Ari Fuld on Yom Hazikaron – 5776 (2016)

Why was the sin of the spies worse than the Golden Calf? Why did ten leaders see fear and obstacles, while Yehoshua and Calev saw faith and destiny? And how often do we let fear and “technical details” stand in the way of the mission Hashem gives us?

The menorah gives light — but who is it giving light to? It's not giving light to the Jewish people in the Mikdash, and God does not need light. So why is He commanding us to light this menorah that seems to be useless for everyone? And why does it have to be built from one piece of gold — when every other vessel in the Mikdash was assembled from parts?

Living holiness in this world.

You would think the first thing the Torah talks about in Bamidbar would be unity — all the laws between man, everything that keeps society in line. Instead, it separates the nation into tribes, numbers every individual, and assigns distinct roles. Why?

Are you keeping the law, or just afraid of getting caught?

You would think a Parsha about Mount Sinai would talk about spiritual things, yet instead it starts discussing laws related to the land of Israel.

Holiness and subjective vs. objective morality.

There is a strange law at the heart of Parshat Tazria: a woman who gives birth — who has just done something miraculous and happy — is declared ritually impure and kept away from the Temple. What did she do wrong? Perhaps nothing. Perhaps that's exactly the point.