Category Archives: Sefer Bamidbar

Parshas Matos-Masei: What Were You Thinking?

Parshas Matos-Masei

What Were You Thinking?

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“And they [the army officers] said to Moshe. ‘Your servants have taken a census of the soldiers who went out to war and not one of us is missing. We have therefore brought an offering for Hashem….’” (Bamidbar 31:49-50)

The Talmud (Kiddushin 81A) brings a fascinating story.

Rabbi Amram the pious, arranged to redeem Jewish women who had been captured (see Rashi).  The women were brought to Rabbi Amram’s attic. The ladder to the attic was removed to protect the women from men climbing up to them. Ben Yehodaya says that while Rabbi Amram was learning Torah the Satan caused a light to shine from the skylight. The Talmud continues that Rabbi Amram looked up and saw the form of one of the captive women. Rabbi Amram felt a desire for her. Although the ladder to the attic was so heavy that it took 10 men to move, Rabbi Amram, in the heat of passion, grabbed the ladder himself and began climbing. When he was halfway up the ladder, he regained control over his passion and screamed out loud, “There is a fire in the house of Amram.” The sages heard the shouts and came running. By drawing the sages to his house, Rabbi Amram wisely saved himself from the Satan’s entrapment.

Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l, former Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir was being brought to a doctor’s appointment in Manhattan. He was helped out of the car and put in a wheelchair.  He had Parkinsons disease and movements were difficult. Despite that, he painstakingly lifted his hands to remove his glasses while he was pushed the few blocks to the doctor’s office. Once inside, he put back his glasses. He wanted to protect himself from seeing any inappropriate sights.

Using Bilaam’s very elaborate plan the Moavites and Midianites enticed Bnei Yisroel to sin. As a result, 24,000 Jews died in a plague. Following Hashem’s command, Moshe Rabbeinu sent an army to battle the Midianites to punish them. Rashi (25:18} explains why Moshe was not commanded to also go to war with the Moavites. It was to save a future descendant of Moav. Rus the Moavite, would be the foremother of the dynasty of King David. Only 12,000 Jews actually went to battle. (Others were sent to daven and to be in charge of supplies.) The Jews were victorious. In addition to taking booty, the Jewish soldiers took thousands of Midianites as prisoners of war.  Rabbeinu Bachya says that considering the large number of prisoners taken, one can imagine how many adult Midianite males fought in this war. Even though there were so many more Midianite soldiers than Jewish soldiers, the Jews won the war! Rabbeinu Bachya says that this was a remarkable miracle. In fact, he says that it may be considered one of the greatest miracles amongst all the miracles which were performed for the Jewish people ever.

After the battle, the military officers told Moshe, “Your servants have counted the heads of the warriors entrusted to us and not a single man is missing.”  (Bamidbar 31:49). Thousands and thousands of Midianites were killed. Yet, the Jews did not sustain even one single casualty!

Rashi (31:3) says that the reason why this miracle occurred was that every one of these 12,000 soldiers was a righteous individual. Gur Aryeh adds that these men had Yiras Elokim, fear of Hashem.

The officers brought an offering to Hashem consisting of the booty that they had captured. “Any man who found a gold article; an anklet or a bracelet, a ring, earring or clasp [has dedicated it for Hashem].” (Bamidbar 31:50).

When Moshe heard that not one soldier was killed, he asked the officers why they specifically brought an offering to Hashem. The Talmud (Shabbos 64A) explains that Moshe asked them if the reason that they brought this offering to Hashem was because they sinned with the women of Midian. It was the custom among the gentiles that when they went to war, the women would adorn themselves and would attempt to entice the opposing army. Moshe wondered if these Jewish soldiers succumbed to temptation.  According to the Talmud, the officers answered, “not one of us is missing”. They were saying that that not one of them was guilty of a sin.

So, why did they bring an offering to Hashem? They told Moshe that it was to atone for impure thoughts.  These soldiers were so righteous that they withstood the temptation to sin with the Midianite women. However, their thoughts were not totally pure since they had thought of sinning with these women.  Therefore, they wanted to bring an offering to Hashem as an atonement.

We can learn from this something important about human nature as well as what Hashem expects from us.

The allure of women can be so strong that even a righteous person is not immune from possibly harboring sinful thoughts. No human is above this. This is the reason for the law of yichud, that a man should not be alone in a room with a woman. One must always be very careful not to be in situations where the very strong yetzer hara will try to entice him to sin. Just as important, if not more so, we see that a sin is not limited to actions. We are so holy and pristine that even inappropriate thoughts are also considered sins! In fact, sinful thoughts may even be worse in the sense that when one harbors sinful thoughts, they often don’t do away so quickly. Thus, this sin is magnified as it continues the entire time that one has these thoughts!

There are other thoughts that are also not permitted. Some examples are prideful thoughts, heretical thoughts, jealous thoughts, harboring a grudge, desiring something that someone else has, and not trusting in Hashem. Isn’t it very hard to control our thoughts? Yes, it certainly is! Is it impossible? Certainly not! Hashem never expects something from us that we cannot do! Our job in this world is to take ourselves, imperfect people, and perfect ourselves as much as we can.  The reward for our efforts is immeasurable! We may not always be successful. We may fail at times. Yet, Hashem values our efforts in attempting to do the best that we can. 

 

Rabbi Yitzchak Meir Rotenberg, the first rebbe of Gur, in his commentary, Chidushei haRim, (as quoted in Talelei Oros by Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rubin) points out something very interesting. The Torah does not record the offerings that the officers brought as soon as they returned from their victorious battle. Rather, the Torah records it later, after the soldiers were instructed how to kasher, to purify, the vessels that were taken as spoils of water.  Why did the officers wait until this point to bring their offerings and not immediately after returning from battle?

 

Chidushei HaRim says that initially they did not think that they had to bring an offering to atone just for having sinful thoughts. They only realized it after Moshe commanded them to purify the vessels that had belonged to the Midianites.  The Midianite vessels were clean, and no prohibited food was noticeable. Yet, the vessels had to be purified from the taste which was absorbed inside. Now the officers realized that although they had not actively sinned, their insides also had to remain pure. Since they had sinful thoughts, their insides needed to be purified. That is why they brought their offering to Hashem at this time.

