A Word From The Rabbi

Dear Friend,

The story related in this week's Torah portion, Korach, contains a lesson for each and every Jew.

"And it came to pass, that on the next day Moses came...and behold, the staff of Aaron... had budded... and bloomed blossoms... and yielded almonds." This was one of the signs by which G‑d demonstrated that He had chosen Aaron for the priesthood (from whom all priests [kohanim] are descended). But what is the special significance of almonds vis-à-vis the priesthood?

Of all the fruits that exist in the world, almonds are the earliest to mature. The interval between the appearance of blossoms on the tree and the time when the nuts have ripened and are ready to eat is the shortest of any variety of fruit.

The Alter Rebbe (Rabbi Shneur Zalman, founder of Chabad Chasidism) explained that almonds are symbolic of the kohanim, who bless the Jewish people with the Priestly Blessing. In the same way that the almond is quick in maturing, so too is the blessing of the kohanim fulfilled in a swift manner, and without delay.

It states in the Talmud: "Kohanim are speedy and diligent." Kohanim are likened to almonds, for not only do they fulfill their priestly duties but they do so with speed and alacrity.

When G‑d revealed His holy Torah, He told each and every Jewish man and woman: "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests." Every Jew is likened to a kohen, and must therefore derive a lesson from the priestly service:

The Holy One, Blessed Be He, entrusts each and every Jew with a Divine mission in life: to observe Torah and mitzvot in the physical world, and to pass this knowledge on to the next generation, by providing his children with a Torah-true education. How are we to fulfill this assignment? In the same manner as "almonds," i.e., with diligence and alacrity, never missing an opportunity to do an additional mitzva (commandment). A Jew should never put off till later a mitzva he can do right now. Rather, he should run to fulfill his mission in carrying out the Divine will.

Furthermore, when we act with alacrity, G‑d promises that the fruits our good deeds produce will be swift in coming. Just like the almond, we will not have to wait a long time to see their results.

Wishing you a successful week,

Rabbi Yudy Shemtov
Senior Rabbi/Executive Director