Re'eh - Pre Shabbat Post

I am with friends for Shabbos. It's special because they have three wonderful children. And as far as I know - I set them up. Thank G-d for Shabbos, for family, for friends, for blessings that rain upon us, for listening and there it is, for being shining stars and aligned grains of sand.

Shabbat Shalom
RNF

1. Great plural blessing
rains on individuals
as each of us needs

Rabbi Dovid Feinstein addresses the question of why G-d says to see in singular (re'eh) that a blessing is put before you, in plural (lifneichem). His answer is that while blessings are sent to everyone, they reach every individual in the exact way that he or she needs.

2. What is the blessing?
the blessing is if you listen
that is the blessing

Rabbi Samson Rafael Hirsch notes that the Torah states that you will see a blessing if you listen to G-d, but then the blessing is not stated. He explains that listening is the blessing itself, i.e. that besides any other rewards observing a Torah lifestyle is its own blessing.

3. Like sand and like stars
we are each a whole and part
to shine and align

Rabbi Josh Hoffman explains that the plural is used in addition to the singular to stress that each individual must balance their own needs with their responsibility as part of the greater whole. After individual needs are met a person must apply their own gifts on a national level. This fits with why Avraham was told that his descendants would be like the sand and the stars. Every star shines alone, but every grain of sand blends in with the others, thus representing the individual and communal aspects of Jewish life.

Post Eikev Post - 5768

The Lubavitcher Rebbe was fond of saying that every weeks parsha colors the week it falls in year after year. he's say that to truly live with the times you have to live with the parsha. or so I'm told. I've heard others say that we are blessed to have a portion to focus on each week. It gives us structure and context, not to mention a common topic to talk about. One of my greatest joys in life is sharing parsha thoughts with friends in a natural and real way.

I also enjoy helping people with preparing divrei Torah and giving divrei Torah on the parsha myself, but this feels a little less purely pleasurable than when it's simply lishmah. One of the ideas that I have for this year as the newly appointed head of Torah Guidance in my school is to learn parsha with students and help them write up divrei Torah for the the school's Torah weekly which has the beautiful name of be'er Shavu - The Week In Explanation. For years I've been giving out sheets and learning parsha with my classes and as the school year approaches this is something that my soul yearns for.

I recall years ago hearing my rebbe, Rav Nachman Kahane say that VeHayah Eikev Tishme'un means something other than the conventional wisdom regarding this verse. Rashi says that the unusual word Eikev used here to seemingly mean eventually alludes to the mitzvot that one treads on with one's heal - that we need to be careful with those mitzvoth to bring redemption. Rav Kahane said that it's often only when Jews are stepped on with heals, persecuted that they return and listen to G-d.

When I was 22, I returned to Israel, which felt like home, after a three year hiatus. The time away in college - despite many hours devoted to Torah learning and some secular learning that happened because I tend to fully and then some engage in what's before me even when it's not my top choice - felt like an expensive, Orthodox version of what generations of Hebrew School survivors call Jew Jail.

On one of my first days back in Israel I bumped into Rav Nachman Kahane. He was thrilled that I'd kept to my word and my dream. His wife, who is wary of tourists and temporary dwellers in the land, immediately invited me for a meal, thrilled to have me. At that time, they were my neighbors, as I started out where I had left off - in Aish HaTorah. I had spent the summer there three years earlier because it went through the bein hazmanim. During all my time in YU my heart was set on going back to the place that was not yet a household name of Aish.

I told the story before and feel badly that I named a name of a decent and good man who was the one who asked me to get my stuff out of "Aish" - rightly so, after I'd started studying somewhere else. The reason all this comes to mind because of an incident from that period.

I was riding on the bus from the Old City to the new Yeshiva I was studying in when I got engaged in conversation with a young Chasidic boy. I made a long story short and he assumed that I was learning in Aish HaTorah and that I was a Baal Teshuvah (which brings to mind the story of the guy who met the Gerer rebbe and The rebbe asked him where he was learning and the boy said, "Ohr Sameach, but I'm not a Baal Teshuvah," and the Rebbe asked, "Why not?").

I met him some time later on another bus ride and he asked how my learning was going (which reminds me of my Y.U. chavrusa named Charlie who was a tremendous masmid and used to always say while pushing on in learning, "It's rough. it's rough") and I told him that learning was hard but I was slowly making headway. And he cited a pasuk from Eikev which we say every day - "Im shamoa - tishme'u - if you listen then you will be inspired to listen more."

I hope that these ideas play out well for me in my life - the fact that doing right motivates one to move forward and that sometimes getting a potch from above also motivates.

