Miracles still happen – Naso
Twelve princes, twelve tribes, twelve offerings – the list repeats itself over and over again.
The Chafetz Chayyim was far from bored by the repetitiousness. He agreed that the list looks tedious. But we discover an amazing thing as we read it through.
What happened to the usual rivalry between the tribes, the competing self-importance of the princes, the human tendency to want to outdo the other?
There must have been an agreement between the princes, the Chafetz Chayyim suggests – a treaty of altruism whereby everyone would think more of the good of the people than their own political or personal advantage.
Never say the age of miracles is past if so many leaders can agree on what was good for the community and all appear before God as equals who had no thought of their own selfish advantage.
