Category Archives: Sefer Bamidbar

Parshas Be’haaloscha – Why Be Happy?

Parshas Be’haaloscha

Why Be Happy?

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“The people were like complainers; [it was] evil in the ears of Hashem.” (11:1)

The prophet Nechemiah was the wine steward for the Persian king, Darius. Once, Nechemiah, looking downcast, approached the king. The king told Nechemiah that that he could tell by looking at his face that he had evil intentions in his heart. The king was apprehensive lest Nechemiah had planned on killing him by poisoning his wine. Nechemiah became frightened by this accusation. He saved his life by explaining that he looked downcast because of the news about the Jews of Yerushalayim who had escaped the Babylonian captivity and remained in Yerushalayim. Rashi (Nechemiah 1:3) says that those Jews who remained were in dire straits because the gentiles plundered and pillaged them. When Nechemiah had heard that news, he sat and wept, and  mourned for days, while fasting and praying to Hashem (Nechemiah 1:4).

Rav Avraham Pam zt”l says that walking around with a sullen face is an embarrassment to the king. A person in the king’s presence must always look happy and content, keeping in mind that he has been privileged to serve the king.

Rav Pam zt”l says that perhaps this is what the pasuk (Bamidbar11:1) is teaching us. After giving the Torah to the Jewish People, Hashem directed the Jews to begin traveling to Eretz Yisroel. Hashem wanted them to reach their destination quickly. Rashi says that the people complained, “Woe unto us! How weary we have become on this journey.”

The Torah says that “The people were LIKE complainers.” (Bamidbar11:1)  Even though they did not verbalize their complaints to each other, their anger and bitterness were noticeable on their faces. That is what angered Hashem. Rashi explains that Hashem felt, “How ungrateful you are. I meant it for your good, that you might immediately come into the land.”

Let’s look at this in perspective. Hashem had performed many miraculous kindnesses to the Jews who left Egypt. Hashem provided them with the manna, a miraculous food that would taste like any food that they desired. They received water from the miraculous “well of Miriam” which traveled with them. The Jews traveled a 3-day journey in 1 day because Hashem wanted to bring them into Eretz Yisroel as soon as possible. Seven heavenly clouds surrounded the Jews. They protected them from the cold and the heat.  The clouds killed any poisonous animals. The clouds leveled mountains and valleys to make it comfortable for the Jews to be able to travel on level ground. Despite all that, some of the Jews did not appreciate Hashem’s kindnesses. They complained about the fast journey. Although they did not verbalize their complaints to Moshe, their unhappiness was noticeable on their faces. Sefer Yere’im considers this as part of the Torah prohibition of causing pain with words. “You shall not show grief to your fellow man (Shmos 25:17).” That includes a person who walks around with a sour or angry face because he causes distress to others around him. (Shabbos with Rav Pam by Rabbi Shalom Smith).

This teaches us a very important lesson! The expressions on our faces affect the mood and happiness of those around us. One’s negative demeanor can be contagious, causing others to become depressed.

Happy expressions can make others feel happiness. We must be so careful to always maintain positive expressions on our faces.

 Rabbeinu Bachya learns a different lesson from this. When the Jewish People were told that they would have to start traveling in the desert they complained only among themselves. They did not verbalize their complaint to Moshe. They felt overwhelmed with stress. Why were they punished so severely with a fire that killed numerous people? Rabbeinu Bachya says that the Jewish People were punished for showing a lack of gratitude to Hashem. Hashem had performed so many extraordinary miracles in the desert for their benefit. Had the Jews shifted their perspective and focused on all the kindnesses that they were receiving, they would have been overwhelmed with gratitude and would not have felt any need to complain. (Psychology and Personal Growth in the Torah by Rabbi Shimon Feder)

Happiness is a conscious decision. We are surrounded by countless miracles. Acknowledging them can be life-changing. By focusing on the good around us, we fill our hearts with happiness.

 

Parshas Naso – I Bet You Can Do Even More!

Parshas Naso

I Bet You Can Do Even More!

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“Then Ritzpa daughter of Aya… stayed there from the beginning of the harvest until rain from the sky fell on the bodies. She did not let the birds of the sky settle on them by day or the wild beasts [approach] by night.” ( II Shmuel 21:9)

As a result of a raging storm, a ship sank in the ocean. Amongst others, a Jewish man (according to one version of the story, it was the Vilna Gaon’s grandson) and his two children were thrown overboard. The father was able to swim to reach his two children, neither of whom knew how to swim. He held his son in one hand and his daughter in the other as he started swimming towards a distant shore. After a while, his arms became very fatigued, and he felt that he would be unable to make it to shore if he continued holding both of his children. He had to come to a decision that no parent would ever want to make! He felt that he would have to let go of one of his children to save himself and his other child. That meant that the child would drown. He conducted a lottery in his head to determine which child he would have to let go. He made the sad decision that he would have to let go of his daughter’s hand. He explained the situation to his daughter. As he was about to let go of her hand she screamed, “Daddy please save me!” No parent could ignore that cry. It pierced his heart! He told himself that he had to try even harder to save BOTH children. He infused himself with more strength and reached the shore safely, with BOTH of his children. He had truly felt that it was impossible. Infused with the added inspiration, he renewed his strength and succeeded in doing what he had previously thought would be impossible.

 

The Midrash (Bamidbar Rabba 8:4) quoting the Talmud (Yevamos 78B-79A) tells us that during the reign of King David there was famine in the land of Israel for three years. King David tried to determine if the famine was a result of certain specific sins of the people. When the king determined that the people had not transgressed those sins, he inquired from Hashem through the Urim veTumim to determine why there was a famine (The Kohen Gadol had a breastplate with 12 different precious stones, representing each of the 12 tribes. Each stone also had a few letters on it. In the breastplate was a scroll with an inscription of Hashem’s holy name which was called the Urim ve Tumim. When the Kohen Gadol inquired from Hashem through it, Hashem answered his question by causing the relevant letters on the breastplate to light up, with the answer. The Kohen, then had to put the letters in the correct order).

