Parashas Shelach
The Ger In High Definition
Rabbi David Katz
In this week’s Parsha, we cover the three most distinct
angles of the Ger [in relation to Israel] that serve as the main function of
the Ger [Toshav] in the Land, setting precedent from within and throughout. The
Parsha begins with the spies, and the two spies who don’t speak evil speech, [loshon
harah] will go down as two of the biggest pioneers in Jewish – Ger history;
none other than Caleb and Joshua. What they stand for, [spreading Seven Laws as
a method of subduing idolatry as opposed to military might] shall lend itself
to the next phase – a Ger in land [and his obligation/ability to sacrifice
[Olah Offering], leading to the last position of the Parsha – tzitzit;
religious identification/uniform in the Land – in the merit of Shem, he who
founded Jerusalem, and by these means the Land itself [Canaan would then be to
Shem as the Caananite Nations standing before Israel]. The three topics could
easily be pinned down to three perspectives: The Jewish confronting [potential]
Gerim, the Jews and Gerim facing each other, and the Ger gazing at the Jew;
spies, sacrifices, and garments respectively. [The Gra identifies this as three
distinct stages of daughter – sister- mother in relation to Torah]
When the decision is made to spy out the Land, twelve spies
are elected from amidst the Children of Israel, highlighted in historical
context by Joshua and Caleb. These two were existentially different than the
rest, even for the mere fact that where the others stood to deride the Land of
its harshness, Joshua and Caleb offered tunes of praise. However the key in
understanding where it went right for these two [and a point of digression for
the others], is to consider the path of Caleb – a destination with the Avot!
It should be very clear by now, that Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob were the Patriarchs of Israel, yet a Jewish People would not stand until
crossing over through Sinai. That makes everyone before Sinai a Ger [Tzedek],
and the standard as such, carrying on a legacy that began with Adam, was
entrusted to Noah, and was perfected and influenced by Shem, who made it an
eternal path of righteousness. [This follows the Zohar that explains the words
of Torah were actually spoken as vessels that belonged and originated with
Gerim.] Caleb, as he had “a different spirit within him” would then seek to
connect not with his Jewish Brethren [and thus speak an evil report], but would
cling to his forefathers who saw Judaism from the eyes of the Ger [hence the
perspective point of view of this Parsha], and would, ultimately draw influence
from them specifically [and perhaps it is for this reason it is said that the
forefathers along with Adam sleep (w/o decay) in the Cave of Machpela; a well
of inspiration for he who wishes to connect to their reservoir].
Caleb [and Joshua – who also led a life of devotion to Gerim
for the sake of the truth; both Caleb and Joshua deliver their seed into the
vessels of Gerim, under the lens of “The Righteous spiritual level of Elijah”]
takes a different route of operation in the Land in conjunction with God’s
commandments from within the Torah, concerning Derech Eretz in the Land; he
chooses to fight as the Avot fought – with Torah. The other spies were limited
in their view of success, as they thought in terms of bows and arrows; for that
Hashem showed them [in their enemy’s hands] AK 47’s and Merkava Tanks so to
speak. For Caleb and Joshua, the view was different, for they chose to fight as
Samson – with the Seven Laws of Noah; Hashem then promptly and quite clearly
showed them signs of victory. Where the ten evil reports of the spies cried
over destruction, Joshua and Caleb were busy preparing the Land as ancestral
heritage, laying the seeds of what would be conquered land in the name of God
and His Torah.
The loshon hara would go down as the quintessential Tisha b’
Av the day commemorating a Temple’s destruction and a near eternity of agony for
Israel. Joshua and Caleb are then essentially in stark opposition, laying
foundations for even the Third and eternal Temple of God. Joshua lays a foundation in the House of
Rachav, and Caleb becomes the most recent Patriarch of Hebron [in merit of his influence
there from the Avot] – to your seed, an inheritance, says Hashem.
Essentially, “the spies” chose poorly and this resulted in
destruction by military might, whereas the other two saw that Hashem’s command
of conquering Israel can be done through Torah and Noahide Laws, allowing for
the Jewish – Shem pipeline to become once again live and well. This is seen by
the Parsha closing with the command of Tzitzit – a mitzvah of the white strings
in merit of Shem, while the blue string is the merit of Abraham; a true
depiction of heaven and earth – the Jew- Ger pipeline.
[*The Mechilta points out, that the most effective way of
securing Israel’s borders, ending idolatry, and even erasing Amalek’s memory,
is best accomplished through the Noahide Laws. Jewish history would end up
going down this road as its correction against the spies, an acknowledgement of
Caleb and Joshua. Only as the Edomite exile intensified has this tradition
become lost, amidst Israel’s Second Temple crisis [that Edom destroyed]. We can
be sure that as Gerim are returning, Edom’s run is nearing its end, and this
time the Jewish People are poised to return to their [Caleb /Joshua – Joseph Judah;
ancestors to Messiah’s ben David and ben Joseph who complete the task] roots
and bring the World to the Ger Toshav [Shem/Abraham inspired vision] position
is was created to exist as.]
This concludes an introduction to a Jewish View of the World
coming out of the Land of Israel, from the focal point of first contact, i.e.
the spies.