 

The Satan is constantly attacking us to entice us to sin. We can strengthen ourselves, somewhat, when we become aware of some of the Satan’s wiles. One of his tricks is to try to inflame our passions for inappropriate relations with women. If we overcome those difficult challenges, then the Satan tries to get us to visualize each step of the sin. Thinking inappropriate thoughts is also a sin! We have to work very hard to protect ourselves from the Satan. May Hashem give us the wisdom and the strength to do so.

 

 

Parshas Pinchas – Hashem Has a Master Plan!

Parshas Pinchas

Hashem Has a Master Plan!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“And it shall be for him and his offspring after him a covenant of eternal priesthood, because he took vengeance for his G-d, and he atoned for the Children of Israel” (Bamidbar 25:13).

A childless couple finally had a child after many years of marriage. The child was born with a serious medical condition. The doctors told the parents that they were lucky, as a treatment had been recently discovered that could save their child’s life. Had their child been born years earlier, before a treatment was discovered, their child could not have lived.

A boy had a skiing accident and received a severe blow to the head. Why did Hashem allow that to happen? The boy underwent an X-ray, and it was discovered from the X-ray that he had a tumor, which was at the stage where it could be removed by surgery. Had they not discovered this right then, it would have been inoperable.

I read an amazing dvar Torah from Rabbi Yissocher Frand about hashgocha, Divine providence. It beautifully illustrates that nothing happens haphazardly. Hashem runs the world and everything that occurs is planned precisely. I hope that this dvar Torah will give chizuk, strength and encouragement to all who are currently undergoing difficult challenges.

Bilaam had been unsuccessful in cursing the Jewish People. However, he devised a sophisticated plan to tempt the Jews to sin with the women of Moav and Midyan. That sin also led some of the Jews to serve idols. Zimri, the nasi, the prince of a shevet, a tribe, committed a public act of immorality with Kozbi, a Midyanite Princess.  Pinchas, in his zealousness for Hashem’s honor took a spear and killed both of them. Pinchas did not act in the heat of emotion. He clarified the halacha with Moshe Rabbeinu that, “A person who commits public immorality with a female from Aram, may be killed by a kanai, a religiously zealous individual.” Only then did Pinchas act for the honor of Hashem by killing them. That act also saved the lives of many Jews who were in the process of being killed by a plague. 24,000 Jews had already been killed. Pinchas calmed Hashem’s anger and the plague stopped. For this noble, heroic, and dangerous action, Hashem rewarded Pinchas with an eternal covenant of kehuna, of priesthood.

Rashi points out that Pinchas, the son of Elazar, was Aharon’s grandson. Wasn’t he already a kohen?  Then what reward did Hashem give him? Rashi answers that kehuna was only granted to Aharon and his sons and their future descendants. This did not include the grandchildren of Aharon who were already alive but were not anointed together with Aharon and his sons. Thus, until this point in time, Pinchas was NOT a kohen. Pinchas was a regular levi.

This terrible episode with Zimri and Kozbi took place at the end of the 40 years that Bnei Yisroel were wandering in the desert. Thus, for 40 years, Pinchas saw his father, his grandfather and many of his cousins (who were born afterward) serve as kohanim. Yet, Pinchas remained a Levi. Pinchas could have felt bad and maybe even upset that he was not a kohen. Due to an accident of birth, that he was born before Hashem designated Aharon’s descendants as kohanim, Pinchas, seemingly, “lost out”. Pinchas could have felt that he did nothing wrong and yet Hashem was being unfair to him.

The Zohar explains that this was all part of Hashem’s Master Plan. Had Pinchas already have been a kohen (had he been born after his father, Elazar, had been anointed or had he been included in the original anointing) then now Pinchas would have lost his kehuna forever! When he killed Zimri and Kozbi he would have invalidated himself from the kehuna! The law is that a kohen who has killed someone, even unintentionally, is not allowed to bless the nation with birchas kohanim, to offer the Priestly Blessings. (There is a difference of opinion if this would have also excluded Pinchas from all of the other services done by a kohen).

We see clearly that Hashem did not make Pinchas a kohen until now because Hashem wanted Pinchas to be a kohen for the rest of his life. Now, Pinchas received an even greater reward. In the Talmud  (Zevachim 101B), Tosefos says that there were 80 Kohanim Gedolim in the first Beis HaMikdash and 300 Kohanim Gedolim in the second Beis HaMikdash who were all descendants of Pinchas!! All of that was possible because Pinchas had not initially become a kohen.

Hashem’s Master Plan was now understood. Hashem wanted to make Pinchas and his future descendants kohanim and Kohanim Gedolim. That was only possible because Pinchas did not become a kohen until he acted heroically for Hashem.

Before this became clear, an observer might have thought that by not making Pinchas a kohen previously, Hashem was being unjust with Pinchas.

The Zohar says that another piece to Hashem’s plan was that Moshe Rabbeinu, who knew almost every halacha without exception, suddenly forgot the halacha relating to Zimri and Kozbi, and did not know what to do when he saw their immoral act. Why didn’t Moshe Rabbeinu know what to do? It was for the same reason, to grant Pinchas the kehuna. Had Moshe Rabbeinu known what to do then Moshe would have acted and not Pinchas. This was all part of Hashem’s Master Plan!

We do not understand why certain events occur. Sometimes, events and circumstances do not appear to make sense. They seem unfair. The true story of Pinchas the kohen demonstrates that Hashem has a Master Plan and everything that occurs is part of that plan.

(Rabbi Yissocher Frand on Torah.org)

 

Parshas Chukas – Hashem Wants To Have A Relationship With Us!

Parshas Chukas

Hashem Wants To Have A Relationship With Us!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“Hashem sent the fiery snakes against the people, and they bit the people, and many people of Yisroel died.” (Bamidbar 21:5)

The Jewish People were traveling through the desert with the ultimate goal of entering Eretz Yisroel. They had to spend 40 years in the desert as a result of the sin of the spies. At one point in their travels, they traveled in the direction away from Eretz Yisroel. Rashi (21:4) says that the people were afraid that they would die in the desert as their ancestors had,  without being privileged to enter the Land. This fear and their arduous journey led them to complain against Hashem and Moshe. They complained that there was no food or water and that they were disgusted with the miraculous food of the mann.  Their complaints were baseless as they still had water from the well of Miriam besides food from the mann. Hashem punished the Jewish People for their complaints by sending fiery serpents who bit the people. Many died.

