In yesterday's post, I presented a summary of some of the thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha on Thursday evening. As I was unable to complete the summary last evening, I have attempted to reproduce it in this post. As usual, any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.
As an introduction to the Tollner Rebbe's addition to the vort, R' Frand made two observations. The first observation was that Moshe's message was that these people should be praised because they had been selected. Why is this something to be praised for?
Additionally, Rabbi Frand noted that the Rashi on these pesukim (Bamidbar 11:16-17) states that the people were praised because they had been chosen in the past as parnasim for the people. However, Rashi on an earlier pasuk in the Parsha uses a different tense to describe those who are selected to serve.
In Bamidbar 8:6, Moshe was told to take the Levi'im to serve. Rashi on this pasuk states that Moshe was told take the Lev'im with words - cajole them that they have been chosen to serve the community. R' Frand noted that the words in the selection of the Levi'im showed that they had been selected to serve in the future. This is in contrast to the Sanhedrin where it states that they were chosen in the past.
R' Frand answered these questions by observing that these people were called parnasim of the tzibur. The gemara in Berachos 28 recites a conversation between two Rabbis where R' Gamliel sees that the walls of R' Yehoshua's house were black and says - you must be a blacksmith. R' Yehoshua responds to R' Gamliel - woe to our generation that you are the parnas for our people because you are oblivious to the people. You don't see the walls are black because the talmidei chachamim are destitute.
R' Yehoshua uses this word because a parnas is supposed to take care of the people and help them and be aware of their needs. R' Frand observed that this is the reason that the Sanhedrin were praised for being the parnasim of the people in Egypt. You understood the Jews and their troubles and helped them and were beaten for assisting them. You have been well prepared for the role of Sandhedrin, because you have the capacity to understand the people and take care of them. You are not just one who gives speeches, you are aware of the people and their needs and you will provide for them.
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