Hashem responded that the famine was due to two sins. One sin was that, as the pasuk (Shmuel beis 21:1) says, King Shaul had killed the Givonim, a nation of Canaani servants who had insincerely converted to Judaism. The Talmud explains that King Shaul did not actually kill them however, King Shaul had killed the people of Nov. The people of Nov had provided the Givonim with food and water. When the people of Nov were killed, the Givonim lost their source of food and water which they needed to live. This was considered as if King Shaul had killed the Givonim. The other sin that led to the famine was the lack of respect that the Jewish People had displayed to King Shaul by not eulogizing him properly. Hashem told King David that King Shaul had been a great man. “Is he not Shaul who was anointed with the anointing oil? Is he not Shaul, who, during his reign, no idol worship was performed in Israel? Is he not Shaul, whose portion is with Shmuel the prophet?”  Etz Yosef (Bamidbar Rabbah 8:4:21) explains that after King Shaul and his son, Yonasan died, they joined the great prophet, Shmuel in his elevated portion of Olam Haba, the World to Come. Hashem was also unhappy that King Shaul was not even buried in Eretz Yisroel.

With this knowledge, Kind David attempted to correct what he could, to end the famine. He begged forgiveness from the Givonim. The Givonim were not appeased by the offer of gold and silver. They wanted revenge! So, they murdered some of King Shaul’s children. Their bodies were left hanging for 7 months to show everyone the severity of the sin of harming converts. In fact, gentile passersby who saw the bodies hanging wondered why they were hanging. Upon hearing that they had harmed insincere converts, they were impressed. Even insincere converts were treated very respectfully. How much more so would sincere converts be respected.  The gentiles were so inspired by the importance that Jewish People attached to converts that over 150,000 gentiles converted to Judaism.

King David did not correct the second sin of improperly eulogizing King Shaul. He felt that the twelve months of mourning had already passed, and it was too late, halachically, to eulogize him.

Then King David heard something incredible about Ritzpa, daughter of Aya, who was the mother of two of the children whose bodies were left hanging. For the entire seven months that the bodies were hanging, she stayed with the bodies. protecting them during the day from the birds and at night from the beasts.

Hearing about this selfless action inspired King David. He had the body of King Shaul exhumed.  Chiddushei HaRadal (Bamidbar Rabbah 8:4:28) says that King Shaul’s body was intact, indicating that he had been a special tzadik.

King David traveled with King Shaul’s coffin around the country eulogizing him in every city. Then King David buried him in Eretz Yisroel. After that second sin was corrected, the drought ended.

King David had determined that according to halacha it was too late to eulogize King Shaul. Why did he change his mind? How did hearing about what Ritzpa had done cause him to reverse what appeared to be the correct halacha?

Rabbi Henach Leibowitz zt”l answered that this teaches us the power of added inspiration. Knowing that a lack of respect towards King Shaul was part of the reason for the famine, King David undoubtedly tried to find some allowance to permit him to halachically eulogize King Shaul. But he couldn’t find anything! When he heard about the self-sacrifice of Ritzpa, of her special kindness, that inspired him and made him more determined. He concentrated on an even deeper level than before until he finally found an allowance in halacha which permitted him to eulogize King Shaul.

Interestingly, although King David initially put in so much effort to find permission in halacha to eulogize King Shaul, the Maharzu (Bamidbar Rabbah 8:4:52) says that he exhibited a very slight degree of laziness which prevented him from understanding the depths of halacha. The added inspiration with which he was infused helped him overcome that very slight degree of laziness. With renewed vigor, he discovered the answer that he needed.

Often, we think that we have done all that we could, and we could not possibly do more. We see the limitless capacity of a human. An added inspiration can propel us to a higher level, enabling us to do more acts of chesed, learn more, etc, something that we did not think was possible before.

(based, in part, on a dvar Torah by Rabbi Henach Leibowitz zt”l

 

Parshas Bamidbar – Can You Break This?

Parshas Bamidbar

Can You Break This?

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“If it seems good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him” (Esther 5:4)

The Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 34:14) says that in the days of Rabbi Tancḥuma there was a drought. So Rabbi Tanchuma decreed that the people fast. The people fasted but it still did not rain. He decreed another day of fasting, but it still did not rain. He told the people to distribute tzedakah as a merit for rain. One particular man took money and went to distribute it. Enroute, he met his ex-wife, whom he had divorced. She was exceedingly poor and needy. She asked him for help. He felt mercy for her and gave her money. When Rabbi Tancḥuma heard what he had done, he lifted his face heavenward and pleaded before Hashem saying, “Master of the universe, this one, who is flesh and blood and cruel, was not obligated in her sustenance, yet became filled with mercy for her and gave her. If so, we, who are the children of Your children, the descendants of Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and our sustenance is incumbent upon You, all the more so, that You should become filled with mercy for us.” At that moment, rain fell, and the drought was relieved. 

Rabbi Tanchuma’s tefillos did not bring rain. The fasts of the people also did not bring rain. What caused it to rain? It was the actions of one man. One man accomplished what everyone else could not. What did he do? He demonstrated shviras hamidos, he overcame his natural disposition and conquered a bad character trait. He overcame his enmity for his former wife, whom he had divorced. He overcame his negative feelings towards her, felt compassion and gave her charity.

Rav Yisroel Salanter zt”l says that the conquest of even one bad character trait is more difficult than mastering the entire Talmud. This gives us an indication about its great merit and value.

