Parshas Chukas 5785
- Torah Tavlin
- Jul 4
- 2 min read
וישמע ה' בקול ישראל ויתן את הכנעני ... (כא-ג)
MASHAL: A story is told about a group of Jews who came to Israel in order to daven at the kever of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in Meron. It was before the days of paved roads and the ride was difficult, but eventually they got there. The taxi driver parked at the foot of the mountain and apologized. “I won’t be able to climb the mountain, the incline is too steep.” Pointing to the kever, he told them to meet him back at the bottom of the mountain in two hours.
They took their Sifrei Tehillim and made their way up the dirt path. Sure enough, they could feel the holy and pur spiritual presence that resided there. With fervent tefillos on their lips they shed many tears, crying out Hashem for yeshuos, until it was finally time for their departure. As they were hiking down, they all commented on how well-connected they felt while davening by the holy kever, and how it touched them so deeply.
But they were all in for a shock when the driver saw them return: “Why didn’t you go up to the kever?” he yelled. “The kever is further up the mountain!”
Their hearts melted. All those heartfelt tefillos were poured out alongside a shack? They hadn’t come to Meron to daven at some corncobs! They all looked at each other, unsure if they should laugh or cry. The kind-hearted driver told them that he would wait an additional 30 minutes for them to daven at the actual grave. They left the car once again, but this time their feet didn’t carry them as before. They left with heavy hearts and dried up emotions.
NIMSHAL: Rashi explains that Amalek dressed up like Cannanim and came to fight. Since the Yidden didn’t know who they were - as they spoke the language of Amalek - they davened their most affective prayer to Hashem - an open plea without any nepotist, from the depths of their hearts!