In this week's Parsha Hashem commanded Moshe Rabbeinu to make the Mishkan, the temporary home for the Divine presence until the Beis Hamikdash was built. The Aron, the Shulchan (table) and the Mizbe'ach Hazahav (the golden Alter inside the Mishkan) all had a small crown going round them.
The Gemara (Yuma 72:) explains that the crown on the golden Mizbe'ach resembled the crown of Kehuna, the crown that Aharon Hakohen had. The crown on the Shulchan resembles the crown of Malchus of Kingship, the crown David Hamelech had. The crown on the Aron resembles the crown of Torah, any Jew who delegates his life completely to Torah can merit this crown.
Chazal tell us there is another crown, the crown of a Shem Tov - a good name, that too anyone can live up to the standard and merit this crown.
But what are these crowns?
Chazal tell us that before Klal Yisrael received the Torah, Hashem asked the Jews if they want to accept the Torah. The Jews replied, "everything Hashem said we will do and listen to."
"Na'ase - we will do, venishma - we will listen."
Klal Yisrael accepted and undertook to fulfill the Torah and Mitzvos before even knowing what was written inside. They were sure that if Hashem had offered it to them it was worth accepting.
In the merit of saying Na'ase Venishma every Jew received two crowns. When the Jews sinned by the Eigel - the golden calf the crowns were taken away.
It is clear these crowns are literal materialistic crowns but rather, they are spiritual crowns.
When we fulfill Torah and Mitzvos properly we receive a certain spiritual crown. When we withstand difficult challenges and control ourselves from doing, looking at or thinking about unholy things we merit a spiritual crown. Maybe no one will ever know what we had the inclination to do and no one may never know how we withstood such a difficult battle such a fiery Yetzer Hara. But in Heaven there is an announcement that so and so honored Hashem and controlled themselves, and then a Malaach comes and places a crown on our head.
We have a special shine, a unknown ‘chen’, we find favor in people's eyes. We've seen such people, we know some of them. We wonder how did they merit such favor, popularity and it's just pleasant being in their company. There is a spiritual crown shining from them. This is a crown we can all merit.
A Story of Righteousness and Reward
In the town of Izmir there was an elderly righteous woman who would go around to the homes of the wealthy people in town, collect funds for charity and then give them out to the poor people and needy families. Everyone knew her and everyone respected her for her righteousness.
One day a non Jewish man stopped and signaled that he would like to give her something. Sarah was sure he wanted to give her a donation. She put out her hand. But instead of giving her some money the man picked up some small stones from the ground and gave them to her.
Sarah replied softly, "you gave me stones as charity but I bless you that when you end up having to ask for help, the Jews should give you money not stones."
The man turned pale from the curse. But Sarah replied, "I could have cursed you but since one day you will become a righteous Jew I swallowed your behavior."
From that day onwards business went downhill for him. Within five years he was penniless. He had no choice but to go around begging. His own community never helped him much.
One Thursday he saw a long line of Jewish poor people waiting. He asked them what they were waiting for. They told him that there is a Gabbai who gives out money and food for Shabbos. He decided to join the line.
When his turn came he asked for some bread. The man replied that he can't give from these funds but he will happily give him from his own personal money.
The man went home, sat down and started thinking. If this is how Jews behave to the poor people of their community in comparison to how he was treated by his community he would like to convert to Judaism.
He went to the Rabbi and asked to convert. They Rabbi refused as it was a legal crime in their country.
But just then the elderly Sarah walked in to give the Rabbi the money she had collected. When she saw the man she immediately recognized him and said, "Baruch Hashem my foresight proved to be true."
"But the Rabbi has refused me," said the man.
Sarah turned to the Rabbi and said "please allow him to convert as he will be blessed."
At Sarah's request the Rabbi allowed the man to convert. Within a short time Avraham studied everything he needed to know.
One day he found a treasure in a field outside the town. He traveled to Constantinople and opened a textile store. One day someone came in and asked to buy 1000 meters of silk for his retail store. He paid and took the material home. An hour later he returned complaining there was fifty meters missing. He called him to the Beis Din of the city's Rabbi, Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi.
As he entered Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi stood up for the Avraham and honored him with great respect.
The other man told the Rabbi his claim.
Rabbi Eliyahu Mizrachi asked his attendants to go and search the store of the claimant. Shortly after, the attendants came back with the missing silk.
Rabbi Eliyahu punished the man and sent him out.
He then turned to Avraham and said, "I can see a crown of light on your head. What is your story?"
Avraham told his story with Sarah and told the Rabbi that since he was become a wealthy man he gives out very large donations to charity after all, his whole success was in the merit of the righteous acts of charity of the elderly Sarah.
