Date: Fri, 27 Feb 1998 08:25:22 +0000 Reply-To: ml@virtual.co.il Sender: owner-tsc-all@virtual.co.il Precedence: bulk From: "Menachem Leibtag" To: tsc-all@virtual.co.il, tsc-navi@virtual.co.il, tsc-par-new@virtual.co.il Cc: yhe-parsha.ml@virtual.co.il Subject: TERUMAH - HAFTARA [The following shiur is dedicated towards a Refuah Shelemah for Yisroel Moshe Ben Shaindel by the Laufer family.] *************************************************************** THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.virtual.co.il/torah/tanach] In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag *************************************************************** HAFTARA - PARSHAT TERUMAH [I Melachim 5:26-6:13] This week's Haftara (which discusses the construction of the first Bet Ha'Mikdash) emphasizes several details concerning the cooperation between Shlomo ha'Melech and Chiram, the king of Tyre (Lebanon). [See 5:26-32] Why is this 'treaty' (see 5:26) with Chiram so significant? First, we will explain the technical reason, then we will discuss its thematic significance. BIBLICAL BEAMS! For a very technical reason alone, it is critical for Shlomo to have good connections with the kingdom of Tyre. In order to build a respectable HOUSE for God (and a palace for himself as well), Shlomo must import long wooden beams from Lebanon which are needed to support the large roofs of the buildings which he plans to build. As any engineer can tell you, the maximum expanse of a roof is determined by the length of the beams which are used to support it. Today, we use reinforced concrete (with long iron rods) to make beams of almost length we desire, but back in Biblical times, it was the longest available wooden beam which determined the maximum width of a building. In any country, the best source for wooden beams was obviously the trunk of the largest tree. In Eretz Canaan, this was usually the sycamore tree ["ha'shikmah" / see Amos 7:14], or similar. In Lebanon, it was the cedar tree ["ha'erez"], which grows much taller. [In an average, year, Lebanon receives almost twice the amount of rain as Israel.] Since the Temple's design called for a "heichal" TWENTY cubits wide (x60 long x30 high / see 6:3), it was necessary to IMPORT cedar trees from Lebanon, which grow much higher than any tree which grows in the land of Israel. Shlomo's own palace, which the Tanach refers to as "beit yaar ha'lvanon" - a house of the FOREST of Lebanon (see 7:2), boasted a roof FIFTY cubits wide and one hundred cubits in length! To build this palace, it was necessary to chop down an entire forest in Lebanon - and hence its name! As Shlomo's construction plans for Jerusalem called for numerous other edifices, he imported numerous trees from Lebanon. In fact, later in Sefer Melachim we are told that: "In the time of Shlomo ha'Melech, silver in Jerusalem [was common] like stone, and CEDAR wood like the sycamore trees in the "shfeyla" (the lowlands of Israel's coastal plain)." [See I Melachim 10:27) The imported CEDARS of Lebanon have replaced the more common sycamore trees of Israel. Throughout Tanach, the "erez" - the cedar tree - is always a symbol of strength and human pride. [See also Tehilim 29:5, note we recite this psalm in Kabalat Shabbat.] [ In fact, several hundred years later, the prophet Yeshayahu uses this comparison to describe the haughtiness of the people of Yehuda who do not understand why God had punished them: "... with pride and a haughty heart the people said: * "l'vaynim nafalu, vgazit nivheh" [Bricks have fallen, but we will build hewn stones instead] * "SHIKMIM gu'dau - v'ARAZAIM nichalif" [SYCAMORE beams have been broken, but we shall replace them with CEDAR instead!] (Yeshayahu 9:7-9 see the entire perek!) ] Therefore, the mention of Shlomo's treaty with Chiram, king of Lebanon, in the first pasuk of this week's Haftara is more than incidental. It is this treaty that makes Shlomo's massive building projects possible. [Note as well that a large building in Tanach is often referred to as a "beit arazim" - a house of Cedar Trees, see Shmuel II 7:1-2.] Later on, we see that Shlomo widens this treaty, and includes Chiram in other business ventures as well. He joins with Chiram to build ships in Eilat and develops a shipping route to bring gold from Ofira in the Red Sea, which will later be transported via Israel to Lebanon. See Melachim 9:26-28. [See also 9:10-17.] FOREIGN AFFAIRS In addition to its technical importance, this treaty carries religious significance as well. Recall that Shlomo's father David ha'Melech had already made a similar treaty with Chiram: "And Chiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and CEDAR wood, and artisans, to build a palace for David. Then David knew that God had desired him to be king over Israel, for the his kingdom had become famous for the sake of His people - Israel" (see Shmuel II 5:11-12) [Note, that soon after, David himself desires to build a House for God - see Shmuel II 7:1-4, note use of "arazim" there as well.] Note, that it is specifically this event, i.e. when a neighboring nation recognizes the greatness of his kingdom, which leads David to recognize the Hand of God in his rise to power. Why is this treaty so significant to David? Recall, that from the time of Yetziat Mitzraim, Am Yisrael is an isolated nation. Until the time of David, the Tanach does not record even one instance where Am Yisrael enjoys a positive relationship with another nation. [Yitro does come for a visit, but not as the king of Midyan, but rather as "choteyn Moshe" - Moshe's father in law. (Even when the Givonim come to make peace with Yehoshua, it is only in trickery.)] Consistently, our neighbors in the Middle East: Aram, Edom, Moav, Amon, Mitzraim, and Plishtim are always are enemies (see Sefer Shoftim). The time period of David is the first instance in Jewish History when other nations begin to look up to Am Yisrael. The reason why is simple - it is also the first time that we become a nation which is something to look up to! Under Shlomo ha'Melech, for the first time, Am Yisrael establishes as a 'super power' in the Middle East. Israel now controls the main trade route - the via Maris - which connects between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Shlomo has a treaty with Chiram, who controls the shipping routes of the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, it is very significant that at this high point in our national history, as Am Yisrael becomes a nation which other nations look up to, that Shlomo builds the Bet ha'Mikdash. The permanent Mikdash in Jerusalem is not only bigger than the Mishkan, it serves an additional function for it's doors are now open to foreign nations as well. As Shlomo explains in his famous prayer (when the Mikdash is dedicated): "And even for the non-jew... who comes from a distant land for the sake of Your Name. for they shall hear of Your great Name... and they shall come to pray in this House. Listen from Your seat in Heaven to his prayer, in order that all the nations will come to know Your Name, and to fear You, just as Your nation of Israel fears you, and to know Your Name which is associated with this House which I have built." (see I Melachim 8:41-43) The treaty between David & Shlomo with Chiram should be understood as much more than just a convenient business deal. It serves as a critical stage in the fulfillment of Am Yisrael's ultimate goal to become a 'model' nation that will spread God's Name to all mankind. Therefore, it is not by chance that the Haftara concludes with God's most important reminder to Shlomo (& Am Yisrael) concerning the potential success of this endeavor: "This House which you are building, IF you follow My laws... then I will keep My promise [concerning the kingdom of the House of David]. Then My Presence shall dwell among the people of Israel, and I will not leave My nation." (6:11-13) shabbat shalom, & Chodesh Adar Samayach, menachem