In this week’s Parsha, the Torah tells us, “You are children, of Hashem, your G-d. Do not cut yourself or bald yourself, in anguish, over the dead. For you are a holy people to Hashem, your G-d, and Hashem has chosen you to be a treasured people for Him, out of all the nations that are upon the earth.
The Da’as Zkeinim tells us, “When a Yid loses a father R”L, he should remember, that he is still not alone in the world, as he has Avinu B’Shamayim, who is alive and well always.” This father loves each and every one of us more than we can possibly imagine. “However, someone who does not have a relationship with Hashem, he is really at a loss, and that is why he will go crazy and cut himself.”
A man once came to the Chofetz Chaim, and the Chofetz Chaim asked him “how are you doing? And the fellow answered “could be better” to which the Chofetz Chaim answered “A) How do you know? B) Do you believe in Hakadosh Baruch Hu, do you believe that he loves you like a child, and that if he set you up in this situation it is because this is the best possible situation for you, if it could be better it would be better.”
Friends, some of us learn this lesson at different stages in life, and i don’t wish it on anyone, but it applies to other challenges in life as well, when we find ourselves going through a rough patch, and things seem glim and dark, and we are maybe beginning to lose our mind, we need to remind ourselves, that there is a creator of the world who loves us more than we can possibly imagine, and he felt this what we needed, so it is the best it could possibly be.
The Pasuk in this week’s Parsha tells, “You are children to Hashem, your G-d; you should not cut yourselves.”
The Rambam writes that even though it is forbidden to cut oneself in grief over someone’s death, the Torah did not tell us, that we are not allowed to cry. After all, it is human nature to cry when one leaves a loved one, even when both parties are still alive.
R’ Mordechai Gifter Z”TL says that the Rambam’s words show that when something is natural to a person, it shows that the person was created that way, and it is Hashem’s Ratzon that he be that way. However, this is only true about crying that results from the emotions of leaving from a person you are really close with. When someone does more than that, it is as if he is showing that he is questioning the ways of Hashem. About this, the Ibn Ezra writes that whatever Hashem does is for the good, and those who do not understand this are like a little child who may not understand the ways of his parents, but nonetheless must trust them. So the Sforno tells us, “It is not right to show extreme levels of pain and anguish and concern over the death of a close relative as long as there remains a relative who is greater and more accomplished than the one who has died.” The Pasuk, therefore, tells us, “You are children to Hashem, your G-d.” Hashem, your Father lives forever, and
therefore it is wrong for you to give up and become broken and depressed excessively over the passing of anyone.
Friends, perhaps, there is something to this as part of the Nechama. After Tisha B’av, we are now in the seven weeks of comfort. Hashem is saying, “You may not have the Mikdash and you are allowed and should cry over the Churban, but not to an extreme, for I am still here.” Maybe, if we read between the lines, we can come away with such a message.
The Possuk in this week’s Parsha tells us, as part of the parting words of Moshe Rabeinu. There will come a time when we will be scattered around the lands of the world and amongst the nations. In those places you will serve man made idols, that do not see, hear, taste or smell. When seek out G-d from amongst those places, you will have found him when you looked with your full heart and soul. If you through pain and suffering, you will understand it all at the end of days when you return to Hashem and heed his word. Hashem is the most compassionate Etc.
The Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh writes, that we see that there are two ways a person can come back to Hashem. Either through suffering and calling out to Hashem from with in the pain, or coming to your senses without the suffering in which case you can spare yourself from the challenges. Because when a person cries out to Hashem in a moment of clarity and does Teshuva, it doesn’t matter what he has done, Hashem will forgive him. When someone goes through challenges though the challenges themselves bring a person atonement.
Friends, this week starts the “Shiva d’nechemta” the seven weeks in which we have Haftoras of Love reminding us “to come home”. This leads in to Elul, into Selichos, Yomim Noraim ETC. This is a time when we are supposed to start doing to Teshuva and “going back to school” or “Coming back home” to Hashem. We need to realize, and take this message that no matter how far we have gone, we can avoid all pain and suffering if seize that moment, the Kol Demama Daka, of inspiration and come back to Hashem who loves us and is waiting for us to come so he can show us his love for us.
