Now once a person understands these ideas, so the way he looks at the Am Yisroel is transformed. Because now he understands who really are the aristocrats of the Am Yisroel. And so when you see a yeshivah man, a talmid chochom, you know that he is the one who is closest to the kodesh kodoshim, he’s closer to Hakadosh Baruch Hu than anyone else. And you admire him, you’re impressed by him.
That’s what the Gemara says: י≈רּחוַּב יןƒ„יƒ ֲ̇ﬠןֹנוָב¿ּלַּכ בֹטו ַיח≈רּנו¿ּ ̇ƒּי∆ׁ ̆ ל≈‡ָר¿ׂ ̆ƒי – “The young men of Israel will in the future emit a fragrance like the forest of Levanon” (Brachos 43b). The time will come when the young talmidei chachomim, the yeshivah men who spend their days and nights learning, will issue a sweet fragrance like the cedar trees of the Levanon. It means that one day the world will recognize the truth; the whole world will learn to look through the Eyes of Hakodosh Boruch Hu. And everyone will see that it is the Torah learners who smell pleasant, that they are the ones who give off the sweetest of fragrances in this world.
But we are expected to recognize that truth even today. When you see a yeshivah man, you should imagine that he smells like sweet smelling roses. Let’s say you see a group of yeshivah boys walking in the street. Now, there is nothing especially attractive about them. They’re all wearing the same uniform, white shirts, and black pants; nothing special. So what about it? What’s so important?
But if you understand this lesson of Parshas Pekudei, you understand that these yeshivah men are the aristocrats of our nation. Because it was in the midbar that the Am Yisroel learned that our nation is only a Torah nation. That’s the lifeblood of our people; it’s what we are. ‡ָּל∆‡ הָּמֻ‡ּנו≈ ָּ̇מֻ‡ ין≈‡הָרֹוּ ַּ̇ב – “Our nation is a nation only because of the Torah.” And it’s those who keep pumping the blood of Torah through the veins of our nation, who are keeping us alive. And therefore it’s the Torah learners who are the aristocrats of our nation, the ones whom we admire and emulate. Once you understand this, you have gained a new perspective on the Am Yisroel, and you’ve learned to see our nation the way Hashem sees them!
Have A Wonderful Shabbos
