My Rebbi called me up at work a while ago, he reached my co-worker who told him I was bentching. My Rosh Yeshiva said, I’m sure that’s going to take longer this time of year (it was during the 3 weeks) all those brochos and yearning for the Bais Hamikdash... Oy Halevai!
Chazal say everything goes after the closing. As we close the sefer and close the Parsha. The Torah signals an interesting message. It seems that if one kills a man he should run away to a refugee city and we’ll take care of him there, until the death of the Kohein Gadol and then he goes free. Does it make sense?
Ok first, it’s talking about a person (watch those pronouns here) who kills by accident. Oh, I forgot to mention another point — til the killer finds refuge, a relative of the deceased (remember the murderer killed by accident) is commanded to kill him!! Oh boy! Sounds like a cheap Netflix movie plot (le havdil).
What is going on here?
Ok, I left out that the mother of the Kohein Gadol gives food and clothing to all the murderers, so they won’t (naturally) pray for the early death of her son, thus bringing their release. Got it?
Rashi says that the tie in here is simple: the Kohein gadol was supposed to pray once a year in the Kodesh Kodashim on Yom Kippur that there shouldn’t be any innocent blood spilled under his watch. Evidently, Rashi says, he didn’t pray a complete prayer. Had he, we can surmise, the murders would not have taken place! The power of tefillah is awesome.
Davening can literally change nature. Leah Emainu was destined to marry Eisav. Tearful davening not only saved her, but she married Yaakov and gave birth to Klal Yisroel! Many other such instances abound, BH, from Chazal and our own lives.
One famous Agaddeta: R’ Eliezer Ben Yaakov was asked to daven that a seven headed monster which had made its home in the local shul, go away. In a novel tactic, everyone was asked not to host him for the night and he was forced to take lodging in the shul. He vanquished the beast there, by davening! The Maharsha asks, how could he be put into such a situation? Doesn’t a neis take away your zechusim (all your merits)? He answers with a big klal. When you daven and a neis happens it is not a neis. It is Teva! It is an ordinary occurrence. Tefilos being answered is natural!
With this we can understand why the Kohen Gadol’s mother gave the prisoners food and clothing. I ask you, with mezonos and shirts, they were bribed not to daven for their early release? The answer is as powerful as it’s relevant. They will still daven, but not with a full heart because of the food and the clothing!
As I started, we can surely bring Moshiach, but for a little clothing, money and kavod in this world, we are not davening with a full heart...
RABBI BEN ZION SNEH
