Parshat Pinchas - The Inheritance of the Dead

 BH

Who Received the Land?

Parshat Pinchas details the moment when Hashem commands Moshe to divide the Land of Israel among the tribes (Bamidbar 26:52–56). The Torah says the land should be given “as an inheritance, according to the number of names.” Rashi explains that this refers only to those currently over the age of 20—not to those who would turn 20 in the coming years. Even though the actual division wouldn’t happen for another 14 years (seven years of conquest, followed by seven of distribution), only those already 20 at the time of this census would receive a portion.

Even more surprising: if a man who had left Egypt had six sons, they would all inherit just one portion—their father’s. Why such a rigid system?

Inheritance in Reverse

The Gemara in Bava Batra 117a explains that the generation that left Egypt—though it died in the desert—is still treated as the primary inheritor. The living children receive the land, but based on the claim and status of their deceased ancestors. Rebbe Yehuda HaNasi gives an analogy of two brothers who are Kohanim who send their sons to collect terumah. One brother has two sons and the other has one son. The sons return with 3 equal shares, but the fathers redistribute them evenly between themselves—not based on how many sons each had, but based on their own shared entitlement.

So too here: even if Reuven had nine children and Shimon only one, the land is first attributed to Reuven and Shimon equally. Then, their children divide based on that ancestral allotment. Though the living receive the land, the framework of the division is rooted in those who died in the desert.

This reversal—from descendants inheriting ancestors to ancestors determining for their descendants—forces us to ask: why does the Torah structure the inheritance this way?

Hashem Keeps His Promise

But the process wasn’t just about dramatic Divine intervention. It also solved a theological problem. Hashem had promised the Jews who left Egypt that He would bring them into the Land. Yet that generation perished in the desert due to the slander of the spies. So how would Hashem fulfill His promise?

The answer: through their children. Though the fathers died, their children inherited the land in a way that retroactively credited the fathers. The inheritance was apportioned as if it had gone to the generation of the Exodus, fulfilling Hashem’s promise in spirit and, through this unique legal mechanism, even in practice.

The key to crossing over the threshold of redemption in our own lives is simcha and the belief that every obstacle is an invitation to deeper closeness with Hashem.

The Infinite Light at the Center

Eretz Yisrael is the place where the Infinite Light—Or Ein Sof—shines. The center of the Holy Land is Yerushalayim, specifically the Holy of Holies, where the Even Shetiyah (Foundation Stone) resides. Kabbalah teaches that this was the first point of creation, the place where Hashem’s Infinite Light touched the center of the void and bounced back to form all of Creation.

From this point, spiritual nourishment flows into the entire universe. Eretz Yisrael is not just land—it is a portal to the Infinite.

Joy Unlocks the Keter

In Likutey Moharan lesson 24 Rebbe Nachman explains that in order to access the Infinite Light – which is the Light of Eretz Yisrael, one must first confront the Keter—a spiritual barrier that bounces a person back. The only way to pass this test is through simcha, through joy.

The Jews who were under 20 at the time of the sin of the spies were spared from the decree to die in the desert. They were too young to be culpable, but they also demonstrated joy—simcha—even in the hardships of the desert. This joy prepared them to face the Keter. Now, as they stood over the age of 20, they were ready to inherit the Land. Their joy, combined with their maturity, enabled them to face setbacks with faith instead of frustration.

The age of 20 marks the beginning of true tests. The Hebrew letter Kaf, the first letter of Keter, has a numerical value of 20. From this age on, a Jew begins to encounter real pushback in life—tests that, if handled properly, can bring down tremendous light.

The Setback of Inheritance

But the process of receiving the land included another baffling step. Even after the division of territory, the Torah required each family to trace their inheritance back to their ancestors. Rather than inheriting directly, the living were told: your father or grandfather determines your portion, based on how many brothers they had.

