Parashat Naso

In this week’s parsha, the laws of Sotah are introduced. We learn the greatness of shalom from Hashem. He allows His name to be erased in the “bitter waters” in order to bring peace between man and his wife.

The Pele Yo’etz offers a fascinating insight. Imagine you see a man bickering with another. You ask him, “Don’t you realize the greatness of shalom, and the consequences of machloket?” He answers you, “Of course I realize, but how can I make peace with those who are always upsetting me?” Answer him, “If making peace was that simple and easy, the Torah wouldn’t expound on it and extoll it so extensively.” True, shalom is when you are in a difficult situation and peace is alluding you, but you still pursue it. That’s what the possuk means when it says, “Seek peace and pursue it.” Specifically when making peace is challenging, the Torah commands us to pursue it.

The Pele Yo’etz compares this to a scenario where one is told by heaven, “If you make peace with so and so, you’ll live 1000 yrs; if you bicker with him, you’ll die right away.” It won’t be difficult for him to have peace as the stakes are very high. All the more so, when it comes to shalom, we all know one moment in Gan Eden is more pleasurable than all the pleasures of this world, and in contrast – the devastating consequences of machloket.