We were all afraid of something when we were little. Spiders. Snakes. Clowns. The dark. The monster under the bed. 

We all have monsters hiding under our beds. Things that, in reality are small, but in the moment are the most prominent things in our lives. When we were little, it was our parents who scared the monsters away. But now, the Torah instructs that it is up to us to fight these monsters.

This week, we read Parshat Bha'alotcha. Some key moments in this portion are G-d’s instructions towards Aaron regarding the menorah, the continuation of the Israelites wandering throughout the desert, the institution of a Second Passover, and Miriam contracting leprosy.

The first two lines of this portion translate to say, “G-d spoke to Moses saying: “Speak to Aaron and say to him ‘When you light the lamps, let the seven lamps give light at the front of the lampstand,’” (Numbers 8:1-2).

When we read the Hebrew version of these verses, the word “Bha'alotcha” appears. Bha'alotcha roughly translates to “When you raise up”, which creates an alternate meaning to these verses. 

In the initial translation of these verses, it can be taken to mean that Aaron simply placed the lamps into the menorah. However, when the English translation of “Bha'alotcha” is substituted for the word “light”, it takes on the meaning of Aaron creating the foundation for the lamps and flames to stand on their own.

Through the second meaning of these verses, the Torah provides instructions on how to fight off our “monsters”. We can’t fight them on our own, but instead we must lift others up, the way Aaron lifted the lamps into the menorah, in order to gain the courage to face our fears.

So now I ask you: what’s your monster, and how do you intend to face it? How are you going to raise others up to gain the strength to fight your battles? 

Shabbat Shalom,
Maia Asman, Greater Atlanta Region
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Interested in listening to this week's parsha? Check out BBYO Finland's take on Parshat Bha'alotcha as a part of the Simchat Torah Challenge Podcast Series. The Simchat Torah Challenge is a yearlong journey where teens from around the Order are exploring the Torah, one parsha at a time. Teens are connecting with the text, sharing their thoughts, and exploring how it relates to their own lives.