I'm doing something new - doing a more conventional post here in parsha post. I was feeling that Shabbos and the parsha are part of my life. I started thinking about this soon after Shabbat last week and started writing about the drasha I heard about Tu B'Av. that parsha took a week to go up. This time I'm striking while Shabbos still burns within me.

While I'm here - some pieces of my Shabbat: A table mate introduced me to the Lequoc school of clowning the founder of the school Jacques Lequoc having once said, "For several years now, the clown has taken on great importance… as part of the search for what is laughable and ridiculous in man. We should put the emphasis on the rediscovery of our own individual clown, the one that has grown-up within us and which society does not allow us to express."

I found that quote amidst other good ones about laughter and related necessities - here. My friend actually had with him these clown principles from his teacher, Avner Eisenberg. My favorite is, "Be interested, not interesting." I think that last one is enormously important for life.

A woman at the table shared her favorite poem. It's called Your Laughter by Pablo Neruda. Here's a taste:

Laugh at the night,

at the day, at the moon,

laugh at the twisted

streets of the island,

laugh at this clumsy

boy who loves you,

but when I open

my eyes and close them,

when my steps go,

when my steps return,

deny me bread, air,

light, spring,

but never your laughter

for I would die.

I hope your Shabbat was sweet. Feel free to share something that you though of, heard, learned, remembered this Shabbat.

Eikev

The experiences that most impact us involve words, as a single word can be a bullet or a cure. The word VeHaya appears prominently at the start and end of parshat Eikev. Chazal tell us that this word indicates happiness. The contexts of VeHaya in our parsha relate to mitzvot. The implication is that mitzvot should be done with joy. In the Tochacha we are told that punishment is the consequence of serving Hashem joylessly. Implicit in the word VeHaya is the idea that keeping mitzvot brings joy.

The first instance of VeHaya precedes "eikev tishmeun". Rashi's understanding of the rare word eikev is that it is a noun, the subject of the verb tishmeun, and his reading of this pasuk is: "And it will be when you listen to eikev." Rashi identifies eikev as a code word for neglected mitzvot. This approach fits nicely with VeHaya. In the end, keeping the unpopular details brings reward and happiness.

The lines that comprise the second paragraph of Shema also convey this idea. Here VeHaya continues with "im shamoa tishmeu". Happiness results when mitzvot receive continuous attention When we see violations of mitzvot around us, rather than merely condemning we should look at our own performance. As a teacher in a yeshiva I'm paid to pray. Sometimes I don't look at it that way. We think our job is to get students - a.) to doven and - b.) to do it with feeling. I think that if we get ourselves to that level then the bonus is that it affects others, and that's the only way.

Part of our frustration with the deficiency in others' performance of mitzvot is our own insecurity. It's like what a wise man once said - only someone who's not relaxed tells someone else to relax. Perhaps those who much protest the mitzvot of others are projecting. This idea is in the words im shamoa tishmeu, not only that if you listen now it will cause you to listen more in the future (as Chazal say) but also that shamoa/you listen and that leads to tishmeu/ others listening as well. And listening means with essence - heart and soul, not ears.

Two dear friends shared thoughts with me that fit with my thoughts. One told me about a woman that converted to Judaism and told him about it with such joy that he was jealous, wondering "shouldn't we all feel this joy?" The other said he tries to be the colloquial Good Jew. This doesn't come easy to my friend, he said, as it means "actively fulfilling mitzvot. Not in the robotic sense, but with enthusiasm and simcha."

May we be blessed to love mitzvot and may our joy spill over to the people we love.

On Tu B'Av

The parsha is an important part of a Jew's life. This Shabbat, for far from the first time, I told and heard about the parsha. I was blessed to receive an aliyah from a gabbai who got it right, remembering my Hebrew name from yeshiva in Israel over twenty years ago when we were last in touch. I spoke publicly on the parsha. Before the talk (introduced by the friend from twenty years ago) I caught up with a friend from yeshiva in Israel 28 years ago.

Rabbi Zev Reichman of the Shul where I spent Shabbos was away and he emailed a dvar Torah that the gabai read: He cited Rabbi Mosh Wolfson, saying that if someone gives 6 reasons for something you get the feeling that they're not telling you the real reason - that there's a deeper reason, hidden.

Shabbat was Tu B'Av and the Gemorah says that it's a big day on the Jewish calender, up there right next to Yom Kippur. The Gemorah asks what's behind the joy of this day and offers many possibilities. One of the reasons behind Tu B' is that throughout their years in the desert the generation that left Egypt was dying out. The way it worked is that every year on Tisha B'Av they would make graves fro themselves and lay down in them. In the morning some people would walk out of their graves and others would be buried. On the fortieth year on Tisha B'Av everyone lived. They couldn't believe it and thought they were a day off. They tried again the next night and kept on trying. Each night no-one died. On the fifteenth of the month the full moon made it obvious that Tisha B'Av had passed and the decree of death was over. These people, at this tie achieved redemption, warranted G-d's mercy - though one can argue they weren't the most worthy.