Why this regression? Rebbe Nachman teaches that the essence of the Keter is being pushed back just when you’re about to receive something great. That’s how the Infinite Light is accessed—by not giving up when the process suddenly reverses.

The children who were told to give up their direct inheritance and let it revert to their deceased fathers were facing this very test. They had just received something tangible, only to be told, “Not yet—it goes to your father and grandfather first.” That’s the wall of the Keter. And passing this test meant accepting the reversal with joy and faith, rather than bitterness or resistance.

Eretz Yisrael Requires Acceptance

Ultimately, this unique system of inheritance reveals a deeper truth: Eretz Yisrael isn’t acquired through logic or entitlement. It is accessed through emunah, joy, and humility. The very fact that the dead determine the inheritance for the living reflects how Eretz Yisrael is not bound by natural rules. It’s a land of paradox, where pushback leads to progress and setbacks unlock spiritual treasures.

Embracing the Setback to Access the Light

The journey into Eretz Yisrael is not only a physical inheritance but a spiritual transformation. By requiring the living to receive their share through the merit of their ancestors, Hashem instills in us the deep lesson of the Keter—that true Divine light is accessed through humility, joy, and the ability to endure spiritual setbacks without losing heart. Just as the new generation stood poised to enter the Land, we too stand at the threshold of redemption in our own lives. The key to crossing over is simcha and the unwavering belief that every obstacle is actually an invitation to deeper closeness with Hashem. May we all merit to inherit our portion in the Holy Land and the light it contains.

This article also appears on the BRI breslov.org site: https://breslov.org/the-inheritance-of-the-dead/ 

For a video presentation of this article: https://youtu.be/fM-rP6j_REc

Help support Breslov Therapy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/breslovtherapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This class is based on Likutey Moharan lesson 24. For more on this lesson: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/breslovtherapy_lesson_24⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Shabbat Shalom.

Meir Elkabas

Parshat Balak - Feeling Unwanted

 BH

Parshat Balak opens with Balak’s fear of the Jewish people and his recruitment of the sorcerer Bila’am to curse them. Already in their first interaction, Hashem sets the stage for a deeper lesson about human perception and the spiritual tests we all face.

“Who Are These People?”

When Bila’am invites the messengers of Balak to stay overnight so he can hear Hashem’s response, Hashem appears to him in a dream and asks, “Who are these people with you?” (Bamidbar 22:9). The question is striking. Doesn’t Hashem already know?

Rashi explains that Hashem was luring Bila’am into error—creating an opening for Bila’am to think that not everything is visible to Hashem at all times. Bila’am takes the bait. He thinks: if Hashem asks questions, maybe there are moments when He’s unaware. And if Hashem isn’t watching constantly, perhaps there are gaps—windows where curses can slip through undetected.

This perceived lapse leads Bila’am to believe that he might succeed in cursing the Jewish people. But even more significantly, it leads him to feel that he is not important in Hashem’s eyes.

“I May Not Be Important to You…”

In the very next verse (22:10), Bila’am responds to Hashem’s question by declaring that Balak, king of Moav, has sent for him. Rashi comments: Bila’am is saying, “Even if I am not significant in Your eyes, I am important in the eyes of kings.” But where did this come from? Hashem never said Bila’am wasn’t important. Why would Bila’am assume this?

This is a classic psychological mechanism. When a person feels overlooked or unacknowledged, even if it’s just their own perception, they often become defensive or lash out. Just like in modern-day tensions between different sectors of society—where one group might say “You think we’re not important” when no such accusation was made—Bila’am projects his own insecurity.

Why? Because he interpreted Hashem’s question as a sign of distance. If Hashem didn’t know who was with Bila’am—or pretended not to know—it must mean Hashem didn’t really care. And if Hashem doesn’t care, then Bila’am concludes that he is insignificant. That sense of insignificance triggers Bila’am’s need to assert his worth: “Kings think I’m important.”

