Peace is a suitcase. Now why do I say that? In Parshat Nasso we’re given the Birkat Kohanim – the blessing that the Kohanim bring from Hashem to the people, and the entire blessing leads to a crescendo with the words, “וישם לך שלום,” – “May Hashem give you peace.”
The impression given here is that peace means everything.
The Midrash on this verse and the Talmud Yerushalmi both tell us, that from here we learn, “אין כלי מחזיק ברכה אלא השלום.” – “Peace is a vessel that contains blessings within it like none other.”
Why is peace described in this particular way?
Let’s say you’re going on a train journey. You’re going somewhere for the weekend, and you take an old suitcase with you and in the suitcase you’ve got your clothes and many valuable possessions. When you arrive at the station, lo and behold your old suitcase falls apart! You have to pick up all of your valuable possessions and hold them in your arms, and you have to schlepp them like this until you get to your hotel.
I can guarantee you, that by the time you reach your destination there’ll be hardly anything left because they’ll all slip from your arms. That’s the reason why our sages tell us, “אין כלי מחזיק ברכה אלא השלום.” – “Peace is a vessel that contains your blessings within it, like none other.”
It’s like that suitcase. Because without being able to hold onto your blessings they’ll all slip away. It is for this reason that when, in Parshat Bechukotai, the Torah gives us the promise, “ונתתי שלום בארץ,” – “I will give peace in the land,”
Rashi comments as follows: What happens if people say, “But we’ve got everything already! You’ve promised us the lot! Why is peace necessary?” Rashi answers, “מגיד שהשלום שקול כנגד הכל.” – “From here we learn that peace equals everything.”
How true it is. One can be blessed with enormous material wealth. One can have relationships. One can have all types of blessings. But if one’s life is full of tension, if there is divisiveness, if there is a poisonous atmosphere without peace, you actually end up having hardly anything at all.
That is why in our daily prayers we say, “עושה שלום ובורא את הכל,” – “Hashem makes peace and He creates everything.”
Let’s never forget that peace is like a suitcase and without it, we end up having nothing at all.
Let’s join together to pray with all our hearts, for the healing of all those injured, for the safe return of those taken as hostages, as well as Divine Protection for our brave IDF soldiers, police officers, medical professionals, firefighters, ZAKA members, security personnel and all those citizens protecting us in Israel as well as around the world, and for those who need healing, shidduchim, children or parnassah and may we be blessed to have the most awesome, gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful, healthy, amazing, relaxed, spiritual, sweet, and happy Shabbat.
