Dear SHA Community,
Before sharing some words of Torah on this week’s perasha, I want to recognize two huge events coming up next week.
ISLANDWOOD! Our Fifth Graders will be traveling to Islandwood Environmental Education Center on Bainbridge Island this coming Monday through Thursday. Our students will be accompanied by Ms. Julia Guard, Ms. Kim Hardman, Shinshinit Daniella Barnett, and Fifth Grade Parent Eitan Basseri. Ms. Kerri Stern, Morah Sara Weiss, Morah Tali Rothstein and I will also attend parts of the program.
FAMILY SHABBAT DINNER! Next Friday night will be our SHA Family Shabbat Dinner held at Congregation Ezra Bessaroth. We are expecting over 250 people for this special event catered by Master Chef Dalia Amon. The program will include student-led activities and childcare for the younger children. Today is the last day to make reservations. Please contact Sharon Mezistrano at smezistrano@sha613.org for more information.
Please remember that this coming Wednesday, January 25 is our Winter Teacher In-Service - Noon Dismissal.
Perashat VaEra
Our perasha is all about the plagues and Moshe’s experience with Pharoah. However, early in our perasha, the Torah details the names and descendents of Jacob’s three oldest sons: Reuven, Shimon and Levi. In this context, the Torah gives the lifespans of one line of Levi’s descendents: Kehat (son), Amram (grandson), Moshe (great-grandson), Aharon (great-grandson), Elazar (great-great-grandson) and Pinehas (great-great-great-grandson). The Torah does not list the lifespans of Jacob’s other descendents.
There are two oddities here:
- The lineage ends with the tribe of Levi. There are twelve tribes and twelve brothers! Why end with Levi?
- The section includes the lifespans of only some of the individuals listed. On what basis does the Torah include this information for only some of these people?
Commentary- Rabbi Isaac Abravanel
The purpose of this section is to emphasize that Hashem’s selection of Moshe was based on one criterion alone - merit.
Moshe was a man of highly refined character. Therefore, he was the appropriate leader to serve as Hashem’s agent in redeeming His nation. By starting with Reuven, the Torah conveys that Hashem was “looking” for the appropriate leader starting with the oldest of the generation, Reuven. Hashem ends His “search” when He “gets to” Levi.
By including the lifespans of only certain individuals who descended from Jacob, the Torah emphasizes that Moshe and Aharon were themselves righteous and that they came from a line of righteous people.
Lesson - What can we learn from this passage?
Many people have opportunities - through birth or circumstance - to be an agent in Hashem’s plan. However, Hashem does not play favorites. Only those people who have refined themselves and have influenced their children and grandchildren to be refined will ascend to the position of partnering with Hashem to advance His plan for the world. Many, like first-born, Reuven, and his first born, Chanoch, are born to privilege and opportunity. However, only the righteous, like Moshe and Aharon, will merit to be Hashem’s agent.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Owen
