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Home -> Matos -> 5785

ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Matos

Bnei Reuven and Bnei Gad had abundant livestock. (32:1)

The Torah teaches us that, following the war with Midyan, the tribes of Reuven, Gad and half of Menashe were beset with an abundance of cattle. They asked to remain on the other side of the Jordan and enter Eretz Yisrael only for the purpose of war. In other words, they were not adverse to helping their brothers in their fight to rid the Holy Land of the pagan nations who inhabited it; they just wanted to return to the lush land on the other side of the Jordan, so that they would have sufficient feed for their animals. While…

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Home -> Matos -> 5785

ומקנה רב היה לבני ראובן ולבני גד

Sruly Schnair
In 5785, Matos

The Tribes Reuven and Gad had an extremely large amount of cattle. (32:1)

Chazal (Bamidbar Rabbah 22:6) underscore the good fortune of one who acquires any one of these G-d-given precious gifts: wisdom, strength and/or wealth. This idea, say Chazal, applies only if one receives these gifts from Hashem. If, however, he receives these gifts from human beings – they have no value. Chazal continue: two wise people – one Jewish, one gentile, Achitofel and Bilaam –were both lost; two well-known strong men who did not endure – Shimshon and Golias – one Jewish, one gentile.  Two men of great wealth — Korach and Haman – neither made it. Why were these men…

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Home -> Matos -> 5784

ואת בלעם בן בעור הרגו בחרב

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Matos

And Bilaam ben Be’or they killed with the sword. (31:8)

Rashi comments that Bilaam came against Klal Yisrael and exchanged his craft with their craft, for we triumph only with our mouths through prayer and supplication. He came and seized their craft by cursing them with his mouth. They, too, came against him and exchanged their craft for the craft of the other nations, who come/fight with the sword. The power of prayer is awesome – especially when it emanates with sincerity and feeling from a pure mouth. Sometimes it is critical that one know how to pray (how to present his case). A special segulah, aid, to achieving a…

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Home -> Matos -> 5784

וידבר משה... זה הדבר אשר צוה ד'

Sruly Schnair
In 5784, Matos

Moshe spoke… “This is the matter that Hashem has commanded.” (30:2)

Rashi distinguishes between the level of nevuah, prophesy, which Moshe Rabbeinu achieved and the level of the other Neviim. Moshe prophesized with the wording, Zeh ha’davar, “This is the matter,” while the other Neviiam prophesized with the words, Koh amar Hashem, “So said Hashem.” The Malbim explains that “so said Hashem” implies that the Navi is relating what Hashem had earlier communicated to him. Zeh ha’davar implies that Hashem is presently in the process of communicating with those addressed by speaking, as it were, through the medium of the prophet. If so, why when addressing the roshei ha’matos, heads of…

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Home -> Matos -> 5783

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים אחר תאסף אל עמיך

Sruly Schnair
In 5783, Matos

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim; afterward, you will be gathered to your people. (31:2)

Chazal (Bamidbar Rabbah 22:2) teach that, had Moshe Rabbeinu wanted to remain in this world for an extended period, he could have just taken his time in carrying out Hashem’s instructions that he take revenge against the Midyanim. Hashem had stressed that (only) after Moshe had dealt with the Midyanim would he leave this world. Moshe Rabbeinu responded immediately, however, appointing an army and its leadership to go forth to battle. Chazal (22:6) draw a distinction between Moshe and Yehoshua. When Yehoshua, Moshe’s successor, fought against the thirty-one kings, the war took a long time, as Yehoshua took his time…

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Home -> Matos -> 5783

לא יחל דברו ככל היוצא מפיו יעשה

Sruly Schnair
In 5783, Matos

He shall not profane his word; according to whatever comes from his mouth, shall he do. (30:3)

Rashi defines Lo yacheil d’varo, “He shall not profane his word.” While he does not necessarily profane his word, the mere fact that he does not use his G-d-given speech/word for a purpose imbued with sanctity is considered profanity. When a person uses his G-d-given speech, it should be elevating, sanctifying, complimentary, obligating himself in higher, more consecrating endeavors. Even a mundane conversation which wastes time that could have been used to improve and enlighten is, by omission, a form of profaning. If we want Hashem to listen to our words, we must see to it that they have value…

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Home -> Matos -> 5782

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים ... וישלח אתם משה אלף למטה

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Matos

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim… Moshe sent them a thousand from each tribe. (31:2,6)

Moshe Rabbeinu was the paradigm of a baal ha’koras ha’tov, one who acknowledges his debt of gratitude and repays it at his earliest convenience.  This is the definition that applies to everyone.  Moshe is not everyone.  He lived by a bar whose standards were much higher.  When Hashem instructed Moshe to initiate the ten plagues that debilitated Egyptian life, he respectfully bowed out from being the vehicle to strike both the water (Nile River, to transform it into blood and to bring up the frogs) and the ground (to bring about the plague of lice).  For both he had a…

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Home -> Matos -> 5782

נקם נקמת בני ישראל מאת המדינים

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Matos

Take vengeance for Bnei Yisrael against the Midyanim. (31:2)

The Torah is commanding Klal Yisrael to initiate a campaign of vengeance against the Midyanim, in order to put a stop to their pernicious influence on the Jewish people. Noticeably, the Torah uses strong language in issuing this command: Take vengeance. The Midyanim sent their young women to pervert the Jewish men. This action provoked a zealous and violent response by Pinchas. Klal Yisrael, as a nation, had never previously retaliated when subjected to physical aggression. We fought back, but never acted in vengeance. We acted passively, withdrawing from the fray. We neither seek — nor approve of — violent…

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Home -> Matos -> 5782

הבו לכם אנשים חכמים ונבונים וידעים לשבטיכם ואשימם בראשיכם

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Matos

Provide for yourselves distinguished men, who are wise, understanding and well-known to your tribes, and I shall appoint them as your heads. (1:13)

Rashi notes that the word v’asimeim; and I shall appoint, is spelled missing a yud; thus, it reads v’ashmam, their guilt.  This teaches that the moral and ethical failings of the people are the fault of their judges, who should have reproved them when they sinned.  If the “class” is unruly due to a lack of discipline, the first address for blame is the teacher.  First and foremost, a leader must realize that he is not a private person.  He is held responsible not only for his sins, but also for the sins of the people that he leads.  While…

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Home -> Matos -> 5782

איכה אשא לבדי טרחכם ומשאכם וריבכם

Sruly Schnair
In 5782, Matos

How can I carry alone your contentiousness, your burdens, and your quarrels? (1:12)

Rashi derives from the word masaachem, your burdens, that the people were apikorsim, heretics.  They were skeptics who did not believe in their leaders.  Thus, they questioned the motives of everything that Moshe Rabbeinu did.  If he left his home early, they asserted that there was trouble at home.  If he left late, they claimed that he was busy seeking ways to take advantage or hurt them.  They were bogged down with suspicion.  Nothing was good enough for them.  They had jaundiced misgivings and perspective about everyone who helped them.  This is a masa, burden.  Apparently, Rashi feels that an…

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