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Parshas V’eschanan-פרשת ואתחנן ושבת נחמו

July 30, 2009 // Posted in Weekly Parsha Divrei Torah (Tags: ) |  No Comments

שמור את יום השבת לקדשו כאשר צוך ה’ אלוקיך (ה, כ)

(קודם מתן תורה) במרה (רש”י)

We mentioned last week that sefer devarim repeats most of what already happened to klal Yisroel through Moshe’s writings. You will notice that in the first “set” of the aseres hadibros, in parshas yisro, there is no loshon of ‘k’asher tzivcha’ like the above pasuk does. In parshas v’es’chanan, it only says these words when talking about Shabbos and kibud av v’aim.  What is the significance of mentioning the loshon of ‘k’asher tzivcha’ only in the second writing of the dibros and why only by these two dibros? Furthermore, why does the torah tell us how and when we were commanded to do this? This is not a common lashon, and it requires a deeper understanding.

The explanation here is beautiful:

We know that hashem commanded us to rest on shabbos and not to do any work. All we should do is relax, daven, eat seudos and be ‘misaneg al hashem’. However, this leaves room for a person to misunderstand the true purpose of shabbos.  Even a non-jew needs a break.  It’s impossible for one to work 12-15 hour days in an office, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.  From a purely physical standpoint shabbos is a logical and generous gift, but there is room to misconstrue its true meaning and depth.  During shibud mitzraim, Moshe asked Paroh to give him at least one day a week off so bnei Yisrael would be able to keep up their strength and rejuvenate themselves. The truth is, however, that this is not the focal point of Shabbos.  Rather shabbos is a time for menuchas hanefesh and it’s the yesod of emunah, we say in Kiddush, ‘os hi beini u’veneichem’. In the first set of aseres hadibros, we were commanded to keep shabbos when were in the midbar. There was no ‘work-week’ in the midabar, and we were sustained through constant miracles. We didn’t need a break from work and it was at that time, when we were in the desert, that we kept shabbos like we were supposed to. Not because we worked hard, and were tired and not because we realized we needed a break from the whole week. We kept shabbos because we were commanded to. That was our only reason and that was the example of bnei yisrael keeping shabbos like we are supposed to. This is why it says a loshon of ‘k’asher tzivcha’. The torah is telling us to keep Shabbos because hashem commanded us to.  Not because of our physical cheshbonos, and exhaustion, but because of the spiritual power of the day, and because it is a mitzvah.

The same lesson is applicable to the commandment of honoring one’s parents. We can say that it’s normal for a person to respect his parents.  After all, they raised him, educated him, brought him up properly, paid all his expenses, fed him, clothed him, funded all his trips, maybe even went beyond what we consider these basics with luxuries and a life of ease. It is easy for one to think that this mitzvah is a logical commandment. The truth is, though, even if your parents didn’t get you the car or they didn’t fund your vacations and they didn’t do half the things they promised, you would still have to respect and honor them. Why? Because as the pasuk says, you were commanded to do so in the midbar. In the midbar did your parents cloth you? No. Did they feed you? No. All our food, clothing, and physical needs were straight from hashem. So it couldn’t have been that they honored their parents because of what they ‘gave’ to them. And yet they were honoring them. So it has to be they were doing so because that’s what hashem commanded them to do.

That’s the pshat in this loshon. Kibbud av is not because of hakaras hatov. It is because we were commanded to do so.  This is what the torah is emphasizing here.  Do the mitzvah like you were originally commanded to,like they did it in marah- for the sake of a mitzvah.

Many a time we often find ourselves in a position where we do chessed because it is convenient and easy.  But how many times do any of us really go out of our way for someone else?  For a small chessed? For a favor?  For someone who’s not your friend? Doing the mitzvah because you were commanded to do it is extra special to hashem. Try taking someone out of your way when you’re in a rush.  It might be extremely frustrating, but only the first time.  Then you realize the little time-minutes- that you are losing in exchange for doing a mitzvah.  It’s a whole different approach to things-try it. It is extra special to hashem when you do a mitzvah bein adam l’chaveiro not because it seems ‘nice’, but because it is a commandment

May we all be zoche to be mekayeim the mitzvohs to its fullest and for the reason no other than ‘k’asher tzivcha hashem elokecha’.

(Search by: parsha; parshas va’eschanan; chumash; va’eschanan; nachamu; kibud av vaim; Shabbos; doing a mitzvah because you were told to; doing a chessed for the sake of the chessed; not doing a favor for personal pleasure; doing a mitzvah the right way; resting on Shabbos because it’s a commandment)

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Parshas Devarim/Chazon-פרשת דברים ושבת חזון

July 23, 2009 // Posted in Weekly Parsha Divrei Torah (Tags: ) |  1 Comment

As we know, chumash devarim is referred to as Mishna Torah, because it is a review of the entire torah. One goal of this sefer is to review all of the mitzvos that hashem has given us, for the sake of chazara.