The Talmud (Eruvin 54B) brings another instance of someone overcoming his natural tendency. Rabbi Preida had a certain student to whom he had to teach each lesson four hundred times for him to understand the material. One day, some people came during the lesson and requested Rabbi Preida’s presence for a mitzva matter after he would finish teaching the lesson. Rabbi Preida taught his student four hundred times as usual. This time the student did not successfully learn the material. Rabbi Preida asked him why he did not understand it. The student replied, “From the time that they said to the Master that there is a mitzva matter for which he is needed, my mind was distracted from the lesson. Every moment I said, ‘Now the Master will get up. Now the Master will get up to go and perform the mitzva and he will not complete the lesson’”.  Rabbi Preida told his student to pay attention and that he would teach the lesson again, until the student understood it.  Rabbi Preida taught the lesson to the student an additional four hundred times! “Due to the merit of Rabbi Preida’s great devotion to his student, a Divine Voice emerged and said to him, ‘Is it preferable to you that four hundred years be added to your life, or that you and the rest of your generation will merit the World-to-Come? Rabbi Preida responded, ‘I prefer that I and my generation merit the World-to-Come. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to the angels, ‘Give him both. He shall live a very long life and he and the rest of his generation will merit the World-to-Come’’”.

Ben Yohayada explains that a normal reaction of a teacher would have been feeling frustration and anger at his student for wasting the teacher’s time by not focusing on the lesson which was taught so many times. Rabbi Preida not only kept calm, but he even taught the lesson another 400 times! And he taught it willingly and happily. Therefore, he merited a great reward! This was another example of the great reward for someone overcoming his natural tendencies, his shviras hamidos. Both he and his entire generation were rewarded!

Queen Esther also exhibited this characteristic of breaking ones midos. Her merit helped save the Jewish people from the annihilation decree of Haman.

Esther had invited Haman to a private party with her and King Achashverosh. “If it seems good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the banquet that I have prepared for him” (Esther 5:4). The Talmud (Megillah 15B) brings many different opinions to explain Queen Esther’s reason for inviting Haman. One of the opinions brought was from Rabbi Shimon ben Menasya. He said that Esther said to herself, “Perhaps Hashem will take pity on me and will perform a miracle.”  Rashi explains “Perhaps Hashem will take pity on me” since I must demean myself by flattering a wicked person. Once again, an example of an individual going against one’s natural tendencies, showing shviras hamidos, and saving others.

Reb Chaim Shmulevitz zt”l says that shviras hamidos is also a prerequisite for the true understanding of Torah. In the time of Purim, Haman’s decree prompted the Jewish People to overcome their differences and animosities, namely, shviras hamidos, and they reaccepted their commitment to the Torah.

              Rabbi Avimi, an amora, a rabbi of the Talmud, enhanced his acquisition of Torah through shviras hamidos.

The Talmud (Menachos 7A) says that Rabbi Avimi forgot the tractate Menachos. He went to his student, Rav Chisda, to remind himself of that which he had forgotten.  The Talmud asks why Rabbi Avimi didn’t send for his student, Rav Chisda, to come to him? The Talmud answers that Rabbi Avimi thought that by exerting the effort to travel to his pupil to learn from him, he would better retain his studies.

According to Rashi, Rabbi Avimi felt that the act of going to his student instead of asking his student to come to him constituted an extra level of toil in Torah which would help him to remember it better. In addition, Rabbi Avimi felt that going to his student would constitute shviras hamidos which would enhance his comprehension of Torah. Shviras hamidos is the proper preparation for studying Torah and brings greater heavenly assistance to the person learning.

We see the great power inherent in shviras hamidos, overcoming one’s natural tendencies. It is a merit for the individual as well as for the Klal, the Jewish People as a whole. In addition, it is a prerequisite for the true understanding of Torah.

May we all merit to put in the necessary toil and succeed in shviras hamidos, overcoming our natural tendencies. May that enable us to understand Torah even better, especially when learning on the night of Shavuos, the night that we accepted the Torah.

(Based on Reb Chaim’s [Shmulevitz] Discourses translated by Rabbi Eliyahu Meir Klugman and Rabbi A. Scheinman)

 

Parshas Matos-Masei: Your Words Will Soar To The Heavens!

Parshas Matos-Masei

Your Words Will Soar To The Heavens!

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“…he may not profane his word. He shall do all that he said.” (Bamidbar 30:3)

 

Even the greatest craftsman who can think of original ideas to beautify a vessel, an object, and who has delicate hands to produce such beauty, requires the right tools to do so. If the craftsman does not have any tools, he cannot produce the desired object. If his tools are defective, although he may be able to make the object, it will clearly be noticeable that it is of inferior quality.

The Chofetz Chaim zt”l (Shmiras Halashon Sha’ar Hazechira perek yud) uses this parable to describe every Jew. Hashem, our venerable king, has granted us the gift of speech to properly serve Him. We serve Hashem through our Torah learning, our prayers, our blessings, our words of thanks and praises to Hashem. Our mouths are our vessels through which we serve Hashem. When we articulate these wonderful words with which we serve Hashem, we literally create heavenly worlds and holy angels who will be our defense attorneys. These angels will actually defend our souls in the Heavenly Court, after our passing. If our mouths are free of speaking lashon hara, falsehoods, and unclean speech, then our words will be beautiful in their holiness. Our words of holiness will reach the heavens. If our vessels, our mouths, are impure because of unholy words that we speak, then the holy words which we do say, may not rise heavenward, unless we repent.

The Chida zt”l derives a similar idea from the pasuk in this week’s parsha, “…he may not profane his word. He shall do all that he said (Bamidbar 30:3).” If one is careful not to speak “profane” words or lashon hara,… then when he prays and makes requests to Hashem, “He shall do all that he said”, Hashem will answer his prayer! (Talelei Oros by Rabbi Yissachar Dov Rubin)

When our mouths are “pure”, then our Torah-learning and prayers rise heavenward. These holy words create worlds and angels who will defend us in the Heavenly Court. Hashem answers the prayers of one who uses his words to serve Him.

 

Parshas Chukas: Be Happy With What You Have While You Have It!

Parshas Chukas

Be Happy With What You Have While You Have It!