 

Why did Hashem specifically choose to punish the Jewish People with snakes?  Targum Yonoson ben Uziel answers that after the sin of Adam and Chava, the snake was punished and would no longer eat food. Instead of food, it would only eat dust.  The snakes that ate dust without complaining, came to punish the Jewish People who complained about their mann, even though it could taste like almost any food that they desired.

 

Rabbi Yissocher Frand shares another explanation from the Alshich. The Alshich says that the complaint had nothing to do with the mann. Rather, the Jewish People complained that the mann only provided them with a one-day supply of food. Every day they had to gather the mann, anew. That was stressful. Every day they might worry about what they would eat if the mann would not fall the following day.  They would have felt much calmer had they been able to store a week’s worth or a month’s worth of the mann.

 

Hashem, however, purposely did it this way.  The Midrash explains this by means of an analogy. A king gave his son a year’s worth of allowance.  Throughout the entire year, his son never bothered to have any contact with his father.  After all, he had all his needs cared for. The Midrash says that Hashem did not want such a relationship with us.  Since we would have to ask Hashem for food each day, we would constantly be in touch with Hashem. Hashem wanted a close relationship with us. This daily need for food would foster a close relationship with Hashem.  That is why Hashem arranged that the the mann would only last for one day.

 

After the first sin, Adam was cursed, “By the sweat of your brow you will eat bread” (Bereishis 3:19).  That was a curse with a hidden blessing.  Adam, and mankind, must work for a living in order to have an ongoing relationship with Hashem.  Every day one would have to go out and work for a living and daven to Hashem that he be successful.   Chava was punished, “In pain you shall bear children” (Bereishis 3:16).  That was also a curse with a hidden blessing.  Women have to endure the difficulties and pain of pregnancy and childbirth.  The blessing in that is that she must pray to Hashem for an easy pregnancy and delivery, as well as that her child be healthy.  Through that, women will also have this constant relationship with Hashem.  The snake was cursed, “You shall eat dust all the days of your life.”  From that point on, snakes had their needs met because Hashem did not want to have a relationship with them. 

 

This was why it was specifically snakes that Hashem sent to attack Klal Yisrael after they complained about the mann.  The snakes have their needs met and do not need to beseech Hashem for their food. The Jews should not have complained that they had to constantly beseech Hashem. Their need gave them the opportunity to beseech Hashem and develop a close relationship with Hashem.

 

(Based on Rabbi Yissocher Frand on Torah.org)

 

Hashem loves us so much and wants a relationship with us. Our needs are blessings in disguise. They provide us with the impetus to daven to Hashem for help.

Having needs fosters a close relationship with our Creator.

Parshas Korach – He was Greater in Death than in Life!

Parshas Korach

He was Greater in Death than in Life!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“Take, for yourselves, fire pans, Korach and his entire congregation. and place fire in them and put incense upon them before Hashem, tomorrow; and it will be that the man who will be chosen by Hashem, he is the holy one.” (Bamidbar 16:5,6)

On January 2, 2020 the Siyum Hashas, the 7-year cycle completing the Talmud, was celebrated by over 90,000 Jews, in MetLife Stadium. It was a source of a great kiddush Hashem, sanctification of Hashem. There were countless testimonials describing the respectful and courteous behavior of the thousands of Jews who attended. Non-Jewish workers at MetLife Stadium did not hear cursing and did not have to break up any fights which they typically had to do at other stadium events. So many Jews thanked the various workers. The workers were not accustomed to hearing such gratitude.  They were stunned by the refined and dignified behavior of the Jewish crowd.

A Jew’s actions are constantly under a microscope, more so than the actions of other people. Many recognize us as being part of the chosen nation and they expect more of us. When a Jew talks respectfully and when a Jew is honest in business, that sanctifies Hashem’s name. When a Jew helps save a non-Jew who has a medical emergency on an airline, that sanctifies Hashem’s name. 

Korach initiated a terrible dispute. Moshe, acting on Hashem’s instructions, had passed over Korach to choose another person to be the nasi, the head, of shevet Levi, the tribe of Levi. Korach became jealous that he was not chosen. Korach had the audacity to question Moshe’s leadership and to suggest that Moshe made up some things on his own while claiming that they were from Hashem. Korach even said that Moshe’s appointment of his brother, Aharon, to be the kohain gadol was Moshe’s idea and not Hashem’s. Korach was very persuasive and attracted a following.

Moshe had to stop this terrible argument before Korach led more people against Moshe and against Hashem. Moshe told Korach and his 250 followers who were members of the Sanhedrin, that Hashem would determine who the kohain gadol would be. Aharon, Korach and the 250 men would all bring a korban of incense to Hashem. Hashem would only accept this korban from one person. That would prove who Hashem wants to be the kohain gadol. Everyone else who brought this sacrifice would die.

Rashi (16:7) says that Korach was a brilliant man. What led him to believe that he would emerge from this test while Aharon and the other 250 men would perish?  Rashi answers that Korach misunderstood a prophetic vision. Korach saw great men descending from him. Amongst them was the prophet Shmuel who was equal in importance to Moshe and Aharon together (see also Tehillim 99:6). Korach assumed that he would be saved in Shmuel’s merit. Korach also saw twenty-four mishmaros, shifts of Leviim who would participate in the Bais Hamikdash service, from among his grandchildren. All of them would possess Ruach HaKodesh, prophetic spirit.

Korach concluded from this prophetic vision that he himself was a righteous individual and would be the one who would remain alive after the sacrifice of the incense.

Rashi says that Korach did not realize that he would die, his sons would repent, and that these great people would descend from his children. Korach made a fatal error that cost him his life.