The rabbis tell us that there will be a redemption that will make the exodus from Egypt secondary. When Mashiach comes it will be so great that Ytziat Mitzrayim will all but be forgotten. It makes sense that there will be a new 7 day holiday similar to, but grander than Pesach. If you count 7 days from Tisha B'Av it culminates with the holiday of Tu B'Av (just as Pesach culminates with the splitting of the sea). This is perhaps the true - deeper, secret, meaning of Tu B'Av.

VaEtchanan

From the sefer Mimaamakim, based on the thought of Rabbi Moshe Shapiro:

Why was Moshe so anxious to enter Eretz Yisrael? Why was G-d so adamant about locking Moshe from going into the land? The Sforno says that Moshe wanted to enter the land because he knew that if he was there the Jewish People would never be exiled and life would be good for them always.

At the time of the mis-step of the meraglim-spies the decree was set that the Jews of that generation would not enter the land. Moshe recounts to the people at the end of his life that, “G-d got angry at me as well on your account.” The decree included Moshe and Aharon.

Why could Yehoshua enter Israel and lead there, but not Moshe? Rabbi Shapiro (based on the Maharal) explains that Moshe was well suited to lead in the Midbar because Moshe was completely spiritual and the desert period was a time of supernatural existence in a supernatural place. Yehoshua’s essence was that of elevating life within the natural scheme. The whole idea of Israel is to be the base for Torah and Derch Eretz, spiritual existence within a material frame.

If Moshe had entered the land and paved the way then the spiritual level would have been exclusive and extreme and there never could have been an exile. Yehoshua’s leadership left room for exile, as the Jews tilted too much to the physical. Still, in the future Moshe’s prayer will be answered and he and his generation will all enter the land. Let it be soon, please G-d.

Devarim

Devarim

Mussar can be traced back to the Torah itself, perhaps no where more strikingly than in Sefer Devarim. This is Moshe Rabeinu's farewell speech, filled with words of encouragement, review, and reproach.

The first line seems to set the scene in more than one place. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch says that the Torah is pinpointing exactly where Moshe was when he taught his last message to the Jewish people. This is in stark contrast to the cryptic location of his burial place.

Rav Hirsch suggests that the idea behind the exactness of the location is to remind us that Moshe is to be remembered as our teacher. His burial place is not mapped out because we are not to idolize him. this is similar to the idea of Moshe's name not appearing in the Hagada (although it actually does appear there one time.)

Rashi says that the places named are actually hints to sins of the Jewish People. Following in the footsteps of Yaakov (the first man to know his own death was impending) Moshe gives veiled words of reproach before his death.

The Or HaChayim says that each word listed here is a hint to a trait that we must work on. For example Dei Zahav means enough money, we must say enough to money. Mul Suf, means you should always keep death (sof) opposite your eyes,etc.

May we be inspired by Moshe's love of his people and by his message of mussar.

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A chashuv young son of a prominent Rav - who inherited his father's love of Torah and gregarious energy - passed me on the street today. He said a warm hello and then - toch kdei dibur - said he wanted to share a question he was recently asked.

The Hebrew word for a bee is devorah, which is the same root as the Hebrew word which means word (davar, which is the root of the name of this week's parsha and the fifth book of the Torah).

G-d blessed me with an immediate thought, which I think has merit to it. Feel free to think about it before reading on (this fellow told me he had come up with the same answer as me).

Bees are known for two things - their sweet honey and their painful sting. Words are the same way, they have the potential to foster good will or to cause pain.

Another idea of the bee/word connection is to highlight that these two potentials go together; if you can sting (and if you sometimes need to do so) then you were also gifted with the capacity to provide sweetness (and need to do so).

Sharon Marson read this thread and added the following: Bees are the only creatures who make their own food for their own sustenance (as opposed to mammaals thay produce milk for the offspring only). Man is the only being that creates words (as Unkelus calls us - ruach memaleleh" - a spirit that speaks. Just as bees use what they produce in order to sustain themselves, so we should use our unique output of speech towards our own growth.

On a related note I have read (although it seems to be open to a bit of debate) that bees produce sweet honey by eating and then regurgitating (perhaps more than once). Similarly we need to speak and then rethink and restate what we've said (perhaps more than once)

May we be blessed to use our words to sweeten - even to sometimes help heal the sting we ourselves have stung.

