This past week I had the privilege to address the entire 4th and 5th graders at Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim — Talmudical Academy of Baltimore, as they celebrated the Hadran Alach project where all the students had engaged for several months in reviewing multiple times the material they have studied over the year.
There were several things that struck me at the event. Every single child, without exception, was enthusiastically studying as I arrived. The joy on their faces was palpable.
It made no difference whether it was the most advanced student or challenged ones. You simply could not discern which category they fell into.
At that moment a thought occurred to me that answered a dilemma in a verse in this week's reading of the portion of Korach.
The gauntlet was thrown down. Korach and the two-hundred and fifty cohorts vying for the position of Kohen Gadol were to all offer Ketores — Incense, with Aharon.
והיה האיש — Then the man, אשר יבחר ד' — whom G-d will choose — he is the קדוש — holy one [and the rest shall perish]. (במדבר טז ז)
Rashi in the previous verse, quoting from Midrash Tanchuma, poses the question: 'Is it not obvious that [the one] who is chosen is the holy one?'
Perhaps with some literary license I may offer 'a chasideshe knaitch' to interpret the verse.
Korach was clearly born into an esteemed and elevated family. He even reached levels of prophecy. He aspired for holiness in a quest for closeness to G-d.
He clearly sensed he was therefore deserving of that objective. He was after all a holy man.
In Moshe's challenge to him, he alluded to a different notion of what makes one superbly holy.
Moshe informed him,אשר יבחר — the one who 'chooses', ד' — Hashem, is the truly holy one. One who is seeking to choose G-d, not the one who pursues a uniquely holy role, is the true measure of holiness.
The litmus test to determine a true בוחר ד', is when one doesn't necessarily achieve his well-intended objective and nevertheless remains joyous in the role dished out to him.
We are taught that whenever the Torah uses the word והיה — 'then' it is memorializing that moment as one of שמחה — joy.
Here too, this verse began with the word, והיה האיש — Then the man, אשר יבחר ד' — whom G-d will choose. This indicates that when man revels in being a בוחר ד' — choosing G-d happily, with no complaint, that is a true holy person.
These wonderful children are indeed holy ones!
Reviewing what we have already learned is tedious and often termed as boring.
Why do we forget? Why is this a vital part of creation?
True, we were gifted with forgetting so that we would not eternally grieve over our lost ones. Pain wanes with time.
Is that the sole reason?
Without the challenge of forgetfulness, we might otherwise become complacent with our knowledge and lose that excitement of discovery.
We were destined to sojourn this world while facing many distractions, and inevitably if we are not cautious forget our responsibilities to His word.
But we were also given an advantage that while we were in the womb of our mothers, we were taught the entire Torah by a Malaach — an angel.
But there too, G-d decreed that an angel slaps our mouth before entering this world to forget it all.
This is the first time we encounter forgetfulness.
Clearly, as ones who enter this realm to emulate our most godly characteristic, בעלי בחירה — free-willed beings, we were embedded with an imprint of Torah that will inspire us to 'remember' our nobility by choosing to access the joy of Torah by devoting ourselves to its study.
Without the 'gift' of forgetting we may yearn for holiness but not be compelled to choose that challenging path.
By giving us that most sophisticated instrument to retrieve the joyous music of Torah we will equip ourselves with that which we need to deflect the distractions of life and discover happiness in the lives we live in this עלמא דשקרא — world of delusions.
הדרן עלך — We shall return to You!
This is our mission! To return to that jubilant state of closeness to Hashem, every day of our lives!
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
