We live in a society where everyone gets a trophy. In order to avoid the devastating feelings of failure, we have created a uniform “Everybody’s a winner” society.
And it’s not just about our kids.
Average grade scores at universities has risen over the last few decades. As waistlines expand, the sizes on labels are actually shrinking.
How do we decide if this is a good or bad phenomenon?
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In this week’s parsha, Naso, we read about the inauguration of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle). For 12 days in a row, the leaders of each tribe offered a special set of sacrifices.
Though each tribal representative offered the same exact sacrifices, the Torah repeats this process twelve times! Yes, the following verses are repeated twelve times in a row:
His offering was one silver bowl weighing one hundred and thirty [shekels], one silver sprinkling basin [weighing] seventy shekels according to the holy shekel, both filled with fine flour mixed with olive oil for a meal offering. One spoon [weighing] ten [shekels] of gold filled with incense. One young bull, one ram and one lamb in its first year for a burnt offering. One young he goat for a sin offering. And for the peace offering: two oxen, five rams, five he goats, five lambs in their first year; this was the offering of…
But, each time a different person is mentioned. On the first day it was Nachson son of Aminadav for the tribe of Yehuda. On the last day it was Achira son of Enan for the tribe of Naphtali.
Finally, the Torah wraps it up with these remarks, “This was the dedication offering of the altar presented by the chieftains on the day it was anointed.”
Wait a second! It wasn’t anointed in one day. It was anointed in twelve days. Why does the Torah say it was anointed in one day?
This, the Midrash points out, is because the Torah considers it as if all of them had offered their sacrifices on the first and last days.
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I can understand the Midrash’s point about the first day. Everyone, even those that offered on day six or seven, is equally important. Although each offered on individual days, they all receive first place honors. It’s simply impossible for all to offer on the same day, so we spread it out. But, in principle, they all deserved to bring the offerings on the very first day.
But, why is the Torah considering it as if they each brought the offerings on the last day? What virtue could there be in that?
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If the Torah was only in favor of creating equality amongst the tribes it would have simply demanded they all bring the offerings on the same day. Or, at a minimum, not mention – and certainly not make a huge fuss about – the fact that they were offered on different days.
There’s no cover-up here. And it’s for good reason.
Each tribe has lots to offer. Each tribe is unique. Each tribe has its own flavor and contribution. If one tribe is missing, everyone is lacking.
The Midrash, however, is taking this a step further. Even the tribe that offered on the first day is considered to have offered on the last day. The first place winner has been relegated to last place!
What does this mean?
To put it simply, the Torah is teaching us the proper perspective on individual accomplishments. The Torah does not ignore the individual achievements. Quite the contrary. It recognizes them and celebrates them. It celebrates the first place winner as much as it celebrates the last place winner. It celebrates day 5 and 6 just the same.
The real winners of the marathon are not only the first place winners. The last place winners – who achieved the best they could and deserve their very place at the end of the pack – must also be celebrated. They must be celebrated not by pretending that they came in first place – but by embracing the value that each individual brings to the table.
There is a first. There is a last. And each one is celebrated equally.