Masei

Desert miracles
if only we remembered

in our present life

~

~

~

Masei

A guy brings his friend to the Master Joke Teller Convention.
A master comedian stands up and says “3” and everyone laughs.
Another known comedic genius belts out “9!” The crowd goes wild.
The newcomer, finding the scene outrageous,
gets up and and mutters “11.” No one laughs.
He asks his friend, "Why the weak reaction?"
The friend replies “You told it wrong!”

Rabeinu Bachai questions the wisdom behind the places listed in Mas’ei (with almost no narative thread) and suggests the following: The point of this itinerary is to remind the Jewish people of all the miracles that occurred in the places that G-d led them through. The key message is that they survived the dangerous desert via G-d’s protection rather than naturally. As they read through the list they recalled the specific miracles that transpired all along the way. Rabeinu Bachai points out that the words for nature and drowning are basically the same (Teva) to show that one can drown in the "natural" world. This list is meant as insurance against viewing our survival in the desert as a “natural”-G-d free experience.

Rav Samson Rafael Hirsch points out that one of the ideas behind the Sukka is to recall that G-d cared for every individual in the desert. We leave our homes and camp out on Sukkot to remind ourselves that it is G-d who cares for each of us (whatever our situation) today, just as in the days of the desert.

The lesson is that in our own lives we are cared for by G-d, just as our ancestors were in the desert. Reading through the list of places where G-d cared for the generation of the desert should serve to remind us of the trajectory of our own journeys, and how G-d cares for us all along the way. They read of each place and were reminded of the well, and the mon, and the clothes not wearing out. So too, we should reflect on our life passages and recognize the miracles all along the way.
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It has been suggested (I recall hearing this from Rabbi Nathan Cardoza) that the difference between what we call nature and what we call miraculous is how often the phenomenon occurs. A seed put into the ground, followed by a plant sprouting is considered natural because it happens on a regular basis. If a person were to be buried in the ground and then rise up again that would be considered a miracle because it's something you don't see every day.
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The story is told in the Talmud of a girl who mistakenly prepared vinegar instead of oil for Shabbos candles. She realized this right at deadline time and told her father. His reaction? He said, "He who said that oil should burn will say that vinegar should burn." The vinegar burned. These words at first sound like rabbinic verbosity; why did he say this longhand and not simply say that G-d would make the vinegar burn? The Sefat Emet explans that the rabbi wanted to stress this point: Oil only burns only because G-d says it should (as we say daily - G-d renews the works of creation every day).

`

Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz suggests that the reason why The Rabbis considered depriving Megilat Esther of the holiness accorded other books of Tanach is the following: The Megila took place over a long period of years. If any of us would keep a diary over any extensive period of our years and later look back at it we would find it miraculous to see how we moved from point A to point Z. In labeling the Megila as holy the Rabbis feared that the point - that anyone could write a similar story about Divine Providence in their own life - might be lost.

k

Students ask me if Judaism believes in coincidences. There are those that make a case for this being a complicated question. I fear that this is an area that we can not afford to complicate. The Ba’al Shem Tov taught that this matter is an essential of Jewish Faith. Every thing that happens in this world happens by G-d’s decree.

g

Rabbi Yudi Shmuelevitz told me the following in the name of his uncle, Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz. Vayeitzei is the only parsha which has no spaces in it. Vayeitzei tells the story of Yaakov Avinu and the tribulations he experienced. If one were to pause along the way one would feel sorry for the terrible situations Yaakov endured. But the end of the parsha is that he was the father of the twelve Shevatim. You need to look at the whole picture in order to appreciate that all is for the best, as all is from G-d. This is the lesson of the fact that this story is told without a pause. So too with our lives, we need to look at the big picture rather than the little pieces for things to make more sense.
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I, like all of us, need to work on really believing that G-d runs the world. As I look back on the most recent years of my life I see and thank G-d for the miracle that is the tapping of my fingers right now. It wasn't long ago that I feared computers even more than I do now. Today I blog regularly for interested individuals. This is miracle G-d's done for me, for which i am thankful. When I was younger I was shy and anxious to an extent that I'd never believe that I would one day be "out there" in the world in a productive and positive way big time. I have broadened emotionally and intellectually in a way that has enabled me to spill over from what I have have been blessed with and help others. I will never be able to thank G-d enough. I look forward to working with Him on new projects starting right now.

Shabbat Shalom and G-d Bless.

Matot II

Adapted From Based On What's Bothering Rashi:

Bamidbar 31:8 is where we’re told that Bilam is killed. Rashi says that Bilam tried to get Bnei Yisrael by using their weapon of the mouth – so he was “gotten” through the means usually employed by the Umot HaOlam – the sword. What pshat oriented purpose does this medrash serve that prompted Rashi to put it in his peirush?



