Parshas Chukas

Derech Eretz Moves Mountains!

“The outpouring of the rivers when it veered to dwell at Ar, and leaned against the border of Moav.” (Bamidbar, 21:15)

Rabbi Yitzchak Elchanan Spector was one of the most famous Rabbis and Talmudic sages of the 19th century. One day when he was busy in his study, one of his students knocked on the door to tell him that his student, Yaacov, had been excused from the army draft. Rabbi Spector had been anxiously awaiting the news whether or not his student would be conscripted into the Russian army. He heartedly thanked the bearer of the good news. A few minutes later, another student knocked on the door with the same message. Rav Yitzchak Elchonon did not want to tell him that he already knew because he wanted the boy to feel joy of being the bearer of good news. He excitedly thanked this second boy. A few minutes later another student knocked on his door. Again, Rav Yitzchak Elchonon expressed his great happiness at hearing the good news. In this way he made this student too, feel that he was the only one informing him of the good news. This is an example of Derech Eretz.

The Jews were on their way to enter the Land of Israel. They reached the territory of the Emorim. Rashi says that the Emorim planned a surprise attack to annihilate all the Jews. The Jews had to pass through a very narrow valley between two mountains that were quite close to each other. The Emorim concealed themselves in mountain caves. They planned to shoot arrows and hurl stones at the Jews as they passed in the very narrow valley below. The Jews would be helpless against them. As the Jews approached the valley, the mountain on the Emorite side (which later became part of Eretz Yisroel) started moving. It moved toward the other mountain until it was pressed against it. Jagged rock formations from that mountain entered perfectly into the caves of the other mountain, crushing all the Emorite soldiers. The Jews were unaware of the danger that they had been saved from. When the Jews passed the area, the mountain that had moved returned to its original position. Hashem wanted the Jews to appreciate the great miracle that He had done to save their lives. Hashem sent the well of Miriam to flow through the valley and carry the blood and smashed limbs of the dead Emorites to the encampment of the Jews. When the Jews realized the great miracle that had saved their lives, they sang a song of praise to Hashem.

Why did the mountain on the side of Eretz Yisroel move? Rashi compared it to a maidservant who upon seeing her mistress, rushes to great her. When the mountain saw the Jews, the true owners of Eretz Yisroel, approaching, it humbly moved towards them. When the Jews passed on, the mountain returned to its original place.

The Sifsei Chachamim asks, Why didn’t the mountain move back immediately after killing the Emorites, allowing the Jews to see Hashem’s miracle right away? Why did the mountain wait until the Jews passed through before it moved back? We know that Hashem does not do any unnecessary miracles. Had the mountain moved back immediately, Hashem would not have needed the additional miracle of having the well of Miriam flow through the valley to bring the Emorite remains to the Jewish encampment.

The Sifsei Chachamim answers that a servant who goes to greet his master does not return to his place until his master passes out of his sight. Thus, the mountain of Eretz Yisroel waited until the Jewish people, its “master”, was out of sight before returning to its place.

The Sifsei Chachamim is teaching us a very important lesson in derech eretz, respectful conduct. Hashem performed an extra, “redundant” miracle for the mountain in order to show proper derech eretz for the Jewish people.

Acting like a mensch precedes our Torah learning. The Rabbeinu Yonah explains that having derech eretz helps one attain and retain his Torah learning. The Sefas Emes (Mishpatim 12) says that the mitzvos between man and his fellow man, ones’ behavior to his friend, is part of the Oral Torah that Hashem gave us. Furthermore, we merit Torah on a level commensurate with the refinement of our middos. The Torah learning then helps one to achieve a higher level of refinement in middos, which in turn helps one to achieve an even higher level of learning. This cycle continues.

We must always act with derech eretz, proper and refined conduct. It is more than just being nice. It is a Torah obligation.

Parshas Korach

Peace at All Costs!

Moshe sent a request to summon Dasan and Aviram…but they said, “We will not go up!” (Bamidbar 16:12)

It was my job as president of the synagogue to uphold its long-standing policies. A group of congregants wanted to change one of the policies. At the membership meeting they embarrassed me publicly. They called all the members of the synagogue, slandering me with vicious lies. They even called my house and threatened me with physical harm. My wife said that I should swallow my pride, go to the home of the instigator of this dispute, and try to make peace. Was my wife right? They started this fight and were very nasty to me. Should I swallow my pride, demean myself, and go to them?