Rabbi Yissachor Frand (Torah.org) asks a question from sefer Zayis Ra’anan (cited in sefer Be’er Yosef).  Why in fact didn’t the merit of having such great descendants save Korach? Sefer Zayis Ra’anan gives a fascinating answer. The reason why Korach merited such great descendants was because his death created a Kiddush Hashem. Theoretically, had Korach repented and not died in that miraculous fashion, these great people would not have descended from him.

The kiddush Hashem that came about from Korach was that he challenged the authority of Moshe Rabbeinu and caused a public validation of Moshe Rabbeinu’s authenticity through a miracle. The entire nation saw the miracle and proclaimed, “Moshe is true and his Torah is true.” Korach caused all this to happen. Never again would anyone question the authenticity of Moshe Rabbeinu’s leadership! Korach’s intentions were wicked and he did what he did for the worst reasons in the world. However, it did create a kiddush Hashem of the highest magnitude. He was rewarded for that by having special descendants. Hashem rewards anyone who participates in the sanctification of His Name.

One even gets reward for a passive participation in a kiddush Hashem. Firstborn Jewish males are considered sanctified to Hashem. The Alter of Kelm explains that the firstborn are sanctified because they passively participated in one of the greatest manifestations of Kiddush Hashem. During the last plague in Egypt, Hashem killed all the firstborn. Hashem passed-over the Jewish homes and saved the firstborn Jews. Because they were saved by Hashem, they became sanctified to Hashem (see Bamidbar 3:13). This showed Hashem’s greatness and was a sanctification of Hashem’s Name. Everyone saw that Hashem punished the firstborn while saving the firstborn Jews for Himself. Hashem rewards participation in a kiddush Hashem. The kiddush Hashem was brought about by Hashem’s action. The Jewish firstborn were simply vehicles through whom Hashem’s name was sanctified. Even passive participation in a Kiddush Hashem generates reward.

When we are involved in a kiddush Hashem, even passively and certainly actively,

we are rewarded greatly for it.

 

Parshas Beha’aloscha: Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Parshas Beha’aloscha

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“The day is short, there is much work to do, the workers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master of the house is pressing.” (Pirkei Avos 2:20)

A woman had become the millionth customer at the local grocery chain. Her prize was that she was given 15 minutes of free shopping. Anything that she could grab and put in a cart would be hers. On the day that she was told to come, she came prepared. She wore special running shoes and had a map of the store and aisles attached to a cap on her head. She planned her route and planned how she would utilize multiple shopping carts. Every second counted and she wanted to maximize her time to the fullest. (Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld on Torah.org quoting Rabbi Zev Leff, Rav of Moshav Mattisyahu, Israel)

Pirkei Avos (2:20) quotes Rabbi Tarfon who says, “The day is short, there is much work to do, the workers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master of the house is pressing.”

Rabbi Tarfon is saying that life is short and there is much to be done. Few of us live our days with a sense of urgency, despite the great rewards for our accomplishments. There are many distractions that take away our energy and our time. Some distractions are important to allow us to recharge and to allow us some relaxation to help cope with life’s challenges. However, those diversions should not become our main focus in life. We must stop to think of why Hashem created us. Was it to earn more and more money, buy multiple houses and cars, go on numerous vacations, and spend hours following sports? Again, some of that is important but should that be our main focus? Hashem put us in the world to accomplish certain things. Hashem promises us great and everlasting rewards for the accomplishments that Hashem specifies.  Learning Torah and performing mitzvos is our true mission in life for which we receive eternal rewards. In addition, we become happier and better people through the Torah that we learn and the mitzvos that we do.  The less time that we spend on distractions and the more time and energy that we invest into learning Torah and doing mitzvos, the more eternal reward we will receive and the happier we will feel.

Midrash Rabba (Shmos 47:7) quotes an analogy of a king who gave his servant 24 hours to count gold coins in his treasury. The king told his servant that he may keep all the coins that he counted. During that time, the servant had no desire to eat or drink. When the servant got tired and wanted to go to sleep, he told himself that for every minute that he would sleep he would lose the opportunity to count more gold coins. Similarly, during the 40 days and 40 nights that Hashem taught Moshe the Torah on Har Sinai, Moshe did not eat or drink. Obviously, this was a miracle. Even when Moshe was tired and wanted to sleep, Moshe told himself that he could not miss this golden opportunity. Hashem had given him a set time of 40 days and 40 nights and Moshe did not want to waste this special opportunity of Hashem teaching him the Torah, even for one moment. Hashem miraculously made it possible for Moshe to manage without sleep for those 40 days and 40 nights.

Although our focus should be on learning Torah and doing mitzvos, it says in Mishlei (3:6), “בְּכָל דְרָכֶיךָ דָעֵיהוּ”, we should serve Hashem in all that we do. And it says in Pirkei Avos (2:12), “…let all your actions be for [the sake of] the name of Heaven.” Bartenura explains that Hashem considers even our mundane actions as mitzvos if we do them to help us serve Hashem better. For example, our sleeping and eating are considered mitzvos if our intention in doing them is to be alert or capable so we can serve Hashem better.

Rabbi Yissocher Frand (Torah.org) brings a similar idea from our parsha. The leviim were given tasks to assist the kohanim in the Mishkan and in the Beis HaMikdash. The Torah says that the leviim were tasked, …”from the age of twenty-five years and above.”   At the age of 50, the leviim retired from their more difficult tasks and only continued the easier ones (see Rashi pasuk 25). Rashi is bothered by a question. This pasuk infers that the leviim started working at age 25. Whereas in an earlier pasuk (Bamidbar 4:3) it says that they started at the age of 30. Isn’t that contradictory? Rashi answers that from the age of 25, the leviim learned the laws of what they were supposed to do. At the age of 30, they started doing the actual work. Rabbi Frand quotes an interesting question from the Shemen HaTov (volume 5). A kohain’s service in the Bais Hamikdash is seemingly much more intricate and involved than a levi’s service. Yet, the Torah does not mention that the kohanim have a training period to learn the laws before they do the different services. Why do the leviim have a 5-year training period whereas the kohanim have no training period?