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“All the Jewish People arrived at the wilderness of Tzin…. Miriam died there and was buried there…” (Bamidbar 20: 1,2)

 

Reuven and Sara Shapiro were brother and sister.  Reuven was 11 years old and Sara was 9. Early one morning they were awakened by the sound of their doorbell ringing. They ran to their bedroom window to see who was at the door. A truck driver looked up and told them that he had a delivery for them. Reuven and Sara noticed that his truck had huge pictures of cookies and doughnuts on it. They ran down and opened the door. [When I tell this story at JEP Shabbatons, I always warn the children that in real life, they should never open their door for a stranger]. The driver returned to his truck and brought in boxes and boxes, which he put down in the living room. Reuven and Sara started opening the boxes. They could not believe what they were looking at. There were doughnuts of every flavor along with all varieties of cookies, cakes, and pies. They called all their friends to join them in eating these yummy desserts. They shared it throughout the day. Early the next morning, they were awakened by the sound of a doorbell ringing. They ran to their bedroom window to see who was at the door. A truck driver looked up and told them that he had a delivery for them. Reuven and Sara noticed that his truck had huge pictures of games and electronics. The driver brought in boxes and boxes, which he put down in the living room. Reuven & Sara opened boxes full of the latest board and electronic games. They called all their friends to play with all the games.  Meanwhile, they finished eating the delicious cakes from the day before. The next morning, the same thing happened.  This time the truck driver delivered different flavors of ice cream together with frozen desserts. The routine repeated itself for two weeks. Each day, Reuven and Sara excitedly opened their front door. Two weeks later, Reuven had some friends sleeping over at his house. Early the next morning, the doorbell starting ringing. Reuven & Sara heard it and turned over in bed. Reuven’s friends went to the window and saw the truck outside. When they told Reuven, he yawned and told them to have the driver put the boxes in the living room.

What happened? Why weren’t Reuven & Sara excited about the delivery this time? The answer is that they were already used to it coming.  They expected it. Therefore, it was no longer special and exciting. Hashem delivers the greatest gift to us every single morning. Hashem gives us life, by returning our neshama, our soul daily. We should be excited beyond belief, every morning.  We should thank Hashem with excitement, each time.  But many of us do not. Why? We are used to it.  We expect it. It is not new to us, so the excitement has worn off.

The Jewish People, in the desert, had their needs miraculously taken care of. For forty years they received water daily, via a well that traveled with them. Three million people and their animals had their needs taken care of. Yet, not once in those 40 years does the Torah record that they showed appreciation for the miraculous well (Kli Yakar Bamidbar 21:17).

Furthermore, the Torah tells us (Bamidbar20:1) that Moshe’s sister, Miriam died. The very next pasuk says that the Jewish People no longer had water. Rashi connects these 2 psukim, teaching us that the well which supplied water for these 40 years was in the merit of Miriam.  When Miriam died, the well no longer provided the Jewish People with water. The Kli Yakar asks why the well stopped supplying water. He answers that it was as a punishment for the Jews’ lack of appreciation for Miriam. They did not fully appreciate her for the great person that she was and for the great merit that she had earned. Apparently, the Kli Yakar says, the Jews did not eulogize Miriam properly and her memory was quickly forgotten. [After Moshe and Aharon died, it says that the Jewish People cried. It does not say that after Miriam’s death.] As a result, the water stopped flowing. Then the Jewish People realized Miriam’s greatness and that they had received this miraculous source of water only in her merit.

When things are going well, we may tend to take these blessings for granted. We may not fully appreciate our good fortune, as we come to expect it. We may not thank Hashem, as we should, for each kindness that He bestows upon us. Sometimes, only after the blessing is taken away, do we fully appreciate it, retroactively. This trait of not fully appreciating what we have also applies to our relationships with people. Sometimes we do not fully appreciate our loved ones until they are no longer with us.

 

Be happy with what you have while you still have it! Do not wait until it is gone to appreciate it. Constantly thinking about all the good that Hashem does for you will help you to value it and not take it for granted. Also, do likewise and appreciate your loved ones while they are still with you.

 

Parshas Shelach – You Have The Power! Use It Wisely!

Parshas Shelach

You Have The Power! Use It Wisely!

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“However, the nation is mighty, those who inhabit the land, and the cities are greatly fortified to the utmost, and we also saw the offspring of the giant over there (Bamidbar 13:28).”

Bnei Yisroel, the Jewish People, were freed from Egypt and were on their way to enter Eretz Yisroel. They wanted to send spies to see the Land and its people. Moshe agreed and chose 12 men, one man from each tribe. Moshe instructed the spies as to what to look for.

The spies returned with the information that Moshe had requested. However, when the spies gave their report, they sinned terribly. That caused the Jewish people to become discouraged and dispirited.  The Jews felt that it would be impossible to enter Eretz Yisroel because the people who lived there were too strong and the climate was too harsh. The entire night, the Jews cried in despair. For showing a lack of faith in Hashem, the Jews were punished. They had to wander for 40 years in the desert before entering Eretz Yisroel. There is a discussion amongst the commentaries as to the exact sin of the spies.

Ramban (Bamidbar 13:27) explains that the spies reported exactly what they were supposed to. They said that Eretz Yisroel flowed with milk and honey. They brought samples of the fruit, which were huge. They said, as they were supposed to, that the people who dwell in the Land were fierce and that the cities were fortified. What was the sin of the spies?  They added just one word to their report- “אפס”, “efes”, “however”. That word went beyond the facts. It expressed their opinion that as wonderful as Eretz Yisroel was, it was unconquerable. It would be impossible to fight against the people because they are fierce, and the cities are impregnable!

HaRav Henach Leibowitz zt”l (Chidushei Lev by Rabbi Binyomin Luban) says that it seems from the Ramban that is was solely the added word “efes” that placed fear and despair into the hearts of the Jews. Had the spies not added the word “efes”, then their mission would have been 100% successful and the Jews would have entered Eretz Yisroel immediately. The Jews would not have been afraid, despite hearing that the people living in Eretz Yisroel were strong, their cities were heavily fortified, and that giants lived there, as well as the feared nation of Amalek.

