Parshas Emor 5786
- Torah Tavlin
- Apr 29
- 1 min read
ואחזה לא תתנו להם בישראל אני אחזתם ... (יחזקאל מד-כח)
Just as the Parsha describes the holy role of the Kohanim in the Bais Hamikdash, Yechezkel HaNavi prophesied about the eventual service of the Kohanim in the third Bais Hamikdash. Yechezkal conveys a perplexing directive from Hashem: “You shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.” What does this mean? Surely the Kohanim who work so hard to maintain the spiritual level of the Jewish people deserve a portion in their ancestral land.
R’ Yom Tov Lipmann HaLevi Heller zt”l (Tosfos Yom Tov) explains that the Kohen’s “Boss” is Hashem Himself who takes care of “his employees” diligently by supplying them with Maaser - tithes. Furthermore, just as a Rosh HaKehila - head of the community, can very easily become haughty and self-absorbed as a result of his elevated status in the community, Kohanim can be swayed to corruption in much the same way. A Kohen’s role is to serve as the intermediary between the people and Hashem, and as such their only allegiance should be to facilitate service to Hashem. Thus, the Kohanim were withheld from receiving a portion of the land (while still being supported through other means) so that they won’t be swayed by materialism and lose their focus on their purpose in life.
In our ostentatiously materialistic world, the lesson of the Kohanim rings clear: It’s not how much money a person has that makes him great, it’s what great things he does with the money that he has that sets him apart.