The Shemen HaTov answers that a kohain can perform the Avodah, service, from the time that he is bar mitzvah until the time that he dies. He could be serving in the Bais Hamikdash for about sixty or seventy years. A levi’s service is only for twenty years. So Hashem gave him the training period in advance. When someone has such limited time to do the Avodah, he needs to know immediately what he needs to do. He needs to be totally prepared and ready to start promptly.  However, a kohain has potentially sixty or seventy years of service. Accordingly, Hashem incorporated the training period for the kohain within his years of service.

 

The levi had a limited time to do the Avodah. Thus, he needed five years of preparation so that when he began his service at age 30, he would know exactly what to do immediately. We, too, have limited time in this world. We need to be careful with the limited time that is available to us and maximize that time to do that which Hashem wants from us.

 

This is an important message for all who are privileged to learn Torah. Rabbi Frand says that however much time a day one can devote to learning, he should use productively. He should not waste that time. He should learn to his maximum potential for the maximum time that he has to learn.

 

 

Tick tock, tick tock. The clock that represents the years of our lives is ticking. We have a limited lifetime. We should choose to live productive and not wasteful lives. Hashem tells us that our main focus should be to learn Torah and perform mitzvos. The less time that we spend on distractions and the more time and energy that we invest into learning Torah and doing mitzvos, the more eternal reward we will receive and the happier we will feel.

Parshas Naso: Achoo! May Hashem Bless You!

Parshas Naso

Achoo! May Hashem Bless You!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying; This is how you shall bless Bnei Yisroel, saying to them.” (Bamidbar 6:26)

In Eretz Yisroel as well as in many Sefardic shules outside Eretz Yisroel, the birchas kohanim is said every day. In Ashkenazic communities it is only recited on Yom Tov.   The kohanim bless Klal Yisroel that Hashem should bless us, protect us, deal kindly with us, show us favor, and grant us peace. What beautiful brachos!

I would like to share a few fascinating thoughts about these beautiful brachos.

The pasuk says, “Speak to Aharon and to his sons, saying, This, is how you shall bless Bnei Yisroel, saying to them.”  (Bamidbar 6:26). Why does the Torah adds the seemingly repetitive phrase, “saying to them”? Ohr HaChaim says that these brachos were not meant only for this one time. Rather, the kohanim were to “say to them”, to tell their children, to continue this practice of blessing Klal Yisroel for all generations.

The Dubno Maggid asks the same question.  He also asks that since the kohanim are davening to Hashem to bless Klal Yisroel, why don’t the kohanim face the aron and daven towards Hashem as the chazan always does when leading the tefillos? Why do the kohanim face the tzibur? The Dubno Maggid answers that the kohanim don’t need to turn towards Hashem to ask Hashem to bless the Jewish People. Hashem wants to bless us! Hashem wants to constantly show us kindness as it says in Micha (7:18), “because He delights in lovingkindness.” It is only because of our sins that we cannot always enjoy Hashem’s mercy. Therefore, the kohanim turn towards the tzibur, as if to say to us, that we should behave in a manner to become worthy of being blessed. Now we also understand the meaning of the extra words.  Hashem was telling the kohanim to “say to them”, to give this message to the tzibur. (The Magid of Dubno and His Parables by Benno Heinemann)

 

Rabbi Yissocher Frand (Torah.org) quotes Rabbi Dovid Zucker, a Rosh Kollel in Chicago, who gives another insight into the birchas kohanim. The last bracha of birchas kohanim is, “וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם”, “And Hashem should give you peace”. The more common Hebrew word for the verb “to give” is “וְיִתֵּן”. Why does the Torah use the less common word “v’yasem”, which literally means “Hashem should place peace in you”?

We have the same unusual wording in the last bracha of Shmone Esrei. We ask Hashem, “sim shalom”, place peace, rather than “tain shalom”, give peace. Similarly, we conclude the evening Shmone Esrei with the words “shalom rav tasim.”, place a lot of peace on us. In all three places, the verb “place” is used instead of “give”. Why?

To answer this question, Rabbi Zucker quotes a comment from Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l. There are two ways of achieving peace when people are having an argument. One way is for both sides to make-up and return to their previous good relationship. Unfortunately, sometimes the divisiveness is so strong that the argument cannot be resolved. In such situations, the only way to have peace is by both parties separating from each other. This is what happened between Avram and Lot. Their shepherds had an argument. Avram suggested that the best plan was to separate. Lot agreed and that solution brought peace (Bereshis 13:9)  .

The Talmud (Temura 34A) discusses one of the jobs of the kohanim which was to remove some of the ashes from the mizbayach, altar, and place them on the ground near the mizbayach. The Torah says, “וְשָׂמוֹ אֵצֶל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ”, the ashes are placed near the mizbayach. The Talmud explains that “they are placed” means that the ashes are gently put down and that all of them are put down. Thus, the connotation of the word “samo” means places it, all together.

Based on this definition, we can explain that the bracha of the birchas kohanim is that there should be the optimum type of peace in which both parties make up and are friends again. Similarly, in our Shmone Esrei we are asking Hashem to give us the optimum peace that enables us to be together as before!

The Rokeach says that the blessings of Parshas Bechukosai are all conditional, as implied by the word “Im”, “if” you will follow My laws. However, the blessings of birchas kohanim, are unconditional.

Another interesting question is that previously, in Parshas Shemini, Aharon the Kohain was told to bless the Jewish People (Vayikra 9:22). Rashi explains that the blessings that Aharon gave were the birchas kohanim. If so, then why wasn’t the text of the birchas kohanim written in Parshas Shmini instead of waiting to write them in our Parsha?

Rabbi Frand answers this question based on what he saw in the sefer Chikrei Lev, from Rabbi Label Hyman, z”l. Previously, the total number of Jews were counted by the method of the “half-shekel”.  In Sefer Bamidbar, for the first time the census counted individuals.  Every male from the ages of 20 to 60 went in front of Moshe and Aharon to provide their exact genealogy. The Leviim had their own special count, even more individualized. Each male was counted from the age of one month!

Furthermore, in Sefer Bamidbar, everyone was assigned a specific formation for camping and for traveling. Some were the first to travel and some were the last to travel. This could have led to fighting. People may have argued why he is first or why I am last? Even within the Tribe of Levi, various families had unique assignments. The families of Gershon, Kehas, and Merari each had different jobs assigned to them. That could have led to complaining. They may have complained why are we carrying the boards while they are carrying the holy aron? That’s not fair!  Boruch Hashem, they did NOT argue all the many years that they were in the desert. The only exception was when Korach and his followers complained.