Chizkuni (Bamidbar 13:28) adds that in Parshas Devarim (9:2) Moshe reminded the new generation of Jews, who were about to enter Eretz Yisroel, that they had heard about the fearsome giants whom their parents described as invincible. Ohr Chaim adds that the nations who lived in Eretz Yisroel did not only dwell in towns but were scattered all over the land. In other words, they were not afraid of being attacked. Despite all this, the Jews would not have been afraid! They would have had total trust and faith that Hashem could conquer the land for them.  Hashem had already performed countless miracles for the Jews in Egypt, by the splitting of the sea, and in the desert, miraculously providing food and water. Yet, by hearing the spies say “efes”, “however”, which inferred that Hashem was incapable of defeating the mighty nations in Eretz Yisroel, the Jews fell from their high level of faith in Hashem. They became fearful. In despair they cried bitterly the entire night, and they wanted to return to Egypt.

We see a powerful lesson from this. The power of 1 word! One word, even when only indirectly hinting to a problem, can have such an impact to influence us! It lowered the strong faith of an entire nation, turning their faith into denial of Hashem’s ability!

Even one word that we say to ourselves can influence us! Calev was one of the two spies who tried to convince Klal Yisroel that Hashem was indeed capable of defeating the powerful nations who lived in Eretz Yisroel. Hashem praised Calev’s loyalty, “My servant Calev, because he possessed in him a different spirit, and followed Me fully, I shall bring him into the land to which he came….” (Bamidbar 14:24). Rashi explains that Calev was filled with a twofold spirit — the one in which he spoke, and another which he concealed in his heart. To the spies he said, “I am with you in your counsel”, while in his heart he had the intention to tell the truth. That is why Calev was able to silence the people since they thought that he would say the same message as the spies.

It seems, according to Rashi, that Hashem was not praising Calev for fooling the spies and saying the truth. Rather, Calev was praised because he said one thing while feeling something else in his heart. What was so special about that? Rabbi Avraham Trop zt”l explains that Calev was praised for his ability not to be influenced by his own words which indicated that he agreed with the spies. Normally, one’s words are so powerful that they affect one’s thoughts and feelings, even if one does not truly believe them in his heart! That is why Calev was praised, for having the strength to overcome his natural instinct.

We see from this the power of 1 word! Words we hear influence us, even if they only hint to a message. We must be so careful not to listen to, or say anything, that is contrary to the Torah way.

Our own words also influence us.

They can also put us into a state of depression or uplift our spirits.

We should “build” ourselves by using “positive self-talk”.

 

 

Parshas Beha’aloscha: Don’t Run Out Of School So Quickly!

Parshas Beha’aloscha

Don’t Run Out Of School So Quickly!

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“Whenever the Ark departed Moshe would say: “Rise, Hashem, and may Your enemies disperse, and those who hate You flee before You….” (Bamidbar 10:35, 36).

The Torah writes two psukim in the middle of the narrative of the parsha. Those two psukim are totally out of place. “Whenever the Ark departed Moshe would say: “Rise, Hashem, and may Your enemies disperse, and those who hate You flee before You….” (Bamidbar 10:35-36) The two psukim are delineated in the Torah by the letter nun, written upside down. The Talmud (Shabbos 115A-B) quotes Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel who says that in the future, those two psukim will be removed and will be rewritten in the appropriate place. If so, why wasn’t it written in the proper place initially? He answers that it was to make a separation between the two sins of the Jewish people. Rashi says that the second sin was when the wicked people complained to Hashem for the sole purpose of angering Hashem.  Those people were looking for a pretext to complain. They said, “Woe unto us! How weary we have become on this journey.”  Rabbeinu Bachya (Bamidbar 11:1) adds that instead of marching joyfully towards their destiny and the Holy Land, the people marched only begrudgingly.  What was their first sin?  Ramban and others say that they left Mount Sinai with joy, just like a child who runs away from school. They were concerned lest Hashem give them more commandments.

Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l, the Alter of Slabodka, (sefer Ohr Hatzafon pages 34-36) asks a profound question. When the Jews travelled through the desert they stopped numerous times. How did they determine when to travel and when to rest? They were guided by Hashem (Bamidbar 9:18). The miraculous Cloud that surrounded them would stand up like a beam. Then they blew two silver trumpets. At this point, the Jews realized that it was time to travel. When the Jews left Mount Sinai, they did so only after Hashem signaled them with the Cloud. They did not leave on their own. Furthermore, they were leaving to do a mitzvah, to enter Eretz Yisroel to live.

If the Jews were following Hashem’s directive to quickly bring them into Eretz Yisroel, what did they do wrong?  Why are they compared to children running away from school? Why was this such a terrible punishment that required Hashem to remove psukim that were elsewhere in the Torah, and put them here, out of place?

The Alter says that obviously there was NOTHING wrong with the Jews physically leaving Har Sinai. However, in the depths of their hearts they did not feel the pain of separation, of having to leave the place where they had learned the holy Torah. Even though they were leaving for the purpose of a mitzvah, to go to live in Eretz Yisroel, they still should have felt twinges of pain that they had to leave such a special place, Mt. Sinai, where they learned Torah.

Interestingly, the Jews behaved in the opposite manner after they crossed the Red Sea. Moshe had to tell the Jews, against their will, that they had to move on. (Rashi Shmos 15). The Egyptians had adorned their horses with ornaments of gold, silver, and precious stones. The wealth at the sea was greater than the wealth that the Jews had received from the Egyptians in Egypt. The Jews were on an intensely high spiritual level, perceiving Hashems holiness more so than the great prophet Yechezkel. They were not interested in wealth for wealth’s sake.  Rather, they wanted to fulfill Hashem’s promise to our forefather Avraham that the Jews would leave with great wealth. When it was time to leave Moshe had to stop them, against their will, from performing this mitzvah. The Jews should have felt the same way after receiving the Torah. They should have felt a stronger connection to this special place. Even though they were going to do the mitzvah of living in Eretz Yisroel, they should have demurred, necessitating Moshe to have to force them to leave.

