How to Reach Heaven – Rav Yonatan Horovitz Towards the end of this week’s parsha we read nine verses which describe an event that changed the fabric of society for ever. The story of Migdal Bavel is well chronicled and much discussed. It begins with complete unity: “All the earth had the same language and the same words”, (Beresishit 11:1) and ends with a plethora of nations dispersed across the world: “Thus the Lord scattered them from there over the face of the whole earth” (ibid 8). It opens in a desolate plain: “As men migrated from the east, they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there”, (ibid 2) and continues to describe an entire town and citadel: “The Lord came down to look at the city and tower which man had built”(ibid 5). The main questions which one would generally ask about this episode are, what did the people do wrong and how did the punishment of dispersion fit the sin? We will suggest two explanations for this episode which will answer these questions. What was their intent in building the city with such a tall tower at its center? The people state two concerns which justify this endeavor: “..to make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered all over the world” (ibid 4). They wish to create for themselves a name, wish to be considered an entity, something to be noted. What is the nature of this concern? One could answer that the second half of their words actually explain the first part. They want to be considered important so that they will not be scattered across the face of the earth. The desire to achieve a name would appear to be an affront to God. As opposed to accepting Hashem as the pivotal point around which the world revolves, they wished to replace Him. This may be the reason that they want the tower to reach the heavens. They are trying to take over as the leaders of the universe. Several midrashim relate to this motif. An example can be found in Midrash Rabba which states that they justified their actions as follows: “It is unfair that He (Hashem) chose the upper worlds and gave us the lower worlds. Rather let us construct a tower, place an idol at its head, put a sword in the idol’s hand and it will appear as if it is at war with God.” It is clear from the words of the midrash that they wished to confront God and were questioning His role as Creator. If this was the sin, one might expect a severe punishment, however it seems that Hashem chose to punish them in a way that would be poignant but not harsh. By dispersing them to the four corners of the earth, Hashem demonstrates that He indeed does control the world and, as well, the human race. However, by not inflicting them with a plague or any other bodily harm, Hashem appears to be tolerant of their rebellion. This can be explained by an earlier comment of the same midrash: “They stated that once in 1,656 years the sky collapses, let us make supports (for the sky)”. The notion behind this midrash is that there was great concern that the flood, which they understood as having been caused by the sky’s collapse, was not a one-off event and that it could happen again. They therefore sought to prevent its eventual repeat by building supports for the heavens. Whilst this may seem rather comical to us, it could explain why God was somewhat understanding of this generation’s arrogance. They had suffered great trauma, having heard of the advent the flood and the destruction it wrought, and so took to drastic measures in its aftermath. Although Hashem cannot accept their attempts to control the forces of nature or do battle with Him, He nevertheless reacts with a certain level of restraint considering the nature of their sin. We turn now to a different aspect of this episode. Much emphasis is placed by the Torah on the materials employed in the building process: “They said to one another, ‘Come let us make bricks and burn them hard’; brick served them as stone and bitumen served them as mortar” (Bereishit 11:3). Why should the method of construction be so crucial to this story? Let us look back at the opening verses. We are told that a united group of people elected to settle in a valley. Rav Hirsch points out that this was a desolate piece of land, uncultivated and left fallow until this point. They then embarked on a building project, the dimensions of which were unprecedented. This gave the people a sense of power. They became dizzy with their own success, with their ability to create ex nihilo, yesh me’ayin. The fact that they were able to produce bricks and mortar added to their exuberant sense of accomplishment. This too was an affront to God in a different but similar way to the idea discussed earlier. Here, rather than a form of idol worship, we are confronted with human worship. According to this notion, man became infatuated with himself, feeling that he too could create and mould the world. As God had created the world, so man now took raw materials and turned what, until recently, had been a piece of wasteland into a thriving metropolis. Surely, this was proof that man had equaled God’s prowess and possibly even superseded it. Hashem’s response was to disband this united group of people and disperse them. Once they separated from one another, it might be reasoned, they would learn to appreciate each one’s talents and differences. This would then go to emphasize their humanity as opposed to their earlier presumptions of godliness. The common theme between the two interpretations offered is that both relate to this episode as an attack on God. They both convey that what prevailed was a wish for man to take the world for himself, demonstrating a lack of understanding as to man’s role in the world and his relationship with his Creator. [It is possible that we have alluded here to a modern from of idol worship – worship of the self but we leave that for a later discussion.] The “tikkun” for this event is found later on the book of Bereishit. As Ya’akov departs from Eretz Yisrael he has a dream. The image he envisages is that of a “ladder set on the ground and its top reached the heavens; and angels of God were going up and down the ladder. And the Lord was standing upon it …”(Bereishit 28:12-13). Here too we find a structure which begins from ground level and leads upwards to the heaven. But the differences are striking. On the one hand the ladder is rooted firmly in the ground, on the other Hashem stands at its head. Only when man wishes to serve God from his place on earth will he understand that man can bond to God but never can he replace The Almighty. Only when man comprehends his place on the ground can he hope to strive for a connection with Hashem. Shabbat shalom, Rav Yonatan