "tribeless" effort. The gold from one tribe was melted in together with the gold from another tribe. The threads of techelet, argaman, tola'at shani etc. from one tribe were weaved together with threads of other tribes to make the Parochet. There were no "plaques" in the Mishkan.
"This copper Kiyor was generously donated by the tribe of Asher!" - it was made from the mirrors of the women of all the tribes together. "This Menora is dedicated to the tribe of Yissachar and their generous donation!" There is no component of the Menorah that relates to the number twelve (7 stems, 9 flowers, 11 knobs, 22 cups). There is no significance to tribalism in the Mishkan, it was a national entity.
Waging war with our enemies. Am Yisrael, all twelve tribes, men and women waged war, מִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה, together -בְּמִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה הַכֹּל יוֹצְאִין אֲפִלּוּ חָתָן מֵחֶדְרוֹ וְכַלָּה מֵחֻפָּתָהּ (משנה סוטה ח, ז) (women not in combat but in the "logistic corps", תפארת ישראל, שם). There were no units for each tribe separately, it was one consolidated unit.
When or if one or more of the tribes were reluctant or refrained from joining the rest of Am Yisrael to fight these wars they were severely castigated. By Moshe - וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה לִבְנֵי גָד וְלִבְנֵי רְאוּבֵן הַאַחֵיכֶם יָבֹאוּ לַמִּלְחָמָה וְאַתֶּם תֵּשְׁבוּ פֹה (במדבר לב, ו). By Devora - לָמָּה יָשַׁבְתָּ בֵּין הַמִּשְׁפְּתַיִם (שופטים ה, טז). By the episode of פִּילֶגֶשׁ בַּגִּבְעָה - וַיִּפָּקֵד מִי לֹא עָלָה (שופטים כא, ח).
Building the Beit HaMikdash. Shlomo HaMelech imposed a "tax" (people not money), to recruit a building force to build the first Beit HaMikdash. Aside from the tribe of the king, Yehuda (רש"י, מלכים א' ה, כז) all of the other tribes participated.
Tax for the upkeep of the Mikdash. The tax of מַחֲצִית הַשֶּׁקֶל was incumbent on all the tribes.
In addition to and more importantly than all the instances above, the single most unifying factor in Am Yisrael has and always will be – belief in HKB"H.
The word אַחְדוּת is derived from the word אֶחָד. The unity that acts as a "glue" between all the tribes is our belief that HKB"H is the only One, true G-d. According to the Gemara (פסחים נו, ע"א) this was the twelve tribes' parting declaration to Yaakov their father before he died, the passuk we will read in next week's parsha שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד (דברים ו, ד). This passuk is the remedy to the passuk אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טׇרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם. Both have six words, the ו' הַחִבּוּר, the power to unify - both in עֵת רָצוֹן and also in עֵת צָרָה. The gematria of אֵיכָה אֶשָּׂא לְבַדִּי טׇרְחֲכֶם וּמַשַּׂאֲכֶם וְרִיבְכֶם is the same gematria as אֱלֹקֵי יַעֲקֹב, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד.
The only legitimate cases of "civil war" in Am Yisrael were in cases where some part of Am Yisrael rejected HKB"H and His Torah. For example, when Moshe returned from Har Sinai after the sin of the egel and rallied everyone with the call of מִי לַה' אֵלָי? (שמות לב, כו). Another example is the war against the tribe of Binyamin with פִּילֶגֶשׁ בַּגִּבְעָה (שופטים יט-כא).
After that introduction we can now begin the shiur.
After a major systems failure (like the brothers selling Yosef) it required a כּוּר הִתּוּךְ, a furnace like Egypt, to realign Am Yisrael with our "blueprint". Our contemporary furnace was the Holocaust. Following that and continuing to the present day, the Twelve Tribes have begun their journey home to Eretz Yisrael, after 1878 years of absence.
Aside from some Kohanim and Leviim (not all, those with centuries long yichus), the vast majority of Am Yisrael today do not know for sure which tribe of the twelve they belong to. That said, we do see a natural gravitation of people to certain fields of endeavor, כּוֹחוֹת. Being drawn by a subliminal pull of the neshama which is steering people towards their original "tribe".
This is why some people in Am Yisrael become doctors, soldiers, merchants, talmidei chachamim, rabbanim, sofrim, teachers, etc. Although we cannot pin an official title on each of these "tribes" (Mashiach will when he comes), de facto Am Yisrael is gravitating to its roots. This is a natural and essential phenomenon and not one that should be interfered with.
The worst crime we can possibly commit is to "reeducate" people away from their natural affinity. That muddles up Am Yisrael instead of consolidating it. Separatism is an essential structural mechanism in Am Yisrael. It is in fact damaging to prevent separatism.
It is perfectly natural and is in fact a historic reversal, that the Charedim are who they are, the Dati Leumi are who they are, the generals in the army, the judges, the doctors, the teachers, the scientists, the artists, the athletes, the police, the farmers, the accountants, the reporters, etc. etc. Each of us has our allotted place and role to play in Am Yisrael, the direction that our neshama subliminally pulls us in.