Everyone getting specific, individualized instructions could have led to jealousy. Therefore, Hashem gave the mitzvah of birchas Kohanim to bless us, that we should always have the optimum level of peace between us.

May Hashem grant us peace, which is the vessel that holds all the blessings.

 

 

Parshas Bamidbar – You Can Be Just Like The Sun!

Parshas Bamidbar

You Can Be Just Like The Sun!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“For [the tribe of] Gad, Elyasaf the son of De’uel.” (Vayikra 1:14) “The tribe of Gad, and the leader of the sons of Gad is Elyasaf the son of Re’uel.” (Vayikra 2:14)

Rabbi Yechezkiya Chaim Chizkiya Medini lived from 1834-1904. He is known by his encylopedic work, the Sdei Chemed. The Sdei Chemed is a 9-volume encyclopedia of topics in the Talmud and Jewish law. It contains the decisions and discussions of over1800 years! Rabbi Medini was able to write this amazing work due to his knowledge of all aspects of the Torah and his photographic memory.

 

Rabbi Yissocher Frand (Torah.org) brings a fascinating story about the Sdei Chemed. The Sdei Chemed once told his family that as a young man, his memory was not exceptional and was not photographic. However, after he did something very special, he felt spiritually elevated and suddenly got superhuman powers of intellect. What happened?

 

The Sdei Chemed was learning in a kollel. Another member of the kollel was very jealous of him and did something terrible. He bribed the Arab woman who cleaned the Beis Medrash to accuse the Sdei Chemed of engaging in inappropriate behavior with her. She accepted the bribe and made the claim. People believed her, and the Sdei Chemed suffered terrible shame and abuse such that he felt the need to leave the kollel and run away. The head of the kollel did not believe the woman and fired her, but that did not help the Sdei Chemed whose reputation was already ruined. A short time afterwards, when the bribe money ran out, the cleaning lady went to the Sdei Chemed to apologize. She offered to admit publicly that she had lied. That admission would restore the Sdei Chemed’s reputation. She only asked that the Sdei Chemed ask the head of the kollel to give her back her job, as she literally had nothing to eat. The Sdei Chemed was tempted to take her up on this offer and restore his reputation. However, he realized that if this woman would publicly confess and tell the full story, that would create a terrible chillul Hashem, desecration of Hashem’s name. The first chillul Hashem was bad enough, when he was accused of inappropriate behavior. Imagine how terrible this second chillul Hashem would be, when people would find out that another member of the kollel had stooped so low that he had paid money to slander a fellow Torah student! The Sdei Chemed decided not to do anything! He agreed to speak to the head of the kollel to try to get the Arab woman her job back, on the condition that she not confess anything. He didn’t want the truth to come out because of the terrible chillul Hashem that would ensue. The Sdei Chemed wrote that after that incident, he felt his mind open and he merited super intellectual ability! That enabled him to write his 9-volume, encylopedic sefer. Why did he merit this gift? It was because he kept quiet. He was willing to accept personal shame to protect Hashem’s name from shame!

 

In the parsha, Hashem told Moshe to take a census of the Jewish People. The nesiim, the heads of each tribe were together with Moshe during the count. Later in the parsha, the tribes were divided into groups of 3 and assigned the specific areas around the Mishkan in which they would camp during their travels in the desert. During the count, the nasi, the head, of the tribe of Gad is referred to as Elyasaf son of Deu’el (Bamidbar 1:14). Later, when the tribes were divided into groups, the nasi is referred to as Elyasaf son of Reu’el (2:14).

 

Rav Chaim Yosef Dovid Azulai zt”l, the Chida (in the name of Sefer Imrei Noam) explains the change in name. Dan was the Bilhah’s firstborn and Gad was Zilpah’s firstborn. The tribe of Dan was chosen to lead one of the groups of the three-tribe formations. Gad was part of another group but was not made its leader. The nasi and the tribe of Gad could have complained to Moshe Rabbeinu that this was unjust. They could have protested that it was not fair since both Gad and Dan were firstborns.  Yet, the nasi and the tribe of Gad did not protest. They remained silent. The Chida says that because of that, Gad merited two things.  Firstly, the nasi of the tribe, whose real name was Elyasaf ben Deu’el, was called Elyasaf ben Reu’el, which means the friend (Reya) of Hashem. Secondly, the tribe of Gad merited that Moshe Rabbeinu, the greatest leader in the history of the Jewish Nation, was buried in their portion of Eretz Yisrael.  Both rewards were eternal.                (Rabbi Yissocher Frand on Torah.org)

 

It says in Pirkei Avos (1:17), “I have found nothing better in life than silence”. Midrash Shmuel says that this applies even if a person embarrasses or curses someone. One who can remain silent under those trying circumstances will be blessed as the sun was. During Creation, the moon was initially the same size as the sun. The moon complained that two kings could not wear the same crown. The sun remained silent and was rewarded. The moon was diminished in size while the sun retained its brilliance. Similarly, the one who disgraces others will be diminished while the one who remains silent will become great.

 

Often, we are faced with situations in which we could justifiably complain about something.

The challenge we face is to remain quiet and not complain.

Frequently, it is meritorious not to speak up and to remain silent. We will gain by our silence.

[G-D forbid, if one is in an abusive situation then they MUST speak up

to get help for themselves and/or for the abusive person.]

Parshas Pinchas: Keep The Chain Strong!