Once Gerim would become common place in the Land [or even as
Ger Toshav throughout the World], the Parsha states that they have rights in
performing Offerings to God. It is at this junction where the Ger and the Jew
truly stand side by side. [If the previous perspective was as a mother - daughter
relationship (in nurturing and education), this no doubt would be the
sister-sister progression; for wisdom is called “my sister”] The Ger [who
wishes to be a Ger and/or operate within Torah precincts] is encouraged to make
an Olah Offering, should it be for Thanksgiving or in order to be a proper Ger
for example [which today can be achieved through a Ger – Shabbat]. The Jewish –
Ger shared experience would be in the learning/physical process of delivering
God’s aroma.
The Ger is considered like a High Priest when he learns
Torah, and it is the Olah that opens the door to his World of revelation and
light. Under the catalyst of his Olah, he may now learn [with sky as the limit
when done with the Wisdom of Torah; who again, is called Wisdom] to perform,
invest in an expansive nature should he desire to, and he even now has cause to
exist in tandem with Israel through his inheritance, the Torah. For a Ger
Toshav [within or throughout Israel and the World], this would constitute his independence
in the Land, and now would be able to operate with quite ease under the Seventh
Noahide Law – to establish the necessary statute of Beis Din. The Ger would be fully operative in
the Land, and the Torah goes on to state, in the areas of interest, there shall
be one Torah for the Jew and the Ger alike.
Today Jewish cooperation and assistance is frail, coupling
with Ger hesitation of delivering an Olah, as per the knowledge to identify the
appropriate Offering [as one must know with intent the nature of the Olah, i.e.
for Thanksgiving or for finalizing one’s soul as a Ger]; the Torah seeks to
mend the distance and to improve both sides’ education levels for the sake of
the other, through the partnership in the Olah. Should the Ger Toshav of today
realize the gift of God that he possesses, the Olah, and were to take full privilege,
the Offering [which literally means to draw close] would in fact have the power
to draw each other close, into full eternal embrace. The Holy Temple built [and
such that it was built by the inertia of Caleb and Joshua as opposed to the
spies] which functions as the Divine locale of such Service to God, will
forever express this union before God.
This now shows two of three perspectives: Jewish view of the
Land and Ger – Jewish view together. The third and final view is the Ger who
gazes upon Israel – in the name of Tzitzit.
Tzitzit come under the merit of Shem and Abraham [white and
blue strings respectively] and are the article of clothing that a Jew can be
seen in the Land. This obviously points to the Ger in the Land [who now is as a
“Mother” in Torah, as Torah can be said in his name; having gone through the
three stages of Torah – daughter, sister, and mother. The Ger is now the fourth
branch of the mystical letter Shin, having expanded like the Land of Israel –
into a fourth branch. The Land of Israel is said to expand like the skin of a
deer, with the addition of Gerei Toshavim.] who with his gaze upon the Tzitzit,
reminds the inhabitants of the Land [and throughout the World if need be] of
God’s Holy Domain above and below, and in the name of the Fear of Heaven in performance
of His Commandments. The Jew would then find the proper drive to reach this
pre-requisite Awe through the gaze of the Ger, and Ger would benefit from a
World filled with Torah [that in the relative sense always did begin with the
Ger].
This constitutes a rectified society in the Land of Israel,
from the starting point of the bravery of Caleb and Joshua, developing into a
people of worship [not in the mold of religion or idolatry], and culminates
with a proper people who are a part of the fabric within the Land’s borders as a
society of God. If the Land was ever to bear fruit [and multiply] both the
Jewish People and the Gerim would be delivered to full Mother [Torah expertise]
status in result of the Unity that can, should, and will exist between the sons
of Shem, encapsulated within the Torah command through Tzitzit, in the merit of
Shem and Abraham.
As the final war of Gog V’ Magog is quite literally [after
an extremely Jacob’s ladder-esque long process] an attack against Torah,
through the agency of Japheth in opposition of Shem. Thus the World is, was, and
will be a saga of sons of Noah. For all that Parashas Shelach stands for as an
eternal reminder of Tisha’ b’ Av, B’’H, it also stands as the eternal
rectification as such. The Parsha preserves and delivers the Messianic message
that is contained in the sons of Shem, a path of unity, one of which is treaded
upon by none other than those who inherit Shem.
The Gerim and Yehudim – who serve as the white fire agent in
the Parsha, or the Tzitzit of Shem [white fire with blue flame?], contain the
intensity and purification to bring Japheth back to his Noahide prophecy – of dwelling
in the Tents of Shem, roots and tradition that the other spies were all too
quick to forget.
In a Land that is inhabited by God’s Gerim, the Path to
Moshiach is best walked in the shoes of Caleb and Joshua, the two spies who in
face of military might, chose to pay visage to the Gerim who walked the same
Land before them, and who are destined to walk again…for the key to unlocking
David and Joseph’s door, lies within the Fourth Craftsmen [the others being
sons of David and Joseph along with Elijah], he who is dressed in white – the Righteous
Priest, Shem son of Noah –who in conjoined merit with Abraham, will forever
remind us, as they did Caleb: You are Gerim in the Land of God.
Parashas Shelach will always then stand to remind the soul
destined for Tisha B’ Av – of the soft bubbling river that pours out of the
Temple in the End of Days, one that stands to reverse the destruction of the
spies, and can begin to build as sons of Shem, a project that laid its
foundations with Shem and Abraham. As witnessed by Caleb, the Kol Hator [the
voice of the spy] will be heard in the Land, signaling a return to the voice of
Caleb, echoing the Torah in its original and authentic voice as God always
intended it to be, a true insight to God’s reality.
Don't Forget Class Time: 11 P.M. Motzie Shabbos [Tzfat]