With You Every Step of the way/Don’t let your situation control you
Moshe Rabbeinu tells Klal Yisroel in 1 (29), “And I said to you, Do not be broken or afraid of them. (30) Hashem, your G-d, Who goes before you, He will fight for you, just as He did for you in Mitzrayim before your very eyes, (31) and in the desert, where you have seen how the Hashem, your G-d, has carried you as a man carries his son, all the way that you have gone, until you have come to this place.”
Moshe Rabbeinu is reminding us, that at times we are faced with difficult situations in life, and we feel there is nowhere to go, we can either choose to pay attention and realize How Hashem takes care of us just as He takes care of his own child or we can respond, by giving up and coming to our own conclusions, without trusting in Hashem, as the Jewish nation did at the time of the Miraglim, and they cried for no reason, and for that the psukim continue telling us that Hashem was angry at us for not trusting Him, and swore that the entire generation that came out of Mitzrayim would not go into Eretz Yisroel besides Calev ben Yefuneh and Yehoshua Ben Nun.
What happened with the Meraglim? Where did they go wrong? They saw A difficult situation and felt that the Jewish nation could not handle it.
A Jew has to always remember and remind himself, “It is true that I was put into this difficult situation, but I am a chelek Eloka, a part of HaShem, he is with me every step of the way and I am not bound my the situation I’m in.
A boy I know, we will call him Chaim, came from a very abusive home, but a home full of religious abuse. Chaim’s father is a classic Chossid Shoita, living for the chumra and pouring it down his son’s throat, force feeding it to him. Chaim, as he grew up, developed as a result a bad taste for Yiddishkeit, and humanity altogether. One day someone helped Chaim come across the ocean, to send him to learn here in Yerushalayim. I got to know Chaim pretty well, over the last few years. There were times when you could not tell he was a Jew. Then a year ago, a friend of ours, said the following words: “Chaim, why are you letting your father control you?” Chaim said, “What do you mean? I am doing everything he does not want me to do! How could he possibly be controlling me?” We said to him, “Chaim, listen to yourself, you are doing everything he does not want you to do, that means he is still controlling you. Stop letting his abuse continue, if you can get away. Do what you want to do because you want to do it; forget everyone else.” From that moment, Chaim made a choice to turn his life around and stop making excuses and blaming others for his actions. Today, Chaim is a great boy, who is frum, and is a shomer torah umitzvos, a father to two a beautiful family because he wants to be. Chaim put his mind to it and Hashem helped him.
Friends, We are moments away from Tisha B’Av, We need to realize why this day was set as a sad day throughout the generations; it is because we acted as babies, and did not trust Hashem when He said to come to the beautiful land of Eretz Yisroel. We let our challenges and our own silly ideas get in the way and we excused our desire not to go on, using the excuses “The people are big” “We will have to work the land” and all the other excuses they had. “Eichah eseh Livadi” How can I do it alone? The Torah is telling us there needs to be work done on our part as well. If we would just let Hashem take us where we need to go and not question His abilities, and stop making excuses as to why we do not want to go with Him, then maybe, just maybe this Sunday will be a Yom Tov, with the coming of Mashiach speedily in our days. Amen!
Ever wonder how the week’s Torah portion can have so much to do with the events of the week? How is it that the Parsha of Masei always falls out in the Three Weeks?
The end of Sefer Bamidbar is when the Jewish nation finally crosses over into the promised land of Israel after forty long years in the desert, and this Parsha gives us the recap of all the travels of the Jewish nation. It is also during these three weeks when we try to attempt to feel the pain of the Shechinah in Gallus traveling around with the Jewish nation for two thousand years.
There was a king who had a son whom he loved, but he challenged his son to give him an opportunity to really express his love. So, he sent his men to start testing him test after test and he does this for forty days straight. At the end of the forty days, the prince is finally brought back into the palace, and the king sits him down and says, “Okay, so from Point A you went to Point B. At Point B, you did x it was so amazing to me. Then you went on to Point C in the journey, and you were wondering when will this ever end. The king goes over the itinerary, of all 40 days. Finally, he tells him, I was there with you, guiding you every step of the way, now it’s time to come back home, and I love you now more than ever.”
