This week’s parsha, Bamidbar, counts the tribes of Yisroel. At the end of the parsha, the tribe of Levi is counted separately and the Torah tells us that the Levi’im had specific jobs. One of the jobs of the sons of Kehos was to carry the Kodesh Ha’Kodashim (Holy of Holies) when the Jews traveled in the desert. Our Sages point out that this is not actually what happened. The Kodesh Ha’Kodashim would miraculously carry itself and also carry anyone that was holding it. Therefore, the Torah carried the people. The message of this is that if a person connects themselves to the Torah, the Torah lifts him up and protects him.

In Pirkei Avos, we learn that if a person is walking along a road while learning, if he interrupts his learning to say how nice a tree looks or how nice a field looks, he is responsible for his own death if he is attacked. I was teaching this mishna this past week and it seems like a very strict punishment for someone stopping to look at a tree. The reason for it though is because Torah learning protects people. This person walking and learning has the protection of the Torah while he is concentration on his studies. When he stops his learning to stare at a tree, this protection of the Torah ends.

Let me share an example. Yaakov received the blessings from his father, Yitzchak, even though Esav was supposed to receive the blessings. When Esav heard that his brother received the blessings, he was angry, and threatened Yaakov’s life. So Yaakov runs away and hides in the yeshiva for 14 years. Now think about this: where would be the first place Esav would look for his brother. Esav knows that Yaakov is always learning and therefore, the first place he would look for Yaakov would be the yeshiva. So why did Yaakov run to there? The answer is because when Yaakov was constantly learning Torah at the yeshiva, and even if Esav was next to him with a sword, Yaakov was protected. His Torah learning protected him.

The power of the Torah is very great. If a person concentrates properly on his learning, he is granted extra protection. Security systems and alarms are certainly great devices and since we need to live within the nature of the world, they are things that are needed. But unfortunately, no device exists that is perfect. If we want true security, we need to connect ourselves with the Torah. The Torah has held us up for thousands of years and will continue to protect in the future.

Good Shabbos!
-yes
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