We have been speaking about the pasuk where Hoshea says that when the Jewish people divide, that’s when they become guilty.
The pasuk says,
חלק לבם עתה יאשמו
Their hearts are divided, now they are going to be found guilty.
There is a beautiful Seforno that talks about when the Nesi’im donated toward the Mishkan
It says,
ספר במדבר פרק ז -((ג) וַיָּבִיאוּ אֶת קָרְבָּנָם לִפְנֵי יְהֹוָה שֵׁשׁ עֶגְלֹת צָב וּשְׁנֵי עָשָׂר בָּקָר עֲגָלָה עַל שְׁנֵי הַנְּשִׂאִים וְשׁוֹר לְאֶחָד וַיַּקְרִיבוּ אוֹתָם לִפְנֵי הַמִּשְׁכָּן
They offered six caravans, and twelve cattle to lead the caravans.
Why these specific amounts? What not twelve caravans and twelve cattle?
The Seforno says,
לאות אחוה ביניהם אשר בה יהיו ראויים שתשרה שכינה ביניהם, כאמרו ויהי בישורון מלך בהתאסף ראשי עם יחד על
It was a sign of their brotherhood. Through that, they would be fit to have the Shechina dwell amongst them. Like the pasuk says, God is King, when the leaders gather.
In other words, when the leaders gather, that’s when God dwells as a King of the Jewish people.
היפך חלק לבם, עתה יאשמו
And the opposite of the pasuk- when they are divided, they become guilty.
The Seforno is telling us that when two people join together on a project, they are united in their donation. That is a sign of unity.
But sometimes people want the sponsorship for themselves. They want the honor etc.
Here, however, the two tribes say, “We are in it together. We will each take half.”
That is what Hashem likes. He likes when people partner up to do good things.
In his commentary on Hoshea, the Chida says something very powerful on this pasuk
חלק לבם עתה יאשמו
Their hearts are divided, now they are going to be found guilty.
שעיקר הכל הוא אחדות אם יש לאדם תורה ומצות ויש לו שנאה עם חבירו לא עשה כלום דעיקר התורה הוא השלום
The foundation of everything is unity. If a man has Torah and Mitzvot, and he has hatred for his friend, he has done nothing. The main point is Torah is peace.
These are powerful, powerful words.
We have to keep saying these things, became as much as it seems like common sense, and as much as we think we understand it, that is how much it is forgotten.
The Mesilat Yesharim says that some of the most fundamental, simple points are just simply forgotten.
BeEzrat Hashem, we will keep at it, and have these important fundamentals on our minds all the time.