Parshas Pinchas

Keep The Chain Strong!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“Reuvein, [was] Yisroel’s firstborn. The descendants of Reuvein are the Chanochite family from Chanoch, the Paluite family from Palu.” (Bamidbar 26:5)

After Bilaam was unsuccessful in cursing the Jews, he initiated a scheme to trap the Jewish People into immorality. Unfortunately, many Jews were caught in this scheme. Hashem punished those Jews for their immoral behavior, bringing a plague which killed 24,000. Pinchas heroically stopped the plague by killing Zimri, the head of shevet Shimon, who sinned publicly. After the plague, Hashem told Moshe to count the Jewish People who were 20 years old and older, by taking a new census. The Torah lists the names of all the various families of each shevet who were counted. Interestingly, two letters are added to the names of the families of each shevet. Each name is preceded by the letter “ה” and followed by the letter “י”.  For example, רְאוּבֵן בְּכוֹר יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנֵי רְאוּבֵן חֲנוֹךְ מִשְׁפַּחַת הַחֲנֹכִי לְפַלוּא מִשְׁפַּחַת הַפַּלֻאִי:. Why did Hashem add these letters to every name? Rashi explains that the other nations spoke disparagingly of the Jewish People. They said, “How can the Jews trace their lineage by their tribes? If the Egyptians controlled their bodies, through slavery, then it is quite certain that they also violated their wives!” Hashem attested to the purity of the Jews by adding His name upon them. Hashem added the letter ה on one side of their name and the letter י on the other side (הַחֲנֹכִי), to intimate that Hashem testified that the Jews were the sons of their reputed fathers and not sons of the Egyptians.

 

What gave the Jewish people the moral fortitude to resist the constant temptations of immorality in Egypt which steeped in immorality? The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 32:5) attributes it to our matriarch Sarah and Yosef HaTzadik. Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Chiya bar Abba, “Sarah our matriarch descended to Egypt and protected herself from immorality, and all the women restrained themselves by her merit. Yosef descended to Egypt and restrained himself from immorality, and all of Israel restrained themselves by his merit. Rashi (Bereishis 12:17) says that when Pharoah took Sarah into his palace, Sarah told an angel to hit Pharoah, thus protecting her chastity. The Talmud (Sotah 36B) says that Yosef was able to withstand an entire year of the daily temptations and enticements of Potiphar’s wife who did everything she could entice him to sin with her. She tried enticing him, bribing him, and even threatening him. Etz Yosef (on Vayikra Rabbah 32:5-7) explains that both Sarah’s and Yosef’s acts of strength were “מעשה אבות סימן לבנים”. They “broke the power of temptation”. Their acts of strength were a spiritual inheritance, genetically passed on, to their offspring. It was due to this genetic “gift” that the Jews in Egypt were able to withstand the temptations of even a morally corrupt nation such as Egypt.

We must be so careful in all that we do, making sure that we are doing good things. Our actions not only affect ourselves. They leave an indelible imprint on our future generations! We pass along a spiritual inheritance to our children as well as to the following generations. The mitzvos that we excell in or the good middos that we develop help shape our future descendants!

(based on Shabbos with Rav Pam by Rabbi Sholom Smith)

 

 

 

Parshas Balak: Forever, Thank You!

Parshas Balak

Forever, Thank You!

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“He [Balak] sent emissaries to Bil’am the son of Beor…. And now, please come and curse this nation for me….” (Bamidbar 22:5-6)

Rav Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l, Rosh haYeshiva of Mirrer Yeshiva, participated in the joyous occasions of his students. Whether it was a wedding, a bar mitzvah, or a bris, Rav Chaim was there. He did the same for b’nei Torah from other yeshivos who attended his weekly shiur. When he was asked why he would go out of his way for once-a-week talmidim, he replied, “I owe it to them as a matter of gratitude. They come to listen to my shiur, and I appreciate that.” In the last year of Rav Chaim’s life, when he was already weakened by age, he attended the bris of someone’s grandson. He had told his wife, “I must attend that bris! I feel such a sense of gratitude to the grandfather. After my mussar gathering, he says the Tehillim so beautifully and I am always moved by it. It is only proper that I should attend his simcha.”  (In the Footsteps of the Maggid by Rabbi Paysach Krohn)

The Jewish People were on their way to Eretz Yisroel. Balak, the king of Moav, hired Bilaam to curse the Jews. Chizkuni explains that Balak hoped that after the Jewish People had been cursed, his army would be victorious in driving the Jews out of the lands of Sichon and Og that they had just captured.

Bilaam eventually failed in his attempt to curse the Jews and was killed by the sword (Bamidbar 31:8). Balak and his nation of Moav were punished severely with an eternal ban forbidding any of their male converts to ever marry Jewish women (Devarim 23:4-5).

The Torah says that any male converts to Judaism from both the nations of Ammon and Moav were eternally forbidden from marrying Jewish women. Sforno and Rabbeinu Bachya explain the reasons. After leaving Egypt, the Jews travelled in the desert. Although the Moavites sold the Jews bread and water, the Ammonites did not even do that. They totally ignored the “needs” of the Jews. Rabbbeinu Bachya says that it is elementary courtesy to offer food and drink to people who are traveling. It was irrelevant that, in reality, the Jews miraculously did not lack any of their basic needs while they were in the desert. Ammon’s actions showed an innate cruelty. That is why their males were banned. As explained earlier, the males from Moav were banned because they hired Bilaam to curse the Jews.

Ramban has a different explanation. Ramban says that Ammon and Moav owed their very existence to the kindness performed for their father, Lot, by Avraham, the founder of the Jewish Nation. Avraham had battled the mightiest kings of his time to free Lot from captivity (Bereishis 19:29). Lot was also saved from the destruction of Sodom due to Avraham’s merit. Thus, the nations of Ammon and Moav had an OBLIGATION to show appreciation to the Jews.  Yet, how did they repay that favor? One of those nations failed to offer the basic necessities of life to the people who were their cousins, travelling through the desert. The other one of those nations hired the prophet Bilaam to curse the Jewish nation.

Thus, according to the Ramban, the underlying reason that the males of Ammon and Moav were forever prohibited, even if they had converted, from marrying Jewish women was their lack of gratitude. They had displayed a fundamental flaw in their characters. Their lack of gratitude showed their innate selfishness and cruelty, thus disqualifying them from marrying Jewish women.

This is astounding! How could the nations of Ammon and Moav be punished for a lack of gratitude? Avraham’s kindness to Lot occurred 400 years earlier! Yet, Lot’s descendants were still expected to show gratitude to Avraham’s descendants?! For not showing gratitude, so many years later, their males were disqualified from ever marrying Jewish women.