Another crime against Am Yisrael is for any of these "tribes" to mistakenly claim that they are superior in any way to any of the others. The Torah and Rabbanim of the Charedim are not superior to the Torah and Rabbanim of the Dati Leumi world. Ponevezh is not superior to Merkaz HaRav, Brisk is not superior to Chabad. People in each of these "tribes" are exactly where they should be, following their specific destiny with the unique כּוֹחוֹת HKB"H gave them. Same goes for soldiers, hitech people, farmers, lawyers, judges, etc.
The terrible catastrophic lack of unity that currently exists today in Am Yisrael, is because every "tribe" is poking their eyes and noses into the "tent opening" of the other "tribe" – the opposite of מַה טֹּבוּ אֹהָלֶיךָ יַעֲקֹב. We need to stop examining each other under the microscope. Instead, we all need to be שֹׁכֵן לִשְׁבָטָיו – concentrate on our "thing" that we do best and not try make everyone else like us, not belittle, minimize or cancel others for their "thing".
We need to allocate resources just like the Torah says לָרַב תַּרְבֶּה נַחֲלָתוֹ וְלַמְעַט תַּמְעִיט נַחֲלָתוֹ (במדבר כן, נד), i.e per capita – according to the number of people in that "tribe". You take the "education pie", the "transportation pie", the "social services pie" and all the other pies (budgets) and you allocate them per capita, so that each individual in each of the tribes ends up getting the same individual slice – their education slice, their transportation slice, their social services slice. The method of allocation of resources today is not based on that but rather on political interests, on who shouts loudest, "protekzia" and because of certain tribes mistakenly thinking that they have precedence over others.
We need leaders who respect everyone's sectoriality, that do not play one sector off against the other for their nefarious, selfish, egotistical political purposes. Leaders who respect everyone's sectoriality are the kind of leaders we should be grooming and electing, not those who are in favor of "national unity", which is a codeword for national decay and stagnation.
It all hinges on two common threads
The first common thread is that the Jewish People, whichever "tribe" they belong to – have to all believe in HKB"H, that He is the One G-d who created the universe and manages the world. That the Torah is the Divine moral compass and "handbook" of the world and that we have to live by it.
I truly think that 99% of the Jewish People, regardless of "tribe", already believe that and even those who say they don't, don't really in their hearts believe what they are saying – they are just mouthing reactionary opposition to other "tribes" interfering with them and their role in Am Yisrael and denigrating their "Torah" and avodat Hashem.
No human can see into another's heart and truly know who that person really is. It is highly likely that a certain Chiloni from Tel Aviv, with a nose ring who drives on Shabbat is more loved by HKB"H and will more merit Olam Habah than a certain Charedi studying in Yeshivat Ponevezh with a streimel (re: פסחים נ, ע"א, "עוֹלָם הָפוּךְ רָאִיתִי").
A small percent (I think 1% or less) is truly an "erev rav" that seeks to defy HKB"H and wage war against Him and His Torah. They are true reshaim and their neshamot have been destroyed by foreign influences and greed. The 99% of the true Am Yisrael need to cast out this 1% and reconstitute our nation, regardless of the disproportionate power this 1% may have relative to the 99%. It demands courage and tenacity.
The second common thread is that the Jewish People, whichever "tribe" they belong to – must rally together for matters of national importance.
To fight and defeat our enemy in this existential מִלְחֶמֶת מִצְוָה, willingly and with mesirut nefesh, without shirking and without excuses that have no halachic basis.
To work together to rebuild the Beit HaMikdash and herald in the Geulah.
Those who try to weasel out of either of these national missions are refuting the first common thread and placing themselves in the 1% camp above.
The Gemara (פסחים נו, ע"א) says –
וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הֵאָסְפוּ וְאַגִּידָה לָכֶם. בִּיקֵּשׁ יַעֲקֹב לְגַלּוֹת לְבָנָיו קֵץ הַיָּמִין וְנִסְתַּלְּקָה מִמֶּנּוּ שְׁכִינָה. אָמַר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יֵשׁ בְּמִטָּתִי פְּסוּל כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְאָבִי יִצְחָק שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ עֵשָׂו? אָמְרוּ לוֹ בָּנָיו שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱ-לֹקֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. אָמְרוּ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין בְּלִבְּךָ אֶלָּא אֶחָד כָּךְ אֵין בְּלִבֵּנוּ אֶלָּא אֶחָד. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה פָּתַח יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ וְאָמַר בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד.
This is where we are now - קֵץ הַיָּמִין. Yaakov wanted to reveal to his sons back then, what is happening right now before our very eyes, but the Shechina departed from him and he couldn't see. It is all about achdut, back then and today. The glitch and the remedy are the same, back then and today.
As we approach the Nine Days and we remember the mistakes of our ancestors and bemoan the fate it wreaked on us, let us also take responsibility to reverse and repair that wrong. To establish true achdut in Am Yisrael, first by understanding what real achdut truly is and then by toiling endlessly to achieve it.
Shabbat Shalom
Eliezer Meir Saidel
Machon Lechem Hapanim
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