This sin does not seem to have been so serious. They simply were not on the high level of feeling the attachment to Sinai. Yet, our rabbis says that this was considered as serious as was the next sin, which was very serious and for which they received a harsh punishment.

 When one must leave a place where one has learned Torah, he should feel a strong connection to it. He should feel that difficulty of the separation.

Ben Yehoyada has a different approach. He wonders why it would have been so bad if both sins were written with one following the other, without a separation in between. Furthermore, there was a 3rd sin which occurred right after the Jews complained to Hashem. The mixed multitude of nations that joined the Jewish People when they left Egypt sinned and caused the rest of the Jewish People to follow suit. Ramban says that they lacked nothing in the wilderness, for they had plenty of manna which could have tasted like different kinds of delicacies. Furthermore, they had many animals. Yet they complained to Hashem to give them meat!?  This complaint was a serious sin. Yet, why were no psukim written to separate these last two sins. Ben Yehoyada answers that the two sins that had occurred later, resulted from their first sin. Had the Jewish People maintained their close connection to the Torah, the two other sins would not have occurred. The Torah would have protected them from sin. Because they turned away from it, they lost that protection.

This is an important message to all, especially to students upon the advent of the summer vacation. It is important to feel the strong connection to Torah. Even if our bodies are not in school or in the beis medrash, where we had learned Torah during the year,

our minds should always feel the close connection to Torah. That will afford us protection from sins.

 

Parshas Bamidbar – Who Supported Whom?!

Parshas Bamidbar

Who Supported Whom?!

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“The tribe of Zevulun, and the leader of the sons of Zevulun is Eliav the son of Cheilon.” (Bamidbar 2:7)

I heard the following two stories directly from the subjects involved:

After Reuven became engaged, his father offered to support him in kollel for 5 years. That meant that Reuven would not have to worry about earning a living for 5 years. During that time, he would be able to devote himself to learning Torah fulltime, while his father supported him. This occurred at a time when the idea of learning in kollel was not yet commonplace. After making this commitment, Reuven’s father suffered a massive heart attack. Baruch Hashem, he recovered. He was able to keep his commitment and he supported his son’s Torah learning for 5 years. Soon after those 5 years, Reuven’s father suffered another massive heart attack from which he did not recover. During the shiva period of mourning, a distinguished rabbi consoled Reuven, telling him that the timing of his father’s two heart attacks was not coincidental. His father had probably gained an extra 5 years of life in the merit of the 5 years that he had supported his son’s Torah learning.

Shimon was supported by his wealthy father, enabling him to learn Torah for many years. This also took place before the idea of learning in kollel was widespread. After many years, Shimon was offered a job in his yeshiva, as a mashgiach ruchani. He thanked his father for all his help and told him that he no longer needed his financial support. Immediately afterwards, there was a fire in his father’s factory and his father lost much of his wealth. Apparently, Hashem had given his father the extra money to be able to support his Torah learning.

Who really supported whom?! Who really helped whom?!

After leaving Egypt, Bnei Yisroel traveled through the desert. Each time that they set-up camp in the desert, the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was set up, encircled by 3 shevatim (tribes) on each of the 4 sides. The Ba’al HaTurim points out an anomaly. When the Torah lists the third shevet that camped on each side, it writes the letter “vav”, “and”. This shows that this shevat and that shevat camped on a particular side of the Mishkan. However, the Torah does NOT place the letter “vav” before recording the tribe of Zevulun. Why not? The Ba’al HaTurim quotes Midrash Tanchuma who explains that the tribe of Zevulun worked in business and helped to sustain the tribe of Yissachar. Since the tribe of Yissachar did not have to worry about earning a living, they were free to devote all their time to learning Torah. Thus, the Torah did not want to write the tribe of Yissachar “and” the tribe of Zevulun, which would seem to infer that the tribe of Zevulun was secondary to the tribe of Yissachar. The Torah wanted to make it seem as if they were all one shevet. The Torah wanted to give the message that they both received EQUAL reward. Those who support Torah learning receive an EQUAL reward as those who learn Torah. Rabbi Yissocher Frand wrote, “Yissachar and Zevulun are partners, inseparable both in this world and the next. Death did not end the relationship between Yissachar and Zevulun – Zevulun enjoys the same reward in Olam Habah as Yissachar does.” (Rabbi Frand on the Parashah 2) What a powerful message! This is relevant in our times as well. There are many people who support others, enabling them to learn Torah the entire day. The supporters of Torah have an equal share of the great reward for learning Torah, as do those who learn it!

We see a similar message in the blessings that our forefather Yaakov gave to his sons before his death.  The Torah lists the order of the blessings. The sons of Yaakov were listed in the order of their births. The only exception was that Zevulun, although younger, was mentioned ahead of his brother Yissachar.  Why? Chizkuni (Beraishis 49:13) says one explanation is that Yaakov foresaw that in the future it would be thanks to the financial support of shevet Zevulun, that the shevet of Yissachar could devote themselves to intensive Torah study.

What was Zevulun’s occupation? Sforno (and others) says that they were merchants who traveled the seas to make a living (Beraishis 49:13).

Alshich (Devarim 33:18) says, generally merchants who traveled on the seas were unhappy. They didn’t know if they would be successful and make a profit or if they would lose money.  They feared for their safety in the stormy seas, and they feared pirates. They were unable to feel relaxed until they returned home after successfully making a profit. The merchants of Zevulun were different. As they traveled the seas, they felt happy and confident that they would be successful, in the merit of their “partners”, the people from shevet Yissachar, who were learning Torah. In fact, the merchants of Zevulun were so successful in business that they were able to influence peoples of other nations to recognize the greatness of Hashem.

Sforno says that shevet Zevulun had choice wares to sell that were not found among the other nations. Rashi (Devarim 33:19) says that through shevet Zevulun’s trading, merchants of other nations came to Eretz Yisroel. Once they were already in the land of Israel, they went to Jerusalem to find out more about the G-d of the Jews. When the merchants saw all the Jewish People serving one G-d and eating kosher food, they were so impressed that they become true converts to Judaism. All this was due to Zevulun’s support for Yissachar’s Torah learning.