The Smash of the Keter

Rebbe Nachman, in Likutey Moharan Lesson 24, explains a powerful concept that sheds light on Bila’am’s test. Every person on their spiritual journey faces a barrier called the Keter, the crown. The Keter represents the highest level of Divine light—so high, in fact, that it cannot be grasped directly. It pushes a person back before allowing access. The Zohar refers to this as a betisha, a smashing setback.

This pushback is not a rejection—it’s a test. It’s designed to see how we respond when we feel distant from Hashem. Will we keep yearning, trusting, and moving forward? Or will we lash out, fall into despair, or conclude—as Bila’am did—that Hashem doesn’t care?

The illusion that Hashem is absent is itself the test of the Keter. Those who pass it are those who remain strong in their emunah, who don’t let the silence shake them. But those who interpret silence as abandonment fall into bitterness and spiritual collapse

Tragically, Bila’am chose ego and resentment over humility and faith

The Test of Setback and the Inner Cry

Rebbe Nachman teaches that setbacks in life—moments where it feels like Hashem is distant or inattentive—are not punishments. They are spiritual tests designed to draw out a person’s deepest longing for closeness to Hashem. This is the essence of the Keter test: the pushback, the silence, the confusion—these are all invitations to respond not with despair, but with yearning.

In Bila’am’s case, Hashem deliberately created a scenario of uncertainty. When He asked Bila’am, “Who are these men with you?” it was a test—lehat’oto, to mislead him. Bila’am failed. Instead of saying, “Hashem must be testing me—He knows all, of course,” Bila’am took the bait. He assumed Hashem didn’t know, didn’t care, and therefore concluded he was unimportant. His response, “I may not be important in Your eyes, but I’m important in the eyes of kings,” shows his inner collapse.

What Bila’am Should Have Said

Had Bila’am passed the test, he would have responded differently: “Even if I feel distanced, I know You are still watching over me. Even if I don’t see the closeness, I choose to believe in it.” This is what Rebbe Nachman calls the proper response to the smash-back: not anger or abandonment, but the activation of ratzon—a deep desire and cry for closeness to Hashem.

The person under trial doesn’t say, “Hashem doesn’t want me.” Instead, he cries out, “All I want is to come close to You, Hashem! Even though I feel pushed away, I won’t leave. I still want You.” That cry—pure, broken, honest—is what the Keter test is designed to reveal.

Bila’am didn’t cry out. He didn’t plead for connection. He concluded he was unworthy, and turned to seek significance elsewhere.

The Test of Every Jew

This wasn’t just Bila’am’s test. It’s every Jew’s test.

In moments of darkness—emotional, spiritual, or circumstantial—it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “Hashem must not care. He must not be watching. Otherwise, why would He let this happen?” But this thought is the test itself.

Rebbe Nachman teaches that if you can hold firm and believe that Hashem is present even in the silence, then the setback itself becomes the vessel for infinite light. The Keter, which first appears as a wall, transforms into a channel of hope, clarity, and renewal.

The Illusion of Distance

Hashem allowed Bila’am to experience the illusion of distance so that his true inner stance would emerge. Tragically, Bila’am chose ego and resentment over humility and faith. He interpreted the silence as abandonment, rather than as a test of longing. The same opportunity that could have brought him redemption instead sealed his downfall.

We, too, are constantly confronted by this choice. Will we interpret life’s difficulties as rejection—or as Hashem drawing out our inner cry?

May we be zokheh to see through the illusion, to choose longing over despair, and to respond to every pushback with emunah, yearning, and joy. Then the wall of Keter becomes a gate to Hashem’s infinite compassion.

This article also appears on the BRI breslov.org website: https://breslov.org/feeling-unwanted/ 

For a video presentation of this article: https://youtu.be/kVFtd8zQo2s

Help support Breslov Therapy: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/breslovtherapy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

This class is based on Likutey Moharan lesson 24. For more on this lesson: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠linktr.ee/breslovtherapy_lesson_24⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Shabbat Shalom.

Meir Elkabas