“G-d said to Moses, ‘One prince each day, one prince each day, shall they bring their offering for the inauguration of the altar.’… On the second day, Nethanel son of Zuar, prince of Issachar, offered. He brought his offering: one silver bowl, etc.” –Numbers 7:11, 18-19
Were you ever in a class where the instructor kept on repeating and reiterating the lesson ad nauseum? Do you know the feeling of being a bright student, and you simply tune out after the first time the teacher presents the material? You’re not alone. We have all experienced this at one time. From the teachers perspective, they should have the patience to review the material up to four hundred times (as is mentioned in the Talmud), but as students, we eventually get bored.
At the conclusion of Parshas Nasso, we read about the twelve day of offerings brought by the prince of each tribe. Every single offering was identical to the other offerings. We know that countless derivations are culled from every seeming extra letter in the torah, being that not a single extra letter exists in the Torah. Accordingly, why did the Torah make the point of repeating each day’s offering, thereby adding numerous extra words in the Torah. What is the lesson contained herein?
The great ethicist, Rabbi Simcha Zissel Ziv Broida (1824–1898), known as the Alter of Kelm, explains that this portion of the Torah contains one of the greatest lessons for us. Imagine the scene down on this planet. The altar has finally been inaugurated, and the festivities are endless. For twelve days numerous offerings are being brought the nation, and the feeling of celebration is palpable in the air. However, up in heaven an entirely different scene is unfolding. On the huge HD Plasma screen with the real-time coverage of the happenings down below on planet earth, only one person’s visage is present. That is the prince who is offering his sacrifice on that particular day.
Although it seems that he is just another wolf in the pack, in heaven he is the man of the hour. The offering brought on the 12th day of the inauguration is just as beloved as that brought on the first day. No individual gets swept up in the crowd in heaven. And the heavenly news anchor proclaims that another individual has devoted himself to G-d.
In life, often times one lacks the perspective of how important and beloved he is. Brought up in a society of peas in a pod, a melting pot, or a mosaic, one must always carry the Talmudic dictum espoused by Hillel the elder: “It is worth creating the world just for me.” Hillel was exceedingly humble but he understood his role in this world. G-d loves each and every one of us. Never before in history has the levels of depression and anxiety weighed so heavily on the public conscious. It’s time to examine the Parsha once more. Each one of us has a role and mission in this world that is only achievable by you, the individual. Your role may even seem identical to other people’s roles, but up in heaven there is a special screen devoted to your achievements. Fill that screen with vibrancy and accomplishments, because no one enjoys a blank screen.
Don’t strive to be an American Idol, be a heavenly Idol and achieve your maximum as an individual. G-d takes note.
