Parasha Thoughts
By Rabbi Avraham Moeinzadeh
One of the Mitzvot in this week’s Parasha is Vidui Maser( confession of the tithe). Hashem commands us to report to Him that we have done the Mitzvah of Maaser correctly. The Vidui ends with a request from Hashem to look at us favorably, and bless the Jews and the land of Israel.
The Pasuk that includes the request to bless the Jews and the land has attracted the attention of the Mefarshim. The Pasuk says, “Look from Maon, from the heavens, and bless your nation Israel, and the land that you granted us.” The Mefarshim wonder, “Why we are asking Hashem to specifically look from Maon which is the 5th level of the heavens?” Why doesn’t it say, “Look from the heavens,” which includes Maon?
The Keli Yakar suggests the following insight. The Gemara says that Maon is a level of heaven in which the Malachim say Shira for Hashem every night. Since one is not able to say Shira unless he is happy, Maon has become a symbol for happiness in Judaism. This is the reason, by the way, that we add a small piece of Shehasimcha Bimono ( the one that has happiness in his Maon) in the Zimun during Sheva Berachot.
The Gemara continues to say that during the day the Malachim in Maon are silent because Hashem overlooks their songs in honor of the prayers of the Jewish people. The Keli Yakar says that Hashem prioritizes these prayers over the songs of the Malachim as a favor to the Jewish people.
Klal Yisrael could ask for that favor only after they confessed that they completed the task of giving Maaser, which is an act of Chessed and requires a person to be happy and make others happy. When we prioritize the happiness of others over our own benefits, we can ask Hashem to prioritize our Tefillot over the songs of the angels in Maon.
Shabbat Shalom.