The Nefesh HaGer points out that throughout all of Tanach there is an amazing Mesorah that lasted over a thousand years while tanach was written which employed the following code: Whenever non-Jewish nations attack The Jews (or other nations) the expression used is hargu bacherev. An example of this is Edom saying, "Lest with a sword (bacherev) I will approach you." – Bamidbar 20:18. When the Jews attack the nothern nations the expression used is hargu lefi cherev. (See Bamidbar 20:18 and Shmot 17:13).



The phrase Pi Cherev, on a superficial level, reflects that the sword is similar to a mouth. The mouth cuts (into foods like meat) and the sword cuts flesh/meat. A deeper meaning is that when Jews attack physically the component of prayer is always present. We see this first from Yaakov as he faces war with eisav. Rashi on Breishit 32:10 states that Yakov prepared 3 things before his confrontation with Eisav; gifts, prayer and battle. Yaakov, despite getting ready for a physical fight made sure to include the element of prayer. Similarly, Moshe raised his hands in prayer in the battle against Amalek.

When Jews fight it is with a double edged sword; the actual blade and the prayer which sharpens the blade.


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Nechama Leibowitz tells us that children are taught (and hold on to the fact) that Bilam was the mastermind behind the plan to seduce the Jewish men into idolatry. Parshat Matot (31:16) - הֵן הֵנָּה הָיוּ לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּדְבַר בִּלְעָם, לִמְסָר-מַעַל בַּיהוָה, עַל-דְּבַר-פְּעוֹר; וַתְּהִי הַמַּגֵּפָה, בַּעֲדַת יְהוָה - Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to revolt so as to break faith with the L-rd in the matter of Peor, and so the plague was among the congregation of the L-rd (Machon Mamre traslation) is where the Torah reveales that it was Bilam's counsel that led to this tragedy. When the event is first describes, as it transpires, in Parshat Balak the people are blamed 25:1) וַיֵּשֶׁב יִשְׂרָאֵל, בַּשִּׁטִּים; וַיָּחֶל הָעָם, לִזְנוֹת אֶל-בְּנוֹת מוֹאָב - "And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit harlotry with the daughters of Moab." Shadal explains fills in the rest of the story, saying that on his way back to Aram Bilam passed through Midyan and heard the Israelites had sinned and worshipped idols through being involved with Bnot Moav. He then took this reality and ran with it upon realizing it was the only way to get at Bnei Yisrael. He advised the Midianites to send their women to lure Bnei Yisrael becuase this was the only way Bnei Yisrael would sin and forfeit God’s protection.

Nechama suggests that the reason for this spacing is to make clear that the people did what they did by choice. The Torah is blocking the option of passing responsibility off onto anyone else. As she puts it (in an English adaptation by Aryeh Newman), "The moral responsibility ultimately rested on the Israelites themselves. They were guilty."

This is a critical lesson. may we be blessed to integrate this kind of ethical responsibility into our lives.

Mattot

The following is largely an adaptation of the ideas of Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky:

Parshat Matot/Masei discusses the implementation of the revenge on Midyan which was introduced in the previous parsha. But this revenge is only addressed after a seemingly arbitrary insertion regarding the laws of nedarim and nedavot. This needs to be explored and explained. Also, Benot Tzlofchot are discussed here at the end of Bamidbar after a break from the start of their story. This also needs to be elucidated. There is another difficulty in this parsha which is the question of the status of Ever HaYarden. The answer to the pardox of Ever HaYarden will help to make sense of the entire parsha. Therefore we will delve into the question of Ever HaYarden.

There is a dichotomy in the Torah’s presentation of Ever HaYarden. On the one hand it appears to not be part of Israel. On the other hand it seems to be part of Israel. This is illustrated by the following examples on each side of the question of Ever HaYarden

NOT PART OF ISRAEL
2.5 Shvatim ask permission to live there
Moshe is allowed there (Sichon/Og)
Arei Miklat are singled out from Israel’s Arei Miklat
Mishna (R’ Yosi HaGlili) says no Bikurim there

PART OF ISRAEL
Permission was granted to the 2.5 tribes to live there.
It is conquered first in the conquest of Israel
There are Arei Miklat there (they are only in Israel)
Most Mitzvot of Eretz Yisrael apply

Makkot 2:4 states there were 6 Arei Miklat, 3 in Ever HaYarden and 3 in Israel proper (as stated inBamidbar 35:14) The mishna states that the 3 in Ever HaYarden only took effect once the 3 in Israel were established. Bamidbar 35:9-14 clearly supports ruling of the mishnah of the mishna and the idea behind it - that the Arei Miklat of Ever HaYarden only become meaningful after the crossing of the Yarden, even though they are already called Arei Miklat before the rest were set. This shows that Ever HaYarden is an extension of Eretz Yisrael, but not Eretz Yisrael proper. This thesis explains a great deal.

