This Torah portion article is dedicated in memory of my father Yechiel Michel ben Yehoshua whose twelfth yahrzeit was on Shushan Purim 15 Adar. May his memory be blessed
When we peruse the tragic incident of the Golden-Calf, we note that only three- thousand Jews actually sinned. In fact, these sinners were members of the Eirav Rav, the mixed multitude, who came along with the Jews when they left Egypt. Yet, the entire nation carried the onus of guilt. Why was that? Also, interestingly, the tribe of Levi, who was not involved in the sin at all, was included in this collective guilt as well…
This phenomenon occurs again later by the incident of the spies. After returning from spying on the land of Israel, where ten of them disparage and speak ill of the country. G-d wants to destroy the nation and rebuild it through Moshe. Once again, the guilt seems even more grossly disproportionate. There is yet a more glaring episode in Tanach when Achan, one man, took from the spoils of Yericho, and all of the People of Israel were held responsible. Again why? Is this not taking collective punishment a bit too far?
In his commentary to The Book of Joshua, The Malbim writes that all of Israel is considered as one body. Thus, just as if there is an infection in one organ it affects the entire body, so, too, if one Jew sins, it is viewed collectively and the guilt is shared by everyone. No one sins in a vacuum. His transgression leaves a lasting blemish on the nation. This is the dynamics of a community. Each individual affects the entire unit.
We also see the converse of this at the beginning of Ki Tisa. (30:16) “And you will take the money of the atonement and you will give it for the service of the Tent of Meeting and it will be for the Children of Israel as a remembrance before Hashem and as forgiveness for their souls”. Here the word זכרון “remembrance” is written fully with a Vav. The previous three times in Parshat Tetzave “zikaron“ is written without a Vav. There it refers to Aaron the priest who wore the Shoham stones on his shoulders, to act as a “remembrance” for Hashem to remember the twelve tribes. The Lekach Tov says the silver from the half a shekel each man had to give regardless of his wealth or position, was used in the Tent of Meeting strictly for the lower beams and the hooks: as it says in Numbers 31:54 “And they brought it to the Tent of Meeting as a remembrance before Hashem.” There zikaron, “remembrance” is ALSO written fully with a Vav.
I'd like to add that the Hebrew word for hooks is “Vavim,”and the Torah is sharing with us a beautiful message: that just like two “Vavs” that are standing ramrod straight-are identical and equal and you can't distinguish between them- this is why the silver amassed from each man giving an identical half-shekel regardless of his position is used exclusively for the Vavim – the hooks, and that is why both verses contain the word “remembrance” written fully, with the letter Vav.
May Hashem bless his People with unity, so that all- together we may merit to bring the Moshiach speedily in our days.