As the holiday of Shavuos, the day that we received the Torah, approaches,

we should remember two things. Learning Torah is so precious!

One should learn as much Torah as he is capable of. The reward for that is infinite!

Supporting others’ Torah learning, is also very precious!

In fact, in Olam Haba, one will know all the Torah learning that his partner had learned.

Furthermore, if one helps support the Torah learning of others, he will be reward handsomely.

 

Parshas Matos-Masei: I Can Read Your Mind!

Parshas Matos-Masei

I Can Read Your Mind!

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“We have therefore brought an offering for Hashem Any man who found a gold article—an anklet or a bracelet, a ring, earring or clasp [has dedicated it for Hashem] to atone for ourselves before Hashem.” (Bamidbar 31:50)

I remember reading the following story: There was excitement in the small village when they heard that the king would be visiting them in a week. In preparation for the king’s visit the town elders decided to fill a giant barrel with wine and present it to the king upon his arrival. Where were they going to get so much wine to fill the giant barrel? They decided that each family of the town would bring one bottle filled with wine and pour it into the giant barrel. This way the barrel would fill with wine. They placed a giant barrel in the center of the town with a ladder reaching to the top. Every day people lined up to pour their bottle of wine into the barrel. The day finally arrived, and the king visited the town. The people were so excited to present the king with this wonderful gift. The king was shown the barrel and was given a kingly goblet. They filled his goblet with wine from the giant barrel. The townspeople were shocked by the look on the king’s face as he drank the wine. The king was obviously very unhappy. When he was asked why he was so unhappy he said that his goblet was filled with water! It turns out that every family in the village had the same thought. Wine was expensive. Each family thought to themselves that if they would pour in water instead of wine then no one would notice. After all, who would notice a difference in taste if there was only one bottle of water in the entire barrel of wine. The problem was that everyone in the town made the same calculation and so no one poured in wine but rather water instead. All the villagers were embarrassed in front of the king.

Balak, king of Moav, hired Bilaam to curse the Jewish People. Hashem did not allow Bilaam to succeed. Bilaam, still wanting to harm the Jews, advised Balak of a very detailed and conniving plan to cause Hashem to punish the Jews. Balak followed the plan and succeeded in enticing many Jews to immorality and idol worship. Sadly, this resulted in the death of 24,000 Jews. Hashem told Moshe Rabbeinu to avenge the deaths of the Jews by going to war against the Midianites (Bamidbar 31:2). The Ohr HaChaim says (Bamidbar 31:3) that although the Midianite army was large, Moshe only sent 12,000 soldiers to battle. The pasuk (Bamidbar 31:3) says that Moshe chose אֲנָֹשִים, men, to be soldiers. Rashi says that these men were tzadikim, righteous men. The Sifsei Chachamim explains that Rashi learns this from the seemingly extra word, אֲנָֹשִים. Obviously, it was men and not women who went to war. Thus, the word אֲנָֹשִים refers to righteous men. Gur Aryeh says that these men were G-D fearing. Ohr HaChaim says that these men did not harbor sinful thoughts when the Midianite women were first sent to entice the Jewish men. The Ksav Sofer says that Moshe chose tzadikim who had spent their lives working to defeat their yetzer hara. Moshe wanted them to fight totally for the honor of Hashem. Moshe did not want them to think that they were fighting because of a personal agenda to avenge the Jews who were killed. The Jews fought victoriously and killed all the Midianite males as well as their 5 kings. They also took booty. Any item that may have touched a dead body had to be purified. “Every cloth, every article of skin, everything made of goats’ hair, and every object of wood” (Bamidbar 31:20) had to be purified.

Hashem commanded the Jews to also purify all metal utensils, that they took as booty, (Bamidbar 31:23) via the process called hagalah. Rashi explains that anything non-kosher which had been absorbed in the metal utensils had to be expunged in the same manner as it had been absorbed. Thus, any vessel which had been used for cooking with hot water, was cleansed through hot water. Any vessel which had been used for roasting over a flame, was cleansed by making it white hot in a flame.

The Ramban, Da’as Zekanim, and many commentators wonder why the mitzvah of hagalah was first commanded now, after the battle with Midian. Why wasn’t it taught after the previous battles with Sichon and Og. Different answers are given. The Kotzker Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk,(as quoted in Iturei Torah by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg) says that the wars against Sichon and Og did not defile the minds of the Jews. Mizrachi & Chizkuni (Bamidbar 25:18) say that, on the other hand, the Midianites did contaminate the minds of the Jews by sending their wives and daughters to entice the Jews to sin. Therefore, a new mitzvah of hagalah was commanded now. It sent a message that the Jews should expunge that which had been absorbed by them; they should cleanse the impure thoughts in their minds. This fits in with what Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk says about an earlier pasuk (Bamidbar 31:21). The pasuk says, “וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֶלְעָזָ֤ר הַכֹּהֵן֙ אֶלאַנְשֵׁ֣י הַצָּבָ֔א הַבָּאִ֖ים לַמִּלְחָמָ֑ה ”. Elazar the kohain gave a message to the soldiers who had returned from the war with Midian. Yet, the pasuk says, “Elazar the kohain said to the soldiers who came to the war…”. Why does the pasuk say that the soldiers came to the war if they had already returned? Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk answers that Elazar the kohain told the soldiers to expunge the vessels from the impurity that had been absorbed. Similarly, Elazar was telling them that now they were entering into a new war, with their evil inclination. They had to remove any inappropriate thoughts that may have entered their minds from seeing the Midianite women during and after the battle. Similarly, after the battle, the officers of the Jewish army brought offerings to Hashem from the gold that they had captured during the war. Rashi (Bamidbar 31:50) says that the offering of the gold was to atone for the impure thoughts that their hearts had entertained for the daughters of Midian. Chidushei HaRim says (as quoted in Iturei Torah by Aharon Yaakov Greenberg) that when the Jewish officers heard the command to do hagalah, they took it as a lesson for themselves. Even a vessel that was totally clean and that was permitted to be used, still had to be cleansed from the impurities within it. The officers learned a lesson from this, that they, themselves, needed atonement for impure thoughts even though their thoughts did not result in any act of sinning. They understood that the impure thoughts, in and of themselves, were actually sins that required repentance.