The mitzvah of Shabbos is mentioned nearly twenty times throughout the torah, and is one of the most fundamental mitzvos. However, in Mishna Torah it is mentioned only once, in the recital of the aseres hadibros. Its glaring omission is a bit puzzling. How can it be that one of the most important mitzvos in the torah is barely mentioned in mishna torah? We know that nothing in the torah is a coincidence; therefore the intentional lack of chazarah of shabbos begs further iyun and explanation.

The meshech chochma explains that we learn the importance of Shabbos from the mikoshesh eitzim. When Moshe asked hashem what the appropriate punishment for the mikoshesh eitzim was, hashem responded that he should be taken out and stoned in front of the whole congregation to show the rest of klal yisroel how severe chillul shabbos is. The public stoning left such a lasting impression on klal yisroel that there was no need to mention an ahzara for shabbos anymore. They saw how choshov and heilige shabbos is from the parasha of the mekoshesh, leaving no need to mention it again in arvos moav.

Similarly, the Ramban writes in his hakdamah to sefer devarim that mishna torah is a chazarah. He continues to explain this, saying that there’s no need to mention the mitzvos that pertain to kohanim a second time because ‘kohanim zerizus heim’. Since the kohanim were midakdek in their mitzvos there was no need to review the laws pertaining to them.  We see the same concept with klal yisroel and shabbos. Only the mitzvos that needed chizuk were repeated;the mitzvos that didn’t need chizuk due to the nation’s extra commitment, such as shabbos, were not repeated.

There’s a story brought down with Reb Yitzchok Sheiner, the current Rosh Hayeshiva of Kaminetz in Eretz Yisroel.  When he was younger he was attended college in Pittsburgh. His professor was Jewish but unfortunately not frum.  One day his professor came in and announced his engagement to a non-jew. The wedding date was set and he wanted to share the good news with his class.  As the wedding date approached closer and closer he kept on pushing it off.  He pushed it off once, and then again, and then again.  After the third time he broke the ‘shidduch’. A short while after that Reb Yitzchok built up enough courage to ask the professor why he had broken his engagement.  His professor replied with the following: when I was a young child I had the opportunity to visit the Chofetz Chaim just once, even sleeping in his house for a night.  His image left such a strong impression on me that I just couldn’t bring myself to marry a shiksa no matter how much I wanted to.

This story teaches us that all a person needs in order to achieve a level of greatness is to see one incident, big or small, that leaves a lasting impression. The vision bnei yisrael had of the painful stoning of the mikoshesh eitzim stayed with them forever, instilling within them the importance of shmiras shabbos. If a person witnesses something positive and he internalizes it and keeps it with him, it can change his life forever.  We have to also be careful for the opposite, chas v’shalom. Negative impressions can also, god forbid, change our outlooks or attitudes forever.

Hashem should give us the siyata d’shmaya to witness only good things which will help us change our lives for the better to help us witness the coming of moshiach in our days.

(Search by: chumash; parsha; parshas devarim; devarim; chazon; Shabbos chazon; mishna torah; reb yitzchok sheiner; meshech chochma; mikoshesh eitzim; mitzvah of Shabbos; a lasting impression; the importance of Shabbos; leaving a lasting impression)

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Parshas Matos/Maasei-פרשת מטות ומסעי

July 15, 2009 // Posted in Weekly Parsha Divrei Torah (Tags: ) |  2 Comments

ולא נפקד ממנו איש (לא, מט)

After the incident of the chet of baal peor, hashem commanded bnei Yisrael to go to war against Midyan to take revenge. After the battle, the leader of the ’soldiers’ came to tell Moshe of the miraculous outcome of this battle: there were no casualties on the side of bnei Yisrael. Given the logical odds, this is an obvious nes from hashem.

Right after this battle, the pasuk tells us, ונקרב את קרבן ה’……..לכפר על נפשותיכם.  , they were makriv a korban to be mechaper on their souls.  In truth, they should have been bringing a todah to thank hashem for the nes in battle. Why were they bringing a korban for a kaparah? Rashi explains that bnei Yisrael were bringing a kaparah for having הרהורים הלב on the bnos midyan

This pshat is puzzling: there seems to be no relation here.  What is the connection between the fact that ‘no man went missing from war’ and that ‘bnei Yisroel brought a korban, if the korban is for kaparah, and not a todah?