Conversely, King David rose at midnight every night to thank Hashem for being alive. At Naomi’s insistence, King David’s great grandmother, Rus, had gone to Boaz in the middle of the night and went to sleep at his feet. Naomi wanted Rus to make Boaz aware of an obligation to do yibum. Yibum is when a man dies without having children. Then one of his close relatives marries his widow. If they have a child, it will raise the neshama of the deceased.  Boaz was a close relative of Rus’s late husband who had died childless. When Boaz awoke in the middle of the night, he was startled and troubled to find a woman sleeping at his feet.  Boaz could have easily cursed Rus for her audacity of approaching him in that manner. Had Rus been cursed, King David would not have been born. In fact, the Midrash (Rus Rabba 6:1) says that it was a miracle that Boaz did not curse Rus. Hashem caused Rus to find favor in Boaz’s eyes. Every night King David awoke at midnight to thank Hashem for that.

We can understand the obligation to show gratitude to one who has done a favor for us. We can even understand the requirement to show gratitude to one who has done a favor for our father or even to our grandfather. However, one would think that an act of kindness done in the distant past has no relevance to us. The Torah’s perspective is enlightening.

An act of kindness done, should NEVER be forgotten!

Even generations later, the debt of gratitude remains!

 

(Based, in part, on Shabbos with Rav Pam by Rabbi Sholom Smith)

 

 

Parshas Chukas – Do We Really Know What We Are Talking About?

Parshas Chukas

Do We Really Know What We Are Talking About?

Click here for a Printer Friendly Version

 

“This is the statute of the Torah which Hashem commanded… take a red, perfect cow without a blemish, upon which no yoke was laid.” (Bamidbar 19:2)

There is a mitzvah from the Torah to sprinkle the ashes of parah aduma, a red cow, on a person who became ritually impure. Rashi (Bamidbar 19:2) says that the Torah calls this mitzvah a chok, a decree, which is a mitzvah that is beyond human understanding.

The Torah calls it a chok, says Rashi, because it has an inherent contradiction. How can the same object purify those who are ritually impure yet make the ritually pure people, who are involved in the purifying process, tamei, impure? The answer is that it is a decree from Hashem, and we accept Hashem’s authority even though we do not understand it.

Although this mitzvah may appear illogical, the fact that it emanates from Hashem is reason enough to oblige us to fulfill it. It is an enactment from Hashem, and we have no right to ignore it. A chok reminds us that we never fully understand any other mitzvah of the Torah. Even Shlomo HaMelech, the wisest of all men, who knew the deepest secrets of the Torah, could not fully understand the mitzvah of para aduma. That led Shlomo to realize that understanding of all the other mitzvos was also beyond him, as all mitzvos are somehow interconnected. (Beis HaLevi)

Although we do not know the true, hidden reasons for any of the mitzvos, the reasons that are given for most of the mitzvos, make it easier for us to observe those mitzvos.

The Torah says, “This is the statute of the Torah which Hashem commanded… take a red, perfect cow without a blemish, upon which no yoke was laid.” (Bamidbar 19:2)

The Beis HaLevi quotes a Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 19:2) which Rashi also quotes. The Midrash says that the para aduma somehow atones for the sin of the golden calf. “Why are all the korbanos from male animals while the red cow is a female?” The Midrash answers this question with a parable. It can be compared to a king’s servant who has an infant son. The child defiled the king’s palace. The king says, “Let the mother come and clean up her son’s dirt.” Similarly, since the Jewish People became defiled by a calf (by the sin of the golden calf), let its mother (a cow) come and atone for it. Rashi then gives several specific details of the laws of the red cow, showing how each one corresponds to a detail of the sin of the gold calf. Such as Its requirement to be red, without blemish, never to have had a yoke on it, etc….

The Beis HaLevi asks, if the para aduma is an atonement for the sin of the golden calf then how can the Torah call it a chok, a mitzvah beyond human understanding? Furthermore, the mitzvah of para aduma is one mitzvah. Why does the Torah say that this is the “chok of the Torah” instead of saying that this is the chok of the para aduma? Why does the Torah make it sound as if para aduma is all the Torah?

The Beis Halevi explains the roots of the sin of the golden calf. The mitzvos that we perform make a positive impact on the higher, spiritual realms. Then, blessings descend to our world. When the Jews thought that Moshe had died, they wanted a new way of connecting with Hashem. Their intentions were pure because they wanted Hashem’s presence to dwell with them. They erred because they attempted to bring down Hashem’s Holy Presence in a way which Hashem did not instruct, using only their own intelligence and judgement to do so.

When the Torah discusses the building of the Mishkan (Parshas Pekudei), as each part of the Mishkan was made, the Torah keeps repeating the phrase “as Hashem commanded”. The Sages say that the building of the Mishkan atoned for the sin of the golden calf. Now we can understand why that was so. After the sin of the golden calf, the people learned to minimize relying on their own intelligence and judgement. By building every part of the Mishkan “as Hashem commanded” they demonstrated their realization that everything had to come from Hashem and not from their own intelligence. That rectified their sin with the golden calf.

If a person relies on his own intelligence when performing the mitzvos, he may come to add to or subtract from the mitzvos. The mitzvah of the para aduma serves as a strong reminder that we cannot totally understand the reason for any mitzvah. Now we can understand why the mitzvah of para aduma is called the chok of the Torah. It protects us from erring in a way that can affect the fulfillment of all our mitzvos. It does so by helping us understand that we do all the mitzvos because Hashem commanded regardless of whether or not we understand the reason for them.

Why did Hashem specifically pick this mitzvah of the para aduma to teach us this lesson, as opposed to teaching it with another mitzvah? Hashem could have hidden the reasoning of a different mitzvah instead. The reason is that the details of the laws of the para aduma closely resemble the sin of the golden calf. Thus, the fact that the Midrash cites the parallels between the sin of the golden calf and the mitzvah of the para aduma is not giving a reason for the mitzvah of para aduma. Rather it is clarifying why this mitzvah was chosen as a means, to teach this lesson.

We don’t understand the true reasons for the mitzvos.

We keep all the mitzvos because they are G-D given!

 

(Based on Talelei Oros by Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rubin)