By: Steve Kirschenbaum
The GRA once visited his mother’s Kever on her Yahrtzeit along with his brother and on the
way back commented on how happy their mother was that they had come. The next Yahrtzeit
came around and the GRA’s brother naturally went back to pick him up. After all, if the mother
was so happy the previous year, something that only someone like the GRA could recognize,
then it should be repeated. The GRA said no. The GRA said I suffered much from visiting the
Bais HaKvaros.
Rav Yisroel Reisman relayed that Rav Pam would relay this anecdote to make the point that the
higher level of Kedusha that embodies a person, the more the Kochos HaTumah attach
themselves. We don’t suffer from sitting in a Bais Olam because the Kochos HaTumah is not
interested in us. However, the Holy GRA, with the Heilege Kedusha that he possessed, was such
that the Kochos HaTumah attached themselves to him and Rav Pam said that that is why a
Kohen who has a Yichus of Kedusha doesn’t enter a Bais HaKvaros. This is also why the
Minhag is that a pregnant woman doesn’t enter a Bais HaKvaros because the child she is
carrying is full of Kedusha and the Kochos HaTumah attach to a higher level of Kedusha. So, a
Me’uberes avoids entering a cemetery during this period.
Regarding our Parsha, it’s a Davar Pele, how such holy people such as the Meraglim could go
into Eretz Yisrael and fall as they did. The answer is just the opposite. It’s because they were
great people and great people who were going to a Makom Kadosh, so there the Nisyonos are
greater. As it says in Koheles 7:14 ‘Zeh L’umas Zeh Asah Elokim.
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’ The higher the Kedusha the
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’ The higher the Kedusha the
more intense the Nisayon and they didn’t make it with the Nisayon.
In the Netziv’s Meishiv Davar Teshuva 49, he answers with this Yesod that during the time of
Ezra when the Jews returned to build the second Beis HaMikdash, very few Jews returned
comparatively. There were 40,000 – 50,000 Jews that returned and that was it. He says that the
Jews were afraid to go back. They knew Kedushas Eretz Yisrael was such that it carries with it
the Nisyonos of Avodah Zara. They were fearful to go to a place with elevated Kedusha because
where there’s a higher degree of Kedusha, there’s an elevated level of Nisayon, Zeh L’umas Zeh
Asah Elokim.
Additionally, how is it that Dinah was kidnapped for Znus, such a holy woman and she was
kidnapped for Znus? It happened to Sarah, and it happened to Rivka as well.
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How is it that in
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How is it that in
four generations that three of them should be kidnapped for Znus? When do such things happen?
The answer is the same idea. The greater the Kedusha the more the Kochos HaTumah attach
themselves and attack. That is why it happened to them as well.
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Moreover, with regard to the Kohen Gadol on Yom Kippur, they kept him up all night and
prayed that he shouldn’t come to Tumas Keri, personal Tumah. It’s a Pele — how many people
come to this type of Tumah on Yom Kippur? That a Kohen Gadol, such a holy Jew, should come
Lidai Tumah at such an auspicious time?
The answer is just the opposite; because it’s the holiest night of the year, at the holiest place, and
with the holiest person, the Kochos HaTumah attack. This is the Yesod that the greater the
Kedusha, the more the test. The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh in Parshas Chukas says that is why
Tumas Meis, at least according to some, only applies to a Guf HaYehudi and not to a Guf
HaAkum. Where there’s a higher degree of Kedusha, the higher degree of association a Davar
Tamei has.
Chazal say that the time of Shalosh Seudos, the final moments before Shabbos leaves and we
enter into the Yemos HaChol, is called Rava D’ravin – the most desirable time of Shabbos; a
time of extreme closeness to HKBH. Chazal say that the person who eats Shalosh Seudos is
spared the Milchemes Gog U’Magog that will occur before Mashiach comes. In the Zemiros of
Shalosh Seudos, we talk about how we’re spared from any Middas HaDin. There’s no negativity
and no Tumah in the world and so, it’s a joyous time. As we say in the Bnei Haichala of the
Arizal, Chadu Hashta B’hai Sha’ata, let us rejoice at this time. Devai Rava V’les Za’afin, it’s a
time of tremendous favor, G-d desires us, and He is not upset at us; there’s no anger. Krivu Li,
Chazu Chaili, come close to Me, Hashem says, feel My strength. D’les Dinin Diskifin, there’s no
harsh judgment at this time. Levar Natlin Vela Ulfin Hani Kalbin Vechatzifin, let all the
negative Kochos in the world stay outside. Now that the Kedusha of Shabbos is leaving us, we
don’t need the Kochos of Tum’a in here. This is the feeling of a Jew in the closing moments of
Shabbos. Rava D’Ravin. The desire of desires. The greater the Kedusha, the more Hisnagdus. As
the Kedusha is leaving us, the Hisnagdus departs as well. For this reason, it’s a time of
opportunity. Every week during the closing moments of Shabbos, we crave the Zeh L’umas Zeh
Asah Elokim. That Hisnagdus embodies the potential we have for elevated Kedusha.