We learn two very important lessons. First, each Jew is like a holy vessel. Even our thoughts must be pure and holy. Also, the allure of the yetzer hara is very strong as it attempts to sully our thoughts. The Jewish soldiers were tzadikim, people who had worked on conquering their yetzer hara, and limiting their physical needs and desires. Yet, the yetzer hara was still able to cause them to think unholy thoughts.  Therefore, they had to bring offerings to atone for their impure thoughts.

The yetzer hara is constantly “attacking” us. If he can’t get us to commit sinful acts, he will try to contaminate our thoughts. We must constantly be on our guard and defend ourselves from the yetzer hara. The best defenses are to avoid looking at anything inappropriate and to learn Torah and study mussar, which helps us to improve and refine our character traits.

 

Parshas Chukas: Who Would Have Thought The Broken Bottle Could Be So Powerful?!

Parshas Chukas

Who Would Have Thought The Broken Bottle Could Be So Powerful?!

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“This is the law [regarding] a person [אָדָם] who dies in a tent; anyone who enters the tent and everything that is in the tent shall be unclean for seven days.” (Bamidbar 19:14)

More than 100 years ago, a poverty-stricken rabbi from Jerusalem went to Italy to raise funds for his family. After his boat docked on a Friday morning, he started walking, hoping he would find a Jewish neighborhood. A horse-drawn carriage drew alongside him and stopped. It turned out that the rider in the wagon was a very wealthy Jew. He greeted the rabbi warmly and invited him to his home for Shabbos. At the Shabbos seudah, the rabbi was flabbergasted by his host’s enormous wealth. Gazing at the breakfront which was full of crystal, silver, and gold, the rabbi noticed a broken glass flask. It was so out of place that the rabbi asked why the flask was placed there. The wealthy man then told his story. He had grown up in Amsterdam. When he was a teenager, his grandfather, who was in failing health, had asked him to come to Italy to help in his store. Soon after, his grandfather died. He loved the business and became very successful and very wealthy. He became so involved in his business that, little by little, he slid away from Judaism. One day, he was walking and heard a Jewish child scream. The child couldn’t stop crying and repeating, “What will I tell my father?”  Apparently, the little boy was very poor. His father had saved a few coins to purchase a jar of olive oil for the Chanukah menorah. The child made the purchase but not bring it home right away. In the interim, the jar fell and broke, and the olive oil spilled out. The wealthy man took the little boy back to the store and bought him a new jar of olive oil. Afterwards, he felt haunted by the boy’s words, “What will I tell my father?” He thought to himself, what would he tell his Father in heaven after 120 years. He had drifted so far from Judaism, what could he say to Hashem?  Thereupon, he gathered up the broken glass of the flask and brought it home. That night, to the surprise of his family, he lit a Chanukah candle. One thing led to another, and he eventually he became an observant Jew, teaching his family along the way. After hearing the story, the rabbi understood why that broken flask had a position of prominence in the breakfront. It was instrumental in re-igniting the pintele yid, the spark that is in every Jewish soul. (Echoes of the Maggid by Rabbi Paysach Krohn)

In the time of the prophet Yirmiyahu, the Jewish People served idols. Hashem asked Yirmiyahu to exhort the Jews to repent (Yirmiyahu 2:2-3). Rashi and Radak say that Hashem desired to shower the Jews with compassion because Hashem remembered the kindness of their forefathers, in following Hashem into the barren desert after leaving Egypt. The Jews showed their faith in Hashem by following Moshe and Aharon into a desert without provisions.

Although the Jews were serving idols, they were still called “holy to Hashem” (Yirmiyahu 2:3). Rashi says that the Jews are considered holy like Terumah, the first fruits of Hashem’s harvest. Radak adds that the Jewish People are compared to the first of the harvest before the Omer, which is forbidden to eat. Whoever eats it is liable. Even when Jews sin and are punished for their sins, the nations who harm them are punished because they are harming Hashem’s “first fruits”.

The Yalkut Shimoni (Yirmiyahu, 265) adds that even during Yirmiyahu’s time, when the Jews were serving idols, Hashem, nonetheless, called them, “בְּנִי”, “my son”.

In the Midrash Shocher Tov (Tehillim 14:4) we see that even when we are at our low point, we are considered holy to Hashem. During the destruction of the Beis HaMikdash, when the Babylonians ate the holy meat that was left from our korbanos and ate the lechem hapanim, the 12 loaves of holy bread, the Jews were at a very low point. Yet, they were still called “holy to Hashem”.

It says in this week’s parsha, “When a person dies in a tent, whoever enters the tent and whoever is in the tent shall be impure for seven days.” (Bamidbar19-14)

The Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh zt”l quotes the Talmud (Bava Metzia 114A). The rabbis taught that the description,”אָדָם ”, “a person” [who dies in a tent] only applies to Jews. The Torah, therefore, teaches that only the dead bodies of Jews are capable of conferring ritual impurity on people who are under the same roof; the dead bodies of Gentiles are not able to have that effect on anyone under the same roof with them. What is the reason for that? Only people who have been given the Torah have absorbed the kind of sanctity during their lifetime which attracts the spiritually negative influences, to their remains.

Even when a Jew sins, he is stilled beloved by Hashem as a child is to his father. He has inherited within him, genetically, a faith in Hashem, as his forefathers had when they followed Hashem into the desert without knowing how they would obtain food. Furthermore, because each Jew received the Torah at Har Sinai, each Jew is a holy person.

We must view every single Jew with love, as each Jew is holy and special to Hashem!