Parashat Beha’alotcha — Regarding the Recitation of “Vayehi Binsoa HaAron”
Question
A guten erev Shabbos!
In this week’s parashah — Beha’alotcha (5786, according to the reading cycle in Eretz Yisrael) — the prayer that we recite when opening the Holy Ark before taking out the Torah scroll is mentioned:
(Bamidbar 10:35)
“וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה קוּמָה ה' וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ” — “And it was, when the Ark would journey, that Moshe said: Arise, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered, and let those who hate You flee from before You.”
The prayer of “Vayehi binsoa” was said at the time of their entry into the Land, when the Ark went before the people in order to drive out the seven nations from Eretz Yisrael.
And then Moshe prayed: “Arise, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered.” Rashi explains: “those who are gathered together,” meaning those who have not yet come to fight against Israel, but are gathering together and planning how to harm Israel. Therefore we pray to Hashem that “they be scattered,” that Hashem disperse them so that they not unite to harm Israel.
And then: “and let those who hate You flee from before You.” Rashi explains: these are the pursuers, who are already coming to fight against Israel, that Hashem should cause them to flee and that they should run away from before You.
“Those who hate You,” Rashi explains: these are those who hate Israel, for whoever hates Israel hates the One Who spoke and the world came into being.
What is the connection between this prayer for protection from enemies specifically at the time of opening the Holy Ark? What enemies and haters are there in the beit midrash, and what does this have to do with the Torah reading?
Answer
First, we must understand that the time of opening the Holy Ark is a very great time of Divine favor, as explained in the holy Zohar in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, before he brings the text of “Berich Shemei”:
Shemot, Parashat Vayakhel, the discourse “Raza deSefer Torah,” section 224:
“Rabbi Shimon said: When a Torah scroll is taken out in public to be read from, the gates of heavenly mercy are opened, an awakening of love is aroused above, and a person should say as follows...”
And the wording of the Levush regarding the opening of the Ark (siman 134) is: “For us it is in place of entering the Mikdash, into the innermost chamber.”
We see from here that the time of opening the Holy Ark is a very special time for prayer, and that it is a time of Divine favor in Heaven.
However, it still requires understanding: why is it specifically here that we say the prayer that Moshe Rabbeinu prayed for protection from the enemies of Israel: “וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה קוּמָה ה׳ וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ” — “And it was, when the Ark would journey, that Moshe said: Arise, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered”?
In the year 5686, at the dedication of the building of the Ger yeshiva “Sefat Emet” in Jerusalem, the head of the rabbinical court of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, was honored to speak, and he asked this question.
Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld explained a great principle: whenever an opening is made for a matter of holiness, together with the great awakening of holiness, accusations and obstacles also arise, seeking to delay and nullify the holy matter being done.
Therefore, precisely at the moment when the Holy Ark is opened, before we approach the great occasion of the public Torah reading, we pray: “Arise, Hashem, and let Your enemies be scattered.” We ask the Holy One, blessed be He, to remove all those who interfere, all obstacles, and all forces that seek to delay it.
Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld continued and said that now, at the opening of a new yeshiva, this is a great matter in Heaven; but at the same time, many prayers are needed that there should be no obstacles or delays, and that nothing should interfere with the success of the yeshiva.
In light of the above, we asked our teacher HaRav HaGaon Rabbi Amram Fried shlita two practical questions:
First, when exactly is the time to say Vayehi binsoa and Berich Shemei — is it before taking out the Torah scroll, or should one first take out the Torah scroll and then say “Vayehi binsoa haAron”?
And further, is there a reason not to publicize or not to speak about a mitzvah matter or a good deed, so as not to arouse accusations and obstacles that could, Heaven forbid, delay it?
The answer of the Rav shlita:
Question 1:
There are different customs regarding this: whether to say it when the Ark is opened or when the scroll is taken out, and each place should follow its custom.
In a place where there is no custom, they should say it at the time of taking out the Torah scroll, as appears from the Zohar (Vayakhel 206), the Sefer HaMachkim (weekday prayer), and Orchot Chaim (Shabbat 56). This is also explained in Shaarei Ephraim (sha’ar 10, se’if 1), in his book Mateh Ephraim (siman 619), and in Responsa Rav Pe’alim (vol. 3, Sod Yesharim, siman 8).
Those who have the custom to say it at the time of opening the Ark have a basis for their custom; see Magen Avraham and Mishnah Berurah (siman 282, se’if katan 1), and Kaf HaChaim (siman 134, se’if katan 11).
Question 2:
It is explained in Sanhedrin (26b) that “thought is effective even regarding matters of Torah,” and therefore it is important not to speak excessively; rather, the main thing is to act.
On behalf of the entire Sheilot website team, we wish you a good and blessed Shabbat.