Korach started a major dispute against Moshe. It showed a lack of belief in Moshe and ultimately a lack of belief that the Torah was from Hashem. Korach encouraged others to join with him against Moshe. Moshe unsuccessfully tried to reason with Korach. When Moshe saw the rebellion spreading, he tried to minimize it as much as possible. Moshe sent a message that he wanted to speak to Dasan and Aviram, two of the leaders of this argument against Moshe. Dasan and Aviram arrogantly refused to come. Immediately before Korach and his followers were to be punished, Moshe tried again to curb this rebellion. He went to the tents of Dasan and Aviram with a plea to leave the rebellion. Moshe also indicated that if they wouldn’t change their minds then Hashem would punish them severely. Dasan and Aviram responded arrogantly, refused to budge, and cursed Moshe (see Rashi on pasuk 27). Hashem punished the rebels with death; Hashem caused the earth to swallow them up.

In analyzing Moshe’s actions, we would be apt to focus solely on Moshe’s sterling Middos. A prestigious and influential group started an argument, questioning Moshe’s honesty in his appointment of others to leadership positions. They approached him in a very demeaning way. They used logical arguments to try to prove that Moshe made up (without Hashem’s directive) leadership appointments as well as making up laws by himself. They asked Moshe, if a tallis was totally dyed with techeiles (a special blue dye) would it require tzitzis (fringes). Moshe said that of course it would. They laughed at Moshe saying that this law was senseless (see Rashi on pasuk 3). Despite all this, Moshe tried to peacefully end the rebellion. When he wasn’t successful, Moshe still tried to bring peace by personally calling for two of the leaders of the rebellion. Moshe was rudely rebuffed. Yet, he tried again to bring peace by personally going to the homes of Dasan and Aviram. Moshe exhibited extreme humbleness and was willing to forgo his honor despite the strong accusations and the humiliation. We see a further degree of humility when we realize who it was that Moshe swallowed his pride to save. They were two people who had caused much suffering to Moshe! Dasan and Aviram were the two Jews who had tattled on Moshe to Pharaoh. They said that that Moshe had killed an Egyptian taskmaster who had been beating a Jew. Moshe would have been beheaded, as a result, if not for a miracle by Hashem. Moshe, then, had to run away for his life. Dasan and Aviram had also incited their followers to clamor about wanting to return to Egypt. This occurred when the Jews were at the bank of the Yam Suf with the Egyptian army behind them. Dasan and Aviram also disobeyed Moshe. They had saved their Mann and had secretly put it out on Shabbos morning. They tried to show that Moshe was a liar by pretending that the Mann did indeed rain down on the holy Shabbos. These are the type of people that Moshe swallowed his pride in order to save?

It seems that Moshe was so special; he acted above and beyond what was required of him. Not so! Moshe was required by the Torah to do what he did! Even though he was the leader, he was OBLIGATED to humble himself before such people. If he had not gone out of his way to try to bring peace, it would have been considered as if Moshe had strengthened the dispute and made it worse (Rashi quoting the Talmud, Meseches Sanhedrin 110A). Had Moshe not gone to try to make peace, HE would have been considered a sinner!

Machlokes, strife, is very serious. Even if one is in the right, the Torah obligates him to do whatever he can to end the argument. Even if one must humble oneself to make peace, he must do so. If he doesn’t, he is considered a sinner, like Korach and his followers.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim

Parshas Shelach

Feeling Safe in our Father’s Hands!

“… The land through which we passed… is a land that eats up its inhabitants….” (Bamidbar 13:32)

Six-year-old Chani walked onto the airplane all by herself. The nearby passengers decided to keep an eye on her to make sure she would be safe. Suddenly, the plane began to shake because they were flying through bad weather. Many people on the plane became nervous. Chani remained totally calm. Suddenly the plane began bouncing up and down from the strong winds. Many of the passengers grew more and more nervous. Some started crying. Others began to pray. Chani was totally calm and resumed playing with her doll as if nothing was happening. The plane finally passed through the bad weather and landed in Israel. When the plane landed, one of the passengers turned to Chani and asked, “You are alone on this plane. How did you stay so calm during all that terrible weather?” Chani answered, “My father is the pilot. He is the best pilot in the whole world, and he is taking me home. Why should I be afraid?”