The Rosh Hayeshiva, Reb Shmuel Berenbaum zt“l, explains this inyan, bringing a very important yesod, as follows.  The Ribono Shel Olam was with bnei Yisroel while they were at war. From the fact that ‘no man went missing’, we see that hashem was alongside them during every point of the battle. He was part of the army, taking personal care of each soldier. From this parsha we see that when hashem is right here with us and is taking care of us there is no such thing as ‘I cant’, in matters of ruchnius as well as gashmius. A person can’t ever declare themselves an אונס. Knowing hashem is right here and taking care of us gives us the ability to fight off any earthly desires. That’s the connection here: after we see the incredible miracle of ‘no man went missing’ and we realize hashem was with us in battle, guiding us, even a הרהור is unacceptable. If we realize how closely hashem is guiding us then we would realize we are powerful enough to control even our thoughts. That’s why bnei Yisroel had to bring a korban for kaparah.

If a person would just think in his life how hashem takes care of him and gives us our needs such as health, parnassah, children, and all the everyday miracles that we take for granted, this would give us the ability to fight off all earthly desires and taayvos.  And if one isn’t motivated by the good in his life to refrain from sin, he is held even more responsible for not seeing hashem in his life.  The Rosh Hayeshiva zt”l used to always say: what’s the first thing a person should do when something good happens?? He should sit by a gemarah and learn!

We should all see only the good of hashem and his hashgacha over us and that will give us the ability and the energy to go further in our avodas hashem.

(search by: parsha; parshas matos; parshas maasei; matos; maasei; chumash; reb Shmuel; reb Shmuel berenbaum; fighting against midyan; midyan; taking revenge on midyan; seeing hshem in our everyday life; realizing hashem is with us every step of the way; knowing hashem takes care of us daily; bad thoughts)

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Parshas Pinchus-פרשת פינחס

July 9, 2009 // Posted in Weekly Parsha Divrei Torah (Tags: ) |  1 Comment

When the daughters of Tzlafchad approached Moshe they were careful to specify that their father did not die among Korach and his companions.

What was the significance of the bnos Tzlafchad mentioning that their father wasn’t part of Korach’s rebellion? What difference did it make how and with whom he died?

As Rashi comments, the daughters of Tzlafchad were intelligent.  They made the following cheshbon: We want a piece of land, since our father died and we have nobody to live with. What are the halachos of yerusha? If a person was killed by a Beis Din, then the nichosim go to the yorshim-but if someone is killed by the king then his nichosim go to the melech. We know from the pasuk of ויהי בישורון מלך that Moshe had a din melech, so the women were pointing out to Moshe that their father had not been sentenced by Mosh personally, and thus his possessions belonged to the inheritors.

This also explains why Moshe had to ask Hashem before he gave a psak to the daughters of Tzlafchad, because when they came to Moshe and told him that their father had not rebelled against him he felt that there was an element of shochad. He felt that the women’s statement of agreement with his decree on Korach’s rebellion disqualified him as a judge. This is why it says ויקרב משה את משפטן לפני ה’ right after the daughters came to Moshe. Why couldn’t he make a decision on his own like he did, for example, by Pesach Sheni? Because once they showed favor for his leadership by approving a previous psak of his, he disqualified himself right away.

This theme of acting solely lsheim shamayim, without succumbing to the pulls of the yetzer hara and the ego continue throughout the parsha, as demonstrated with the middos of Pinchas.

These past few parshios have outlined a very tough time for klal yisroel as a tzibbur. From the meraqglim to Korach to Cuzbi and Zimri to the Mei Meriva to Balak, we read of all the sins of the dor Hamidbar. One can imagine how angry and upset Hashem must have been at us and the zchus that Pinchas’s kanaus gave klal yisrael after a tkufa of sinfulness. This is why he got a  havtacha from the Ribono Shel Olam of the בריתי שלום…..לו ולזרעו אחריו ברית כהונת עולם. Pinchas’s kiddush Hashem was so great it warranted an extra level of beracha. Hashem specifically told Moshe to give Pinchas this beracha, instead of giving it to him personally because when Hashem gives a havtacha directly to its recipient it is possible for the beracha to change if the recipient sins.-the good is talui on the actions of the recipient, as it says in Birchas Yaakov שמה יגרם החטא. . In contrast, if Hashem tells a Navi to relate a beracha, it’s impossible for the nevuah not to come true, as long as it is given unconditionally. Pinchas deserved such great schar that Hashem took special measures to ensure the beracha would remain with him no matter what his children would do to warrant a breaking of the promise. In fact, Pinchas’s descendants were the kohanim from bayis rishon until today-even during periods of extreme corruption of the kehuna, the kehuna was not removed from the proper family.