The underlying concept of Arei Miklat is galut-exile. ( A side point: Arei Miklat are considered galut even though they ironically only exist in Israel - thus being in this Twilight Zone-esque category of being in Israel but being a state of Galut. One can't help but wonder if this concept applies to people as well. Can one be in Israel and yet in a spiritual state of Galut? A friend of mine once said that Galut is wanting to do the right thing but not knowing what it is. It seems to me that this Ir Miklat type mixture is quite relevant to each of us today in our pre-Mashiach era of Galut. There is a traditional concept of Galut hadaat, a state of mind which can possess a person even in Israel. Another way of phrasing this is to say that there are different types of Galut, one can be in galut from one's G-d, or in Galut from oneself). .

Galut in it’s literal sense means being removed from Eretz Yisrael. Arei Miklat are unique to Eretz Yisrael because they provide a kind of in-house galut. The solution to the Ever HaYarden question is that before kivush haaretz they were not part of Israel but they would eventually be a part of Israel. The explanation for this switch is that there can be no annex to a land until ownership of that land is established.

The fact that it was specifically Moshe who designates the Areki Miklat of Ever HaYarden is revealing. This alludes to a deep connection between Moshe and Ever HaYarden. Sefer Devarim highlights the relationship between Moshe’s designating this area and the theme of Devarim, which is the process of Mishna Torah (Moshe’s words of review and farewell).

In Devarim 4:41-44, the Torah connects Arei Miklat and the presentation of Mishna Torah. ( As Ibn Ezra points out in 4:41 on the words Az Yavdil Moshe “the explanation {for Arei Miklat being discussed here} is that the day that Moshe divided these cities is the same day that he spoke his words [Mishna Torah] of Brit. ”). The connection between Ever HaYarden and Moshe’s final words is a straightforward. Moshe needed to prepare this generation for their lives in Israel before they actually entered. A most appropriate place for such preparation is a place that, just like them, was not in Israel, but would one day be in Israel.

The opening pasukim of Deveraim 1:1-5 connect Moshe with Ever HaYarden (mentioning it twice, explicitly telling us this is where Moshe was to begin his Mishna Torah speech.) Within this link there lies a consolation for Moshe; even though Moshe was told that he would not be buried in Israel, his burial spot would one day be considered a part of Israel. There was a correlation between this place and this final speech both for those who would enter the land and for Moshe himself who would not enter Eretz Yisrael proper. For those who would enter Israel, Ever HaYaeden represented hope for the future, illustrated the idea that holiness can relace the mundane, that change can occur.

We can now understand the relevance of Nedarim and Nedavot at the start of the parsha. The underlying concept of a neder or a shevua is that man can create kedusha-holiness where the Torah has not explicitly established it. In other words nedarim and nedavot teach us that we may extend Torah categories of kedusha. (This fits with the idea of The Ramban that a major concept of Judaism is Kadeish Atznecha BeMutar Lach, to sanctify ourselves by extending holiness into our regular realm).

The above mentioned concept lies at the heart of the paradoxical kedusha of Ever HaYarden. Ever HaYarden has Kedushat HaAretz due to man’s divinely granted ability to make it holy. The kedusha of Ever HaYarden is based on the power we find in hafla'ah - oath making. It is this special status of Ever HaYarden that underscores this whole section of the Torah.

Ever HaYarden became holy through the actions of the 2 and ½ tribes. In Bamidbar 32:24 they are told to prepare cities for their children, fences for their sheep and then they are told “Vahytoze MiPichem Yaasu” . This echoes almost exactly the words used in regard to making a neder or a shevua. (Bamibar:36) where it states “kol hayotze mepiv yaaseh”. After the concept of extending kedusha is laid out in chapter 30 there is a foundation that leads directly to the discussion of Moshe’s death and transition to the next generation. In 31:2 the Torah stresses that the fight with Midian was a necessary precursor to Moshe’s death.

The fact that this is a time of transition is highlighted by the appearance of the chazotozrot hatruah, 31:6. The Truah indicates transition (see Bamidbar 10). The medrish tanchuma emphasizes the point that the truah represents transition.

The fact that this is a time of transition is highlighted by the appearance of the chazotozrot hatruah, 31:6. The Truah indicates transition (see Bamidbar 10). The Medrish Tanchuma quotes Bamidbar 31:1-2,6 in which vengeance is commanded together with the blowing of trumpets. Immediately following this quote the midrash lists the way the shofar was blown in the context of transition on many occasions.