All of us are like young children in the hands of our father, Hashem. When we believe that, we will always feel safe, no matter what is happening around us. (story from Living Emunah by Rabbi David Ashear)

The Jewish People were on their way to enter the Land of Israel. They approached Moshe and requested permission to spy-out the land before going to conquer it from the nations that lived there. Hashem knew that wherever the Jewish spies would go they would be noticed. In order to protect the spies, Hashem performed a miracle. Wherever the spies went there were huge funerals. The people living there were too occupied with the funerals to even notice the Jewish spies. Hashem had caused the deaths of the leaders of the non-Jewish nations living in the Land of Israel. There were so many “State funerals” that the spies went unnoticed.

The Jewish spies misinterpreted what had happened. When they returned from their mission, they reported that the climate of the Land of Israel was so harsh that people were constantly dying.

This interpretation of the events that the spies had seen was very logical. Yet, Hashem was angered by it. The Midrash Rabba (16:24) quotes Hashem’s feeling. “With that which I did for their benefit, they angered me.” Hashem said that I caused the multiple funerals to occur to save the spies. The spies took those very same events as a reason NOT to enter the Land of Israel.

The question is, what did the spies do wrong? They interpreted the facts as they had seen them. They did not lie or exaggerate.

The Rosh HaYeshiva zt”l answered, had the spies had the proper degree of faith and trust in Hashem, they would have had a different interpretation of the events that they had seen. They would have thought to themselves:

Hashem had promised them the Land of Israel as a very special place. If it was so special, how could the climate be so harsh? It must be that the climate wasn’t harsh. Rather, Hashem, in His loving kindness, was performing a miracle to save them.

The Maharzu on the Midrash indicates that the evaluation of the spies showed a lack of faith in Hashem. He says that Hashem expected the Jews to act like their forefathers who had total faith in whatever Hashem did.

We see from this that the degree of one’s faith and trust in Hashem can make a difference in how he views and interprets different events that occur in his life. As said before, all of us are like young children in the hands of our father, Hashem. When we believe that, we will always feel safe, no matter what is happening around us.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim

Parshas Beha’aloscha

Travel with Hashem and See the World!

“…According to the word of Hashem they would encamp and according to the word of Hashem they would journey.” (Bamidbar 9:20)

The advertisement for the hotel was so exciting. I was looking forward to a long-awaited vacation, after having a very difficult year. When I arrived at the hotel, it looked nothing like the advertisement. The walls were cracking. Springs popped out from the furniture cushions. The shower had no hot water. The outdoor swimming pool was a garden of weeds. I couldn’t afford to lose my deposit. I was stuck. I stayed in those difficult conditions for 3 weeks!

The following summer, I thoroughly and extensively researched a hotel before booking it. When I arrived, it was wonderful. The hotel was magnificent. I was treated like royalty. The rooms were beautiful and the beds were so comfortable. The hotel staff even left a tray of pastries in the room. There were two outdoor pools with clear and fresh water. There was an indoor pool, an exercise room, and an indoor basketball court. I was looking forward to three weeks of “heaven”. After enjoying the hotel stay for just one day, I got a phone call from home. There was a medical emergency and I had to leave immediately.

This was the story of the Jews in the desert, on their way into the Land of Israel. They camped numerous times. Sometimes the resting place was very uncomfortable. Yet they had to stay. Sometimes they stayed for such a short time that they didn’t even have the time to unpack their belongings. Sometimes their encampment was beautiful. Weary, after a long journey, they encamped in a paradise. Yet, there were times that they stayed in such beautiful surroundings but had to leave after a brief rest.

Although the travel seemed so difficult, each resting stop was restful and relaxing for the Jewish people. Nothing disturbed them because they “went with Hashem”. Hashem determined where they would rest and when they would go. “According to the word of Hashem they would encamp and according to the word of Hashem they would journey”. Since they traveled “with Hashem”, with emunah and bitachon; total faith and trust in Hashem, their travels were peaceful and restful.

The Jews already had seen how much love Hashem had shown them and how He had taken care of them. They had witnessed how Hashem took them out of Egypt with great miracles, contrary to the laws of nature. They benefited when Hashem provided them in the desert with miraculous food that fell from the sky and with a well that provided water, daily, for all three million people and their animals too. They saw how Hashem protected them from the elements with Holy Clouds. Hashem leveled the ground so that wouldn’t need to climb hills or descend into steep valleys. They felt Hashem’s infinite love. They realized that everything that Hashem did came from His love for the Jewish People and was for their ultimate benefit, whether or not they understood it.