Friends, perhaps the reason why this Parsha is always during the Three Weeks is to teach us this lesson, that we should not feel comfortable when we are in Gollus. We always have to keep our eyes on the promised land of Eretz Yisroel, and we will have a book, our own new sefer Maasei, written by Hashem reminding us of the awesome and scary Nisyonos that we have been through from Bavel to Edom, to the Spanish Inquisition, to Progroms, to Holocausts, to Stalin and the Iron Curtain, to Iran and so much more(just listed a few to save ink.) He will stand there and tell us how He was there right next to us, the entire time, guiding us. We have been roaming this earth for way too long. It’s time we all come home to Yerushalayim, with the coming of Mashiach, speedily in our days, Amen.
This week’s Parsha discusses the story of Pinchas. Pinchas saw Zimri Ben Salu performing an act with Kazbi Bas Tzur and, angry with them, stabbed them to death. He was angry, and so he was Zocheh to become a Kohein and to become Eliyahu Hanavi. Because he acted like a “Mad man”!! with kaas, anger, which we as jews know is a terrible thing. Could it really be that this is why he was Zocheh? Rashi tells us that he was Zocheh to all the brachos, because what he did, he did l’man Hashem, for the sake of G-d and for no other reason, and for that he was Zocheh.
Friends, we have to be so careful when treading this line of Zealotry. While true Zealotry is a wonderful and great thing, we must also remember that Hamalbin Pnei Chaveiro (someone who embarasses his friend) has no portion in the world to come. This is something we must ask ourselves before running to any Hafgana / Shabbos Protest etc., and especially before bothering people individually about their own decisions. Even when we are right, we need to consider, “Am I doing this because I am uncomfortable, or am I doing this really doing this for Hashem?” May we be zocheh to achieve the true meaning of L’shaim Shamayim.
We know that the commandment of the Red Heifer was called a “Chok”. A Chok is something with reasoning so very deep, it is beyond the scope of regular human beings to understand. The Medrash tells us that the reasoning was revealed to Moshe but not to any other man. When the Messiah will come, at this point, he will explain it and we will understand, but until then we don’t know what the reasoning is.
However, if you take a look at Rashi, at the end of the chapter of the red heifer. you will see an interesting phenomenon. Rashi tells us from R’ Moshe Hadarshan that the reason for the red heifer is to atone for the sin of the Golden Calf.
How can Rashi tells us that there is a reason when the Medrash tells us an interesting fact and story about King Solomon / Shlomo Hamelech, he was the wisest of men as it says in Avos. Shlomo Hamelech said “I thought I understood the entire Torah, all the reasons behind all the mitzvos, that was until I came to the mitzvah of Parah Adumah / the red heifer. When I came to this mitzvah, I realized how deep the reasoning is. If it is so deep, that I Shlomo, the wisest of men can’t understand it, then it must mean I don’t know anything about the reasons behind the Mitzvos.
You see, the human body has 365 veins and arteries and 248 limbs, a person’s body can not function with only part of his limbs or part of his veins working, everything is interconnected in a way that only Hashem can create it. So too, we have 248 times when G-d commands us to do something and 365 times when he commands us not to do something, and they are all connected, and Shlomo is telling us that if you can not understand one then you can not understand any of them.
When we do mitzvos, we don’t always need to know the reason behind everyone. If you want to know how to to do it, ask, but don’t make up new Torah and new Halacha. The roadway to hell is paved with good intentions.
How does Rashi then say that the reason is to atone for the Golden Calf? The answer is as follows when we committed the sin of the Golden Calf, it came from a place of wanting to do the right thing with not even a clue of how to do it. We thought we understood everything and that is how we slipped to such a level, by keeping the Mitzvah of Parah Adumah, the Parah Adumah teaches us that we don’t always have to understand everything. That is the ultimate atonement for the Golden Calf.