From this pshat we see how careful one must be not to get involved in Machlokes, and even more so, how great the schar is for one who is mekadesh shem shomayim . When we read this weeks parsha, one should realize that the last few weeks we have been treading some rough waters,but baruch Hashem,,פינחס בן עלעזר בן אהרן הכהן השיב את חמתי מעל בני ישראל.

May we all be zoche to constantly be mekadesh shem shomayim and in that zchus may we merit the coming of Moshiach B’karov.

(Search by: parsha; pinchus; parshas pinchus; chumash; mekadesh shem shomayim; kanai; bnos tzlafchad; machlokos; staying away from machlokos; reward for being mekadesh shem shomayim; sticking up for hashem; the schar for being mekadesh shem shomayim; tzlafchads daughters getting land)

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Parshas Chukas/Balak-פרשת חקת בלק

July 2, 2009 // Posted in Weekly Parsha Divrei Torah (Tags: , , ) |  1 Comment

וידבר ה אל משה לאמר קח את המטה……ודברתם אל הסלע

ויקח משה…אשר ציוהו…..ויך את הסלע שתי פעמים

When Moshe first hit the rock only two drops of water came out; when he hit the rock the second time מים רבים came out. The ribono shel olam said to Moshe: since you didn’t have emunah sh’leima in my promise that the rock would bring forth water when you spoke to it, both you and Aharon won’t be able to enter eretz yisroel as a punishment.

The Ohr Hachaim brings down many different pshatim as to why exactly Moshe got such a harsh punishment. Some say because Hashem said to speak to the rock, not hit it. Others say that Moshe hit the rock twice, instead of only once, and there are those that say he used different words to speak to the rock than Hashem had commanded him.  The Alter from Novardik brings an important yesod that I would like to share with you (from his sefer ‘madregos ha’adam).

Hashem commanded Moshe to take out water from a certain rock, which left Moshe with a dilemma: If he hit a rock people would say that the reason why water flowed out is because Moshe was an expert in rocks due to his long shepherd career in the desert and they might not see Hashems hand in the miracle. Therefore, he made a cheshbon and diverted from Hashems original tzivuy.  There would be no reason for them to acknowledge Hashem. Moshe’s actions appear completely l’sheim shamayim. He was acting only to preserve Hashem’s kavod, not for his own ego. If this is the case, then why was he punished?

The Alter teaches us an important yesod from this episode in tanach. Rav Chaim ShmuelovitzZT”L, his grandson, says that Moshe did not make a טעות חשבון. He ‘thought’ he should’ve made a cheshbon for the toeles of sanctifying Hashems name, and it is possible that his perception of bnei yisrael’s reaction was correct. Rav Chaim explains, however, that it was not because Moshe made a ‘טעות’-it’s because he made any cheshbon at all.  When Hashem gives a person a tzivuy he should do it as he is commanded, without thinking it over to see how best to do it.

This concept is demonstrated with the akeida. When Avraham was commanded to bring Yitzchak as a korban, it directly contradicted Hashem’s promise that Avraham’s children and grandchildren would one day become a great nation. Despite this, Avroham did as Hashem asked without making any cheshbon of the logic or justice of Hashem’s order.

In our parsha, too, we see this lesson. Why does the torah say ‘zos chukkas hatorah’ and not ‘zos chukkas hatamei/hatahor,’ in the pasukim dealing with the laws of tumah and taharah?

This wording teaches us that when a person does a mitzvah without knowing the reason it’s equal to all the mitzvos in the torah. It says ‘chukas hatorah’ because by following these chukim you will be able to be mikayeim ‘kol hatorah kulah’.

Because Moshe made a cheshbon he was punished with an onesh chamurah and not allowed to enter eretz yisroel, even though it was kulo l’sheim shamayim . Moshe begged Hashem to let him into eretz yisroel but Hashem didn’t accept his tefillos. Hashem called all the malachei hashareis and told them to go down and close every שער רקיעה because Moshe was piercing right through them with his tefillos. The severity of this punishment, despite Moshe’s great madreigah, teaches us an important lesson about our kavanos in kiyum hamitzvos.

We should all be mechazek our emunah in Hashem and remember that it’s not our place to make cheshbonos, but to do what Hashem says בלי חשבונות ובלי ספקות.  Having this kind of emunah will ultimately bring us to truly trust in Hashem and to see the geulah shleima bkarov.

(Search by: parsha; parshas chukas balak; chukas; balak; chumash; parshas chukas; Rav Chaim Shmuelovitz; alter from novardik; not making cheshbonos; listening to hashem; moshes punishment; hitting the rock; diverting from the commandment of hashem; doing exactly what hashem says; doing a mitzvah without knowing its reason; obeying chukim)

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