Our forefather Avraham had an excruciating test, to sacrifice his beloved son to Hashem. Yet, the Alter of Slabodka says that Avraham was able to sleep peacefully the night before, because he had total faith in Hashem.

Everyone has challenges in life. The more faith and trust we have in Hashem, the less stress we will feel. We will understand that Hashem has a master plan for everything that happens to us, and that it is all for our benefit.

Based on a dvar Torah by Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l, Rosh HaYeshiva of Yeshivas Chofetz Chaim

Parshas Naso

Brotherly Love!

“On the second day, Nesanel son of Tzuar, the leader of Yisachar offered [his offering for the dedication of the Altar]” (Bamidbar 7:18)

There is a beautiful story that has been passed down for many years.

There were two brothers who lived on opposite sides of a hill. One of the brothers was married and had a large family. He was very poor. The other brother was rich but was alone.

One night, during harvest time, one brother tossed about in bed. “How can I rest comfortably when my brother has so many more mouths to feed?” He arose, gathered bushels of wheat and quietly climbed the hill to bring them over to his brother’s field.

Meanwhile, his brother across the hill also could not sleep. “How can I enjoy my harvest and not be concerned with my brother. He is alone in the world, without someone else to support him in his old age?” He arose in the night and quietly brought over bushels of wheat to his brother’s field.

The next morning each brother was surprised to find that they had the same number of bushels as before. The brothers repeated these night- time visits for many nights. Each morning, they were astounded to find that they had the same number of bushels as before.

One night the brothers met on the top of the hill. Then they realized what had happened and the brotherly love that was shown. With love, they embraced.

These brothers could have been jealous of each other for each one had something in life that the other brother did not. Instead of acting with jealousy towards one another they exhibited brotherly love.

The day that the construction of the Mishkan (Tabernacle) was completed was very joyous. The leaders of all the tribes (nesiim) brought special offerings in honor of the occasion. Each offering consisted of many different animals to be sacrificed to Hashem. Each offering also included a silver bowl and basin filled with fine flour that was mixed with oil, as well as a gold ladle filled with spices.

Nesanel son of Tzuar was the leader who advised the other leaders to bring an offering at this time. He also advised the other leaders to bring the exact same offering. The Chofetz Chaim explains that Nesanel did not want one leader to try to “outdo” the other by adding to his offering. Nesanel wanted to prevent any feelings of jealousy among the leaders. These efforts brought such pleasure to Hashem. Normally, only communal offerings are brought on the holy Shabbos. The offerings of the leaders were personal, from their own belongings, and normally would not have been allowed to be brought on Shabbos. The Midrash says that Hashem was so pleased with their efforts to promote love and friendship and prevent jealousy and hatred. Hashem wanted to “join them” and offer them Shabbos. Hashem permitted the personal offering of the leader of one of the tribes to be brought on Shabbos.

Additionally, since the leaders of the tribes showed such respect for one another, Hashem gave them an added honor. The Torah records the offering of each leader separately. Since the offerings were the same, the Torah could have listed them once and stated that this same korban was brought by each of the leaders of the tribes. Instead, the Torah repeats the same psukim over and over to accord honor to each leader individually.

We see how much Hashem cherishes it when we show love and respect for each other. Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lutzato says in the Mesilas Yesharim (Path of the Just. Chapt 19), “…The more that a person loves his fellow Jew, the greater is the love that Hashem showers upon him.”

Each of us should make every effort to foster feelings of love and friendship and to try to avoid causing jealousy. Those actions will bring nachas, joy & happiness to Hashem and will cause Hashem to increase His love for each of us.

Parshas Bamidbar

Personal Attention to Every Single Jew!

“Take the total sum of the entire congregation of the children of Israel” (Bamidbar 1:2)

It was raining again in Shira’s sleep-away camp. She and her friends wanted to do something exciting and different. None of their ideas were viable. They heard that one of the older groups was taking a CPR class. They asked to join but were told that they were too young. After much pleading, they were given permission to watch the course as long as they didn’t disturb it in any way. That day the instructor was teaching what to do if a baby is choking. A few months later, Shira was sitting in her room and reading a book. Suddenly, she heard screaming. She raced downstairs and saw that her baby brother was turning blue and was barely breathing. Her mother and older sister were screaming in fright. They didn’t know what to do. Shira calmly walked over and performed the procedure that she had watched on the one day she had observed the CPR course in the summer. She dislodged a small toy from her baby brother’s mouth, and he started breathing again. Her grateful mother asked her where she learned how to do that. Shira told her that she had learned it in camp. A month later, another girl “who happened” to have watched the same course as Shira, saved the life of a child for whom she was babysitting.

