Shemini

 The Sedra deals with the construction of the Mishkan (tabernacle) which was the precursor of the Temple in Jerusalem. The edifice and all of its furniture completed. All that was lacking was the offering of the sacrifices, which would herald the appearance of the presence of the Alm-ghty. Moshe prepared the sacrifices over seven days and each time they failed to draw G-d’s presence amongst the Jewish people. Eventually he turned to his brother Aaron and told him to offer the sacrifices. Moshe’s failure was in part intended as a lesson to him. When HaSh-m had appeared to him at the burning bush and told him to go and lead the Jews from Egypt, he had resisted the mission for seven days. Now with Aaron offering the sacrifices perhaps this barrier would be removed. In Verse 22 we are told that Aaron carried out all of the procedures necessary and still the presence of G-d did not appear.

Rashi quotes the Medrash, which reports Aaron in his distress saying to Moshe…

" I knew that G-d was angry with me (because of the golden calf) and through me he would not manifest his presence amongst Israel. Moshe my brother, you have appointed me and embarrassed me. Immediately Moshe went into the Mishkan with Aaron and prayed. The presence of HaSh-m then appeared to the people!"

The problem here is obvious. Moshe cannot do it, nothing happens for him. Aaron also fails nothing happens for him. Two times nothing is of course nothing and yet here two nothings produce something. The affect of Jews working together is disproportionately greater than the sum of the parts. The Torah’s mathematics defies the confines of nature.

In the later Sedra of B’Chukosai the Torah offers a promise to the Jews of the consequences for the Jewish people if they keep it’s commands Verse 6…

"And you shall dwell in peace in your land and none will make you afraid…. And five of you will pursue a hundred of your enemies and a hundred of you will pursue ten thousand and your enemies will fall before the sword!"

If five will chase a hundred, then the divine assistance stands at a ratio of one to twenty. If that is so, then a hundred should chase two thousand not ten thousand.

Again the Torah’s mathematics defy the confines of nature. The more Jews work together in observing the Torah the blessings grow exponentially.