1. Erev Shabbat (to signal people to stop work )
2. Rosh Chodesh
3. All holidays (2 and 3 are learned from Bamidbar 10:10 )
4. When they traveled (Bamidbar 10:6)
5. When the kahal was gathered. (Bamidbar 10:7)
6. When they went to war against oppressors (Bamidbar 10:9)
7. When they avenged themselves against Midyan.

The war against Midyan paved the way for the transition in leadership: The Torah in chapter 31, following this battle recaps the entire journey - which began with Yitziyat Mitzrayim and ends with Kivush HaAretz - which brought them at this moment to Arvot Moav. The Torah is pinpointing the moment of great transition. The first passuk of this perek mentions the leaving of Mitzrayim through the hands of Moshe and Aharon and then highlights the end of this generation. Later Ahron’s death is emphasized (33:38-40) and the encampment at Arvot Moav (33:48-49 ). The process of leaving is emphasized here. There is a refrain of “Motza’eiheim LeMas’eihem”. The leadership of Moshe and Ahron is intrinsically linked with Yiziyat Mizrayim. The entering of Eretz Yisrael is a second separate step. The mentioning here of Arvot Moav sets the stage for the next step, the conquest of Eretz Yisrael.

In chapter 34 the second step is explained in greater detail, with the boundaries of Eretz Yisrael being presented and a list of those in charge of the inheritance of the land. After the inheritance is mapped out the Torah (chapter 35) returns to Ever HaYarden, to the Areki Miklat. The end of the sefer serves as an appropriate segue way to Devarim.

The Bnot Tzlofchad issue is a piece of the theme of transition. The daughters of Tzlofchad come forward to point out that before Moshe passes all responsibility of Kivush HaAretz to the next generation he has one final unresolved act of leadership to perform. This is why in their wording they stress that Moshe was commanded to deal with this issue. They were stressing the need for him to deal with his command so that Jewish History can be taken to the next level.

May we be inspired by the ideas of holiness and transition that are featured prominently in this parsha.

Pinchas

This is an adaptation of the ideas of Rabbi Yitzchak Twersky with some of my own ideas added. I am grateful to my anonymous chavruta and student who assited with this piece.

Why in the middle of the parsha, in the middle of the counting of the nation, is there a throwback list of past people who were punished with death. That question along with the connection between various themes that don’t seem to fit together in this parshah will be answered with the following approach:

There are four topics in Parshat Pinchas:

1) Postscript to the Pinchas’ actions

2) Genealogy of Jewish People, the resolution of Bnot Tzlophchad issue – both of which are Part of the division of e Israel according to inheritance

3) The appointment of Yehoshua

4) the regular Temidim and additional Mussaf Korbanot.

The connective theme is the concept of korban (which is normally translated as sacrifice, but really means an act that increases closeness to G-d). These topics are each based on the korban model.

1. In Bamidbar 25:6 the passuk goes out of it’s way to use the terminology of kaarbanot, saying that a man brought (vayikriv) a midianite women to the tent door (it could have said he took, invited, or she came). In 25:12 Pinchas’s action is described as having avenged for his God and bringing atonement (vayichaper) for Bne Yisrael, another term associated with karbanot (and his reward is to become a kohein, one who offers karbanot). Medrish Tanchuma at the opening of the parsha asks on the passuk "vechi korban hikriv shnamar bo kaparah!?" - “Did he offer a korban; is that why this word is used?” The Medrash's answer, that his killing a wicked man was considered like offering a sacrifice, along with the question itself, is clearly connoting the korban theme.

2. These same phrases are repeated in the story of Bnot Tzlofchod (27:1, 5).Their approach of Moshe is preceded by the word vatikravna. It also states that they stood, vatoamodnah, before Moshe. This allusion to amidah connotes tefillah, which is avoda, like korbanot. The setting korban themed - "towards the opening of the Ohel Moed." Additionally, it doesn't merely say Moshe brought the Judicial question before God, but it says vayikrav moshe et divreihen lifnei Hashem, sounding very much like a kohein offering a korban on their behalf.

3. When leadership is transferred from Moshe to Yehoshua the symbolic vehicle utilized is smicha, the resting of hands, an action most commonly associated with the avodah of korbanot.

4. The last part of the Parsha is actually about korbanot.

The deep theme that runs throughthis parsha is that of replacement, the foundation of the concept of korbanot:

1. By attacking Zimri and Kazbi, Pinchas replaced G-d’s kin’ah - jealousy with his own (25:11). Hashem was intent upon destroying Am Yisrael, He did not destroy them because the killing of Zimri and Kazbi replaced the killing of Bnei Yisrael (velo kiniti et Bnei Yisrael). These replacements are the undercurrent of the korban that the Medrash says that Zimri and Kazbi became.