A series of “coincidences” are not coincidences. They are called Hashgacha Pratis, Divine Providence. Hashem is watching over us and guiding events for a specific purpose. Hashem arranged for it to rain heavily on the day that the particular CPR course was being taught. Hashem arranged that Shira’s bunk was bored, with nothing to do. Hashem arranged for the instructor to go against her better judgement and permit the young girls to observe her class. And, Hashem arranged for that lesson to be instructions how to save an infant who is choking. Hashem clearly orchestrated these events in order that Shira and her friend would be in the position to save young lives.

Hashem told Moshe to take a count of the Jewish People. Why? Rashi says that Hashem had already counted us twice previously. Counting us again showed how beloved we are to Hashem. The Kli Yakar notes that the word the Torah uses for counting, “se’oo”, also has another meaning. It means to raise up or elevate. Hashem’s counting of the Jewish People lifted them above all the other nations of the world. Only the Jews merited to be counted individually. That is because every Jew is so important to Hashem. Even one Jew is considered as if he were an entire nation. The Kli Yakar compares the other nations of the world to a pile of straw. The owner of a pile of straw doesn’t count every single stalk in his pile. Rather, he just looks at the whole pile. Similarly, there is no special Hashgacha Pratis, Divine Providence, over individuals of other nations. Hashem is only concerned about the other nations as a group. That is not the case with the Jewish People.

Every single Jew merits Hashem’s individual attention! Hashem loves every one of us, so much. When we think about the deep love Hashem has for us, it is only natural to want to return that love.

Parshas Matos/Masei

The Secret is Out!

“When you enter the Land of Israel you should drive out all its inhabitants… for if you don’t then those who remain will be pins in your eyes”. (Bamidbar 33:55)

There is a fable from the 1800’s describing what happens when you put a frog into boiling water. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out. However, if the frog is put in warm water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger. The frog will then be cooked to death.

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general and military strategist who lived in the sixth century, before the common era., His book, The Art of War, was the most important military treatise in Asia for the last two thousand years. Sun Tzu wrote, “The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy but does not allow the enemy’s will to be imposed on him”. What enables the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men? It is knowledge of the enemy’s dispositions, and what he means to do.

We are in a battle, every second of our lives, with the Satan, the Evil Inclination. He never rests but is always thinking of strategies to ensnare us. If we know some of those strategies in advance, we can help protect ourselves from sinning.

One of his strategies of the Evil Inclination is to slowly chip-away at us-like the frog in the fable- until we fall into sin. He will entice us to do a very small sin by saying, “It’s not such a big deal…. Everyone is doing it… You are a good person; this little thing won’t matter- Hashem will overlook it”. Then the Evil Inclination will entice us to do a slightly bigger sin – almost imperceptibly. Before we know it, he gets us to do a very big sin, without our even realizing it. Had the Evil Inclination tried to get us to do that big sin right away, we would have been able to withstand the temptation. However, since he worked on us, in small steps, we succumbed. It’s like water constantly dripping on a rock. After a long time, it bores a hole into the rock.

In Parshas Masai, Hashem told the Jewish people, “When you enter the Land of Israel you should drive out all its inhabitants… for if you don’t then those who remain will be pins in your eyes”. The Ramban explains, they will be like a bribe that blinds the wise (and makes even the wise incapable of fair judgement). They will cause you to err and eventually you will serve idols and turn away from Hashem.

The Rosh haYeshiva of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, Rav A. Henach Leibowitz zt”l, asked the following: The people we are speaking about were great and righteous. A bribe to a judge may blind his partiality in a court case. But what is the comparison here? How can it cause the Jews to serve idols? The Rosh haYeshiva explained the Ramban. In this case, we aren’t speaking about monetary bribes but the influence of environment and society. If the Jews ignore Hashem and don’t send out the inhabitants, then the inhabitants will have a corrupting influence on the Jews. It will happen subtly and slowly. It will not be noticeable at first. Then it will spread and eventually lead these great people to serve idols.

An awareness of the Evil Inclination’s strategy can protect us.
As soon as we feel a slight slipping, we should be on guard, quickly stopping it before it “snowballs”.

Don’t let the Evil Inclination make a frog out of you!