In the days of antiquity, pagan cults commonly based their religion upon death. They filled the caves of their departed relatives with stores of food and personal objects to accompany them on their journey through death. Jewish law vehemently forbids these rituals, refraining from providing any materials or provisions to the departed. We fashion our coffins from simple wood; we clothe the corpse in plain white shrouds. To paraphrase Horav Eli Munk,zl, “Judaism’s primary focus is upon life, that it be positive and productive.” In no way, however, are we lax in our care for the dead. We accord respect…
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After the individual who brings Bikurim, first fruits, recites the Vidui, confession, he asks Hashem to bless him. Rashi explains this entreaty to mean, “We have done what You decreed upon us; now You do what behooves You.” This seems like an insolent way to address Hashem. Have we ever had a circumstance in which Hashem has not fulfilled His promise? Another question that seems to bother the commentators concerns the Maaser, when the person implies that he has done everything that Hashem has demanded of him. If he has done everything possible, why is he saying Viddui? We…
“All the words of this Torah,” according to Rabbenu Saadya Gaon, is a reference to the Taryag, 613 mitzvos. In the Talmud Sotah 32b, Chazal contend that actually the entire Torah was written on these stones. Furthermore, they were written in seventy languages, availing everyone the opportunity to study Torah. Thus, the Ramban remarks that the stones were either extremely large, or a miracle enabled the stones to contain the entire text. According to one opinion, these words were inscribed upon a layer of plaster that could not defend against the elements for as long as would have been possble…
Interestingly, this parsha is filled with promises of blessing for good behavior and punishment and curse for disobedience. Nowhere, however, do we find the entreaty, “Please, Hashem, do not punish us for the wrong behavior we have committed. Overlook our sins.” Horav Moshe Swift, zl, emphasizes that the concept of reward and punishment is an integral part of Jewish doctrine. When you do something wrong, you pay for your sin. When you do a good deed, you are rewarded. Every action, every activity, every word, is all taken into account recorded and compensated. Furthermore, if we note the text, Hashem…
The tribes were divided. Some stood by Har Gerizim to issue the blessings, while the remainder stood by Har Eival to issue the curses. Ibn Ezra notes that the bnei ha’geviros, sons of “main” wives, Rachel and Leah, stood for the blessings, while the bnei ha’shefachos, tribes that descended from the maidservants, Bilhah and Zilpah, stood for the curses. In order to “even” the sides, Reuven and Zevulun, were to stand on Har Eival. What is unusual about this division of tribes is the fact that Yissachar and Zevulun were separated from one another. Moreover, Zevulun was on the side…
But Hashem did not give you a heart to know, or eyes to see, or ears to hear, until this day. (29:3)
Moshe began his final charge to Klal Yisrael by putting the experiences of their forty years in the wilderness into perspective. The commentators offer a number of explanations for “hayom hazeh,” “this day” to which Moshe is referring. Simply, in the forty years of miraculous survival, Klal Yisrael were exposed to the highest degree of spiritual revelation; they were nurtured and taught by the greatest teachers. Klal Yisrael could now fully appreciate the overwhelming debt of gratitude they owed to Hashem. They were finally ready to really serve Him. He could now expect more from them. Rashi suggests another analysis. …
The Torah begins the parsha with the details of the Bikkurim offering. The Jew brought the first of his fruits to the Kohen, symbolically stating that he dedicated all that he had to the service of Hashem. In the Mishnah Bikkurim 3:6, Chazal describe the pomp and joy that accompanied this offering. “The wealthy would bring their fruits in baskets made of gold; the poor in baskets made of cane.” The Kohen took not only the fruits, but also the baskets. The Yerushalmi explains that the basket served an interesting function. In the event the fruits became tamei, ritually unclean,…
The text of the pasuk implies that there is an integral relationship between the fact that Lavan attempted to destroy Yaakov and Yaakov’s subsequent descent to Egypt. This does not seem to be consistent with the historical perspective as suggested in the Torah and commentaries. Lavan the Arami was one tzarah, tormentor of Yaakov, and Pharaoh was another of Klal Yisrael’s persecutors. The two do not seem however, to have any relationship. The Netziv offers a striking explanation. Originally Klal Yisrael were to have remained in Aram with Lavan and his descendants for the duration of their four hundred year…
Prior to entering Eretz Yisrael, the Jews were to assemble at two mountains. Hashem would enumerate twelve specific commandments, and Klal Yisrael would acknowledge the blessings to be provided for those who upheld these mitzvos, and the curses to befall those who spurned them. Six shevatim, tribes, stood on Har Gerizim, the mountain selected for blessing, while six other tribes stood on Har Eival to acknowledge the curses. The commentators explain why these twelve subjects were selected as the vehicles for the public affirmation of blessing and curse. The consensus of opinon is that these are unique commandments that the…
The parsha begins with the laws of Bikkurim. It is juxtaposed upon the previous parsha of Amalek, in which we are enjoined to blot out forever the name of our archenemy, Amalek. Is there a relationship between these two parshios? Can we glean a message from the juxtaposition? Horav Avraham Weinberg, zl, who distinguished himself as a student of the Avnei Nezer, posits that there is a serious connection between the two. In fact, Amalek battled to destroy the basic doctrine of Bikkurim. What is the message of Bikkurim? In order to answer this basic question, Horav Weinberg addresses the…