2a. The section about the allotment of the land of Israel deals with the generation that replaced the one which left Mitzrayim. As described in Shemot 3:8, the Yotz’ai Mitzrayim were originally meant to inherit the land but the next generation inherited in their stead.

2b. Bnot Tzlofchod replaced the men (father, brothers) that were not there to inherit the land.

3. Yehoshua replaced Moshe.

4. Karbanot are based on the principal of the animal replacing us.

There are several seemingly out of place references in this parsha to people who were punished by G-d with death. These can be explained in light of the approach we’ve developed.

26:9-11 speaks of Korach and co. Their desire was to replace Moshe and Aharon. Their names are actually evoked by the daughters of Tzlofchod in contrast to their father (who they wish to rightfully fill in for). Korach had an insincere personal agenda motivating his demand for replacement.

26:19 refers to Eir and Onan. At the center of that story is Onan’s refusal to replace the lineage of his deceased brother. There is also reference to the death of Aharon’s sons. They brought an innappropriate korban that did not serve to replace them, thus their lives were taken. Aharon and others, on the other hand, who brought korbanot correctly were replaced by their korban.

The fact that this portion focuses on replacement is not surprising taken in light of the episode which precedes it. The previous portion focuses on abuses of the concept of korban. Bilam continuously uses korbanot towards accomplishing his evil designs. He tries to bribe G-d with korbanot (much as Balak tries to bribe Bilam with korbanot). Also, at the end of the parsha Bnei Yisrael are involved with activities that are refered to as zivchei meitim - dead, ineffective korbanot.

There is a striking similarity between Bilam’s story and the story of the Akeida. Chazal note the description of Bilam rising early and preparing his donkey for his journey, and imagine G-d telling him, “Wicked one, Avraham already preceded you in rising early.” These two personalities personify a contreast between self-centeredness on the one hand, and self-sacrifice on the other.

It is not arbitrarily that the Mishna in Avot chose to contrast the students of Avraham and the followers of Bilam. (Some commentaries explain that Chazal contrast the students, because sometimes the differences can be hard to detect in the masters). there are many contrasts between these two people. The Akeidah, is also very connected to the Bilam story, as well as to the continuation story of Pinchas.

Pinchas put himself in danger. Like Yitzchak in the akeidah story - the penultimate example of the concept of korban, he was willing to sacrifice his own life and was then replaced and saved. (Normally, one can not become a Kohein. Even as a gift from G-d we don’t see another example of this once it was set who the Kohanim were. Rav Nachman Kahane suggests that Pinchas actually became a new person, and the person he became was a Kohein. Within the terminology we’ve been using, you could say that the old Pinchas was replaced by a new one!)

The Jewish people at this time were involved in Giui Arayot and Ovadah Zarah. It makes sense that ovodah needs to be strengthened at this point (see a similar situation, Achrei Mot/Kedoshim where after the avodah of korbanot is corrupted it is reestablished).

The pattern of korbanot is that there are always 7 kvasim and one ayil and on Sukkot its doubled (the number of parim varies, but the 7 kvasyim and 1 ayil is constant). 7+1=8. 8 represents brit. The akiedah is the epitome of a brit. The akiedah is here and alluded to as the paradigm of true avodah. It is quite worthy of note that the 8th animal in each set is an ayil, as an olah, as was ultimately offered in the Akieda.

In conclusion, this parsha presents a restatement of the fundamental concept of replacement as it relates to true service of G-d.

Pinchas Postscript

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The story of Pinchas takes place in Parshat Balak. Only the postscript of Pinchas' reward appears in the section that bears his name. Rabbi Moshe of Coucy explains that a thin line separates impulsive intolerance from righteous zeal. Time clarifies motivation. The pause between Pinchas' action and his repayment represent a period of observation. After evaluation proved Pinchas was mature and sincere, his behavior was rewarded.

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Adolescence is a time of self discovery and a time of rebellion. Not always do convictions of youth last. Rabbi Abraham Twerski applies this to some anti-establishment rebels of the 1960s. He writes: "Twenty years later finds some of the most vehement protestors wearing business suits and conservative shoes, their hair neatly styled, and carrying briefcases as they emerge from their suburban homes, very much a part of the "establishment" which they had so violently condemned in their youth." He suggests that their actions were clearly informed by impetuousness endemic to their age.

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Closer to home, there are many people who leave religion or "find" their Jewish religion in their late teens and early twenties. Who they really want to be becomes clear only in time as their behavior at 18 or 21 becomes a footnote to their lives.

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May we be blessed to be the best of our youth for the rest of our lives.