From HaGaon Rav Yaakov Sasson Shlit”a, The Head of Halacha Yomit
(translated by our dear friend Rav Daniel Levy Shlit”a, Leeds UK)
Explaining Why Levi’s Second Son Kehat Carried the Ark of the Covenant and That Success in Torah is the Greatest of All Achievements
It states in this week’s Parashah, “Hashem spoke to Moshe and Aaron saying, ‘Take a [special] census of the descendants of Kehat among the Levites’” (Bamidbar 4:1-2). [These pessukim are actually stated at the end of Parashat Bamidbar and are a prelude to our Parashah.] Meaning that Hashem commanded Moshe to ascertain how may people made up the family of Kehat that had reached the age to serve in the Mishkan.
Levi’s sons were: Gershon, Kehat and Merari. Gershon was the first-born, Kehat the second and Merari the third. One should consider that here Hashem Yitbarach preceded Kehat from Levi’s sons despite not being the first-born. Hashem asked Moshe to count and see how many of Kehat’s children were fit to work, ahead of all others. We must understand why did the Torah precede Kehat before his first-born brother?
Our Chachamim explain in the Midrash, based on the passuk in Mishlei, regarding the Holy Torah, “It is more precious than pearls” (Mishlei 3:15). Even though Gershon was the first-born and we find in all references that the Torah accords respect to the first-born ahead of all younger brothers, nevertheless, since Kehat would carry the Ark of the Covenant in which were the Luchot (2 Tablets - Ten Commandments) and the Sefer Torah, therefore it first states, “Take a [special] census of the descendants of Kehat,” and only afterwards, “Also take a census of Gershon’s descendants” (ibid. 4:22). The person who carries the Holy Torah is to be honoured and come ahead of his brothers!
The commentary Kli Yakar (Rav Shlomo Ephraim Luntschitz z”l, 1550-1619) raises a question about the Midrash. Whilst it is correct that the Torah is more precious than any other valuable item - there is simply nothing above it - which is why Kehat was placed before Gershon, however, the essential question is why did Hashem actually give the carry of the Ark of the Covenant to the children of Kehat? Surely it was fitting to give the Ark to the children of Gershon, as he was the first-born?!
The Kli Yakar explains that this is precisely what HaKadosh Baruch Hu wanted to teach us! The Torah came to teach us that, “The wise inherit honour” (Mishlei 3:35), the greatest honour should be given to those who master Torah. If Hashem had given the Ark of the Covenant to Gershon’s children and mentioned them first then we would think that the reason Gershon was mentioned first was because he was the first-born.
Now, however, that Hashem entrusted the Ark to Kehat’s children and preceded them to Gershon’s children, only now may we deduce from this that this great honour should appropriately be given to those who bear the [yoke of] Torah!
Our Chachamim (Horayot 13a) explain the passuk “It is more precious than pearls” (Mishlei 3:15), that the Holy Torah is more precious than “the Cohen Gadol who enters the innermost [part of the Bet HaMikdash]”. Meaning, even the Cohen Gadol, on Yom Kippur, riding on the highest crest of holiness that a person may reach, when he stood in the Holy of Holies whilst offering prayers to Hashem, despite this a talmid chacham who studies Torah is considered worthier than that Cohen Gadol!
I remember, in Maran Saba’s home, Maran Rebbi Ovadia Yosef zt”l, that it was blatantly obvious to all those around him, that the most successful person in the world is a talmid chacham. Even a talmid chacham that is not so great, he is truly extremely successful, far greater than all the other successful areas in the world.
In Maran’s zt”l eyes if they had informed him that one of his grandchildren became a great professor, it wouldn’t bring him much joy and certainly not pride. In contrast when he heard that one of his grandchildren published a good sefer, or developed a new idea in Torah-study, and learns well, he would rejoice and would be delighted about these things.
At his end of days, on the last Rosh Hashanah of his life, Maran zt”l spoke with one of the leaders of the political party Shas. That person informed Maran zt”l with great joy of the Party’s great achievements. Maran zt”l looked at one of his grandsons, (I think it was the son of the Gaon Rebbi Aaron Abutbol shlit”a) who stood there. He said to him, “You tell me beautiful things but all this is negligible in comparison to the joy that I experience when I see my grandson studying Torah, and growing in Torah!”
Shabbat Shalom!
