Beha'aloscha

The Torah describes the initiation rite of the tribe of Levi which was to be the one that served in the Mishkan. It also tells us ומבן חמישים שנה ישוב מצבא העבודה, from fifty years of age he shall withdraw from the legion of work, ושרת את אחיו, he shall minister with his brethren. Rashi tells us that the fifty year old, although he stops carrying the pieces of the Mishkan, still performs other rites such as the closing of the gates.

The Mishnah in Avos says בן חמישים לעצה, a fifty-year-old for advice, and Rav cites our verse ושרת את אחיו, he shall minister with his brethren, as explaining that it means he will give the younger kohanim advice.

Now, what kind of advice can the fifty-year-old give and why does Rashi specifically say that they can still help with closing of the gates and not the opening of the gates?

The Chidushei Harim answers this question with a parable. A man was lost in the forest and spent years wandering through it, unable to find his way out. Suddenly, in the distance he saw an old man heading toward him. Overjoyed, he ran over to him. “Tell me how does one get out of this forest?” The old man replied sadly, “I too am lost for many, many  years. I have been hopelessly wandering here unable to find my way out. One thing I can help you out with is I can tell you where not to go, I can tell you the paths that lead nowhere and where you shouldn't go.” The Chidushei Harim continued, “when a person reaches fifty, he already knows what not to do, he might not yet know everything he's supposed to do, but what not to do he has already mastered. Therefore, Rashi says he helps with the closing of the gates, for his advice is where not to go, what paths need to be closed off. His whole purpose now is just to assist the younger kohanim.

At the conclusion of the parsha, we are told the story of Miriam who had to stay outside the camp for seven days while the entire nation waited for her. Rashi explains that this was mida k’neged mida - she waited for Moshe when he was put in the river, so now, the whole nation waited for her.

The אוצרות התורה explains the importance of this comment, for what did Miriam do? She had a little baby brother that was being put in the river without mercy. It's a natural inclination to want to know what would happen to him. She was in pain for her baby brother; how could she not go see what happens? Yet, the Torah tells us that even though it was the normal thing to do and it was only for an hour or so until he was taken out, as payback, she was rewarded that the entire nation had to wait for her. This teaches us how important it is to Hashem that we feel each other's pain. Miriam whose feeling for her brother was natural, was still accorded such honor. Surely, one who feels his friend’s pain, and does something to help him even though he’s not his brother, how much more so will he be rewarded.

When one is holding a heavy burden, everyone understands the need to bend to help him. So,, too, when one is carrying a heavy burden of troubles, one has to bend his heart to feel his pain. The Torah is teaching us how important it is to be there for someone else, whether it's to give advice, or to just be there for someone and feel their pain. The reward is immense. Let's take this opportunity to increase our awareness of other people's troubles and do all in our power to help each other out!