Friends, we all want to do the right thing, the best way to ensure that we are doing the right thing is by accepting from our Rabbis, Rabbis who are more familiar with the Torah then we and have learned and accepted from their Rabbis before them going all the way back to Moshe Rabeinu. When we do that, we are actually showing our trust in Hashem and His loyalties, and in return for that, he will shower us with Brochos Yeshuos V’nechamos and maybe even Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
This week’s Parsha starts off and says “Korach the son of Yitzhar, the son of Kehus, the son of Levi took.” What did he take? Rashi gives numerous explanations. Additionally, Yaakov Avinu’s name is omitted from this genealogical listing because he davened that he be absent. What is this all about, whether or not Yaakov is mentioned, he is still Korach’s great-grandfather?
The answer expresses a most profound idea. Each family has talents and specialties. Parents grant certain natural temperaments and skills based on their creating and investing a part of themselves in their children. It is the power of a family’s energy and capabilities. Korach utilized his great power and charisma and used it for the negative to gather followers for his rebellion against Hashem.
What did Korach take? He took his family’s powers with him. The verse reads, “Korach took, (his power of) Yitzhar, Kehus and Levi. This is why Yaakov wished to be left out, he did not want Korach to take his hard work and use it against Moshe and Hashem.
Sweetest friends, we see the opposite as well, one has the ability to connect with his family’s strengths. So much stress is given to the fact that we are descendants of Avraham, Yitzchok and Yaakov, and Sarah, Rivka, Rachel, and Leah. Their genes are embedded into our psyche and empower us to become sincere servants of Hashem. We can ask ourselves when will our actions be in line with the goal of our illustrious grandparents who dedicated themselves wholeheartedly to the honor and closeness with Hashem.
The famous Steipler ZT”L asked, “What was the big Aveira—what was so wrong— with what the Meraglim said? They said it how it was! They saw people dying, and that is what they reported.”
The Steipler answered that it was the fact that they did not have an appreciation for the land. Had they loved the land, they would have been able to see the good, and would not have noticed the other things happening. Just like when two people love each other, they may notice something that feels very wrong. If one person sees that he might be getting hurt as a result of the person he loves, he won’t see it that way, he will say to himself, “I know he means it for my good.” The Meraglim did not love Eretz Yisroel and that is why they were not Zocheh to it. Yet, we see that all the women came in to Artzeinu Hakedosha, because they had a love for the land.
My Dear Friends, some of us have the opportunity to be living in this sacred land. We must appreciate every moment, even if sometimes it seems tough, financial strains, people with hard attitudes to deal with, it is all part of the package. IF we love the land, none of the other pettiness will bother us, and we will have the Zechus of being Mekayeim the Mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisroel. The Ramban points out that there are only two Mitzvos that a person can do with his entire body, Sukkah and Yishuv Eretz Yisroel. According to those who hold Mitzvos Tzrichos Kavanah, that one needs to focus on the Mitzvah, then at least once a month, we should tell Borei Kol Olamim, The Shomer Yisroel, how much we appreciate this present He is giving us to be able to dwell within these sacred borders.
Let us all be Zocheh, to the Coming of Mashiach and the words Urei Btuv Yerushalayim Kol Ymei Chayecha— to see the good of Yerushalayim, all the days of our lives— to become a real part of our essence.
Do you think you can do a favor for G-d? Does G-d need our favors?
The Medrash Tanchuma in this week’s Parsha says, “G-d says to Moshe ‘Don’t think that I Commanded you (the Israelites) to light the Menorah, because I need the light of a human being, but rather I gave you this commandment, just so I can give you more opportunities to do mitzvot’.”
We can’t do favors for G-d, G-d created us to give to us like a gushing faucet. It is our job to make ourselves into that “cup” to hold all that G-d gives us. How do we transform into that Kli HaMikabel / one that accepts? We build it with mitzvot, by doing mitzvot we build that vessel to house all that Bracha. “Don’t think I need you to light the menorah, rather it is there as another opportunity to connect man and his creator. How Beautiful!!!!
The Medrash goes on to tell us, “G-d says to the Jewish people, ‘If you light the lights for Me, I will eventually light a big light for you when Mashiach comes.” We know that the Torah is compared to light “Orah Zu Torah”. I think we get just a little glimpse, over here, as to the reward that is destined for someone who ignites the spark of another Yid with Torah, what kind of reward he will get.
